Francophonie Film Festival hits cities

This year’s Francophonie Film Festival will be held in Hanoi, HCMC, Hue and Vinh from Thursday until April 17 presenting some fabulous French-language movies from all over the globe.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 14/3

Kien Giang pulls plug on projects; Investor punished for manipulation; Investors favour Treasury bonds; Packing company seeks to delist; Draft decree on derivatives; An Binh Bank sells treasury stocks

New credit limits ‘are likely'

VietNamNet Bridge – The State Bank of Viet Nam is likely to continue assigning different credit growth limits to local credit institutions this year, 

Limit on university enrolment quotas

Twenty-three universities and colleges will have their enrolment quotas cut by between 10 and 100 per cent because of failures to meet required conditions on lecturers and facilities,

Review of shortcomings needed to attract FDI

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam failed to fulfill its foreign direct investment (FDI) target for the third consecutive year in 2012.

Death toll of novel coronavirus rises to nine

 The Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia has informed the World Health Organization (WHO) of another death of confirmed novel coronavirus infection, bringing the death toll of the virus to nine, WHO said Tuesday.

Pilot project to test range of climate change strategies

 VietNamNet Bridge – A two-year pilot project has provided policy makers in the southern province of Long An with alternative ways to handle climate change and its related threats.

Nghe An, Phu Tho have new Party Secretaries

Mr. Ho Duc Phoc and Mr. Hoang Dan Mac have been elected as the Party Secretary of Nghe An and Phu Tho provinces on March 12.

Accident occurs for Vietnamese tennis player in Thailand

VietNamNet Bridge - The 18-year-old player Tran Van Hoa of Binh Duong province fell from the third to the second floor at a hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, during his training time.

SOCIETY IN BRIEF 13/3

HCM City compiles shortlist for IT-Telecom awards; A master plan to promote ASEAN’s image; Australian university works with HCM City school; Japan assists Vietnam to upgrade fire trucks

Proposal to select national flower approved

VietNamNet Bridge – The Prime Minister has approved the proposal of selecting Vietnam’s national flower submitted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

One death from unidentified disease in Quang Ngai Province

 VietNamNet Bridge – A young teenage boy from Reu Village in Son Ha District in the central province of Quang Ngai on March 11 succumbed to the bizarre disease that is plaguing the area.

OVs opine on constitutional amendments

Over the past two months, Vietnamese nationals abroad have joined the millions of people in their home country fulfilling their political responsibility by offering their heartfelt opinions on draft constitutional revisions.

Two US cluster bombs removed in Quang Tri

VietNamNet Bridge – Two Exploded Ordnance Disposal teams from Peace Trees Viet Nam have removed two cluster bombs in the central province of Quang Tri Province,

Delta farmers prepare for forest fires

 VietNamNet Bridge – Authorities in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta are taking measures to prevent forest fires during the dry season as the water level in canals and streams is dangerously low.

Thousand-year Champa citadel discovered in Quang Nam

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese scientists have discovered a citadel of the ancient Kingdom of Champa located deep underground in the central province of Quang Nam.

Who is the real owner of “Vinacafe”?

“Vinacafe” is the name the Vietnam National Coffee Corporation used in the transactions with the partners. Meanwhile, Vinacafé Bien Hoa Company affirms that Vinacafe is a brand of its products.

Debut novel by Vietnamese-French writer won literature prize

 VietNamNet Bridge – A romantic novel by Vietnamese-French writer Nguyen Hoai Huong won the top prize at the Foire du Livre de Bruxelles book fair in Belgium.

Nearly 400 people die and go missing every year because of natural disasters

In the past five years, there were 1,868 people dead and missing in natural disasters in Vietnam. Meanwhile, the management of boats and fishermen at sea is limited, said Nguyen Xuan Dieu - Deputy Chief of the General Department of Irrigation.

SPORTS IN BRIEF 13/3

National Billiards and Snooker Championship opens; Viet Nam convene for Asian Cup qualifying round; Vinh becomes top all-time scorer in V-League history; Ha Noi lead national rowing event

Extra pounds don't cancel benefits of quitting smoking

 Quitting smoking sharply reduces the risk of heart disease -- even if kicking the habit comes along with a few extra pounds, according to a long-term study.

Vietnam vows to restrain prices to curb inflation

VietNamNet Bridge – The price increases scheduled for public services and essential goods are believed to trigger new price increase waves.

GOVERNMENT IN BRIEF 13/3

Vietnam always backs German investors; Canada treasures Vietnam’s role, position; President hails contributions of Japanese MPs; Prime Minister attends 6th CLMV Summit

Vietnam moves ahead with the plan to build first science museum

Once operational, the Dong Nai Science Museum would be the first science museum in Vietnam to be built with the estimated expenses of $70 million.

Vietnamese children take lessons with foreign books

Only when a mother discovered the image of Chinese flag on her child’s book did the Vietnamese parents realize that their children have been mostly reading foreign books for a long time.