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Ex-UN secretary general s nephew pleads guilty in bribe case

2018-06-21T16:18:53Z

GregoryRumsey1:

NEW YORK (AP) - A nephew of former U.N. [http://Www.martindale.com/Results.aspx?ft=2&frm=freesearch&lfd=Y&afs=Secretary-General Secretary-General] Ban Ki-moon [https://www.Gov.uk/search?q=pleaded pleaded] guilty Friday in a bribery case that grew from an attempt to sell a building complex in Vietnam for $800 million. Joo Hyun Bahn, also known as Dennis Bahn, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and a corruption count in Manhattan federal court as part of a deal with prosecutors. He has been free on bail for a year since he was charged with trying to pay $2.5 million in bribes to rescue the failed real estate deal for Landmark 72, a Vietnam building complex that included a 72-story commercial building that was then the tallest building in the Indochina Peninsula. During his plea, the 39-year-old Bahn, of Tenafly, New Jersey, said he facilitated a bribe, and he knew what he was doing "was a bad act." Judge Edgardo Ramos set sentencing [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html tour bắc kinh từ hà nội] for June 29. In a release, acting [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html vtr.org.vn] Assistant Attorney General John Cronan said Bahn's bribery scheme and scams by others [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html tour bắc kinh từ hà nội] seeking real estate deals "seek to corruptly tilt the playing field to their advantage." "Bribery and corruption undermine fair competition and the rule of law," Cronan said. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said Bahn would have earned a multimillion-dollar commission on the real estate deal. The charges carry a potential sentence of up to 10 years. The plea agreement Bahn signed with prosecutors says his federal sentencing guidelines range could be as little as three years or as many as seven years in prison. The judge, though, is free to deviate from the calculated range. Prosecutors say the scheme occurred from March 2013 to May 2015 when Bahn and his father, Ban Ki Sang, 70, of Seoul, South Korea, conspired to try to induce a foreign official to persuade a sovereign wealth fund to rescue the real estate deal. The father was charged in the case but has not been arrested. An indictment said a $500,000 bribe was paid to a local businessman to arrange a $2 million bribe of the foreign official. But the government said in court papers that the half million dollars was instead wasted by the businessman on lavish expenses, perhaps because he didn't have the connections he boasted about. Advertisement

Bombed and looted ancient Cambodian city poised for rebirth

2018-06-21T08:52:06Z

GregoryRumsey1:

Sambor Prei Kuk, which means 'the temple in the richness of the forest', boasts nearly 300 brick temples and heaps of ruins across a 25 square kilometre (nine square mile) compound It has survived centuries of monsoon rains, a US bombing campaign and rampant looting. Now the ancient temple city of Sambor Prei Kuk in Cambodia is finally ready for a renaissance -- and is teasing tourists to its forest-cocooned ruins. Cloistered by trees and linked by winding dirt trails, the site has played second fiddle to its much bigger cousin to the west -- Angkor Wat -- Cambodia's top tourist destination. But in July it gained a listing by the UNESCO World Heritage, promising a tourist bonanza that could breathe new life into a once-thriving 6th and 7th century metropolis. "We have already seen more and more local and foreign tourists flocking to visit our site," said Hang Than, an official who manages the compound, as he strolled towards one of several temples spectacularly wrapped in tree roots. For now the tourist infrastructure is basic. The ancient city in central Kampong Thom province lies down a pot-holed road where a few food hawkers cluster beneath umbrellas in the dusty parking lot. Several tour guides lounge around a small booth servicing a growing fleet of tour buses that arrive, for now, mainly on weekends. "We are very happy and we were so surprised that this site has been listed," said 45-year-old Mao Sambath, who has been making the hour-long motorcycle ride to sell a spread of tropical fruits to backpackers and Chinese [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html tour bắc kinh từ hà nội] groups. "Today we have even more vendors than yesterday." - Trees and looters - Sambor Prei Kuk, which means "the temple in the richness of the forest", boasts nearly 300 brick temples and heaps of [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html vtr.org.vn] ruins across a 25 square kilometre (nine square mile) compound. The temples of Sambor Prei Kuk were rediscovered by French scholars in the 1880s and it took decades to pare back [http://Www.Ajaxtime.com/?s=tree%20roots tree roots] and lumps of earth that had consumed the monuments over the centuries The city, some 200 kilometres (120 miles) north of Phnom Penh, was once the seat of the Chenla kingdom that flourished in the 6th and 7th centuries before the height of the [http://Www.theepochtimes.com/n3/search/?q=Khmer%20Empire Khmer Empire] that raised the mega-city of Angkor. The temples were rediscovered by French scholars in the 1880s when Cambodia was part of France's Indochina empire. It took decades to pare back tree roots and lumps of earth that had consumed the monuments over the centuries. "At first they only found 16 temples, but then they started to clean the sites," explained Hang Than, an archaeologist by training. But the excavation halted as Cambodia fell into war, with a hailstorm of US bombs hitting the area during the Vietnam War in the 1970s, leaving behind hundreds of craters. Destruction continued under Cambodia's ruthless Khmer Rouge regime, whose soldiers still held the area into the 1980s as looters ransacked heirlooms from the site. After the violence subsided in the late 1990s, restoration efforts were rebooted. With help of Japanese partners, conservationists spent decades hacking back trees and stabilising the structures. The painstaking work was rewarded with the UNESCO listing, which carries fresh funds to preserve the temples and manage the impact of tourism. "It was very different when I first started to work in this area," said Lay Alex, a baby-faced 24-year-old who began leading tours a decade ago. "I don't think seven guides is going to be enough anymore," he said with a smile. Advertisement

