John Kerry congratulates Vietnam on National Day

 US Secretary of State John Kerry has sent a message of congratulation to the Vietnamese people on Vietnam's National Day, expressing his pleasure at the fruitful development of bilateral relations.

Malaysian tycoons bent on cornering Vietnam market

 Many Malaysian giants are pouring billions of US dollars into Vietnam’s profitable investment areas such as banking, retail and securities, hoping to take the lion’s share of the market.

Game, app firms take on outside projects as profits in local market low

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese companies that make games and apps have to export their games or take non-game projects in order to survive, as the local market is not profitable.

Southern provinces say no to projects that harm the environment

VietNamNet Bridge – The local authorities of southern provinces are increasingly rejecting investment projects that are labor-intensive, or that use low technologies and threaten the environment.

Go to hell, reflect on heaven at Cam Ranh's Shell Pagoda

 VietNamNet Bridge – Tien Thanh breathed a huge sigh of relief as he came out of the tunnel."I feel as if I have come back to life," he said.

Suffering losses, investors hurry to sell schools

 VietNamNet Bridge – More and more schools that have incurred losses are being sold by their owners this year.

Fire ice - China’s new energy ambition

 VietNamNet Bridge - Dr. Tran Cong Truc talks about China’s new moves and its conspiracy in the East East as well as Vietnam’s ability to sue China.

SBV battles to control bad debts

 VietNamNet Bridge – Total funds provided to cover any risk reached VND77.3 trillion (US$3.6 billion) by the end of June, up 10.9 per cent over the 2013-end figure.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 3/9

Vietnam fails at Philippine rice tender despite low bid; Ministries yet to decide sugar import quota; VRG halts rubber latex exploitation to avoid further losses; Axe to fall on ineffective public projects; BR-VT says no to new steel projects

Scholarships give poor students chance to learn

 VietNamNet Bridge – A 10-year-old scheme to reduce the number of poor students dropping out before graduation has worked so effectively in the central region and it is likely to be expanded to other provinces.

Aid pledged for shift of Nokia smartphone production to Vietnam

 The Ministry of Science and Technology has pledged favorable conditions for relocation of Nokia smartphone production lines from China, Hungary and Mexico to Vietnam.

Oktoberfest expected to draw 18,000 in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – The 22nd Oktoberfest in HCMC and the 5th Oktoberfest in Ha Noi will be organized in mid-October with expectations to lure about 18,000 attendees.

Vietnamese acupuncture in Mexico

Since Vietnamese acupuncture was introduced to Mexico, it has quickly proved to be an effective method in curing a series of life-threatening diseases of the residents and has affirmed its position in the North America country.

Phong Nha – Ke Bang offers zipline service

 Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh province has added a zipline service, according to an announcement of the management board of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park on August 29.

Tuna industry tackles quality issues

 VietNamNet Bridge – Exports of tuna, one of Viet Nam's major seafood products, grew by 51.2 per cent over the past five years. However, many Vietnamese fishermen still lack the catching and processing skills

Farmers brew sweet success from rare tea

 VietNamNet Bridge – Sweetness supersedes and quickly removes any bitterness from the tea, a specialty from the mountainous province of Yen Bai in northern Viet Nam, that Nguyen Thanh Hai sips.

“Longevity Commune" with nearly 600 elderly over 80 years old

 VietNamNet Bridge – Chuyen Ngoai commune in Duy Tien district in Ha Nam province is called the "longevity commune" in northern Vietnam. The commune has more than 600 people over 80 years old.

Ba Dinh Square’s historical milestones

 VietNamNet Bridge – Ba Dinh Square in Ba Dinh District, the site where President Ho Chi Minh on September 2, 1945 proclaimed the Declaration of Independence giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam

First Vietnamese movie about super cars

Speed and the Curve is the first Vietnamese movie to feature top-speed super cars and curvy racing tracks in many thrilling action scenes to express the competitiveness and burning ambition that exist in every man.

Library brings books to poor rural area

 VietNamNet Bridge – Determined to help others despite her disability, Tran Thuy Nga opened a library for poor students.

Phu Quoc island to welcome luxury cruise ships

 VietNamNet Bridge – A modern passenger terminal will be built on Phu Quoc island, a tourist destination in the south and Kien Giang province, to accommodate luxury cruise liners.

Thanh Hoa sign Anjembe Timothy

 Thanh Hoa have signed a one-year contract with Anjembe Timothy, a trouble-maker in V-League.

400-yr-old forest in Quang Binh protected by patrol teams of local residents

Even the oldest men in Phu Tho Village, Quang Binh do not know when the loc vung forest first appeared. The trees, which surround their village, have been protecting the residents from scorching sun, rains, storms and even enemy bullets.

Conquering Fansipan from the ground up

 VietNamNet Bridge – While Viet Nam's tallest mountain is certainly not as intimidating as Everest, reaching the summit is hardly an easy feat. Le Viet Khanh describes the unforgettable experience of tackling Mount Fansipan.

Laws fail to deter firms from utilising unlicensed software

VietNamNet Bridge – More companies including foreign ones have been found using unlicensed software despite many warnings about the potential risks they face,