China insists on bilateral solutions to East Sea disputes

VietNamNet Bridge - China has insisted that the East Sea territorial dispute must be dealt with bilaterally amid the push for multilateral solutions by Southeast Asian officials who will convene in a regional forum this weekend.

HCM City’s sleazy old apartments

VietNamNet Bridge – Clothes are air everywhere, electric wires interlace, walls are cracked and mossy… Old apartment blocks make HCM City untidy.

ART & ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF 16/7

Phillip Noyce to judge film contest in Vietnam; Hanoi museum puts on city life exhibition; Art programme to honour war invalids and revolutionary martyrs; Vietnam wins second prize at the Int’l Mozart Competition in Thailand 

Tour operators seek air discounts

VietNamNet Bridge - Small tour operators are peeved that airline companies are not co-operating with them by offering discounted tickets and allowing bulk bookings where the names of passengers can be filled in later.

SOCIETY IN BRIEF 16/7

France helps build major waste factory; War-time bomb uncovered in Vietnam kindergarten; Health inspection teams to contain epidemics; Sex-for-grade teacher ‘mismanages phone’: board; Heavy rains lash North Vietnam 

Mud treatment project trudges on a decade later

VietNamNet Bridge - A sludge treatment project worth VND500 billion in HCMC’s Binh Chanh District hasn’t even started almost 10 years on, due to slow site clearance and an incomplete 1/2000 land plan.

Patriotic personalities make proposals on defense and development

VietNamNet Bridge – Twenty patriotic personalities and intellectuals on July 13, sent a petition on defending and developing the country in the current situation to the National Assembly and the Politburo.

Germany nuclear export plan still ‘depends’

VietNamNet Bridge - Germany has raised the possibility of exporting nuclear technology for the first time after deciding a total exit from atomic power by 2022.

Hotmail introduces hacking alert system

Microsoft on Thursday introduces a hacking alert system to its Windows Live Hotmail email service alongside banning common passwords.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 16/7

200 industries affected amid credit crunch; Imports to Vietnam must have certificates of origin; Nearly 1mil. foreign arrivals visit Hanoi in H1; Vietsovpetro discovers oil near Bach Ho field; Gov’t passes changes to air pact with Australia    

German coach ignores senior football players

VietNamNet Bridge – The new coach of the Vietnamese national football squad Falko Goetz will continue using young players at the upcoming games against Qatar in the qualifier round of the World Cup 2014.

The age of Chinese low-cost fashion products is over

VietNamNet Bridge – Several years ago, Chinese low-cost clothes flooded the Vietnamese market, where they did not meet any redoubtable rivals. However, the situation has become quite different.

U.S. must not default on its obligations: Obama

The United States must not default on its obligations, and policymakers should strike a debt ceiling deal in a timely manner and improve the nation's fiscal sustainability, President Barack Obama said Friday.

Leading names do well at IT awards

VietNamNet Bridge - Leading brands and well-known software makers maintained their rankings and reputations as awards for "Best IT Solutions (BIT) Cup" and "Best ICT Products" were given away by the PC World Viet Nam magazine on Tuesday.

"Mildred Pierce" dominates 63rd Emmy Awards nomination

HBO's miniseries "Mildred Pierce" on Thursday dominated the nomination for the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards with 21 nods.

Minimum wage increases make businesses worried stiff

The minimum wage of enterprises is expected to increase to VND1.9 million a month, commencing from October 1. While the information makes laborers happy, it has grieved businesses because their expenses would increase by 20 percent at least.

Russian President praises strategic partnership with VN

VietNamNet Bridge - Russia will ceaselessly strengthen and develop the strategic partnership with Vietnam as a priority in its diplomatic policy.

3 US navy ships welcomed in Da Nang

Three US navy ships including USS Chung-Hoon and USS Preble and USNS Safeguard were welcomed in the morning of July 15 by Vietnamese navy forces at Tien Sa Port in Da Nang central city for joint training, starting the seven-day friendly visit.

Murdoch, son agree to testify before British parliamentary committee

Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch and his son James bowed to pressure and agreed on Thursday to appear before British lawmakers probing a phone-hacking scandal that has rattled the Murdoch media empire.

Phone importers accused of trade fraud

VietNamNet Bridge - Local customs departments have accused some domestic cell phone companies of fraud amidst new import regulations.

Italy brushes off Gaddafi's oil cooperation bar

The government of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on Thursday halted all cooperation with Italian energy giant ENI over Italy's role in the NATO-led mission in Libya, but the move triggered an impassive reaction from Rome.

Experts look at ways to boost higher education

More than 160 domestic and foreign leaders, managers, lecturers and postgraduates at a conference yesterday discussed ways to improve the quality of training, research and management in universities and colleges.

Bonus shower at V-League 2011

VietNamNet Bridge – Players of the SHB Da Nang FC received nearly VND2 billion ($100,000) for the 3-1 win against Song Lam Nghe An FC.

New REDD project is taking root

VietNamNet Bridge - A local carbon forest investor is stirring Vietnam’s carbon credit market.

VN bestseller now in Esperanto

VietNamNet Bridge – The Esperanto version of Dang Thuy Tram's Diary – the 2005 Vietnamese best-seller has been presented to the public in Ha Noi yesterday, July 14.