In pictures: Highest tide in Saigon in 61 years

The tide in the evening of October 21 at Phu An station on Saigon River reached 1.68 meters, exceeding last year's historic peak of 6 cm, making severe floods in HCM City. The tide is forecast to remain at 1.65 m this afternoon,.

Vietnamese weightlifter loses world medal for 260g overweight

 VietNamNet Bridge - Weightlifter Do Thi Thu Hoai, women’s 48kg category, recorded the weight that is similar to the world bronze medal but she did not win the prize because her weight is 260g more than her rival.

Teacher dead, two injured in US school shooting

 A teenager opened fire at a school in the US state of Nevada Monday, killing a teacher and critically wounding two students, police and reports said.

Vietnamese singers may get paid for digital music sales

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese singers may be paid half of revenues from digital music sales, according to their discussion with a host of a local online music site.  

Vietnam attempts to increase profits for farmers

 VietNamNet Bridge – Authorities in Vietnam are discussing solutions to rice production so as to increase the incomes of farmers who have continued to complain about modest profits.

Government proposes budget deficit rise

VietNamNet Bridge – The Government has proposed the National Assembly raise the 2013-14 budget deficits to 5.3% of GDP to meet development investment requirements and pay debts.

Vietnam urged to develop waste treatment plants

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam's growing industries produce increasing amounts of waste while only around 5 per cent of waste water is treated, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Ngo Van Sac burns wood into paintings

 VietNamNet Bridge - "In the Midst of Life" is a solo exhibition of wood burn paintings by Hanoi-based artist Ngo Van Sac, which will open at Craig Thomas Gallery, 27i Tran Nhat Duat Street in District 1, HCM City from October 25 to November 25.

3G service fee increase unexpected produces a stir

 VietNamNet Bridge – 3G service turns out to be a violent battlefield for telecom groups. The market has become choppy after the three biggest network operators announce the service fee hike.

HCM City police bust internet gambling ring

 The police have arrested seven offenders who operated a large-scale online gambling website in HCM City, with accounts worth hundreds of billions of VND.

First all foreign-owned securities firm approved

 VietNamNet Bridge – Maybank Kim Eng Viet Nam received approval from the State Securities Commission (SSC) this week to become the country's first completely foreign-owned securities company.

The unique Clay Temple in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – This Temple is called Dat Set (Clay) because it has hundreds of large and small statues made from clay. This pagoda also has eight candles weighing a total of 1.4 tons.

Portraits of two Deputy Prime Minister candidates

 VietNamNet Bridge - While Mr. Pham Binh Minh inherits diplomatic experience from his father, veteran Foreign Minister Nguyen Co Thach, Mr. Vu Duc Dam had a long time as an assistant to late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 22/10

 Vietnam encourages investment in deprived areas; Banking sector audit shows mixed results; Exports increase in three quarters; Thanh Hoa rolls out welcome mat for Nghi Son EZ

Foreign cash inflow lifts local markets

 VietNamNet Bridge – Shares finished up last week on both national stock exchanges thanks to net buying by foreign investors, with speculative stocks proving particularly attractive.

Professor receives French honourable doctorate

 VietNamNet Bridge – The internationally renowned French university Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan (ENS Cachan) presented Professor Nguyen Van Hieu with an honourable doctorate degree in a ceremony on October 18.

Rising floodwater inundates chaotic HCM City roadways

 VietNamNet Bridge – A flood-tide rising to 1.59m, exceeded the level three warning, flooded a number of roads in HCM City on Saturday afternoon.

Lions of pigmental mutation in HCM City

 VietNamNet Bridge – The pair of lions with brown fur at the Cu Chi Water Park in Ho Chi Minh City delivered five baby lions, including two with white fur, which is a very rare phenomenon.

First “Boîte” contemporary art project in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam has been chosen as the first country hosting the "Boîte" contemporary art project outside French territory.

Voters propose strict trials of 10 “great corruption cases”

Vietnamese people look forward to the National Assembly and the Government to promote inspection, investigation, prosecution and trial of big corruption cases, according to the report on voter opinions.

Vietnam gains two spots up on FIFA rankings

 VietNamNet Bridge - According to the latest rankings of FIFA, Vietnam’s national football team earned 15 points and 2 spots up on the rankings thanks to a surprise 2-1 victory over Qatar.

Japanese ships join rescue training in Da Nang

Three ships belonging to the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force Training Squadron, with 750 crew members docked at Da Nang's Tien Sa port on September 19 for a four-day visit and a joint training course with the Vietnamese navy.

People with potbelly may raise risk to memory loss

 People with extra abdominal fat are three times more likely than lean individuals to develop memory loss and dementia later in life, according to a new study published in the current edition of the journal Cell Reports.

Doctors operate on man with chopsticks in skull

 Doctors at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City operated on a 25-year-old man who was hospitalized with chopsticks penetrating through his skull.

3G fee hikes criticized, anti-competitive practices suspected

 VietNamNet Bridge – While users are venting their anger at the 3G fee hikes by MobiFone, Viettel and VinaPhone, the three major mobile carriers are suspected of having committed anti-competitive practices.