VietNamNet Bridge – Responding to concerns about the use of genetically modified (GM) crops, Prof. Le Dinh Luong, Chair of the Vietnam Genetics, advised Vietnamese to remain calm about the use of GM crops and GM products.

VietNamNet Bridge – The large waste treatment plant in the southern province of An Giang, designed to treat garbage and make organic fertilizer, is now being used as a garbage dump.

Vietnamese officials, representatives from the EU delegation, and experts from Singapore, Thailand, and the US attended a seminar in Hanoi on December 5 to discuss challenges in the implementation of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Hundreds of thousands of visitors make the scenic climb to Dinh Cau (Sea Gods Temple) each year.

Monument inscriptions in Han and Nom at the royal citadel in Hue will be submitted to the UNESCO Memory of the World Program to seek recognition as documentary heritage.

Perfecting the law, ensuring people’s freedom and democracy, and completing the market economy mechanism constitute a driving force and also key measures to improve the national economy’s effectiveness and competitiveness, PM Nguyen Tan Dung said.

 The captains of two fishing boats in the central province of Quang Ngai have been fined for taking their vehicles to fish in the waters of other countries without permission from authorised agencies.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Marigolds, amaranth flowers and annual hibiscus are blossoming on the rocky plateau this season, awakening the hidden beauty of Ha Giang.

 World BankCountry Director Victoria Kwakwa has affirmed development partners’ willingness to support Vietnam through providing policy consultancy and capital sources at the Vietnam Development Partnership Forum which opened in Hanoi on December 5.

 The Asia Pacific region has outperformed the rest of the world when it comes to wage growth, according to an International Labour Organisation (ILO) report.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The second International Contemporary Dance Festival 2014 will take place in HCMC this Sunday until December 16, featuring a host of dancers and choreographers from Italy, South Korea, France, Japan,

HCM City kicks off tourism, shopping fest; Vietinbank signs US$139 million loan agreement with foreign banks; Real estate developer Kinh Bac to hold $56m bond issue; Kem Nghia to build $14 million plant; One more port to go public in December

 The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) shut down the websites www.123doc.vn and www.khoahoc.com.vn for operating without licenses, MIC representatives said on December 5.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Miss Vietnam 2008 Thuy Dung was the key model at the show of well-known designer Hoang Hai on the second day (Dec. 2) of the ongoing International Fashion Week in HCM City.

 The People’s Court of Nhon Trach district in the southern province of Dong Nai on December 5 sentenced nine men to one year in prison for causing social disturbance at the local industrial zone.

The Vietnam Internet Network Information Centre announced on December 5 that the ‘.vn’ domain name topped the ASEAN region for number of registrations and ranked seventh for all Asian nations.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Local teen pop star Son Tung M-TP, who was accused of copying the melody of the song Because I miss you by South Korean singer/songwriter Jung Yong Hwa, leader of popular CNBlue band,

Sir Nick Faldo, the legendary British golf player, last weekend revisited his favourite golf course: the Laguna Lang Co Golf Club.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam hopes the rice price in the world market will increase as Thailand has asked its farmers to stop selling rice in anticipation of a price hike.

 Super storm Hagupit is approaching East Sea, reported by the National Hydrology Meteorology Forecast Center yesterday.

 Vietnam's 2014 growth is expected to hit 5.6 percent and improve to 5.8 percent in 2015, according to the Global Economic Update 2015 released on December 3 by the Australia-New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ).

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism has launched a programme to promote in-country tourism by Vietnamese as part of national efforts to mobilise the national economy.

 VietNamNet Bridge – HCM City plans to speed up the task of moving production establishments causing pollution out of residential areas.

Korean firm fined for wastewater discharge; Deforestation declines but usual suspects unchecked; Ministry urges close watch of arrivals from plague endemic areas; Vietnam, US share labour safety, sanitation experience

 Vietnam added three more gold medals and jumped to third place overall yesterday in the ASEAN School Games in the Philippines.