Paris attacks: Police swoop on apartment in northern suburb

 Armed police are raiding a flat in the north Paris suburb of Saint Denis in an operation linked to Friday's attacks.

Is Vietnam’s productivity low because Vietnamese work for foreigners?

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnamese businesses simply do outsourcing for foreign enterprises. They just do what they are told to do. As they don’t have markets, their productivity is low, business people say.

Lucky man finds 70kg lingzhi mushroom worth $5,000

 VietNamNet Bridge – A man in the central province of Nghe An has discovered a giant lingzhi mushroom deep in the forest at the Vietnam-Laos border. As the mushroom is too big, only two of seven branches of the tree were brought home.

Nigeria blast: 'More than 30' dead in Yola explosion

 An explosion in the Nigerian city of Yola has caused multiple deaths and injuries, with some reports saying more than 30 people may have died.

The most famous night markets in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge - Am Phu (Hades) in Da Lat City, Ky Lua in Lang Son Province, Dinh Cau on Phu Quoc Island are must-see destinations for tourists who visit these locations.

US-VN artists to perform at concert celebrating VN-US ties

 VietNamNet Bridge – American maestro David Itkin and Vietnamese violinist Vu Viet Chuong will perform at a concert celebrating 20 years of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and the US at the HCM City Opera House on Thursday.

Saigon restaurant buys endangered giant carps weighing 240kg

 VietNamNet Bridge - A trader in District 7, HCM City, on November 17 said he had bought a pair of giant barbs or Siamese giant carps weighing 240kg from the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang.

Discover HCM City with Hop On Hop Off service

 VietNamNet Bridge - Hop On Hop Off, the popular city tour by bus in many countries, is now available in Vietnam’s largest city.

Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc welcomes 200 rare animals

VietNamNet Bridge - The Vinpearl Safari Park on Phu Quoc Island, the first wildlife zoo in Vietnam, has just received 200 endangered animals of different species from various bio-geographic regions in the world.

Many "outstanding entrepreneurs" sentenced to jail

VietNamNet Bridge - Many businessmen honored as ‘outstanding businessmen’ or ‘outstanding young faces’ have been sentenced to jail because of their offenses.

Luala street concert returns in pictures

 The opening of this year’s Luala concert series was held on November 15, bringing music to the streets with performances of talented artists from at home and abroad.

Vietnam's catfish industry needs makeover

 VietNamNet Bridge – After a hasty start, Viet Nam's tra fish industry should now plan an image makeover to improve the quality of exports and be competitive, for the long term,

What APEC means to poor people in Asia

This week Manila hosts the APEC Leaders’Meeting. For Oxfam, this is a good time for APEC leaders to re-examine the prevailing development and economic paradigm that has increased the wealth of a handful while millions remain in poverty.

Nghi Son Economic Zone to be expanded

 Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has decided to expand the Nghi Son Economic Zone from 18,600ha to 106,000ha in central Thanh Hoa Province.

Korean ‘Running man’ star is coming to Vietnam

MC Haha of the hit television series – ‘Running Man’ and female singer Baek Ji Young will arrive in Vietnam on November 28 to attend the Korea-Vietnam Food and Culture Festival taking place at My Dinh  National Stadium in Hanoi.

Thousands of households in danger due to financial, land shortages

 VietNamNet Bridge – Thousands of households in southern Ben Tre Province are unsafe, as they are located in landslide-prone areas, the provincial authority has said.

Climate change art in the spotlight

Six films, three photo exhibitions, three conferences and three activities related to the issue of climate change will be held in HCM City and Ha Noi to accompany the COP21 International Climate Change Conference to be held in Paris.

German MD awarded Vietnam honorary doctorate

HCM City Medicine and Pharmacy University and the University Hospital have recently presented an honorary doctorate to Erich Johann LeJeune, President of the German ‘Heart for Heart’ Foundation.

MOET’s new high school exam plan not acclaimed

VietNamNet Bridge - The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has once again tried to reform the high school examination and has, once again, met with dissatisfaction from students and teachers.

Office-tels tipped to top HCMC market

 VietNamNet Bridge – Office-tel developments, which combine residential and commercial uses in one apartment, are mushrooming in HCM City and are expected to lead the market in future.

Top 30 market cap firms report mixed earnings

 Many of the top 30 companies by market capitalisation on the HCM Stock Exchange have reported mixed nine-month earnings, according to their latest financial statements.

Chinese Taiwan pilots relaxed visa regulations for Vietnamese tourists

  China’s Taiwan is piloting a preferential visa policy for high-end tour groups from Vietnam as well as those from the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and India with the aim of increasing tourist arrivals, according to local press.

First-ever Vietnam Annual Tourism Report unveiled

 The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on November 17 announced the ‘Vietnam Annual Tourism Report 2014’ for the first time.

Social News 18/11

 Tonnes of bananas go to waste, Low-cost airline Jetstar Pacific opens new routes, HCM City urged to change bus subsidy method, Vietnam helps train Laos' reporters, Workers to get free bus tickets for Tet

Concert to gather choirs from 15 countries

A choral concert “Sing For Joy – Vui Ca” will take place in Hanoi Opera House on November 28, featuring eight choirs with 150 members aged from 6-60 years old, from 15 countries all over the world.