Traffic accidents claim nearly 4,000 lives

More than 10,700 traffic accidents have occurred nationwide so far this year, killing 3,928 people and injuring 10,556 others.

Traffic police handled nearly 1.8 million road traffic violations, fining over VND1 trillion (US$47 million) and seizing over 11,500 cars and 215,800 motorbikes, according to the National Committee for Traffic Safety.

Last year, the country recorded nearly 29,400 traffic accidents that claimed the lives of 9,369 people and injuring 29,500 others.

Court of Appeals reduces term for former policeman

The Court of Appeals in Ha Noi reduced the sentence of former senior police officer Duong Tu Trong to 16 years yesterday.

In January, a court in Ha Noi sentenced Trong, the former deputy director of the northern port city of Hai Phong's police department, to 18 years in jail for helping his brother flee the country in 2012.

According to the indictment, Trong helped his brother, Duong Chi Dung, 56, former chairman of the state-owned shipping corporation Vinalines, flee to Cambodia.

Trong and five other accomplices appealed the verdict. However, the court upheld the sentences as well as those of the other accomplices. Vu Tien Son, ex-deputy head of the Social Crime Investigation Police Section at the Hai Phong police department, received 13 years in prison; Dong Xuan Phong, a former official at Hai Phong's customs department, received seven years; Tran Van Dung, 45, a resident of Hai Phong's Hong Bang District, received eight years; Nguyen Trong Anh, Son's former subordinate, received six years and Pham Minh Tuan, former director of Bach Dang Enterprise in Hai Phong, received five years.

After receiving a tip that his brother would be prosecuted for his role in a dock purchase scam at Vinalines, Trong helped Dung escape via the Moc Bai Border Gate in southern Tay Ninh Province, prosecutors said at the hearing.

Dung then flew to Singapore to apply for a visa to the US. However, his application was rejected and Dung returned to Cambodia, where he was captured by Cambodian police and extradited home to face court proceedings.

Earlier this month, Dung was sentenced to death for embezzling US$474,000.

The 11th “Vietnam Glory” programme was held in Hanoi on May 23, honouring 19 outstanding individuals and 11 organisations in the cause of national construction and defence.

Thai Phung Ne, a leading Vietnamese hydroelectricity expert and a great contributor to the successful operation of Son La Hydropower Plant, and Senior Lieutenant Tran Van Vung from the Coast Guard High Command are among the awardees.

In his statement, President Truong Tan Sang praised the winners for their achievement, saying that they are exemplary role models for patriotic movements nationwide.

He also hailed efforts by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and the Central Committee for Emulation and Reward for successfully organising the annual “Vietnam Glory” programme over the past 10 years.

This year’s programme honoured coast guard and fisheries surveillance officers and fishermen, who demonstrated their courage, commitment and determination in demanding China withdraw its illegally positioned, Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil rig from Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

Vietnam calls on WHO members to adapt to climate change

A Vietnamese official has delivered an impassioned speech at the ongoing 67th Assembly of the World Health Organisation (WHO), calling on the organisation and United Nations agencies to intensify their response to climate change.

In his address, Deputy Health Minister Le Quang Cuong also asked nations to strengthen their connections within the framework of the Regional Forum on Environment and Health between the 10 ASEAN member countries and China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Mongolia.

He confirmed the determination of the Vietnamese Government and Health Ministry to build and implement national strategies and action plans on dealing with the threat of climate change from now to 2020.

The speech also focused on how the environmental crisis damages human health and each country’s socio-economic development.

The 67th World Health Assembly is taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 19-24, with the participation of 194 country members.

During this session, the Vietnamese delegation is scheduled to give over 20 reports, including ones on infectious and non-infectious disease prevention, preparations for a influenza pandemic and newly-emerging contagious diseases, and the care for people with disabilities.

OV association condemns China for East Sea action

In response to China’s illegal positioning of its Haiyang Shiyou-981 drilling rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone, the Liaison Association for Overseas Vietnamese has issued a statement, unyieldingly protesting China’s behaviour.

The statement said that China’s action is extremely dangerous, gravely violating the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) to which China is a signatory. It also runs counter to bilateral agreements reached by the two countries’ high-level officials and threatens maritime security and safety in the East Sea.

Sharing the same viewpoint with compatriots at home and abroad, the association vehemently denounces acts of infringement, demanding China remove its rig and armed ships and aircraft out of Vietnam’s waters as well as respect bilateral and multilateral agreements on the East Sea.

It also called on the Vietnamese communities worldwide to join hands to prevent China’s expansionism and canvass international public to support Vietnam’s just cause.

Since the beginning of May, Vietnam has exercised utmost restraint, shown every gesture of goodwill and exhausted all dialogue channels to communicate with the Chinese authorities of different levels for expressing protest and demanding China to immediately withdraw its drilling rig and vessels from Vietnam’s waters.

