Updated information about cultural events in big cities of Vietnam.

VietNamNet Bridge – German writer Nora Luttmer’s novel entitled “Schwarze Schiffe” (Black Boats) is being released in Germany on January 21, 2013, by the Aufbau Verlag publishing house in Berlin.

VietNamNet Bridge - With a history of over 100 years, the Muslim community in Hanoi is still very small and not well known.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The capital city's Old Quarter will be cut down to 82 hectares from the current 100, with a focus on preserving and restoring historic buildings.

VietNamNet Bridge - On the first day of 2013, dozens of female traffic police officers will control traffic at several intersections in Hanoi during peak hours in the morning and afternoon.

VietNamNet Bridge - The world's 22nd richest billionaire George Soros and his family have been in Hanoi on Christmas and New Year vacation.

VietNamNet Bridge - Near the Doan Mon Gate, archaeologists have excavated more relics of the Ly, Tran, Le and Nguyen Dynasties that are overlaid on top of each other.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Ha Noi plans to build eight large-scale abattoirs to meet the demands of consumers by 2015, the municipal People's Committee said.

VietNamNet Bridge – Propaganda posters with the themes: Vietnam definitely wins, Hanoi is determined to follow Uncle Ho’s words, nothing is more precious than independence and freedom bring us back to a time of smoke and fire.

VietNamNet Bridge - In downtown Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, some central roads were in traffic congestion on Christmas Eve. Many people had to walk for kilometers to major churches.

VietNamNet Bridge - Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Tran Anh Tuan told correspondents last week that the Ministry has set up a working group to verify information about corruption related to recruitment of public servants in Hanoi.

VietNamNet Bridge – Being decorated with thousands of lights and the Santa Claus riding a reindeer sleigh, many churches in Hanoi shimmer before the Christmas Eve.

VietNamNet Bridge – On the morning of December 23, more than 200 members of the Laughter Yoga Club wore the Santa outfit to participate in the Christmas Smile festival on the Hoan Kiem lakeside, Hanoi.

VietNamNet Bridge – Many roads amid the heart of Hanoi, the capital city, are even sleazier than rural markets.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Forty years ago these days Hanoi, Haiphong and many other cities in North Vietnam were severely devastated by relentless aerial bombardments of the US.

The Deputy Head of the Hanoi Party Committee’s Information and Education Department said that the information on paying VND100 million ($5,000) to become a public servant is grounded and the city would inspect it.

The Hanoi Party Committee has conducted a sociological survey to assess the satisfaction level of the people for administrative procedures at the five government agencies.

When getting negative information on corruption related to public servant recruitment in Hanoi, the Hanoi authorities must inspect immediately, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on December 17.

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam on BBC has a rustic but fascinating beauty with rivers, mountains, sidewalk tea shops, street vendors and flows of motorbikes.

VietNamNet Bridge - Along with the first overhead route of Vietnam, the four steel overpasses that were put into use in 2012 help reduce Hanoi’s traffic congestion.