Ironman to challenge in Da Nang

 Powerful athletes will race in the VNG Ironman 70.3 Vietnam in the coastal central city on May 8.

Endangered openbill storks migrate to Dien Bien

 Thousands of endangered Asian openbill storks, which are listed as especially rare in Vietnam’s Red Book, are migrating to the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien, according to local sources.

Vietnamese photographers win big in int’l contest

 Vietnamese photographers have won top prizes at the 2nd International Salon of Photography Donegal 2016 in Ireland.

Unhygienic habits mar street food experience

 While people are more worried about the flood of unsafe food, they often continue to indulge in unhygienic habits when it comes to street food, ignoring various latent health risks.

Tay Ninh hosts first rice paper festival

 The southern province of Tay Ninh is organizing its first festival for banh trang phoi suong (a type of rice paper exposed to morning dew), a specialty of Trang Bang Town in the province, Tuoi Tre newspaper reports.

Second Vietnam International Tourism Fair to take place this month

 The second Vietnam International Tourism Fair will be organised at the Giang Vo Exhibition Centre in Hanoi from April 14-17 with various activities.

Kayakers to paddle in My Khe beach

 Amateur kayakers will compete in the Da Nang Kayak Open Race in the sea along coastline of My Khe beach on April 30, 2016.

Vietnam wins medals at Asian Nation Cup chess tournament

 Vietnam finished the Asian Nation Cup chess tournament with team silver and bronze medals in the blitz chess event on April 7 in the United Arab Emirates.

Experts: Third rice crop may lead drought and salinity to worsen

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Department of Cultivation’s plan to expand the acreage of the 2016 autumn-winter rice crop, or the third rice crop, in the Mekong Delta to offset the losses in the winter-spring crop could lead drought and salinity

Vietnamese volleyball player offered US scholarship

  VTV Binh Dien Long An Volleyball Club said its player Tran Thi Thanh Thyy has received a four-year scholarship worth US$160,000 from Oregon State University in the US.

VN's sovereignty over Truong Sa & Hoang Sa to be updated in new textbooks

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese Prime Minister sent a document asking the Ministry of Education and training to review all textbooks ensuring that all pictures of the country maps must have Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagoes.

Even without Daewoo Hotel, Hanel still attractive to investors

VietNamNet Bridge - The news that Hanel sold Daewoo Hotel soon after it acquired the hotel four years ago has disappointed investors, but the hotel remains attractive thanks to the large land fund it holds.

VN trade deficit with China drops

 Vietnam saw a reduction in its trade deficit with China in the first quarter of 2016, raising expectations of an ongoing decline in this deficit for the whole year.

Telecom provider Vinamobile to become Joint Stock Company

 The Prime Minister has approved local telecom provider Vietnamobile to transform from being a Business Corporation Contract (BCC) to a Joint Stock Company (JSC).

VNPT announces plans to divest from 50 companies

 The Vietnam  Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) will divest from 50 companies as a necessary step in its restructuring plan.

Plans OK’d for HCM City’s first bus rapid transit line

 The schedule for HCM City’s first bus rapid transit route and details of its construction have been finalised.

Da Nang to construct $9.8m tunnel

Da Nang will start construction of a road tunnel at the junction of Dien Bien Phu, Nguyen Tri Phuong and Le Do, with a total investment of VNĐ220 billion (US$9.77 million) in the third quarter of this year.

Tu Van Pagoda - The gift of the sea

Tu Van (Snail) is a pagoda situated in Cam Ranh city, only about 60 km from Nha Trang, famous for its Bao Tich tower, which was built with millions of coral and shell pieces collected from the nearby shore.

Uber, GrabTaxi roof signs?

 Cars offering taxi services on technology platforms like GrabTaxi and Uber must put signs reading “TAXI E” [E for "electronic"] on their roofs, the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam has proposed.

Seized petrol came from the military

 Nearly 9,000 litres of suspected smuggled petrol that was seized early last month originated from military sources, reported National Steering Committee 389.

Saline intrusion hits shrimp farmers in Mekong Delta

 Many farmers who breed brackish-water shrimp in the Mekong Delta have cut back on production because of high salinity this year.

Quang Ninh to end overnight docking in Ha Long Bay

 Passenger ships will soon be banned from staying overnight in Ha Long and Bai Tu Long bays, local authorities in the northern province of Quang Ninh said.

Social News 9/4

 Hanoi accelerates preparations for general election, Ministry steps up fighting acts against law enforcement officers, Cambodian smugglers arrested on border, Heat wave hits southern region, Quang Ninh preps for tourism week

Vietnam among world's best places to go sea kayaking

Vietnam has been named one of the world's best places to go sea kayaking by the UK's prestigious magazine Wanderlust.

Vietnam, China need to step up relations: ambassador

 Vietnam and China should promote friendship and mutual cooperation to bring practical benefits to their people, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Dang Minh Khoi said.