In Ho Chi Minh City, there are numerous libraries providing extra-curricular learning space for students in need of a tranquil venue for study in groups or self-study on the weekend.

The biggest M&A deals were in a variety of business fields, especially the real estate and banking sectors.

 The import tax for cars imported from ASEAN has been slashed to 0% from January 1, 2018, which is expected to raise the country’s car ownership rate which remains low compared to regional averages.

 Smog that has appeared frequently in Ho Chi Minh City, with the most recent recorded on January 3 morning, shows that local air pollution is now at an alarming level, an expert has said.

 Art troupes from at least 12 countries as well as Vietnam are scheduled to perform in the biennial Hue Festival scheduled to take place from April 27 to May 2 in the former royal city of Hue.

 The end of the lunar year is a busy time for the blacksmiths of Phuc Sen village in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang. 

The use of herbal medicine is on the rise among Vietnamese in recent years, but concerns about management and arbitrary pricing are growing, too. 

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved the recognition of 24 new national treasures, the 6th approval of this kind in 2017.

Thanh Trang has been selected to represent Vietnam at the Miss All Nations Pageant 2017 set to take place in China from January 4-20.

 Singer Huong Giang Idol will represent Vietnam to compete at the transgender beauty pageant “Miss International Queen 2018” in Thailand.

 Due to the recovery of the credit market throughout the year 2017, plenty of banks announced positive business performance with increased profits whilst fostering asset trading, risk management, and control over non-performing loans.

 Despite being the world leading exporter of Robusta coffee, Vietnam has to import instant coffee to meet special customers’ needs and a huge volume of green coffee beans every year from Laos and China for processing and exports.

 The Drug Crime Investigation Department (PC47) under Ho Chi Minh City Police on January 5 uncovered two drug trafficking cases and arrested two people for illegal trading and stockpiling of ecstasy, ketamine and heroin.

 The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP) has projected shrimp exports to continue gathering momentum this year, particularly in the EU and China.

 The Vietnam Peacekeeping Department, which was upgraded from the Vietnam Peacekeeping Centre of the Ministry of National Defence, made its debut at a ceremony held in Hanoi on January 5.

 Ha Noi Stock Exchange has approved Garment 10 Corporation Joint Stock Company (GARCO 10) to list 18.9 million shares on Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM) on January 10.

 Young rock fans will be treated to a musical extravaganza on the evening of January 6 in Hanoi.

 The internet service connecting Viet Nam with other countries is expected to be affected this weekend due to a disruption in the submarine cable systems of Asia-Pacific Getaway (APG) and Asia-America Getaway (AAG).

 Traffic police of different provinces have fined over 1,300 drivers for violating regulations on Highway 1A, stretching from the northern province of Ha Nam to the central province of Nghe An. 

 Soldiers from the border guard force in the northern city of Hai Phong rescued a British man stuck in a small mountain canyon in Cat Ba District’s Cat Dua Island on Thursday midnight.