๑۩۞۩๑[♥๑۩۞۩๑ (¯`•♥WelcoM To My BloG♥•´¯) ๑۩۞۩๑[♥๑۩: 2010

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

5,000 flood-prone families need relocation: official

QUANG NAM — In the flood-prone central province of Quang Nam, a further 5,000-odd households need to be relocated to safe areas, an official said.

Nguyen Van Gap, head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's Rural Development Division, said the province has several major rivers and streams which often flood in the rainy season, causing landslides and threatening lives and properties.

"Of the province's 18 districts and cities, 17 have had landslides or face the danger of landslides."

Since 1997 his division has joined local authorities to relocate more than 16,000 families at a cost of VND29 billion (US$1.5 million), he said.

The province has also spent tens of billions of dong on building embankments along rivers and 100 new residential areas for more than 4,000 relocated households, he said.

In Dai Loc District in the downstream of the Thu Bon and Vu Gia Rivers, they have relocated nearly 1,000 families from 700 spots where there have been river and mountain landslides since 2001.

"The district has [another] 400 households living in landslide-prone areas," Phan Duc Tinh, deputy chairman of its People's Committee, said.

In the district's Dai Hong Commune, which has a 16-km stretch of the Vu Gia River, around 100ha of farmlands have been lost due to riverbank erosion since 2001.

Dang Van Ky, chairman of the commune People's Committee, warned that without proper protective measures, Ngoc Thach and Dong Phuoc hamlets will lose 300ha of farmlands to erosion.

Nguyen Thi Van, whose house is near the Vu Gia River in Dai Lanh Commune's Ha Duc Dong Hamlet in the same district, said: "We heard that local authorities are planning to move households here to safe areas but the relocation has not been carried out yet."

According to the Rural Development Division, the amount the province needs for relocating all threatened families is VND10 billion ($520,000) a year. But since only VND3 billion is earmarked, priority is given to households in high-risk areas.

Besides, with the amount of available land being limited, it is becoming hard for authorities to allot enough land for the relocated people's housing and production needs. Many have got only 150-200sq.m, just enough for housing. — VNS

by http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/

Blue-ear reported in 17 provinces

HA NOI — Hau Giang, Vinh Long, Dak Lak and Khanh Hoa provinces have reported the outbreak of blue-ear pig disease within their provinces.

There are now 17 provinces that have pigs infected with the disease.

According to a report from the provincial departments of Animal Health, there are 211 pigs infected with the disease in Hau Giang, 161 in Vinh Long Province, about 200 in Dak Lak Province and 57 in Khanh Hoa Province.

These provinces have culled about 250 infected pigs.

Last week, HCM City culled nearly 200 suspected pigs. More than 2,430kg of pork were destroyed and 124 suckling pigs have been killed since July.

Figures from the Department of Animal Health showed that 56,810 pigs had contracted the disease, while 27,000 pigs had been culled this year.

Deputy head of the department Mai Van Hiep ordered localities to set up checkpoints in order to prevent the illegal transportation of pigs.

There is currently no effective medical treatment that can cure a pig that has been infected with the disease. — VNS

by http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/

Maths guru invited back to Viet Nam

HA NOI — Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has invited renowned mathematician Professor Ngo Bao Chau to return and work in Viet Nam.

The professor who, at 33, was the first Vietnamese to win the prestigious Clay Mathematics Institute's yearly award in 2004 and proved what Time magazine described as one of the 10 most important scientific discoveries of 2009, is in Ha Noi to visit his family.

The invitation was for him to return to his homeland and participate in the Government's programme to make Viet Nam a nation recognised for its mathematics by 2020 with a vision to 2030, Nhan said.

It was made on behalf of the Government and the State Council for Professor Title.

Nhan, who is also the council Chairman, said the Party and State had and would always respect talented Vietnamese scientists and intellectuals who studied or worked abroad.

The Government would create the most favourable working and living conditions for talented mathematicians such as Professor Chau and reinforce their abilities and help Viet Nam match the best of modern science.

In response, Professor Chau and his family said they were willing to contribute to national construction and development.

Chau was born in Ha Noi in 1972.

His father was former Viet Nam Institute of Mechanics Chairman Professor Dr Ngo Huy Can and his mother, Associate Professor Tran Luu Van Hien.

The scholar won two gold medals at the international mathematics Olympiads when he was a high school student.

He has worked as a professor since he won his PhD from the Universite Paris Sud in 1997 and this includes the University of Advanced Study, Princeton.

Professor Chau has been invited to give report to the World Mathematics Conference in India next week and will give lectures at the University of Chicago in early September.

The State Council for Professor Title was established by a prime ministerial decision in 2001 to advise the prime minister on relevant policies. — VNS

by http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/

Agent Orange victims get raw deal

Volunteer teachers instruct children at the centre for Agent Orange victims and underprivileged children in Da Nang City. — VNA/VNS Photo Duong Ngoc

HCM CITY – The struggle in support for Agent Orange victims has seen some progress but more efforts are required to deliver them justice, a seminar held in HCM City yesterday to mark Orange Day, August 10, heard.

