Animal health director sacked for misconduct; Bottled water, ice makers suspended; Marriage broker arrested in HCM City; Contractor salvages $1m drilling robot; Two killed, 11 hurt in bush crash; Unexploded bombs dismantled
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Japanese officials on Tuesday expelled deputy captain Dang Xuan Hop (photo) who served as a pilot for Vietnam Airlines.
The flight bringing Hop back to Vietnam took off at Narita International Airport after his family paid over US$5,000 to Saitama district’s court.
The pilot was held by Japanese polices in December last year for his suspected association with a smuggling syndicate. The court gave him a 30-months suspended sentence and fined him $5,000.
Drug trafficker apprehended
A team of inspectors at Conjugate Control Station, Dan Tien wharf arrested a drug trafficker carrying nearly 6,000 tablets suspected to be synthetic drugs in the northern province of Quang Ninh on Sunday.
Tran Thi Mai, 35, from the northern province of Hung Yen, was caught transporting the drugs. The team also discovered another 17 compressed tablets of synthetic drugs.
The woman was taken to Mong Cai Public Security for further investigation.
Investing 15 billion VND in building cultural houses at disadvantaged areas
25 cultural houses in 2 disadvantaged communes in 25 provinces nationwide will be built with capital worth 15 billion VND by the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Information.
25 villages are in the northern provinces of Bac Kan, Yen Bai, Tuyen Quang, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Son La, Lai Chau, Hoa Binh, Vinh Phuc, Bac Giang and Thanh Hoa; central provinces of Nghe An, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Phu Yen, Quang Ngai and Binh Thuan; southern provinces of Binh PHuoc, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang and Hau Giang.
As scheduled, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will fund 10 million VND per year for activities of these cultural houses during the two first years. Then, additional support will depend on the local budget.
Dien Bien sees increase of tourists
Since early this year, Dien Bien province has received more than 74,500 tourists, up 75% against the same period last year.
Of which, there is a 176% increase in international tourists and 57% increase in domestic tourists. The revenue from tourism is put at more than VND 28 billion, a triple over the same period in 2008.
It is estimated that the number of tourists to Dien Bien in April and May will continue to rise. Many accommodation businesses have built more lodging houses, restaurants and hotels to meet the need of tourists.
In the first quarter of 2009, there were around 16,000 Chinese tourists visiting Vietnam through Lao Cai border gate. On the public holidays of April 30 and May 1, the number of foreign and Vietnamese tourists to Sapa, Lao Cai will also increase.
Agent Orange victim receives free house
A house worth US$1,100 was handed to Ho Van Bich, an Agent Orange victim in central Da Nang City’s Hoa Vang District, yesterday.
The Vietnam News Agency’s Relief Fund for Agent Orange Victims is providing VND37 million (US$2,100) to build houses for another two families with Agent Orange victims.
Since 2006, with the help of Da Nang City’s Association of Agent Orange Victims, the fund has given financial support and presents to disadvantaged victims in the city.
Human trafficker gets jail sentence
Tran Thi Phuong, 50, from Ha Noi’s Tu Liem district was jailed for five years and six months for trafficking humans.
In 1997, Phuong duped and sold Nguyen Thi Hien, 34, and her two-year-old daughter to a 50-year-old Chinese man for US$500.
Hien returned to Vietnam last year and presented her case to investigators. She has not heard from her daughter, who would be 13, since they were kidnapped.
Screw removed from baby’s throat
A 3.5cm screw was removed from a girl’s bronchus on Thursday by doctors at the Infant Hospital’s Department of Ear, Nose and Throat.
The hospital’s Dr Phan Gia Duy Linh said the six-month-old, from Nha Trang city on the central coast, swallowed the screw and fell ill 20 days ago. She spent a week in hospital.
Fines given for illegal construction barriers
Having illegal barriers at construction sites has cost 23 companies VND58 million (US$3,400) in fines.
