Vietnam has entered the new year with strong intentions to drive the economy in a more efficient manner. Representatives of businesses and international organisations talked about how to make the country smarter in all sectors.

 Over the past 20 years Vietnam has embraced trade and successfully integrated into key global value chains. Vietnam’s gross exports have expanded at an average rate of 18 per cent over the past decade,

VietNamNet Bridge – In 2017, Le Van Quoc applied to the Cao Thang Technical College, one of the leading vocational training schools in HCM City, despite getting admission to a university.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Despite Tet celebrations ending this week, shops, restaurants and entertainment centres in HCM City are becoming increasingly busy as couples rush to buy gifts for their partners for Valentine’s Day.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Water in the Nhue and Day rivers in the northern province of Ha Nam is heavily polluted, according to the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Dien Bien Province Police have decided to prosecute Vuong Van Hung, who was accused of robbing and killing university student Cao My Duyen on February 4, Major General Sung A Hong announced on Wednesday.

 Soc Temple, Phu Linh Commune, Soc Son District, Hanoi. Phu Dong Temple, Phu Dong Commune, Gia Lam District, Hanoi- Running from the 6th day of the first lunar month to the 12th of the fourth lunar month (February 10- May 16) 

VietNamNet Bridge – FILM Storyteller by Heritage Space will present a documentary To be and To Have (Être et avoir) by French director Nicolas Philibert on Saturday, February 16.

 Nam Long Investment Corporation has recently announced the acquisition of a 70 per cent stake in Dong Nai Waterfront City Limited Company from Portsville Pte., Ltd., a subsidiary of Singapore’s Keppel Corporation.

 Last month, property developer Vingroup unveiled plans to sell 20 million non-convertible bonds at VND100,000 (US$4.39) each in two phases without any covered warrants or guaranteed assets.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Friends of Vietnam Heritage (FVH), in collaboration with Zo Project, will host a craft workshop on dó (poonah) paper on Saturday.

 Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha talked with VIR about what the sector will do in 2019 to win more confidence from the public and improve educational and training services.

 Lady Gaga is supporting Cardi B in the wake of negative reaction to the rapper's Grammy win.

 VietNamNet Bridge – An exhibition named Tranh Tối Tranh Sáng (The Twilight between Light and Darkness) has opened in Hanoi for fans of contemporary art.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Run4Self – a running community, will host the free Hoàng Thành Half Marathon on Sunday.

VietNamNet Bridge - If Hanoi doesn’t take action now to improve the air quality, it will face serious air pollution problems in the future that now plague Beijing, experts say.

 Foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in Vietnam have upbeat prospects in 2019, with Japanese investors continuing to lead the countries and territories having investment projects in Vietnam.

 Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World"), often known as the New World symphony, will be performed by the HCM City symphony orchestra at the city’s Opera House at 8pm at 7 Lam Son Square in District 1 on March 9.

 Mozart’s The Magic Flute will be staged at 8pm on March 31 at the HCM City Opera House at 7 Lam Son Square in District 1.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A total of 13,500 trees were planted along highways nationwide on Tuesday in response to the post-Lunar New Year tree planting festival, 

Bat Trang Ceramic Village is a popular destination among tourists who want to visit and buy delicate ceramic products that can be purchased nowhere else. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Graffiti allegedly by expatriates has sprang up across Hanoi’s Tay Ho District and a 2km flood wall on Nghi Tam, Au Co and Yen Phu streets.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City People’s Committee has approved a plan to organise a design contest for detailed construction planning at a scale of 1:500 for the 23 September Park located in central District 1.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) launched its “One Planet City Challenge 2019” on Tuesday.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has urged agencies to work together closely to ensure that construction of Long Thanh International Airport in the southern province of Dong Nai will begin next year.