The Ministry of Construction is preparing to propose huge changes in construction regulations in order to improve the climate for construction and real estate business.

 The Vietnam National Petroleum Corporation (Petrolimex) and PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PVOil) on December 15 officially supplied E5 RON92 bio-fuel for sale nationwide to replace RON 92 petrol, 15 days before a Government deadline.

 Coach Park Hang-seo of Vietnam and Zoran Jankovic of Thailand said winning a friendly tournament is not important but they want to win the third-place match on December 15 in Buriram.

 The tropical depression active east of the Philippines has picked up strength and become typhoon Kaitak.

 Illustrations by famous contemporary painters have given a totally different look to two classics in Vietnamese literature.

 The National Assembly Standing Committee on December 13 agreed in principle on the Government’s regulations on galleries and exhibitions as well as the establishment of Ninh Cuong township in the northern province of Nam Dinh.

 Vietnam shipped abroad nearly 5.2 million tonnes of rice worth over 2.27 billion USD in the first 11 months of this year, surpassing the figure of the entire 2016 at 4.9 million tonnes, according to the Vietnam Food Association.

 The 19th meeting of the 14th National Assembly’s Standing Committee closed on December 14 after three working days.

 The Presidential Office announced six new laws at a press conference on December 14. 

 General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith will pay an official friendship visit to Vietnam from December 19 to 21.

 The Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei is actively coordinating with officials from China’s Taiwan to carry out search and rescue activities and update information on Vietnamese workers trapped in a fire in Taiwan on December 14.

 The Four Paws Foundation has re-released three bears, including one male and two females, weighing over 100kg each, to a semi-natural area in Ninh Binh.

 Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Van Duoc was re-elected Chairman of the Vietnam War Veterans’ Association (VWVA) for the sixth tenure, 2017-2022, on December 14.

 Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have cooperation potential in science education and training, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam told Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education of the RoK Kim Sang Kon.

 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh will pay an official visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) from December 19-21 at the invitation of Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.

The Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership has formed  the basis to elevate the bilateral defence ties to a new height in a more practical and effective manner, said Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang.

 Financial stocks’ strong recovery lifted both local exchanges on December 14, but the market’s short-term prospects remained gloomy following the outflow of money.

 Le Quang Liem of Vietnam could only improve his standing to No 7, in the second leg of the blitz chess at the International Mind Sports Association Elite Games.

 A bestselling novel for teenagers by noted writer Nguyen Nhat Anh has recently been published in Japan by translator Kato Sakae.

 Vietnam Airlines will offer 1,100 more flights to meet travel demand during the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.