US firms ratchet up investment

 VietNamNet Bridge – The number of foreign trade representative visits to Vietnam during the first half of the year are an auspicious sign US investment in the country is not about to wane anytime soon,

VN labour not pulling its weight

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Ba Ngoc, deputy director of the Labour Science and Social Affairs Institute, speaks to Hai Quan (Customs) newspaper about proposed measures to increase labour productivity.

Fields Medalist favors high-school graduation exam abolishment

VietNamNet Bridge – Fields Medalist Professor Ngo Bao Chau has supported abolishing high-school graduation exams due to many irregularities rather than suspending university entrance exams. 

Running through Vietnam to promote reading culture

 VietNamNet Bridge – A Vietnamese information technology (IT) engineer has finished a long arduous trans-Vietnam journey, running more than 1,700km from north to south in less than 35 days to instil reading culture in young people.

Vietnam to have 19 IT focus areas by 2020

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam will have 19 Information Technology focus areas which are expected to produce high added value, according to a draft master plan on IT development until 2020

High land rents deal a blow to businesses

 VietNamNet Bridge – The unexpected land rent increases have dealt another strong blow on businesses, which are struggling hard to survive the economic downturn.

Coconut King bound for Truong Sa glory

 VietNamNet Bridge – During the last days of June, Do Thanh Thuong was elated as he watched the growing coconut trees in his garden.

Korean boy band JYJ to perform in Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge – As part of their Asia tour “2014 JYJ Asian Tour Concert”, the renowned Korean boy band JYJ will perform in Vietnam from 8 p.m. until 11 p.m. on the 30th of August 2014 at Quan Khu 7 stadium,

Vietnam needs modern equipment to measure emissions levels

 VietNamNet Bridge – Fifty five percent of 400 enterprises surveyed about their treatment of emissions generated during the production process have no emission treatment systems.

Trang Bang District locals make spring rolls with midnight dew

 VietNamNet Bridge – Seeing trays of the wrappings for rice-paper cakes drying along the roadside, I knew that I had reached Trang Bang District, a place famous for its speciality - banh trang phoi suong (rice paper cakes exposed to the dew.

Interesting shopping addresses in Saigon

 VietNamNet Bridge - In addition to historic architecture, unique street food, busy shopping areas have also attracted a large number of tourists in Saigon.

SCIC halfway home on state capital divestment

 VietNamNet Bridge – The State Capital Investment Corporation has announced it is considering completing divestitures at 290 state-owned enterprises valued at VND1.3 trillion ($62.8 million) this year.

Getting pianos to hit the right keys

 VietNamNet Bridge – Dang Nguyen Hao learnt to play the piano but he chose to work as an instrument tuner. He is a special worker, a piano tuner who are well-known to every artist in Ha Noi.

Diplomatic highlights in July

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam’s persistent struggle for the national sovereignty and acceleration of its cooperative relations with other nations and intentional organizations are considered as remarkable diplomatic activities in July.

Cast adrift on the river of life

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Thi Vy dipped her bucket into the muddy waters of the Red River.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 10/8

 M&As to spike as economy grows; Vietnam Air, Jet Airways ink code-share deal; Experts log potential of VN wood; Property sector in need of financial services; Da Nang port handles record volume of containers

Ministry launches national poverty database

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs on August 7 launched a US$62 million, five-year social-assistance programme to create a national database of poor and near-poor households.

More prehistoric vestiges discovered in Dong Van Karst Plateau

VietNamNet Bridge – Fourteen archaeological sites in the northernmost province of Ha Giang have been excavated in the past fortnight, revealing hundreds of relics believed to appear in the prehistoric and protohistoric times,

Foreign breweries tap Vietnam’s draft beer market

 VietNamNet Bridge – Facing fierce competition in the packaged beer market, foreign breweries are migrating towards draft beer, with pubs and beer gardens springing up as fast as mushrooms

Photos: Old trees, the beautiful “treasures” of Saigon

 VietNamNet Bridge - Century-old trees are the "green treasures" of Saigon, especially in the time of urbanisation.

Nguyen-era documents back sea claims

VietNamNet Bridge – The Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945) worked hard to protect the nation, producing many documents that confirm Viet Nam's sovereignty over the Spratly and Paracel archipelagoes.

Class nurtures love for cheo opera

 VietNamNet Bridge – Twice a week, a group of more than 20 young people gathers together to learn and practise Ly Truong Me Dop  – an excerpt from the famous cheo (Vietnamese traditional opera) repertoire Quan Am Thi Kinh.

Da Nang cuisine gets global exposure

 VietNamNet Bridge – Le Ha Uyen wanted to share her passion for her native cuisine with her international friends, and in doing so she discovered the subtleties that made Vietnamese cuisine so diverse.

Journalist writes her way to success

 VietNamNet Bridge – She graduated from two prestigious universities in the US - Columbia and Harvard - and worked for two leading international news agencies - Associated Press (AP) and Bloomberg.

Travel News 9/8

 Stork Island eco-tourism site gets $66,000 infrastructure upgrade; Mekong Delta shimmers as flood season begins; 3-star Michelin chef coming to JW Marriott Hanoi; Authorities seek ways to popularise hidden gem Vinh Hy Bay