Tourism growth in Vietnam depends on better infrastructure

Growth of tourism in the country depends on adequate and appropriate infrastructure, which serves the needs of tourists and encourages further investment by enterprises in the competitive tourism industry.

Battles in Gaddafi strongholds likely to end within week: Libyan NTC head

The head of the ruling Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) Mustafa Abdel-Jalil said Sunday that it is possible to end the battles next week in Bani Walid and Sirte, the only remaining strongholds of fallen leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Longer maternity leave policy makes businesses worried stiff

Enterprises complain that if the new maternity leave policy is ratified, this will put a hard pressure on their production and business.

Disney extends CEO's contract through 2016

The Walt Disney Co. announced on Friday that it has agreed to add a chairman title for Chief Executive Officer Rober Iger and will extend his contract until the end of June 2016.

Top Thai law-maker accepts invitation

VietNamNet Bridge – Thai National Assembly President Somsak Kiatsuranont has accepted the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung to visit Viet Nam soon.

North-South railway resumes after train derail

VietNamNet Bridge – The Hanoi-HCM City route was clear in the morning of September 9, after being blocked for one day because of a train derailment in the central province of Nghe An.

IMF chief meets Sarkozy over euro debt

General Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde arrived Saturday noon at the Elysee Palace for a talk with French President Nicolas Sarkozy over the European debt issue.

Film studios re-make Korean TV serials

Facing a script shortage, domestic film studios are remaking many Korean TV series for television networks.

Restructuring and resistance from interest groups

VietNamNet Bridge – Restructuring the Vietnamese economy has been discussed by Vietnamese policy makers and experts for a very long time but the restructuring process, which is scheduled to start in 2012, is not very clear.

Fitch cuts Italy and Spain by 2 notches

Rating agency Fitch cut the sovereign credit ratings of Italy and Spain on Friday, with negative outlook.

VN lauds Venezuela, Syria’s human rights efforts

Vietnamese diplomats have applauded the efforts of Venezuela and Syria in ensuring human rights at a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Oct. 7.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 10/10

Ministries run trial credit insurance programme; Firms urged to cut back on imported materials; Crackdown targets disclosure violations; VN to modernise livestock industry; US Gap enters VN market; Diesel, kerosene prices cut, petrol unchanged

Many urban shoppers now focus on one store

Consuming habits among Vietnamese urban residents have changed, leading to fairer competition among businesses.

Answer to salt sector’s bitter question

Northern Food Corporation’s Branch for Salt Experiment and Technology Transfer director Bui Son Long tells VIR that raising industrial salt output would address the salt industry’s stinging problem.

Dollar rises amid Europe concerns, Fed pledge

The U.S. dollar rose against most major currencies this week as investors' concerns about the European debt crisis continued to weigh on the euro.

HCM City plans culinary walk through France

Balade en France, the largest French food-related event in Viet Nam, will take place in HCM City on October 21-22.

Hotel management still can bring fat profit, despite economic difficulties

The hotel management market remains bustling, despite the shadow of the global economic crisis. Hotels’ owners now have many more choices, because there are more service providers who have been lowering fees to become more competitive.

Ministry approves seafood plan

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has approved a comprehensive seafood processing plan to be implemented over the next decade.

Moves to crack down on pollution stymied by weak environment laws

Environmental protection laws are repeatedly violated. Luong Minh Thao, deputy head of the Environmental Crime Prevention Department, said that the law needed to be beefed up.

National fest honours art of ca tru singing

More than 140 artists from 23 ca tru (ceremonial singing) clubs nationwide will perform in the National Ca Tru Festival in Ha Noi on October 13-16.

SOCIAL NEWS 9/10

Bird flu prevention activities reviewed; Renewable energy fair bound for Hanoi next March; 20th Informatics Olympics for Vietnamese students opens; Schools found to be overcharging; Nearly 4,000ha of forest land reclaimed  

Rice exports likely to reach 7 million tonnes this year

Vienam hoped to export more than 1.1 million tones of rice in the last quarter of the year, taking full year exports to 7 million tonnes, the Viet Nam Food Association (VFA) said.

German Chancellor to visit Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge – German Chancellor Angela Merkel will make an official visit to Vietnam on October 11-12, according to Luong Thanh Nghi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Hai Phong: pollution attacks aquatic cultivating areas

Industrial production and new urban area projects have been squeezing into the land areas which were initially reserved for aquatic farming, forcing farmers to leave empty-handed.

Transport Minister should try bus service, readers say

VietNamNet Bridge – After Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang spoke about measures to curb personal vehicles and develop public means of transport, many people have proposed that the Minister should try bus service.