Call to end bedlam at traditional festivals

VietNamNet Bridge – Traditional festivals will be organised more carefully to improve safety and orderliness, participants at a recent workshop on the management of public celebrations heard.

Korean movie stars do charity in Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge – Coming to Vietnam to advertise their TV series entitled “My Princess,” Song Seung Hun and Kim Tae Hee will sell costumes and items that they used in the film to raise fund for needy children.

Getting adapted to climate changes: both the state and people take actions

State management agencies, local authorities and people all have geared up to get adapted to the climate changes. However, they need to take long term strategies instead of following temporary measures.

Fewer than 50 tigers still left in the wild

VietNamNet Bridge – The number of wild tigers in Viet Nam has shrunk from 100 a decade ago to fewer than 50, said Le Xuan Canh, director of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources.

Vietnamese urban children get “westernized”

Educators have expressed their worries about the so called “westernization tendency” of Vietnamese children in urban areas, which may lead them to forget about their original point.

"Bambi," "Forrest Gump" among films to be preserved in U.S. film registry

The 1942 Walt Disney's timeless classic "Bambi" and the 1994 hit "Forrest Gump" are among 25 films named to be preserved as cultural, artistic and historical treasures in the U.S. National Film Registry,

Overseas remittance to Vietnam hit US$9 bln

The overseas remittance to Vietnam is forecast to hit a record high of US$9 billion, up US$1 billion against last year, according to the World Bank.

Thanh Hoa uncovers its past

VietNamNet Bridge – Thanh Hoa tourism officials are hoping the ancient citadel built during the Ho dynasty (1400-07) that was recognised as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in June will attract more holidaymakers to the area.

Despite big difficulties, enterprises still considering expanding business

Up to 32 percent of enterprises said they are still considering the business scale in 2012, despite the big anticipated difficulties, when they have finished the process of restructuring and can see improving market signs.

German coach Goetz to not return to Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge – Coach Falko Goetz will not return to Vietnam on January 4, 2012, as scheduled. He will send his assistant to Vietnam to deal with the contract with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF).

Poor woman returns winning lottery tickets

VietNamNet Bridge – Pham Thi Lanh, a lottery seller in the southern province of Long An, gave back 10 lottery tickets which win top prizes worth VND6.6 billion ($330,000) to a man who bought the tickets on the nod.

Da Lat gears up for bloom boom

VietNamNet Bridge – The Central Highlands resort city of Da Lat, already famous as the City of Flowers, is now the City of Flower Festivals.

Apple applies for face, presence detection patent for mobile devices

The United States Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday published a patent application from Apple related to face and presence detection for iOS devices, which is expected to be one of the next chapters for mobile security.

Earthquakes in Quang Nam have no relation to volcanoes

Scientists of the Institute for Science and Technology of Vietnam have concluded that underground explosions in Bac Tra My district in Quang Nam province were caused by Song Tranh 2 reservoir induced seismicity, not the operation of volcanoes.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 31/12

Footwear sector shrugs off economic woes; Listing standards raise issues; Top 100 products, services honoured; More int’l brands shifting base to Vietnam from China; More int’l brands shifting base to Vietnam from China  

VN grows at 5.89 percent in 2011

Vietnam achieved a GDP growth rate of 5.89 percent in 2011, the General Statistics Office (GSO) announced in Hanoi on December 29.

EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR JAN. 1-15 (Update)

Conference on Vietnamese Poems; German Film Week; New Year Special Concert “Hayden Night”; Exhibition “Nothing New under the Sun”; Exhibition of Worshipping Mother Goddesses; Concert with Limousine

Gold continues to drop as dollar gains

Gold futures on the COMEX Division of the New York Mercantile Exchange slipped for the sixth consecutive session on Thursday, as the dollar's rally muted demand for precious metals as an alternative investment.

Hotels booked up for Tet

VietNamNet Bridge – Most hotels at tourist destinations around the country have reported full bookings for the Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays in January.

Chinese dairy products flooding into Vietnam, raising worries

China sourced dairy products have once again raised worries among consumers after the Chinese Quality Inspection Directorate discovered the content of aflatoxin M1in the products of Mengniu was higher by 140 percent than the allowed level.

Experts back local coaches for football teams

VietNamNet Bridge – Experts believe the time has come for local coaches to take over the national football teams, but admit it also requires them to be paid similar salaries and allowed to do their job without interference.

ART & ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF 30/12

Charming Vietnam kicks off; Local World Heritage Site announces new logo; Fireworks display in HCM City to welcome New Year; Eighth-century artifacts discovered in Binh Thuan; Hanoi’s ancient street gets new face  

Mexican painter to exhibit in Da Lat

VietNamNet Bridge – Oil paintings and sketches of the Central Highlands city of Da Lat by Mexican artist Daniel Rueffert will go on display during the annual flower festival that runs from today, Dec 30, to next Tuesday.

Where to celebrate New Year in Saigon

New Year welcome programs offered by hotels in HCM City.

Investment bank raises $75m from IPO

The Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BIDV), the country's second biggest in terms of total assets, has raised VND1.58 trillion (US$75 million) in its initial public offering (IPO) on Wednesday.