Celebrities donate to help kids with heart defects

Ngo Thanh Van (C) and Dam Vinh Hung (R) in the Scar of Life auction gala

Photo: VnExpress

TUOITRENEWS

Well-known Vietnamese singers, models, actors took part in charity auction The Scar of Life and raised $50,000 for kids with heart defects last Wednesday in Ho Chi Minh City’s White Palace Convention Center.

Led by actress Ngo Thanh Van The, the auction included a collection of celebrities’ portrait photos that show their past failures and how they overcame difficulties to become successful.

One hot item was a black and white portrait of a child patient with autographs from Jack Black and Angelina Jolie which Ngo Thanh Van managed to get after going through security guards being given only two minutes to explain and persuade the Hollywood stars. 

The photo was sold for US$10,000.

The auction’s moment, however, was when Huynh Nhu, a 13-year-old girl who had gone through a surgery for innate cardiovascular disease broke out on stage as she was giving thanks to those who had helped her pay for the operation.

“After the surgery, I feel like I am living again. I want to become a doctor to help other people,” said the girl from Tra Vinh Province.

After Nhu, 11 year-old Hai Dang and other children performed the song Ngay dau tien di hoc (First Day at School). Dang later gave singer Dam Vinh Hung his red scarf, which was then auctioned off and bought by White Palace’s owner for $10,000.
Dam Vinh Hung also auctioned his oil painting at the end of the event. 

Started at $5000, the painting was bid for $11,000 by model Truong Thi May, $15,000 by actress Hoang Thuy Linh, and finally sold for $18,000 to a business woman who ceded the possession to Hoang Thuy Linh and only asked to donate the painting’s value.

Thu Huong, Miss Sports Hanoi 1995 and also a character in The Scar of Life’s photo book, and actress Mai Thuy Huyen contributed $5000 and $2000 respectively to the painting. 

Two other philanthropists topped it up with $10,000.

Dam Vinh Hung’s painting garnered the greatest donations at the auction: $50,000. His portrait was also sold at $85,000.

Miss Vietnam 2004 Nguyen Thi Huyen bought her own portrait for $5000. 
Portraits of Ngo Thanh Van, singer My Linh, entrepreneurs Don Lam and Robin King Austin, and Khai Silk also fetched thousands of dollars.

The money raised in the auction will be donated to Vietnam Heart Beat, a charity fund that carries on operations for children.

Each heart operation costs up to $1000.

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Foreigner sentenced to life for heroin trafficking

Photo: Nguoi Lao Dong

TUOI TRE

Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court Wednesday sentenced Nigerian Ben Blessed to life imprisonment for smuggling over 1 kilogram of heroin from Vietnam to China.

Three of his accomplices were also arrested and given sentences. Anyanwu Chima Stanley was sentenced to 30 years in jail for illegal possession and transportation of drugs; Ozogu John and Pham Thi Thanh Trang each received a 20-year sentence for illegally transporting drugs.

They were also fined VND20million (US$1000) to VND50million (US$2500) each.

Ben, 31, came to Vietnam in 2008 as a tourist and stayed on in HCMC illegally after his visa expired. He and John hired Trang and some Vietnamese girls to smuggle drugs from foreign countries into Vietnam and then deliver the drugs to China.

They had successfully transported the drugs to China many times until July 2009 when Trang was seized while carrying 692.9 grams of heroin to China.

The heroin was earlier smuggled by Trang, paid US$700 for the mule job, from Pakistan into Vietnam. The drugs were then put into small nylon bags and hidden in shoe soles before being smuggled to China.

Following Trang’s confession, the police arrested Ben, John and Chima and found the heroin hidden in T-shirt buttons and shoe soles at Ben’s house.

At the court hearing, the Nigerian men pleaded not guilty, claiming their earlier confessions were obtained by police coercion and misunderstanding caused by the language barrier.
Still, the judges rejected their explanations.

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Sand thefts rampant, ruining Bac Ninh relics

TUOI TRE

For months now, sand thieves have been destroying banks on the Nhu Nguyet River in Bac Ninh province, threatening to sink several centuries-old historical relics there. When cornered, they fought back with machetes and knives.

