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Social News 13/1
Blaze destroys Ca Mau home appliances shop
A fire destroyed the Huynh Mai home appliances shop in
Several employees of the shop said that they could not
extinguish the blaze as the flames rose high, covering the whole
establishment. The shop had stored many goods for the Lunar New Year (Tet), a
number of them inflammable.
Several fire engines were sent to the site and they
extinguished the blaze after two hours.
No loss of human life was reported. However, property worth
hundreds of millions of dong was reportedly lost in the fire.
The authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.
On the same day, a fire destroyed a tourism boat and a crane
boat at the Vam Lang Boat Repair Company in Go Cong Dong District,
Minister urges transport firms to lower fares
Many transport enterprises have reduced their transport fees
as legally required, but not enough, a senior official of the Ministry of
Finance said yesterday.
Nguyen Anh Tuan, head of the ministry's Price Management
Department made the comment after announcing the results of inspections into
40 transport companies in Ha Noi,
The inspections came after a wave of cuts to petrol prices
since July 18, 2014 have failed to be reflected in transport fares. The
drastic drops in petrol prices have been as big as 38.9 and 33.1 per cent,
justifying considerable reductions to fares.
The government strongly suggested, and then later required
transport companies to change their prices accordingly. Most transport
enterprises slashed their fares on at least two occasions by three to 21.7
per cent of the fare.
According to the recent inspections, however, five out of 20
enterprises in Ha Noi failed to lower their prices sufficiently to match
lower input petrol costs. In
In southern
He said the inspection team has asked the departments of
transport in these cities and provinces to urge reluctant enterprises to
quickly reduce their fares according to new petrol prices.
The ministry would set deadlines for these enterprises to
change their fares or else face punishment, he said.
Building sites cleaned up before Tet
The Ha Noi Transport Department has ordered contractors to
clean up all construction sites in the capital before Sunday, a couple of
days before the start of Lunar New Year (Tet).
It told contractors to re-check barriers at construction
sites, such as at the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project or the Trung Hoa
Interchange, to make sure they were safe.
The city's traffic police office and the city's urban traffic
management office were also told to scrutinise the traffic-light system and
road signs to ensure traffic flows smoothly.
Outdoor activities were held on February 10 on traffic safety
at
Games, fashion shows related to traffic safety, and
helmet-wearing demonstrations were part of the event.
The activities are part of the Helmets for Families programme
held by the Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation in co-operation with
National Traffic Safety Committee, Ministry of Education and Training and
global healthcare company Abbott.
The programme, which began last year, donates helmets to
students and teachers at the beginning of each school year. Parents of the
students also take part in helmet exchanges where they trade their
substandard helmets for high-quality certified helmets at subsidised costs.
Man fined for smuggling
The People's Committee of southern
Local police claim they found Son hiding the smuggled tobaccos
under a seat of a container truck he was driving on Monday. Police seized
both the tobacco and the truck.
Son, 38, from
New weighing system proposed to check overloading
The city has been trying to control road damage and traffic
safety violations resulting from overloaded vehicles plying the roads.
The weighing scale would work as follows: when overloaded
vehicles drive over the scale, the scale's in-built censor will transmit a
warning about it being overloaded to computers connected to the scale.
After receiving the warnings, the concerned authorities, no
matter whether they are stationed, can intercept and order the violating
vehicle to drive to the nearest weighbridge station to do paperwork related
to the violation and unload the excess weight before being allowed to
continue with its journey.
According to the department, the new weighing system is fair
and objective as the overloading information is stored automatically in a database,
without requiring any manpower. What is outstanding about the new scale is
that only overloaded vehicles will be stopped for checking, instead of all
vehicles having to undergo such checks.
The system, consisting of 12 scales, is expected to be installed
on the gate roads to the city, entrances to big ports and warehouses, as well
as on roads that bear heavy lorry traffic.
During a recent report sent to the municipal People's
Committee, the department pointed out that the current use of portable weighing
scales was problematic. This was because the scales had to be installed
manually for checking a suspicious vehicle and the installation depended on
weather conditions, and made it difficult to operate, especially during rainy
days.
The concerned agency would therefore be unable to stop all
vehicles suspected of being overloaded for checking, allowing many overloaded
vehicles to get away with violating the rules.
