Da Nang launches tourism push

 VietNamNet Bridge – More than 80 travel agencies, hotels and transport companies have come together in an effort to boost tourism to the central coastal city of Da Nang.

Hoang Thanh Trang nearly reaches super grandmaster title

 VietNamNet Bridge – The European championship 2013 brought Hoang Thanh Trang with 26 Elo points, helping her to be closer to the peak of Elo 2500 in her professional chess career.

Gov't limits licences for rice export firms

 VietNamNet Bridge – Under amendments to a draft decree on rice-export companies (Decree 109), Viet Nam would allow no more than 150 rice-export firms to operate.

Colourful comics lure kids from bland books

VietNamNet Bridge – Summer time, when children have more time to relax, is when many parents think about how to raise their children's cultural life. Reading books is a common choice, but it is not easy to find the valuable books

Scientists research the “love story” of a wild bull and cows

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese scientists are implementing a scientific research work on the relations between a wild bull and cows to create hybrid calves.

New policies take effect in August

 VietNamNet Bridge – New regulations on re-registration of foreign-funded enterprises, special financial supervision, retail sales of tobacco, preferential customs treatment among others will take effect in August.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 9/8

 Vietnam ships over 4 million tonnes of rice; Foreign investors keen on new localities; Vietnamese honey gets export permission to EU; State bank raises price of US dollar

SBV allowed to hold stakes in weak banks

 VietNamNet Bridge – The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) will be able to acquire stakes in those banks kept under special control when Decision 48/2013/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister takes effect on September 20.

Young football talent selected for training in Qatar

VietNamNet Bridge – 13-year-old player Nguyen Hong Son from the Promotion Fund for Vietnamese Football Talents has been selected by Serbian coach Bora Milutinovic to train in Qatar’s Sports Aspire,

GOVERNMENT IN BRIEF 8/8

 Security links with Thailand ratified; Strong co-operation with S Africa priority; New Zealand wants more VN students; Viet Nam hopes for more WB help

Vietnamese, Russian ministers talk defence cooperation

 VietNamNet Bridge – Efficient defence cooperation will help with consolidating mutual trust and understanding and bolstering bilateral ties, the Vietnamese and Russian Defence Ministers have agreed.

Ports lying still, waiting for vessels

 VietNamNet Bridge – More and more ports have been built over the last few years, which has led to the oversupply. A lot of ports have been operating at a moderate level because of the excess of supply over the demand.

Researchers propose controversial studies on H7N9 virus

 Some of the world's leading flu researchers on Wednesday proposed to make potentially risky experiments with the H7N9 avian influenza virus, saying it "is necessary and should be done" to fully assess the virus' potential risk.

HCMC Law Newspaper’s reporter arrested, suspected of taking bribe

At 11am on August 7, the police allegedly caught in the act reporter Vo Thanh Tung, 31, with pen name Duy Dong of the HCM City Law Newspaper of taking money from a bar owner at the restaurant of a hotel in Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai province.

Kim Hong to judge Mrs. America 2013

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam’s First Mrs World Doan Thi Kim Hong on August 7 flew to the US to work as a jury member of the Mrs. America 2013 due to take place from August 18-28.

Four people die and go missing in storm Mangkhut

 VietNamNet Bridge - According to the National Committee for Search and Rescue, because of Mangkhut, the sixth storm this year, one died in Hai Phong and three others went missing in Ha Tinh .

Rail firm files for bankruptcy after Canada disaster

 The owners of a train that derailed in Canada last month leaving dozens dead has filed for bankruptcy, the company said.

Special team to investigate fatal accident

 VietNamNet Bridge – A special inspection team, led by the Deputy Minister for Transport Nguyen Van Cong, has been set up to discover the cause of an accident that saw nine people drown last Friday, on the Soai Rap River in HCM City.

Publishers want US to shelve Apple e-book restrictions

 Heavyweight publishers came out swinging against a bid by the US Department of Justice to rein in deals Apple can make with e-book providers.

Foreign zoos present endemic turtles to Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge – On August 16, the Cuc Phuong National Park will receive 71 Vietnamese pond turtles from the zoo of the Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands and the Munster Zoo in Germany.

First foreign tourist group explores Son Doong Cave

Tran Tien Dung, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Quang Binh Province, on August 6 welcomed a foreign tourist group after they successfully covered an exploration tour of the Son Doong Cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

Ministry skips questions over power price hike

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Industry and Trade on Monday refused to answer questions on the power price hike although local reporters insisted on making the related information transparent.

Four artists come together in group show

 VietNamNet Bridge – Around 50 artworks by Vu Dung, Tran Hong Suong, Vo Vu Thuy Linh and Vo Cao Dinh on Monday came on display at HCMC Fine Arts Association, bringing varied tastes for visitors with different themes, styles and materials.

Hai Phong: Watching the storm, one swept away

 VietNamNet Bridge – In the afternoon of August 7, while watching the 6th storm on the coast of Do Son, Hai Phong city, a 16-year-old boy was washed away by big waves.

Argentina declares 2 days of mourning for Rosario blast victims

 The government of Argentina Wednesday declared two days of national mourning for the 10 fatal victims of an explosion in an apartment building in the northern city of Rosario.