Three prosecuted for receiving bribes

DONG NAI — Police in the southern province of Dong Nai on Thursday prosecuted three staff members of the Dau Giay weighing station in Trang Bom District for receiving bribes.

Police had previously caught the three staff members receiving bribes totalling VND9.8 million (US$500) from truck drivers. The three people received temporary jail sentences of four months each.

21 people poisoned after eating chicken

DA NANG — Central Da Nang City's General Hospital admitted 21 people, including nine children, with food poisoning after eating chicken meat on Thursday.

The chicken meat was too old for consumption, said Nguyen Minh Tien, head of the city's Food Hygiene and Safety Department.

The patients, all from Thanh Khe District's Xuan Ha Ward, have all recovered.

Orphans, disadvantaged celebrate Mid-Autumn

HCM CITY — Around 500 orphans and disadvantaged children from 10 orphanages and charity centers in the city gathered yesterday to celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival on the premises of the Hoa Binh Tourism Company in District 3.

The Mid-Autumn festival was also celebrated at the Central Circus in Ha Noi with the participation of 500 children from the Birla, SOS and Hoa Binh villages.

The children participating in these events were given gift packs containing moon cakes, lanterns, stationery and toiletry items. A total of VND500 million ($26,000) was spent on the festivals in both places.

200-seat bus pilot scheme under way

HA NOI — The Ha Noi Transport Department is piloting the use of new 200-seat buses on the Noi Bai-My Dinh bus route.

The new buses, launched on Thursday, will be put into use on other routes in the city after the pilot programme ends by November.

Hoan Kiem turtle suffers new wound

HA NOI — Turtle expert Ha Dinh Duc has confirmed that the giant turtle in Hoan Kiem Lake has suffered a new wound, allegedly caused by a fishing hook.

The expert drew the conclusion after studying a recent photo of the turtle taken on Wednesday.

Last week, several people raised concerns over the turtle, which had been spotted emerging from the lake several times.

Duc said the lake would be dredged and cleaned in October. — VNS

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Parents favour traditional toys for Mid-Autumn fest

Many parents in Hanoi have turned to traditional hand-made toys for their children for the coming Mid-Autumn Festival instead of the once dominant made-in-China imports.

Traditional toys are cheaper and safer, they explain.

Although shops on Luong Van Can street, Hoan Kiem district, are flooded with Chinese toys of various types and designs, those in nearby Hang Ma Street display more made-in-Vietnam toys.

Nguyen Chi Hai says he has saved money buying traditional toys.

"My son already had too many modern toys," he says as he inspects a mask and a lantern from a Hang Ma street shop.

"I bought him some traditional toys so that he would know what my parents, my wife and I played when we were small."

He also worries that imported toys may contain substances harmful to children.

"I hesitate when buying such toys for my son," he says.

"Traditional Vietnamese toys are our best choice now."

Le Thu Huong, an employee of a private company in Dong Da District, also prefers folk toys.

"I can buy Vietnamese toys of beautiful shape and colour for the cost of just one Chinese toy," she says.

Hang Ma Street shop owner Truong Quoc Khanh confirms that customers now prefer traditional Vietnamese toys rather than modern Chinese imports.

"A customer asked me for a Vietnamese lantern yesterday but it was sold out," he says. "I showed her a Chinese lantern with music but she refused it."

The family shop sold only about 100 Vietnamese folk lanterns last Mid-Autumn Festival. So far this year it has sold almost 800 in the shape of a star, rabbit, fish and lotus.

"I expect to sell more than 1,000 Vietnamese lanterns this year," he says.

Other Vietnamese folk toys are also selling better.

Luong Van Can street in Hoan Kiem District shopowner Nguyen Ngan Hoa says every kind of traditional toys including drums and masks made from cardboard is selling well.

"I sell wholesale and retail an average of about 300 masks a day," she says. "Last year I sold only slightly more than 700 for the entire festival."

Customers have become saturated with Chinese toys, she argues.

Hang Ma Ward People's Committee deputy chairman Nghiem Xuan Giao says his committee joins with the Hoan Kiem District People's Committee each year to organise the Hanoi Traditional Mid-Autumn Fair.

"The fair opens a week before the day of the festival day is held to display and introduce Vietnam's traditional toys," he says.

"I'm glad to see that this year children are more interested in the toys."

Mid-Autumn Festival is traditionally celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month when the moon is at fullest and brightest.

This year it falls Wednesday next week.

It is one of the most important festivals of the year in Vietnam when family members gather for a feast and children dance and parade with colourful lanterns and cakes in the moonlight./.

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