HCM City plans to upgrade bus fleet

VietNamNet Bridge –  Transportation authorities in HCM City plan to reduce the number of large buses and introduce smaller ones so that they can navigate crowded streets more easily.

Firms hit by post-Tet labour shortage

VietNamNet Bridge – The pressure of workers not returning after the year's biggest holiday, Tet (Lunar New Year), is posing a serious problem for labour-intensive enterprises.

HP unveils tablet computer TouchPad

Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) on Wednesday released TouchPad, its first tablet computer.

GOVERNMENT IN BRIEF 10/2

Party leader Trong announces Central Committee Secretariat; Laos publishes Ho Chi Minh Thought book; Congratulations conveyed to new Nepali Prime Minister; Letter of condolence sent after death of former Fijian president

Local films shine during Tet

VietNamNet Bridge – Despite stiff competition from entertainment centres, Vietnamese-made films attracted big crowds at cinemas in HCM City and Ha Noi during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.

Economic recovery turns State attention to inflation control

VietNamNet Bridge – Minister of Finance Vu Van Ninh spoke to the website VnExpress about economic prospects for the year and the latest efforts to keep a lid on inflation.

7 killed, 80 wounded in Iraq's bomb attacks

A total of seven people were killed and 80 others were wounded in bomb attacks across the country on Wednesday, including three car bombings in Iraq's northern city of Kirkuk.

Colombia's FARC releases former councilor Baquero

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on Wednesday released former councilor Marcos Baquero, one of the five hostages it had promised to free.

Beijing embraces first snow this winter

First snow fell in Beijing Wednesday night and continued into Thursday morning. It was the latest first snow for the city in 60 years.

SOCIETY IN BRIEF 10/2

A/H1N1 flu in Viet Nam not serious; Illegal firecrackers kill 54, injure 11,440 over holidays; Foot-and-mouth, rabies cases fall; Five-year-old child brought back to life; Cold spell expected to return to North

The Prime Minister’s barber

VietNamNet Bridge – Dao Xuan Tan has been a barber for 30 years and he has had the honor of serving Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung for 13 years.

Đại sứ, học giả nước ngoài chúc Tết bạn đọc VietNamNet

Đại sứ, học giả nước ngoài chúc Tết bạn đọc VietNamNet

Vietnam sends seeds into space

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam has successfully sent flower seeds into space for scientific research.

Int'l company forecasts 12 pct growth for Vietnam's IT

VietNamNet Bridge - Business Monitor International (BMI) forecasts that the Vietnamese information technology (IT) market is to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12 percent over the 2011-2015 period.

ART & ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF 10/2

UNESCO-recognized Saint Giong festival kicks off;  Coming to Phu Yen to listen to Bai Choi music; Fighting fest opens in northern province; Ho Chi Minh City bookworms rummage festival

Bond proceeds flow to agriculture

VietNamNet Bridge - Half the Government's budget and income from bonds – about VND98.5 trillion (US$4.9 billion) – is expected to be invested in the agriculture sector this year to ensure food security.

Chocolate may raise "good" form of cholesterol level: study

Eating chocolate may boost the body's production of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol -- the "good" form of cholesterol that protects against heart disease, according to a new study released by the American Chemical Society (ACS) on Monday.

Teenages hire luxuries for show-off

VietNamNet Bridge – Many teens are not afraid to pay several dozens of USD a day to hire luxurious items to brag to the world that they are rich and connoisseurs.

Feeding babies with solid food early raises obesity risk later: study

U.S. researchers have found that feeding babies with solid foods too early was associated with increased odds of obesity later.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 10/2

Vietnam’s January seafood exports reach US$320 million;  World Bank funds housing for 10,000; Garment exports total US$900 mil; Viettel jumps into Peru telecom; HCM City extends programme to stabilise prices

Le Quang Liem to play for foreign clubs

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnamese grandmaster Le Quang Liem will join foreign teams, namely Bremen, Evry Grand Roque and Qingdao Yucai, to compete at international tournaments in March, April and June.

Traditional medicine to be modernised

VietNamNet Bridge – The Government is aiming to modernise the traditional medicine sectors, according to representatives at a conference.

Bank loans in Vietnam will double by the end of 2013

Bank loans in Vietnam will double by the end of 2013 on the back of subsidized interest rate schemes and large consumer credit demand, according to a recent survey by an India-based market research and information analysis company.

Farmers hurry to work in the fields after Tet holiday

VietNamNet Bridge – Since the fourth day of the lunar New Year (February 6), farmers in central Vietnam have been taking their buffaloes to the field, taking advantage of the warm weather.

“Think outside the box” brings them success

Unconventional ideas can produce roaring success, as illustrated by the following stories of three daring entrepreneurs who defied and turned conventional wisdom on its head.