It is estimated that the illegal sand miners steal away more than 500-600 cubic meters of sand in Tam Da commune.

When Tuoi Tre arrived at Mieu Temple on Nhu Nguyet riverbank on a late Wednesday night, they found numerous people on many boats busy digging, loading and sucking away patches of sand.

Due to such unbridled mining, Mieu Temple, one of the national relics recognized by the government in 1980, is on the verge of collapse into the river.

Yet, there was no sign of a night raid, a patrol or the presence of a local official on that night.

Ngo Van Tu, who has guarded the temple for years almost cried, saying “Those sand pirates! They are coming again with another 6 boats tonight and will leave full of sand”.

“Now they are digging deeper for more, they are just afraid of no one”.

Tu took us to a ‘riverbank’ behind, which now looks like a bare quarry with signs of violent excavations.

Meanwhile, Go Guom relic, a natural grassy mound nearby where weapons and coins from 11th century were discovered, is now cut off from the temple by water, lying isolated like a deserted islet.

One kilometer from the area is Phan Dong, another temple where locals worry it is just a matter of time before it sags into the river.

The soil has started to slip off into the water.

In front of the temple, bamboo trees grown to prevent soil erosion are now only some inches away from the waterfront, exposing even their deepest roots.

Take law into own hands

These days, locals in Tam Da commune have to resort to violence to protect such valuable relics and the riverbanks.

They prepare broken bricks and beer bottles to throw at the sanding boats whenever they come.

Yet, it seems not to be working at all.

“Each boat usually has 4-5 men who are all armed with sticks, machetes and knives. They are ready to fight back fiercely,”

“They come in groups, so usually it is hard to do anything else,” Tu said.

These sand pirates prove they aren’t afraid of the local government as they have several times stolen sand right in front of the People Committee’s Hall.

Vu Dinh Minh, deputy head of the Committee, related an incident where he mobilized police to catch the thieves red-handed only to find that they have loaded sand onto the policemen’s boats, effectively weighing down and anchoring them.

“They even dared to wrap cloth around the propellers of our police’s boats, which immobilized the engines,” Minh added.

Locals have written to higher authorities, in hopes of a solid solution, but so far, they have not received any answer.

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Doctor suspended for negligence leading to death

The house of the doctor was destroyed by angry mob after Huyen's death

TUOI TRE

According to a source, a doctor and two nurses at Nam Can General Hospital in Ca Mau Province has been suspended by the provincial health department for failing to carry out full medical checks which led to the death of a 17-year-old girl on Wednesday.

To Van Mung, the hospital’s deputy director of Nam Can, admitted that the doctors on duty when Duong Thi Thu Huyen from Sa Po Ward, Nam Can District, was hospitalized on June 28 didn’t perform full and appropriate medical checks on her and thus failed to diagnose her traumatic brain injury.

On June 28, Huyen was taken to Nam Can after her neighbors found her lying unconsciously on the street with bloodstains on her clothes and scratches on her body in the early morning.
Her aunt, Nguyen Thi Phuc, who took care of her at the hospital, said the doctors in Nam Can asked the family to bring Huyen home after examining her.

“They said my niece’s health was normal,” she said. “But we asked them to let her stay at the hospital, as she was still writhing in pain and was unable to speak.”

At midnight June 28, as Huyen suddenly had difficulty breathing, Phuc and Anh again took her to doctor Tu.

“But after a quick check, the doctor told me that my niece just ‘pretended to be in pain’ and she would be okay in the morning,” Phuc said.

“He went back to sleep after that and told me not to disturb him anymore when I tried to call him more 5 times.”

Huyen died at 4 am on June 29.

According to the Nam Can District People’s Committee, Huyen was reportedly raped by Le Quoc Lo after going to a karaoke club with him and four other 4 people on June 27.

Lo has been arrested for investigation.

The police also seized 24 “hooligans” who had destroyed the facilities of Nam Can hospital and even the house of doctor Tu upon Huyen’s death.

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81-year-old man jailed for raping Dak Nong girl

TUOI TRE

An 81-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping a 9-year-old girl in the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong last December. 

