Grasshoppers attack crops

A plague of grasshoppers is munching its way through crops and plants in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang.

The local Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reports that 24 localities in the province have been attacked by the insects, which have invaded at least 22 hectares of vegetation to date.

A plague of grasshoppers is munching its way through crops and plants in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang.—Photo baocaobang

It said there were 50 to 100 hoppers per square metre, in some places, but in others there were up to about 3000.

Experts predict the plague will continue in the next few weeks, People's committees at all levels have created boards to prevent and destroy the invaders with insecticides.

29 martyr remains from Laos reburied in Thua Thien-Hue

The remains of 29 volunteer Vietnamese soldiers and experts, killed on battlefield in Laos, were reburied at the central Thua Thien-Hue Province’s martyrs’ cemetery on May 9.

The remains of martyr Phan Toan were brought home by his family and will be re-intered at a martyrs’ cemetery in Ha Tinh Province.

Phan Ngoc Tho, Deputy Chairman of the Thua Thien-Hue People’s Committee, expressed deep gratitude for the martyrs’ ultimate sacrifice for the country’s independence and freedom as well as for the international missions in Laos, which helps strengthen the two countries’ special friendship ties.

The 30 martyrs’ remains were found by soldiers from the Thua Thien-Hue Military Command during a six month search in Laos’ Salavan and Sekong provinces.

Over the past 20 years, the team has visited 800 mountainous and remote villages in these two provinces and repatriated more than 700 soldiers’ and experts’ remains.

WHO official calls for joint efforts to combat bird flu

Head representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Vietnam Takeshi Kasai has urged the country to enhance inter-sectoral coordination, especially between medical and veterinary sectors, in the fight against animal-to-human epidemics.

 While working in the southern province of Dong Nai on May 9, Kasai vowed that his organisation will distribute the antiviral drug Tamiflu to Vietnamese cities and provinces whenever an epidemic occurs.

Cao Trong Nguong, Director of the provincial Preventive Medicine Centre, said the province has recorded over 5,600 cases of A/H1N1 influenza since 2009, including two fatalities. Meanwhile, no cases of A/H5N1 or the new strain A/H7N9 have been detected since 2004.

However, he warned that the risk of an outbreak is high as the locality is a gateway to Ho Chi Minh City, and home to the country’s largest flock of poultry.

A steering board on epidemic prevention will be established with the participation of both medical and veterinary sectors. In case of any outbreak in animals or humans, mobile response teams will be set up. More training courses and equipment for medical facilities as well as public awareness campaigns on the pandemic will also get underway.

The avian influenza A/H7N9 virus originally emerged in China and has resulted in many deaths. According to the WHO, elderly people with chronic diseases have the highest risk of contracting the virus. Its symptoms are similar to A/H5N1 bird flu.

Dak Lak Police seize stolen trees

Police in the Central Highland province of Dak Lak report finding 24 cubic metres of stolen timber on a truck that pverturned in Ea Sup District yesterday, May 9.

The driver of the truck fled from the scene. The truck reportedly passed by a check point in Yok Don National Park without any inspection, acting director of the park, Tran Van Thanh, said.

He is said to be co-operating with authorities to check if forest rangers have been aiding violators.

No one has claimed ownership of the timber which is estimated to worth over VND600 million (US$28,500).

Seminar discusses non-smoking environment for workers

A seminar was held on May 9 in Hanoi to discuss the implementation of the law and strategy for the prevention and control of the harmful effects tobacco has on public servants and workers.

The event was jointly held by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The law on the prevention and control of smoking took effect on May 1, 2013, regulating measures to reduce the demand for tobacco and control its supply.

As an organisation representing workers, the VGCL has focused on popularising the harmful effects of smoking, thus raising their awareness of the law as well as preventing the damage smoking causes, ensuring workers’ rights to live and work in a smoking-free environment.

It has worked with relevant agencies to support people involved in cigarette manufacturing to change their business and issue documents guiding sectors and localities in the work.

According to WHO, Vietnam is one of 15 countries with the most smokers in the world. About half of all male adults (15 years old and above) in the country smoke.

Da Nang visitors hit with food poisoning

A group of 30 students from Ha Noi who were on a field trip to Da Nang were admitted to the city's General Hospital on Wednesday night, suffering from food poisoning.

The victims had eaten seafood at a local restaurant the previous day.

Ten of them would need to stay in hospital for up to five days, Dr Truong Pham Hong Quyen confirmed yesterday.

Quyen said the patients were taken to the hospital with signs of vomiting and diarrhea, but 20 were discharged after a few hours.

German parliament donates to charity project in Vietnam

The Vice President of the German Bundestag (Parliament) Wolfgang Thierse has presented a cheque worth 4,000 euro to a charity project in Vietnam.

The event took place on May 8 at the headquarters of the German Parliament in Berlin as members of parliament began a charity trip on motorbike from Germany to Vietnam.

Speaking on the occasion, Thierse highly valued the gesture of the parliament members to support Vietnamese children.

Lothar A. Baltrusch, who launched the motorbike trip to raise funds for upgrading a school in Trieu Phong commune, central Quang Tri province, said the 15,000km trip aims to attract public attention to deprived places.

He also said over 20,000 euro donated by parliament members and other donors so far will be transferred to the World Vision organisation for the charity project.

Teen kills toddler with homemade rifle

A three-year-old boy was killed after being shot by a teenager who was playing with a homemade rifle in the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau's Phong Tho District on Wednesday.

The boy was hit in the stomach by a bullet when the teenager unintentionally fired the gun, causing organ damage and blood loss.

The child died on the way to hospital, according to local police.

Fishermen rescued after boat sinks

Border guards from Sa Ky Port in the central province of Quang Ngai rescued fishermen from a sinking ship off the local coast early yesterday morning.

The accident resulted in damage worth about VND1 billion (US$47,000) after the ship was hit by a larger ship at night, according to Captain Bui Tran.

The vessel was carrying sand from Ly Son Island to Tu Nghia District in the same province. All of the fishermen were brought safely into the habour about two hours later.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA