Global domain names come to VNThe availability of a series of new foreign domain names in the Vietnamese market is offering more choices to local companies and opening up new opportunities for domain name registrars. The penetration of many new domain names into Viet Nam offers many domain name options to local businesses and co-operation opportunities for domain names registrars. Foreign domain registrars have sought to collaborate with local domain name suppliers to expand their presence and improve their competitive edge. If issues emerge such as domain name disputes, usurped domain names, stolen and illegally transferred domain names, the Vietnamese providers would take responsibility to settle them and enterprises do not have to contact foreign registrars. Besides competing on prices, foreign domain registrars and domestic domain name providers also join hands to promote their brands and improve Vietnamese businesses’ awareness of the importance and benefits of using new domain names.

Honey to become the bee’s kneesViet Nam expects to have sustainable development of the domestic honey and bee industry to improve output and quality of honey over the next two years. Daklak Honey Bee JSC. The Department of Livestock reports Viet Nam currently has nearly 1.2 million bee colonies including 16.6 per cent being domestic bees and 83.4 per cent being foreign bees. According to Nguyen Thanh Son, head of the National Institute of Animal Science, Viet Nam is the second largest honey exporter in Asia and the sixth largest honey exporter in the world. In 2014, Viet Nam exported nearly 50,000 tonnes of honey, earning US$150 million.

HCM City to have first human milk bank of int’l standardsA breast milk bank of international standards will be established at Ho Chi Minh City’s Tu Du Hospital, announced Assoc. As one of the leading obstetrics and gynaecology hospitals of the city, Tu Du Hospital handles about 66,000 birth cases annually. Among those, there are hundreds of premature babies who are fed on infant formula due to a shortage of breast milk. In face of this, the hospital put forward its plan to set up a breast milk bank in 2016, hoping to provide safe and nutritious human milk to save at-risk infants. Thuong noted that the human milk bank must closely follow strict requirements on equipment and operation, in accordance with international standards.

National Council on Sustainable Development and Competitiveness Improvement is headed by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam. Third, the sector should take strong action in economic diplomacy to serve national development. Elaborating on the notion of diplomacy serving development, the Deputy FM said the diplomatic sector has been doing several tasks since the 29th conference. He asked the province to improve state management of the building, management and protection of national sovereignty and border security. In his closing remarks, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said the conference was a resounding success, helping improve the role of Vietnam’s diplomatic sector.

VASEP: Tra fish export to EU tends to recoverTra fish exports to the EU have recovered following incorrect news published by overseas media, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors. In 2008, tra fish became popular in France, Spain and Italy thanks to its low price compared to other indigenous white-flesh fishes. Statistics from the General Department of Customs showed tra fish exports to the EU surpassed 139 million USD in the first seven months of this year, up 16.5 percent annually. Several markets posted strong growth such as the Netherlands (up 43 percent) and Italy (up 83 percent). The EU is now the third largest importer of Vietnamese tra fish, accounting for an 11.6 percent market share, behind China and the US.

Viettel slashes roaming fees for ASIAD 2018Military-run telecom provider Viettel has announced a roaming fee reduction of up to 45 percent for calls, texts and data applicable to all subscribers in Indonesia from August 15 to September 14. Viettel subscribers can enjoy a roaming fee reduction of up to 45 percent for calls, texts and data during ASIAD 18 in Indonesia. The company’s move aims to welcome the Asian Games 2018 (ASIAD 2018), helping athletes, fans and people travelling to Indonesia save on roaming fees. The one-month promotion programme applies for all Viettel subscribers successfully registering for roaming services on Indonesian networks such as Excelcom, Telkomsel and Indosat. Customers can register for roaming services by sending CVQT to 138 or downloading the Viettel Roaming app on the Google Play Store or App Store.

ASIAD 2018: Minister visits Vietnamese delegation in athletes’ villageVietnamese athletes need to demonstrate good sportsmanship and follow rules of competitions, thus promoting the country’s images to international friends, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien has said. Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien meets with Vietnamese athletes in the athletes' village of ASIAD 18 (Source: news.zing.vn)The official made the statement on August 18 while visiting members of the Vietnamese delegation in the athletes’ village of the 2018 Asian Games (ASIAD 2018). To date, more than 300 members of the delegation have arrived in Indonesia and 200 of them live in the village. Thien also inquired about living and travel conditions of Vietnamese athletes, as well as medical treatment for them. The Vietnamese delegation to ASIAD 2018 consists of 532 members, including 352 athletes.

Mother Goddess rituals festival takes place in HueA Mother Goddess ritual worshipping festival started on August 18 at the Hon Chen Temple, a monument built by the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) kings hundreds of years ago in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. The procession of Mother Goddess during the annual Hon Chen rituals festivalThe three-day festival will include a grand boat procession from a temple in Hue city to Hon Chen sitting on a mountain up the Huong (Perfume) River. The procession aims to welcome the Thien Y Ana Mother Goddess to the mountain temple for three days of rituals. Mother Goddess worship is considered a belief in Vietnam, and has millions of followers. Later, King Dong Khanh (1885-1889) expanded the temple, named it Hue Nam, and facilitated the practice of Mother Goddess worshipping as he believed the Mother Goddess had helped him gain the throne.

Over $320 mln collected from PetroVietnam subsidiaries’ IPOsAs much as 7.45 trillion VND (320.5 million USD) were collected for the State budget from the initial public offerings (IPOs) of three member companies of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) in the first six months of 2018. Chairman of PetroVietnam Tran Sy Thanh speaks at the conferenceThe information was revealed by Dinh Van Son, member of PetroVietnam’s Member Council at a conference to review the equitisation of PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PVOil), PetroVietnam Power Corporation (PV Power) and the Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical One Member Co Ltd (BSR) in Hanoi on August 17. Accordingly, BSR successfully auctioned 241,427,969 shares or 7.79 percent of its charter capital, for over 5.4 trillion VND (232.4 million USD), bringing in a surplus of 3.15 trillion VND (nearly 135.49 million USD). Meanwhile, PV Power and PVOil also held the auctions of 467,802,523 shares and 200,445,036 shares, earning 2.3 trillion VND (over 98.9 million USD) and 2 trillion VND (over 86 million USD) in surplus, respectively. PetroVietnam continues its operation in the key fields of oil and gas exploration, exploitation and production, while working to maintain the stability of its financial structure and gradually streamline its organisational apparatus.-VNA

Martial arts still a gold mine for Vietnam at ASIAD 2018Vietnam’s martial arts are fighting for gold in this year’s Asian Games 2018 (ASIAD 2018), which will take place in Indonesia from August 18 to September 2. Nguyen Thi Ngoan (right) is one of the best hopes for Vietnam in martial arts (Photo: zing.vn)In the past two years, Vietnam has won two gold medals, both in the ring. In total, Vietnam has won 11 gold medals, seven of those in this discipline. It aims to snatch a minimum of three gold medals, with at least one in an Olympic sports category. At the previous Games, Vietnam pocketed one gold, 10 silver, and 25 bronze medals, ranking 21st in the medal standings.

ASIAD 2018: Vietnam ready to face JapanVietnam are ready to face Japan in the third match of Group D of the Asian Games (ASIAD) 2018 in Indonesia on August 19, according to midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai. Vietnam and Japan both have six points and goal difference of five after two matches but the Vietnamese side top the group because of fairplay rule. Japanese media praise Vietnam’s football squadJapanese football magazine Qoly praises Vietnam’s football squad. Vietnam, together with Japan, will enter the next round after beating Nepal 2-0 at the 2018 Asian Games (ASIAD) in Indonesia on August 16. Having a landslide victory over Nepal to earn a ticket to the next round, the Vietnam Olympic football team becomes the first team fulfilling target at the ASIAD 2018.

Vietnam’s steel manufacturing in a whirlwind of lawsuitsVietNamNet Bridge - At least half of the current trade remedy, anti-countervailing and anti-dumping investigations are on products in the steel manufacturing sector. Vietnam's steel manufacturing is on the whirlwind of lawsuitsChu Thang Trung, deputy head of the Trade Remedies Department, said at a recent workshop that of 78 anti-dumping lawsuits in the last two years against Vietnam’s products, 37 had relations with the steel sector. There has been no official explanation why steel manufacturing accounts for 50 percent of total lawsuits. Of 78 anti-dumping lawsuits in the last two years against Vietnam’s products, 37 had relations with the steel sector. On May 21, the US Department of Commerce released its final decision after an anti-subsidy probe against Vietnam’s galvanized steel and cold rolled steel sourced from Chinese HRC (hot rolled coil).

Safety key for VN food exporters: conferenceGood agricultural practices and food safety certification are the first requirements for agricultural producers who want to export or sell to international retail chains, experts have said. They were speaking at a conference titled “Overcome the technical barriers for food and agricultural products to export to EU” in HCM City on Friday. Viet Nam is still among the countries whose exports are rejected by European markets mainly because of food safety issues. Food safety certificationNguyen Huy, food manager in Viet Nam for global quality certification agency Bureau Veritas, said before 2015 fishery products accounted for most food safety alerts from the RASFF about Vietnamese consignments. He said one of the most popular certifications in Europe is the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety developed by food industry experts.

Hard teaching lives in northern mountainous areasTeacher Luc Thi Ly has to walk every day along a rough and dangerous track to her school in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang. Luc Thi Ly, 31, was recently assigned to teach at a branch of Na Kieng Nursery School in Lung Kim Village, Quang Uyen District. Na Kieng Nursery School in Lung Kim Village is in very poor condition with timber temporary classrooms. This is the same situation as many other schools in mountainous areas in Vietnam. The track to classrooms of Na Kieng Nursery School in Lung Kim Village A temporary bridgeA rundown house for teachers in Lung KimThe classroomsDtinews

VN Central Bank to inspect banks that pour money into real estateVietNamNet Bridge - The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), in an effort to strictly control credit growth in the second half of the year, will take unscheduled inspection tours to banks that are pouring money into the real estate sector. Real estate credit comprises different types of loans, including loans to fund house purchases and upgrading, real estate trading and real estate development. In addition, Hieu said it is necessary to set limits for real estate credit. If limits are not set, it will be unclear which banks ‘pour much money into real estate’. He noted that the scale of real estate credit may be higher than reported, because many loan items are listed as ‘consumer credit’.