VietNam Society: 9/5/10

Saturday, September 11, 2010

PM congratulates PetroVietnam on anniversary

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has praised the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) for its fast and comprehensive development in exploration, production, refining, transporting, exporting and for mastering the latest, most modern technologies.

In his message of congratulations sent to PetroVietnam on August 30 on its 35 th anniversary, PM Dung commended the nation’s oil and gas sector for the important contributions it has made to the country’s achievements and its active involvement in issues of sovereignty and social welfare.

PetroVietnam has now become the country’s leading economic group and is striving to be equal to other regional and global oil and gas groups, he said.

When addressing the ceremony to mark the event, the General Director of PetroVietnam, Phung Dinh Thuc, said that the national oil and gas sector has recorded some outstanding progress over the past 35 years, as Vietnam is now listed as one of the world’s oil and gas producers and ranks third amongst Southeast Asian Nations, producing 15-17 million tonnes of crude oil and 8-10 billion cubic metres of gas per year.

With an annual growth rate of almost 20 percent, PetroVietnam makes up 18-20 percent of the country’s GDP and 20-30 percent of the States income, noted Thuc.

PetroVietnam is carrying out 22 investment and cooperation contracts in 13 countries among the 49 deals already reached with other countries around the world.

The Chairman of PetroVietnam Management Board Dinh La Thang, said that the group is striving to become a strong economic conglomerate in the region, with an annual growth of 18-20 percent from now until 2015.

To reach this target, he said that PVN is focusing on solutions in human resources, science and technology and management to become a spearhead economic sector and contribute more to the national industrialisation and modernisation process./.

VN-second largest consumer of beer in SEA

Euromonitor International has predicted that Vietnam’s beer market will continue to grow by 5.6 percent in the next few years, just after Laos and Cambodia in Southeast Asia.

According to the global market research company, Vietnam is currently the second biggest consumer of beer in Southeast Asia after Cambodia. In 2009, the country consumed 1.6 billion litres of beer, a surge of 56 percent over 2004.

These days, most of the world biggest beer producers are present in Vietnam, including Budweiser, Sappora, San Miguel and Fosters.

Most recently, Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) from Singapore teamed up with Vietnam’s Saigon Trading Group (SATRA) to set up a joint venture called Vietnam Breweries Ltd (VBL) in Da Nang city.

Last weekend, the VBL commissioned a production line with the capacity to produce 50,000 bottles of ‘La Rue’ beer an hour.

As one of the first beer producers in Vietnam, right after the country opened up its doors 20 years ago, APB plans to invest 100 million USD in Vietnam’s beer industry over the next 18 months.

Japan’s Sapporo also plans to link up with Tobacco Vietnam to produce beer from 2012./.

Obama approves additional $12 mln for Da Nang dioxin cleanup

Obama approves additional $12 mln for Da Nang dioxin cleanup US President Barack Obama has approved US$12 million for an ongoing project aimed at cleaning up dioxin that has contaminated the soil and water in and around the Da Nang Airport.

The announcement was made by congressman Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa) on August 26, during a three-day visit to Vietnam.

Faleomavaega's visit was aimed at discussing the two countries’ relationship, including cooperative efforts to mitigate Agent Orange contamination in Vietnam.

Last year, the Obama administration dedicated $3 million to dioxin cleanup efforts in the central city of Da Nang, where the airport was listed by scientists as one of several “hotspots” throughout the country.

Da Nang Airport was once used by the US Air Force as a base of operations. During the war, US forces untold quantities of defoliant chemicals loaded onto planes to be sprayed over the countryside.

It is believed that US forces sprayed over 12 million gallons of defoliats in Vietnam throughout the course of the war.

The chemicals were meant to deprive Vietnamese forces of "food and cover." The campaign ended up having long-term effects on US soldiers and millions of Vietnamese civilians.

The substance has been linked to increased instances of birth defects and at least 12 chronic diseases - including Spinal Bifidia and several types of cancer.

Obama approves additional $12 mln for Da Nang dioxin cleanup

The announcement was made by congressman Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa) on August 26, during a three-day visit to Vietnam.

Faleomavaega's visit was aimed at discussing the two countries’ relationship, including cooperative efforts to mitigate Agent Orange contamination in Vietnam.

Da Nang Airport was once used by the US Air Force as a base of operations. During the war, US forces untold quantities of defoliant chemicals loaded onto planes to be sprayed over the countryside.

It is believed that US forces sprayed over 12 million gallons of defoliats in Vietnam throughout the course of the war.

The chemicals were meant to deprive Vietnamese forces of "food and cover." The campaign ended up having long-term effects on US soldiers and millions of Vietnamese civilians.

The substance has been linked to increased instances of birth defects and at least 12 chronic diseases - including Spinal Bifidia and several types of cancer.

Mindulle death toll climbs to 11 in Vietnam

Mindulle death toll climbs to 11 in Vietnam As of Thursday, at least 11 people have been killed and 72 have been injured by typhoon Mindulle in Vietnam.

The Typhoon, the third to hit the East Sea this year, made landfall late on August 24 in Vietnam’s central coast, according to the National Committee of Search and Rescue.

Nghe An province lost six residents while Quang Binh and Ha Tinh provinces reported two and three dead, respectively.

Before calming on Wednesday, Mindulle destroyed over 64,500 hectares of rice paddies between Quang Ngai and Thanh Hoa.

Over 47,000 houses, meanwhile, were damaged and 34 boats were sunk, the committee said.

Mindulle also brought a whirlwind to Hanoi’s Me Linh District Wednesday, injuring five people, according to Le Thanh Hai, vice director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF).

The adjacent province of Hung Yen also suffered Tuesday, Hai added. It was estimated that 20 local students and teachers were injured as a whirlwind toppled more than 3,000 trees and trashed over 300 houses.

In July, Typhoon Conson, the first storm of the season, left at least one dead in Vietnam after killing 68 in the Philippines.

In the meantime, NCHMF Thursday said that a low pressure zone hovering over the Pacific has strengthened into a tropical depression which will upgrade into a storm within the next one to two days.