The Provincial People’s Court yesterday handed down the sentence to Nguyen Van Bay who hails from Quang Tin Commune, Dak Rlap District.

Bay was also ordered to pay VND15 million (US$730) as compensation to the victim. 

The judges concluded that Bay’s crime was especially serious, as it not only harmed the girl but also caused anger among the public and affected social morality. 

However, this sentence is lighter considering that the victim’s family has agreed to drop charges against him and that he had no previous criminal records and sincerely cooperated with police.

According to local prosecutors’ office, on the morning of December 1, 2010, Bay went to the Quang Tin Market to buy some fish. 

The stall’s owner, one of Bay’s neighbors, then had Bay bring some food to her home as breakfast for her children.

When Bay arrived, he met her daughter, N.B.B.T who just stepped out of the toilet.

The 81-year-old man then asked the little girl to follow him to the kitchen where he committed the crime.

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Noodle maker told to revise ‘color-changing’ ad

TUOI TRE

The Vietnam Food Administration (VFA) Tuesday demanded Masan Food to change some words in a TV commercial that its competitor said misleads viewers into thinking that any instant noodle other than Tien Vua is unsafe.

Nguyen Thanh Phong, deputy head of VFA, said his unit has granted a license to the ad where Masan Food’s Tien Vua instant noodle is shown and compared to another unnamed noodle.

While the soup in the Tien Vua bowl remains unchanged in color, the soup in the other bowl turns dark yellow, suggesting that it contains coloring, which is harmful to health.

According to competitor Acecook Vietnam, the color change cannot be put down to coloring and not can be considered synonymous with health risks.

As for VFA’s Phong, he maintained the ad content does not violate legal regulations but since the ad might be misleading, VFA has asked for some amendments.

Phong also said there have recently been many cases where other manufacturers were asked to change their ads due to vague and inaccurate contents.

But the current regulations stipulate a fine of only VND5-10 million (US$250-500) on the violated ads, which he said is not strict enough.

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Ho Dynasty Citadel becomes world heritage site

TUOI TRE

The Citadel of Ho Dynasty in the central province of Thanh Hoa has been named a World Cultural Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO.
Located in Thanh Hoa Province’s Vinh Loc District, the citadel, which was a great work of architecture, was the capital of Vietnam from 1397 to 1407.

It consists of three sections: a bamboo hedge, a moat and a citadel wall plus a palace complex with marble-paved roads connecting each palace to another.

With UNESCO’s recognition announced on Monday, the Ho citadel is now one of the seven world cultural and natural heritage sites in Vietnam besides Ha Long Bay, Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, Hoi An Ancient Town, Hue Ancient Capital, My Son Holy Land, and the Thang Long Royal Citadel. 

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9-day-old boy abandoned to nun on bus

Photo: Tuoi Tre

TUOI TRE

A 9-day-old boy was left to a nun on a bus in Can Tho City last Saturday who took him back to Long An Pagoda in Phuong Thanh Ward.

Dieu Minh was on bus traveling from Kien Giang Province to Can Tho when a woman got into the bus and asked her to keep the boy for a moment as she needed to get off to go to the restroom. 

The woman never got on the bus again. 

Examining the bag left on the bus by the woman, the nun found old pieces of clothes and a sheet of paper that read, “the boy was born on June 19, 2011. It weighs over 3 kg and has not yet been named.”
The nun then took the abandoned baby to her pagoda.

The newborn boy is the fifth one to be left under the pagoda’s care for the past three months, the nun said.

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TV channels claim to have removed false ads

TUOI TRE

Some TV channels claimed that they had stopped airing the advertisements of Happy Shopping, a shopping company that has been under public scrutiny for advertising low-quality products.

According to Dao Kim Phu, head of the southern branch of the Administration of Broadcasting and Electronic Information under the Ministry of Information and Communications, many TV channels said they had stopped airing Happy Shopping’s programs after being required to report on its violations.

Phu said these channels were also required to submit their contracts with Happy Shopping and its products’ licenses and certificates.

He said his unit would verify if these channels have indeed stopped running those false ads or have violated the law. 

