Russia completes first-phase Gepard 3.9 frigate contract

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Voice of Russia reported Russia’s Zelenodolsk Shipyard has completed the first phase of building a Gepard 3.9 class frigate for the Vietnam People’s Navy.

Vietnam football climbs 14 FIFA rankings

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnamese national football squad’s 167.13 points has pushed it 14 positions higher in the latest FIFA rankings, placed third in Southeast Asia.

Interpol-wanted Belgian arrested in Vietnam

 A Belgian national, who has been intentionally wanted by the Interpol since 2006 for sexual abuse, has been arrested in the central province of Khanh Hoa.

Vietnam exceeds SEA Games 27 target

 VietNamNet Bridge – As the 27th SEA Games in Myanmar has two days to go, Vietnamese athletes have surpassed their 70-gold medal target, bagging a total of 72 golds as of 04.30pm pm on December 21.

Businesses go bankrupt, who pays environment fee arrears?

 VietNamNet Bridge – The question remains unanswered, because this has not been mentioned in any legal documents.

The new stock millionaires in 2013

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam has got 30 more stock millionaires, who are the shareholders of the companies which begin listing their shares on the bourse in 2013, and the members of the rich families.

MOF vindicates Intel in suspected tax evasion

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Finance (MOF) has denied the rumor that Intel, a big US invested enterprise in Vietnam dodged the laws to evade the tax it should have paid for the $100 million capital transfer deal.

More child abuse cases discovered, no solution found

More and more child abuse cases have been brought out into the open recently. Watchdog agencies, educators, parents and psychologists have been analyzing the cases and discussing the solutions for years, but no improvement has been made.

Vietnam Internet connections suffer from AAG accident

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Asia-America Gateway cable linear reportedly broke on December 20, affecting 40 percent of Vietnam’s international traffic. Involved parties have said the problem would be fixed only after one month.

$285mil project to improve Vietnamese’s average height poses big concerns

 VietNamNet Bridge - Economists and journalists are skeptical about the numbers on Vietnam’s social and economic indicators. Few people pay attention to a number that is also very important – the average height of Vietnamese people.

Travel firms in dire need of Russian-speaking tour guides

 The scarcity of Russian- and Korean-speaking tour guides is getting more severe in the near future as the number of visitors from these two markets is rising sharply, with Anh Duong Tourist Company alone saying it needs . . .

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 23/12

 Transport contractors courted; Marlboro case could be stubbed out; SCIC to retain key stakes in some prominent firms; IMF: Deferred economic reform erodes confidence; Vietnam’s auto industry opportunities may slip away: Toyota

Vietnamese brides struggle in Korea

 VietNamNet Bridge – She has experienced very difficult times, but 28-year-old Truong Thi Kim Loan considers herself lucky.

Vespa lovers unfazed by accelerating prices

 VietNamNet Bridge – For vintage scooter enthusiasts in HCM City, the Piaggio-made ride has become a valued collectors item. Many devote themselves to restoring the vehicles, which can cost millions of dong.

The unsolved mystery at the Bat Pagoda

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Mekong Delta has about 600 temples of the Khmer ethnicity; the Bat Pagoda in Soc Trang emerges as the most beautiful and exclusive architectural ensemble.

A special class on Truong Sa Archipelago

 There is only one teacher cum principal of the school having only one classroom for pupils from Grade 1 to Grade 4. But laughter and reading of the lessons by the pupils are heard everyday, making the class special on far-off Truong Sa Lon Island.

Koreans and Japanese to rescue VN shipbuilding industry?

 VietNamNet Bridge – Opinions from a well-informed circle say South Korean and Japanese “big guys” would jump into the Vietnamese shipbuilding industry. Does it mean the shipbuilding industry will be saved?

Talk to Nguyen Phong Viet, a "phenomenonal" poet

VietNamNet Bridge – Young, amateur poet Nguyen Phong Viet has released his second collection of poems Tu Yeu Den Thuong on Sunday, with sales expecting to reach over 30,000 copies by Christmas – similar to the volume of his previous collection.

Medical clowns bring joy to young patients

 VietNamNet Bridge – Three-year-old Nguyen Thien Bao was being treated at the National Hospital of Pediatrics before being moved to an orphanage at Bo De pagoda in Ha Noi City's Gia Lam District.

Software firms to boost recruitment

 VietNamNet Bridge – Software outsourcing companies will have strong demand for manpower in 2014 as outsourcing orders are expected to pile up, industry players said.

The noisiest commercial affairs in 2013

 VietNamNet Bridge – The commercial affairs worth hundreds of millions or billions of dollars were contracted in 2013.

Vietnam whale temples: Sites of worship and research

 VietNamNet Bridge – The famous red sand hills of Mui Ne color the horizon. Blue and red fishing boats crowd the bay below.

Music lounges close as listeners tune out

VietNamNet Bridge – After years of struggling, many music lounges in Ha Noi have had to close due to the lack of clientele.

Human-resources paradox

Many central provinces complained that they could not recruit well-trained people to government agencies but many college graduates, even those who were trained abroad, bemoaned that they could not find a job at state agencies in their hometowns.

Hashing tours in Nha Trang

 VietNamNet Bridge - To participate in these unique tours, the simple criteria are you must love traveling, love nature and love ... jogging.