Group arrested for sale of illegal mobile spyware

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ha Noi Investigation Police on Wednesday requested the Supreme People's Procuracy to prosecute seven people from a private firm who sold illegal spyware.

Cash-strapped student-inventors seek scholarships to fund research

PIV-VK is the team name of three students from Da Nang University of Technology, who have become famous after winning major prizes at national student technology innovation competitions.

Nearly 47million USD divested from non-core EVN firms

VietNamNet Bridge – The Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) successfully divested almost 1 trillion VND (46.7 million USD) from non-core businesses in 2014,

Volleyballers set for SEA Games

VietNamNet Bridge – The 25-member national men's and women's volleyball teams will be summoned on Saturday in preparation for the 28th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Cultural week offers a taste of Haiti

 VietNamNet Bridge – Haiti's art, culture, lifestyle and tourism will be introduced for the first time in Viet Nam during the Cultural Week of Haiti that will run from January 12-15.

Vietnamese community in London preserve the mother tongue

VietNamNet Bridge – Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) in London have struggled to retain their mother tongue as their children and grandchildren attend English speaking schools— but one school is redressing the imbalance.

SBV unexpectedly devalues dong by 1%, businesses remain calm

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) unexpectedly devalued the dong by one percent starting on January 7, 2015. It will now have the right to devalue the dong again by only one percent within the year.

Ship model test basin left idle

VietNamNet Bridge – The Maritime University has landed itself in an embarrassing situation as it has to receive a ship model test basin from the Ministry of Transport.

New rules discourage tourist arrivals by sea

 Travel companies in Vietnam are complaining cumbersome procedures under the new exit and entry regulation are causing difficulties for ship tours.

VN economy in 2014: gains and losses

VietNamNet Bridge – Policymakers and leading economists all have expressed their optimism about the economic performance in 2014, though they noted that some structural problems have not been settled.

How can heritage exist without community?

 During a recent conference that looked at the Viet Nam Cultural Heritage Association's 2104-19 term, researchers and managers spent most of their time discussing solutions to community-based cultural heritage development.

Vietnam focuses on fostering major sports

 Vietnam will focus on developing major Olympic and Asian sports in the hope of elevated standing on the international stage, said a senior official from the General Department of Sports and Physical Training.

Vietnam needs $30 billion for green growth strategy to 2020

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam needs up to $30 billion to carry out its Green Growth Strategy from now to 2020, of which 70% will not come from the State budget.

Diplomatic remarks in 2014, orientations for 2015

 Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang on January 8 announced remarks in external activities in 2014 and diplomatic orientations for 2015.

Foreign investment IT system ready

VietNamNet Bridge – As the national foreign investment information system will be enacted in 2015, Foreign Investment Agency director Do Nhat Hoang further explains to VIR’s Ngoc Linh the system’s importance to the authorities and investors alike.

Visiting the southernmost Cape

 VietNamNet Bridge – Cape Ca Mau feels like the end of the world. This southernmost point in Vietnam is a place where land, sea and sky mingle at the edge of mangrove forests teeming with wildlife.

Bafta nominations to be announced

Bafta is due to announce its nominations for this year's film awards, with British stars expected to dominate the shortlists.

Highlights of socio-economic events in Vietnam in 2014

The search for flight MH370, China’s illegal deployment of its oil rig in Vietnam’s waters, the VN-Index’s record fall, and the risk of loss of budget revenue owing to the fall of oil prices were some of the most eventful incidents of 2014.

Legal Advice: When to establish a Control Board

 VietNamNet Bridge - Control Board is an important department in an enterprise that is in charge of activity inspection and supervision. Setting up a Control Board, in some circumstances, is compulsory yet often overlooked by enterprises.

Art & Entertainment News 10/1

Vietnamese publisher releases ‘Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang’; Arts programme to greet overseas Vietnamese; First Tiki Book Awards presented; My Tho's second night market branches out into food; Can Tho set for Mekong Delta Green Tourism Week

Elevated disease concerns in Vietnam for 2015

Vietnam is likely to face the spread of dangerous infectious diseases in 2015 such as Ebola, bird flu, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, and measles, especially in zones with large population fluctuations and ethnic minority areas.

Vietnam, a proactive force for Southeast Asia in 2015

Vietnam will be a “responsible, active, and proactive” member of the ASEAN family which strives to enhance the regional bloc’s integration and aggressively supports the ASEAN Community-building process.

Facelift for HCM City Post Office stirs criticism

 Facelift for HCM City Post Office stirs criticism; Vietnam building in top ten by social value; Twelve injured in coach accident; Unseasonable rain harms farmers in Ca Mau; Vietnam eager to embrace SMAC technology

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 10/1

HCMC apartment supplies surge; Dong fall piles pressure on foreign debt payment; Fuel import tariffs hiked to back wholesalers - ministry; Amata seeks to invest in Binh Dinh; HSBC puts GDP growth at 6.1% this year

Top ten events of natural resources and environment sector announced

  The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) announced the top ten events of the sector in 2014 as follow: