SPORTS IN BRIEF 22/8

 Junior Wrestling Champs attract 120 athletes; Vertical run entrants prepare for Ha Noi's tallest building; VFF to sign contract with coach Hung in September

SOE restructuring grabs the headlines

The Vice Chairman of the Government Office and deputy head of the National Steering Committee for Enterprise Renovation and Development sheds some light on the implementation of the government’s SOE restructuring project 2011-2015.

Billiards players accept berths in world three-cushion champs

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese players have been invited to take part in the Carom Billiards Three-Cushion World Championships in Portugal from September 5-9.

ART & ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF 22/8

 Newspaper celebrates 30th anniversary; Statue dedicated to famed French physician on Nha Trang Beach; Scientists voice concern over loss of Co Tu group's architecture; HCM City circus group to perform in northern region

SOCIETY IN BRIEF 22/8

 Localities warned against new bird flu outbreaks; Smuggled toys seized in shipment from China; Rare monkey released back into forest; Capital city seeks to upgrade floodworks

Vietnam says “no” to non-full time university training?

Non-full time university education modes have become more and more popular in the world, because they allow people to follow studies in flexible way. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, non-full time training has been filled with scorn.

Visiting Mau Temple and Vang Pagoda in Tam Dao

 Tam Dao Tourist Area, just 70 kilometers north west of Hanoi and about 25 kilometers from Vinh Yen City in Vinh Phuc Province, was originally built by the French as a hill station to escape from the oppressive humidity of Hanoi.

The abnormal moves by China at the Mong Cai border gate

The Chinese authorities have taken a lot of enigmatic moves recently, thus leading to the stagnation of the cross-border trade.

Miss Vietnam contestants compete in Miss Beach

 VietNamNet Bridge – The 40 finalists of the 2012 Miss Vietnam pageant on August 20 participated in the Miss Beach competition. The winner will be named in the final night, August 25.

Vietnam’s Next Top Model 2012 doubted of copying South Korea’s concept

 VietNamNet Bridge – The first episode of the Vietnam’s Next Top Model 2012 was aired on August 19 and it was immediately suspected to copy the South Korea’s Next Top Model’s idea.

Conjoined twins born in HCM City

 VietNamNet Bridge – A set of twins whose bodies are joined at chest and stomach were born at the Tu Du Obstetrics Hospital in HCM City on August 11.

Kien arrest heats up National Assembly meeting

The Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam confirmed that the arrest of Nguyen Duc Kien did not have any connection to the Asia Commercial Bank and other banks, but the central bank had prepared for ensuring the safety of the banking system.

Performing “circus” on Vietnam’s road

  VietNamNet Bridge – Anyone who wants to witness super-circus performances, let’s try Vietnam’s traffic to have an unforgettable experience.

Defiant Truong Sa exhibition in town

 HCMC Museum of Fine Arts in collaboration with HCMC Association of Fine Arts has opened an exhibition, displaying about 200 artworks made by 180 artists and sculptors.

Houston reports two more confirmed deaths of West Nile virus

 The health department of Houston, the largest city of the U.S. state of Texas, confirmed on Tuesday two more deaths of the West Nile virus, bringing the death toll in the Houston area to three.

US$40 mil. for engineering education modernization

 The Higher Engineering Education Alliance Program will be expanded in five more years with an additional investment of some US$40 million to accelerate progress in modernizing engineering education in Vietnam.

Vocational training, foreign worker management hot at Q&A session

Lawmakers queried Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Hai Chuyen at the online question and answer session of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee meeting on August 21.

Vinmec - an excellent choice

“Having treatment in Vinmec is the wisest decision that I have ever made,” said Peter Thompson after being saved from the jaws of death by Vinmec doctors.

GOVERNMENT IN BRIEF 22/8

 Chile values partnership with Vietnam; Japan Prince visits Hung Yen Province; Vietnamese-Thai defence officials meet for further cooperation; Hungary’s National Day marked in HCM City

Gold settles at highest in more than three months

 Gold futures on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose sharply Tuesday on hopes of more central bank intervention in Europe.

Miss Vietnam contestants practice for final night

  VietNamNet Bridge - The 40 finalists of the 2012 Miss Vietnam pageant are urgently preparing for the final night, August 25.

Egg imports to deal a blow on Vietnamese farmers

While the poultry eggs have been in a state of oversupply and the prices have been decreasing, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) still has decided to grant the quota to import 500,000 products.

Film week features Vietnam-Laos friendship

 A film week has been launched in the north-western province of Dien Bien to welcome the 2012 Vietnam-Laos Friendship Year.   

Vietnam, Singapore Air Forces strengthen cooperation

 Permanent Secretary of the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bilahari Kausikan began a two-day visit to Vietnam on August 21.

Greece's euro fate hangs over Merkel-Hollande meet

 German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande will try to present a united front when they meet Thursday ahead of a fateful few weeks for Greece's eurozone future.