“The violators will receive penalties as stipulated by the advertisement ordinance,” Phu said.
 
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Vietnamese family festival opens in Hanoi

VNA

The Vietnamese Family Festival 2011 opened in Hanoi on June 25 to mark the 10th anniversary of National Family Day (June 28).

The festival aims to honour the traditional values of Vietnamese families and create a forum to share experiences in promoting cultural families towards sustainable development in the current process of industrialisation, modernisation and international integration.

The opening ceremony included the launch of a programme for building family libraries and an awards ceremony of the painting contest “Say ‘No’ to domestic violence” by children.

The festival also included an exhibition “Vietnamese families with national construction and development” that exhibits photos and objects affirming achievements in consolidating families based on traditional values, developing small-sized families, promoting rights and responsibilities of family members to children, women and the elderly and gender equality.

On display are also bamboo and rattan, embroidery, porcelain and other handicraft products of 12 outstanding artisans.

Sixty paintings on domestic violence selected from more than 1,000 entries of Hanoi ’s children were also displayed at the exhibition.

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Storm death toll rise to 17

A house was damaged by violent floods in Tuong Duong district, Nghe An province

Photo: Tuoi Tre

TUOI TRE

Tropical storm Haima that swept the northern and central region and died away on Saturday had caused 17 dead, 4 missing and hundreds injured as of yesterday night, the Central Steering Board for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control reported.

Of the 17 that had been killed, 7 were in Hai Phong City, 2 in Ha Giang and 8 in Thanh Hoa, Nam Dinh and Thai Binh provinces.

Of the 4 people missing, 3 come from Yen Bai and 1 from Nghe An.

Of the hundreds injured, 63 are now in serious conditions.

Since the storm died away, heavy rains have continued to affect northern and northern central provinces. 

Downpours have swollen rivers, causing heavy floods in many provinces.

The most damage from floods has so far been observed in western Nghe An province, where violent floods submerged 700 houses, pulled down 110 others and 20 classrooms, and swept away several bridges.

The province has suffered a total damage of hundreds of billions of dongs [VND100 billion equals US$4.9 million], said the provincial Steeering Board for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control.  

Floodwater caused damage to a total of 10,150 hectares of rice, including 3,535 hectares in Nghe An, 2,030 hectares in Thanh Hoa, 1,190 hectares in Ninh Binh and 580 hectares in Thai Binh.

Rough sea due to the storm also submerged at least 9 fishing boats and caused damage to 5 others in some provinces.

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Vietnam-China joint press release

VNA

The Special Envoy of Vietnam’s high-level leaders, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ho Xuan Son met with Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo in Beijing on June 25 to convey the Vietnamese leaders’ opinions regarding bilateral relations and the East Sea situation over the recent past.

The Chinese State Councillor presented the stance and policy of China on the development of bilateral relations and the sea issue.

Earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister Son held talks with his Chinese counterpart Zhang Zhijun.

The two sides held that the relationship between Vietnam and China develops in a healthy and stable manner, meeting the common aspirations and fundamental interests of the Vietnamese and Chinese people and benefiting peace, stability and development in the region.

The two sides underlined the need to persist in directing the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to develop in line with the motto of “friendly neighbourliness, comprehensive cooperation, long lasting stability and looking forwards to the future” and the spirit of “good neighbours, good friends, good comrades and good partners”.

The two sides emphasised the necessity to actively implement the common perception of the two countries’ leaders, peacefully solving the two countries’ disputes at sea through negotiation and friendly consultation; employing effective measures and working together to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea .

They also laid stress on the need to steer public opinions along the correct direction, avoiding comments and deeds that harm the friendship and trust of the people of the two countries.

The two sides agreed to speed up the tempo of negotiations so as to early sign an “Agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea issues between Vietnam and China”, and boost the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and follow-up activities so that substantial progress will soon be achieved.

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Gold association calls for loosening policy

TUOI TRE

The Vietnam Gold Traders Association has urged the central bank to ease some of the proposed regulations in its draft decree on the operation of the gold jewelry business.

The State Bank of Vietnam’s draft decree stipulates that individuals and organizations must set up a business and obtain five different licenses and certificates to be able to produce and trade jewelry.

