Illegal mine collapse leaves three dead, injured

Nghe An (VNA) – A boy was killed and two others injured when an ore mine collapsed in Chau Hanh commune, Quy Chau district, central Nghe An province, on August 24.

All three victims, aged between 9 and 26, are from Chau Hanh commune. They followed their parents and relatives to illegally exploit ores for sales.

The injured were rushed to the district’s hospital and now are reportedly in critical conditions with brain wounds.

Local police and authorities are investigating the cause of the accident, which is the second within two weeks in Nghe An.

On August 13, a quarry broke out in Quynh Xuan commune of Quynh Luu district, leaving three people dead or injured.-

Son La provides loans to over 13,800 poor households

Son La (VNA) – In the first seven months of the year, nearly 203.7 million VND were provided as loans to 15,343 households, including 13,810 poor families, in northern mountainous Son La province, said the Social Policy Bank’s Director Le Dinh Thai.

During the period, the bank mobilised over 665.45 billion VND for loans, up 122 billion VND over the last year.

In 2007, the bank provided over 300 billion VND as loans, including 210.5 billion VND for disadvantaged households, 18.8 billion VND for job creation and 3.5 billion VND for extremely poor ethnic people. As a result, the province’s poor household rate reduced by 3 percent.

At present, the disadvantaged households in the province accounts for 37 percent, with 88 communes and 1,119 villages rated as extremely poor.-

Australian Navy warship to visit HCM City

HCM City (VNA) – Australian Navy warship HMAS ANZAC is to visit Ho Chi Minh City from August 25 – 29 as part of its goodwill tour of five Southeast Asia countries.

The ship’s 184 officers and crew aboard will meet with senior officers and sailors from the Vietnamese People’s Navy (VPN), participate in a friendly sporting activity with cadets at the Naval Technical College and play football with the Vietnam Swans team.

The crew will also conduct charity work as well as taking advantage of the opportunity to explore the beautiful country of Vietnam .

This is the second time HMAS ANZAC has visit Ho Chi Minh City . Its first visit in May 2000 on the occasion of the inauguration of My Thuan bridge was to mark 35 years of the establishment of Vietnam – Australia diplomatic relations.-

Capital sets up associations, support systems for disabled

Hanoi (VNA) – The Hanoi People’s Committee held a workshop on August 23 on the establishment of district-level associations for the disabled, in a move to create more favourable conditions to integrate further into society.

Associations for the disabled would represent people with disabilities in all districts across the city, and work to help improve both their material and spiritual life, said head of the Hanoi association for the disabled Vu Manh Hung.

These associations would work to ameliorate the living conditions of people with disabilities by providing vocational training and creating jobs, as well as enriching their spiritual lives through leisure activities such as sports and sight-seeing, thus helping them gain more independence and confidence in society, he said.

“I’ve never had the chance to join any associations for the disabled. My friends and I only gather together informally to meet and talk. We all hope that these associations will be set up and will help us to gain access to better job opportunities, public activities and individual assistance,” said Nguyen Van Ho, in Long Bien district.
The move was part of the capital’s plan to support people with disabilities during the 2006-2010 period, which received the green light from the Prime Minister in October 2006, according to the municipal Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

The plan will focus on providing allowances, health checkups and treatments, education, vocational training and jobs for local people with disabilities.

Hanoi is currently home to nearly 29,000 disabled people.-

Judges select consultant list for Hoan Kiem Lake project

Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi People’s Committee has selected 10 design consultants to go through to the second-round of the competition to beautify the area around Hoan Kiem (Returned Sword) Lake .

According to the committee, these firms have met the financial and human resource criteria set by the competition organisers.

According to the examination board, entrants’ plans must preserve and develop historic, cultural and architectural integrity of Hoan Kiem Lake and its surroundings.

In addition, the design should enhance the attractiveness of the lake and its environs, where festivals are often held.

The 10 short-listed design consultants will have until January 1 to finalise their plans.

The Hanoi People’s Committee has also identified certain areas around the lake – an internationally recognised symbol of Hanoi – that need preserving.

The competition, which opened at the beginning of this month, will award 50,000 USD, for the best design, 30,000 USD for the second best and 20,000 USD for the third best.-

Ministry proposes over 3.4 trillion VND for fighting flood in central

Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Construction has proposed an investment of over 3.4 trillion VND for a project to help central provinces mitigate impacts from floods.

The sum is supposed to be used from 2008 through 2010, the ministry said in its recent report on the project to the Prime Minister.

The ministry suggested other programmes on residential resettlement, sea dyke, storm shelters, and reservoirs that are underway in central localities, be incorporated in the project to make it more effective in the fight against floods.-

Housing programme benefits over 100 poor women

Danang (VNA)- Thirty nine poor single women and single mothers in the central city of Danang on August 25 received keys to their new houses as the last of 126 disadvantaged women qualified for a housing programme.

The 10 billion VND housing programme has helped alleviate the plight of disadvantaged women, including Agent Orange victims, in the city with homes as large as 67 sq. m. each, said the municipal Association in Support of Poor and Disadvantaged Women and Children.–

VN to sign ASEAN accord on accounting, auditing

Hanoi (VNA)- Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved the content of an ASEAN framework agreement on mutual recognition of accounting an auditing services.

He has delegated the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to sign the agreement at the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ 40th Conference to be held in Singapore by late August, according to the Prime Minister Office.

The PM also assigned the Ministry of Finance to work with other ministries and agencies to prepare for the execution of the agreement after it is signed.–

Vietnam-Laos Youth Meeting to be held in Vietnam

Ha Noi (VNA) – The Vietnam-Laos Youth Friendship Meeting 2008 is scheduled to be held in Vietnam from August 30-September 8.

First Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union Khamphan Shitthidampha and 59 other Lao young people, will join leaders and young representatives from Vietnamese localities to participate in the week-long programme.

The annual meeting, held by Viet Nam ’s Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union, will take place in central Quang Tri province, Ho Chi Minh City , southern Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces.

The two countries’ youth delegates will exchange experiences in building youth organisations, developing the cooperation between the two countries’ youth unions and boosting the Viet Nam-Laos relationship.-

Congratulations to China for successful Beijing Olympic

Hanoi (VNA) – State President Nguyen Minh Triet has congratulated China for its successful organisation of the Beijing 2008 Olympic.

In his message cabled to Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, President Triet wrote, “The Chinese sports delegation, with its top position in the medal tally, marked a new milestone in the Olympic history, establishing China as one of the world’s sports powers.”

President Triet appreciated the Beijing 2008 Olympic as one of the most successful Olympic Games ever, citing the host’s thorough preparations, friendship and hospitality that left deep impression on politicians, athletes and viewers, and offered the world community deep insights of the Chinese land, people and culture.

The Vietnamese leader concluded, “The Beijing Olympic with its topic of ‘one world, one dream’, was an opportunity for sharing and promoting the common value of all mankind – solidarity, friendship and love of peace.”-