"Of Gods and Men" wins Cesar for best film

At the 36th French Cesar Awards, or "French Oscars," Xavier Beauvois' "Of Gods and Men" won the Best Film award Friday night.

India has stopped exporting animal feed to Vietnam? It’s just intimidation

VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Feed Association has confirmed that the information that India has stopped exporting animal feed to Vietnam is just “news circulated for intimidation”.

SPORTS IN BRIEF 26/2

Vietnamese archers take silvers at Asian Grand Prix; Can Tho gears up for national sports event in 2012;  Song Lam Nghe An at top, ACB sunk to bottom; New training centre for rowers

SOCIETY IN BRIEF 26/2

Japan to help improve Hanoi public transport; $1.4 for the poor amid record power price hike; Porn traders arrested; Three murders occur within 10 hours in Hanoi; 3,500 workers strike for salary raise amid inflation  

Transport companies threaten to raise fees

VietNamNet Bridge - Soon after the announcement of a rise in petrol prices on February 24, many transport companies said they would follow suit.

Vets to treat injured Hoan Kiem lake turtle

VietNamNet Bridge - The Emergency Committee for the Saving of the Hoan Kiem Lake Turtle decided yesterday to treat the injured turtle at Thap Rua (Turtle Tower) in the middle of the lake.

Vietnamese youth’s reckless spending

VietNamNet Bridge – According to a recent survey, Vietnamese people at the age of 21-29 use banking services more than other age groups.

The first public len dong ritual in Hanoi

VietNamNet Bridge – The performance was organized at the French Cultural Center, 24 Trang Tien, Hanoi on February 23, with the participation of practitioners from Hanoi’s neighboring provinces.

Higher dollar price and economic difficulties force students to rethink plans to study abroad

VietNamNet Bridge – Many parents have complained that due to the sharp dollar price increases they have to cut down the sums of money they send abroad to their children to fund their children’s study.

Foreigners comment on Vietnamese singers’ English

VietNamNet Bridge – In 2010, some young Vietnamese singers tried to internationalize Vietnamese music by releasing albums in English. It is expected that this “wave” will continue in 2011

Vietnam pulls guest workers out of Libya

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday directed relevant ministries to continue co-operating with Vietnamese representative agencies in riot-stricken Libya to ensure the safety of Vietnamese guest workers there.

Quang Ninh looks to improve safety of boats on Ha Long Bay

The People's Committee of Quang Ninh Province is considering tightening regulations for boats staying overnight in Ha Long Bay, with vessels not meeting standards banned from operating, said deputy chairman of the committee Dang Huy Hau.

Imports, exports both decline

Viet Nam's export turnover was estimated at US$5.25 billion in February, a decline of 26 per cent in comparison with the previous month's figure, the General Statistics Office (GSO) announced yesterday.

Wave of input material price increases puts businesses in a whirl

VietNamNet Bridge – Manufacturers are complaining that the input material price increases have become “unbearable” and will force them to raise sale prices, though they well know that the move will make their products less competitive.

Strike offers a lesson for FIEs

VietNamNet Bridge - Big strike at a Taiwanese-backed motorbike and automobile manufacturer in Hanoi has again sparked off the issue of decent work for local labourers at foreign invested enterprises in Vietnam.

Readers praise four students who “save” ancient tower

VietNamNet Bridge – Many readers emailed VietNamNet to show their admiration for the four students who cleaned the Hoa Phong tower on the bank of Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake.

First ever human-like robot to become resident of space station

Almost 200 people from 15 countries have visited the International Space Station, but the orbiting complex has so far only ever had human crew members. Now, Robonaut 2, the latest generation of the Robonaut launched Thursday

PM Dung holds investment talks with senior Japan, Korea officials

VietNamNet Bridge - Acting President of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Yoshito Sengoku has requested the Vietnamese Government create favourable conditions for Japan’s long-term investment in Vietnam.

French twins to tickle the ivories in Ha Noi

VietNamNet Bridge - The stage at Ha Noi's Opera House will host twin French pianists Isabelle and Florence Lafitte next Tuesday.

Developers try to revive apartment sales

VietNamNet Bridge - Real estate investors are racing to introduce promotions and discount programmes to spur the sluggish apartment sector in the country's southern economic hub.

Binh Thuan hosts International Water Skiing Tournament

VietNamNet Bridge - The International Water Skiing Tournament will be held for the first time in the south central coastal province of Binh Thuan from February 25 to March 5.

ART & ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF 26/2

Popular cartoon to come back in full; 600-year-old coins dug up in Quang Ninh; Competition begins for Golden Kite Award; Pioneering British DJ set to drop heavy dubstep sessions; Denmark-Vietnam Cultural Exchange Fund debuts    

HCMC firm proposes 200% hike in power price

VietNamNet Bridge - Ho Chi Minh City’s Hiep Phuoc Power Co., Ltd has proposed doubling the current power price to offset losses as a 15% hike starting next month is too low.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 26/2

Hi-tech rubber plant inaugurated in HCMC; Imports of consumer goods rise; Building materials sector booms; Vietnam's industrial sector keeps growing; Vincom opened real estate floor in Hanoi    

Ha Long Bay seeks New 7 Wonders of World status

VietNamNet Bridge - The campaign to collect votes for Ha Long Bay to be recognized as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World in November this year is entering the final stages, said an official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.