BUSINESS IN BRIEF 19/11

France-Vietnam workshop on construction held in Paris; Market slump hits securities share offer; First turbine starts idle run at Son La power plant

Business and art closely linked

After watching South Korean films, Vietnamese consumers became familiar with South Korean products. This is a typical example of the close connection between business and art, said Phan Cam Thuong, an art critic.

Monetary policies always come late

Experts have pointed out that in short term, the temporary dollar shortages should be seen as the result of monetary policies.

MOC: cement plants not the culprit that causes electricity shortage

Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Tran Nam has officially denied the opinion that cement plants, which, using backward technologies, gobble up too much electricity and cause electricity shortages.

Dried Mekong River and countries’ responsibility

Until now China has not become a member of the Mekong River Commission. However, the world and the region’s attention on the Mekong River creates pressure on China to cooperate with countries in the River downstream.

Labor force remains the biggest worry for IT firms

The lack of a qualified labor force proves to be the biggest worry of many foreign information technology (IT) firms when they decide to establish software companies in Vietnam.

Commercial banks begin tightening credit

The interest rate market has cooled down after the State Bank of Vietnam announced it will pump money through open market operations (OMO).

The simple teacher of Professor Ngo Bao Chau

Ton Than is the revered teacher of many well known and successful scientists, senior officials, educators and journalists. He used to teach af Trung Vuong Secondary School, and is now a senior researcher at the Vietnam Education Science Institute.

Mobile service providers uncooperative, it’s impossible to develop services

Vietnamese mobile service providers have been trying to launch more value added services in order to bring more facilities to customers.

Men trap transport police for blackmailing

VietNamNet Bridge – Some men have recently laid traps to blackmail transport police officers on the national road 1A, the section from Ha Nam to Nghe An provinces.

Top football striker wants to withdraw from national squad

VietNamNet Bridge – Le Cong Vinh has asked the national squad’s chief coach Henrique Calisto’s permission to not join the team at the upcoming ASEAN Football Cup (AFF) 2010 because of injuries.

Fifty-plus new energy cars debut at LA Auto Show

More than 50 electric, hydrogen fuel-cell electric, hybrid, clean diesel and natural gas vehicles will make their debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Nov. 19-28, the organizers said on Wednesday.

Mountain village ravaged by landslide

VietNamNet Bridge – After a big noise, thousands of cubic meters of soil and stone from Ka Lang mountain rushed down Go Rin village in the central province of Quang Ngai. Four people were buried in soil on November 16. One girl died.

$2 bil casino to be built in border province

VietNamNet Bridge - The Lang Son International Joint stock Company Wednesday announced plans to build a 186-hectare casino “city” in Lang Son City in the northern mountains.

Miss Earth beauties show their ability at golf course

VietNamNet Bridge – Around 30 contestants of the Miss Earth 2010 pageant played golf at the Diamond Bay resort in the coastal city of Nha Trang on November 18.

Anti-corruption: people can’t wait

“If corruptors are not punished once, your fight against corruption will go backward. Efforts that you have made will become zero and the people’s trust will decrease,” said a senior official of the Transparency International.

Google launches new fashion shopping site

Google on Wednesday unveiled boutiques.com, a shopping site designed to help users find clothes and other items that suit their personal tastes.

Vietnamese youths attend tiger summit in Russia

VietNamNet Bridge - Two Vietnamese youths have set off for the Worldwide Fund for Nature-initiated International Youth Tiger Summit in Vladivostok in eastern Russia between November 18 and 24, according to the WWF Vietnam.

State owned enterprises – when will the children grow up?

Why does Vietnam lack talented staff for state-owned enterprises? The answer lies in the current method for appointing and dismissing personnel.

Vietnam rejects US religion report

VietNamNet Bridge - A Foreign Ministry spokesperson was critical of the US 2010 report on international religion released by the US Department of State on November 18, saying it was based on misinformation about Vietnam.

Vietnam opens first consulate in Japan

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam has opened its first consulate in Japan in the central city of Nagoya.

France to host G20 financial ministers in February

France, the new G20 president, is reported to be hosting financial ministers and heads of G20 central banks next February in Paris, local media quoted sources from the economy ministry as saying on Wednesday.

Nikkei closes above 10,000 for first time in five months, financials gain

Tokyo stocks rose sharply Thursday, with Japan's key Nikkei stock index climbing ore than 2 percent as the yen's retreat against the U.S. dollar spurred an injection of funds from overseas which boosted domestic financier issues.

FIFA suspends six officials on World Cup bids scandal

The FIFA Ethics Committee announced on Thursday its decision to suspend six FIFA officials from taking part in any football-related activities after they were found to have “breached various articles of FIFA code of Ethics”, . . .

Swine flu claims 8 lives in Vietnam this year

VietNamNet Bridge - Eight out of 183 patients infected with swine flu this year have died, the Ho Chi Minh City-based Pasteur Institute reported at a meeting on November 17.