Work halted on Van Phong port construction

VietNamNet Bridge - Construction of the Van Phong International Port in the southern central province of Khanh Hoa has been suspended for one year with no indication of a resumption date.

High-school students say farewell to school age

VietNamNet Bridge – Writing autograph books, releasing paper-made aircrafts with their wishes, tears… are the scenes at the school-year closing ceremony of the 12th graders in Hanoi.

Joplin tornado death toll rises to 132

The authorities of Joplin city in the U.S. state of Missouri on Friday updated the death toll to 132 from the deadliest single tornado that battered the city in the evening of May 22.

Endeavour astronauts complete final spacewalk

Two U.S. astronauts conducted the fourth and final scheduled spacewalks for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 mission on Friday morning, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced.

Dams over troubled waters

VietNamNet Bridge - Much has been said about the impacts of dams on freshwater fish stocks in the Mekong River. However, the effects on marine fishery output also deserve thorough consideration.

Abuse traumatizes gay community

VietNamNet Bridge - Researchers call for greater public awareness about the consequences of homophobic discrimination.

Industry output jumps 14.2% in five months

VietNamNet Bridge - Industrial production in the first five months of the year surged 14.2 per cent against the same period in 2010 to VND343.6 trillion (US$16.36 billion), the General Statistics Office (GSO) reported.

Stricter import regulations won’t stop super luxurious imports to Vietnam

Super cars are forecasted to continue flowing into Vietnam, despite the attempt by the Ministry of Industry and Trade to restrict imports, car dealers say.

Vietnam police banned from wearing sunglasses

The Ministry of Public Security Tuesday issued a new instruction banning police in the country from wearing black sunglasses, from smoking, from reading books and from putting their hands into pockets while on duty at public places.

Vietnam to have foreign badminton coach

VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Badminton Federation will hire a Danish coach for the national young team, said the federation’s Secretary General, Le Thanh Sang.

Vietnam’s five “cultural specialties” to go to the world

From May 27 to June 3, 2011, Vietnam will introduce its five world cultural heritages at the World Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition in China.

World’s largest Ngoc Linh ginseng garden

For the last 20 years, Kon Tum and Quang Nam provinces have invested millions of US dollars to maintain Ngoc Linh ginseng genetic resource, but they have developed only 5-7 hectares. Meanwhile, a private firm has grown over 100ha of ginseng.

Central Highlands: One dentist for over 70,000 residents

The rate of one dentist per 70,000 people in Lam Dong province is the highest rate among provinces in Vietnam’s Central Highlands  

Entertainment property key to tourism development

Like other property segments, entertainment property projects play an important role in the market as it  will support significantly to the development of the tourism industry.

Six UNIFIL peacekeepers wounded in roadside bombing in south Lebanon

Six Italian peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were wounded Friday when a bomb targeting their vehicle exploded on the highway leading to the south Lebanon coastal city of Sidon,

Da Nang to narrow gap with Nghe An

VietNamNet Bridge - SHB Da Nang will have the chance to close the gap with leaders Song Lam Nghe An as they are playing at home and away, respectively, in the V-League's round 16 this weekend.

VN condemns Chinese intrusion

The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry has staunchly opposed the recent action of Chinese marine surveillance vessels in cutting the exploration cables of a PetroVietnam ship that was conducting seismic surveys within Vietnam's continental shelf.

Reducing outstanding loans to non-production sectors an important task

Commercial banks have been told to reduce the outstanding loans to non-production sectors to 22 percent prior to June 30, and to 16 percent by the end of the year.

VNAT plans to cut down tourism fairs in 2011

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) said it will attend seven international tourism fairs in 2011, instead of 10 in 2010.

State agencies still hesitate to use data digitization services

VietNamNet Bridge – State agencies now have the high demand for digitizing their “data warehouses” to help them escape from piles of papers. However, the data digitization services remain slack.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 28/5

Transport ministry requests funds for projects; Local businesses fazed by high lending interest rates; Foreign banks loan $457 mln to Vietnam Airlines; More Asian sweets come to Vietnam; Country has 39 golf courses too many: ministry      

SOCIETY IN BRIEF 28/5

Hospital pharmacies to sell lower than market rate; Asia media summit closes; Helmets, lifejackets mandatory for students; African Day celebrated in Vietnam; Special visits for needy children         

Appointed Ambassador of VN pledges to boost relations with US

VietNamNet Bridge - Appointed Ambassador of Vietnam to the US Nguyen Quoc Cuong expressed his strong belief in the bright future of the friendship and partnership between the US and Vietnam, committing his whole tenure to that future.

3G services can bring just modest turnover to telcoms

To date, two years after the day when 3G technology was officially developed in Vietnam, none of the five mobile network service providers who are providing 3G services, has released the information about the existing numbers of 3G subscribers.

145 candidates for commune vice chairman selection

After one month, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Vietnam Youth Union Central Committee have received 145 applications for the project to recruit 600 young vice chairs for 62 poor districts in Vietnam.