Doctors, scientists, lawyers, and AO victims attended the seminar, Agent Orange – Message from the Heart, held ahead of the 49th anniversary of the day the US began a 10-year campaign to spray 80 million litres of the deadly dioxin on Viet Nam.

They discussed the responsibilities of the US Government and chemical companies that produced the AO that was used.

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, vice president of the Viet Nam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA), who has returned after recently testifying in Washington, said there was an improvement in the US attitude, explaining it was the first time an AO victim was invited to speak at a hearing.

The US's tone had changed and it was speaking about co-operation between the two countries and has promised to help clean up the environment in Viet Nam and assist with rehabilitation of AO victims, she said.

"Inviting representatives of VAVA and AO victims this time means the US Government has changed its mindset over the relationship between AO and health."

Viet Nam has 28 spots where the chemical was stored that need to be detoxified and people living in their vicinity are still affected by the chemical.

"I was happy because the US Government has seen its responsibility to AO victims," Phuong said.

"But they still refuse legal liability."

The US has admitted than annual aid of $30 million for 10 years is not enough to resolve the problem, she said, adding she proposed $3 billion a year.

Every year the Vietnamese Government spends $100 million to assist victims and clean up the environment.

New village

Major General Tran Ngoc Tho, head of the Viet Nam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in HCM City, said his organisation planned to build a village in the city to take care of victims and provide them jobs.

Paul Phillip, an Australian who has been working in Viet Nam for six years to support AO victims, said:

"I hope a huge ceremony will be held in Viet Nam by the UN to warn the world against producing chemical weapons and [make sure] none will be dropped anywhere in the world."

Individuals and both domestic and international organisations pledged VND8 billion (US$421,000) for Agent Orange-Dioxin victims during a television programme that was telecast throughout Viet Nam on Sunday.

The VAVA and Viet Nam Television for Victims of Agent Orange-Dioxin programme organised the show titled, "Justice and the Heart."

Leading figures

It was shown on both VTV-1 and the international channel VTV-4 and was held to mark the Day for Victims of Agent Orange-Dioxin that falls today.

Former Viet Nam Communist Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu; former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh; National Assembly and VAVA honorary Chairman Tong Thi Phong and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan appeared on the programme.

Overcoming hardship

The Deputy Prime Minister praised the victims of the defoliant for their efforts to overcome their difficulties and contribute to the community.

He also thanked those who care for and provide child victims with vocational training at the Huu Nghi (Friendship) Centre and applauded the students for learning the skills necessary to employment.

They were fine examples for other victims and he hoped their example would be followed.

The Party, State, organisations and individuals within and without Viet Nam had and would continue to support the victims to overcome the consequences of Agent Orange, he said.

Viet Nam's international friends had provided much support to obtain justice for the victims.

Journey for justice

The Deputy Prime Minister said that ministries and sectors had proposed many new programmes and policies, including policies for victims of agent orange; a programme for the clearance of Agent Orange at 28 contaminated sites and the establishment of centres for victims across the country.

Agent Orange victim Pham The Minh, who has just completed a "Journey for Justice" in seven cities of the United States said the support of American veterans had helped him forget the pain and believe in the success of the effort.

The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) will open a representative office for its fund "For the pain of Agent Orange" in HCM City today when gifts will be presented to AO victims.

The Viet Nam Government has made August 10 ‘Agent Orange Day' because the first batch of the defoliant was sprayed on forests around Kon Tum Province, the Central Highlands, on August 10, 1961.

HCM City walk

On Sunday about 10,000 people walked in downtown HCM City to seek support for Agent Orange victims.

The walk organised by the Viet Nam Red Cross sought the community's support for AO victims, including disabled people.

The Red Cross in more than 30 provinces and cities donated VND30 billion ($1.6 million) to AO victims as well as 150 scholarships and 100 wheelchairs.

Music show

VAVA plans to hold a music show at the HCM City Opera House tonight to unveil a new fund for Agent Orange victims.

It has been established by the city People's Committee to mobilise support from the community to improve victims' lives.

VAVA figures show that 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to AO-dioxin with 3 million victims. — VNS

by http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/

Updated import procedures criticised

The customs office in the northern border province of Lang Son has implemented online tax declaration procedures. However, customers are unhappy with the updated system for processing paperwork for certain imported goods.— VNA/VNS Photo Pham Hau

HA NOI — A supposedly updated system for processing papers to license certain imported goods has already drawn much criticism from customers.

The system, publicised as being "automatic", was introduced only last month. It is based on importers completing import licensing forms and sending them off to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoIT).

It replaces the old office-based system where all the paper work was handed to officers at the ministry or its branches throughout the nation.

Not only is the new system at least two days slower than the former system - from five to seven days - it has also caused a few headaches because of documents "lost in the mail".

The seven-day period for responses from the ministry plus the uncertainty of the postal system has created problems for Matsu Electronics Company, which specialises in the distribution of air conditioners from Malaysia.

The company sent the relevant paper work to the ministry on July 23, but hadn't received a reply two weeks later.

"I don't know if there's anything wrong with the application. If it's considered incomplete by the ministry, we'll have to start the process all over again," said Long Quoc Trung, the company's director.