To make matters worse, because the city is crisscrossed by
numerous main and branch roads, the violating vehicles tend to bypass these
roads as they are aware of the scale being posted on these routes.
This explains why only 13.8 per cent of the vehicles checked
have so far been found guilty of overloading.
Order restored at bus stations ahead of Tet
Authorities in the capital city have undertaken special
measures to cope with the overcrowding and chaos at train and bus stations
ahead of the Lunar New Year.
The surge in traffic at bus and train stations is being
attributed to growing transport demand from city residents in the days
leading up to the Lunar New Year festivities.
Overcrowding at both the My Dinh and Giap Bat bus stations is
being managed better, compared with last year.
The My Dinh bus station started receiving 35,000 to 40,000
passengers a day after its operational area was expanded to 3.2 hectares. The
station is striving to target building a safe, cultural and respected station
and a passenger service model.
In addition to the expansion of the station, Nguyen Phi Thanh,
Deputy Director of My Dinh Management Enterprises, said traffic organisation
at the station and in the surrounding areas has been well managed, helping
residents being transported quickly, conveniently and safely.
In the past, there was only one gate for the entrance and
exit. Therefore, coaches, taxis and passengers used the same entrance,
causing a traffic jam and disorder. Since the beginning of this year, the
entrance and exit have been separated, putting an end to the chaos and scenes
of motorbikes and taxi drivers clinging to the side of the coaches to pick up
passengers at the station.
This year, the station has also installed free wi-fi for
passengers; creating favourable conditions for them and helping them
conveniently choose which branded bus service they want to use for travelling
to their hometowns for Tet.
The station also plans to add 200 more vehicles to clear the
blockade of passengers during the peak traffic days.
Passengers who transit through the My Dinh bus station can
recognise the remarkable change after the station was expanded and
reorganised.
In contrast with the chaos of the past, the station has now
become spacious and convenient for passengers, said Nguyen Bich Lien from Ha
Noi's Tay Ho District, who often uses the station to take a bus to Thai
Binh—her husband's hometown.
Instead of price hikes, which were common during previous
years, the price of a ticket for a bus from Ha Noi to the Thai Binh Province
has actually been reduced by VND10,000 (US$0.46) despite the fact that Tet is
approaching, she pointed out.
Although the amount of passengers going through the Giap Bat
station is not as high as the My Dinh station, it has been growing. It is
estimated that normally around 20,000 people transit through the station
daily and the number could rise to 30,000 in the coming days.
According to Nguyen Tat Thanh, director of the Giap Bat
Station Management Enterprise, its management board has co-ordinated with
relevant authorities for strengthening management during the peak traffic
days; assigning responsibilities to them for regulating the traffic from a
distance and ensuring that order surrounds the resting areas and ticketing
offices.
The Giap Bat station has received applications for air ticket
reduction from 96 enterprises out of 149 transport enterprises, which had
registered for a price reduction of between 3 and 16 per cent.
To prevent a traffic jam at the stations and make travel more
favourable for residents, Ha Noi plans to employ 35 cars to transport poor
people and workers to their homeland for the Tet holiday free of charge, said
Nguyen Hoang Linh, deputy Director of the Ha Noi Transport Department. The
city has also devised a scheme to dispatch coaches to pick up workers and
students at dormitories and from industrial zones.
Ha Noi authorities are also conducting inspections of price
tickets at stations and in vehicles, and have established a hotline for
passengers, who can provide information about a bus owner's collections and
complain if ticket prices are not in keeping with regulations.
After inspecting the My Dinh station on Monday, Deputy Prime
Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc appreciated the efforts of the station staff in
improving the station's activity and addressed some of the shortcomings, such
as overcrowding and how public order and traffic safety can be ensured.
The Prime Minister also asked the Ha Noi Transport Department
and bus stations to arrange for vehicles so that all residents can return
home for Tet. He directed them to avoid a situation, where unregistered cars
are allowed to operate at the stations, due to which residents face
difficulty while travelling.
400 malaria cases reported in Gia Lai
The central
Director of the Krong Pa health department Dinh Viet Buu said
that most ofthe malaria cases were among the ethnic and minority people who
live and work in the forest.
