Group fights to preserve communal houses

VietNamNet Bridge – Centuries-old communal houses have gone underappreciated, but a group of history lovers wants to help popularise the structures’ cultural and aesthetic values.  

Duc runs out of money, mortgages football academy for loans

VietNamNet Bridge - Financial problems have forced Doan Nguyen Duc, president of Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group, known as one of the most influential businessmen, to mortgage his shares, cows and football academy to get loans.

HCM City: Canals may be used to regulate floods

 VietNamNet Bridge – Experts have proposed using the Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal as a reservoir to regulate water as urban floods have become more serious during the rainy season in HCM City.

Walking from islet to islet on Ba Hon Dam Island

 VietNamNet Bridge – Ba Hon Dam is one of more than 30 islands in Ba Lua Archipelago off the coast of Son Hai Commune, Kien Luong District, Kien Giang Province. It has three islets – Dam Duoc, Dam Duong and Dam Gieng.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 24/4

State-run animation firm to launch IPO next week, VN firms investing abroad, Three strategies for firms to benefit from FTAs, VCCI introduces Corporate Sustainability Index, BIDV sets lower pre-tax profit target

Japanese poetry inspires young researcher

 VietNamNet Bridge – The oldest existing collection of Japanese poetry charmed Nguyen Anh Tuan, 24, that he made a research about it. The research received the Inoue Yasushi Award 2016, that honours foreign individuals

Road to nowhere

For too many students their university years end with them becoming disillusioned about their future job prospects.

Social News 24/4

 Vietnam works to ensure water security, Police discover 780kg of pork fat processed illegally, Drought damage to agriculture escalates, US$250 mln and counting, Over 46% female workers have gynaecological diseases

Ha Noi farmers reap reward of higher-quality flowers

 VietNamNet Bridge – High-quality flower farming has helped make farmers in Ha Noi’s suburban districts become more prosperous in recent years,

Software firms see great potential in home market

 VietNamNet Bridge - More than 60 percent startups have been using information technology (IT) in their business. Small and medium enterprises now tend to use IT to create their competitiveness, but the IT application index still remains modest.

Vietnamese lacquer art takes on the world

 VietNamNet Bridge – International exhibitions are starting to take in Vietnamese lacquer art pieces, evidence that the art form is gaining a presence in the global creative community.

Cleanup crusader brings fresh ideas to Da Nang

 VietNamNet Bridge – Le Cong Phuc became widely known in the central coastal Da Nang City after some of his ideas for improving the city were implemented.

In photos: Vietnam’s youngest leaders

 VietNamNet Bridge – Ten leaders of provinces, cities and ministries were born in the 1970s.

VASEP forecasts 2016 seafood exports at US$7 billion

 Despite weak demand in some major markets, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers expects that Vietnam will be able to export more than US$7 billion worth of seafood this year, up 6.3% versus 2015.

European-like scenery at Seo My Ty reservoir

 VietNamNet Bridge - About 20 km from the center of Sa Pa town, Seo My Ty reservoir is at an altitude of over 1,600m, in the Hoang Lien Son mountain range.

Half million poor households to get free TV set-top boxes

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly half a million poor households in HCMC, Hanoi, Haiphong, and Can Tho will get free TV set-top boxes by June 1 as part of a digital TV development program approved by the Government.

The portrait of three Vietnamese in Top 50 Asia’s Power Businesswomen

 VietNamNet Bridge - In the top 50 most powerful businesswomen in Asia are three representatives of Vietnam - Thai Huong, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao and Cao Thi Ngoc Dung.

Da Nang seeks funds for key traffic infrastructure project

 This central city is seeking a US$51.74 million loan to fund the Traffic Infrastructure Improvement Project for 2016-19.

Knowledge is essential - even when painful

 VietNamNet Bridge – As the Korean wave continues to spread across Asia, its latest drama series Descendants of the Sun (Hau due mat troi) has gained popularity among young people in several Asian countries.

Hanoi struggles with heavy flooding

 Hanoi’s sewers and drains are still unable to cope with the heavy flooding caused by rains exceeding 100mm per two hours, officials said.

Real estate firms lift foreign limits

A range of locally listed firms with real estate interests have both lifted their foreign ownership limit to 60 per cent and purchase shares in order to access foreign funding for the development of their various projects.

Teachers in mountainous areas experience tough lives

 Teachers in the mountainous province of Lai Chau’s Ta Mit Commune experience harsh conditions, including having to ford rivers or climb up narrow mountain paths to get food for their schools.

Gov’t offers advice to drought-hit farmers

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has issued a directive providing technical know-how for coffee and pepper growers in the Central Highlands and Southeast regions to combat the prolonged drought in these areas.

Journalists urged to improve ethics, standards

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnamese Journalism Association should pay more attention to the improvement of its members’ political and professional skills since the social and media environments have become complex,

Drought in delta poses serious food security threat

 VietNamNet Bridge – The worst drought ever recorded in Việt Nam has prompted the government and the public to brainstorm strategies on using water sources intelligently for food security and poverty reduction.