Tunnel village of Vinh Linh in pictures

 VietNamNet Bridge – A system of 114 tunnels and the tunnel village of Vinh Linh in Quang Tri province in central Vietnam has been recognized a special national monument.

What if foreign banks are allowed to buy a 100% stake in a Vietnamese bank?

VietNamNet Bridge – Currently, foreign investors can hold no more than 30 percent of shares in one Vietnamese bank, but the proportion may rise to 100 percent by 2020.

Rat trapping service in town

 VietNamNet Bridge – Businesses, especially restaurants, and individuals are always frustrated by rats, so they often use special agents called “rat killers” to get rid of these rodents.

Vietnam’s cashew sector sets records in 2014

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam’s cashew sector set records with its 2014 export revenue exceeding 2 billion USD for the first time, securing its place as the world’s top cashew exporter for the ninth straight year.

Vietnam strikes a chord in expatriate musician's heart

 VietNamNet Bridge – When his father suggested that the family move from the US to Viet Nam, Ryan Duy Hung's mother thought that her husband had lost his mind.

IT companies in search of more experts in 2015

VietNamNet Bridge – Demand for human resources in the IT industry in HCM City is expected to increase by 15-20 per cent this year,

MOT to focus on expanding airports, ditches plan to build more seaports

VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Transport (MOT) has scrapped plans to build seaports and instead will expand several airports this year.

Silence is not golden in education

Young education experts who have received western-style education, noted that with the current unreasonable teaching methodology, Vietnam can only produce obedient workers, not creative thinkers.

Hanoi leads in e-commerce last year

 VietNamNet Bridge – The latest report by the Vietnam E-commerce Association unveiled that Hanoi topped the Vietnam E-commerce Index 2014, followed by HCMC, Danang, Haiphong, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Khanh Hoa, Can Tho and Nghe An.

Recycled coffee shop

 VietNamNet Bridge – Recycled construction is not new as makeshift offices or houses made from pre-used shipping containers can be seen at a lot of construction sites around HCMC.

Pesticide abuse raises food safety concerns

VietNamNet Bridge – Widespread abuse of pesticides was undermining food safety in the country, participants said at a recent conference on plant protection held in Hanoi.

An “international dumping ground” in Khoai Village

VietNamNet Bridge – Called the “rubbish metropolis”, the Minh Khai Village in Van Lam District of Hung Yen province receives several tons of garbage every day.

The most prominent under-30 faces in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge - Forbes Vietnam has released its first-ever list of 30 of Vietnam's brightest stars under the age of 30 in different fields, including business, communications, entertainment and sports.

Vietnamese seafood exports off to a rocky start for 2015

 VietNamNet Bridge – Seafood exports for calendar year 2014 grew 16.5% on top of the prior year to US$7.84 billion and have been forecast to continue rising to US$8 billion in 2015,

Kite runner dreams of a playground

 VietNamNet Bridge – A simple kite used to be a favorite toy of children in Vietnam. However, it is losing its appeal due to the prevalence of modern toys that are easier to play.

Mining explosions endanger lives in and around mines

 VietNamNet Bridge – The use of explosives at mines and construction projects has created major problems for people living nearby.

President extends New Year greetings

 President Truong Tan Sang, on behalf of the Party and State, extended his seasonal greetings and best wishes to all Vietnamese people at home and abroad on the eve of the traditional lunar New Year (Tet).

Farm ministry cultivates ties with overseas Vietnamese

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development wants to strengthen links with overseas Vietnamese to boost the agricultural sector and improve farmers' lives.

Images: Phuoc Tich Ancient Village

The ancient village of Phuoc Tich is about 30km northwest of Hue city center. The beautiful village is surrounded by greenery and water with many traditional buildings.

UK Queen supports cooperation with Vietnam

 UK Queen Elizabeth II has voiced strong support for cooperation programmes between Vietnam and her nation while receiving Vietnam Ambassador to the UK and Northern Ireland Nguyen Van Thao.

VNCB nationalization deal raises controversy

VietNamNet Bridge – The news that the Vietnam Construction Bank (VNCB) has been sold to the State Bank, an unprecedented action in the country, has caused concern among the public.

Sexual transmission- major cause of HIV in the south

 VietNamNet Bridge – Increasing HIV infection cases resulting from unsafe sex have become a pressing issue in the southern region, urging the implementation of drastic measures by local authorities,

Investment promotion zeros in on specific targets

VietNamNet Bridge – Do Nhat Hoang, director of the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Foreign Investment Agency spoke to VIR about new points in the investment promotion strategy this year to improve

HCM City expands wastewater treatment plant

 VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City Urban Civil Works Construction Investment Management Authority has started work on a package to improve HCM City's urban and domestic sanitation by expanding the daily capacity

Circus festival to dazzle City

 VietNamNet Bridge – Circus artists from Viet Nam, Russia and Belarus will entertain audiences in HCM City with extravagant performances to usher in the Lunar New Year.