What to use for heavy periods

The Sông Bung 2 Hydropower Plant in Nam Giang District in the central Quảng Nam Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Trần Lê Lâm Viet Nam News A river too silted up for boats to sail through. A field choked by sand intrusion. These are two of the photos that Nguyễn Khánh Tâm Anh brought to a conference held this week on hydropower plant development to illustrate the heavy toll that his family and many others have been suffering due to the mass development of hydropower plants in the country’s central regions over the past 10 years. The conference, organised by the Centre of Social Research and Development, was designed to provide a platform for discussion among authorities, hydropower plants, experts and residents on sustainable development of hydropower plants. Holding up a photo, the resident of Đại Lộc District in the central province of Quảng Nam told participants that in the dry season, "rivers are parched because hydropower plants do not discharge water. Đại Lộc co-operative … [Read more...] about Hydropower’s heavy toll

Two former top cops indicted for involvement in Vu Nhom case The Saigon Times Daily Bui Van Thanh (L), former director of the General Department of Logistics and Engineering, and Tran Viet Tan, former general director of the General Department of Intelligence – PHOTO: TL HCMC – Two former senior leaders of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) have been indicted for negligence leading to serious consequences as part of a broader investigation into violations by former Danang-based property magnate Phan Van Anh Vu , 44, alias Vu Nhom. Last Saturday, the Supreme People’s Court announced an indictment involving Vu and some MPS officials for their violations in the purchase and sale of State-owned houses and land lots in the central coastal city of Danang and HCMC, reported the local media. According to the indictment, it was an “extremely serious corruption case” that had aroused public concern involving high-ranking government officials and had caused heavy losses … [Read more...] about Two former top cops indicted for involvement in Vu Nhom case

Big cities seek to ban motorcycles from central districts The Saigon Times Daily Road users are stuck in a heavy traffic jam in HCMC. Hanoi and HCMC governments look to gradually reduce motorbike traffic, and eventually ban motorbikes from central districts by 2030. – PHOTO: VNA HCMC – Hanoi and HCMC governments are speeding up plans to limit motorbike traffic in inner-city areas and phase them out in the downtown area of the two cities to ease traffic jams. Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper cited a representative from the center for scientific research and training, under the Hanoi Department of Transport, as saying that the department would work out solutions in 2019 to curb the number of motorcycles entering inner-city areas. Under the center’s proposal, before terminating motorbike traffic, the Hanoi government will restrict driving zones for motorbike operation. Selected areas are required to have appropriate infrastructure and meet standards and requirements for … [Read more...] about Big cities seek to ban motorcycles from central districts

Ministry seeks to lower taxable prices of domestic cars The Saigon Times Daily Cars and other vehicles are held up in a heavy traffic jam near downtown HCMC – PHOTO: TL HCMC – The Ministry of Finance is studying a plan to cut the prices for the calculation of special consumption tax on locally made cars with nine seats or below. However, this may raise the risk of violating international commitments, according to a report from the ministry to the prime minister. The report responds to the opinions of cabinet members on a draft Government decree that amends and supplements a number of articles of Decree 108/2015 on the Law on Special Consumption Tax. The ministry said in the report that special consumption tax on domestically produced commodities, including cars, are based on the selling prices of producers. To raise the ratio of local contents, lower product prices and enhance competitiveness among locally made and imported cars, the ministry has put forward a … [Read more...] about Ministry seeks to lower taxable prices of domestic cars

The keys for an honest, enabling Government By Hieu Minh The first metro line in HCMC. The Government has the function to create a legal environment where businesses and the public “can do what the law does not prohibit” and the authorities “can do what the law permits.” - PHOTO: THANH HOA An honest, enabling government is much talked about by the media and politicians. It needs several factors to build such a government, of which openness and transparency play an important role. Police were quick to arrest the suspects in a big cash robbery which happened last Tet (Lunar New Year) at the toll plaza on the build-operate-transfer (BOT) Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway. The case will be handled at the court, but the big cash amount at the toll gate has raised the question of cash management, openness and transparency of the expressway investor, which are also important factors needed in State administration. The robbery would not have happened if the electronic toll … [Read more...] about The keys for an honest, enabling Government