Another low pressure zone has been recorded near the Philippines’ Luzong Island and is heading for the East Sea, the center said.

Workers scramble to unearth 50 tombs in Hanoi

Workers scramble to unearth 50 tombs in Hanoi Locals in Hanoi’s Duong Noi ward are rushing to unearth over 50 family tombs which were buried under 600 cubic meters of mud last Saturday.

Many suspect that the mud came from construction sites along Le Van Luong Street. The soil was illegally dumped on the Dong Chua Graveyard, according to Le Khanh Dong, chairman of the Duong Noi People’s Committee.

Dong said that local political leaders have asked Duong Noi police to report to Ha Dong District authorities and launch a cooperative investigation into the case.

So far, they have yet to identify the culprit, according to Nguyen Dac Hoi, manager of the graveyard. Hoi said that last year, five tombs here suffered the same desecration.

In the meantime, authorities have hired workers to search for the lost tombs, the chairman said.

So far the effort has proven fruitless.

The tombs remain under some four meters of mud due to continuous rains, Nguyen Xuan Ben, who is in charge of the search told VnExpress.

Because of the advanced age of the fragile tombs, the workers must conduct the effort manually, Ben added.

The incident has left locals outraged.

“I feel so indignant!" Dang Ba Hai told a VNExpress reporter. "I couldn’t do anything but ask for help from ward authorities and then keep an eye on the search. All I care is the safety of family tombs.”

Hai said five of his family's burial sites were covered in the thick mud.

“They have been cleaning up the mud for three days," Nguyen Thi Lan, 70, cried. "But they have yet to find my son’s tomb.”

“This is not only against the law," said Trinh Nhu Ha, Vice Chairman of Duong Noi People’s Committee. "It's downright immoral."

Workers scramble to unearth 50 tombs in Hanoi

Workers scramble to unearth 50 tombs in Hanoi Locals in Hanoi’s Duong Noi ward are rushing to unearth over 50 family tombs which were buried under 600 cubic meters of mud last Saturday.

Dong said that local political leaders have asked Duong Noi police to report to Ha Dong District authorities and launch a cooperative investigation into the case.

So far, they have yet to identify the culprit, according to Nguyen Dac Hoi, manager of the graveyard. Hoi said that last year, five tombs here suffered the same desecration.

In the meantime, authorities have hired workers to search for the lost tombs, the chairman said.

So far the effort has proven fruitless.

The tombs remain under some four meters of mud due to continuous rains, Nguyen Xuan Ben, who is in charge of the search told VnExpress.

Because of the advanced age of the fragile tombs, the workers must conduct the effort manually, Ben added.

The incident has left locals outraged.

Hai said five of his family's burial sites were covered in the thick mud.

“They have been cleaning up the mud for three days," Nguyen Thi Lan, 70, cried. "But they have yet to find my son’s tomb.”

“This is not only against the law," said Trinh Nhu Ha, Vice Chairman of Duong Noi People’s Committee. "It's downright immoral."

Museum tells story of Hanoi’s history

The history of how Hanoi was originally formed and has subsequently developed will be depicted by thousands of exhibits on display at the Hanoi Museum , scheduled to open in October, to coincide with the millennium anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Covering an area of nearly 54,000 m2 the reverse pyramid-shaped museum is the largest and most modern of its kind in Vietnam .

The building has six floors and is designed so it can be divided into different areas to exhibit pottery and private collections on Hanoi , including many ancient artifacts that depict the nation’s cultural development.

Apart from the outdoor exhibition of Hanoian ornamental animals and plants, the museum includes function rooms for meetings and workshops, research facilities, a library and a workshop to preserve and restore exhibits.

Constructed using advanced technologies with an initial investment of 2.3 trillion VND, the museum has been installed with a modern sound and lighting system and has a closeable roof.

The builders, Germany ’s GMP International GmbH-Inros Lackner and the Vinaconex Corporation, are expected to complete the exhibition area on schedule.

Once fully completed in 2013, the museum will be able to display around 50,000 exhibits./.

Buddhism, literature with Hanoi’s millennial growth

A recent symposium has provided an insight into Buddhism and literature’s immense contributions and their connection with the capital city of Hanoi over its 1,000-year development course.

The symposium “Literature and Buddhism with the 1,000 th founding anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi” took place in the southern province of Binh Duong last weekend. It brought together 300 religious and non-religious researchers of Buddhism and literature, and Buddhist dignitaries in Ho Chi Minh City and southern localities.

Close to 100 presentations focused on Buddhism’s role in the founding and development of the former Thang Long capital city and Dai Viet under the Ly dynasties (1009-1226) and the Tran dynasty (1226-1400), Buddhist literature, literature under the Ly and Tran dynasties and the later dynasties, and contemporary literature and southern literature as seen in relation with 1,000 years of Thang Long-Hanoi.

They helped highlight lessons on national development and defence, international diplomacy, religious tolerance, democracy, politics and Buddhism’s company with the nation, said Most Venerable Thich Giac Toan, Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Executive Council, who is also head of the symposium organising board./.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Vietnam National Day celebrated abroad

Vietnamese embassies and organisations abroad as well as overseas Vietnamese communities have held many activities to mark the 65 th National Day of Vietnam (Sept. 2).

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Vu Chi Cong granted an interview to the Cuban daily Trabajadores (Workers), highlighting Vietnam ’s achievements in national renewal.

The country has emerged as the world’s second largest rice exporter with an export volume of about 5-6 million tonnes a year. It achieved a GDP growth rate of 5.3 percent in 2009 despite the global economic crisis and expects to grow by 6.5 percent this year. The poverty rate reduced from 58 percent in the 1990s to 12 percent at present.

The Vietnamese diplomat expressed thanks to assistance from people all over the world, including the Cuban people, to Vietnam during the national construction and defence.

The Federation of Vietnamese People in Laos held football and petanque tournaments to celebrate Vietnam ’s National Day.

