Cold ruins peach blossom harvest

VietNamNet Bridge – Horticulturalist Tran Tien Dung feels sad as he looks around his garden of 500 peach-blossom trees. More than half show no sign of being able to open their gorgeous red or pink flowers for Tet.

Donors give 340 litres of blood during ‘Pink Spring'

VietNamNet Bridge – More than 340 litres of blood has been donated to the local Red Cross during a single day.

Votive paper business soars before holidays

VietNamNet Bridge – Despite a new ban passed by the Government, the votive paper market is hot again as the traditional customs surrounding rituals that involve sending Kitchen Gods to heaven approaches.

SOCIETY IN BRIEF 24/1

Project to empower rural communities; Tet supplies warm up cold-hit island; Health checks at borders tightened; Police catch Khanh Hoa animal trafficker; Rice deliveries to ease tough times for poor

200 people died from HIV/AIDS-related illness in Indonesia's Papua

Up to 200 people living with HIV/ AIDS in Jayapura, Papua, died in 2010, 20 more than 2009, local media reported on Friday.

Euro hits two-month high on less concerns about debt crisis

The euro hit a two-month high above 1.36 dollars in late New York trading on Friday and its break of important technical levels suggested more gains to come as concerns about the eurozone debt crisis started to ease.

Road accident kills 32 in south Pakistan

At least 32 people were killed and several injured in a road accident in southern Pakistan, officials and rescue teams said Sunday.

Iran says hopeful for future talks with powers

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday that Iran is hopeful about the future talks with the world powers.

Central African Republic starts presidential, legislative elections

The Central African Republic started the presidential and legislative elections on Sunday.

Bomb attacks kill 8 in Baghdad

Five car bombs and a roadside bomb explosions in and near Baghdad on Sunday killed a total of eight people and wounded 24 others, as part of the latest wave of violence ahead of major Shiite ritual.

Portugal's presidential election kicks off

Incumbent Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva is interviewed after casting his vote at a polling station in Lisbon, capital of Portugal, Jan. 23, 2011. Portugal's presidential election began here on Sunday morning. (Xinhua/Wang Qingqin)

GOVERNMENT IN BRIEF 24/1

Government Office urged to keep up the good work; State President affirms Catholics' contributions to nation; Deputy PM visits Germany; Vietnam attends North East Business Summit in Mumbai

PM opts for new system of flood control in Ha Noi

VietNamNet Bridge – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has decided to abolish the use of specialised zones which slow down and dissipate the energy of flood flows to the capital city and the Hong (Red) River Delta region.

Adjusting imports to ease reliance on China

It’s necessary to adjust the structure of imports from China in order to ease the trade deficit and march towards balancing trade with Vietnam’s largest trading partner

Flood embankment collapses after surge

VietNamNet Bridge – A 10-metre section of the Ong Dung canal's embankment in Thanh Xuan Commune, District 12, collapsed last Friday due to an unexpected tidal surge.

Government allocates $15.4mil for kindergarten education

VietNamNet Bridge – The Government has allocated VND300 billion (US$15.4 million) for the national programme on kindergarten education in 2011, according to the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET).

Downloads cast gloom over CD market

VietNamNet Bridge – Pirated CDs have been an expanding business in Viet Nam for many years now, but they have run into a redoubtable opponent – the Internet.

HCM City's children set for 10 new amusement parks

VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City People's Committee is giving priority to building 10 amusement parks and three cultural centres for children this year.

V-League season promises drama, greater professionalism

VietNamNet Bridge – The new season of the national football championship, V-League, begins this weekend. It is the first time all clubs are now operating as official businesses.

Minh reaches No 7 in BWF standings

VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Tien Minh was ranked seventh in the world in January according to the Badminton World Federation (BWF).

Ha Noi T&T draw first blood

VietNamNet Bridge – Argentinean striker Gonzalo Marronkle scored a goal in the third minute of injury time to help Ha Noi T&T to their 2-1 local derby defeat of Hoa Phat Ha Noi 2-1 in the national football championship, V-League opener on Saturday.

Thousands of people welcome St. Don Bosco’s remains

The remains of St. Don Bosco, including the right arm and hand bones, were brought to Vietnam last week.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 24/1

First 4 Japanese projects of the year licenced in Da Nang; Vietnam to import 100,000 tones of meat in 2011; Labour exports look up for 2011; Easing up customs procedures; FPT tots up 2010 profits

Press agencies lend a hand to advertisers to tell lies?

Consumers complain that they “have to spend money on a quack doctor and only get worse” because they fell for dishonest advertisements.

Securities investors put high hopes on macroeconomic stability

VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnamese Government has announced that macroeconomic stability will be the top priority for 2011. Therefore, securities investors have one more reason to hope that the stock market will gain momentum in 2011.