Buu added that no malaria deaths have been reported in the
district. However, the situation is very complicated due to the local
people's inadequate awareness of disease prevention, especially of malaria.
A large number of them are busy working in the fields and
woods, and rarely have access to medical centres. They visit medical centres
only when theirdisease reaches a late stage, causing difficulties for the
health sector, accordingto Buu.
He pointed out that information andawareness on malaria
prevention for the people should be increased. People who live and work in or
near thewoods should strictly follow measures such as killing mosquitoes with
the help of chemicals,wearing long-sleeved shirts and trousers and sleeping
inside mosquito nets.
The health official said that the health sector has sent staff
to hamlets andvillages to spray mosquito repellents and provide more than
11,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets to local residents, especially those
who lived and worked in theforest in the past. — VNS
Chickenpox outbreak spreads through children
Doctors at paediatric hospitals in
The number of children with chickenpox had risen rapidly over
the past two weeks, said Dr. Do Chau Viet, head of HCM City Paediatric
Hospital No 2's infectious disease ward.
Between two and three children entered the hospital for
treatment each day, he said. Some more complicated cases had become serious
skin or blood infections.
Usually chickenpox spreads between March and May, but it's
come unusually early this year and peaked quickly, according to health
officials.
Dr Truong Huu Khanh, head of HCM City Paediatric Hospital
No1's neurology and infectious disease ward, said he was worried the
situation could reach an alarming level in the coming days, particularly
during Tet, if no immediate action was taken to control it. Data showed that
about 10 children were diagnosed with chickenpox at the hospital in December,
but this month the number had reached 20 cases a day, he said.
Khanh revealed four serious cases were receiving in-hospital
treatment.
Parents needed to take the initiative and bring their children
to the hospital for their vaccinations, he said.
The Department of Health in
City health experts guided teachers and managers on how to
prevent the spread of the disease among children and faculty. Medical workers
are keeping a close eye on the school.
Chickenpox is a viral infection caused by the varicella zoster
virus, according to health officials. It spreads in droplets inhaled into the
respiratory tract. Complications are rare, but serious, and can occur in
healthy children.
Chickenpox tends to affect children under 10. In older
children and adults, the disease can be more severe. It spreads very easily
from one child to another.
Information awards open to the press
The National External Information Service Awards for 2014,
held by the Party Central Committee's Commission for Publicity and Education
and the Steering Committee for External Information Service, have begun
preparations for the coming ceremony.
According to the organising board, the awards honour the best
work in Vietnamese and foreign languages targeting overseas Vietnamese and
foreign audiences.
Submissions, which must have been published or broadcast by
authorised Vietnamese agencies or the foreign media between January 1, 2014
and December 31, 2014, are eligible for the awards.
Submitted articles, including press photos, can come from
print and online newspapers or radio and television broadcasts. They should
positively promote the image of the nation, its culture, history and its
people as a nation of peace, stability, development, active international
integration and great potential.
The submissions should also have provided in-depth information
about the Party's positions and policies; its stance on regional and
international issues; and countered fabricated or distorted information about
In particular, the board will look for articles that had
informative value and were able to mobilise support, friendship and
co-operation with foreigners and overseas Vietnamese.
The awards presentation ceremony will take place on May 19.
The Vietnam News Agency will chair the competition.
Deadline for submissions is March 31.
For more information about the awards, please contact the jury
at the following email address giaithuongthong-tindoingoai@gmail.com.
HCM City supports poor people over Tet
Many Tet programmes for disadvantaged people are being carried
out by
The HCM City-based Viet Nam Women's
HCM City-based Viet Nam Youth Federation yesterday presented
gifts to addicts and prostitutes who are being treated and educated at the
city's Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs' Binh Duc Welfare
Centre, Duc Hanh Treatment Centre, Phu Van, Phu Duc, Phu Nghia education,
labour, and welfare centres in Binh Phuoc Province. The organisation also
presented gifts to the elderly and children at shelters and welfare centres.
According to the federation, they will also receive gifts.
Last Sunday, a Love Spring programme was held for young
people, people in need, and those with disabilities.
