Experts raised the warning on Monday, after new figures emerged showing the scale of cultivation of the illegal drug. Police have found 314 illegal cannabis farms in the British capital since 2016, according to official data obtained by the London Evening Standard newspaper, the equivalent of one every two days. Experts say children are being trafficked from Vietnam and other countries to work in these farms, which are often located in residential properties, and that the scale of the problem has been vastly underestimated. “The high number of cannabis farms across London and trafficking of Vietnamese children to work in them is extremely worrying,” said Jakub Sobik, a spokesman for Anti-Slavery International. “Potentially thousands of children and young people are being trafficked from Vietnam and exploited by ruthless criminal gangs,” he said. Catherine Baker, policy officer at anti-child trafficking organization ECPAT U.K., said authorities often treated … [Read more...] about Discovery of London cannabis farms raises child slavery fears
Farms london
Asia markets boosted by Wall St surge, Iran fears lift oil
Most Asia markets rose on Monday (May 7) following a blistering lead from Wall Street as a soft jobs report soothed concerns about rising US interest rates, while oil prices extended a rally ahead of Donald Trump's decision on the Iran nuclear deal. Donald Trump has said he will decide by May 12 on whether or not to dump the Iran nuclear deal. (Photo: AFP/Yuri Gripas) All three main indexes in New York clocked up sizeable gains Friday after the closely watched non-farm payrolls report showed unemployment at an 18-year low - but fewer-than-expected jobs were created in April and average earnings missed estimates. The figures soothed anxieties that the Federal Reserve could lift borrowing costs four times this year owing to a pick-up in inflation and a strengthening economy. Those worries have acted as a weight on global markets in recent weeks. Hong Kong was 0.2 per cent higher and Shanghai surged 1.5 per cent, while Sydney was 0.4 per cent up. Wellington, Taipei, Jakarta and … [Read more...] about Asia markets boosted by Wall St surge, Iran fears lift oil
50 live crocodiles from Malaysia seized at London airport
British officials have seized an illegal shipment of 50 live crocodiles at London Heathrow Airport, the UK Border Force said on Friday (May 4). Saltwater crocodiles from Malaysia found at London Heathrow Airport had not been packed in accordance with international regulations, making the importation illegal. (Photo: AFP/Arno Burgi) The year-old juvenile saltwater crocodiles were found crammed into five boxes coming from Malaysia. The were bound for a farm in Cambridgeshire, eastern England, where they were to be bred for their meat. The animals had not been packed in accordance with international regulations, making the importation illegal. Each box only had room for four crocodiles but 10 had been packed into each one. "It is just not acceptable for reptiles to be transported in this way," said Grant Miller, head of the national Border Force Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) at Heathrow. "The crocodiles had started to fight each other during the … [Read more...] about 50 live crocodiles from Malaysia seized at London airport
Fast food and its invasion of Vietnam’s culinary paradise
For seven happy years, from 2003 to 2010, I lived on Tran Hung Dao Street, Hanoi. Right behind our elegant French villa, within a few blocks, there was a food paradise. The area to the south was full of wonderful eating places, from grand restaurants to sidewalk cafés. I loved the oceanic taste of stir fried squid, the freshness of rice-paper spring rolls, the strength of beef in black pepper sauce… But perhaps my biggest favorite was bun cha, which we used to purchase from a little restaurant on Le Van Huu Street, to eat at home on Sundays. Renowned chef Anthony Bourdain once wrote: “You don’t have to go looking for great food in Vietnam. Great food finds you. It’s everywhere. In restaurants, cafes, little storefronts, in the streets; carried in makeshift portable kitchens on yokes borne by women vendors.” I was not at all surprised that the little restaurant on Le Van Huu Street where we used to buy our Sunday bun cha was the place where … [Read more...] about Fast food and its invasion of Vietnam’s culinary paradise
Social News 28/3
Tay Ninh: Police bust drug trafficking ring Police in the southwestern province of Tay Ninh are teaming up with relevant forces to investigate the trafficking of 11kg of methamphetamine. On March 22, two Cambodians namely Buy Bunly, 51, and Lim So Thea, 34, both residing in Tbong Khmum province of Cambodia, were caught transporting 5kg of myth by motorbike in Thanh Tay commune, Tan Bien district, Tay Ninh province. The provincial drug crime investigation police also seized a gun and six bullets. On March 23 night, they arrested six people relating to a drug ring in ward 4, Tay Ninh city, comprising Phan Thi Mong Cam, Phung Ngoc Tan, Pham Hong Thai, Tran Quang Khanh, Nguyen Hoang Sang and Huynh Han Song, all residing in Tay Ninh city. These suspects confessed that they were waiting for the drugs. In the early morning of March 24, the police forces arrested eight other people involved, along with another 6kg of myth, more than 5 billion VND (220,000 … [Read more...] about Social News 28/3
