Italian prodigy to close festival

VietNamNet Bridge – Pianist Gabriele Carcano will perform with the Viet Nam National Opera and Ballet (VNOB), which will wrap up the Italian Music Month this Friday.

Telco, IT investments sought

VietNamNet Bridge – The Government is promoting new investment opportunities to foreign and domestic firms in the information technology (IT) and telecommunications industries, said deputy minister of Information and Communications Tran Duc Lai.

SPORTS IN BRIEF 14/10

Teen tennis star marches on; Semis loom at volleyball quest; Viet Nam go down to Kuwait; Ha Noi fan club wins vote

Team set to peak for Asian Games

VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnamese gymnastics team has vowed to bring home their first medal from the Asian Games.

Prostitution: Should Vietnam fight it or recognize it as ‘honest work’?

The Government has countless regulations and programs against prostitution, society condemns it, but the oldest profession just continues to adapt to the environment. Is it time to choose a more effective management model?

Youth throng to chatrooms for virtual sex and more

If porn is your passion, you’ll find plenty of it online, reports Tien Phong newspaper after members of its staff spent many nights on the Internet to investigate the ‘black world’ of nude chat, online strip tease and “online love.”

POLITICS IN BRIEF 13/10

UK Prince visits HCM City; China’s Minister of National Defense concludes visit to Vietnam; General underscores defence cooperation with Russia; Vietnam Farmers’ Union receives Gold Star Order

Indian and RoK Defence Ministers welcomed to Hanoi

VietNamNet Bridge – Minister of National Defence General Phung Quang Thanh hosted welcome ceremonies for the Indian and the Republic of Korea (RoK) Defence Ministers in Hanoi on October 13.

Troubled shipbuilding group to be restructured for survival

VietNamNet Bridge – Parts of the heavily-indebted Vinashin Economic Group will be transferred to PetroVietnam and Vinalines, also state companies, and the remainder restructured.

Int’l Day for Natural Disaster Reduction launched

VietNamNet Bridge – Hanoi held a meeting on October 13 to launch the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction with the theme “Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready”.

How to turn Vietnam into a sea power

Vietnam’s coast extends for 3260 kilometers. Vietnam’s sea area is three times our land area. Half of our population lives near the coast. With these advantages, it’s ironic that Vietnam has never been considered a seafaring nation.

A Day for Reconciliation

Let’s save the world from hatred, selfishness, emotionless and coldness by the concrete actions of each person in the world. This is the urgent call to many people on this planet.

Renewable energy’s difficult birth in Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge – While the demand for energy is rising dramatically in Vietnam, development of renewable energy is still in its infancy and faces big obstacles.

The Panorama of Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary

VietNamNet Bridge brings to you a panorama of activities to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Hanoi as Vietnam’s capital.

Road work threatens National Park

VietNamNet Bridge – Scientists warn that ongoing construction work in Bach Ma Forest in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue is threatening the ecosystem, including the habitats of dozens of endangered animals and plants,

SOCIETY IN BRIEF 13/10

Cambodians become naturalised Vietnamese; Only 80 percent of nation can access clean water; Court hands down death penalty to killer; Fishermen rescued after boat capsizes

Stone Turtle on Water Mountain

VietNamNet Bridge – Anyone who has visited the Mekong Delta province of An Giang has probably heard about That Son Mountain Range (otherwise known as Bay Nui) near the Cambodian border.

Int’l arrivals in high season recover in uncertainties

VietNamNet Bridge – Local travel firms have reported recovery in international tourists in the high season of the inbound tourism, but most still refrain from predicting business outcome for the rest of the year

iPhone 4 sells out in second launch

VietNamNet Bridge – VinaPhone and Viettel’s second round of Apple iPhone 4 imports sold out quickly around the country, barely scratching the surface of demand for the trendy cell phone.

Banks say cutting rates still a challenge

VietNamNet Bridge – Several bankers say it still proves difficult to cut interest rates in the rest of the year, borrowing and lending alike, as instructed by the Government although their current capital . . .

Vietnam starts FTA talks with Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan

VietNamNet Bridge – The first working session of the research team to support a free trade agreement between Vietnam and a customs union grouping Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan started on Monday in Hanoi, said a top official.

Movie distributor brings films to remote rural areas

VietNamNet Bridge – Travelling to small villages in remote and mountainous regions is a hard task at the best of times. But for members of a mobile film-screening team based in HCM City

Ciao! Italian language week begins in capital

VietNamNet Bridge – The 10th annual Italian Language week will kick-off in Ha Noi tomorrow, Oct 14.

New circular regulates capital contributions

After a number of months spent gathering public comments, the Government finally issued Decree No 102/2010/ND-CP on October 1, guiding certain provisions of the Law on Enterprises

Top mining company to de-list shares

VietNamNet Bridge – Sai Gon Quy Nhon Mining Co will seek shareholder approval to suspend its listing on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange due to unfavourable business conditions