During the programme, navigation eyeglasses equipped with a
sensor created by Dr Nguyen Ba Hai, lecturer of the
Moreover, hundreds of traditional Vietnamese Banh Chung and
Banh Tet (square and cylindrical glutinous rice cakes) used for Lunar Tet
were presented to disadvantaged families, and homeless people.
Old warm clothes were collected during the programme to
present to children and adults in northwestern provinces.
In industrial parks, entertainment programmes with gifts for
provincial workers who do not return to their hometown during Tet holidays
were held by the HCM Communist Youth Union.
Last Sunday, the HCM City University of Medicine and Pharmacy
organised a campaign called Voluntary Spring to provide medicine and health
examinations free to elderly people at health centres in the city's outlying
district of Cu Chi's Thai My Commune.
Tobacco Association increases aid for curbing tobacco
smuggling
The Viet Nam Tobacco Association recently announced that they
will increase the aid for catching tobacco smugglers from VND1,100 (US$0.05)
to VND3,500 (US$0.17) per pack of fake tobacco seized.
These funds will be taken from the association's financial
resources, contributed by Vietnamese tobacco companies.
As stated in its latest circular, the association will support
several government organisations, including the National Steering Committee
on Combating Smuggling, Commercial Fraud and Counterfeit Goods, and local
committees on the same matter.
The funds will be divided to support the process of destroying
fake tobacco seized and the authorities who directly participate in
preventing and controlling the smuggling of tobacco and fake tobacco
products.
Can Tho to build new administration center southward
The government of Can Tho City will develop a new
administration center in the southern part of the city, which is expected to
give a boost to urbanization there.
The new administration center under the Tay Do Cultural Center
project is planned to cover approximately 11 hectares, said Vo Thi Hong Anh,
vice chairwoman of Can Tho City.
The city government has assigned relevant agencies to adjust
the zoning plan for the Tay Do Cultural Center project. The new
administration center of Can Tho City will be for local government agencies,
while local Party offices are still located at the current administration
center in Ninh Kieu District.
Anh told the Daily that the relocation will be implemented in
2015-2020 and will bring about positive impact on the development of Can Tho
in general and the city’s southern region in particular.
Multiple large projects will be also carried out this year,
including a Muong Thanh complex of a commercial center, five-star hotel and
luxury apartments. Besides, Vingroup is looking for approval from the
municipal government for an amusement park, golf course and luxury
residential area on Au Islet.
A number of investors from
She added smooth progress of the large projects will breathe
new life into industrial and urban development, particularly the real estate
market in the economic hub of the Mekong Delta region.
Trinh Quang Tien, chairman of the Can Tho Real Estate
Association, said the property sector prospects in Can Tho City looked
bright. The new administration center project coupled with new housing
regulations and easier access to bank loans will support the development of
the local property market.
Le Minh Tham, branch director of Nam Long Company in Can Tho,
said the city government should also focus on infrastructure investments in
addition to the new administration center to facilitate consistent
development in the southern area.
The HCM City People’s Committee on February 10 ceremoniously
celebrated the occasion of the Lunar New Year (TeT) with foreign dignitaries.
Speaking on the event, HCM City People’s Chairman Le Hoang
Quan briefed the international guests on the city’s socio-economic situation.
Last year, the city recorded a 9.6% GDP growth rate while its import and
export turnover reaching US$30.7 billion and over US$32 billion,
respectively.
2014 continued to be an important year marking the city’s
external affairs and international integration. Last year, the city welcomed
more than 120 delegations from nations around the globe to boost trade
promotion and investment as well as signing important cooperative documents,
Quan said.
He also attributed the city’s achievements to great
contributions and support from international friends, adding that that HCM
city has committed to ensuring socio-political stability, creating an open
investment climate and a friendly living space for foreign investors.
Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, John Mc Anulty
in turn, expressed delight to enjoy the Tet holidays in Vietnam noting that
2014 was a successful year for the city through more investments in major
infrastructure projects.
Korean ODA helps reduce poverty in Lao Cai
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has
launched a US$14 million project aimed at improving the living conditions of
ethnic minority residents in the northern mountainous
Prominent figures in attendance at the ceremony on February 10
included Korean Ambassador to Vietnam Jun Dae Joo, KOICA Chief Representative
Chang Jae Yun and Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung.