In Australia , the municipal council of Kiama city, New South Wales , Australia , and the Vietnamese Consulate General in Sydney held a ceremony on Aug. 28 to raise the national flags of Vietnam and Australia at the city’s town hall to mark the 65 th National Day of Vietnam.

Addressing the ceremony, Kiama Vice Mayor Ban Van Der Wikngaart affirmed that Kiama municipal council’s commitment to the cooperation with Vietnam, saying the agreement between Kiama and its sister city of Hoi An in central Vietnam was a important premise to implement cooperation projects and create opportunities to boost exchanges in education, tourism, trade and culture between the two tourist cities.

For his part, Vietnamese consul general to Sydney Vu Hong Nam stated that the annual flag-raising ceremony on Vietnam ’s National Day is a vivid symbol of the friendship between Vietnam and Australia from municipal to governmental levels.

Earlier, on Aug. 26, the Vietnamese Embassy in Canada held a ceremony to mark the country’s 65 th National Day with the participation of Canadian governmental and parliamentary officials as well as representatives from businesses and organisations of Vietnam and Canada./.

Vietnam launches Green Ideas Contest

Toyota Vietnam, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education and Training, the General Department of the Environment’s Energy Saving Office, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, on August 29 launched its Green Idea Contest 2010 under the topic Sustainable Energy Use.

The annual contest aims to raise public and especially youth awareness of environmental protection, improving environmental quality, and sustainable energy use. This year’s contest hopes to find practical and feasible new ideas in economical, efficient and renewable energy use as well as alternative energy sources.

“We hope to find young people’s most feasible ideas to efficiently use natural resources and fuel, solutions of economical energy use, restoring and balancing eco-system, and coping with climate change,” said Toyota Vietnam deputy general director Dang Phan Thu Huong.

Twenty prizes worth a total of 235 million VND (12,200 USD) will be awarded, including a 30 million VND (1,500 USD) first prize. The top two finishers will also receive funding worth 250 million VND (13,000 USD) to put their ideas into practice and contribute to improving environmental quality in Vietnam.

Vietnamese or foreign individuals or groups studying, working or living in Vietnam and aged 15-35 years old are encouraged to enter the contest.

Contest entries must be received by 5pm, January 28, 2011. The judging board will then select up to 20 finalists from the papers received, who will be invited to made an in-person presentation.

Entries must be made to Room 201, Sao Bac Building, 4 Da Tuong street, Hanoi, or by email to ytuongxanh2@gmail.com . For further information, visit the website http://www.gogreen.com.vn./.

Hanoi officials and youth hold road safety campaign

More than 1,500 staff members from Hanoi's police, employees from the transport sector and youth volunteers on August 29 launched the Month of Safe Traffic, which falls in September anually.

The city People's Committee kicked off the month to ensure there is orderly traffic during the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi and the city's 15th Party committee congress.

Transport Minister Ho Nghia Dung said young people would be the initiative's target group during this year's Month of Safe Traffic.

"Young people are the largest driving population currently and the rate of traffic accidents is also the highest among this group," said Dung.

The minister asked participating organisations to target this group when they spread educational information about traffic culture.

He called on various forces across the country to ensure traffic safety during the great anniversary.

During the Month of Safe Traffic, the capital city will carry out a series of activities to rid the city of its traffic problems.

The city will also strictly punish individuals that violate traffic laws and reduce traffic jams and traffic accidents. The city will also work hard to ensure traffic safety during the capital's anniversary and the city's 15th Party committee congress.

Transport inspectors and Hanoi police will also launch a crackdown to examine the operation of public transportation, taxi services and domestic water transportation during the month./.

Vietnamese family in US wins $85.7 mln lottery

Baton Rouge attorney George Bayhi (L) accepts congratulations Thursday from Louisiana Lottery Corporations President Rose Hudson, who displays the oversized $85.7 million Powerball jackpot check. Bayhi represents an 11-member family partnership that won the jackpot.

Photo: 2theadvocate.com

A Vietnamese-American family in Louisiana, the US, claimed Friday through a local attorney it has won the Powerball jackpot lottery worth US$85.7 million, according to 2theadvocate news website.

Attorney George Bayhi said the 11-member family of Nguyen Van Hieu, based in Baton Rouge, will share the lumpsum payment option – as opposed to annuity payments -- which amounts to $45.77 million before tax.

The family, comprising business owners, professionals, and college students, has established a company named H&N Family Partnership to manage the funds.

The jackpot is the second biggest Powerball prize ever won in Louisiana.

Bayhi said the family, which has lived in Baton Rouge for 20 years, plans to build new houses and give money to charities, including Catholic churches.

Its members prefer not to comment and want to maintain as much privacy as possible, he said.

“They have not gotten much sleep at all since they realized they are winners. Needless to say, they’re extremely excited.”

They have pooled together to buy lottery tickets for several years, he said, adding the winning ticket was the last of 10 tickets the family bought July 31.

Irate HCMC resident files against street barrier

Nguyen Van Lang checks the papers for his lawsuit against the HCMC Transport Department for its road and other construction in front of his house which he says has affected his business and damaged his house

Photo: Tuoi Tre

A Ho Chi Minh City resident has filed a suit against the Department of Transport for erecting barriers in front of his house-cum-restaurant, thus causing losses to his business.

According to the city People’s Court, Nguyen Van Lang has demanded compensation of VND252 million (US$13,000) for blocking access to his eatery and another VND120 million for causing his house to sink by building nearby.

“I filed the lawsuit because I have suffered too much loss,” Lang said. “Authorities cannot use public works as an excuse because public interest cannot damage an individual’s interest.”

Lang ran a restaurant in the front part of his house on Hoang Sa Street in District 1 since 2001.

Business went smoothly until early 2005 when Chinese contractor TMEC & CHEC erected barriers close to his front door for a sewage roadwork as part of a project to improve drainage in the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal basin.

The barriers were removed in early 2007, put up again later that year and only removed late last year.

Lang said the barriers obstructed access to his restaurant for 42 months.

When he protested a few years ago that his house had sunk and developed cracks because of the construction work nearby, the Chinese contractor offered him VND8 million in compensation.

