Bookstores provide friendly, free reading environment

Many bookstores in HCM City have become ideal places for students to read books without having to pay for books.

HCM City installs black box for 2,600 buses

VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly 2,600 of the Ho Chi Minh City’s total number of 2,900 buses have been equipped with black box that will record the vehicles’ operations on their journeys, said the city Department of Transport.

Ha Noi Run for Peace launched

VietNamNet Bridge – The 39th Run for Peace, organised by Ha Noi Moi (New Ha Noi) newspaper, was launched yesterday, June 17, in the capital city.

SOCIETY IN BRIEF 18/6

Delta provinces ready for floods; US$105 mln education project gets go-ahead; Dioxin ruled out as mystery disease cause; Central Highlands to develop eco-tourism

Southern girls flock to Lam Dong to get married with foreigners

VietNamNet Bridge – In a short period of time, tens of girls from southwestern and southeastern provinces applied to become residents of the central province of Lam Dong, to get married with foreigners, said a Lam Dong official.

Two cases of human infection by Spirometra erinacei

Previously, Vietnamese hospitals only detected patients whose eyes were infected with parasites by Spirometra erinacei worms. Recently, two patients were reported to have Spirometra erinacei in their lungs and abdominal wall.

Top goalkeeper returns to national squad

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam’s leading goalkeeper Duong Hong Son of Hanoi T&T FC will join the friendly game between Vietnam and Mozambique on June 23.

Japan sponsors essay contest

VietNamNet Bridge – The Japan-based Goi Peace Foundation and UNESCO have launched an international essay contest for young people.

Four Vietnamese photographers ‘meet’ at A glance on Paris

Hoang The Nhiem, Nguyen Phuong, Pham Le Quan and Le Quang Bien introduce a charming Paris through their lens, at a photo exhibition entitled ‘Mot thoang Paris’ (A glance on Paris) at Idecaf, 31 Thai Van Lung Street from June 14 to June 22.

Lobsters left unsold because Chinese stop importing

Lobster hatcheries, the industry that brings the annual revenue of trillions of dong a year--are experiencing days, since Chinese have suddenly stopped importing the luxury item.

Man kills his lover, her son by electricity

VietNamNet Bridge – In the early morning of June 16, after assaulting his lover and her son by electricity, a man poured petrol on them and himself and started a fire.

IMF ready to lend economic support to Greece

The Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Sunday that it was ready to continue lending support to Greece's economic growth and job creation efforts.

GOVERNMENT IN BRIEF 18/6

Viet Nam, Morocco sign investment agreement; Russian envoy receives culture, sports insignia; Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association reviews activities

Pop singer wins Dancing with the Star 2012

VietNamNet Bridge – Minh Hang, a pop singer from HCM City, became the ‘dancing queen’ at the finale of the Dancing with the Star 2012 in Hanoi last night, June 17.

Strengthening Vietnam-Laos comprehensive cooperation

VietNamNet Bridge – A meeting was held in Quang Binh Province on June 17 to mark the 35th anniversary of the signing of Vietnam-Lao Friendship and Cooperation Treaty (July 18) and the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties (September 5).

Farmers shun insurance project

VietNamNet Bridge – The agricultural insurance programme that has been piloted since last July has yet to become popular. The three-year programme, which seeks to help farmers overcome losses caused by natural disasters and epidemics,

Illegal gold trading floors existing, provoking watchdog agencies

Gold trading floors have been banned in Vietnam for the last two years. However, the trading floors have never been shut down as ordered by the State Bank.

Tomatoes present circle of life

Craig Thomas Gallery on Thursday opened ‘The Scar’, a solo exhibition by Hue-based artist Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai, featuring strange installation artworks made of tomatoes presenting many metaphors for viewers to work out their meaning.

Industrial parks lack needed infrastructure

Many industrial parks and export processing zones lack sufficient infrastructure due to a shortage of investment capital, making them less attractive to investors.

HCM City inspects waste treatment at health centres

VietNamNet Bridge – Authorities in HCM City this month are conducting an inspection of medical waste-treatment management at local health facilities.

Library displays works of pioneer modernist Klimt

An iconic painting, The Kiss, by Austrian Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) can be seen all over Ha Noi on canvasses, lacquer plates, boxes and coffee mugs, but not many people understand the author and his place in the world of fine arts.

U22 Vietnam stun Maldives 5-0 in friendly

Vietnam totally dominated the friendly match against underdog Maldives at Rajamagala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 17.

PM orders restructuring of State-owned shipping firm

VietNamNet Bridge – State-owned Vinalines would restructure its operations to focus on three core businesses: maritime transportation, seaports and services, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said.

Olympic squad sets record

VietNamNet Bridge – The Viet Nam sport team going to the Olympics has already set a record and it hasn't yet run a race or fought a duel.

Deposit interest rates soar, ‘cause banks fear they may lose customers

Despite the profuse liquidity and slow credit growth, banks still have raised the deposit interest rates for fear that they may lose customers to other banks.