He said this would mean waiting for at least another seven working days.

Nguyen Ngoc Hoa, from Inco Import-Export Company, said although the ministry promised that applications would be approved or rejected within a week, it always took longer, even as much as 13 or 14 days.

Hoa was also concerned about the strong possibility of application forms being lost in the mail.

The ministry's automatic import licensing procedure is outlined in Circular 17 (the old method) and Circular 24 (the new method).

Circular 17 states that the processing time will be five business days. Circular 24 increases this to seven business days.

Trung also said that while the new circular required various receipts, applications and other documents, the biggest concern for importers was who was responsible if paperwork was lost in the mail.

The regulations only said that if applications were lost or damaged, enterprises must resend them with an explanation letter and ask for another import licence.

This could cost enterprises dearly in terms of longer storage fees for goods containers, Hoa said.

For enterprises importing food products, the cost was higher because of the need for refrigeration.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Bien said the new procedures would be improved.

He admitted that businesses had complained about some concerns and confusion on sending their applications through the post - and the extra time needed to process them.

The new procedure, regulated by Circular 24/2010/PT BC, mainly controls the imports of seafood, cacao, coffee, wine, iron and steel products.

It was part of measures to control imports and curb Viet Nam's large trade deficit, said Bien. – VNS

by http://vietnamnews.com.vn/

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Will Ferrell cop comedy collars box office crown

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 8, 2010 (Reuters) — Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg grabbed the box office crown from Leonardo DiCaprio on Sunday as their new cop comedy "The Other Guys" sold about $35.6 million worth of tickets, the film's distributor said.

Cast members Will Ferrell (L-R), Eva Mendes, and Mark Wahlberg arrive with director Adam McKay (R) for the premiere of the film "The Other Guys" in New York August 2, 2010. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

The opening, which was in line with expectations, marks the second-highest of Ferrell's career and a big rebound from his 2009 summer bomb "Land of the Lost."
Wahlberg, making a rare foray into comedy, achieved his best opening since 2001's "Planet of the Apes" remake kicked off with $68.5 million.
In "The Other Guys," they play mismatched underdogs on the trail of a con artist played by English comic Steve Coogan. Reviews were strong for the $85 million film, which skewed to young men, said Sony Corp's Columbia Pictures.
Ferrell suffered disappointing openings for both "Land of the Lost" ($18.8 million) and 2008's "Semi-Pro" ($15.5 million), raising speculation that another flop could hurt his ability to get big-budget studio films green-lighted.
His best opening remains the 2006 comedy "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" with $47 million. "Talladega Nights," "The Other Guys," and Ferrell's 2007 hit "Blades of Glory" ($33 million opening) were directed by Adam McKay.
Ferrell and McKay are "one of the best comedy combinations in the industry," said Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution at Columbia.
"INCEPTION" RETAINS LEAD OVERSEAS
After three weekends at No. 1, DiCaprio's dreams thriller "Inception" slipped to No. 2 with $18.6 million, taking the total for the hit Warner Bros. release to $227.7 million after four weekends.
The film led the foreign box office for a second weekend after earning $46.6 million from 58 markets. Its overseas tally climbed to $250 million, with Britain ($39.4 million) and Japan ($23.7 million) leading the contributors.
Also new in North America was "Step Up 3D," the underperforming third release in the urban dance series. The Walt Disney Co release opened at No. 3 with $15.5 million, well below its predecessors even with the help of higher prices for 3D engagements. Disney partnered on the project with closely held studio Summit Entertainment.
The acclaimed comedy-drama "The Kids are All Right" finally cracked the top 10 in its fifth weekend, rising two places to the final spot with $2.6 million. The total for the Focus Features release, starring Annette Bening and Julianne Moore as a lesbian couple, rose to $14 million.
Rounding out the top five were Columbia's Angelina Jolie spy thriller "Salt" with $11.1 million, and Paramount's Steve Carell comedy "Dinner for Schmucks" with $10.5 million. Their respective totals rose to $92 million after three weekends, and $46.7 million after two.
Ominously for Carell, "Dinner For Schmucks" lost 55 percent of its audience, one of the biggest drops in the top 10, and far steeper than the 34 percent second-weekend dip earlier this year for his comedy "Date Night." That film, which opened in the same range as "Schmucks," ended up with $98.6 million.
The picture looks even bleaker for Zac Efron, whose female-skewing tearjerker "Charlie St. Cloud" tumbled 62 percent in its second round. The Universal Pictures release fell three places to No. 8 with $4.7 million, taking its 10-day total to $23.5 million. That's still less than the $23.7 million opening for his film "17 Again" last year.
Warner Bros. Pictures is a unit of Time Warner Inc. Paramount Pictures is a unit of Viacom Inc. Universal and Focus are units of General Electric Co's NBC Universal.

by http://www.newsdaily.com/

U.S. general eyes "first steps" toward Iraqi government

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8, 2010 (Reuters) — Iraqi political leaders are likely to make headway in forming a government ahead of a September 1 date for the United States to end combat operations in the country, the U.S. commander in Iraq said Sunday.

