Construction work begins on new railway intersection

Construction work began yesterday, Dec 25, at the intersection of the Ha Noi – Hai Phong railway, Highway No5 and Road 390 in Hai Duong Province.

The project, which carries a total investment of VND988 billion (US$47.4 million), is financed by the Hai Duong Province Department of Transport.

Key installation work is due to be completed in 370 days, according to its contractor, the 789 Construction Corporation of the Defense Ministry.

The intersection will include a 509-metre long overpass, which will have a width of 12 metres.

The project aims to reduce traffic accidents and ease congestion on the Ha Noi- Hai Phong railroad and highway No5, particularly in Hai Duong Province's Ba Hang area.

Social, health insurance covers 56 million people

According to the latest statistics, 10 million people were covered by compulsory social insurance and 46 million by voluntary health insurance. Only 93,000 volunteered to join social insurance. 

The insurance sector reported more than VND83 trillion in revenue in the January-November period, up 8.5 percent from the same period last year. 

An estimated 110 million people received medical treatment under health insurance this year, an increase of 7.8 percent. The health insurance fund is expected to post a surplus for the year.

Man seized for selling fake meteorite for $95,000

Police in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City have detained a man who cheated a woman by selling her a false meteorite for VND2 billion (US$95,000) three months ago.

Vo Quang Truc, 45, of District 6, was arrested last Friday in Kien Giang Province, after his victim, Nguyen Ngoc Lan, 39, of District 12, reported the scam to police.

Lan told the police that one day in September, Truc and a few associates unexpectedly came to her rented house in Hiep Thanh 2 Ward and said they had bought a meteorite for VND4 billion and were seeking someone to whom they could sell the valuable rock.

They also had Lan look for a buyer for them, and promised to reward her for her help after they sold the rock.

A friend of Truc later contacted Lan and told her that he wanted to sell a meteorite for VND2 billion.

After conceiving a plan buy it and then resell it for a huge profit, Lan phoned Truc and asked him to go along with her to have a look at the meteorite.

After the seller – one of Truc’s mates – showed Lan a piece of strange rock that he took out form a safe, Truc pretended to examine it carefully and then confirmed that it was a genuine meteorite.

Lan then paid the dealer VND2 billion and took the stone home.

She later had the stone verified by experts in precious stones and was told what she had bought was just a piece of normal stone.

The district police launched an investigation following Lan’s report, and they recently received a tip that Truc was temporarily living in Kien Giang Province.

On December 23rd, the police coordinated with their counterparts in the province’s Chau Thanh District and seized Truc.

Truc pleaded guilty of cheating Lan, and said he was given VND400,000 from the amount Lan had paid to his gang, and he had spent all of it.

The police are hunting for Truc’s accomplices.

Province receives new planes

The Naval Forces yesterday, Dec 25, held a ceremony to receive new aircraft and announced the decision to establish a flying squadron in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

The EC-225 flying squadron received two French-made aircraft suited for search and rescue work.

Admiral Nguyen Van Hien, who is also the Deputy Minister of National Defense, said the aircraft would help protect sovereignty over the islands, continental shelf and exclusive economic zones of the country.

A test flight was conducted after the ceremony.

Vietnam police nab two int’l criminals

On December 23rd the Ministry of Public Security, in cooperation with the Police Warrant Office and provincial police, seized two international criminals in Phu Hai ward, Phan Thiet City in the coastal province of Binh Thuan, confirmed colonel Nguyen Van Than, head of Binh Thuan police, last Sunday.

On December 20th the Swedish National Bureau of Investigation published an international wanted notice for Lundgren Nils Goeran Lennart and Eklund Mickelsson Sonja Birgitta, a couple, both of whom are 58 years old and of Swedish nationality, who were charged with property appropriation.

The two entered Vietnam through Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City and moved to Phan Thiet City, where they created a tourism service company called Hai Au Ltd.

However, after an investigation period based on provided evidence, local police decided to seize the two Swedes, who were listed as dangerous criminals.

They have been transferred to the Police Warrant Office to complete documents before being handed over to Swedish police.

Vietnam-Russia friendship association holds congress

The Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association held its 4th National Congress in Hanoi on December 25.

Delegates to the congress elected an executive board with 72 members. Dao Trong Thi was re-elected as President of the association and worked out an action plan for the 2011-2015 term.

In the 2011-2015 period, the association plans to continue renewing operations and developing new partners to accelerate activities for peace, solidarity, friendship and cooperation and boost socio-economic development in Vietnam.

The association will also step up cooperation with the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association to facilitate operations of localities and enterprises of the two countries. 

With 30 chapters across the country, in the 2006-2011 period, the association boosted relations with Russia through people-to-people diplomacy and cooperation in organising exchange activities on the occasion of major events.

VNN/VOV/VNS/Tuoi Tre