But the Saigon Assessment Company calculated that repairs to the house will cost VND31 million.

In a meeting with Lang last year, the contractor agreed to pay only half of the sum.

Lang said his family was outraged and decided to file the suit.

The People’s Court said it is the first time that a city dweller has filed against the street barriers.

The barriers and the poor condition of roads pose a danger to road users. But city authorities have repeatedly called on people to be patient with the barriers since they would help ease the threat of floods.

Fighting fake make-up

Customers shop for cosmetics in Ha Noi. Fake products are sold widely alongside genuine ones, confusing customers, warn officials. – VNA/VNS Photo Tran Viet

HA NOI — Counterfeit cosmetic products worth a total VND570 million (US$29,200) were discovered in an investigation of 30 shops in Ha Noi last week, reported the official interdisciplinary investigation team for cosmetics market after its annual investigation.

The discoveries led to VND130 million (US$6,700) in fines.

A significant batch of the counterfeits, valued at VND200 million (US$10,250), were confiscated from one shop on Pham Ngoc Thach Street.

"Fake cosmetics are spreading widely and mixed among genuine products," said Hoang Dai Nghia, deputy head of the Market Watch Office.

Products labelled with brands such as Gucci, Clinique and Lancome were being offered for much lower prices compared to their authentic counterparts in official outlets. For example, a tube of "Clinique Happy Heart Body Cream" was offered for VND220,000 (US$11.3) at one shop, much lower than the VND560,000 (US$28.7) price in the official store.

One shopowner explained that she could offer the lower prices because her products were imported duty-free.

Nghia said the cheap price alone was clear evidence that the product was not genuine as prices could never be that low.

"Modified products, such as those marked ‘Guci' instead of ‘Gucci', or ‘Varsace' instead of ‘Versace' and sold for super low prices, are obviously fake. Otherwise, it is very hard to tell the difference between genuine products and counterfeit ones."

"Modern technology has given shopowners the opportunity to sell well-forged products, including official-looking wrapping and labelling. During our investigation, many products were suspected of being counterfeit but still needed to go through costly and time-consuming control experiments to be sure," said Nghia.

Shopowners had also started using more sophisticated tricks. They bought one or two batches of genuine products and held on to the valid licences for counterfeit batches later, said the Economic Police Department.

"Investigations are even more difficult for online cosmetics business. We tried to make online purchases but most of the owners only accepted face-to-face business so we could not identify the source of the goods," said Pham Bich Hang, a member of the team.

Under governmental Decree No 45, shopowners may be fined a minimum of VND7.5 million (US$385) for a batch of counterfeit products, which can vary depending on the product value. However, since many owners come from other provinces, they simply return to their hometown after they are fined and return to operate their business under a different name.

"This makes things more complicated and leaves the problems unsolved," said Nghia.

Most of the customers at these stores were teenagers with low incomes, his report said.

"I often buy lipstick and skin care products on Hang Buom Street. The price is reasonable and they sell brands with good reputations," said a Grade-11 student from Viet Duc High School as she showed off her new Lancome lip gloss.

"Brand outlets are much more expensive. Plus, I don't think mine is fake. It has a certified stamp," she said.

Nghia explained that shopowners could make fakes of genuine-looking certified stamps. Investigators were working hard to find a way to solve the problem, he said.

"Punishment represents the strict and clear side of relevant laws. However, a sole unit to monitor and manage the market is not enough. Comprehensive co-operation with police and local authorities is needed to get to the root of the problem," he said.

The interdisciplinary investigation is annually performed by the Ha Noi Market Watch Office, the Economic Police and the Department of Health. —VNS

VN, Chinese heads laud nations' youth

HA NOI — The tradition of friendship between Viet Nam and China is a precious possession held in common by both nations, wrote Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh in a letter to the Viet Nam-China Youth Festival.

The relationship had been fostered by the late Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Mao Zedong and generations of revolutionaries and people in both countries, the letter said.

The tradition of friendship was manifested in the comprehensive strategic co-operation and partnership forged by the two countries under the motto of ‘friendly neighbourliness, comprehensive co-operation, long-lasting stability and looking towards the future' and in the spirit of ‘good neighbours, good friends, good comrades and good partners,' Manh wrote in the letter.

In his own letter to the festival, Chinese President and Party leader Hu Jintao said China was committed along with Viet Nam to constantly boosting co-operation in every field and deepening exchanges and friendship between the two countries.

He reaffirmed the importance of exchanges between young people, which would help boost mutual understanding and bring the friendship closer to the hearts of all people in both countries. The future of the two countries and of the relationship belonged to the younger generations, he said.

The festival, taking place in Guangxi, China, is celebrating the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and China. — VNS

Amnesty indicates nation's leniency

Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Central Advisory Committee on Amnesty Truong Vinh Trong hands out amnesties to rehabilitated prisoners at Thanh Xuan prison outside Ha Noi. — VNA Files Photo

HA NOI — This year's amnesty affirmed the Party and Government's tolerance of rehabilitated prisoners, said Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong.

Speaking at a ceremony where the 2010 decision on amnesty was announced at the Thanh Xuan Prison outside Ha Noi yesterday, Trong said amnesty was congruent with the nation's humanity and affirmed Viet Nam's strict and clear criminal laws.

Vietnamese prisoners and 21 foreign nationals kept at the prison will be released in honour of the country's national day.

The Deputy Prime Minister told attendees that amnesty was merely an initial step in promoting progress. Although it might be difficult for prisoners to improve their conduct, each prisoner would be able to do so if they were determined to reform and ready to re-integrate into the community, said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Trong, who is also Chairman of the Central Advisory Committee on Amnesty, said the President had given amnesty to more than 100,000 prisoners since 2000.

He said the country's amnesty policy was fair, democratic and congruent with the law.

Amnesty encouraged prisoners to reform and enjoy the Party and Government's lenient policy that allows them to re-integrate into the community, said Trong.

The Ministry of Public Security has instructed relevant authorities to create a Government decree concerning the re-integration of amnestied people, which would provide them with a legal foundation to stabilise their lives and prevent recidivism. — VNS

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Helping prisoners return to society

A fund supporting former inmates reintegrate into mainstream society was launched in HCM City last Saturday.

