'Inspirational' Paralympics to open in London

 The Paralympic torch was on Wednesday heading to London in an overnight relay through the countryside of southern England, to arrive in the British capital for the Games' traditional opening ceremony.

Kepler discovers first planetary system orbiting two suns

 A team of astronomers has found two planets orbiting around a pair of stars roughly 5,000 light years away from the Earth, declaring it the first multi-planet system centering a binary star.

ART & ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF 29/8

 Classical music performance for charity; Art Photograph Festival marks National Day in HCM City; HCM City photo contest announces winners; Duc Tuan to perform with Asia’s famous opera singer

Big guys get stuck in huge investment deals

A lot of conglomerates have been put into a dilemma. Though some investment deals have brought loss, they cannot withdraw capital from the projects.

US$2 million case at Cinema Agency suspended

 VietNamNet Bridge – Many artists have expressed their discontentment over the decision of suspending investigation over Mr. Le Ngoc Minh, former Vice Chief of the Vietnam Cinema Agency.

Executive managers run Kien’s FCs

At the request of the Vietnam Football Federation, two football clubs owned by arrested mogul Nguyen Duc Kien have assigned their executive managers as their temporary representatives while Kien is suspended from football-related activities.

Craft beers enjoy boom despite Italy's crisis

 With oyster, tobacco and watermelon flavoured brews, Italy's craft beers are flourishing despite a punishing recession that is putting thousands of other businesses out of work.

SOCIETY IN BRIEF 29/8

 New education plan signed between Vietnam and Cambodia; Fire burns down communal market; Diplomat's 100th birthday marked; Central region toddler dies from bee stings

Passenger opens emergency exist to easily get off airplane

An Airbus 321 of Vietnam Airlines had its sliding pontoon burst open when the plane just landed at Tan Son Nhat Airport in HCM City on August 25, when a passenger naturally opened an emergency door to “get off the plane easily.”

Lai Huong Thao in Poland for Miss Supranational

 The newly-crowned Miss Sport Vietnam, Lai Huong Thao, will represent Vietnam at Miss Supranational 2012 beauty pageant from Tuesday until September 15 at the TV Event & Convention Center in Warsaw, Poland.

Burning cars and gas stations for the dead

The 15th day of the lunar seventh month or Ram Thang Bay (Ghost Festival) will fall on Friday, August 31. To serve the festival, votive papers and paper-made items for the dead have flooded many streets in Hanoi.

Duc receives second coach-of-the-year title

 VietNamNet Bridge – SHB Da Nang's Le Huynh Duc has been voted Best Coach for the 2011-12 V-League season, according to the Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) on Monday.

Furor builds over pagoda restoration

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Tram Gian (One-hundred-compartment) Pagoda would be restored to its original state, a representative from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Cultural Heritage Department said yesterday.

Farmers say rice stocking plan ineffective

 While the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is drafting a plan on rice purchasing for temporary reserve to boost farmers’ profits, local farmers have cast doubt on the program.

Ministry proposes 11 cultural relics for national ranking

 The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has submitted to the National Cultural Heritage Council a request for national ranking of 11 cultural relics in 12 provinces and cities of Vietnam.

Former Vinashin officials appeal before court

 Eight former CEOs of Vinashin appeared in court in Hai Phong August 28, for an appeals hearing for their offences and intentional wrong doings against state regulations that caused serious economic and social consequences one year ago.

Vietnam Paralympians ready for London Games

 VietNamNet Bridge – 11 Vietnamese athletes will participate in three events of the London 2012 Paralympics, which will open on August 30.  

UK football legend to boost octane level among Viet Nam's top players

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Viet Nam football team has employed a physical strength coach in their preparation for the Southeast Asian Football Federation Cup later this year.

GOVERNMENT IN BRIEF 29/8

 Party leader welcomes Singaporean guest; Vietnam, Cambodia cement legislative ties; Vietnam, Cambodia enhance cooperation in border area

NASA releases first recorded human voice

 The first recorded human voice that travelled from Earth to Mars and then back to Earth was released Monday at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.

Romney secures U.S. Republican Party's presidential nomination

 Mitt Romney on Tuesday secured U.S. Republican Party's presidential nomination during a roll call vote at the party's national convention, and will challenge President Barack Obama in the coming presidential election.

G7 says ready to take action on oil supply

 Group of Seven (G7) finance ministers on Tuesday called on global oil producers to increase output, saying these developed countries stood ready to take action to ensure market supply.

Mathematician Vu Ha Van receives Fulkerson prize

 VietNamNet Bridge – Professor Vu Ha Van of Yale University, who is also a member of the Scientific Council of Viet Nam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics, has been awarded the prestigious Fulkerson Prize 2012

Old maps show limits of China

VietNamNet Bridge – A set of books including maps which indicate Hainan as China's southernmost island was made public by the Viet Nam Buddhist Shangha at the headquarters of the Giac Ngo (Enlightenment) newspaper in HCM City yesterday.

HCM City begins work on Metro Line One

VietNamNet Bridge – Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang and HCM City authorities broke ground for construction of the country's first metro line yesterday, Aug 28.