13 buildings win prizes at energy efficient competition

The Ministry of Industry and Trade in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Energy Conservation Centre on January 22 held an award ceremony to honour 13 winners of the 2014 Competition for Energy Efficient Buildings.

New flight path to connect major hubs

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Transport is preparing to open a new flight path connecting Ha Noi and HCM City.

Social News 25/1

Maritime violation fines to be revamped by MoT, HCM City to upgrade, build new hospitals to ease overloading, PM demands answers over quarry collapse, Couple killed in motorbike accident, Households to get set-top TV boxes

Nominees confirmed for key Party positions

 Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has been nominated for being re-elected to the country's top post, Central Committee member Vu Trong Kim confirmed in an interview with local media yesterday.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 25/1

 Saigon Hi-Tech Park attracts investment capital, Optimistic signal in rice export of Vietnam in early 2016, Vietnam Rubber Group to equitize in 2016, Da Nang allows foreign cruises to keep casinos open

Image: VN's northern mountainous areas freeze in snow, terrible traffic congestion in Sapa

VietNamNet Bridge - Snow has blanketed northern mountainous areas of Vietnam as they are experiencing the strongest cold spell since the onset of winter.

National sovereignty of supreme importance: Party official

National sovereignty in the East Sea issue is sacred and the country’s supreme interest, said Hoang Binh Quan, the head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations.

Asia stocks rise after U.S. snowstorm rescues oil price

 Asian stocks moved further away on Monday from four-year lows struck last week, as the blizzard on the U.S. East coast pushed oil prices higher, relieving some of the bearish pressure on Wall Street and world markets.

Russian scholar hails Vietnam’s policy on protecting national interest

 A Russian scholar on Vietnamese study has said the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has consistently pursued the policy of protecting national interest since its foundation in 1930, which he said is the only correct path.

Personnel work for Party Central Committee thoroughly prepared

Personnel preparations for the 12th Party Central Committee have been made in a strict and thorough manner right from the grassroots level, Director of the Vietnam Academy of Defence Vo Tien Trung has told the media.

Delegates pledge to select capable, moral members of Central Committee

 Delegates attending the ongoing 12th National Party Congress have underlined the need to choose a new leadership who have both talent and virtue to steer Vietnam along the course of industrialisation and modernisation.

Party personnel preparations for next tenure are thorough, democratic

 Participants in the 12th National Party Congress worked in their delegations on January 24 to appraise the standards and structure of the 12th Party Central Committee and the list of nominations fielded by the 11th Party Central Committee.

Congress examines criteria, structure of Party Central Committee

 The 12th National Party Congress discussed the criteria for Party Central Committee members and the structure of the 12th Party Central Committee during its fourth working day in Hanoi on January 24.

Thailand reports second MERS case as virus detected in Omani man

 Thailand has confirmed its second case of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus on Sunday, the country's health minister said.

New York rebounds after blizzard, Washington shuts down government

 New York City emerged on Sunday from a massive blizzard that paralyzed much of the U.S. East Coast, while snowy gridlock gripped the nation's capital and surrounding areas, where federal, state and local offices

Rampant fake goods scare Vietnamese consumers

 VietNamNet Bridge - Counterfeit goods have become a hazard for Vietnamese customers as everything can be faked, from gas to seasoning powder to fashion products.

Venture funds funnel capital into startups despite recession

VietNamNet Bridge - Analysts warned months ago that venture capital pumped into technology startups would decrease as a result of the global recession. However, they have been proven wrong.

Primary school classrooms are overloaded with students

VietNamNet Bridge - Despite great efforts by district authorities, primary schools in Hanoi remain overloaded. There are 60 students per class at most primary schools in Hanoi. 

The Vietnamese scientist who discovered negative sigma baryons antiparticle

The discovery of four new elements, the heaviest ones in the Mendeleev periodic table is now a hot topic of discussion worldwide. This recalls the story about a Vietnamese scientist who discovered the negative sigma baryon antiparticle.

How much economic value does the Mekong River bring to Vietnam?

VietNamNet Bridge - The fish caught from the Mekong River alone make up 3.1 percent of Vietnam’s GDP.

Business registration rules to take effect

 VietNamNet Bridge – Specific forms for business registration have recently been introduced in Circular 20/2015/TT-BKHDT (Circular 20) to be applied consistently across the nation.

Low-income earners travel by air as aviation market competes on fares

 VietNamNet Bridge - To gain market dominance, domestic airlines have to compete on fares but they also have to face extreme problem of profit margins.

Post TPP outlook bright for VN economy: experts

 VietNamNet Bridge – A brighter outlook is forecast for the Vietnamese economy this year and the following years amid difficulties and challenges, according to economic expert Nguyen Quynh Nga.

Spring arrives on Truong Sa

 VietNamNet Bridge – When Tet (Lunar New Year) rolls around, ships begin to make the trip across the sea, bringing along with them necessities and spring warmth from the mainland to soldiers stationed on the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands.

Auto sector policies effective from 2016 in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – The domestic car market witnessed spectacular development in 2015. Vietnamese people reportedly spent a record of nearly $3 billion on purchasing imported completely built cars (CBUs),