Ideal destinations in Vietnam this hot summer

2018-06-19T04:26:01Z

GregoryRumsey1:

Summer is coming in Vietnam. These days also welcome national celebrations taking place throughout the country. If you are going to visit Vietnam from April to May, there are plenty of options to vary your Vietnam holidays. Vietnam has been known as a beautiful country with a lot of wonderful, primitive, mysterious and charming landscapes and seascapes. April is the [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html vtr.org.vn] month when [http://www.speakingtree.in/search/Vietnamese%20people Vietnamese people] through the country have national days off on Liberation of Southern Vietnam and Vietnam Reunification Day(April 30) and Labor Day (May 1). This year, the holiday lasts in several days, therefore tourism sites have the best preparation to welcome travelers. This is really an occasion for foreign travelers to join in the joyful time with local people. Northern Vietnam If you have Vietnam tour packages in Northern part, Hanoi, Halong Bay, and some places in northwest such as Sapa are great options. Sapa is a foggy town in the northwest of Vietnam, about 300km from Hanoi. Now, with the convenience of Hanoi - Lao Cai Highway, visitors can travel Sapa easier and faster by private car. There are some other ways to travel Sapa: by train and by air. If traveling by air, visitors will take flights from Hanoi to Dien Bien. Before approaching Sapa by taxi or private car (or coach), let's take a tour to famous historical sites in Dien Bien. In April, Sapa weather is portrayed by cool and fresh atmosphere. You will feel a beautiful Sapa town and four seasons in a day. There are many unique characteristics of local people reflecting through interesting and sophisticated brocade and silver jewelry. In Vietnam tours to Sapa, you can wander around famous attractions in Sapa such as Cat Cat village, Love Waterfall, Sapa Love Market, and Sapa specialties. It is sure that Sapa is an ideal destination with very economical travel expense. Traveling Halong Bay will bring unforgettable memories to visitors. The Natural Word Wonder possesses a stunning beauty that make visitors enraptured with "pearls" floating on the sea, delicacies of seafood, and local specialties. Coming to Halong Bay in April, you can easily explore pristine islands and beaches such as Titov Island, Co To Island, and Quan Lan Island. Such natural landscapes as Thien Cung Cave, Fighting Cocks Islet, and Tuan Chau Island will make your holidays in Vietnam more exciting and meaningful. Central Vietnam After traveling Hanoi, Sapa or Halong Bay in northern Vietnam, visitors may want to have more experiences and discover new lands. Let's come to famous destinations in Central Vietnam to enjoy pleasant weather and beautiful landscapes, which helps visitors to relax. In Central Vietnam, many fascinating destinations appeal a large number of visitors such as Hue, Da Nang, and Hoi An. Each destination possesses interesting things looking forward to visitors' exploration. When traveling Hue City, you have chances to discover a unique cultural space of Hue Imperial court nearby Perfume River, and to take a boat tour on Perfume River to enjoy beautiful Hue traditional folk songs at night. Hue Citadel, royal tombs, Thien Mu Pagoda, and Dong Ba Market will make you stay here longer and longer. As being one of the "hottest" points of interest in Vietnam with countless landscapes and charming beaches, Da Nang is an indispensable destination in Vietnam travel. You can drop by My Son Sanctuary, Linh Ung Pagoda, Non Nuoc Beach, Ba Na Hills, Vinpearl Land, My Khe Beach, and Bac My An Beach to admire the beauty of the worthiest city to live in Vietnam. Hoi An Ancient Town is another perfect choice. Being used to be an international busy commercial port with modern architectural features, the town will make your soul more blithe and mild. Coming to Hoi An, visitors have the opportunity to admire the romantic city by sitting on boat along Thu Bon River, to contemplate colorful shimmering lanterns at night, or ride a bike to explore lush green fields. Southern Vietnam You will have many interesting choices to explore a modern and dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, immense Mekong River Delta, or charming beaches in Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Con Dao and Phan Thiet, [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html tour bắc kinh từ hà nội] or romantic Dalat. They are interesting options for the holiday. Depending on the interest of each people, they will have suitable vacation spot to visit during the great national holiday of [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html du lịch Bắc Kinh] Vietnam. In late April, Ho Chi Minh City will be the most exciting place in Vietnam, as it is the time when this city celebrates the biggest anniversary of Liberation Day of Southern Vietnam and Vietnam Reunification Day in this country. Choosing the modern and dynamic Ho Chi Minh City will be ideal experience for you. Coming here, do not forget to drop by outstanding historical sites such as Independence Palace, Vietnam War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market, Binh Tay Market, or Cu Chi Tunnels to know more about Vietnam history and people. On the occasion of Vietnam Reunification Day's anniversary, there are a plenty of cheap Vietnam tickets sold to meet the demand of domestic and international tourists. AloTrip - one of reputable travel agent with its official website of AloTrip.com, is providing all information and consultant about tours and tickets, along with many high-quality services to tourists to enjoy a perfect holiday. Let's quickly plan your trip and book flights to Vietnam now!

User:GregoryRumsey1

2018-06-19T04:25:53Z

GregoryRumsey1: Created page with "I am 32 years old and my name is Gregory Rumsey. I life in Le Plessis-Robinson (France). Take a look at my blog post [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-..."

I am 32 years old and my name is Gregory Rumsey. I life in Le Plessis-Robinson (France). Take a look at my blog post [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html du lịch Bắc Kinh]