Iraq has been in political limbo since an inconclusive March 7 election as Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish political factions have failed to agree on a new government in five months since the vote.
"I think we'll see some first steps toward forming a government by 1 September," U.S. General Ray Odierno told ABC's "This Week" program without elaborating on what those steps might be.
Odierno also said he was confident that Iraqi forces, helped by 50,000 U.S. troops that will remain in Iraq after September 1, can overcome attacks by people trying to take advantage of the political stalemate.
U.S. troop levels in the drawdown of forces are not linked to the formation of an Iraqi government, Odierno said.
"Our numbers are linked to the capacity that the Iraqis -- of the Iraqi security forces being able to sustain stability -- and I think they are moving toward that capacity," he said.
The United States currently has just under 65,000 troops in Iraq. It had close to 150,000 at the height of the conflict.
Odierno credited the Iraqi security forces with staying "neutral" and "very professional" in conducting their duties while competing political factions struggle to put together a government.
The 50,000 U.S. troops that will stay in Iraq after September 1 will represent a "significant presence" to help the Iraqi military against militant forces, including al Qaeda in Iraq, whose capabilities have been worn down by the allies, he said.
"Their ability to surge and do this over a sustained period of time is limited, and that's due to a lot of the work of the Iraqi security forces, working with us to conduct these operations," Odierno said.

by http://www.newsdaily.com/

Turkish government, army agree on top posts: report

ISTANBUL, Aug. 8, 2010 (Reuters) — The Turkish government appointed General Erdal Ceylanoglu as commander of the land forces on Sunday, CNN Turk reported, apparently defusing a row that was brewing between the government and military leadership.
Ceylanoglu's appointment paves the way for the current head of the army, General Isik Kosaner, to become the top commander of NATO's second-largest military, the broadcaster said, without saying how it obtained the information.
Both posts were left unfilled at the end of the annual Supreme Military Council on August 4 after the government, which traces its roots to an Islamist movement, and the secularist military clashed over who would lead ground forces.
Financial markets weakened last week due to concerns about Turkey's political stability after the Supreme Military Council, chaired by Prime Tayyip Erdogan but dominated by generals, failed to name the two top armed forces jobs after a four-day meeting that ended on August 4.
The promotions process in the secular military was thrown into disarray by investigations into alleged plots by top-ranking officers to undermine the government.
Earlier on Sunday Erdogan had said agreement had been reached with the military on the positions.
Outgoing Chief of General Staff Ilker Basbug and Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul are due to meet President Abdullah Gul, who must approve the appointments, later on Sunday, CNN Turk said.
A statement could be made after Gul gives his approval, or the appointments could be formalized in Monday's Official Gazette, NTV news channel reported.
UNCERTAINTY AND DELAY
Ceylanoglu, 65, had been appointed to the prestigious First Army Command at last week's council. Now, General Hayri Kivrikoglu will take that post, NTV said.
The government and military had broadly agreed on Kosaner's appointment, media reported last week, but it was delayed by uncertainty over who would replace him as head of ground forces.
Hasan Igsiz, had been in line, but he was one of 19 officers summoned last week to testify in an inquiry into a campaign to discredit the ruling AK Party and Islamic groups on the Internet.
That case is one of several criminal investigations into alleged military-linked schemes to force the AK Party out. Generals deny any involvement in such plots.
The military staged three coups between 1960 and 1980 and in 1997 pressured an Islamist-led government to resign.
The army sees itself as the guardian of Muslim Turkey's secular system, but the government has curbed its powers through reforms to support Turkey's bid to join the European Union.
Erdogan and several other AK Party leaders have pasts steeped in political Islam, and relations with the military have been tense ever since the party came to power in 2002.
The AK Party denies a secret Islamist agenda and depicts itself as a Muslim version of Europe's conservative Christian Democrat parties.

by http://www.newsdaily.com/

Mudslides devastate China town

BEIJING, Aug. 8, 2010 (Reuters) — Mudslides engulfed a town in northwest China on Sunday, killing at least 127 people and leaving nearly 1,300 residents missing as rescue teams dug out crushed homes and tried to blast away debris clogging a river.

