Beckham named to MLS all-star team

Former England captain David Beckham has been named to the MLS's all-star team, league commissioner Don Garber announced on Thursday.

Traffic and farmers’ thoughts

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam’s underdevelopment, its problems, including urban traffic--are partly sourced from Vietnamese characteristics, or frankly--the thought of farmers who only know about their small pieces of fields.

MPI says infrastructure in poor ‘cause of bad thinking

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has submitted to the government, the plan on building the infrastructure system in 2011-2020, pointing out that the current infrastructure remains very poor due to the unreasonable way of thinking.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 13/11

Vietnam to have second budget carrier; Footwear exports surge after EU lifts dumping tax; Startled agency speeds up Da Nang airport work; VN’s banking industry, economic risk downgraded on new methodology

Bank deposits offer best returns, says SBV

The State Bank of VietNam's website this week said commercial bank deposits now offered a better return to investors than securities, real estate, US dollars or gold due to the slowdown in inflation in the past couple of months.

100 days of President Truong Tan Sang

VietNamNet Bridge – After leaving South Korea, President Truong Tan Sang went to Hawaii to attend the APEC Summit. His first 100 days as Vietnam’s President were extremely eventful, with business trips to many countries.

IT NEWS

Companies receive fines for spam messages; AVG Television comes on air after trial run; Domestic contractors take to online bidding; Metfone scoops global communication award; Vien Thong A joins arms with Japanese TD  

GOVERNMENT IN BRIEF 12/11

PM to attend ASEAN, East Asia summits; Governor-General of Canada to visit; WB special envoy on climate change visits Vietnam; Institutional reform receives top priority;

‘Disaster’ of Vietnam’s music ranks highly

VietNamNet Bridge – The top ten video clips of the first week of the Music Video Awards has “Rac roi” (Trouble), which is criticized as a disaster of Vietnamese music, ranked second, after Vietnam Idol 2010 Uyen Linh’s “Giac mo toi” )My Dream).

ADB funds $190 million for universities in Vietnam

ADB and Vietnam have signed two loan agreements totalling $190 million for the development of the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi.

Despite problems, banks still attractive enough to foreign investors

The pressure of the fierce competition in the banking sector and the ongoing bank restructuring process--both cannot lessen the attractiveness of the sector. Money keeps flowing into banks even in their most difficult period.

New Greek coalition government sworn in

Greece's new coalition government headed by former European Central Bank Vice President Lucas Papademos was sworn in on Friday, amid hopes to put an end to the country's political turmoil.

National Assembly approves VND59 trillion for salary increase in 2012

The Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) approved VND59.3 trillion ($2.83 billion) for salary increases in the 2012 at a meeting on November 10.

Mexican minister killed in helicopter crash

Mexican Interior Minister Francisco Blake Mora and Vice Interior Minister Felipe Zamora were killed in a helicopter crash on Friday, official sources said.

European music festival to be held in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

The European Music Festival 2011 will be held at the Youth Theater in Hanoi and the Ho Chi Minh City Music Conservatory from November 17 – 28.

SOCIETY IN BRIEF 12/11

WB programme to help reduce poverty in Vietnam; Lawmakers pan use of farmlands for industry; Mekong to develop flood-proof housing

Dau Tieng case: says one thing and does another

More than 300 households on Nhim Island were told to leave the island to protect the water resource of the Dau Tieng reservoir. They did not know that they had to leave to give place for a film studio.

When will the “made-in-Vietnam robot” dream come true?

While manufacturers in the world have gone far in the robot industry, Vietnam-made robots still cannot go beyond the laboratories.

SEA Games 26 opens in Indonesia

The bright and colourful opening ceremony of the 26th Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games 26) took place in Palembang city in the South Sumatra province of Indonesia on the evening of November 11.

ART & ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF 12/11

HCM City to celebrate Japan-VN Day; Veteran composer to be honoured; Museum honours literature; Work kicks off on VN's largest ever film studio

Wedding ceremony for 80 couples in HCM City

A mass wedding ceremony, the largest of its kind, was held for 80 couples of workers in Ho Chi Minh City on November 11.

Mekong River’s future hydropower studied

The potential impacts of hydroelectric power projects to be built on the main streams of the Mekong River were assessed at a seminar in Hanoi on November 10.

More focus on home building

VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Construction is targeting an increase of 100,000sq.m of housing space each year during the 2011-20 period in an effort to meet demands and raise living standards.

SEA Games 26: First bronze medal for Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge – Canoeist Tran Van Long won Viet Nam its first medal in the C1 1,000m at the 26th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games yesterday morning, Nov 11.

Hot springs offer visitors a break from hectic work weeks, city life

VietNamNet Bridge – Hanoian office worker Tran Thi Bich Ngan wanted to find somewhere to relax at he weekends following a hard five days spent at work.