Fresh policies come into effect in April

 VietNamNet Bridge – A string of new policies on electric grid safety, industrial promotion funding, import of automobiles and motorcycles and management of overseas students in Viet Nam will take effect in April 2014.

Band takes fresh look at orchestra

 VietNamNet Bridge – DeepBlue, a music band from the land of kangaroos, will showcase their unique brand of orchestra during a sole performance tomorrow in Ha Noi before heading for the Hue Festival.

Vietnamese coffee drinkers prick Starbucks’ bubble

 VietNamNet Bridge – The US café giant Starbucks was thought by many to be poised to knock out Vietnamese rivals after just a short period of doing business in Vietnam. But this has not come to pass.

Ocean Group buys Hanoi’s most famous ice cream brand

 VietNamNet Bridge – According to the 2013 audited financial statements of the Ocean Hotels - Services JSC (OCH), this company paid a high price to buy Trang Tien Ice Cream.

Yes, you can retire before your 40th birthday

 What if you didn’t have to wait until you were in your mid-sixties to retire? What about 50, or even just as you hit your 40th birthday? Don’t laugh — with enough dedication, you could say goodbye to your full-time job years sooner than you think.

Sports News Headlines 7/4

 Champions League trophy in Ha Noi; VFF approves Coach Hoang Van Phuc’s resignation; Viet Nam lose in Davis Cup play-off; Wrestlers seek continental golds; Tien Minh’s 8th position unchanged on BWF rankings

NZ picks Jennifer Pham as honorary tourism envoy

 Vietnamese American Jennifer Pham, Miss Asia USA in 2006, has been selected as the New Zealand Embassy’s Honorary Tourism Envoy in Vietnam for 2014.

HCM City to build 30 lakes to control floods

VietNamNet Bridge – HCMC will soon develop 30 lakes in suburban areas and hundreds of others in inner-city areas to hold rainwater in a move to effectively control severe floods,

Experts hail VN's rising fashionistas

 VietNamNet Bridge – International fashion cognoscenti have hailed young Vietnamese fashion designers and rated the country's fashion industry as highly promising.

Huge projects kicked off in first quarter

 VietNamNet Bridge – Many foreign-invested projects worth billions of US dollars moved ahead in the first quarter 2014. Below are the largest ones.

Social News Headlines 7/4

 Vietnam to establish post offices on Truong Sa islands; Hailstorms ravage northern provinces; Health ministry urges measles vaccinations for children; Life imprisonment for leader of Dien Bien bandits

Political News Headlines 7/4

 Overlapping policies hinder poverty reduction efforts; Party leader inspects work on new rural areas in Phu Tho; Bulgarian PM begins visit to strengthen bilateral ties; Prime Minister joins walk to support people with disabilities

Mekong co-operation vital: PM Dung

 VietNamNet Bridge – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called for strengthening regional co-operation for sustainable development along the Mekong River, saying severe negative impacts seen in riparian nations warrant urgent action.

SW China quake injures 32, rescue continues

 The 5.3-magnitude quake that hit southwest China's Yunnan Province on Saturday morning has affected 71,200 residents, injuring 32 people, local authorities said Sunday.

Low-cost strategy dictates FDI recruitment

 VietNamNet Bridge – Foreign investors have distributed US$1.12 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in Viet Nam during the first two months of 2014, up 6.7 per cent from one year ago,

Civil servants rush to study for doctorates to avoid staff cutbacks

 VietNamNet Bridge – Many people are studying for doctorates, or racing for professorships, not so much to obtain deeper knowledge in their fields, but just for a little extra job security.

More than 300 vehicles burnt in Saigon parking lot fire

 VietNamNet Bridge – On Saturday afternoon, a raging fire with accompanying explosions in a parking lot on Ho Chi Minh City burned hundreds of motorbikes, bicycles and cars.

Panorama of the largest urban park in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge - Located at the southern gateway of Hanoi, Yen So Park in Hoang Mai District is compared to the city’s green lung. The park opens for free from April 4.

Interesting natural phenomena in Vietnam’s sky

VietNamNet Bridge - Day turned into night in Quang Ninh, a double rainbow in Hanoi, colored clouds in Vinh Phuc – these are some of the strange phenomena that have been witnessed in Vietnam.

Millions of overseas Vietnamese risk loss of citizenship

 VietNamNet Bridge – On July 1, overseas Vietnamese who have not registered to hold their Vietnamese citizenship will lose it. At present, only about 6,000 out of 4.5 million overseas Vietnamese have registered.

Dap Han – a world of rocks and wild flowers

 VietNamNet Bridge – Phu Yen is endowed with a lot of primitive landscapes and Ha Dam is one of the must-see destinations for tourists, especially those wishing to explore the beauty of nature.

Hanoi authorities deny bending to officials’ needs

 VietNamNet Bridge – Did Truong Chinh Road veer off its original plan to avoid intruding on the properties of some officials?

CPI decline has pros and cons

 VietNamNet Bridge – The country's consumer price index (CPI) in March dropped 0.44 per cent against the previous month, the lowest level recorded during the past decade.

Woman naked for 50 years

For nearly half a century, the Muong people of this village in Hoa Binh Province have become accustomed to the image of a naked figure in their community. She is Ms. Dinh Thi Dong, 53, who never wears clothes.

Da Nang police go green, get friendly

 VietNamNet Bridge – Police in 45 precincts in Da Nang City have used bicycles for their daily patrol following a programme that debuted in 2012,