While the budget for science and technology development remains modest, it has been divided to too many different units and different sectors.

 Colombian government representatives and leftist FARC rebels arrived in Oslo on Wednesday ahead of peace talks aimed at ending the longest-running conflict in Latin America.

There are many tricks teachers can play to force students to their private tutoring classes, even though the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has prohibited teachers to give extra classes to primary school students.

Despite positive results handling inflation and deficit reduction, law makers expressed concern that Viet Nam's economy is facing signs of stagnation at yesterday's 12th session of the National Assembly's Standing Committee.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Travel firms last Friday informed their foreign partners of higher domestic airfares applicable from Monday, while they are seeking ways to cope with the price hike at a time when the local tourism industry is still struggling.

Sweets manufacturers have been insisting on quotas for sugar imports. Meanwhile, domestic sugar refineries weep because of sugar unsalability.

VietNamNet Bridge - Data shows that the period of "easy” expansion of agricultural land is coming to an end, if not the end. The future growth of agriculture will depend mainly on the increase of productivity.

Apparel sector races to hit targets; Dearth of cargo sees port investors coming up short; $8bn Nghi Son refinery plan still a headache; BOT plan to get Vung Ang rolling in style; More investors could seek special investment carrots

 VietNamNet Bridge – The 4th ASEM Labour and Employment Ministers’ Conference will take place in Hanoi from October 24-26. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will attend and address the event.

  Photographs of Japan after WWII to be displayed; Da Nang festival puts cherry on top of ties with Japan; Celebrated percussionists to perform cheo in capital

A newly-published report led by Oxfam has underlined the need to increase public and private investment in Viet Nam's small-scale agriculture industry, which accounts for nearly 80 per cent of all farm households in the country.

 Early signs of lung cancer could be diagnosed using a simple blood test, according a new discovery published by British scientists on Tuesday.

VietNamNet Bridge – The tips and lessons given by his mother were cherished as priceless gifts by Ly Hoang Nam, 15, the new tennis champion of Vietnam.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The sixth plenum of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) issued an announcement at the end of the session on October 15.

 VietNamNet Bridge – As many as 100 mobile operators, service providers and handset suppliers will have a chance to market their products to potential customers at an event in Ha Noi tomorrow, Oct 18.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A cold spell has taken hold in Viet Nam's northern region, causing heavy rain and flooding in many areas, the Central Hydrometeorological Forecasting Centre announced today.

  Campaign to help the poor launched in Central Highlands; Officials hold online discussion on food safety; Meeting reviews safety measures in Ha Long Bay

As many as 70 painters and sculptors from Vietnam and 15 countries and territories worldwide will gather to showcase their art at a creative camp set to kick off on October 18 in Hoa Binh, about 70km south-west of Hanoi.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Professor Ngo Bao Chau, the Fields Medal winner, has been honoured at an ongoing symposium held by the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences in Toronto, Canada.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The People's Committee of Bac Tra My district, Quang Nam province, has reported that quakes occurred in the communes located around the Song Tranh 2 hydropower plant in the morning yesterday, October 16.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Supermodel Truong Nam Thanh has received an invitation from Mister World 2012 to represent Vietnam in this year’s beauty pageant, said Thuy Nga, director of Elite Vietnam company.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly 100 circus artists will perform original gravity-defying acrobatic feats at the National Circus Gala 2012 which will take place at the 23/9 Park in Ho Chi Minh City from October 19-21.

An alarming 50 percent of the world's wetlands have been destroyed in the last 100 years, threatening human welfare at a time of increasing water scarcity, a new report said. 

Tran Thang, President of the Institute for Vietnamese Culture & Education (IVCE) in the US has 80 ancient Chinese maps confirming Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelagos.

 The first ever Project Happy Feet Slipper Race, which will aim to raise funds for the education and training of underprivileged children, in HCMC has been rescheduled from October 21 until early next year due to red tape.