VietNamNet Bridge – According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), Vietnam’s total domestic product (GDP) in 2014 was estimated to increase 5.98% - the highest since 2011.

 Robberies are on the rise in Hoi An Town in Quang Nam Province, apparently perpetrated by drug addicts targeting local and foreign tourists, police say.

 The year 2014 has been one for the record book, says the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT). Below is the list of VNAT’s top 10 events:

VietNamNet Bridge – Many teachers have become redundant after general schools completed the restructuring process as requested by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET).

Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung recently said that Vietnam would issue an additional $1 billion of government bonds to the international market, with a 10-year period to restructure debt. The time of issuance was not announced.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Da Nang’s Party Secretary Tran Tho has confirmed that the rumor that Mr. Nguyen Ba Thanh died in the United States was incorrect.

 Travel agencies in HCMC are optimistic that their tours for the upcoming holidays, particularly the New Year, will sell well when there are four days off.

 The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Vietnam’s top ten culture, sport and tourism events in 2014 at a ceremony in Hanoi on December 30.

 Government to invest $47 million in debt-laden steel firm;

 Vietnamese tennis player Ly Hoang Nam will take part in the Australian Opens junior circus year in January, the first Grand Slam of the year.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Most Vietnamese companies are negligent when it comes to protecting their information on the Internet, VNCERT director Vu Quoc Khanh told Kinh Te & Do Thi newspaper.

 A number of famous Vietnamese architects won Ashui Awards 2014 for their outstanding works, announced by E-portal website Ashui.com on December 31.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Mekong Capital has registered to sell 2.24 million shares of a total of more than 15 million shares of Mobile World that the fund currently holds.

 The distance between central Hanoi and Noi Bai International Airport will be halved to 15 kilometers when a newly built bridge and road leading to the airport is opened to traffic later this week.

Tightening relationship with neighboring nations, playing crucial roles at multi-lateral forums, completing the Free Trade Agreements negotiations with the Custom Union and the Republic of Korea are remarkable diplomatic events in December.

 Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) will officially introduce a set of bond indices – the Bond-Index, on January 5, 2015 with a view to providing an additional method to measure the fluctuation of the bond market.

 Sapa, Da Lat and Mai Chau are considered most attractive destinations for tourists during New Year holidays thanks to their natural beauty, fresh air and peaceful environment.

Organized by the Vietnam Military History Museum, the exhibition honors outstanding Vietnamese generals from various historical periods through sculptures, lacquer, oil on canvas, watercolor and applied fine arts.

 Poverty figures for the nation could rise when the Government approves new measurement criteria by the third quarter of 2015, labour officials said yesterday.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Thach Kim Tuan, who recently became the country's first weightlifter to win a world-level gold medal, spoke with Thanh Nga.

 Two chemists, one who kicked off the development of Viagra and another who is a YouTube celebrity, have received knighthoods in the New Year Honours.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Some scientists carry out research to create new varieties with the state’s money, but then sell their results to businesses for money, according to Dr. Duong Van Chin, an agronomist.

 Cooperation with ASEAN reviewed; PM Dung checks premier transportation projects in Hanoi; Press urged to bring Party and State documents to public; Deputy PM urges measures to reduce land-related complaints

 Song Lam Nghe An has signed a contract with Dutch striker Koen Bosma, as the team readies to compete in the Toyota V-League 2015.

On December 30 at noon, the giant turtle in Hoan Kiem lake floated near the Turtle Tower. According to Prof. Ha Dinh Duc, a senior expert of the Hoan Kiem Turtle, this was the fourth time the legendary turtle floated to the surface in December 2014.