Police investigate loss-making oil exploration project in Venezuela By Lan Nhi An oil drilling rig on the Junin-2 oil field in Venezuela’s heavy-crude Orinoco Belt – PHOTO: PVN HANOI – The Investigative Police Department for Corruption, Smuggling and Economic Crimes at the Ministry of Public Security is investigating a loss-making oil and gas project worth more than US$1.8 billion of the State-run Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN) in Venezuela. The department is looking into a number of legal violations in the execution of the joint venture project on the exploitation and upgrade of the Junin-2 oil field, located in Venezuela’s extra-heavy crude Orinoco Belt. The project is implemented by PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation (PVEP), a subsidiary of PVN, and its Venezuelan counterpart Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), or Petroleum of Venezuela in English. In an attempt to facilitate the probe, the police department has asked PVN to provide all documents … [Read more...] about Police investigate loss-making oil exploration project in Venezuela

Legislature to form new law, budget committees (04-05-2006) Ha Noi — The National Assembly Standing Committee yesterday agreed at its ongoing meeting in the capital that two more committees will be established in the National Assembly. The two new committees will be formed by a split-up of the Legal Committee and the Economic and Budgetary Committee, respectively. The Legal Committee will split into the Legal Committee and Judiciary Committee, while the Economic and Budgetary Committee will become the Economic Committee and the Financial Committee. The splitting up of the two committees stems from their practical operational needs. Their work load has been too heavy, especially with their formidable task of combating corruption. Discussing the draft law on National Assembly organisation (revised version), most of the delegates agreed with the proposal to increase the number of full-time National Assembly deputies to 40 per cent of all deputies. They also … [Read more...] about Legislature to form new law, budget committees

Former Danang vice chair prosecuted for involvement in Vu Nhom case The Saigon Times Daily Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, former vice chairman of the People’s Committee of Danang City - PHOTO: KINHTEDOTHI.VN HCMC – The investigative security agency, under the Ministry of Public Security, today, March 18, filed charges against Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, former vice chairman of the People’s Committee of Danang City, for his involvement in a case related to Phan Van Anh Vu, alias Vu Nhom, the local media reported. Tuan has been confined to his residence. On the same day, officers of the ministry and the Supreme People's Procuracy raided Tuan’s home in Son Tra District, Danang City. Tuan had held the posts of head of the Danang Urban Planning Institute, deputy director and later director of the municipal Department of Construction before serving as the city's vice chairman. While serving as the director of the Danang Department of Construction in the 2002-2012 period and vice chairman of … [Read more...] about Former Danang vice chair prosecuted for involvement in Vu Nhom case

More former officials in Danang prosecuted in Vu Nhom case By Thanh Thom Former deputy directors of Danang’s Finance Department Nguyen Thi Thu Ha (L) and Nguyen Thanh Sang in this combined photo – PHOTO: MPS HCMC – Investigators with the Ministry of Public Security on Tuesday brought legal proceedings against two former deputy directors of the Finance Department in the central coastal city of Danang on charges of State asset mismanagement. The charges are connected with high-profile cases related to the 44-year-old jailed property magnate turned fugitive spy Phan Van Anh Vu, alias Vu Nhom. The ministry noted in a statement on its website that the Investigative Police Agency is looking into two cases concerning the violation of regulations on the management and use of State assets, resulting in losses and wastefulness, and on land management. Both cases took place in Danang and involved Vu Nhom and his accomplices. Investigators on Tuesday pressed charges against … [Read more...] about More former officials in Danang prosecuted in Vu Nhom case

Local fuel prices continue to escalate By Tam An A gas station in HCMC’s District 1. Local fuel prices rose sharply for the second consecutive time in April this year – PHOTO: THANH HOA HCMC – Domestic fuel retail prices rose by VND300-VND1,200 per liter, with E5 RON92 bio-fuel and RON95-III gasoline seeing the sharpest increases of VND1,120 and VND1,200 per liter, respectively. The ministries of Industry and Trade and Finance released an announcement on the fuel price adjustment, which took effect from 3 p.m. today, April 17. Apart from adjusting the prices of gasoline, local fuel wholesalers were allowed to revise upward the prices of diesel oil 0.05S by VND300 per liter, kerosene by VND290 per liter and heavy fuel oil 180CST 3.5S by VND407 per kilogram. The ceiling price of bio-fuel gasoline E5 RON92 is now VND19,700 per liter, while that of RON95-III petrol is VD21,235 per liter. Meanwhile, diesel oil 0.05S and kerosene are now priced at VND17,380 and … [Read more...] about Local fuel prices continue to escalate