Distributors believe that the decision to devaluate the dong by 9.3 percent will not have a big influence on the prices of high-tech products in the first six months of 2011.

Ton Nu Thi Ninh, Chair of the Foundation Council of the Tri Viet (Vietnamese intelligence), said that the education renovation process should be started with reforms in the primary and secondary education and university education.

VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Transport's draft decree for a road maintenance fund has met opposition from motorists, who say it's unfair to demand extra fees for the fund from car and motorbike owners.

The credit flow has been running slowly after Tet with few loans disbursed, which has been blamed on the overly high lending interest rates and the tightened monetary policy.

VietNamNet Bridge – Thousands of children in the southern province of Dong Nai drop out of schools every year to help their poor families, according to social welfare officials.

VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam expects to exceed its target of exporting 87,000 workers this year, Vietnamese Overseas Employee Management Department deputy director Dao Cong Hai said.

VietNamNet Bridge – International Grandmaster Le Quang Liem took the sole lead at the Russian International Chess Festival (Aeroflot Open) after seventh round play yesterday, Feb 15, in Moscow.

VietNamNet Bridge – Young Vietnamese tennis player Nguyen Hoang Thien has moved up seven places from 241st to 234th in the world ranking this month, the International Tennis Federation announced.

VietNamNet Bridge – Even though they expected the dong/dollar exchange rate adjustment, businesses are shocked at the sharp dollar increase of 9.3 percent.

U.S. pop singer Lady Gaga emerged from a giant egg and performed her new single “Born This Way” at Grammy Awards on Feb. 13 night.

VietNamNet Bridge – The city stepped up the number of inspections last year and several prominent people were punished with stiff jail terms, but corruption remains a serious concern, a review meeting heard yesterday, Feb 15.

VietNamNet Bridge – Immigration management and higher administrative fines were among the National Assembly Standing Committee's top concerns as it discussed the draft Law on the Capital City yesterday, Feb 15.

VietNamNet Bridge – Hoan Kiem Lake's giant turtle will be removed for treatment for injuries believed to have been caused by fish hooks, pollution and attacks by other species of turtles.

VietNamNet Bridge – Singapore is Asia's greenest metropolis, according to the Asian Green City Index, a study commissioned by Siemens and carried out by the independent Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

Abnormal heart rate turbulence is associated with an increased risk of heart disease death in otherwise low-risk older individuals, according to a study funded by the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI),

NYSE Euronext and Germany's Deutsche Boerse announced on Tuesday that they had reached a final agreement on business combination to form the biggest exchange operator in the world.

Nation affirms importance of ties with Cambodia; Russian military friendship boosted; Deputy PM sets targets for northern mountains

Viet Nam donates books to Norway; HSBC funds NGO projects; Heinz launches ketchup iPad app; Online drinking contest launched

VietNamNet Bridge - Conditions are expected to turn favourable for the growth of Viet Nam's securities market this year, especially due to the amended securities law that will take effect in July.

The domestic market has noted sharp changes after the central bank adjusted up the inter-bank rate by 9.3% and narrowed the trading band for the dong to 1% from 3% previously.