Social News 15/1
Small-scale coffee farmer gets helping handLò Thị Phong from Chiềng Chung Commune in Mai Sơn District in the mountain province of Sơn La, has cultivated coffee for more than 10 years on 5,000 square metres of land, but she still finds life difficult.A decade seems long enough to improve farmining practices by trial-and-error, however, according to the middle-aged Thái woman, “even now, we still cannot keep proper financial accounts”.During discussions hosted by CARE International last week, stakeholders in the mountain coffee industry touched on deeper obstacles facing the industry.CARE has worked in Việt Nam since 1989, concentrating on supporting rights and sustainable development among vulnerable groups, particularly remote ethnic communities, poor women and girls and people vulnerable to climate change.Nguyễn Vĩnh Đức, deputy director of the Sơn La branch of the Minh Tiến Coffee Export Joint Stock … [Read more...] about Social News 15/1
First Olympic card for VN’s athletics: Victory of the “barefoot girl”
Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc, a 21-year-old from the central city of Da Nang, became the first Vietnamese track and field athlete to secure a berth at the 2012 London Summer Olympics after earning a bronze medal in the women’s 20km race walk at the recent Asian Race Walking Championship in Nomi City, Japan. Small in age, big in will Phuc was born into a farming family that, unusually, has had four of its seven children become track and field athletes. A deep passion for these disciplined sports formed early in the “thin dark” girl, and Phuc soon showed her talent in athletics when she finished third in the marathon at the Da Nang Phu Dong Sports Festival in 2004, just behind two players from the "gifted" sports class. Her aptitude caught the eye of many coaches including Tran Anh Hiep, the teacher who first discovered her special ability and guided her to pursue race walking. “The hard life in her hometown has helped building up Thanh Phuc’s excellent … [Read more...] about First Olympic card for VN’s athletics: Victory of the “barefoot girl”
New bio-based waste treatment developed by Vietnamese scientists
An agricultural waste treatment that uses bioproducts has been developed by scientists from the Centre of New Material and the Hanoi Gardening Association. A Vietnamese soldier feeds cattle and fowl on Da Lon Island (internationally called the Discovery Great Reef) on Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago Two main inoculants, bactericidal polymer liquid Medipag – 20 and bio-activated powder Bioaktive-Eco, have been compounded by the centre to create a novel method of controling wastewater odor.Vu Hoan, President of the Hanoi Union of Science and Technology Associations, said that this model could replace old waste treatment technologies that use hazardous chemicals. Besides their technological and environmental advantages, the two compounds are affordable.Bui Cong Khe, Director of CNM, said that the method has been used in dairy farms, poultry farms, fish cages and public landfill.Since 2014, it has been widely adopted in Gia Lam district’s Phu Dong … [Read more...] about New bio-based waste treatment developed by Vietnamese scientists
Low prices make farm produce exports less palatable
Low prices make farm produce exports less palatableBy Hong Van - The Saigon Times DailyHCMC – Although the agriculture industry surpassed its export revenue target for this year, the figure was low compared with 2008 as export prices dropped sharply.In other words, local enterprises managed to raise farm produce export volumes to compensate for export prices that came down due to the global financial meltdown. In fact, local farmers and exporters were in a gloomier The nation exported one million tons of coffee for US$2.1 billion in value in 2008. Export volume increased by 100,000 tons this year but export value dropped by US$400 million.Vietnam exported nearly 95% of coffee input to overseas markets in 2009 and priced the products following London or New York markets. As a result, many coffee enterprises incurred heavy losses as prices fell to US$1,100-1,200 per ton in June, lower than the acceptable rate of US$1,800 set by the Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association.Many coffee … [Read more...] about Low prices make farm produce exports less palatable
John Schlesinger’s masterpieces to be screened in Hanoi
A film programme entitled “A John Schlesinger Retrospective” held by the British Council and Hanoi Cinematheque will kick off on May 22nd.In this two-week programme, 15 masterpieces of this British film director will be screened at the Hanoi Cinematheque, Hai Ba Trung Street, Hanoi. They include “A kind of love”, “Terminus”, “Billy Liar”, Darling, Far from the madding crowd, Midnight cowboy, Sunday “Bloody Sunday”, “Marathon man”, “The Day of the Locust”, “The Falcon and the Snowman”, “The Believers”, “Madame Sousatzka”, “Pacific Heights”, “Cold Comfort Farm” and “The Next Best Thing”. It is interesting that entrance is free and tickets are available from May 18th at both the British Council and Hanoi Cinematheque. Films will be in English or Vietnamese. John Schlesinger was born in 1926 in London into a middle class Jewish family. … [Read more...] about John Schlesinger’s masterpieces to be screened in Hanoi