Man jailed for social disturbances

The People’s Court of Diễn Châu District in the central province of Nghệ An yesterday sentenced 35-year-old Hoàng Đức Bình to seven years in prison on the charge of “resisting on-duty officials” and another seven years for “abusing the rights to democracy and freedom to infringe on the interests of the State and rights and interests of organisations and citizens.”

Asian and African scribes show solidarity Writers from Asia and Africa will be ambassadors for peace, freedom of expression and preservation of each country's own identity and culture, said Mohamed Salmawy, president of the African-Asian Writers Union at the closing ceremony of the first meeting of Permanent Bureau of the Union in Ha Noi yesterday.