Nevertheless, up to now, China has failed to respond to Vietnam’s legitimate demand. On the contrary, it has been slandering and blaming Vietnam while continuing to escalate the use of force and acts of violation in an increasingly dangerous and serious manner.

Job fair for Vietnamese students in Taiwan

Nearly 400 Vietnamese students recently participated in a job fair at National Taipei University of Technology (NTUT), seeking to fill suitable vacancies at Taiwanese companies.

The event attracted 18 Taiwanese companies, including household brand names E. Sun Bank, Cathay Life Insurance, Vedan, Multicom, Fubon Life Insurance, Vnex, Nanpao, Asus, and Pouchen.  

The fair served as a bridge connecting Vietnamese students with Taiwanese companies, assisting them in locating employment after graduation.

Job seekers visited booths and held direct interviews with potential employers.

A workshop was also held, creating an opportunity for employers to provide information about the work environment and the job position along with long-term prospects for future advancement.

Insurance benefits cancer sufferers

Health insurance is helping reduce the financial burden on cancer patients since the incidence of the disease and treatment costs are increasing by the year, a top HCM City oncologist said.

There are 150,000 new cancer patients every year, half of whom die, according to Ha Noi Cancer Association.

At a workshop called ‘Cancer Insurance in Viet Nam - Bridge the Gap between Innovations and Access to Treatment' held yesterday, Pham Xuan Dung, deputy head of HCM City Oncology Hospital, said in HCM City alone 5,000-5,500 new cases are detected each year.

At his hospital, the 10 leading cancers are of the breast, cervix, thyroid, lungs, ovaries, liver, nasopharynx, stomach, skin, and colon-rectum, he said.

Modern technologies have been used in recent years to provide the best diagnosis and treatment choices to cancer patients, he said, admitting however that their costs have increased.

For instance, treating colorectal cancer costs VND150 million (US$7,100) in the early stages and double that for advanced cases, he said; the maximum cost of cancer treatment is around VND700 million ($33,333).

But thanks to health insurance, which covers 80 per cent of the cost, cancer patients benefit from advanced diagnosis and treatment methods as well as new drugs, he said.

Last year 78 per cent of 52,068 inpatients and 68 per cent of 65,806 outpatients used health insurance cards, he said.

Dr Vu Xuan Bang, deputy head of the Viet Nam Social Insurance Agency's health insurance policy division, said the total amount the agency paid for cancer patients last year was VND12.9 trillion ($614 million).

GLOBOCAN 2012 released by the World Health Organisation's International Agency for Research on Cancer showed there were an estimated 14.1 million new cancer cases globally in 2012 and 8.2 million fatalities.

Health Care event marks Children's Day

Nearly 10,000 pre-school and primary school children are expected to attend a Kid's Health Care event on May 31 and June 1 as part of International Children's Day (June 1) activities.

In the city programme, whose motto is Safety for Children, the children will receive free health check-ups, eye and dental exams, vitamin A supplements, medicine and assorted gifts. They will also enjoy games as well as musical performances.

Parents will be given counseling on how to prevent dengue fever, hand, foot and mouth disease, measles, tuberculosis, obesity and malnutrition.

They will also learn about first aid for emergency measures and how to create a safe environment for children at home.

The event is organised by the HCM City Public Health Association in co-operation with the city's Department of Health and HCM Communist Youth Union. It will be held in District 1's September 23 Park.

Precious timber seized on train

The central city's police department seized 85 cubic metres of giang huong timber (sandalwood) on a northbound train at Kim Lien station.

The owner failed to show legal documents to prove the origin of the logs, which have an estimated value of VND4 billion (US$190,000), according to the police.

Giang huong is precious timber in category 2A, which means special permission is required from authorised agencies to transport or trade the material.

The owner of the logs said they were loaded on the train at Thuy Thanh Station in Quang Ngai Province and were going to be removed at Tu Son Station in Bac Ninh Province.

The case is currently under investigation.

Customs officials stop dried fruit shipment

Ha Noi Market Watch officers and environment police seized over ten tonnes of dried fruit allegedly smuggled from China on Thursday.

Worth over VND500 million (US$23,800), the fruit was being transported by bus from northern Bac Giang Province to Thai Binh Province.

Bus driver Nguyen Minh Tuan, 29, of Quang Ninh Province admitted to the police that he was hired to carry the goods. He failed to show any legal documents such as proof of origin or a food safety certificate.

The dried fruit will be destroyed, following regulations.

Resettlement project takes turn for the worse

Authorities in central Quang Tri Province have got themselves into an absurd situation over the resettlement of people periodically threatened by storms and floods.

Many families in disaster-prone areas have refused to move to new resettlement areas after finding there was no land for cultivation - or even fresh water for drinking and farming.

To compound matters, other families from the same area but not classified as disaster prone, have moved into the empty homes illegally. They refuse to budge.

In Dakrong Province, two resettlement projects were built for hundreds of families from Dakrong and A Ngo communes.

Ka Lu-Chan Ro resettlement area, built at a cost of more than VND11 billion (US$523,000), has completed 30 out of a total 70 houses planned. The project included schools, power and concrete roads.