The five are business license, production condition certificate, business condition certificate, license for exporting gold jewelry, and license for importing gold.

The Gold Traders Association said this entailed so much paperwork that it went against the government’s order to simplify administrative procedures.

Besides, the demands were stringent considering producing and trading gold jewelry did not have any negative effect on monetary policies.

In fact, if exports were encouraged, it would help narrow the trade deficit and curb inflation.

It also called for two different sets of regulations, one for outsourcing production of jewelry parts to households and the other for the final production, making the former more flexible.

There are tens of thousands households that process jewelry parts for large firms without ever producing or trading jewelry themselves.

The association suggested scrapping the regulation requiring jewelry firms to get a business license from the SBV since gold was a normal consumption item which was not subject to restrictions under the Law on Enterprises or the Ordinance on Foreign Exchange.
The licensing should be managed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, it added.

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Catfish farmers opt for losses due to bank duress

TUOI TRE

Catfish prices have gone down but many farmers in the Mekong Delta are forced to sell due to the pressure from the high interest rates on bank loans.

Le Thi Dao, a catfish farmer in Can Tho, said she had managed to sell only one out of her three ponds in which she farmed catfish.

She was unable to find buyers for the other two though prices had fallen to VND23,000 (US$1.1) per kilogram from VND28,500 at April end.

She was extremely worried since her bank debt was due on June 27.

“If I do not manage to sell the fish, I will not be able to clear the debt in time. The high interest rate plus the fine for overdue payment will cause me a big loss.”

Nguyen Thi Mai, a catfish farmer in An Giang Province, contracted with Tuan Anh Corporation to sell 130,000 kg of catfish at VND26,000 each in May.

But the firm refused to buy the fish until the price dropped to VND22,000.

Fearing that price would fall further, she had no option but to sell at that price to pay her loan in time.

Thai An Lai, deputy head of the Dong Thap Seafood Association, said a price of VND23,000 would cause farmers a loss of VND1,000 on every kilogram they sell.

However, the pressure to repay loans and the 20 percent plus interest rate had forced farmers to sell at a loss.

Some firms had taken advantage of this to force the price even lower.

Nguyen Van Thanh, head of the An Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said farming costs had increased by 30 percent this year.

The banks had worsened their plight by increasing interest rates.

Le Van Thanh, an An Giang farmer, said he had borrowed VND1 billion ($50,000) from a bank at an interest rate of 19 percent.

But the bank had recently hiked the rate to 21 percent.

There have been reports of banks hiking the rate to even 25 percent.

Many seafood associations in the Mekong Delta have called for policies to support farmers.

Nguyen Ngoc Thach, director of the Dong Thap branch of the State Bank of Vietnam, said the bank would consider offering farmers more time to repay if they were unable to sell their fish and not slap fines for late payment.

Nguyen Tuan Phuoc, deputy director of the An Giang Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, said his bank would offer a two-month extension.

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Storm Haima batters North Vietnam, 4 dead

A house collapsed by a whirlwind in Hai Phong yesterday

Photo: Tuoi Tre

TUOI TRE

Tropical storm Haima cut a swathe through three northern and north-central Vietnamese provinces and cities yesterday, killing at least four people, leaving three others missing, and injuring hundreds of others.

The storm, which swept in south from China into the Gulf of Tonkin, brought strong winds at around 5:40 pm yesterday to Hai Phong, causing severe damage to life and property.

Three people died while 200 others were injured, 59 seriously. Rescuers took 32 victims to hospital.

Among the dead were Le Thi Vui, 26, who had been eight months pregnant, and Nhu Van Thuc, 54, who died after being struck by lightning while harvesting rice.

Eighteen houses and 10 classrooms in two schools were destroyed, 859 other houses lost their roofs.

Some older residents said they had never witnessed such a storm in their lives.

Colonel Pham Van Dien, commander of the Navy Zone 1, sent 61 men to An Lu to help clear debris and repair houses.

Representatives of the city people’s and party committees visited the victims in hospitals and gave each of them VND5 million (US$245).

