VietNamNet Bridge – Lack of cooperation between the coast guard, police, market watchdogs and local governments have all contributed to an increase in cigarette smuggling, experts have warned.

Ho Chi Minh City attracts over 3.1 billion USD in FDI; WB reports early signs of Vietnam's economic recovery; SOE equitisation requires $5-10 billion; SBV calls for agriculture credit boost; Vietnam offers huge opportunity for retail banking market

Attending the first Vietnam International Fashion Week, Chung Thanh Phong continued to introduce a collection for kinky, haughty women with strong personality as “cat women”. This is the main characteristic in his designs.

 The World Bank (WB) on December 3 revised its growth projections for Viet Nam from 5.4% to 5.6% in 2014 in its economic update report.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Zalora Viet Nam has announced tie-ups with other top e-commerce businesses like Grabtaxi, Jetstar Pacific, Ivivu, Foodpanda and Hotdeal and retailing sites like Vinabook, beyeu, thegioididong,

 VietNamNet Bridge – Thirty-eight finalists of Miss Vietnam 2014 pageant competed for the title Miss Sea on December 2 in red swimsuits at Vinpearl Resort on Phu Quoc Island.

Concert features bands from the US, UK; BikeNBrunch fun ride set for Saturday; HITS to perform James and the Giant Peach; Cross-cultural Christmas charity concert set for upcoming launch; Hanoi Social Club launches Tiny Music Club

 The World Bank is funding a rural development project to help the Mekong Delta of Vietnam improve its climate change resilience.

VietNamNet Bridge – Pop star Ho Quynh Huong has become the third Vietnamese to win the "Asian Artist of the Year" title at the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA).

 VietNamNet Bridge – Many general schools in Hanoi recognized as meeting national standards could lose their official status because of increase in the number of enrolled students.

VietNamNet Bridge – Director Nguyen Hoang Diep was so excited to receive an award at the 36th Film Festival of the Three Continents (France) that she sang instead of giving an acceptance speech.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A private company has begun to chop down and remove about 200 trees on Kim Ma and Nguyen Thai Hoc streets in the capital city.

 VietNamNet Bridge – TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website, has named the central coastal city of Danang as a top destination on the rise in Asia and the world.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Chow Tai Fook Enterprises has said that it is ready to invest $4 billion in a casino project in Quang Nam, a province in central Vietnam.

Government agencies still cannot come to an agreement about the legitimacy of Uber, a taxi app, in Vietnam. While it has been facing strong protests from traditional taxi firms, it has been welcomed by the public and netizens.

VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam is likely to spend US$1.5 billion on auto imports for the entire 2014, the highest level so far in Viet Nam's history.

 The three founders of Hong Kong's Occupy Central movement have turned themselves in to police over their role in pro-democracy demonstrations.

 World chess masters Le Quang Liem and Hoang Thi Thanh Trang have failed to lift trophies at the National Sports Games.

Vietnam to host regional environment ministers’ meetings; New system planned to handle feedback on admin procedures; Vietnam joins Asian-Pacific countries at Malaysian geofest; Hanoi enhances ties with foreign NGOs

 A court is to decide whether two Burmese men will stand trial for the murder of two British tourists in Thailand earlier this year.

 The People’s Committee of the central province of Quang Tri held a meeting on December 2 to discuss ways to accelerate the implementation of the “one-stop shop” model at its international border gate Lao Bao and the Lao counterpart Densavan.

 The People’s Court of Bien Hoa city in the southern province of Dong Nai on December 3 sentenced six men from 1 to 2 years and a half in prison for “causing social disturbances” in local industrial zones.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Television (VTV) has stopped airing American series "Sex and the City" on VTV2 channel and changed the time for adult movies.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam Mobile Telecom Services Company (MobiFone) has officially become MobiFone Telecom Corporation under the Ministry of Information & Communications’ decision.

VietNamNet Bridge - According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), only one-third of the labor force in Vietnam works in the formal sector and workers in the banking, technology, and real estate earn the highest pay.