My Son home-stay gives visitors taste of rural living

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Duc Nha, 53, has introduced tourists to farming and rural lifestyles in My Son – a very new service being offered near the My Son Sanctuary, a World Heritage Site.

Super storms, heavy flooding attack Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – Last year, 14 storms and five tropical depressions affected Vietnam, reaching the highest number of storms and tropical depressions on the East Sea in history.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 20/1

 Ministry maintains fuel prices; BIDV lends Vinatex $600m; Leather and footwear firms set to increase exports; Debt collection efforts needed; Foreign investors dominate retail; Imported flower prices inch up at Tet

Economic restructuring promoted

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Government has committed to undertaking economic restructuring in 2014, focusing on investment, credit organizations, the financial market, SOEs, agriculture and rural areas, industry and service.

Odd houses on Vietnam’s most expensive road

 VietNamNet Bridge - Hoang Cau - O Cho Dua Road in Hanoi has been open to traffic. However, along the most expensive road in Vietnam are many houses in odd shapes.

Ha Noi artist tries to preserve Old Quarter

 VietNamNet Bridge – As the capital's old structures are replaced by modern buildings, one artist has resorted to an unusual means of preservation: wrapping clay models of the ancient houses in layers of amber.

Vietnam budget airlines dream of international flights

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese budget airlines have been making every effort to mobilize more capital and expand their fleets in their plans to provide international flights.

VWS likely to pilot import of recyclable scrap

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam Waste Solutions Inc. can be able to import recyclable scrap on a pilot basis after Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Minh Quang signaled the green light while he was touring the firm’s facility

Bonus cuts threaten to spoil Tet celebrations

 VietNamNet Bridge – Tet, or the Lunar New Year, is a significant event that most Vietnamese people look forward to, not just because of the long holiday break, but also because of the customary Tet bonus.

Cuc Phuong offers a break from city buzz

VietNamNet Bridge – Cuc Phuong National Park, the first national park in the country, is a relaxing place for tourists to enjoy a few days exploring tropical rainforest and a wonderful place to escape to and provides the perfect backdrop

Vietnam to revise laws to cope with runaway foreign investors

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam will revamp the Investment and Enterprise laws to make them more liberal for honest investors but tougher for those either failing to fulfill their investment commitments on schedule

Bach Tuyet, a precious gem of Cai luong

 People’s Artist Bach Tuyet is well-known for her sweet singing voice in the Cai luong (reformed opera) circle in Southern Vietnam and has been called Cai Luong Chi Bao (a precious gem of Cai luong ).

Disasters have been exposed

In recent years, the gradually-reducing rainfall has caused a water shortage in Mekong Delta. The dry season is longer, enhancing alkalinity in soil and causing difficulty in aquaculture or farming. Disasters from climate change have been revealed.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 19/1

 Danang inks Thai agreement; FTA promotes Vietnam-Chile agricultural trade; Toshiba eyes Vietnam’s smart grid investment; Da Nang attracts US$295 million in FDI; VNDirect joins hands with Singapore firm

Female footballers receive special support

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) plans to increase its investment in the national women’s football squad to improve their performance at the 2014 Asia finals.

Vietnam to host 2014 Int'l Chemistry Olympiad

 VietNamNet Bridge – The 46th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) 2014 will take place in Hanoi from July 20-29 with the participation of student delegations from 80 nations and territories.

Ministry offers guidance to marriage to foreigners

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Justice has recently issued a circular, guiding the implementation of the Government decree on marriage and family relationship related to foreigners, which is regulated in the Marriage and Family Law.

Foreigners praise new bank cap rules

 VietNamNet Bridge – Industry experts welcomed the government’s Decree 01/2014/ND-CP which relaxes the bank ownership cap rules for foreign investors.

Antique gallery in City Star Hotel

Displaying more than 200 antiques of 21 Vietnamese collectors, the wine cellar of City Star Hotel on Bui Thi Xuan Street, District 1, HCM City has become a miniature museum, attracting not only the antique circle but also antique lovers.

Bikes carrying spring on Hanoi streets

 VietNamNet Bridge - More than 10 days before the Lunar New Year, peach flowers are sold on Hanoi streets.

Children’s drum team in Tho Ha Village

 Located in Van Ha Commune, Bac Giang Province, Tho Ha Village is well known for its festival with many distinctive cultural features. One of the most anticipated events during the festival is the performance of the children’s drum team.

Tien Minh rises to 7th in the world

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam’s best badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh has advanced three places to 7th in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings.

Foreign investment funds earn big money in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – Most foreign investment funds had the NAV growth rate at over 20 percent in 2013.

Wind power makes things difficult for swallows

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam keeps a big worry about the impacts of the wind power on the environment, especially when the areas most potential for wind power development are the habitat of the precious salanganes.

British teacher finds direction on stage in Viet Nam

 VietNamNet Bridge – I am a wife, a mother, a teacher, an actress and a producer."