Top models shine at Fashion & Passion show

Vietnam’s top model Tuyet Lan took centre stage of a show dubbed ‘Thoi trang & Dam me’ (Fashion & Passion), which was held in Hanoi on May 17.  

African initiation rites on display

A new exhibition at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi aims to teach Vietnamese people about African maturation rituals.

New luxury bus to service HCM City- Phnom Penh

A luxury bus service between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh has started in HCM City as a private-public co-operation effort to have more Vietnamese tourists visit Cambodia .

Film directors face lack of professional studios in Vietnam

Lack of large film studios and other technical filming facilities in Vietnam are a huge handicap for most film directors and producers attempting to make historical films.

River landslides may force relocation of several thousand households

River landslides, climate change and flash floods are increasingly threatening the lives of tens of thousands of households in Vietnam, who may be faced with no choice but to relocate to safer areas.

Vietnamese students win first prize in Intel ISEF 2012

Three Vietnamese students have been awarded first prize at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) 2012 in the field of biology.    

GOVERNMENT NEWS IN BRIEF 21/5

President visits Thai Nguyen, Military Zone No1; Health deputy minister faces warning for wrongdoings; Japan, Viet Nam to remain important strategic partners; Vietnamese people association opens office in South Korea

Gold now at the “T-junction”

The latest decision by the State Bank still cannot clearly show how gold would be in the future, after the deadline November 25.

SOCIETY NEWS IN BRIEF 21/5

Wanted notice issued for chief of Vietnam Maritime; Tenth grader wins first prize in UPU letter writing contest; Blue-ear pig disease hits eight localities; Vietnamese-Australian caught with 1.3 kg of drug

Partial solar eclipse in Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge – This morning, May 21, Vietnamese astronomic fans had a chance to see partial solar eclipse, an interesting astronomic phenomenon in the year.

‘Decoding’ strange voices in Hanoi 90 years ago

VietNamNet Bridge – These sounds are not only sweet melodies but they consist of fragrance, taste, amd color that excites all senses of listeners.

UNESCO recognizes one more biosphere reserve in Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge - The Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve in the southern province of Dong Nai was recognized as the 580th World Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on May 19.

Software pirates to walk plank

Checks are being ramped up on computer software ownership.

Third National Assembly session opens

The third session of the 13th National Assembly (NA) opened in Hanoi on May 21 to consider tackling socio-economic issues and exercising supreme supervision.

Forest is dying, sea is marching into mainland

VietNamNet Bridge – Coastal forest in the Mekong Delta is being narrowed while the sea is infiltrating deeply into the mainland.

Domestic airlines leave, foreign airlines flock to Vietnam

A lot of foreign airlines have opened new air routes to and from Vietnam.

A water snake stirs up a commune

VietNamNet Bridge – A water snake has been considered as a ‘preternatural snake’ by residents of Tung Loc commune in the central city of Ha Tinh.

Coach Mai Duc Chung unexpectedly leaves U22 team

VietNamNet Bridge – Being busy with a training course, coach Mai Duc Chung will not lead the Vietnamese U22 football team at the Asian qualifiers in Myanmar this June.

‘Supernatural’ girl causes another fire

The 11-year old girl from Ho Chi Minh City who paranormal investigators think has a strange ability to burn things around her continued to cause another mysterious fire – after a major incident last week that caught media attention.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 21/5

Largest plywood mill begins operations; Brokerages set for tighter debt ratios; Vietnam commits to public private partnership; VND3 trillion to help troubled firms in HCM City; Leading gas firm set to debut on bourse next week

5.9-magnitude quake hits northern Italy, death toll rises to 7

The death toll of a 5.9-magnitude earthquake that hit northern Italy in the early hours of Sunday morning has risen to seven, local media said.

Traditional crafts drive progress

Nguyen Quang Dung from the National Institute of Agricultural Planning and Projection spoke about the development of traditional craft villages

Dau pagoda's mummies - Invaluable treasures

VietNamNet Bridge – The bodies of Buddhist monks in Dau temple have existed for over three centuries, witnessing a lot of ups and downs. They are invaluable treasures and spiritual and cultural stamps of Vietnamese people.

Banking restructuring is nothing to be feared

Credit institutions that do not thoroughly restructure will miss a precious opportunity to improve their competitiveness.

Kofi Annan to visit Syria by end of May: official

The UN-Arab League joint special envoy Kofi Annan will visit Syria by the end of May to discuss the implementation of his six-point peace plan, Syrian foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi said on his Facebook page on Sunday.