Phuong violated national team's trade rights: VFF

 VietNamNet Bridge – Hoang Anh Gia Lai's (HAGL's) striker Nguyen Cong Phuong has been found guilty of violating the national team's trade rights after he wore the team's jersey during a beer commercial.

Bookings for Tet tours up 10%

 VietNamNet Bridge – Many travel agencies have reported their domestic and international tours for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday are almost fully booked and bookings are up at least 10% compared to last Tet.

Hoi An suspends tourism activities during Tet holiday

The Hoi An Culture and Sports Centre has issued a notice, suspending all tour guide activities during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.

Traffic jams crowd streets in HCM City as Tet approaches

 HCM City's gateways and many streets in the downtown areas are regularly gridlocked in the run-up to Tet with people trapped in traffic unable to get any real time information about the jams.

Cultural events celebrate New Year

 VietNamNet Bridge – Water puppetry and Dong Ho paintings are just two amongst Viet Nam's many traditional arts selected to entertain locals and tourists alike during the Lunar New Year holiday season in Ha Noi's Old Quarter.

Probe investigates soft drink producer

 The Ministry of Health's Food Hygiene and Safety Department has instructed the health sector in Binh Duong Province to set up an inter-disciplinary team to inspect production activities at the Tan Hiep Phat Beverage Group in Thuan An Commune.

Sinh village’s paintings feature Hue culture

 Tet (Lunar New Year) festival paintings of the Sinh village are a combination of traditional culture and ancient artistic methods and have been part of the of the Hue ethnic minority culture for over four centuries.

Vietnam attends Iranian tourism fair for first time

 For the first time, Vietnamese tourism agencies are displaying their products at an international tourism fair in Tehran, Iran, which commenced on February 12.

Foreign express-delivery providers gear up for domestic market

VietNamNet Bridge – The decision by foreign express companies to expand their business in Vietnam reflects the promising market in the country.

Prime Minister gives nod to biodiversity, climate, forestry project

 The Prime Minister has approved the “Integrating Biodiversity Conservation, Climate Resilience and Sustainable Forest Management in Trung Truong Son Landscapes” project.

Vietnam, Japan ink MoU to enhance medical cooperation

 The Vietnamese Ministry of Health signed a cooperation memorandum of understanding (MoU) with medical universities in Japan’s Kansai region and the Japan Association for International Health on February 12.

Public activities to welcome Tet in Hoi An

 The ancient city of Hoi An in central Quang Nam province will launch a wide range of public cultural activities to celebrate the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival this year.

1,600 computers in Vietnam infected with CTBLocker

Bach Khoa Anti-virus Center (BKAV) last week reported that 1,600 computers in Vietnam had been  infected with CTBLocker, a dangerous ransomware infection that decrypts files on computers and displays a so-called ransom warning.

We still have lessons to learn in education

 VietNamNet Bridge – Education in Viet Nam has always been a subject that arouses passionate discussion as it involves small children and almost every family has something to say about it.

Vietnam co-hosts UN seminar on post-2015 development agenda

The Permanent Representative Delegations to the UN of Vietnam, Sweden and other countries, together with the UN Sustainable Development Solution Network, hosted a seminar on the post-2015 development agenda and a new climate change agreement.

Government News 13/2

 Vietnam, China to deepen bilateral ties; Ambassador suggests ways to deepen Vietnam–Australia ties; Party secretariat meets scientists, artists ahead of Lunar New Year; Government, VFF coordination effective in 2014: PM

Apartment builders skip waste treatment for profit

VietNamNet Bridge – New apartment buildings in Hanoi are cutting corners on waste treatment or skipping it all together to maximise profit, creating serious pollution problems for residents and those living in neighbouring areas. 

Asia’s biggest statue of reclining Buddha

 VietNamNet Bridge – Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda on Ta Cu Mountain, some 28 kilometers south of Phan Thiet City of Binh Thuan Province, is home to the largest reclining Buddha statue in Asia.

Yen Tu Buddhist spring festival opens in February

 VietNamNet Bridge – As many as 400 delegates and 2,500 Buddhist followers are expected to take part in the Yen Tu spring festival, which will take place in Le Truong Giai Oan yard, Yen Tu, Thuong Yen Commune, Uong Bi City,

Ground broken for major infrastructure projects

 The Ministry of Transport started work on a number of key infrastructure projects in the Mekong Delta over the weekend, which will help spur trade and economic activities in the delta.

Fat map: largest genetic blueprint of obesity revealed

Scientists have uncovered more than 90 new gene regions that could help explain why some people are more likely to put on weight than others.  

Pig-chopping festival: Vietnamese need to have opinions on culture

 VietNamNet Bridge - The Vietnamese people should have strong views on cultural issues of the country because they are an integral part of their culture.

PwC ranks Vietnam 22nd largest economy by 2050

Vietnam is predicted to stand in 22nd place among the world’s largest economies by 2050 in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms, according to a report by the accounting and consultancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

Art & Entertainment News 13/2

Legendary American 80s mixer to headline show; HCM City announces entertainment lineup for Tet; DJ Tri Minh and friends to perform at Manzi; TV programme to honour overseas Vietnamese; Calligraphy street runs in HCM City

Social News 13/1

 Minister urges transport firms to lower fares; Building sites cleaned up before Tet; HCM City holds outdoor games on traffic-safety education; New weighing system proposed to check overloading; 400 malaria cases reported in Gia Lai