The companies top for payroll in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – In this list are the corporations in the fields of oil and gas, power and finance-banking.

One in nine adult New Yorkers diagnosed with diabetes

 Nearly one in nine adult New Yorkers have now been diagnosed with diabetes, an all-time high, according to data released Thursday by the city's Health Department.

PM wants pre-school problems solved

 VietNamNet Bridge – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked the Ministry of Education and Training to focus urgently on removing weaknesses in the country's pre-school education system.

Hotels have less tourists, more competitors

VietNamNet Bridge - The 3-5 star hotels in HCM City rush to lower the hotel room rates and run sale promotion programs amid the modest growth rate in the number of foreign tourists.

Bus subsidies fail to curb traffic chaos

 VietNamNet Bridge – Although the city has increased subsidies to bus companies, only 6-7 per cent of the total number of riders and passengers of private and public transport use the service,

300 local artists sing for charity

VietNamNet Bridge – Meritorious artists Thanh Loc and Bao Quoc, popular singers My Tam and Ho Quynh Huong, MC Diem Quynh and Thao Van and actor Luong Manh Hai are among 300 artists

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 4/8

 Vietnam, Hong Kong develop Gulf of Tonkin economic belt; Dung Quat refinery performs well in seven months; Coffee replanting slow over lack of detailed plan; Gold custody service available at 12 banks

Banks seek foreign partners

 VietNamNet Bridge – Many major commercial banks are making efforts to seek foreign strategic partners to sharpen their competitive edge, according to a report in Dau Tu (Investment) newspaper.

Scientists stay unhelpful to agriculture production

 VietNamNet Bridge – Numerous problems have been hindering scientists to conduct the research works on agriculture machinery to help develop the domestic agriculture production.

Environment related disputes second biggest to land disputes

More and more environment related disputes have been reported. Meanwhile, competent agencies only have been trying to settle the disputes to ensure the public security, while they cannot settle the environment problems to every root.

Difficult to deal with fake marriage

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Marriage and Family Law of Vietnam prohibits fraudulent marriage but fake marriages to go abroad at the price of $20,000 are popular without being fined because it is very difficult to prove a fake marriage.

Gifted student lands global photography prize

VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Hoang Hiep is still in his early 20s, but he does not dress the same as a typical student, with T-shirt and blue jeans. Nevertheless, we can reveal that this young man has recently won

Banks keep pessimistic about business performance in 2013

 VietNamNet Bridge – More than a half of commercial banks think the bad debt ratio would be unchanged or would be increasing by the end of 2013 in comparison with the end of 2012.

Big Brother reality show comes to Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge - VTV6 and BHD Company have announced plans to produce the Vietnam version of the world famous TV reality show Big Brother. The show will be directed by Nguyen Quang Dung with the name “Nguoi Giau Mat” (The Hidden).

Ministry to scrutinise English qualification of language teachers

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Education and Training will carry out an English teacher quality assessment at colleges and universities nationwide in September.

TRAVEL NEWS IN BRIEF

 New tours of nation's biggest cave to be organised on trial basis;  Mekong Delta tourist promotion event to be held in Can Tho; Hanoi’s move to support tourists; The Grand-Ho Tram Strip off to good start

‘Bamboo witch' creates spellbinding statues

VietNamNet Bridge – Everyone has a hobby; something that inspires us and triggers our imagination. But rarely do you find people as passionate as farmer Vo Thanh Vien, where for him, making products from tre bong has become a lifetime obsession.

Vietnam to compete in World Rhythmic Gymnastics Champs

 VietNamNet Bridge – Overseas Vietnamese athlete Truong Mai Nhat Linh will represent Vietnam at the 2013 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, to be held in Ukraine from August 28 to September 1.

Japanese stranger finds friends in high places

 VietNamNet Bridge – Takeda Masayuki was shocked. He could not imagine a house without a toilet, but a whole village without one?

Vietnam - Arsenal game organizer gets loss

After the tour of Arsenal FC, both Hoang Anh Gai Lai Group and Eximbank denied to announce financial details, but according information leaked from the recent conference of the organizing board, the loss is about VND14 billion ($700,000).

Hoi An’s people fight corruption

 VietNamNet Bridge – After retirement, Mrs. Le Thi Nguong, 64 in Tan An ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam province, spent a lot of time working in the supervisory board of public investment of her ward.

Adolescent pregnancy – Alarming reality among Vietnamese youth

 VietNamNet Bridge – Adolescent pregnancy is an increasing problem among girls in the world and Vietnam as well, which will lead to serious consequences affecting the rest of their lives.

Competition to design State formal wear announced

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on August 1 launched a contest to design State formal wear that will be worn at national and international events.

Global warming could increase human conflict worldwide: study

 Global warming will probably trigger more human conflict and violence worldwide, according to a study published Thursday in the U.S. journal Science.

Which banks will sell bad debts to VAMC?

 VietNamNet Bridge – The commercial banks which have the bad debt ratios higher than 3 percent of their outstanding loans will have to sell bad debts to the Vietnam Asset Management Company (VAMC).