The HCM City Ex-inmate Welfare Fund was established by former deputy director of HCM City Police Department Tran Van Tao along with former prisoners Lien Khui Thin and Le Minh Hai.

Speaking at the inauguration, Tao said the fund was a non-profit organisation that would help ex-inmates reintegrate into the community, and help them make valuable contributions to society.

Tao said the fund would open branches in districts 3, 5 and Phu Nhuan.

The fund will provide vocational training courses and organise employment fairs for ex-inmates so that they can find jobs to support themselves and their families.

It will also launch a programme providing soft loans, and build plants and farms to create jobs for former prisoners.

The fund will organise meetings to discuss experiences and find ways to improve their programmes.

It will offer legal guidance as well as healthcare support for ex-inmates.

The larger community will be encouraged to better understand and empathise with ex-inmates and help them integrate into the society.

At the inauguration ceremony, several local enterprises, legal firms and vocational schools expressed their commitment to support the fund and its programmes.

Those willing to support the fund can contact them at 27 Ky Dong in District 3 or through their website at www.quyhoanluong.com. — VNS

Retired rural workers benefit from vocational training courses

A woman weaves bamboo in the northern province of Thanh Hoa's Hoang Hoa District. Older workers are seeking ways to improve their skills and earn some money. — VNA/VNS Photo Phuong Hoa

HA NOI — Rural workers of pensionable age are being forced to lie about their age to qualify for Government-sponsored vocational training courses.

Nguyen Cong Chinh, 62, has been studying rattan weaving under a Government programme to boost the skills of rural ethnic minorities and farmers. However, the programme is only open to men aged between 16 and 60 and women aged 16 to 55.

Chinh is unrepentant about misrepresenting his age. He said that not only did he now earn enough to support his children, but he was keeping a traditional village handicraft alive.

Younger generations of villagers have been lured away from Xuan Ho Hamlet in Bac Ninh Province to major cities where they can earn more money.

As a result, bamboo and rattan weaving in the hamlet had all but died out until the communal Farmers' Association began running handicraft classes.

Like Chinh, Nguyen Quang Tam also had to lie about his age to get a place on the training course. He is also unrepentant.

"We are both very happy because we have been able to improve our professional skills and sell bamboo and rattan products and make some money," Tam said.

Nguyen Cong Thao, director of Bac Ninh Vocational Training Centre, said he numerous elderly labourers had asked to join the training programme. He said he had felt duty-bound to let them learn a craft so they could support themselves financially.

However, he said, because they are technically not eligible to take part in the Government scheme, the centre was unable to grant them a certificate when they finished their training.

"They are not granted certificates at the end of the training course as the centre is not allowed to provide them with the training under the existing regulation," Thao said.

Others have chosen to ask their friends or relatives who are of working age to register for the programme on their behalf.

Chinh registered for the course in his son's name.

Nguyen Thi Tuoi, president of Lac Ve Commune's Bamboo and Rattan Weaving Co-operative, said more than 200 households in the commune were now making bamboo and rattan products – more than 50 per cent of whom are of pensionable age.

Xuan Ho Hamlet is typical of many rural areas, where 70 per cent of the population is typical elderly.

Tran Van Chuan, head of the Nghia Hung Vocational Training Centre in Nam Dinh Province, said elderly people should be allowed to earn a living if they were fit and healthy.

"The existing regulation means retired people cannot benefit from the Government's vocational training policy for rural workers," Chuan said.

He said that many 70-year-olds and over were perfectly able to work and that many chose to learn crafts that were unpopular with younger people, such as growing bonsai trees and bamboo and rattan weaving.

"How can they survive without working?" Chuan said.

In a bid to alleviate rural poverty, the Government issued decision 1956 last year approving a vocational training project aimed at training about 1 million labourers annually.

By the time the programme ends in 2020, about 10 million of rural workers are expected to have received vocational training.

The decision stated that priority should be given to ethnic minorities and disadvantaged farmers.

Cao Van Sam, deputy director of the Vocational Training General Department, said the Government programme was aimed at those of working age because they were the ones that were most in need. He said local authorities were free to launch their own training programmes for retirees.

According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, 18.7 per cent of working age men and women in rural communities are receiving vocational training, against a national average of 25 per cent. — VNS

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Ha Noi'officials and youth hold road safety campaign

HA NOI — More than 1,500 staff members from Ha Noi's police, employees from the transport sector and youth volunteers yesterday launched the Month of Safe Traffic, which falls in September anually.

The city People's Committee kicked off the month to ensure there is orderly traffic during the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi and the city's 15th Party committee congress.

Transport Minister Ho Nghia Dung said adolescents would be the initiative's target group during this year's Month of Safe Traffic.

"Adolescents are the largest driving population currently and the rate of traffic accidents is also the highest among this group," said Dung.

The minister asked participating organisations to target this group when they spread educational information about traffic culture.

He called on various forces across the country to ensure traffic safety during the great anniversary.

During the Month of Safe Traffic, the capital city will carry out a series of activities to rid the city of its traffic problems.

Transport inspectors and Ha Noi police will also launch a crackdown to examine the operation of public transportation, taxi services and domestic water transportation during the month. — VNS

Business owner sues city hall

HCM CITY — A HCM City resident has filed a lawsuit against the city's Department of Transport and the environmental sanitation project's management board for erecting a construction fence that blocked entry to his restaurant.

Nguyen Van Lang, the first person in the city to sue authorities for such a reason, has requested total compensation of VND372 million (US$16,769) for business losses and damage to his restaurant, which is located in his home.

Lang said he opened the restaurant on Hoang Sa Street along Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal in 2001.

In January 2005, the Chinese contractor Tmec&Chec-3, which was working on a city drainage project, erected barriers near his door. Lang said no one had visited the restaurant since that time.

In early 2007, the fence was removed but it was erected again in November 2007 when the drainage project resumed. The fence was taken down last year.

