A book week to celebrate the 320th birthday of HCM City, formally called Saigon, Cho Lon and Gia Dinh, was a big hit with residents and visitors. The event was a kaleidoscope of the history of Vietnam’s biggest metropolis.

A selection of noteworthy artistic and cultural events to take place in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Internal migration to the Tay Nguyen region has caused population concerns, security and environmental protection issues as well as hindering socio-economic development.

‘Banh trang tron’ (rice paper salad), has recently become a popular street food for young people in big cities in Vietnam.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City People’s Committee has decided to penalise all departments or localities that end up with less than 50 per cent of their budgeted public spending for this year.

 The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam will hold the JF Garage Concert No.18 featuring The Flying Clef Quintet in Hanoi on Friday, December 28, starting at 8 p.m.

Unilever Vietnam International Co., Ltd. has written to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc calling for help after the HCMC Tax Department warned that it might have coerced US$24.7 million in corporate income tax from the firm.

 A 65-year-old farmer in Hanoi continues to earn great profits from his special garden where he grows 10 types of fruits on one tree.

 The incense-producing commune of Quang Phu Cau some 35 kilometres from the centre of Hanoi has become very busy with the Lunar New Year around three months away.

 People in a village in the southern province of Soc Trang are being nuisanced by a group of wild monkeys.

 A teacher in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a school girl.

 Local banks have increasingly sought cross-border borrowings in recent years after being pressured to raise capital for lending. 

 Two thirds of Vietnamese fintech firms are providing payment services for customers through online payment apps.

 Anyone who has travelled on a budget would already know that low funds does not equal low fun. You can have an amazing time with very little money.

 Japanese investors are now aiming to pour US$9-10 billion into Vietnam over the next few years, mostly into infrastructure development and real estate.

 Vietnamese enterprises should devote effort, time and money for quality improvement and marketing if they want their products seen and sold on foreign supermarket shelves.

The HCMC Department of Construction sent the municipal government a plan to take disciplinary actions against leaders, officials and organizations within its jurisdiction due to irregularities in HCMC's Thu Thiem New Urban Area project.

 More deadly tsunamis could strike the Indonesian coastline in the coming days, authorities warn, as the volcano which triggered the weekend's devastating wave continues to erupt.

 The Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam has just allowed Vietcombank and VIB to apply Circular 41/2016/TT-NHNN (on capital threshold for banks and branches of foreign banks). 

Japanese firms consider Vietnam key investment destination, Nghi Son oil refinery-petrochemical plant begins commercial operation, Best Vietnamese firms honoured with Gold Star Award

Vietnam’s volunteer soldiers commemorated in Cambodia, No Vietnamese victims reported in Indonesia tsunami: embassy, Monkeys destroy Sóc Trăng crops, attack residents, NA leader honours war martyrs

VietNamNet Bridge - Securities companies have predicted that the deposit interest rate will be lifted next year, leading to higher lending interest rates and capital costs for businesses.

Chatbots, a product of artificial intelligence (AI), are now being used more frequently in businesses in Vietnam.

The national standards for tertiary training quality set by the Ministry of Education and Training includes minimum requirements, but schools have actually committed to higher quality standards for their training programs.

The HCMC Center for Flood Control Program has proposed building seven anti-flood reservoirs with Japanese cross-wave technology, for total costs of VND475 billion. However, some experts doubt the reservoirs will help.