Foreigners have been growing more interested in buying houses in Vietnam despite obstacles in ownership.

 In 2018, the year marking the halfway point in the National Assembly (NA)’s 14th tenure, the body completed a great deal of work and received compliments from voters nationwide.

 The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on January 12 announced top ten cultural, sport and tourism events in 2018.

 An exhibition featuring cultures of ASEAN member countries and their dialogue partners was opened in northern Quang Ninh province on January 12 on the occasion of the 2019 ASEAN Tourism Forum.

 The Vietnam Tennis Open Da Nang City 2019 closed on January 12 after seven days of competition, with the trophies in the singles and doubles going to Spain’s Marcel Granollers and duo Cheng-Peng Hsieh and Christopher Rungkat.

 Vietnam suffered a 0-2 defeat to Iran, which has been seen as the strongest team in Group D, in their second encounter at the AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates on January 12.  

Despite new policies and legislation resulting in a positive impact on railways in 2018, some difficulties have emerged, creating a bumpy path for the private sector to enter into the industry. 

 The import of scrap to use as material for production through road and railway border gates will be banned in Vietnam from February 22, according to a circular freshly issued by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

 The expanded export market, the export revenues hitting record high with US$40.02 billion, and the promotion of domestic consumption are the bright spots of Vietnam’s agricultural sector throughout 2018.

 The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will take effect in Vietnam as from January 14, 2019. 

 Vietnam sustained its position as the world’s leading cashew processor and exporter in 2018, yet the country still suffered from certain losses, so the sector must strive to regain what it lost in 2018 and improve its export value in 2019.

 The first Vietnam-Japan Environmental Week has provided the opportunity for Vietnamese environmental service providers to access suitable technologies in the field, said Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Tuan Nhan.

 Hong Kong search and rescue team on January 11 found the body of a missing crewman in the fire of Vietnamese oil tanker Aulac Fortune near the coast of Lantau island off Hong Kong (China). 

 The Marco Polo container ship, with a capacity of nearly 17,000 TEUs, docked at the Cai Mep International Terminal (CMIT) in the southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau on January 11.

 A seminar promoting investment to high-tech industry is scheduled to take place in Hanoi on January 14 in a bid to draw foreign investment to the field in Vietnam.

 The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry and the Swedish Embassy held a ceremony in Hanoi on January 11 marking the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam – Sweden diplomatic ties. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Mixing coffee with eggs makes no sense at all. The two go together like ducks to boiling water. 

 A rare turtle was released back into the ocean in the south-central coastal province of Phu Yen on January 11 by the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Xuan Thinh Border Post.

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam is step by step shifting from relying on foreign debt to seeking domestic capital sources.

 Vietnam will further step up its partnership with Asia-Pacific parliaments and perform its active participation in multilateral parliamentary diplomatic activities at the 27th annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF 27).

 V.League 1 defending champions Hanoi FC will compete in the Thailand’s most prestigious pre-season tournament which takes place from January 12-26.

 Animals Asia will provide a funding of 60,000 USD for the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak to carry out the elephant conservation project from November 2019 to February 2021.

Hanoi is famous for its wide range of delicious street food that is widely hailed by foreign media. Therefore readers should not miss the chance to taste some of them while visiting the capital city, especially during the cold winter.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Like many 10-year-olds, Tran Dung Thanh loved fast food. What kids don’t? As for vegetables, they were certainly off the menu for this fourth-grader who lives in the northern port City of Hai Phong.

 To tap into the full potential of Vietnamese economic prowess and also unleash advantages brought about by Industry 4.0, developing a national skills eco-system is paramount.