Lang said his income from the restaurant was far more than the compensation of VND6 million ($307) for each month that he has requested.

Of the total compensation request, he has asked for VND120 million ($6,153) to repair the damage to his house allegedly caused by the contractor's work site.

"I have to sue them because my family has suffered a lot. A public project for the community should not cause damage to other people," he said.

Phan Chau Thuan, director of the environmental sanitation project's management board, said after Lang filed his lawsuit, the board replied to several requests from the HCM City People's Court.

He said the local authorities and the project management board had organised several meetings to negotiate the compensation amount.

Lang, however, rejected the proposals, and the contractor TMEC&CHEC-3 refused to acknowledge its responsibility for the damage to Lang's house.

The contractor agreed to pay Lang VND8 million ($410) after independent inspectors estimated that VND31million ($1,589) was needed for repairs.

The contractor defended its decision, saying that the house was located near the canal, and that the damage had been unavoidable.

The court said it had asked the plaintiff to submit evidence for the compensation request several times.

Lang filed the lawsuit at District 1's People's Court in October 2009, but the court transferred the case to a higher-level court, explaining that it was out of its jurisdiction.

Lawyer Bui Quang Nghiem, deputy head of the HCM City Lawyers Association, said citizens had the right to sue for compensation, but they must prove to the court that the damage was caused by the defendant.

If the court finds fault, it will force the responsible parties to offer compensation.

Court officials said the erected fence was allowed to be in place for no more than 12 months.

If the fence stay exceeded that amount of time and damage to the house could be linked to the fence, then the defendant would have to pay compensation, the court said. — VNS

Thousands welcome maths guru

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and top mathematics award winner Ngo Bao Chau (right). — VNS Photo Duc Tam

HA NOI — Nearly 3,000 people gathered to receive Vietnamese Fields medallist Professor Ngo Bao Chau at a State-level welcome ceremony in Ha Noi yesterday.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung congratulated Chau, whom he said was the nation's pride. He said the professor had brought great honour to the country as he was only the second Asian and the first from a developing country to win the highest honour in mathematics. The prize, which was introduced in 1936, has also been won by a Japanese academic.

Besides praising Vietnamese education, which he said had laid a solid foundation for Chau work, Dung expressed his thanks to the educational systems in France, the US and other developed countries, which have enabled Chau's talent to flourish.

Dung called on students nation-wide to follow Chau's example.

Ha Khuong Duy, a student at Ha Noi National University's College of Science, who won a gold medal at the 50th International Mathematics Olympiad in 2009, said Chau's success would be a great source of inspiration to young people to strive to reach the very top of their chosen academic discipline.

Chau said the fact that a Vietnamese academic had won a Fields Medal would pave the way for a remarkable change in the quality of mathematical research in Viet Nam.

Chau expressed his sincere thanks for the contribution made by his former teachers in Viet Nam, France and the US, adding that a sound working environment that allowed academic freedom was one of the main factors governing effective scientific research.

Top award

On August 19, Chau was awarded the mathematical equivalent of a Nobel Prize, the prestigious Fields Medal, at the International Congress of Mathematicians 2010 in India "for his proof of the Fundamental Lemma in the theory of automorphic forms through the introduction of new algebro-geometric methods".

In 2004, Chau, as a professor at Universite' de Paris-Sud and his PhD supervisor Gerard Laumon proved the Fundamental Lemma for a family of groups, which earned them a Clay prize, another prestigious award, in the same year. In 2008, after years working on his own, Chau finally established the theory of Fundamental Lemma in general, which Time Magazine praised as one of the 10 most outstanding scientific discoveries of 2009.

The congress' organising committee lauded Chau's brilliant work and said it would lead to many striking advances in the Langlands' programme, which is like a grand unification of different branches of mathematics, including number theory, spectral theory and algebraic geometry. — VNS

Vietnam, South Korea extend MoU on labor export

Vietnam and South Korea have extended the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on supplying and receiving Vietnamese guest workers under the employment permit system (EPS) program.

At the signing ceremony in Seoul on Sunday, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thanh Hoa emphasized that the extension of the MoU for two more years and the MoU on cooperation in vocational training, social insurance and labor safety that has been extended since late May 2009 are legal foundations and create conditions for a large number of Vietnamese workers to work in South Korea, thus further boosting the two countries’ labor cooperation.

Hoa said the ministry highly evaluated South Korea’s labor market, considering it an important market for Vietnamese workers.

According to the deputy minister, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs has decided to set up a vocational training school for Vietnamese workers before sending to South Korea.

He said Vietnam hoped that the South Korean government and its Labor Ministry would join in training Vietnamese workers to help them get familiar with the lifestyle and daily activities in South Korea.

South Korean Deputy Labor Minister Lee Chae Pil said that Vietnam now tops of the list of 15 nations in South Korea’s EPS program.

Vietnamese workers are hardworking and skillful, he said, adding that there are more than 55,000 Vietnamese workers are working at over 1,500 South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises, contributing to promoting the development of business activities of South Korean enterprises and its economy at large.

He went on to stress that his government is not only exerting efforts to protect the Vietnamese workers’ benefits at the country’s workshops but also paying attention to improving the living conditions for Vietnamese workers.

Lee highlighted the job festival that took place in Vietnam last October where South Korean businesses and Vietnamese workers met one another.

He confirmed that South Korea would do its utmost to help train Vietnamese workers before entering the country.

Hanoi honors outstanding individuals

Photo: VNA

Eleven model citizens and 848 outstanding individuals in the movement of “Good people, good deeds” in Hanoi were honored at the municipal Patriotism Emulation Congress for 2010-2015 in Hanoi Saturday.

Reviewing the patriotism emulation movement over the past five years, Nguyen The Thao, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee stated that the patriotism emulation movement in Hanoi has developed deep and wide, breathing new life into production and business.

So it helps maintain political security and social order.

Over the past five years, the city has 225 individuals awarded with the State’s Labor Order; 385 others received the Prime Minister’s certificates of merit; and 3,288 people were recognized “Good individual”.

