Councilors of HCM City have assembled for a four-day meeting to vote for new leaders of the municipal People's Committee and discussion of several urgent issues as well as a review of socio-economic development.

Members of National Assembly Standing Committee started its 43rd meeting yesterday, focusing on preparations for the last session of 13th legislature expected to be opened next March.

VietNamNet Bridge - Commercial banks appear to be rushing to issue bank cards but Vietnamese still don’t have the habit of making payments with plastic. 

President Truong Tan Sang and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko held talks in Hanoi on December 9, discussing ways to further lift economic and trade ties to a new height.

 The HCMC departments of industry-trade and health have announced 246 safe food selling points of five units in the city.

 VietNamNet Bridge – By the time we arrived at Bau Sau (the Crocodile Lake) in Cat Tien National Park of Dong Nai Province, we had already spent a remarkable morning trekking through 15km of rainy jungle.

Five years ago, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) kicked off a pilot 2011-2015 program on teaching math and natural sciences in English at 30 percent of high schools in large cities. However, the target has been difficult to reach.

 Lobster farmers in some central coastal provinces of Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen are complaining about being cheated by Chinese businessmen who are buying their products at cheap prices.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Multi-billion USD refinery projects are being implemented very slowly while the operating Dung Quat oil refinery project has constantly asked the Vietnamese government for support and incentives.

 Instant coffee producers operating in Vietnam are expected to produce roughly 675,000 metric tons of instant coffee in 2015, according to estimates provided by the Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association.

 VietNamNet Bridge - A telephone call from the Vietnam Consulate in San Francisco offered an invitation that surprised Ms. Phung Tue Chau, the owner of Tieng Que Huong Radio.

Vietnam’s exports are expected to grow by 10.1 per cent from 2021 to 2030, largely unchanged from the growth anticipated for 2015 to 2020, according to HSBC’s Trade Forecast Report released on December 9.

November automobile sale revenue hikes up 86 percent, Vietnam steel producer proceeds with giant mill despite oversupply worries, French beef and apple return to Vietnam, FLC approved to develop VND1.6 trillion resort in Quy Nhon

 Ministry launches campaign to support cancer patients, Hospital failed to pay salary for its employees, HCM City airport to get new car park, New project to promote use of green batteries, Vietnam, Laos sign MoU on drug prevention

 More than 400 artworks of painting, graphics, performance art and video art, representing Viet Nam's fine arts field between 2011 and 2015, are on display in downtown Ha Noi.

A Chinese national Xue Wen, suspected to be part of a criminal ring, was arrested in Hanoi and sent to HCM City, awaiting for his conviction yesterday.

The Vietnamese disability sports contingent staged a successful end to the eighth ASEAN Para Games, finishing in fourth place overall with a total of 48 gold, 58 silver and 50 bronze medals.

With more universities and offices requiring English qualifications from graduates, students are turning to hiring other people to sit their English exams.

 Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said defence cooperation is a pillar and an inseparable part of Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership and wished to bring the cooperation to the next level in the future.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Of 1,800 participants at the 9th National Patriotic Emulation Congress in Hanoi, there were 15 representatives of the community of overseas Vietnamese, who came from 14 countries and territories.

 VietNamNet Bridge - In Vietnam, 68% of foreign workers say they can save more money, according to the latest survey conducted by HSBC.

  VietNamNet Bridge – Experts have warned the construction of a dozen dams on the Mekong River’s mainstream is threatening the river’s ecology and the wellbeing of a lot of residents in the river basin.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Travel companies in HCMC are in dire need of tour guides who can speak Japanese and Korean fluently to serve visitors from the two northeastern Asian countries.

The government, when planning the nation’s budget for 2016, has estimated that crude oil will make up 10 percent of the budget revenue for the year, which means that Vietnam still plans to increase the crude oil output.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Located on Le Ngo Cat Street in the former royal capital city of Hue, "He Café" is not just an eatery but also a museum with many unique items collected from the wars in Vietnam by the owner, artist Nguyen Van He.