The mass of flood water, mud and rock hit Zhouqu County in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu province, a region dominated by steep and barren hills, after torrential rains late on Saturday, Xinhua news agency said, citing local officials.
Runoff from the downpour built up behind a landslide on the Bailong River, which runs through the main town in Zhouqu.
The clogged river in the narrow valley then spilled over its banks and caused flooding and mudslides that struck the town after midnight, smashed a small hydro station, and left at least 127 dead, according to Xinhua.
More heavy rain is forecast on the river on Tuesday.
"Many single-storey homes have been wiped out and now we're waiting to see how many people got out," one resident of Zhouqu, a merchant called Han Jiangping, told Reuters by phone. "We've had landslides before, but never anything this bad. People are trying to find their families and waiting for more rescuers."
The disaster follows flooding in Pakistan which has killed more than 1,600 people and in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Flash floods have also killed at least 132 people in the Himalayan region of Ladakh.
China's death toll could rise sharply and Premier Wen Jiabao rushed to the scene. There were 1,294 people missing, Xinhua reported late on Sunday, and it was unclear how many of them had fled and survived. That count was lower than an earlier estimate that nearly 2,000 were missing.
One village with 300 homes was "buried," said official news reports.
"It's very hard to locate the people washed away by floods. It's hard to say what their chances of survival are," He Youxin, a People's Armed Police officer organizing rescue efforts, told Xinhua. "Since excavators can't reach the site. We can only use spades and our hands to rescue the buried."
At one point, the flooding covered about half of the Zhouqu county seat, which has about 40,000 residents. The flood water reached up to three storeys high on some buildings, enveloping them in mud unlikely to yield many survivors.
About 2,800 troops and 100 medical workers rushed to help and 5,000 tents were being sent to the town, Xinhua said.
"Now the sludge has become the biggest problem to rescue operations. It's too thick to walk or drive through," said the head of the county, Diemujiangteng, according to Xinhua.
China's ruling Communist Party has become adept at showing its strength by mobilizing troops, aid and propaganda in the face of natural calamities, such as a massive earthquake in 2008. Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen told officials to "spare no efforts to save lives," said Xinhua.
HOMES HIT AS FAMILIES SLEPT
More than 1,400 people have been killed this year in floods that have devastated areas of central and southern China, according to the national disaster relief authority.
Pictures from Zhouqu showed mud and water covering town streets, motor vehicles being swept downstream and troops frantically digging through debris to hunt for victims, including a boy pulled from a shattered house. Xinhua said the mud dumped on the streets was up to two meters deep.
"There was thunder and huge rain, and then the landslides started coming down," said a resident of Zhouqu contacted by Reuters. He gave only his surname, Bai. "That was about midnight, so some people must have been in their homes, asleep and didn't know what was happening."
Many residents of Gannan are ethnic Tibetan herders and farmers and the rough terrain may hamper rescue efforts. Zhouqu County has 135,000 residents, about a third of them ethnic Tibetans, according to the county government.
Residents had rescued about 680 people by midday, and the water level in the town was falling, said Xinhua.
Troops prepared explosives to blast away the mud and rocks that have choked up the river and created a backlog of water 3 km (2 miles) long and 100 meters across, Xinhua said.
Wen, a geologist, told officials to develop a plan as soon as possible to unblock the river safely. About 19,000 people living in two town below the blockage were moved away, the reports said.
The Gannan meteorological bureau forecast heavy rains on the Bailong River from Tuesday.

by http://www.newsdaily.com/

Huge ice island calves off Greenland glacier

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8, 2010 (Reuters) — An ice island four times the size of Manhattan broke off from one of Greenland's two main glaciers, scientists said on Friday, in the biggest such event in the Arctic in nearly 50 years.
The new ice island, which broke off on Thursday, will enter a remote place called the Nares Strait, about 620 miles south of the North Pole between Greenland and Canada.
The ice island has an area of 100 square miles (260 square km) and a thickness up to half the height of the Empire State Building, said Andreas Muenchow, professor of ocean science and engineering at the University of Delaware.
Muenchow said he had expected an ice chunk to break off from the Petermann Glacier, one of the two largest remaining ones in Greenland, because it had been growing in size for seven or eight years. But he did not expect it to be so large.

"The freshwater stored in this ice island could keep the Delaware or Hudson Rivers flowing for more than two years," said Muenchow, whose research in the area is supported by the National Science Foundation.
"It could also keep all U.S. public tap water flowing for 120 days."
He said it was hard to judge whether the event occurred due to global warming because records on the sea water around the glacier have only been kept since 2003. The flow of sea water below the glaciers is one of the main causes of ice calvings off Greenland.
"Nobody can claim this was caused by global warming. On the other hand nobody can claim that it wasn't," Muenchow said.
Scientists have said the first six months of 2010 have been the hottest globally on record. The El Nino weather pattern has contributed to higher temperatures, but many scientists say elevated levels of man-made greenhouse gases are pushing temperatures higher.
The initial discovery of the calving was made by Trudy Wohlleben of the Canadian Ice Service.
The ice island could fuse to land, break up into smaller pieces, or slowly move south where it could block shipping, Muenchow said.
The last time such a large ice island formed was in 1962 when the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf calved an island. Smaller pieces of that chunk became lodged between real islands inside Nares Strait.

by http://www.newsdaily.com/

No quick rescue for trapped Chile miners:minister

COPIAPO, Chile, Aug. 8, 2010 (Reuters) — Rescuers started drilling small holes deep inside a mine in northern Chile on Sunday in a bid to rescue 33 miners trapped for three days, and the mining minister said the effort could take more than a week.

