Mediterranean migrant crisis: Thousands of migrants rescued at sea

 More than 5,800 migrants have been rescued and 10 bodies recovered off the Libyan coast over the weekend, the Italian coastguard says.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 4/5

HCM City develops seaport system, Hanoi moves to lure more foreign investment, Foreign meat floods Vietnamese market, Investors interested in railway projects, More interest shown at Hanoi auctions

Dong Nhi wins the 1st of Remix music competition

 Singer Dong Nhi became the champion of the first season of a reality television music competition “The Remix” in Vietnam which ended in Ho Chi Minh on May 4.

Nepal quake: Why are some tremors so deadly?

 On 1 April, 2014, a Magnitude 8.2 earthquake rocked northern Chile. Six people died, 2,500 homes were damaged and 80,000 people were displaced. Just over one year later, a M7.8 earthquake strikes Nepal.

Finance Ministry to issue bond-for-debt swap

 The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has asked the Government of Viet Nam to issue new Government bonds in the international capital markets for debt rescheduling.

VN to develop over 2,000 km of highways by 2020

 Vietnam plans to put some 2,200 km of highways into operation by 2020, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong told our reporter in a recent interview.

Viettel eyes foreign expansion plan

 Viettel Global plans to invest a total VND47.5 trillion ($2.23 billion) in eight new foreign markets in the 2015-2017 period.

Saigon through smartphone lens

 A series of Saigon images at dusk were captured from different angles by smartphones.

Vietnam's artworks fascinate international customers

 Pictures by Vietnamese artists in the early 20th century have captured the major attention of international customers at auctions and been sold at high prices, even up to more than VND18 billion.

Social News 4/5

 Traffic police fine driver of overloaded coach, Fine imposed for ignoring forest fees, Truck driver caught dumping waste water, Brothers arrested for drug trafficking, Police detain driver in deadly holiday accident in Da Nang

Whirlwind damages nearly 200 houses in central Vietnam

 Nearly 200 houses were damaged or had their roofs blown away by a whirlwind in the last few days in the central Nghe An Province.

Inordinate growth focus hurts biodiversity

  Senior Government officials have acknowledged that a skewed vision of development has severely degraded the natural environment and called for urgent remedial measures to stem the rot.

Economy still sluggish as sales remain stagnant during holiday

VietNamNet Bridge - While economists see signs of an economic recovery, businesses continue to be pessimistic as sales remained lower than expected during the April holiday.

Australia invite Vietnam for friendly game in Sydney

 The national women's football team of Viet Nam has been invited to play a friendly match against the Australian squad later this month.

SHB Da Nang to sign new striker Perez

 SHB Da Nang are set to strengthen its forward line with Cuban player Yaikel Perez from the second stage of Toyota V League 1.

V-League: Dong Nai defeat Song Lam Nghe An 2-1

 VietNamNet Bridge – Dong Nai came from behind to beat host Song Lam Nghe An 2-1 in a round 11 match of the V League 1 yesterday, May 3.

Dining in a small antique museum

VietNamNet Bridge – Si, a newly established restaurant in HCMC’s District 1, might bring an unforgettable experience to diners as they are served beautifully prepared Vietnamese dishes and surrounded by numerous antiques

Vietnam to solidify big-name FDI projects

 Vietnam expects a number of foreign direct investment (FDI) projects worth billions of US dollars currently under negotiation to be finalised this year and in 2016, experts have said.

Vietnam past and present in the eyes of foreign correspondents

VNS talked to six foreign correspondents who were present in HCM City on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the liberation of South VN and national reunification.

HCM City's schools fail to meet population needs

 The growth rate of new schools in HCM City has not matched the rise in population in recent years, according to Le Hong Son, head of the city Department of Education and Training.

Sang takes checkered flag at motorcycling championship 2015

 Young racer Huynh Minh Sang received the checkered flag at the National Suzuki Raider R150 motorcycling championship 2015, in the 18-24 year old category, held May 1 in the southern province of Binh Duong.

Miss Universe Riyo Mori visits Vietnam

 Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori arrived in Hanoi on May 3 to attend a corporate event.

US leads Vietnam in patent and trademark applications

 The National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam (NOIP) has announced new statistics on Vietnamese innovation that analysed the nation’s patent and trademark trends in 2014.

Swedes to raise presence in Vietnam

  Scores of Swedish enterprises will come to Vietnam this year in the hunt for investment and business opportunities.

Touristy Sa Pa lures property developers

 The Sa Pa tourist destination in the northern Lao Cai Province has become a magnet for property developers, following projections that the number of tourists coming there would increase sharply.