Japanese FC is determined to have Cong Vinh

Japanese FC Consadole Sapporo has transferred $250,000 for Song Lam Nghe An FC in exchange for the signature of Vietnam’s top striker Cong Vinh. Vinh will be provided with a car, a bodyguards and an apartment to take his wife and child to Japan.

Tan Son Nhat int’l airport to be upgraded

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ho Chi Minh City-based Tan Son Nhat international airport will begin work on the expansion of its terminals in 2014 in order to receive 25 million passengers by 2017, according to an airport executive.

VN sees trade surplus for second consecutive year

 VietNamNet Bridge – The country is estimated to have a trade surplus for the second consecutive year in 2013, according to the General Statistics Office.

Young footballer signs loan deal to play in Laos

VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Minh Hai, 19, will play for Lao Champasak club next year, following a one-year loan agreement between Ha Noi T&T and the Lao League team. 

Why local schools choose a Chinese education software?

Why has a Chinese software product, not a Vietnamese or foreign one, been advised to be used at secondary schools? The answer is that there is no Vietnamese suitable product, while foreign ones are too expensive.

At least five believed killed at Russian An-12 aircraft crash

 An An-12 cargo plane crashed en route from Novosibirsk to Irkutsk in Russia's Southern Siberia, killing at least five crew members onboard, local emergency authorities said Thursday.

State’s stakes go for a good price

 VietNamNet Bridge – Investors have arranged big money ready to disburse for the big investment deals once the State sells its stakes in some enterprises.

Vendors fined for SIM blunders

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Inspectorate of the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) discovered mistakes in billing customers for prepaid SIMcards, fining selling locations nearly VND2 billion in 2013.

Rough seas isolate Ly Son Island

 VietNamNet Bridge – Strong winds and heavy seas had isolated Ly Son Island for the past 10 days, 30km off the coast of the central province of Quang Ngai.

Trang An – a worthy journey for everyone

 VietNamNet Bridge – Ninh Binh Province has been stamped with the footprints of sovereigns from the Dinh, Le, Pre-Le and Ly dynasties.

Ministry sets out quality standards for VN hospitals

VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Health has for the first time issued the set of criteria to assess hospitals towards improving the quality of services provided and increase patients' satisfaction.

The huge ship refuse tip in East Sea

 VietNamNet Bridge – A lot of vessels worth trillions of dong have become scrap iron and left useless in the East Sea, turning the sea into the trillion-of-dong refuse tip.

Mobiles join e-commerce boom

 VietNamNet Bridge – E-Commerce on mobile phones is forecast to see strong growth next year, allowing customers to easily make online purchases, according to Bizweb Viet Nam.

Social Headlines December 27

 Harsh sentences for human trafficking criminals; Woman dies in Ha Noi house fire; Former forest rangers, deforesters jailed; Illegal ads just won't go away, officials rue; Northern provinces brace for cold weather

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 27/12

 DLG, API, SDE, HPG announce shareholder transactions; VN economy sees positive prospects; Foreign bank fined for slow disclosure; Record 37 stocks delisted in 2013; SBV banks on steady dollar exchange ratio

Stainless steel traders ask Gov't to reject antidumping rule

VietNamNet Bridge – Eighteen enterprises using imported stainless steel in production have proposed the Prime Minister not to approve the Vietnam Competition Authority’s initial conclusion on cold-rolled stainless steel being dumped in Vietnam.

Floral extravaganza to warm Da Lat chill

VietNamNet Bridge – The chill in the Central Highland city of Da Lat will be warmed by flowers and festivities this New Year holiday, during the Da Lat Culture Tourism Week 2013.

Two hostages rescued in HCM City

 VietNamNet Bridge – A man was arrested in HCM City on Tuesday, Dec 24, after taking two people hostage and holding the police at bay for two hours.

Violent bike robber gets death

VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City People's Court yesterday sentenced Ho Duy Truc, 20, to death for the attempted theft of a luxury motorbike from a woman whose arm he slashed with a knife during an incident last year.

Twitter's Jack Dorsey to join Walt Disney's board

 Twitter founder, Jack Dorsey, has been nominated as an independent board director at Walt Disney.

Vietnamese dream of selling goods directly to US retail chains

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese manufacturers and suppliers have been trying every possible way to approach to the US biggest retail chain in an effort to boost exports to the market.

The best designs at Vietnam Fashion Week

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Fashion Week Spring Summer 2013 took place in Hanoi from December 22–25.

Da Lat city offers wifi service for tourists

 The Central Highlands city of Da Lat launched free wifi service on December 25 with the installation of 24 wireless base broadcasting stations in its downtown areas.

Power plants add to flood woes

 VietNamNet Bridge – Scientists are concerned about the negative impact of hydro-power plants on people's lives in areas hit by extreme weather, while rivers in the South become critically polluted by industrial waste.

Chess talent misses world junior tournament because of visa

 VietNamNet Bridge - The organizers refused to grant a visa of the UAE to Nguyen Anh Khoi’s father and coach, so the 11-year-old chessman could not compete at the U12 world competition.