Train derails, hundreds of passengers in chaos

On the evening of Tuesday, many passengers on the train SE15 from Hanoi to HCM City were sleeping when they were suddenly awakened up by a strong sound, vibration and the train stopped.

Vietnam exports hit the jackpots in first months of the year

Vietnamese exporters all have reportedly got overjoyed because they have obtained big orders, which gives one more reason to believe that the targeted 10 percent export turnover growth rate in 2013 is within reach.

Tourism booms in South, Central during Tet festival

VietNamNet Bridge – The number of domestic tourists travelling during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday last week increased by an estimated 10-20 percent over the same period last year,

Chinese goods flood Vietnamese traditional kermises

Kermis, the traditional cultural activity in northern provinces, has gradually lost its character, since Chinese goods, not locally made craft goods, have been flooding the markets.

Amid China row, US to help firms guard trade secrets

 Amid rising concern over alleged cyber crime originating from China, the White House will unveil a new plan Wednesday to help US firms thwart the theft of billions of dollars in trade secrets.

Dong Nai River gets sick, HCM City gets pale

The Dong Nai River has been playing a very important role in the development of the HCM City as the southern economic center. Therefore, when the river gets polluted, the economic center has suffered.

Armstrong refuses to cooperate with USADA

 Lance Armstrong said Wednesday that he will not cooperate with the US Anti-Doping Agency's investigation into dope cheats in cycling but would be willing to help other anti-doping inquiries.

Vietnam considers setting up standards for IT skills

Being concerned about the qualification of new IT school graduates, Vietnam now considers setting up new standards for IT skills in an effort to internationalize the quality of Vietnamese IT engineers.

Rivals set for Super Cup showdown

VietNamNet Bridge – V-League champions SHB Da Nang are the favourites to lift the National Super Cup when they meet last year’s National Cup winners Xuan Thanh Sai Gon Cement on Saturday.

Tourism agencies must boost co-ordination

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam welcomed 6.8 million international visitors in 2012, bringing in nearly US$7 billion and marking a year-on-year increase of 13.86 per cent.

State bans use of public vehicles to attend festivals

 VietNamNet Bridge – State employees and agencies are banned from using public vehicles to go to festivals and organising festival visits during working hours.

VFA’s delay in collecting rice makes farmers suffer

The government has decided that rice exporters would buy 2 million tons of husky rice from farmers. However, the effort by the government cannot ensure profits for farmers.

Public shaken by family burning murders

Because of petty conflicts in family life, many ruthless fathers used gasoline to burn their children. After a minute of anger in adults, children died unjustly or have to live with the pain of lifelong disability.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 21/2

 Seafood exports down in Q1; Wood processing plant built in Nghe An; Haiti media hails Viettel’s contributions; Japan’s Aeon expands operation in Vietnam; High expectations for FDI attraction

Soc Trang: Thousands of people hustle for ID card

After more than a week enjoying the lunar New Year, thousands of people in Soc Trang province went to the local police bureau to get identity cards before getting back to work in HCM City.

USAID helps detoxicate Da Nang

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) on February 19 announced that it has contracted with TerraTherm Inc. to carry out thermal remediation of dioxin at Da Nang airport in the central city of the same name.

“Ghost” fish – new fashion

VietNamNet Bridge – The exotic fish species which has the see-through body is now a favorite of Vietnamese ornamental fish breeders. They call the fish as “ghost fish.”

Google shares top $800

 Internet search king Google's shares pushed past $800 for the first time Tuesday despite a tough new challenge from Microsoft and looming European Union action over alleged privacy violations.

New owners complete takeover of Ha Noi FC

 VietNamNet Bridge – Ha Noi Football Club has been transferred to Quang Huy Plastics Company just several weeks before the national football leagues start next month.

Vietnamese Trung Nguyen challenges US Starbucks to a duel

Trung Nguyen, the most famous Vietnamese coffee brand, plans to buy the roasters in the US and open cafes in Seattle, New York and Boston in 2013. The strategy was announced right after the US Starbucks opened its first store in HCM City.

Congressman forced to apologise for blog polemic

 VietNamNet Bridge – Hoang Huu Phuoc, a National Assembly Deputy from HCM City, has had to apologise for using offensive language in criticising fellow deputy Duong Trung Quoc in a recent blog entry.

Kids pushed into the street to beg

VietNamNet Bridge - In the early days of the lunar year, visitors can see a lot of children standing in front of Buddhist temples to beg.

Law on Communist Party is a must

On February 19, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front held a conference to collect opinions on the draft amended Constitution. Many delegated focused analysis of Article 4 of the Constitution.

IT firms shy away from PPP mechanism

 VietNamNet Bridge – Local tech firms are unsure about investing in private public projects (PPP) due to the lack of concrete guidance for their implementation in the ICT sector.

300 trees in Hanoi “harmed”

VietNamNet Bridge - Trees are considered as the lungs of Hanoi, but in the past three years, more than 300 trees were compromised by different ways, such as cutting down branches, dissecting the skins or pouring acid into the tree roots.