A view of the Hồng (Red) River where people often illegally exploit sand. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đạt HƯNG YÊN Hưng Yên People’s Committee has fined six people a total of nearly VNĐ700 million (US$30,400) for illegally exploiting sand. The information was released on Sunday by deputy chairman of the provincial committee Bùi Thế Cử. Depending on their level of violations, each person was fined VNĐ52-150 million ($2,260-6,500). Since the beginning of this year, Hưng Yên Police have discovered dozens of ships illegally exploiting sand along the Hồng (Red) River. They used different tricks to deceive and create obstacles for police. To prevent the problem, police set up detailed plans to supervise sand exploitation, especially in border areas with Hà Nam, Thái Bình provinces and Hà Nội, said Cử. — VNS … [Read more...] about Six fined for illegally taking sand
Thick haze likely to shroud Saigon until Monday
The haze has covered iconic towers like Landmark 81, Vietnam’s tallest building with 81 floors, and 68-floor Bitexco tower in downtown area. It is so thick that the buildings cannot be seen from 300 meters away. Drivers’ vision has been affected by the haze. A view from Thu Thiem Bridge in District 2 shows the city center shrouded in a thick haze in the morning of September 22, 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen. Meteorologist Le Dinh Quyet explained the haze as being caused by a tropical convergence zone, a band of clouds consisting of showers formed in Vietnam’s south central region, causing heavy rain in the morning and evening. With low daytime temperatures, this led to a high level of humidity, causing the haze, he said. "The phenomenon also shows air pollution and high dust levels in the air," Quyet said, adding that the haze is likely to reduce from Monday as the cloud band moves north. This would also mean less rain the city. Quyet said an … [Read more...] about Thick haze likely to shroud Saigon until Monday
Mekong Delta city seeks to use advanced farming technologies
Vegetables are grown using hydroponics at the Minh Hòa farm in Cần Thơ City’s Bình Thủy District. VNA/VNS Photo Vũ Sinh HCM CITY — Advanced technologies hold the key to Cần Thơ’s agricultural sector raising the quality and competitiveness of its products and expand exports, experts have said. … [Read more...] about Mekong Delta city seeks to use advanced farming technologies
Passengers stuck on bus for almost 8 hours after crash
Rescue men save the passengers who got stuck in the coach. — VNA/VNS Photo Huyền Trang BÌNH DƯƠNG Passengers on a coach in the southern province of Bình Dương were stuck on board for almost eight hours on Sunday after an accident. Police and firefighters were able to get the 39 passengers out of the vehicle at about 12pm. Thủ Dầu Một City Police said that at about 4.30am on Sunday, the coach, travelling from the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai to HCM City, crashed into a motorbike in Định Hòa Ward. The coach driver lost control and crashed into a bush on the side of the road. The coach doors became jammed and couldn't be opened. City police, together with firefighters in six fire engines, went to the scene to rescue the passengers. Six of the passengers were hospitalised due to injuries sustained in the crash. Two have been released while the other four are undergoing treatment at the … [Read more...] about Passengers stuck on bus for almost 8 hours after crash
Health first
Thousands of children, most of them from ethnic minorities in poor remote areas, received free-of-charge in-born heart disease screening over the weekend. The examination, which is part of the Trái tim cho em (Heart for you) programme, was held by the Sơn La General Hospital and the Hà Nội Heart Hospital. During the past 11 years, the programme screened for more than 120,000 children across the country. More than 5,000 of them received surgeries. — VNA/VNS Photo Diệp Anh … [Read more...] about Health first
Treasury shares used as dividend payments
A Vicostone factory. The company bought back 3.2 million shares in November 2018 when its shares fell to VNĐ65,000-70,000 per share. — Photo nhipcaudautu.vn HÀ NỘI — Treasury shares have been used to pay shareholders’ dividends as the payment does not lower the stock price on the ex-dividend date. On the ex-dividend date, a company’s shares are traded without the value of the dividend payment. When a buyer purchases shares on or after the ex-dividend date, he is not entitled to the declared dividend. The declared dividend is owned by the shareholder before the ex-dividend date. Under existing regulations, when a company pays treasury shares for bonuses and dividend pay-outs, the opening price of its shares is not adjusted on the ex-dividend date. Meanwhile, if the company pays cash dividend, the opening price of its shares will be changed. At the Hà Nội Stock Exchange, the trading band for an ex-dividend stock is 30 per cent on … [Read more...] about Treasury shares used as dividend payments
We can’t afford more national holidays: corporate leaders
Dang Van Son, vice president and general secretary of the Vietnam Pulp and Paper Association (VPPA), said: "No business would want to have three more days added." "The proposal by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL) to create three new holidays is not practical now since Vietnam's labor productivity is already low and its economy is not as developed as its neighbors," he told VnExpress. Moreover, Son added, for business owners it would be a double whammy since they would have to pay extra to employees working during those holidays. By law, wages during weekends are at least 200 percent of normal rates, and they rise to at least 300 percent during holidays. Nguyen Xuan Duong, chairman of Hung Yen Province's Business Association and owner of a garment business, said: "Vietnam has a decent number of days off already with 22 days - 12 days of paid leave a year and 10 public holidays - in total. It could be a huge challenge for businesses if the three additional holidays fall … [Read more...] about We can’t afford more national holidays: corporate leaders
Permanent Deputy PM starts official visits to three countries
Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh. Photo: VGP He is accompanied by leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government Office, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Finance among others. In Singapore, Binh will hold talks with Deputy Heng Swee Keat, pay courtesy call on President Halimah Yacob and met with Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean. He will also meet with business leaders and visit the Embassy of Viet Nam in Singapore. In Finland, Binh will hold talks with Acting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Mika Lintila, pay courtesy call on First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament and visit some companies and cultural establishments. In Bulgaria, the Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister will hold talks with his Bulgarian counterpart and visit some cultural establishments./. By Quang Minh … [Read more...] about Permanent Deputy PM starts official visits to three countries
PM attends gathering on 70th anniversary of military school
Speaking at the event, PM Phuc hailed generations of young Vietnamese army officers for their contributions to the struggle against the French and US invaders and the national reunification. At the event He stressed that the Party and State always pay attention to generations of young army officers, and wished that they would follow the example of President Ho Chi Minh and make further contributions to national development at present. As directed by President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap signed a decision in May 1949 on the establishment of the Vietnamese military school under the auspices of the Department of Military Training, an unit of the General Staff of Vietnam People’s Army. Many military schools then were founded in military regions across the country, helping with training talented experts and leaders from the central to local levels. Source: VNA … [Read more...] about PM attends gathering on 70th anniversary of military school
Health ministry wants to promote cashless payments
Speaking at an online conference on September 20 in Hanoi, Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said the implementation of non-cash payments will be an important task of the health sector. Tien said that non-cash payments have many benefits, including improved safety, speed and accuracy. It also allows people to access and make payments not only within the country but even globally. The minister further said there are still many difficulties in expanding cashless payments in the health sector, such as low rate of hospitals using cashless payment systems or shortcomings in connecting with banking software or between organizations providing intermediary services and information systems of hospitals. At the event At the event, the health ministry requested units in the sector to develop action plans, resources and conditions to implement suitable non-cash payment solutions. The ministry asked hospitals and health facilities to actively deploy various forms of electronic … [Read more...] about Health ministry wants to promote cashless payments