With mere pittance, no one wants to work as invigilator

VietNamNet Bridge – After invigilators were violently criticized for their “silly mistakes”, they have argued that they have to bear too heavy responsibility, while the remuneration is too low.

Ireland has highest use of psychoactive drugs in Europe: survey

A survey by the European Commission suggests that Ireland has registered the highest level of usage of new synthetic drugs among young Europeans.

HCM City meeting discusses wage, health care, food hygiene

VietNamNet Bridge - Wage increase, better health care and tight control on food safety and hygiene have been requested by many deputies at a Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council meeting Wednesday. 

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 14/7

VN to conduct nationwide rural, agriculture survey; Vietnam southern delta switches to large-field farming; Garments exports total $6.1b in H1; New white rhinoceros oilrig contract signed; Foreign investors eye mining sector  

Vietnamese children win gold at choir festival in Germany

VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam's Sol Art Choir won a gold medal at the Seventh International Johannes Brahms Choir Festival held in Wernigerode, Germany, according to choir director Dang Chau Anh.

When Vietnamese build Chinatowns

Chinese have immigrated to Vietnam for a long time. The first time was recorded in the 3rd century B.C. During the next millennium, many waves of migration of Chinese to Vietnam were reported, with different reasons.

21 killed, 113 injured in terror attack in Mumbai

Three serial blasts rocked India's financial hub Mumbai at around 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, killing at least 21 people and injuring 113 others,

Banks lack dollars to lend, pushing up dollar interest rates

VietNamNet Bridge – While the Vietnam dong interest rate race has cooled down and banks have eased the dong deposit interest rates, the dollar interest rate war has triggered.

White Book on Vietnam’s ICT 2011 released

VietNamNet Bridge – The recently-released book about the panorama and the current situation of Vietnam’s information and communication technology industry has not only data but also reports and analysis on specific fields.

The first off-road motor race in Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge – The race will take place on July 17 at the Vuon Xoai ecological tourist site in the southern province of Dong Nai, with 36 racers.

Vietnam’s toy makes world Guinness record

Spinning nonstop within 24 hours, 35 minutes and 15 seconds, Tosy top has become the first Vietnamese toy granted a Guinness World Record for the longest running mechanical spinning top by the Guinness World Records Ltd.

Iconic turtle returns to Hoan Kiem Lake

VietNamNet Bridge – The legendary turtle was released back to the Hoan Kiem Lake on the afternoon of July 12, in good health, after three months of treatment in a tank.

HCM City aims to end strikes

VietNamNet Bridge – Admitting that strikes are taking place seriously, the Party Secretary of HCM City said that the city aims to reducing and then putting an end to this situation from now to the year’s end.

Banks struggle to comply with lending cap

VietNamNet Bridge - Despite several efforts, six commercial banks have not been able to reduce loans for non-production sectors to 22 per cent by June 30, as required by the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV).

Constitution amendment committee to be formed

VietNamNet Bridge – At the meeting on July 14, the National Assembly Standing Committee will discuss the establishment of a committee to amend the Constitution 1992.

U.S. astronauts wrap up last spacewalk of shuttle era

Two U.S. astronauts stepped out the International Space Station on Tuesday to retrieve a failed ammonia pump, which is the last spacewalk of the shuttle era, NASA announced.

China nixes Philippines bid for UN court

VietNamNet Bridge - China on July 12 rejected calls by the Philippines for the two nations to bring their conflicting claims in the South China Sea (East Sea) before a United Nations-backed tribunal.

Google+ may top 10 million users: report

Google+, the social networking service Google unveiled only two weeks ago, is estimated to surpass 10 million users on Tuesday, possibly becoming the fastest growing product in the history of the Internet.

Tablet PC market: too many options make it difficult to choose

Nearly 30 models of tablets are being sold in the market with the prices ranging from 2.7 million dong to 22.9 million dong. Consumers don’t know what products they should select because all the products seem to be the same to them.

Vietnamese contestant shows off in swimwear at Miss Asia USA

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese representative at the Miss Asia USA 2011 pageant, Phan Thi Mo, took the first photos in a bikini beside Asian contestants in the US.

Man drinks gasoline for 42 years

Gasoline powers vehicles all around the world, but a sick Chinese man has been drinking the sticky liquid for 42 years under the illusion that it can relieve his physical pain.

Stamp issue supports wildlife preservation

VietNamNet Bridge – A new set of four stamps depicting dragonflies was recently issued by the Viet Nam Post Corporation.

Foreign laborers flood Vietnam

Vietnamese law doesn’t allow enterprises to use untrained foreign workers. But in the northern province of Ninh Binh, there is a construction site where unskilled Chinese workers number nearly 1,500 people.

Obama says U.S. ready to support negotiations for transition in Libya

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday that his country is prepared to support negotiations that lead to a democratic transition in Libya as long as its leader Muammar Gaddafi steps down.

SOCIETY IN BRIEF 13/7

Vietnam, RoK exchange education experience; Hanoi’s “golden” site cleared for construction; Wounded turtle sent back to Sword Lake; Vietnam Rubber Group helps Cambodian workers