Central region stops over 10 hydropower projects

 VietNamNet Bridge – Just within two months, the Gia Lai province has released the decisions to revoke the licenses granted before to 13 hydropower plant projects because the projects are believed to have negative impacts on the environment.

Visiting national relic Thay Thim Temple

VietNamNet Bridge – Located in the Bau Cai Forest in Binh Thuan Province about 130 kilometers from HCMC, Thay Thim Temple was built in 1879 for worshiping a rich, kind hermit and his wife who are both respectfully called Thay and Thim.

Australia grants AUD159.1 million in aid to Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Australian Embassy in Hanoi has announced its 2013–14 Direct Aid Program (DAP), worth an estimated AUD159.1 million to targeted northern and central provinces.

HCM City police seize 17kg of drug used make heroin

VietNamNet Bridge – Police in Ho Chi Minh City on July 27 handed three batches of goods containing a total of 17 kilos of Pseudoephedrine, a precursor substance to produce heroin, to the Division of Drug and Crime Control for further investigation.

American scholar highly "scores" President Sang's visit to the US

 VietNamNet would like to introduce an article by Mr. Murray Hiebert, Deputy Director of the Southeast Asia Program at the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies about President Truong Tan Sang’s recent visit to the US.

Breastfeeding longer associated with higher intelligence: study

 Children who are breastfed longer are more likely to have a better understanding of language and a higher intelligence (IQ) later in life, a U.S. study said Monday.

Vietnam pays $2.81 billion of foreign loans and aid

According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, by July 15, 2013, Vietnam paid foreign debts and aid worth VND56.2 trillion ($2.81 billion), equivalent to 53.5 percent of the yearly estimate.

Movie takes new look at opera

 VietNamNet Bridge – A blend of cinema techniques and cai luong (reformed opera) initiated by the director of Ha Noi Cai Luong Theatre has become a new attraction.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 31/7

 Da Nang to open Vietnam’s first cable car line; Viedam opens mold R&D center at SHTP; Local firms keen to make strong investments in Laos; Vietnamese consumers less optimistic: Nielsen

Quy Nhon City hosts Int’l Physics Science Conference

 VietNamNet Bridge – The 9th International Physics Science Conference themed ‘Meet Vietnam’ opened on July 28 in Quy Nhon City in the central province of Binh Dinh.

Preparations made for amnesty to mark National Day

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Central Council for Amnesty Consultation, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, met in Hanoi on July 29 to discuss the 2013 amnesty plan.

Vietnamese folk paintings exhibited in France

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, in coordination with the Vietnamese Culture Centre in France, held an exhibition in Paris on July 27 to showcase Vietnamese folk paintings.

Rare sea turtles hatch in central Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – Fifty-nine more endangered sea turtles hatched on Quy Nhon beach in the central province of Binh Dinh on July 26 under close supervision of a group of local volunteers.

Dang Ngoc Tung re-elected as VGCL President

 VietNamNet Bridge – Dang Ngoc Tung, member of the Party Central Committee and President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL) for the 10th tenure has been re-elected as confederation President for the next term.

Australia returns belongings of fallen Vietnamese soldiers

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly 200 items belonging to Vietnamese soldiers during the American War have been returned home as part of the Operation Wandering Souls project by New South Wales University in Sydney.

Good news cannot push stock prices up

 VietNamNet Bridge – Despite the rapid-fired good news about the macro economy, stocks remain dirt cheap. The VN Index could not stay firmly at the 500 point threshold, while HNX Index could not emerge to the 62 point level.

Over 100 children rescued in FBI sex trafficking raids

 The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced on Monday 105 children involved in sex trafficking and exploitation have been recovered in 76 cities across the United States over the weekend.

Appeal trial held for Tien Lang farmers

 The Appeal Court of the Supreme People’s Court on July 29 began the appeal trial of six defendants charged with “murder and resisting on-duty officials” in relation with a case of coercive land reclamation in the northern port city of Haiphong.

Masterplan to preserve two ancient citadels

 VietNamNet Bridge – A detailed plan for preserving and developing the Thang Long Citadel complex in downtown Ha Noi and the Co Loa Citadel complex on the outskirts of the capital were discussed at a meeting here last Thursday.

TV music show back stronger than ever

 VietNamNet Bridge – New and improved version of television music show Bai Hat Viet (Vietnamese Songs) will be aired on Viet Nam Television (VTV)'s Channel 6 next month.

Final virtual mobile network faces the axe

VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Information and Communications is going to revoke the virtual mobile network license of Vietnam Multimedia Corp. as the firm failed to launch service within the scheduled time limit,

Drilling underground electric wires, worker burned like a torch

Working on the sidewalk of Tran Quoc Hoan Street, Hanoi, two workers accidentally drilled into the underground electric wires. After explosions, both were shot out beyond 1m and fell onto the road.

Train driver seriously injured after a car crash

 VietNamNet Bridge - Despite the barrier, a truck still hit a passenger train. The train driver was critically injured. Many trains had to stop to wait for railway clearance.

Health Minister asks police to investigate post-vaccination death of three infants

Reasoning that the Ministry of Health cannot determine the reason causing the death of three infants in Quang Tri province last week, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien has asked for the Ministry of Public Security’s assistance.

Museum of Ethnology ranks high

 VietNamNet Bridge – The TripAdvisor.com tourism website has ranked the Viet Nam Museum of Ethnology as excellent. This is the second time the museum received this rating from the website.