Vietnam, EU begins new FTA round; Farm exports decrease; US fund to invest more in Masan subsidiary; Vietnam Mazda exports cars to Laos

VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (Vasep) plans to build a center in Europe charged with distributing and auctioning Vietnamese tra fish products for the EU market.

The Director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the chief of the Department of Planning and Investment received the lowest votes of confidence. The Chair of the People’s Council and the police chief had the highest rates.

This morning, June 4, the driver of Vice Chairman of Quang Nam Province-- Tran Minh Ca, came to Ca’s home to take him to a meeting. After waiting for the official for a long time, the driver opened Ca’s home and found that he had died.

Heavy rain and floods resulting from tropical storm Rumbia, the third of the year to affect Viet Nam, have claimed at least two lives and caused property damage to three northern provinces of Dien Bien, Ha Giang and Thai Nguyen.

VietNamNet Bridge – General director of the National Sports Administration Vuong Bich Thang has signed a memorandum on sports co-operation with Chung Jung Teak, chairman of South Korea Sports Promotion Foundation in Ha Noi.

 VietNamNet Bridge - The Ministry of Construction has not made public the standards to define who the low income earners are, so it is difficult for banks to grant house-purchasing loans to this subject.

 VietNamNet Bridge – From January to May 2013, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) found 21 corruption cases, related to nearly VND683 billion ($34 million), over 561 taels of gold and $50,000.

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam on July 3 returned the last remaining 11 kilogrammes of highly enriched uranium from the Dalat Nuclear Research Institute to Russia, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced in Hanoi the same day.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Swimmer Hoang Quy Phuoc brought home a gold medal in the men's 100m freestyle at the ongoing Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games in Incheon, the Republic of Korea, on July 3.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Results from a large sociological survey showed that many people thought that having the relationship with officials is an important factor when applying for a job in the public sector.

Young researcher Tran Quang Duc took over 3 years to study ancient costumes of Vietnam during the period from the tenth to the nineteenth century and completed the book “Ngan Nam Ao Mu” (A Study of Costumes in 1,000 Years).

 VietNamNet Bridge – For each cane priced VND13,000, the seller can process four cane-juice glasses, earning VND40,000 ($2). Selling hundreds of glasses of cane-juice a day, one can earn very high profit.

 President Barack Obama spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to address mounting European concerns about broad US surveillance programs.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A circular of the Ministry of Culture - Sports and Tourism on the preservation, renovation, restoration of monuments has taken effect from July 1.

The market is volatile and has potential risks, making investors to be increasingly cautious. Their top priority at present is probably not to “make money from money," but to preserve their capital - a negative signal for the economy.

Mr. Sung Dai Hung, Dong Van District Party Committee Secretary said that in the meetings with local voters in June, about a dozen of households in the ancient town of Dong Van proposed to return the national relic title to the state.

VietNamNet Bridge – Officials in provinces and cities across the country have begun casting votes of confidence in their local leaders as People's Council meetings began convening this week.

 Leaders send greetings on US Independence Day; UN praises VN's human development; Lao press hails completion of building of border markers

 VietNamNet Bridge – Ha Noi and HCM City are working to smooth traffic flows for candidates attending this year's university entrance exams which start today, July 4, around the country.

VietNamNet Bridge – The capital city's legislative body yesterday unanimously passed a resolution to impose accommodation requirements for people from other provinces wanting permanent residency in the metropolis.

VietNamNet Bridge – Mobile operator Viettel has officially asked the Ministry of Information and Communications for permission to raise its fees for 3G services as the current fee structure does not even cover production costs.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A two-month crackdown on speeding coaches has been launched nation-wide in an attempt to prevent deadly traffic accidents.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Hanoi People’s Council plans to issue a draft resolution on attracting educated and skilled workers to municipal agencies.  

 VietNamNet Bridge – HCM City has asked for Prime Minister's permission to use funds from a VND20 trillion (over US$952 million) package to build a new paediatric hospital and an oncology hospital.