As the result of the emulation movement, the city obtained an annual economic growth rate of 10.4 percent, 1.5 times over the nation’s average.

The congress for the first time honored 11 model citizens, including Prof. Ngo Bao Chau, the first Vietnamese mathematician to win the Fields Medal, and Prof. Vu Khieu, 95.

Addressing the congress, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong praised the achievements of Hanoi in the patriotism emulation movement over the past five years.

“In every field there are bright examples of dedication to works, high sense of responsibility and creativity, he said.

On behalf of the Party and State, Chairman Trong handed over the State President’s Golden Star Order to Hanoi for outstanding contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation.

This is the third time Hanoi has been awarded with this high distinction, which is significant at a time when the city is celebrating its 1,000th birthday.

VN, RoK extend MoU on labour export cooperation

Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have extended the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on supplying and receiving Vietnamese guest workers under the employment permit system (EPS) programme.

At the signing ceremony in Seoul on August 29, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thanh Hoa emphasised that the extension of the MoU for two more years and the MoU on cooperation in vocational training, social insurance and labour safety that has been extended since late May 2009 are legal foundations and create conditions for a large number of Vietnamese workers to work in the RoK, thus further boosting the two countries’ labour cooperation.

Hoa said the ministry highly evaluated the RoK’s labour market, considering it an important market for Vietnamese workers.

According to the deputy minister, the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs has decided to set up a vocational training school for Vietnamese workers before sending to the RoK.

He said Vietnam hoped that the RoK Government and its Labour Ministry would join in training Vietnamese workers to help them get familiar with the lifestyle and daily activities in the RoK.

Deputy Labour Minister of the RoK Lee Chae Pil said that Vietnam now tops of the list of 15 nations in the RoK’s EPS programme.

Vietnamese workers are hardworking and skillful, he said, adding that there are more than 55,000 Vietnamese workers are working at over 1,500 RoK small and medium-sized enterprises, contributing to promoting the development of business activities of the RoK enterprises and its economy at large.

Lee highlighted the job festival that took place in Vietnam last October where RoK businesses and Vietnamese workers met one another.

He confirmed that the RoK would do its utmost to help train Vietnamese workers before entering the country./.

Vietnam Days in China offers cooperation opportunities

The Vietnamese Days in China programme taking place from August 29-September 3 is to offer more opportunities for Vietnamese firms to set up and increase investment and cooperative ties with major groups from China and other Asian countries.

The programme, held by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), also aims to promote the national image and to strengthen comprehensive political, diplomatic, cultural and economic ties between Vietnam and China.

The event includes a Vietnam-China economic forum, a trade and investment forum, a business-to-business meeting and a photographic exhibition called “ Vietnam – its land and people”.

The event is attended by Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hoang Anh Tuan and leaders from Vietnamese ministries, departments and provinces as well as Chinese businesses operating successfully in Vietnam.

Representatives from more than 100 Vietnamese businesses also take part in the event to conduct research into the market, and seek partners to expand their business.

A number of cooperation agreements and economic contracts are expected to be signed during the programme./.

Vietnam-China Youth Festival held in Guangxi

The Vietnam-China Youth Festival has been held in China’s Guangxi province, making it an outstanding event in the Vietnam-China Friendship Year 2010.

At the festival, which was held on August 28, youth from both countries received congratulatory letters from the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), Nong Duc Manh, and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Hu Jintao.

In his letter, General Secretary Manh reminded the young generation of the time-honoured relationship between China and Vietnam, founded and nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh and President Mao Zedong.

The relationship is a very important factor on both countries’ road to socialism, he said, adding that it is manifested vividly in comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership.

He expressed his hope that the young generation of both countries will make great efforts to strengthen the ties.

In his letter General Secretary Hu Jintao said he hoped the two countries’ youth will contribute their strength to national constructions, writing glorious histories on development of friendship and comprehensive strategic cooperate partnership between Vietnam and China .

Addressing the event, Ho Duc Viet, Politburo member and Head of the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for Organisation, emphasised that the Vietnamese Party, State, and people considered the festival to be one of the most important activities to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Vietnam-China diplomatic ties and the Vietnam-China Friendship Year 2010 and said it would strengthen the Vietnam-China relationship.

More activities will be celebrated by Vietnamese and Chinese Youth Unions to nurture the ties between the young generations of both countries, Viet added.

Li Yuanchao, Politburo member and Head of the Organisation of Department of the CPC Central Committee, expressed his belief that the festival would help contribute to further strengthening, tightening the friendship between two peoples, particularly young generation.

Participants had the chance to enjoy a gala night with a performance of traditional folk music by artists from both countries.

The warm and friendly festival concluded with a fireworks display and a performance of the Vietnam-China friendship song./.

Prize-winning mathematician welcomed at home

Photo: VNA

Professor Ngo Bao Chau, the first Vietnamese mathematician to win the Fields Medal, was warmly welcomed at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi upon his return from India on the Saturday morning.

Prof. Chau won the award for his proof of the Fundamental Lemma in the theory of automorphic forms, by introducing new algebro-geometric methods. The exalted award, comparable to the Nobel prize for mathematics is awarded only to mathematicians under the age of 40.

Present at the welcome ceremony were Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Vinh Hien, Deputy President of the Vietnam Science and Technology Academy Duong Ngoc Hai, and Deputy Director of the Hanoi National University Prof. Vu Minh Giang together with students, friends and reporters.

Deputy Minister Hien stated that the Fields Medal that Prof. Chau received at the 26th International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in India on August 19 is a great honour not only to Chau himself and his family, but also the pride of the nation.

Chau’s award made Vietnam the second nation in Asia after Japan to have a citizen awarded the medal.

Deputy Director of the Hanoi National University Prof. Giang informed that the Hanoi National University will award the Honorary Doctor title to Prof. Chau and invite him to join the school’s Special Advisory Council.

On this occasion, the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines presented Prof. Chau the Platinum Card of the Golden Lotus Program.

A State-level welcome ceremony for Prof. Chau will be held on Sunday at the My Dinh National Conventional Centre with the participation of over 3,000 scientists, lecturers and students.