Rescuers faced a major setback on Saturday when a fresh collapse blocked the ventilation shaft rescue workers were descending. No contact has been made with the miners, trapped since Thursday 4.5 miles inside the winding mine, and around 900 feet vertically underground.
Mining Minister Laurence Golborne, who is in Copiapo overseeing the rescue bid, said workers had begun drilling smaller shafts but that it could take "probably more than a week" to reach the area where the miners were believed to be.
"The fact is that in the short term reaching these people directly does not seem viable," he said, adding that authorities were also considering digging a tunnel in addition to the smaller shafts.
Authorities hope the miners have reached an underground shelter with oxygen and are rationing food and water.
Rescuers aim to find the miners and then pass fresh supplies of water and food and communication lines down a narrow drill hole until experts find a way to extract them from the small gold and copper mine.
Workers used mechanical diggers to clear a path for a drilling rig to enter the mine, and they were also trying to clear areas that were caved-in along the main mine ramp underground and the ventilation shaft.
"I personally promised the families of the trapped miners the rescue operations will continue with all the strength in the world," President Sebastian Pinera said on Sunday at the presidential palace in the capital, Santiago, a day after meeting miners' relatives at the mine.
"Unfortunately it is not easy," he added. "I also pledged to thoroughly investigate, establish where responsibility lies, and punish accordingly."
Rescuers face a race against time to reach the miners, who, if they reached the shelter, are huddled in a space the size of a small apartment.
The San Jose mine, which belongs to local private company Compania Minera San Esteban Primera, was shut down by the accident. It is one of three adjacent sites producing a combined 1,200 metric tones of refined copper annually.
The closure is not expected to hurt copper output in Chile, the world's No.1 copper producer. Major mining accidents are uncommon in the country, because authorities keep strict controls over operations.
Anguished relatives, who spent a second night at the mouth of the mine around a bonfire, wailed when they heard news of the fresh collapse on Saturday.
They later calmed down when they were told the mine had not collapsed entirely and rescue efforts would continue, though several then tried to storm the mine entrance and scuffled briefly with police, calling company officials "murderers".
"We're still optimistic. I know it may sound hard to believe, but we can't lose hope," said Pedro Contreras, 37, a school bus driver whose nephew is trapped in the mine, 450 miles north of Santiago.
Local union official Felix Medina said conditions at many smaller mines in the area were precarious. He said the San Jose mine, which employs 150 people, has a recent history of accidents, with 13 fatalities on site and three deaths on the road to Copiapo.
The mine lacks escape routes and was closed in 2005 by workers because of bad conditions, he added. It was reopened two years ago

by http://www.newsdaily.com/

Accuser of ex-HP CEO Hurd steps forward

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 8, 2010 (Reuters) — The female contractor whose sexual harassment accusation against Mark Hurd led to his ouster as chief executive of Hewlett-Packard came forward on Sunday, saying she never intended for Hurd to lose his job.

Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Officer Mark Hurd smiles at a news conference announcing his appointment at HP headquarters in Palo Alto, California in this March 30, 2005 file photo. Hewlett-Packard Co Chief Executive Hurd resigned on August 6, 2010 following an investigation of sexual harassment, the world's top computer maker said. REUTERS/Lou Dematteis/Files

The woman, Jodie Fisher, revealed her identity for the first time through a statement released by her attorney, Gloria Allred.
"I was surprised and saddened that Mark Hurd lost his job over this," she said. "That was never my intention."
Fisher is former salesperson and has appeared in movies and TV shows, most recently the show "Age of Love" on NBC.
HP stunned the business world on Friday by announcing Hurd's resignation, accusing him of falsifying expense reports to conceal a "close personal relationship" with a female contractor.
Fisher told HP's board in June that Hurd had sexually harassed her, but an investigation found no violation of the company's sexual harassment policy.
Fisher said Sunday she has resolved her claim against Hurd privately, but did not provide any further details.
"At HP, I was under contract to work at high-level customer and executive summit events held around the country and abroad," Fisher said. "I prepared for those events, worked very hard and enjoyed working for HP."
Fisher worked as a contractor for HP from late 2007 through 2009.

by http://www.newsdaily.com/

iPhone exec departs Apple after "Antennagate"

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 7, 2010 (Reuters) — Mark Papermaster, the Apple executive in charge of iPhone engineering, has left the company weeks after the "Antennagate" controversy over complaints of poor reception on the company's latest smartphone.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs appears on stage during a news conference at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California, July 16, 2010.REUTERS/Kimberly White

Apple spokesman Steve Dowling confirmed Papermaster's exit and said Bob Mansfield is assuming his responsibilities. Dowling declined to provide a reason for the departure of the former IBM senior executive.
The news was first reported by the New York Times.
Apple released the iPhone 4 in June and it was an instant hit with consumers. But reports spread about bad reception when the device was held a certain way, and analysts warned that the company's reputation for quality was under threat.
The issue snowballed into a publicity crisis and Apple was forced to call a press conference to tackle the matter. Apple CEO Steve Jobs maintained there was nothing wrong with the iPhone 4, and that the reception problem was one shared by other smartphones.
Papermaster was not at the press conference on July 16. Mansfield, who will take over for him, now oversees Macintosh hardware engineering.
"Mr. Mansfield already manages groups that create many of the key technologies for the iPhone and iPod touch, including the A4 chip, Retina display and touch screens," Dowling said.
Apple hired Papermaster in November of 2008, luring him away from IBM, where he had worked for 25 years.
IBM sued Papermaster after his departure, saying he agreed to avoid working for any competitor for a year.
A federal court initially barred Papermaster from working for Apple, but the lawsuit was eventually resolved and he began work for Apple in April of 2009.

by http://www.newsdaily.com/

Clean production technology sought

๑۩۞۩๑[♥๑۩۞۩๑ (¯`•♥WelcoM To My BloG♥•´¯) ๑۩۞۩๑[♥๑۩: ASEAN+3 vows environmental ties

ASEAN+3 vows environmental ties

HA NOI — Japan, China and South Korea pledged a variety of environmental co-operation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at a meeting of ASEAN + 3 senior officials in Ha Noi yesterday.