Inspectors from the city’s Department of Transport said on Thursday another 330 warnings were issued for street sanitation and urban scenery violations.
The department has new rules but the companies involved had not altered existing barriers. There are 252 barriers at a dozen construction sites in the city.
New rental regulations introduced
New regulations for land rentals were introduced by the Municipal People’s Committee on Thursday.
The annual rent on land used for production, transport work and business is 0.5 per cent of its value. It will be 0.7 per cent for other services, including commerce, tourism and banks.
Production, transport and business companies renting land in Soc Son, My Duc, Ba Vi, Quoc Oai and Thach That districts and Dong Xuan, Yen Binh, Yen Trung and Tien Xuan communes will also pay 0.5 per cent while other businesses in the areas will pay 1.2 to 1.5 per cent.
Pavement sinks near building site
Nearly 100m of pavement has sunk on Pham Hung Road in Cau Giay District where Ha Noi’s tallest building, the Keangnam, is being built.
The pavement has sunk up to 30cm along the front of the building, causing problems for pedestrians and affecting traffic flows.
Keangnam is being built by the Keangnam-Vina Co Ltd. Its representative Ngo Quy Cong said the depression was not caused by construction and that the major cause was a weak layer of pavement on what was cultivated land.
Vu Quoc Chinh, from the Vietnam Federation of Civil Engineering Associations Construction Corporation, said if the section that sunk was along the foot of the 73-storey building, the contractor could be blamed.
If measures were not taken, the surrounding area could subside further, particularly during heavy rain, Chinh said.
Cong said the company would fix the problem to ensure people’s safety. Several company workers started repairs on Wednesday and it was planned to have been completed by the end of the month.
The repairs would not affect construction of the building, which is scheduled for completion by late next year, he said.
Nearly VND32 billion in support of underprivileged children
Nearly VND32 billion has been raised at a charity performance in support of outstanding poor pupils and underprivileged children.
The programme was held at the Hanoi Cultural Friendship Palace on April 11 by the Vietnam Children Support Fund, Vietnam Television and Nguoi Hanoi (Hanoian) newspaper.
Philanthropists joined hands to raise funds for outstanding poor pupils and needy children, such as orphans, street children, Agent Orange victims and children with disabilities.
On the occasion, the Vietnam Children Support Fund granted 20 scholarships worth VND500,000 each to outstanding poor pupils in Hanoi and the northern province of Hung Yen. This year, the Fund will provide an additional 2,900 scholarships totaling VND1.7 million to beneficiaries nationwide.
Cambodian nationals arrested for drug trafficking
The criminal investigation department under the Ministry of Public Security on April 10 prosecuted and arrested four drug traders and traffickers, including two Cambodian nationals.
The detainees were Ho Minh Loi, 33, and Pham Thai Son, 37, both from Long An province, Khuon Khmoi, 29, and Kim Phuc, 42, both Cambodian nationals.
The four established a ring to transport synthetic drugs from Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City across the Tho Mo border gate in Long An province to be distributed in cafés, bars and discos.
According to initial investigations, the ring, led by Khuon Khmoi, had been operating for nearly 10 years.
In March 2009, the criminal investigation department caught Pham Thai Son and Ho Minh Loi red handed trafficking 200 amphetamine tablets and 100gr of powdered drugs.
Son and Loi confessed that they were hired by Khuon Khmoi to transport the drugs to Vietnam. Later, police arrested Khuon Khmoi and Kim Phuc in Long An province.
First congress of Vietnam Press Issue Association opens
Vietnam Press Issue Association will unite to discuss strengths, limitations and weaknesses, and assist each other for the common benefit, Dao Duy Quat, editor-in-chief of the Communist of Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper said April 10 in Hanoi.
Speaking at the first congress, the chair of the committee to establish the association presented the establishing process, as well as directions and duties of the association for its first term.
The Vietnam Press Association voted in the executive committee, including 23 people. SGGP’s editor-in-chief, Tran The Tuyen, has been voted a member of the executive.
PV