The Government has proposed to the Party Central Committee and the National Assembly a scheme that will reduce bad debts in the nation's banking system this year to three percent of total lending.

 The Vietnamese stock market ended a rough year of 2014 with continued growth.

 Vietnam is the fifth most recognised coffee producing country in the US – the world’s largest coffee consuming market, according to a recent survey by the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC).

New project launched under Vietnam-Cambodia defence cooperation deal; Party chief visits Hanoi hi-tech park; President pays New Year visit to Tay Ninh, Binh Duong; Former prisoners of war meet to review revolutionary tradition

Standard Chartered Bank recently released a report, which also takes a look at Vietnam's economic and financial outlook, growth, FDI prospects, trade and interest rate. The bank's economist, Betty Rui Wang, talked about these issues.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam’s business climate improvements have won plaudits from Japanese investors and the World Bank.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Adverse climate change could cost Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand at least US$16 billion per year in damage to natural resource assets and infrastructure services, a report has revealed.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The nation's rowing athletes were the first to begin training after the short Tet holiday break.

 VietNamNet Bridge – There are five urban projects that the country's largest city aims to complete in 2015.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Only a few days into the Lunar New Year, Vietnamese badminton player Vu Thi Trang received some good news.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Hue received about 75,000 visitors during the Tet holiday, thanks to its attractive heritage monuments and Tet (Lunar New Year) traditions.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese people are celebrating the new year as the Year of the Goat, the eighth zodiac animal in the lunar calendar.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The supply of retail space is increasing in Hanoi and HCMC and could reach 1.5 million square meters in both cities late this year, according to a study of CBRE Vietnam.

 British actor Eddie Redmayne has won the best actor Oscar for The Theory of Everything, while Julianne Moore picked up best actress for Still Alice.

Nhip Dieu Que Huong (Homeland Melody), staged by the Viet Nam Puppetry Theatre, won the grand prize at the Harmony World Puppet Carnival in Bangkok last year – the highest international award that Vietnamese puppetry performers have ever received.  

 The UK offshore oil and gas industry has reported its worst annual performance for four decades.

Quang Binh Province and Australia’s Augusta Margaret River Tourism Association have signed an agreement to establish a symbiotic relationship between tourist caves in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and the Margaret River Region.

 Nearly 430 traffic accidents occurred within the seven days of the Lunar New Year (Tet) nationwide, leaving 246 people dead and 415 injured according to the National Committee for Traffic Safety.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Overseas remittances to Vietnam have remained the yearly increase level of US$1 billion since 2011 and hit US$12 billion last year.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung has called upon the Vietnamese Party, people and army to unite and fulfil the set 2015 tasks to generate rapid and sustainable development.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The fall of the real estate market is not only a lesson for domestic investors but also foreign enterprises in Vietnam.

 Henry Martin, a French peace lover and close friend of the Vietnamese people, passed away in Paris on February 17 at the age of 88.

 Greece has unveiled an outline summary of reforms demanded by eurozone leaders in order to secure a bailout extension.

 The Standing Committee of the 13th National Assembly will convene its 35th session in Hanoi on February 25, scheduled to give comments on a plan on investment and construction of international Long Thanh airport.

 An original art performance entitled, "Về Miền Quan Họ" (Coming Back to Quan họ land) will be staged at the Kinh Bắc cultural centre in northern Bắc Ninh city on March 7.