Japan's representatives promised US$70 million for the ASEAN development fund and more than $50 million to help narrow the development gap between ASEAN members.

They also agreed to an exchange of young people over five years at a total cost of $325 million and support for ASEAN member countries to implement the 3R Policy (Reduce, Recycle, Reuse).

China's representatives asked for the establishment of an ASEAN-China Environment Centre to work as consultant and technical co-operative agency for the drafting of strategies for environmental protection to 2019.

The ASEAN member countries acknowledge China as the master of both environmental impact and strategic environmental assessments.

South Korea's representatives pledged to support short-term training courses as well as masters and doctorate courses to improve environmental skills within ASEAN.

The ASEAN + 3 officials met to review co-operation between the group and propose new initiatives for environmental co-operation.

Their talks were part of the preparations for the ASEAN + 3 Environment Ministers Meeting scheduled for Brunei in August next year.

Senior officials briefed the gathering about the promotion of environmental education between 2008-12, including the ASEAN Youth Forum for sustainable development and an Ecological School Programme in Japan, China and South Korea.

Brunei is a key nation in the effort to promote environmental education and to call for co-operation from the +3 countries.

The meeting decided that ASEAN-South Korea environmental officials would organise two short-term training courses for experts and senior officials.

The courses are intended to promote an exchange of experience and knowledge about sustainable development strategies between environmental agencies and relevant organisations in South Korea. — VNS

by http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/

Capital rules mean banks have to attract $1.56b in four months

The State Bank of Viet Nam has received plans from 23 commercial banks on how they expect to meet stricter charter capital requirements. — VNS Photo Truong Vi

HA NOI — As of the end of last month, 23 commercial banks had submitted their plans to the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) for increasing their charter capital to VND3 trillion (US$156.25 million) this year in accordance with new regulations.

None of the plans called for a bank closure or merger with another institution, the SBV said this week.

However, the plans would require the banks to attract VND30 trillion ($1.56 billion) in new investment over the next four months, which seems no easy task for unlisted banks at a time of fairly restrictive monetary policy.

The central bank has already approved the plans of Mekong Bank, Dai A Bank, Ficombank, Viet A Bank, SaigonBank, Tien Phong Bank, Southern Bank and VP Bank, with the remainder expected to get the nod this month to increase charter capital from an average of VND1.55 trillion ($80.7 million) to an average of VND3.5 trillion ($182.3 million)

"It is very important to closely monitor the process of approved banks in increasing their charter capital," said State Bank of Viet Nam Governor Nguyen Van Giau. "I will supervise how they sell shares to the public or seek strategic investors."

Giau has also ordered banks to make monthly progress reports.

The higher charter capital regulations was issued four years ago, but in May this year, 23 out of 42 credit institutions still had charter capital below VND3 trillion ($156.25 million).

The central bank has vowed to close these banks down or force them into mergers with larger institutions if they fail to meet the capital requirements by year's end.

To meet the deadline, Dai A Bank is relying on the backing of its controlling shareholder, Tin Nghia Group. Navibank, Western Bank and Gia Dinh Bank also are looking to the support of major stakeholders like the Viet Nam Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex), Sai Gon Investment Group and Vietcombank.

The small banks are also competing for available capital with major banks with listings on the stock exchange.

"Big banks like Vietcombank, Vietinbank, Asia Commercial Bank, Sacombank and Eximbank all plan to increase charter capital, and obviously they will more easily attract money than small banks," said a representative of a well-known HCM City-based bank who asked that his name be withheld.

However, he noted, "The stock market is gloomy. That's their challenge."

The SBV has previously extended the deadline for commercial banks to meet the higher capital requirements. Commercial banks were required by law to register capital of at least VND1 trillion ($52 million) by the end of 2008, but only 28 banks met the requirement by the deadline. Another 10 banks only managed to meet it by the end of 2009, with the central bank granting permission for the delayed compliance.

This time, however, the SBV is saying the deadline is hard-and-fast.

Complicating the picture is the expected introduction of even stricter requirements, under which commercial banks would have to register capital of VND5 trillion ($260.42 million) by December 31, 2012, and VND10 trillion ($520.83 million) by December 31, 2015.

The policy aim is to eliminate weaker banks in order to strengthen the overall quality and security of the financial system. — VNS

by http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/

Photos depict achievements, beauty of Vietnamese women

Much appreciated: Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan enjoys photos at the exhibition. — VNA/VNS Photo Trong Duc

HA NOI — An exhibition of over 100 photos by photographer Nguyen Van Tho focusing on the beauty of Vietnamese women opened at the Temple of Literature in Ha Noi yesterday.

