Rustic soul in the ancient village of Duong Lam

 VietNamNet Bridge - Located 50 km from Hanoi, Duong Lam village still retains the basic characteristics of a Vietnamese village with banyan trees, wells, the communal house and laterite houses of hundreds of years old.

Qantas to cut 5,000 jobs after A$252m half-year loss

Struggling airline Qantas has announced plans to cut 5,000 jobs, after reporting a heavy financial loss. 

Troubled MtGox Bitcoin boss emerges after shut down

 The head of troubled Bitcoin exchange MtGox has made his first statement since the service went offline.

Scandals surround Vietnam Idol

 VietNamNet Bridge – After rumours about the lack of transparency in voting results of the 2nd Gala, Vietnam Idol 2013 was accused of using a song without asking permission from the artist.

Political News Headlines 27/2

Deputy PM asks for education support from the UK; Vietnam, France agree to bolster justice cooperation; Vietnam, Algeria step up judicial bond; Lao NA delegation visits Ho Chi Minh City 

Co-branded card gets more popular in credit card market

 VietNamNet Bridge – Issuing co-branded cards proves to be a new way for commercial banks to follow in the context of the credit card market in Vietnam getting saturated.

Man died from his snake, in a Can Tho’s motel

 VietNamNet Bridge – The police of Can Tho City have reported an odd incident: A man took several venomous snakes to a motel and he died by snakebite there.

Vietnam will have 10 storms and tropical depressions in 2014

 VietNamNet Bridge - This year, the number of tropical storms and depressions on the East Sea is predicted to be less than the average of many years ago, with about 9 to 10 storms.

In pictures: 100 policemen protect a log

 VietNamNet Bridge - After people detected a sua log worth hundreds of thousands of USD in the Trooc stream in Xuan Trach commune, Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province, the local government sent 100 police officers to protect and fish out the log.

Preservation of Hanoi’s old bridge in controversy

The historical and cultural values and preservation of the over-100-year-old Long Bien Bridge has once again become the center of controversy after the Ministry of Transportation introduced the three schemes related to the preservation of the Bridge.

Phu Quoc giving free 30-day visas

 VietNamNet Bridge – Foreigners visiting Phu Quoc will receive a free 30-day visa starting March 10.

National football squad announced

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) has approved the national football squad which will prepare for the last match against Hong Kong in the qualifying round of the Asian Cup 2015.

Vietnam dreams of the Vietnam Aerospace Center

 VietNamNet Bridge – Despite the anticipated big challenges, Vietnam still spends money on the program to develop its aerospace technology.

Higher education in VN: too many schools, too few lecturers

 VietNamNet Bridge – It is so difficult for universities to find the lecturers with higher education that this is compared with the job of “picking up the stars on the sky.”

Dairy producers run a race to develop material areas

 VietNamNet Bridge – It is not the technology, but the capability to control the material sources which will determine who can dominate the dairy market.

IT industry to see M&A more active in 2014

 VietNamNet Bridge – Information technology (IT) specialists said that mergers & acquisitions (M&A) activity will be more active this year as venture funds and enterprises are seeking investment opportunities in the sector.

New massive cave discovered in central Viet Nam national park

 VietNamNet Bridge – A group of locals in central Quang Binh Province believe they have discovered a new cave, adding to the province's already extensive network of caverns.

Vietnam recognised as the lowest country in Southeast Asia for infant death

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly 12,000 babies in Vietnam die each year during childbirth or within the first day, Save the Children said in a new report released yesterday.

Bac Ha trots out horse-drawn carriage

 VietNamNet Bridge – A horseman, deeply attached to the northern mountainous Lao Cai province's Bac Ha Plateau, has expressed his love for the area as he carries tourists in a horse-drawn carriage.

Overseas remittances free from income tax

 VietNamNet Bridge – Overseas remittances are now free from income tax, the State Bank of Viet Nam has confirmed on its website, following government directions to facilitate overseas Vietnamese sending money home.

Da Nang raises water price on water shortage caused by hydropower plants

 VietNamNet Bridge – Da Nang, which estimates the lack of one billion cubic meters of water due to the hydropower plants, has raised the water price and prepared for a lawsuit against the government agency.

“Dog eat dog” competition eats up pay-TV groups’ profits

 VietNamNet Bridge – Pay-TV groups have got harassed about the increasingly high percentage of “virtual” and left subscribers.

Ancient woodland losses 'not accounted for', say campaigners

 The scale of ancient woodland being lost to development in Britain is being made worse because of a lack of accurate data.

Hundreds of luxury cars "abandoned" at Saigon seaports to be handled

 VietNamNet Bridge - Hundreds of luxury cars imported as movable assets of overseas Vietnamese that are "abandoned" at seaports in HCM City to be re-exported.

Art & Entertainment News Headlines 27/2

 First ao dai festival to be held in town; Mekong Arts Club displays 50 works, Talent search contest begins in March; Japanese cherry blossom festival ready to bloom in Ha Noi; First standard library opens in HCMC