Korean tourists beyond reach of local firms

 VietNamNet Bridge – More and more South Korean tourists are coming to the country but local tour operators have been struggling to serve them as most Koreans are inclined to buy services from their fellow countrymen’s establishments.

Vietnam wins three gold medals in Malaysia Open Athletics

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Thi Phuong and Quach Nguyen Thi Lan won two gold medals for Vietnam at the Malaysian Open Athletics Tournament, which closed in Kuala Lumpur on October 20.

Exhibition of Vietnam’s biggest expressionist artist opens

 VietNamNet Bridge – Exhibition "Optimistic Tragedy" is being held at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, introducing the works by Tran Trung Tin, who is considered the greatest expressionist painter in Vietnam.

In pictures: Shimmering beauty of Sung Sot cave

 VietNamNet Bridge - Located in the heart of the World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay, inside Bo Hon Island, the cave fits with its name: the more visitors move into the cave, the more they are shocked by the beauty inside.

In pictures: Popular model wins Vietnam Super Model 2013

 VietNamNet Bridge - Tran Ngoc Lan Khue won the highest prize of the Vietnam Supermodel Contest 2013, which finished in Ho Chi Minh City on October 20.

U.S. labor market recovery still not on firm footing

The U.S. economy added fewer jobs in September than market expectations despite a tickdown of the unemployment rate, and experts believed that the tepid employment report may delay the Federal Reserve's plan

Quang Liem drops 10 grades for ranking third at Spice Cup

 VietNamNet Bridge – With only 6 points gained at 2013 Spice Cup, Vietnam’s leading chessman Quang Liem lost 8.8 points in his Elo rating.

Primary school students rush to hunt for English certificates

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese parents urge their children – the primary school students – to learn hard to get English certificates, though they don’t know the real value of the certificates.

Northwestern people and land in the eyes of French photographer

 VietNamNet Bridge – Alone on his motorcycle, Rehahn traveled more than 2,000 km in 15 days around the Northwestern region to capture the beautiful moments of nature and people here.

Ha Noi raises a cold glass to Oktoberfest

 VietNamNet Bridge – Businessman Nguyen Van Thanh is excited to attend Oktoberfest - not in Munich, but in Ha Noi.

Trace deficit hits US$113 million

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam’s trade turnover was estimated at US$11.61 billion in the first half of October 2013, with its export revenue worth US$5.75 billion, the Vietnam Customs reported.

VFF accused of wasting state budget

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnamese Football Federation (VFF) has been accused of wastefulness and ineffectiveness both in operations and training activities.

NA discusses draft law on incentives

VietNamNet Bridge – Lawmakers at the sixth session of the 13th National Assembly (NA) yesterday agreed that some articles in the draft Emulation and Reward Law for Government workers should be standardised.

Vietnam repeats “hydropower mistake” with oil refineries?

 VietNamNet Bridge – Experts have warned that Vietnam may become the place for foreign investors to export backward petrochemical technologies.

HCM City to have a street named after General Vo Nguyen Giap

 VietNamNet Bridge – HCM City will consider naming two roads after General Vo Nguyen Giap and Chairman of the State Council Vo Chi Cong at its People’s Council meeting this year’s end.

Cross-border rice export to China harms official export

While the General Department of Customs reported sharp fall in the rice export turnover in January-September of 2013, the Vietnam Food Association said Vietnam has no more rice to export.

Vietnamobile keeps 3G rates low

 VietNamNet Bridge – Despite the country's three biggest mobile operators hiking their 3G (third generation network) usage price, the fourth largest firm Vietnamobile has said it will not follow the trend.

Vietnam's economy regaining growth momentum

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 5.5 percent in the third quarter of 2013. Compared with the second quarter, the growth is 0.5 percent higher.

Bottle feeding may increase risk of stomach obstruction in infants: study

 Infants who were bottle fed were more likely to be at risk of developing hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, a form of stomach obstruction, than those who were breastfed,

2.4 tonnes of elephant tusks seized at Haiphong Port

 Customs officials in the northern port city of Hai Phong have seized about 2.4 tonnes of elephant tusks smuggled from Malaysia.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 23/10

 VN retail boosted by foreign support; Hi-tech urban complex to bridge border; Auto giants choose to steer clear of national motor show; Mobile users resent huge 3G fee hike

Experts skeptical about transfers of ailing SOEs

VietNamNet Bridge – Local experts during a meeting on Wednesday said that the transfer of ailing State-owned enterprises to other sound SOEs will only see problems of the enterprises spreading widely instead of giving the firms proper therapy.

2013 V-League top scorer naturalized in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – Officials of the Hanoi T&T FC has confirmed that striker Samson has officially become a Vietnamese citizen from October 2013 under the name Ha Noi Son.

Thousands of people march on street with pregnant woman’s coffin

Highway 45, the section crossing Van Ha town, Thanh Hoa province was congested with traffic for several kilometers in the afternoon of October 20 because thousands of people marched on the road with the coffin of a pregnant woman.

Heavy rains and high tide causes unprecedented flooding in Binh Duong

 VietNamNet Bridge – My Phuoc town in Ben Cat district, the southern province of Binh Duong was suddenly flooded at midnight on October 19, which was unprecedented event here.