The ceremony will be broadcast live on Vietnam Television (VTV)’s VTV1 channel.

Ngo Bao Chau, the youngest professor in Vietnam, was born in 1972 in Hanoi.

In 1988, Chau won the gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Australia. In 1989, he won another gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Germany.

After graduating from secondary school in Vietnam, he studied at the Paris VI University and then completed his PhD Degree in Orsay under the supervision of Gérard Laumon.

He is currently a Professor at the Science Faculty at Orsay and a member of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton in the US. In September 2010, he will take up a new appointment at the University of Chicago.

Along with Laumon, Chau was awarded the Clay research award in 2004 and in 2007, he was awarded the Sophie Germain prize and the Oberwolfach prize.

In 2009, his evidence proving the Langlands fundamental lemma was selected by Time Magazine as one of the 10 most outstanding scientific discoveries of 2009.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Vietnamese integrate into German society: official

The Vietnamese community in Germany is increasingly integrating into society and making substantial contributions to the economy in the German state of Brandenburg.

Dr. Karin Weiss, Brandenburg’s Commissioner of Immigration, stated this at a recent reception for the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, Nguyen Thanh Son, in Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg.

Weiss underlined the enormous potential for the traditional friendship between Brandensburg and Vietnam and said that he believed this visit would consolidate relations between the two sides, especially in economics and investment.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Son asked his German hosts to continue helping the Vietnamese community to develop the economy and integrate into German society. He also mentioned the possibility of twining the cities of Potsdam and Hue, as they share many similarities.

Earlier on August 25, Son had a meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Berlin and asked them to foster solidarity and set up a Vietnamese Association in Germany to ensure the interests of Vietnamese people living in the country.

Prize-winning mathematician welcomed at home

Deputy Minister Hien stated that the Fields Medal that Prof. Chau received at the 26th International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in India on Aug. 19 is a great honour not only to Chau himself and his family, but also the pride of the nation. Chau’s award made Vietnam the second nation in Asia after Japan to have a citizen awarded the medal.

On this occasion, the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines presented Prof. Chau the Platinum Card of the Golden Lotus Programme.

A State-level welcome ceremony for Prof. Chau will be held at 20pm on Aug. 29 at the My Dinh National Conventional Centre with the participation of over 3,000 scientists, lecturers and students.

The ceremony will be broadcast live on Vietnam Television (VTV)’s VTV1 channel.

Ngo Bao Chau, the youngest professor in Vietnam , was born in 1972 in Hanoi .

In 1988, Chau won the gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Australia . In 1989, he won another gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Germany .

After graduating from secondary school in Vietnam , he studied at the Paris VI University and then completed his PhD Degree in Orsay under the supervision of Gérard Laumon.

He is currently a Professor at the Science Faculty at Orsay and a member of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton in the US . In September 2010, he will take up a new appointment at the University of Chicago .

Along with Laumon, Chau was awarded the Clay research award in 2004 and in 2007, he was awarded the Sophie Germain prize and the Oberwolfach prize.

In 2009, his evidence proving the Langlands fundamental lemma was selected by Time Magazine as one of the 10 most outstanding scientific discoveries of 2009./.

State President grants amnesty to 17,520 prisoners

State President Nguyen Minh Triet has agreed to grant amnesty to 17,520 prisoners on the occasion of the National Day (Sept. 2).

The President’s decision was made public on Aug. 28 at a press briefing which brought together reporters from many local and foreign newspapers and news agencies and representatives of foreign diplomatic corps in Vietnam .

The amnesty recipients include 17,210 prisoners who are serving their jail terms and 310 offenders with prison terms being cancelled or temporarily suspended who are eligible for the amnesty, said the State President Office.

Among those, there are 20 offenders who had been convicted on the charge of “infringing upon national security” and 37 inmates who hold foreign nationalities, including China , Laos , Cambodia and others.

Giang Son, Deputy Director of the State Office, noted that the President’s amnesty decision once again constitutes and affirms the Party and State’s policy of clemency for those offenders who have shown repentance, encouraging them to redeem themselves to become useful citizens.

He stressed that every punishment that the State has given out in line with its penal code aims to not only reprimand law-breakers but also re-educate them to become useful citizens with a sense of abiding by the law and code of conducts in society as well as prevent them from committing crimes again.

Son cited the fact that almost all those granted with amnesty over the past years have quickly re-integrated back into the community. Many of them have become successful and enthusiastically participated in the fight against crimes and charitable activities.

Regarding the post-amnesty work, Deputy Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. Gen. Le The Tiem said the Prime Minister has already instructed local authorities to assist the former prisoners to reintegrate into the community.

As many as 114,913 prisoners have been released ahead of time as the result of the previous ten times of amnesty with many of them becoming businesspeople and setting up funds to assist those who are in similar situation with them, said Tiem.

He said all prisons and detention camps nationwide will begin enforcing the amnesty decision in the morning of August 29./.

Students join Japanese peers in green talks

Almost 200 students from the National Economic University and Chuo University of Japan discussed environmentally-friendly production at a symposium in Hanoi Friday.

Also present were experts from the Institute of Strategic Research, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and many other interested agencies.

The symposium, entitled “Green economic corridor and ecological villages”, heard reports on ecological environment, the eco-village model, urban solid waste management, clean development machinery, and measures to cope with climate change.

Some of the scientific reports were prepared by Japanese students on the basis of surveys on socio-economic development and activities in support of forest farmers and eco-village establishments in Vietnamese provinces such as Hai Duong, Son La and Ha Giang.

The National Economic University of Vietnam and Chuo University of Japan set up sisterly relations over 10 years ago. Every year sees between 30 and 40 Japanese students visit and conduct research at the Vietnamese university.

Leaders from the two universities pledged to expand cooperation to other economic fields in addition to environment and increase exchange of students for personal training and field trips.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

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Nguyen Van Lang checks the papers for his lawsuit against the HCMC Transport Department for its road and other construction in front of his house which he says has affected his business and damaged his house

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Thursday, September 9, 2010

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