Broadcast-rights battle drags on

VietNamNet Bridge – The controversy continues over rights to air the national football championship, V-League, on television after the inspection department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism rejected an appeal

Vietnam protests China’s activities in Hoang Sa area

Vietnam requests China to respect its territorial sovereignty and stop all activities that violate Vietnam’s sovereignty of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Luong Thanh Nghi on March 15.

Vietnam to fight forest fires manually over next ten years

VietNamNet Bridge – By 2020, Vietnam will have to still fight forest fires manually, said a senior official of the General Department of Forestry.

Seven new grottoes discovered in Phong Nha-Ke Bang

VietNamNet Bridge – British explorers have discovered seven new caves in the Phong Nha – Ke Bang national park in the central province of Quang Binh.

Real Madrid book place in last 8 of Champions League

Real Madrid had few problems in qualifying for the last eight of the Champions League as they defeated CSKA Moscow 4-1 in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday night.

Outbreaks of disease linked to imported foods increase in U.S.: study

Foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States caused by imported food appeared to rise in 2009 and 2010, according to a research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) presented Wednesday

Peaceful Hue in black-and-white pics

Below are black-and-white photos of Hue city, which are showcased at a photo exhibition opened on March 11 at the Thua Thien – Hue Province Literature and Art Association, 26B Le Loi, Hue city. The event will last until March 28.

Foreign bankers only want to team up with powerful domestic partners

While domestic banks want to buy back weak banks, which are now in big supply, thanks to the ongoing bank restructuring process, foreign banks tend to buy the stakes of powerful domestic banks.

Vietnam gets out of Olympic wild-card group

VietNamNet Bridge – The organizing board of the Olympic 2012 has left Vietnam out of the list of countries which receive wild cards because the country has had many athletes who win tickets in the qualifier round.

New iPad to go on sale Friday: Apple

Apple on Wednesday made an official announcement that the third-generation iPad will arrive at Apple's retail stores and its online store on Friday in the United States and nine additional countries and regions.

Afghan Taliban suspends talks with U.S.

The Afghan Taliban has suspended preliminary peace talks with the United States, according to a statement of the outfit released on Thursday.

SOEs need overhaul

VietNamNet Bridge – State-owned enterprises (SOEs), specifically corporations and economic groups, are like old coaches, which run slowly but consume a lot of gas. These coaches need to be overhauled.

Dietary cadmium may be linked with breast cancer risk: study

Dietary cadmium, a toxic metal widely dispersed in the environment and found in many farm fertilizers, may lead to an increased risk of breast cancer, according to a study published on Wednesday in Cancer Research,

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 16/3

Gov’t to buy real-estate projects to unclog capital flow; France remains a good market for apparel exporters; FDI projects help develop VN tourism; AusAID, World Bank confirm support; PM pushes World Bank-funded project

Minister advances plan for economic corridor

Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang has approved a plan for the industrial development of the Lang Son-Ha Noi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh economic corridor in the north.

Over 79,000 companies dissolved in 2011

VietNamNet Bridge – According to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), 79,014 companies were dissolved last year; 7,611 of them were established in the same year.

Pure beauty of Vietnamese stars in ao dai

VietNamNet Bridge – Ao Dai Huong Sac Viet (Vietnam’s spirited ao dai) photo exhibition, initiated by fashion stylist Vo Thuong, is on display at the five-star Rex Hotel Saigon in District 1.

ART & ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF 15/3

Local circus artists awarded in Russia; Celebrated thespian dies at 69; S.Korean stars arrive in Hanoi for concert; Binh Thuan hosts balloon festival next month; Thai bands to rock the night away; Martial arts classes for the mind and body  

PM urges inspection of troubled Can Tho fisheries giant

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung requested that a report on the case must be submitted to him prior to March 25.

VFF to consider hiring foreign referees for V-League

Vietnam Football Federation Chairman Nguyen Trong Hy will meet with the referee department today to discuss whether or not foreign referees should be hired to work in the V-League.

International photo exhibition opens in HCM City

The sixth international artistic photo exhibition opened in HCM City on March 13. The event has drawn the attention of many foreign visitors.

Vietnam jumps into the world’s fragrance rice market

IR 50404, a normal rice variety, is grown in 70 percent of the area of the winter-spring crop. However, exporters only hunt for fragrant rice, because the fragrance rice price is double the normal price.

Vietnamese chess player ranks 12th in Europe

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese-origin chess player Hoang Thanh Trang has competed at the European Women’s Chess Championships 2012 in Turkey and finished at 12th.

G20 economic growth slows to 0.7 pct in 4Q: IMF

The combined gross domestic product (GDP) of the G20 economies edged up 0.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared with the previous quarter, slower than the 0.9 percent registered in the third quarter last year,

HCM City looks to raise funds for clearance, resettlement

VietNamNet Bridge – The Finance Department of HCM City has submitted a plan to create a land development fund that would provide money for land clearance and resettlement costs.