The court in central Nghe An Province on Friday handed out the sentence to Giang Seo Hoa, 33, and Vang Seo Su, 25, both residing in the province, for "illegally transporting narcotic substances." According to the verdict, on Jan. 17 last year, Hoa called Su on the phone to talk Su into a business of transporting meth from Nghe An to northern Lao Cai Province that borders China. The payment for the trip would be VND500 million. Hoa offered Su VND450 million. Su accepted the deal. After receiving VND30 million in advance, Su drove a car to an address in Nghe An’s Thanh Chuong District to pick up the meth, as instructed by Hoa. After receiving the drugs packed in six backpacks, Su drove away and was caught red-handed by police. In those backpacks, police seized a total 111 kilos of meth. Su and Hoa both admitted to the crime in court and asked permission to live. With meth becoming a substance favored by hard-partying youth, drug busts and convictions have been increasing … [Read more...] about Duo served death for transporting 100 kilos of meth
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Vietnam should take a leaf out of Indonesia’s public bus book
Saigon was greeted with a heavy downpour at the beginning of this week. Getting to work, already a tedious task, was now chaotically worse. Motorbikes pulled themselves to the side en-masse and riders brought their raincoats out. Cars weren't much better off, either. They had to switch lanes frequently, making traffic even more complicated. Buses had no maneuvering room. As the water poured down my face, I wondered, not for the first time: was I better off on the bike or were the bus passengers the happier lot? The answer seemed obvious. They could just sit there and enjoy the rain tapping on the glass, insulated from the outside chaos. Of course, riding a bus in Vietnam is not always the most pleasant experience. It requires forbearance and not a little of it. I used to go to work on buses too, but could not go through the experience for long. I’ve seen people talking about banning motorbikes these days. I don’t necessarily oppose this. In any developed city, personal vehicles … [Read more...] about Vietnam should take a leaf out of Indonesia’s public bus book
HCMC takes belated steps to sort out skyscraper mess
Experts say such tight restrictions should have been imposed long ago to avoid the current mess and chaos on many roads. Cars and motorbikes crowded Pho Quang Street in Tan Binh District on Tuesday morning last week, dragging themselves sluggishly towards the downtown area. The road, an entrance to the Tan Son Nhat Airport, is just two kilometers long and only eight meters wide. Yet there are 15 skyscrapers lining it, with tens of thousands of apartments, hotels and offices. The largest project on the street is an apartment complex with four blocks and 16 floors, hosting around 500 apartments. It has been open for about five years. There are other complexes with 8-10 floors and a hospital, so the street is always crowded. It gets hellish during rush hours. Pho Quang isn’t the only street plagued by quickly rising skyscrapers and infrastructures that can’t keep up with them. Nguyen Huu Tho, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Mai Chi Tho are a few more examples. HCMC … [Read more...] about HCMC takes belated steps to sort out skyscraper mess
Taxi firms call for support as drivers quit
Many taxi companies are calling for support from the government amid rising fuel costs and drivers deciding to resign following the Covid-19 pandemic. Many taxi companies are calling for support from the government amid rising fuel costs and drivers deciding to resign following the Covid-19 pandemic. Nguyen Van Hung has worked as a taxi driver in Hanoi for seven years. He said he has been facing the most difficult time in his career since the Covid-19 pandemic occurred. "Many of our colleagues have turned to other work after continuous social distancing measures were applied for Covid-19 prevention," Hung said. "I've returned to work after the pandemic was recently brought under control. However, we're facing another big challenge coming from rising petrol prices, which is badly affecting our income. The driver said that he was thinking of finding another job. Another driver, Nguyen Thanh Hoang who is working for the app-based Grab Company also said … [Read more...] about Taxi firms call for support as drivers quit
Shanghai achieves ‘zero COVID’ status but normal life is weeks away
Shanghai achieved on Tuesday the long-awaited milestone of three consecutive days with no new COVID-19 cases outside quarantine zones but most residents will have put up with confinement for a while longer before a return to more normal life. For other cities in China that have been under lockdown, a third day with no new cases in the community usually means "zero COVID" status and the beginning of the lifting of restrictions. The commercial hub of 25 million set out on Monday its clearest timetable yet for exiting a lockdown now in its seventh week, but the plan was met with scepticism by many residents who have seen isolation extended time and again. Shanghai plans to resume outdoor activities in stages, with some convenience stores and pharmacies reopening this week, but with most restrictions on movement remaining in place until May 21, after which public transport and other services will resume gradually. By June, the lockdown should be lifted, but residents will still be … [Read more...] about Shanghai achieves ‘zero COVID’ status but normal life is weeks away
Shanghai says ‘zero-Covid’ achieved but millions still in lockdown
Shanghai on Tuesday declared it had achieved "zero-Covid" across all its districts, sparking derision on social media as millions in China's biggest city remained under lockdown. Confronted with its worst outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic, China -- the last major economy still closed off to the world -- put the city of 25 million under heavy restrictions in early April. The government's insistence on squashing the Omicron variant-driven outbreak prompted rare protests and angry scuffles with authorities as Shanghai residents reject the prolonged confinement and food shortages. "All 16 districts of Shanghai have already achieved zero-Covid at the community level," Shanghai health commission official Zhao Dandan told reporters on Tuesday. That means none of the over 1,000 new infections recorded on Tuesday was detected outside of quarantined areas, city authorities said. Vice mayor Chen Tong said Sunday that the city would gradually reopen businesses starting this … [Read more...] about Shanghai says ‘zero-Covid’ achieved but millions still in lockdown