Hanoi’s Tet in the old time

 VietNamNet Bridge - Tet atmosphere of the 1990s was so simple, warm and fun through the lens of two foreign photographers Steve Raymer and Nevada Wier.

Work permits for performers discussed

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has approved a circular on granting work permits to performing artists. The circular will be effective from April 1 this year.

French photographer issues photo book on Vietnam’s beauty

 VietNamNet Bridge - From love with the landscape and people of Vietnam, French photographer Rehahn implemented a five-year photo project entitled "Hidden Smile".

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 27/1

 Date set for opening of first McDonald’s restaurant; FPT wins financial management system project in Cambodia; MoIT launches index to monitor co-operation trends; Petrol firms anticipate strong year

Vietnam’s gold consumption continues the uptrend

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam consumed around 110 tons of gold in 2013, higher than previous years, despite global gold prices falling steadily and less gold sales points in the country, according to a source from the World Gold Council.

Spring flowers on Hoang Hoa Tham Street

 VietNamNet Bridge – The traditional market for flowers and ornamental trees on Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Hanoi, is increasingly hectic and bustling several days before the lunar New Year.

Discovery of new pipevines species in central Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge - Scientists have discovered a new species of pipevines near the buffer zone of the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

Five-star hotels prepare for Lunar New Year

 A number of five-star hotels in town have prepared some fabulous programs to serve guests during Lunar New Year. Here are some of the top picks.

HCM City gets behind business tech innovations

 VietNamNet Bridge – HCM City is taking steps to support enterprises to implement technological innovations, according to director of the city's Sciences and Technology Department, Phan Minh Tan.

Beauty contestant goes rogue, gets fined

 VietNamNet Bridge – The model Phan Hoang Thu was fined VND15 million (USD714) on January 22 for competing in the Miss World Tourism 2013 pageant without permission from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

WB: Vietnam yet to benefit from global recovery

 VietNamNet Bridge – While the global economy has seen recovery signs, Vietnam’s economic growth rate is expected to remain low in the coming years,

Organic food favorability brings great opportunities to Vietnam’s rice

A lot of Vietnamese enterprises have been trying to develop organic food which is in high demand in the world market. However, it is still impossible to organize the production in large scale because of the required heavy investments.

Ca tru club preserves traditional music

 VietNamNet Bridge – An old man passionately plays a three-string lute, while another man beats castanets and a young woman sings classical songs.

The most expensive trees for Tet

 VietNamNet Bridge – Gardeners throughout the country have introduced unique peach and ornamental trees worth tens of thousands of US dollars for this Tet. Below are the most expensive trees.

Officials warn of forest fires

 VietNamNet Bridge – Local authorities must communicate better about forest fire prevention and fighting regulations to minimise practices that could cause forest fires during the dry season.

A winter’s day in Dalat

 VietNamNet Bridge – This was my second visit to the city of love or the city of flowers, Dalat, in the Central Highlands of Lam Dong after a vacation with my mom twenty years ago.

2014 – a difficult year for businesses

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese businesses should reengineer and streamline their operations in 2014 to maximize efficiencies said President of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Vu Tien Loc.

Government Office to work harder in 2014

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Government Office will increase co-operation with ministries, agencies and localities to carry out the Government Resolution on tasks and solutions for the 2014 socio-economic development plan and budget estimate.

Art & Entertainment Headlines January 26

 Hue re-enacts imperial neu pole raising; Research on Vietnamese pottery win French award; Hanoi honours traditional craft artisans; Flower festival in Ha Long to welcome Tet; Festival serves up traditional cakes

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 26/1

 Tan Tao back on VN30-Index; HCMC hotel rates to stay the same; SBV can now import unrefined gold duty-free; Exports down 11.5% in January; CPI rises slightly on low purchasing power

Social Headlines January 26

 Human traffickers arrested at Tan Son Nhat airport; Police confiscate contraband cigarettes; Traffic fines soar to $138,000 in 2013; PM urges avian flu prevention; Health minister hears patient complaints about hospital staff

Spring colors in the ornamental kumquat village

 VietNamNet Bridge – Located about 12 km from Hanoi sits Van Giang, which is famous for its ornamental kumquat trees. Every spring the local people enter a busy season.

BIDV seeks foreign strategic investors

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam has set a goal to win foreign strategic partners later this year or no later than the first half of 2015, according to the bank's chairman Tran Bac Ha.

Thailand protesters 'promise not to obstruct voting'

 Thai protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has promised that his supporters will not obstruct advance voting for next week's general election.

Vietnamese students shine at int’l invention exhibition

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese students won a gold, three silvers and a bronze at the International Youth Invention Exhibition (IYIE) 2014 that took place in Taiwan (China) from January 21-22.