PM meets Mongolia President in Ulan Bator

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a meeting with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj on July 13 in Mongolia’s capital of Ulan Bator, during which the host affirmed that Mongolia always attaches much importance to developing ties with Vietnam.

Five ASEAN countries to hold art festival in Vietnam

Twenty-one art troupes from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand will join an art festival in Dong Ha city, Quang Tri from July 18-25, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Department of Performing Arts.

Vietnam win second match at AFF U16 Championship

 Vietnam temporarily top Group A at the ASEAN Football Federation U16 Championship after two matches.

An Seonjin wins stage, That keeps yellow jersey

 An Seonjin from the Republic of Korea beat yellow jersey holder Nguyen Thi That to win the third stage of the National Women’s Open Cycling Tournament of the An Giang Television Cup on July 12.

Mekong Delta seeks solutions to saltwater intrusion

Measures to control saltwater intrusion and store freshwater in the Mekong Delta region were shared at a workshop held in Hau Giang province on July 13 as part of the ongoing Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation Forum 2016.

Nuclear power plant still on schedule

 Vietnam’s first-ever nuclear power plant, Ninh Thuan 1 in the south-central province of Ninh Thuan, remains on track for being built and beginning operations by 2028.

Apartment cafés grow trendy in town

 VietNamNet Bridge – Turning old apartments into coffee shops has become increasingly trendy in HCMC, especially in the central business districts.

Social News 14/7

Thousands of workers back to work after strike at Korean firm, US$3.5 million for poor children in Quang Tri, Binh Duong faces acute shortage of schools, HCM City methadone programmes treat over 4,000 addicts

Can ENT barrier bar foreign retailers?

Vietnamese retailers have been reassured that the regulation on ENT (economic needs test) would serve as a barrier that prevents foreign retailers from expanding in Vietnam and protecting local retailers. However, analysts don’t think this will work.

Foreign garment, textile tech companies bank on Vietnam

 Foreign companies providing technology solutions for textile, garment, and footwear production have been increasingly active in Vietnam, taking advantage of the expected growth of the industry.

Thermal power plants endanger environment in Mekong Delta

VietNamNet Bridge - Nguyen Huu Thien, head of the advisory team for strategic environmental assessment of 12 hydropower dams on the Mekong, has warned about the serious consequences of the Lee & Man paper plant in Hau Giang province. 

Why does Vietnam have so many “beauty queens”?

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese girls are hunting titles at all kinds of beauty contests in an effort to become famous.

3,600 sleepless hours spent by Vietnam's first multiorgan-transplant surgeon

Two years have elapsed since the first multi-organ transplant surgery was conducted in Vietnam, but  Lt. Gen. Hoang Manh An, director of Military Hospital 103 still sounds tense when speaking about it.

Mekong agriculture needs restructuring in global era

 VietNamNet Bridge – The deputy head of the Southwestern Region Steering Committee, a central government group that oversees the 13 provinces of the Mekong Delta, has urged the region to restructure its agricultural sector and improve linkages

Foreign investment will accelerate highway plan

 The government is aiming to complete the construction of the giant North-South highway project by 2020 with major funding from private investors.

Government to stop subsidising troubled state firms

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc confirmed at a meeting with the Ministry of Industry and Trade that the government will subsidis such troubled projects as the Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Joint Stock Corporation's plant.

MLM crackdown turns to Amway on July 18

Multi-level marketing (MLM) companies in Vietnam are getting fined left and right after a recent crackdown by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, except for Amway which is waiting for inspection to begin on July 18.

EU hopes PCA’s ruling helps with East Sea dispute settlemen

European Council President Donald Tusk said that he hopes the ruling on the lawsuit filed by the Philippines against China’s nine-dash line claim in the East Sea will be a positive moment in resolving outstanding issues in the disputed waters.

32 finalists of Miss Vietnam 2016

 VietNamNet Bridge – The preliminary round of Miss Vietnam 2016 for contestants from northern provinces is taking place in Hanoi (July 9-16), with the participation of hundreds of young women.

What does the Finance Ministry say about Vietnam’s public debt structure?

Vietnam’s public debt increased from 50% of GDP in 2011 to 62.2% in 2015. Admitting the rapid increase of public debt, the Finance Ministry confirms the structure of Vietnam's public debt is gradually being adjusted towards more sustainability.

Vietnamese man dies after penis squeezed for 10 minutes by wife

 VietNamNet Bridge - After his penis had been squeezed nearly 10 minutes by his wife, a man named Le Kim Khai, 53 in the southern province of Tien Giang turned purple. He died at the hospital.

Hanoians watch Euro 2016 final game on the street

 VietNamNet Bridge – Hanoi football fans spent a sleepless night to watch the final game of Euro 2016 between France and Portugal on Sunday night.

Cycling machines purify Saigon canal

Cycling machines attached to a water filtration system have been installed on the bank of the 8.7km Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal in HCM City. These have helped local people exercise,and have also kept the canal clean.

’Vietnam's Tarzan’ doco to be released soon

 VietNamNet Bridge – Short video clips detailing the life of “Viet Nam’s Tarzan”, a man who grew up in the jungle after his father fled American bombs, will soon be released on the travel website Docastaway.

National Assembly to put off demonstration law debate

 VietNamNet Bridge – The 13th National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee continued its 50th session yesterday (July 12), mapping out supervision and lawmaking programmes for 2017.