Architecture expo highlights German designs

VietNamNet Bridge – Fifteen selected international projects by German architectural company Gerkan, Marg and Partners (GMP) will be presented in HCM City today, March 28.

Death toll rises to 10,804 from great quake-tsunami in Japan

The National Police Agency said on Sunday that the catastrophic earthquake and ensuing tsunami have left 10,804 people dead and 16,244 others unaccounted for in Japan by 21:00 p.m. local time (1200 GMT).

SOCIETY IN BRIEF 28/3

Japanese farm products still imported; HCM City holds grand requiem for Japanese victims; Vietnamese youths in Japan help tsunami victims; City Red Cross donates $200,000 for Japan victims

Viet Nam, Ukraine look to build stronger relations

VietNamNet Bridge – Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed that the Party, State and people of Viet Nam had always treasured the traditional friendship with Ukraine.

OPEC not to increase crude output: Iranian minister

Iranian Oil Minister Masoud Mirkazemi said the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will not increase its crude output, the local English language satellite Press TV reported Sunday.

Travel information kiosks fallow

VietNamNet Bridge – Hanoi invested hundreds of thousands of USD to build travel information kiosks for tourists four years ago. Now all of them are left fallow or deteriorating.

Russia, Israel to cooperate in outer space

The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and the Israeli Space Agency on Sunday signed an agreement to promote cooperation in space exploration, said the press service of the Roscosmos.

Dong Thap take the lead in V-League

VietNamNet Bridge – Samson Kayode scored a goal to help Dong Thap beat V-League defending champion Ha Noi T&T 3-1 on Saturday.

SPORTS IN BRIEF 28/3

Laos-Vietnam Golf tourney mark Lao Party Congress; Officials laud athletes during ‘Sports Day'; Volleyballer sets record transfer

Bin Hammam canvases for FIFA presidential election in Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge – Chairman of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Mohamed Bin Hammam attended the Asia Vision conference in HCM City on March 28.

Resort real estate is now the choice of investors

VietNamNet Bridge – Real estate developers now tend to invest their money in resort projects, even when they are not receiving any investment incentives from local authorities.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 28/3

Work starts on modernising northern railway signals; Increasing supply dents rental property market; Vietnam's trade gap declines $700 mln in March; People scurry to buy rings on possible bullion ban

Level of radioactivity rises at Fukushima nuke plant in Japan

Japanese authorities detected high level of radioactivity at a reactor in the troubled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant on Sunday, local media reported.

Hanoi – Hue – HCM City shine in the Earth Hour

Over 2,000 youngsters grouped up at Nghinh Luong Dinh yard in Hue – the center of the Earth Hour 2011 in Vietnam - on March 26 evening to join the Green Planet. In Hanoi and HCM City, the light was also turned off to call for environment protection.

VietNamNet to organize concert for Japan

VietNamNet Bridge – The concert will take place on March 31, with the participation of three beauty queens and famous singers at the Hanoi Theatre, 42 Trang Tien.

Job offer to 13,000 Libyan refugees

VietNamNet Bridge - Eleven local businesses have offered jobs to 13,600 guest workers who have returned from Libya, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

MobiFone wins the throne at VMA 2010, for the sixth time

VietNamNet Bridge – MobiFone, one of the three biggest mobile network operators, once again has been recognized as the most favorite mobile network in Vietnam.

Vietnam zoo owner jailed for tiger sales

VietNamNet Bridge - The owner of a private zoo in Vietnam has been jailed for three years for selling the endangered tigers that he was supposed to protect, a conservation group and officials said Friday.

Lawmakers emphasize market-oriented policies

The market has become a catch phrase at the 9th session of the National Assembly, which is meeting to discuss socio-economic development and state budget plans for the first quarter of this year.

National Assembly to prevail over challenges

VietNamNet Bridge - Reining in inflation and ensuring macroeconomic stability will be top of the 12th National Assembly’s 9th session agenda which kicked-off last week.

Supermodel’s nude photos for environment stir controversy

VietNamNet Bridge – The movement to take nude photos for charity or to protect the environment is not new in the world but in Vietnam, it seems to be unwelcome by the public.

Vietnamese people still fond of travel, despite increases in tour fees

Despite economic difficulties that have forced people to curb spending habits, the number of travelers has not decreased. To attract travelers in this difficult period, travel firms have been trying to launch products with reasonable prices.

SPORTS IN BRIEF 27/3

HCM City top swimming champs;  Coach Son to spend year in Germany; Taekwondo team to train in S Korea

Coffee sector needs more gov't support

VietNamNet Bridge - The coffee cultivation sector is struggling to ensure sustainable development, as many coffee growers run small-scale operations and lack funds to improve their operations.

Vietnam sees inflation at 13.9% in March

Vietnam's inflation rose to a two-year high in March, official estimates showed on Thursday, as the government shifts from a long-standing focus on growth towards stabilizing its troubled economy.