Star Wars: Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill reunite for latest film

 Original Star Wars actors Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill will feature in Star Wars: Episode VII, the latest film in the franchise.

Vietnam urged to get tough on movie piracy

 South Korean media group CJ E&M has called for Vietnamese authorities to take stronger actions to crack down on widespread movie piracy in the country.

Ten “cool” destinations in the summer

 VietNamNet Bridge - Situated on the mountain ranges and romantic plateaus, these are the ideal places for tourists to enjoy the balmy weather during the hot summer in Vietnam.

Price falls hit rice farmers despite stockpiling scheme

 VietNamNet Bridge – Farmers bemoan they have not benefited from the nation’s one-million-ton rice stockpiling scheme for the winter-spring crop in 2013-2014 as prices are still edging down even though the scheme still has more than one week to go.

Health Minister "not thinking of resigning now"

 After facing pressure from the handling of the measles outbreak, Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, the Minister of Health, said she is now not thinking of resigning, but will focus on getting the disease under control.

Will Btalk replace Viber as most popular OTT app for Vietnamese?

BKAV, a “rookie” in the OTT (over-the-top) app market, has made an eloquent statement that Btalk, its newly launched OTT app, will overthrow Viber, a very favorite app for Vietnamese at this moment, to become the most popular OTT app in Vietnam.

Russian needlefish-attack patient discharged

 A Russian woman who was left paralysed after being attacked by a needlefish while she was swimming off Nha Trang beach in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa was discharged from hospital on April 29.

Vietnamese weep for water shortage, fear for water overabundance

 VietNamNet Bridge – While the people of Quang Ngai Province have been struggling to survive the water shortage in the summer heat, the locals in Kon Tum Province have been living in the fear that the water overabundance will immerge them one day.

Art & Entertainment News Headlines 1/5

 Local fashion designer heads for Audi Star Creation final; Global kites to adorn Vietnam’s southern sky; VN Embassy in the UK receives public screening films; Hanoi heritage club honours youth cultural values

Social News Headlines 1/5

 Russia to begin construction on 6th submarine for Vietnam; Hanoi paroles prisoners on National Liberation Day; Vietnam attends Going Global 2014; Japan awards Sunrise Order to VJFA President; Brunei navy patrol ship visits Vietnam

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 1/5

 Vietnam, RoK to boost agricultural cooperation; Economic forum develops practical solutions for 2014; Japan pulls out of Vietnamese shrimp market; Vietnam’s oldest casino in the red

Vietnam's foreign exchange reserves hit record $35 billion

 VietNamNet Bridge - According to the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) Nguyen Van Binh, this is the highest level ever. Binh also pledged that interest rates will not exceed 1% from now until year’s end.

Afghanistan floods claim at least 102 lives, dozens more missing

 Flooding caused by heavy rains killed at least 102 people in three provinces of northern Afghanistan, disaster officials said Friday.

Searchers dispute company's claim that it may have found aircraft wreckage

 A private company declared that it has found what it believes is wreckage of a plane in the ocean, but leaders of the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 are dismissing the claim.

Local centers succeed in sensor chips design

The Integrated Circuits Design Research & Education Center and the Research and Development Center of Saigon Hi-Tech Park have announced their successful design and production of pressure sensor chips.

Using fake credit cards, four Chinese arrested

 VietNamNet Bridge – On Monday, Hanoi police arrested four Chinese to clarify the behavior on charges of using computers and the Internet or digital devices to appropriate assets of others.

Old photos of Ha Long Bay exhibited

Photos of Ha Long Bay from the 19th century are now on display for the first time in Ha Long City in the northern province of Quang Ninh. The exhibition is a key event in the annual Carnival Ha Long, which started on April 25 and lasts until May 1.

Quang Ninh: 28-month-old boy loses arm to bear

 VietNamNet Bridge – On Monday, a baby boy in Ha Long was bitten by a bear and lost an arm.

Rowdy Vietnamese crowds ruin sporting events

 A motorbike race due to be held in Binh Duong Province had to be cancelled after the chaotic crowd of spectators blocked the track.

EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR MAY 1-10 (daily updated)

 Updated information about cultural events in big cities of Vietnam.

Japan confirmed as Vietnam’s biggest foreign investor

 By March 2014, Japan had 2,237 valid projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of 35.38 billion USD, making it the largest of Vietnam’s foreign investors from 101 countries and territories around the world.

Laminating gold by hand in Hanoi’s old village

 VietNamNet Bridge – 1/10 tael of gold can be laminated into a sheet of 1m2. The sheet is then cut into small square pieces of 1cm long to inlay on worshipping items.

Vietnamese specialties sold at knock-down prices, farmers feel self-pity

VietNamNet Bridge – Despite their industrious work and great efforts, Vietnamese farmers remain poor. Their farm produce, including specialties, are purchased at knock-down prices.

Vinalines verdict set for May 7

 The Supreme People's Court will declare the final sentence of former Chairman of the Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) Duong Chi Dung and his alleged accomplices on May 7. 

Vietnam aims for 2014 AFC Futsal quarterfinals

 Vietnam expects to qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2014 AFC Futsal Championship which will kick off in HCM City on April 30.