News 02/10/2008

Headlines in Vietnam 02/10/2008

1. The US embassy in Hanoi announced three projects totaling 1 million USD to help the disabled in the central city of Danang to access healthcare services and develop a range of life skills. This is a part of the US Government's commitments to a 3 millionn USD budget to help the disabled suffering of the effects of dioxins. This event is following the annual conference about Agent Orange about two-three weeks ago.

2. The hospitals in Hanoi and Hochiminh City are overloaded with parents who have brought their infants for kydney check-up because they fear that their children had drunk milk containing melamine.
Domestic suppliers of milk-based products are rushing to laboratories for melamine tests on their products. The Health Ministry said around 500 milk samples were sent to four main testing centres in Hanoi and Hochiminh City for melamine detection. The result would be known within two weeks. Also, the ministry published a list of 87 dairy products without melamine on Monday.

3. Malaysia heads a list of 40 contries and territories who have invested in Vietnam over the last nine months with the project to contruct a steel complex cost 9.8 billion USD in Ninh Thuan. This is the biggest foreign invesment project in Vietnam so far.

4. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan approved the organisation of the beauty contest Miss World 2010 in Nha Trang. This is the second international beauty contest that is organised in Vietnam, following the Miss Universe this year.

The Word Today

1. The main story around the finacial crisis in US. The Senate will vote on the 700 billion US rescue plan this afternoon. The AM program of ABC this morning had an interview with David Hale, Global Economic Advisor for the Commonwealth Bank, about an overview this crisis, what are the implications of this global economic meltdown for our resource-driven economy.

2. US Christopher Hill is visiting North Korea to try to break nuclear program deadlock.

3. Australian new chief scientist has pointed the issue of climate change, water and sustainable energy as the key research that Australia is facing.

4. Once every half a century, a species of bamboo bursts into flower in some Asian countries like Cambodia, Indonesia and Burma attract huge number of rats. They are devastating crops and destroying livelihoods.