Tropical storm kills 3 in central Vietnam

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Tropical Storm Mekkhala slammed into central Vietnam on Tuesday, killing three people and leaving 10 others missing, disaster officials said.
A 9-year-old girl and her 7-year-old brother were swept away while crossing a stream in Quang Binh province, said disaster official Nguyen Ngoc Dien. Three other people were missing elsewhere in the [...]

Vietnam court jails nine for sex with juveniles

Hanoi – A Vietnamese court in the central province of Binh Dinh sentenced nine people to prison terms for having or arranging paid sex with juveniles as young as 14 years old, a court official said Tuesday. “This is the most serious case relating to sex with juveniles ever in our province,” said judge Le [...]

Vietnam charges 2 journalists over false reports

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Two journalists will go on trial after being charged with reporting false information about one of Vietnam’s most high-profile corruption cases, state media reported Tuesday.
Reporters Nguyen Van Hai and Nguyen Viet Chien were charged formally with “abusing freedom and democracy,” an offense that carries a maximum jail sentence of seven years. [...]

Vietnam: Authorities Bulldoze Building in Land Dispute

Compass Direct News

September 30, 2008
HANOI (Compass Direct News) – Authorities in Hanoi have responded to months of Catholic prayer vigils and demonstrations over disputed land by destroying the one-time residence of the papal nuncio in central Hanoi.
In suddenly bulldozing the land that once served as the Vatican embassy and residence near St. Joseph’s Cathedral last [...]

Vietnam’s GDP in first nine months lags behind target

AFP , HANOI
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008, Page 11
Vietnam’s economy grew 6.5 percent in the first nine months of the year, lower than its target but still “encouraging” in the “context of a deteriorating world economy,” the government said yesterday.
To reach the official aim of 7 percent growth for the whole year, “the GDP growth for [...]

Vietnam Evacuates Coastal Areas as Storm Approaches (Update1)

By Nguyen Dieu Tu Uyen and Aaron Sheldrick
Sept. 30 (Bloomberg) — Vietnam started evacuating coastal areas and ordered local authorities to prepare for Tropical Storm Mekkhala, which strengthened from a depression overnight and is forecast to make landfall today.
Mekkhala was expected to cross the coast near the city of Dong Hoi after 10 a.m. Vietnam [...]

Vietnam Shows ‘Disturbing’ Disregard for Human Rights, Says U.S. Agency

A U.S. government body denounced Vietnam this past week for what it described as the continuation of a “disturbing” disregard for basic human rights.
Sun, Sep. 28, 2008 Posted: 09:28 AM EDT

A U.S. government body denounced Vietnam this past week for what it described as the continuation of a “disturbing” disregard for basic human rights.
The [...]

Archbishop of Hanoi: freedom of religion is a right, not a concession from the authorities

by J.B. An Dang
With a new campaign in the media, the authorities are trying to eliminate popular support for the Catholics. A gang of thugs threatens the faithful going to pray at Thai Ha, and even bursts into the church, shouting obscenities. Expressions of solidarity from the other dioceses of Vietnam, and also from the [...]

Death toll from Vietnam floods rises to 41

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — The death toll from floods triggered by Typhoon Hagupit rose to 41 as rescue workers began to reach isolated villages devastated by a storm that has caused at least $65 million in damage, officials said Monday.
At least five people were still missing and feared dead in the storm, which washed away [...]

Vietnam economic growth at 6.5 percent in first nine months

HANOI (AFP) — Vietnam’s economy grew 6.5 percent in the first nine months of the year, lower than its target rate but still “encouraging” in the “context of a deteriorating world economy”, the government said Monday.
To reach the official aim of 7 percent growth for the whole year, “the GDP growth for the remaining three [...]