Beauty queen returns crown, exposes dirty secrets

 VietNamNet Bridge – Miss Ethnic Vietnam 2011, Trieu Thi Ha, confirmed that she returned her crown because of abuse she suffered by the organisers.  

Japan likely to provide patrol ships for Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam and Japan are likely to agree to speed up consultations on Japan 's provision of patrol ships for Vietnam to better cope with China 's rising maritime assertiveness in the East Sea.

Vietnam backs oil-gas co-operation with US

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam backed co-operation in the field of oil and gas between US businesses and their Vietnamese partners, President Truong Tan Sang has declared.

World Trade Union Federation backs VN in East Sea issue

VietNamNet Bridge – The World Federation of Trade Unions has expressed solidarity and support for Vietnam in its peaceful moves against China’s aggressive act of illegally placing a drilling rig in Vietnam’s continental shelf

US supports legal action against China in East Sea dispute

 VietNamNet Bridge – The White House said on May 22 the US would support Vietnam’s use of legal action against China to settle a territorial dispute following China’s illegal placement of its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in the East Sea.

Future of Vietnam’s rice production threatened by climate change

Vietnam is the world’s second largest exporter of rice and 80 percent of it is grown in the Mekong Delta. But farmers here say the future of rice production is now threatened because of rising sea levels and temperature increases.

Sports News Headlines 23/5

 Last-minute goal puts Japan into Asian Cup final; David, Giang pocket last two golds; Kids to kick off football camp; Tam faces no rivals in An Giang Cup; Vinh Phuc to hold single handicap golf championship

Social News Headlines 23/5

 Hanoi commits security to foreigners; Vietnam attends ASEAN Labour Ministers Meeting (ALMM); Government tightens vehicle resale rules; Japan funds JPY60 mln for Vietnam’s IT training

Ukraine crisis: Tense divide in scarred Odessa

 The southern city of Odessa was drawn dramatically into the Ukrainian crisis on 2 May when more than 40 people were killed in a burning building following street fighting.

Market makes room for small investment funds to take great strides

 VietNamNet Bridge – The first half of May has proven to be a golden age for medium- and small-scale foreign investment funds, which have just joined the Vietnamese market.

Political News Headlines 23/5

 Viet Nam condemns attacks in Urumqi; Vietnam contributes to CICA conference; Senior army officer greets Venezuelan guests; Vietnam, Ivory Coast promote cooperative ties

Thai military stages coup, takes over gov't

Thai Army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha announced that military forces were seizing power from a caretaker government in order to restore order in a country that has been besieged by political chaos since late last year.

Int'l press conference on East Sea to be held today

 The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a press release announcing that it will hold an international press conference on the East Sea situation this afternoon.  

Tourism sector targets high-income earners

 VietNamNet Bridge – One of the relatively important solutions to developing the Vietnam tourism sector in the current period is to shift its direction, emphasizing a preference for boosting high-spending markets.

Hanoi likely to crack down on corrupt building officials

 VietNamNet Bridge – The capital city of Ha Noi will consider doubling administrative fines on construction violations with the aim of strictly tightening related regulations.

How should Vietnam behave towards tiny FIEs?

The Foreign Investment Agency, when releasing its report on FDI in Vietnam in the first four months of 2014, called the public’s attention to the fact that a lot of tiny foreign invested enterprises (FIEs) have turned up in Vietnam.

Prime Minister active at World Economic Forum

VietNamNet Bridge – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has said Vietnam hopes the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s member nations will continue making active contributions to bringing peace, stability, cooperation

France to pour first non-sovereign loans in Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge – The French Agency for Development will provide eligible Vietnamese businesses and organisations with 113 million EUR in loans and non-refundable aid this year, as part of its non-sovereign package launched in Vietnam

Foreign reporters updated on PM’s East Sea issue stance

 VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh chaired a press conference in Manila, the Philippines on May 22 to announce Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s activities at the World Economic Forum on East Asia,

Bourbon Street Jazz Festival slated for end-May

 VietNamNet Bridge – The 2nd Annual Arts For Mobility “Bourbon Street Jazz Festival” will take place from 4 p.m. till late on Saturday, May 31 at Cargo Bar in HCMC’s District 4.

First Vietnamese player to compete in French Open

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese tennis player Ly Hoang Nam has become the first Vietnamese player to reach the qualifying round of the French Open Juniors, the event's organising board has announced.

Safety barriers to be set around reservoirs

 VietNamNet Bridge – A water protection corridor will be established around hydropower and irrigation water reservoirs, and artificial lakes in urban and residential areas to prevent illegal encroachment, noted a draft decree.

Art&Entertainment News Headlines 23/5

 Images of World Heritage sites on display; Relationship of mind, body and physical environment shown in art; HCM City students gear up for TV commercial contest; Mademoiselle sings blues to entertain Saigonese

Quang Tri: Three infants die from injections of poison

VietNamNet Bridge – Quang Tri police on Thursday held a press conference to announce the results of their investigation into the deaths of three infants last July. Previously, the deaths was suspected of being caused by hepatitis B vaccine.

260 prosecuted for destroying factories in Binh Duong

 VietNamNet Bridge - For the first time, the police of Binh Duong Province have found themselves handling a case with hundreds of suspects, who are expected to be put on trial as soon as possible.