The ODA programme will contribute to bring healthier and
happier lives to ethnic minorities by improving their living conditions,
enhancing their education and providing better medical care in the three-year
period from 2015-2017, said Chang Jae Yun.
Vietnam celebrates World Radio Day
World Radio Day was celebrated on February 10 at VOV headquarters
in
Themed – Youth and Radio – this year’s celebration aimed
to promote youth involvement in broadcasting focusing on young people’s
involvement in broadcasting as producers, announcers, and reporters.
Prominent figures in attendance at the event included VOV
General Director Nguyen Dang Tien, UNESCO Chief Representative in
Speaking at the ceremony, VOV General Director Nguyen Dang
Tien affirmed that in an age of the internet multimedia and the fast paced
development of new media forms, broadcasting has remained the mainstay means
of conveying information to the general public.
Over the past 70 years of establishment and development, VOV
has been on the right track and has transformed into the leading multimedia
group and the leading news agency. It has and continues to exert
considerable influence both at home and in the region.
VOV has regularly launched new and innovative broadcasts
encouraging freedom of thought on a vast array of novel and thought provoking
subjects, Mr Tien underscored.
It has been particularly cognizant of the importance of the
nation’s youth and their involvement not only in the broadcasting industry
but in encouraging and instilling in them an inherent appreciation for the
freedom to think and express their ideas.
Ms Katherine Muller-Marin in turn acknowledged the important
role of radio while
UNESCO has been working with the Ministry of Education and
Training of Vietnam to support education not only in schools but also through
Community Learning Centres, museums, pagodas and in various forms.
One of the ways to educate people is through communication.
Radio is a wonderful medium to bring education and information to people
within a learning society, she said.
She said this is the fourth year World Radio Day has been
celebrated. Therefore, we should remember and highlight the young people’s
contribution towards media activities. Broadcasting is one of the most
attractive media for young people who are both audiences and producers.
On the occasion, VOV General Director Tien presented – For the
cause of broadcasting – insignia to Ms Marin and posed for photographs with
the guest of honour.
Central province grants State title to 37 individuals
Authorities from the central
The presentation of the title is among practical activities to
reflect the Party, State and people’s recognition of the heroes’ sacrifices
and dedication.
The honoured individuals included martyrs and outstanding
service members in Dai Loc, Dien Ban, Que Son, Tien Phuoc, Thang Binh, and
Hiep Duc dictricts.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the provincial People’s
Committee Le Thanh Phuoc expressed his hope that the next of kin of the
honoured heroes will continue to promote the revolutionary tradition and
contribute to their locality’s development.-
Vietnamese abroad join in celebrations of Lunar New Year
A myriad of activities are being held abroad as Vietnamese
expatriates across the world join their compatriots in celebrating the
traditional Lunar New Year (Tet), the most important holiday for all
Vietnamese wherever they are.
The Vietnamese Embassy in
Cambodian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Say
Sam Al and many governmental officials attended the event to share the joy.
In the
The voluntary team also prepared traditional Tet dishes such
as “banh chung” (square glutinous rice cakes), “banh tet” (cylindrical
glutinous rice cakes), and “gio cha” (pork pies), along with art performances
and Tet markets to introduce the special features of Vietnamese culture to
Korean friends.
Earlier on February 8, the Vietnamese Embassy in
An event hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in
The Vietnamese Embassy in
Leaders extend New Year greetings to religious communities
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoang
Quan paid a visit to the city’s Archdiocese on February 10 to wish local
Catholic dignitaries and followers a happy new year in the Year of the Goat.
He highlighted the significant role that the Catholic
community played in helping the city surmount difficulties last year to
fulfil its socio-economic development targets.
The city’s leader hoped that with his reputation and clout,
Archbishop Bui Van Doc will encourage Catholic dignitaries and followers to
continue working for a thriving city and nation.
Quan then visited the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese
Catholics’
He said he hopes the committee will continue working closely
with the Vietnam Fatherland Front and other organisations in improving the
material and spiritual lives of religious groups and disadvantaged people.
Many southern provinces, including Binh Duong and Ben Tre,
have been organising meetings with local religious communities to wish them a
happy new year.
Source: VNN/VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/Dantri/ND
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Thứ Năm, 12 tháng 2, 2015
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