VietNamNet Bridge – The first merged bank began operational, tax rates on hundreds of products are adjusted, automobile registration fees rise in Hanoi, HCM City and six laws take effect are among changes that started as of January 1.

Vietnam’s industrial competitiveness is improved but the country is still too reliant on labour intensive sectors.

U.S. President Barack Obama signed on Saturday a wide-ranging defense funding bill in Honolulu, Hawaii, calling for new sanctions against financial institutions doing business with Iran's state banking institutions.

With 1,425 points, the Haiphong born gymnast Phan Thi Ha Thanh was awarded the “best athlete of the year” by the vote of nearly 200 domestic sport reporters and experts.

A one-year pilot project to revamp Ta Hien Street in Ha Noi's Old Quarter has been completed.

ndustrial parks and export processing zones in the southern region, are turning their attention to attracting hi-tech and supporting industry projects that are environmentally friendly.

VietNamNet Bridge – On the first day of 2012, many foreign visitors arrived in Vietnam by air and sea.

The Vietnamese stock market marked its 11th anniversary this year with both good and bad news.

People who live near the mountainous commune of Canh Hien in Binh Dinh Province are not surprised when they see a skinny man walking on his wooden crutches on the uneven country-road.

An English couple has joined 14 expeditions to Vietnamese caves over the past 20 years and contributed to UNESCO’s recognition of Phong Nha-Ke Bang as a World Natural Heritage Site.

The disbursement of foreign direct investment (FDI) this year reached last year's figures of US$11 billion despite challenges caused by tough economic conditions, the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) reported yesterday.

A young man was spotted resting on his knees for five hours in front of a mattress shop in Nha Trang city’s To Vinh Dien street last Saturday, piquing the curiosity of people in the neighborhood.

A total of US$314.3 million was donated by localities, organizations and individuals for the poor at a live TV program held by the Vietnam Fatherland Front and Vietnam Television in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on the eve of the year 2012.

Police in Ho Chi Minh City Monday noon arrested Tuoi Tre newspaper’s journalist Hoang Khuong on charges he indirectly gave bribes to a police officer. Mr. Khuong is a prize-winning journalist famous for exposé articles into police corruption.

A historical site of the Cambodian resistance movement foundation, where Prime Minister Hun Sen formed and headed the then Unit 125, was inaugurated in the southern province of Dong Nai on January 2.

VietNamNet Bridge – Motorbike manufacturers rush to expand the production because they could imagine before that the demand would be so weak. The prices have been decreasing dramatically, but consumers still keep indifferent.

VietNamNet Bridge – A 14-year-old boy who self sacrificed himself to rescue his friends, a pregnant railway worker who rescued a baby, a rubbish collector who gave back $2,000… are good examples reported on the local media in 2011.

Observation results show that the air pollution at night exists, but the pollution is still below the allowed level.

2011 proves to be a difficult year for Vietnamese games producers. However, they still have been surviving difficulties and developing.

Vietnamese tourist arrivals in Japan have grown since a short interruption that followed the powerful earthquake and tsunami in March.

The credit growth in 2012 will be around 15%-17%, a little higher than the actual figure this year but far lower than the average rate in the past few years, the central bank’s Governor Nguyen Van Binh stressed.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training announced Friday its decision to ban three colleges and universities from taking in new students in 2012.

Several fundamental labour rights for workers are not being fulfilled by employers, according to the latest inspections.

Fabric paintings have recently drawn much attention from many domestic and overseas art lovers thanks to the efforts of young art students. 

2011 is considered a golden year of rice exports as Vietnam expects to ship a record volume of seven million tonnes abroad and earn US$3.7 billion in revenue.