Many Tet programmes for the poor; Men throw grenade after karaoke row, injuring 6; VFF’s activities in 2011 under review; Severe weather disrupts daily life

Two car bomb attacks rattled the Iraqi capital city of Baghdad late on Monday, killing at least 12 people and injuring 51 others, said a police source.

VietNamNet Bridge – World Vovinam Federation vice chairman Le Quoc An and general secretary Vo Danh Hai will attend a congress to establish the Africa Vovinam Federation beginning today, Jan 10.

The Dong Nai province People's Committee has approved in principle the establishment of a hi-tech park, expected to cost US$75 million, in Long Thanh district.

VietNamNet Bridge – The country's first weapon museum recently opened in the southern coastal city of Vung Tau.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) will strive to generate jobs for 1.6 million people and reduce the poverty rate by 2 percent in 2012.

The Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) will borrow more than US$2 billion from ODA sources and US$1 billion in commercial loans for its major power projects in 2012.

Guinea-Bissau's President Malam Bacai Sanha died in a hospital in Paris of diabetes complications on Monday as a new presidential election was planned in three months, according to a statement released by Guinea-Bissau's presidency.

National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan received Bob Filner, a member of the US House of Representatives, in Hanoi on January 9.

A spiritual and cultural space has opened at the Vietnamese Women's Museum to help people understand more about Mother Goddesses worship, a Vietnamese folk belief with a long history which has adapted to social changes.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Young tennis ace Nguyen Hoang Thien is included among the list of top 100 young players in the world, according to rankings released early this month.

The frozen real estate market has pushed a lot of real estate firms against the wall. The owners of some real estate firms say they do not have money to pay monthly salaries, let alone Tet bonuses.

VietNamNet Bridge – Vinalines organized a requiem for the 22 missing sailor of Vinalines Queen at Thang Phuc pagoda in the northern port city of Hai Phong on the afternoon of January 9.

The poor quality of basic petrol based products available at unofficial street stalls and major private and state-owned petrol stations has been revealed.

Vietnamese investors are facing a dilemma – what asset classes should they invest in this year?

The utility scale wind towers, a product of UBI Tower headquartered in Hai Duong province, has become the defendant in a lawsuit raised by the US Wind Tower Trade Coalition, an alliance of four companies.

VietNamNet Bridge – The Viet Nam Football Federation is again seeking a coach for the national and under-23 teams.

VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam's first-ever professional basketball team, Saigon Heat, have set themselves a target of reaching the four-team playoff round in the AirAsia ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) that kicks off this month.

Senate President of Mexico, Jose Gonzalez Morfin, will pay a three-day official visit to Viet Nam starting tomorrow at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung.

Hundreds of students accompanied by parents flocked to the Raffles International School on Nguyen Van Troi Street in Phu Nhuan District of Ho Chi Minh City on Jan 6, after some programmes run by the school had been terminated by the ministry.