However, only 19 families decided to make the move. The rest refused to shift as there was no land to grow crops or raise animals.

Ho Ra Mi, moved to a house in Vung Kho Hamlet in Ka Lu-Chan Ro resettlement area, but said it was next to National Highway 9 and had no farm land attached.

He said he voluntarily moved as he was promised a house, 720sq.m of rice fields, one hectare of cultivation land - plus a food subsidy for the first six months.

"Now I have to use land from my parents and can only earn VND10 million ($476) for a whole year", he said.

Ho Ta Hach, another resident, said he borrowed VND20 million ($952) from a local bank to buy cows to make money, but he said he couldn't settle down in the area because no land was forthcoming.

Vice chairman of the communal People's Committee, Ho Thanh said the project originally had agricultural land to distribute, but most of it had been occupied by householders from the same commune who were not listed for relocation.

The committee held meetings with members of these households and asked them to return the land and pay compensation, but they refused.

In Pi Rao Resettlement Area in A Ngo Commune, a project to provide new living areas for 70 households was completed in 2012. It had 42.8 hectares of land for cultivation.

However, after two years, only 42 families moved in because they had no fresh water.

Vice chairman of the People's Committee Ho Van Lap said residents also had difficulties in accessing social welfare, including food subsidies and breeding plants and stock.

"A school was built in our resettlement area, but parents still had to take their children to their old schools as there were not enough students," he said.

Ho Thi Kim Cuc, vice chairwoman of the district's People's Committee blamed a lack of competent officials for the absence of cultivation land and water.

The committee asked the Home Affairs Department to appoint hamlet officials to take charge of situation, but regulations state that they cannot be appointed until there are at least 100 households to handle.

Cuc said the committee had asked the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to examine the situation and see if resettled families can be given other farm land.

She said the committee would give extensions to households who refused to move to the area. If they did not, the homes allocated to them would be given to others in need.

Dien Bien Phu victory discussed in Argentina

The Vietnam Embassy in Argentina, in coordination with the Argentinean Ministry of Defence and the Argentina-Vietnam Cultural Institute, has held a seminar analysing the victory of Dien Bien Phu campaign.

Addressing the event on May 22, Roberto de Luise, Under Secretary of International Affairs of the Argentinean ministry, highlighted similarities between the two countries’ struggles for national independence and rejoiced to hear that the 60th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu victory was organised successfully in the context of the flourishing ties between the two sides.

Participants heard presentations by Ezequiel Ramoneda, Coordinator of the Southeast Asia Research Centre under the National University of La Plata, and Alexiane Bloch, a French historical expert, on the historical situation of France at the time of the Dien Bien Phu campaign.

Director of Argentina’s Cienflores publishing house Maximiliano Thibaut praised the role played by late General Vo Nguyen Giap in the triumph which shook the world and led to the end of French colonialism in the three Indochinese countries of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

The Institute’s Chairman, Poldi Sosa, emphasised the importance of the logistical work to the victory, while other speakers agreed that the Dien Bien Phu victory provides forceful evidence of the power of Vietnam’s all-people war strategy.

On the occasion, a documentary film on the victory was screened, providing participants with an insight on the art of war of Vietnam.

New school built for children in poor Quang Tri commune

The construction of a primary school began on May 23 in Thanh commune, Huong Hoa district, the central province of Quang Tri , and is expected to solve a shortage of classrooms for local children.

The school is being built at a cost of 135,000 USD, with 107,000 USD from the UK ’s Prudential Group and the rest from the local budget and Plan, a non-governmental organisation specialising in helping children realise their rights and eradicating poverty.

Covering an area of 500 sq. m, the facility will include five classrooms, capable of welcoming 95 local children.

The mountainous Thanh commune has 636 households with 3,392 people living in 10 villages. As many as 97 percent of the residents are from the Van Kieu and Pa Ko ethnic groups. The ratio of poor households in the locality remains high at 44 percent.-

VietJet Air gives travelers new HCM city-Singapore route

Vietnamese budget carrier VietJet Air announced on May 23 that it is expanding service to provide travelers new convenient same-day round-trip flights connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore.

From May 23 onward the airline will be offering an additional 2,520 passenger seats per week on seven daily flights departing HCM City at 8.50am and arriving in Singapore at 11.40am (local time), returning at 12.40pm (local time), arriving in HCM City at 01.30pm.

The airline is offering a variety of introductory fares and promotional discounts, including hundreds of free tickets and gifts, from May 23 to June 23.

Tickets can be booked via the VietJet Air website www.vietjetair.com, mobile phone at www.m.vietjetair.com, or Facebook at www.facebook.com/vietjetairvietnam, and at the airlines booking offices nationwide.

VietJet Air is flying to 24 domestic and international destinations. It plans to expand its Asia-Pacific destinations and establish joint ventures with regional airlines. 

VNN/VNS/VOV/ND