The exhibition, co-organised by the Viet Nam Association for Photographic Artists (VAPA) and the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), is timed to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Viet Nam Women's Union.

Through the exhibition, Tho wants to present portraits of talented Vietnamese women, from senior leaders like former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh and Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, to Vietnamese heroic mothers, heroes of the people's armed forces, scientists, teachers, businesswomen, artists and workers.

"Although the photos are not enough to cover all Vietnamese women in different walks of life, they reflect the typical characteristics of Vietnamese women: faithful, brave, undaunted, responsible and talented," said VAPA director Vu Quoc Khanh.

Speaking at a press briefing introducing the exhibition, Tho said that the portraits reflected the traditional beauty of Vietnamese women.

Tho, 77, is a former VNA photojournalist who has devoted much of his life to the arts, successfully held eight individual exhibitions and published four photo collections.

"Despite old age, I still keep my love of photography as I did when I was young," he said. "I don't feel satisfied with all photos I take but I'm always careful and take pains with all of them."

The photographer says he is grateful for women who bring him inspiration in art.

A book of his photos entitled Vietnamese Women's Beauty is being published at the same time as the exhibition, which closes tomorrow. — VNS

by http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/

Ministry cuts red tape for some steel product imports

Imports of several classes of steel products no longer require approval from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. — VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI — The Ministry of Industry and Trade recently issued Circular No 31/2010/TT-BTC on offering automatic import licences for some steel products, according to Nguyen Thanh Bien, deputy minister of Industry and Trade.

Under the circular, domestic importers of non-alloy flat rolled steel products with a width of over 600mm and the zinc-plated and coloured steel products will have to receive permission from the ministry.

The ministry will offer the automatic import licences for importers under the form of confirmation for import application for each batch.

The ministry's import-export management department will take responsibility for issuing the licence to the enterprises within seven days of the enterprises submitting their import application.

The circular will take effect as of September and will expire on December 31, 2010.

The move aims to prevent an influx of imported steel products, especially those already produced by domestic enterprises, a problem which has partly contributed to the country's trade deficit.

Pham Chi Cuong, chairman of the Viet Nam Steel Association said that the automatic licences on import products would aid authorities in exercising greater control over these imports.

In the first six months of the year, the country imported more than 200,000 tonnes of rolled steel products, including 41,000 tonnes in June alone, according to the association.

Most steel products imported to Viet Nam come from ASEAN countries and China.

At present, the retail steel price of domestic enterprises stands at VND14.3-14.5 million (US$752-762) per tonne while imported steel products are VND500,000- 700,000 cheaper per tonne than domestic products.

The majority of imported steel products consist of construction, zinc-plated, and coloured steel despite domestic producers having excess capacity.

The automatic import licences have been applied by the ministry of Industry and Trade from early 2009 and at present there are eight commodities which have to apply for automatic import licences.

In May this year, the ministry proposed to expand this list to 26 commodities, of which majority are food, fashion and interior products. — VNS

by http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/

Danish programme to assist fruit, vegetable exporters to compete

HCM CITY — A long-term vision and willingness to take risks are necessary for the vegetable and fruit industry to prosper in the global market, according to a project advisor for a Danish-funded programme.

The programme, the Global Competitiveness Facility for Vietnamese Enterprises, is funded by the Danish International Development Agency and will enter its second phase in 2011-13.

Speaking at a seminar in HCM City yesterday, Amarnath Reddy, project senior advisor, said the programme was to help export companies in target provinces with business services, new technology and access to new markets. New business models would also be developed.

The programme is expected to support 80 projects with an average grant of VNÐ2 billion (US$105,263) per project.

Priority sectors are agriculture and agro-processing, fisheries, aquaculture, handicrafts and tourism. Sectors with participation of female business owners and producers will take top priority.

The companies had to have strong managerial and human resource capacities as well as financial capacity, Reddy said, adding that the grants would be ineffective without those qualities.

A willingness to learn from international best practices would help them achieve good results in the programme, he added.

Le Van Cuong, director of Da Lat GAP Co Ltd, said his company had received financial support so it could get international certificates such as Global Good Agricultural Practices (GlobalGAP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).

The project helped the company to access new cultivation techniques to produce products that meet the strict requirements of foreign markets.

The company also received project support to build its trademark. As a result, it has increased prices and lured more customers.

Nguyen Van Ky, general secretary of Viet Nam Vegetable and Fruit Association, said vegetable and fruit businesses are mostly small – and medium-sized. The biggest challenge businesses face is competing internationally.

The association has organised trade promotions to offer companies market surveys and updated market information.

Reddy said the industry had not controlled the quantity and quality of products, which had led to unstable price and sources.

They have also not invested in advanced technologies for cultivation and processing, and as a result, cannot meet demand or maintain a good reputation.

In addition, the coordination between business and farmers is still weak.

Cuong also said that domestic businesses had paid little attention to acquiring international standard certificates. — VNS