In Yen Bai province further north, downpours that began on the night of June 22 in Mu Can Chai District caused flooding in Sua Long stream that washed away four men – Thao A Trong, Thao A Gu, Thao A Giang, and Giang A Lenh

The water level continued to rise, making it difficult for rescuers to search for the victims, a district official said.

At 3:30 pm Lenh’s body was found in a commune seven kilometers downstream. Rescuers are continuing their search for the other three.

Authorities gave VND3 million to Lenh’ family.
Nghe An: rail, road blocked

In Nghe An Province’s Quynh Luu District, at around 5 pm yesterday, a thunderstorm blew off the roofs of dozens of houses. It also pulled down many electric poles, causing a blackout until 11 pm. 

In Quynh Hoa District, squalls uprooted dozens of eucalyptus trees that fell on a section of the Thong Nhat railway. 

With a train scheduled to arrive soon after, the chief of the Cau Giat town station mobilized staff to saw off and clear the fallen trees.

Many trees also fell on National Highway 1A, blocking traffic.

Haima to weaken into depression

At 4 am this morning tropical storm Haima lay centered 100 km southeast off Mong Cai town in Quang Ninh Province, the Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Center said. 

It packed winds of up to force 8, or 62-74 km per hour, and was moving west-south west at 10 km per hour.

It is causing winds of force 6-7, rough seas, and thunderstorms.

The coast between Quang Ninh and Ninh Binh Provinces is experiencing winds of force 6-7.

By 4 pm today the storm is forecast to continue moving west-south west at 10 km per hour to a location 60 km southeast of Quang Ninh-Hai Phong and begin to weaken into a tropical depression. 

The storm, together with the seasonal southwest monsoon, will cause strong winds and rough seas in the middle and southern parts of the East Sea, including off Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands and the region between Binh Thuan and Ca Mau Provinces.

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Chinese Communist Party delegation visits VN

VNA

A high-ranking delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on June 23 paid a courtesy visit to Dinh The Huynh, Politburo member, member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Secretariat and Head of CPVCC Commission for Popularisation and Education.

While in Vietnam from June 20-24, the CPCCC’s International Liaison Department delegation, led by its Deputy Director Liu Jieyi, was received by member of the CPVCC and Head of the CPVCC Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan.

They discussed the situation and cooperation plan for 2011 with Deputy Head of the CPVCC Commission for External Relations Nguyen Manh Hung.

During their five-day stay, they also toured Ho Chi Minh City and the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa.

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Hanoi flooded after storm-triggered rains

VNEXPRESS

Today morning, many streets in Hanoi suffered from flooding from last night’s heavy rains that were triggered by tropical storm Haima.

The storm has cut a swathe through three northern and north-central Vietnamese provinces and cities, killing at least four people, leaving three others missing, and injuring hundreds of others.

It swept in south from China into the Gulf of Tonkin, brought strong winds at around 5:40 pm yesterday to Hai Phong, causing severe damage to life and property.

Three people died while 200 others were injured, 59 seriously. Rescuers took 32 victims to hospital.

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President hails southern people’s sentiments towards Uncle Ho

President Ho Chi Minh

VIETNAMPLUS

State President Nguyen Minh Triet on June 22 attended a ground-breaking ceremony for the restoration and embellishment of a memorial area dedicated to late President Ho Chi Minh in the southernmost province of Ca Mau.

The refurbishment of Uncle Ho memorial area, located in Ca Mau city’s Cultural Park, is to celebrate the 121st birthday of the late President and the 100th anniversary of the day he left the nation to seek pathways for national salvation.

Addressing the ceremony, President Triet applauded the contributions made by the provincial Party Committee, authorities and people to the project, which, he said, reflect their deep sentiments towards beloved Uncle Ho.

He also recalled Uncle Ho’s affections towards people in the southern region when he was alive.

The cultural work is of special significance that helps educate young generations on national traditions, President Triet said, urging local leaders and investors to step up the construction process and ensure the quality of the project.

The memorial area covers an area of 60,700 sq. m, of which 12,000 sq. m is roomed for Uncle Ho’s relic site. It is being constructed at an investment capital of VND30 billion funded by the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group.

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