Spain helps improve Vietnam’s tourism capacity; Ninh Thuan calls for investment; Private investors less optimistic; Manufacturers enjoy lower rent; Exemptions granted from environmental taxes; Garment exporters aim high

The State Bank is to offer foreign bankers a much needed carrot next year when it recalibrates lending limits to torpedo a one-size-fits-all policy.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will publicise a ban on leech and yellow snail breeding this week.

VietNamNet Bridge – Sunflower is the name of a group of women who are HIV-carriers who do not surrender to the fatal disease.

VietNamNet Bridge – Hanoi’s hip-hop troupe Milky Way won the first prize worth VND40 million ($2,000) in the finale of the national dance contest called “Centaur Dance Showdown” in the central city of Da Nang on December 2.

Italian government on Sunday passed emergency reform measures for boosting economic growth and saving the eurozone from split.

VietNamNet Bridge – Thousands of young people, mainly students from universities in Hanoi, participated in the Volunteer Heart blood donation festival at the Hoa Binh Park in Tu Liem District, Hanoi on December 3.

Vietnam Airlines would take over the 70 percent of Jetstar Pacific’s shares from the State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC). With the stake transfer deal, Vietnam Airlines would hold up to 90 percent of the domestic aviation market.

VietNamNet Bridge – The 20th Bay Nui ox-racing festival was held at Thom-mit temple in Vinh Trung commune, the southern province of An Giang, on December 22, with 64 pairs of cows from southern provinces of Vietnam and Cambodia.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has assigned the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) to combine with relevant agencies to inspect underground explosions in Bac Tra My district, in the central province of Quang Nam recently.

VietNamNet Bridge – The number of forest fires in many cities and provinces had decreased compared with the same period last year thanks to prevention measures,

VietNamNet Bridge - The 38th Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP) with 329 delegates aboard anchored at Saigon Port on the afternoon of December 4.

VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam lauds the efforts of the Organisation International de la Francophonie (OIF) and its leadership to help some member nations deal with conflicts and crises,

VietNamNet Bridge - 20-year-old student Hoang Thi Yen Chi surpassed representatives from five ASEAN countries to win first prize at the “Like performing, love Sony” contest held in Singapore on December 3.

Vietnam has of late seen a mushrooming of international private preschools and kindergartens’ charging exorbitant tuition fees, though in reality what they offer does not match what they advertise.

VietNamNet Bridge – Seventeen Ha Noi artists are presenting a group exhibition at the HCM City Museum of Fine Arts.

The Vietnamese Government has agreed in principle that cash-trapped EVN Telecom be transferred to the Viettel Corporation, according to a Ministry of Information and Communications source.

VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Khanh Hai urged Vietnamese athletes to unite with each other at the upcoming ASEAN Para Games in Indonesia.

National retail sales were valued at around VND176.4 trillion (US$8.4 billion) in November, an increase of 1 percent against last month, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

The Central Steering Board for Food Safety and Hygiene will set up 10 inspection teams to examine the compliance with food safety and hygiene regulations in 21 provinces and cities.