The HCMC Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs held a local dialogue between overseas Vietnamese firms and leaders of municipal departments and agencies on December 12 to discuss opportunities and challenges in starting companies in the city. 

 A ceremony was held in Hanoi on December 12 to mark the 30th anniversary of bilateral cooperation in searching for US soldiers missing in action (MIA) in the war in Vietnam.

 My Khe Beach in Danang City’s Ngu Hanh Son District has been covered with waste following torrential rains over recent days.

 A female sun bear was rescued yesterday after 15 years in captivity in a border district of Tay Ninh Province in southeast Vietnam.

 The pound has slipped back from its highs of earlier on Wednesday even though Prime Minister Theresa May won the vote of confidence in her leadership.

 A man was intercepted at an Australian airport after flying from Indonesia with two live squirrels smuggled in his luggage, 

A shortage of licensed public kindergartens for the children of migrant workers in industrial zones (IZs) and export processing zones (EPZs) is putting pressure on local authorities to solve the problem, 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Scientists discovered 157 new animal and plant species in the Greater Mekong region last year, according to a report titled “New species on the block”.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam has become the team with the most players to score goals in the ongoing AFF Suzuki Cup.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Information and Communications is building a Code of Conduct on social media, 

 VietNamNet Bridge – While many people are choosing ornaments for Christmas trees and gifts for relatives and friends, their children have only one thing in mind: Santa Claus and the gifts he will bring.  

 VietNamNet Bridge – Greek conductor Petros Karpathakis will lead a special Christmas concert at the HCM City Opera House on December 19.

 VietNamNet Bridge – HCM City will build a large, modern press centre, the first phase of which is scheduled to come into operation in the next two years, 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Monthly minimum wage will increase from VND1.39 million (US$60) to VND1.49 million ($65) at the beginning of July next year, 

 VietNamNet Bridge – A South Korean firm has agreed to build a US$420 million horse racetrack in Soc Son District, Hanoi, chairman of Ha Noi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung has announced.

 VietNamNet Bridge – All six students on Vietnam’s team in the 15th International Junior Science Olympad (IJSO) held in Botswana from December 2 to 10 pocketed medals, including four gold medals and two silvers, 

More Vietnam’s commercial banks are entering regional markets. In the first 11 months of the year, Vietnamese enterprises registered $357.5 million worth of outward investment. Of this, $105.7 million was registered for banking projects. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – A series of recent traffic accidents in central Vietnam have been blamed on potholes and road mismanagement recently, raising public concerns over traffic safety and the responsibility of agencies.

 Son Tra Island and some other beaches in Danang City have continued to face serious erosions and landslides after the heavy rains over the past few days.

 Media agencies around Asia have been running articles highlighting the first leg match of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018 final between Vietnam and Malaysia on December 11 at the latter’s Bukit Jalil National Stadium, which ended with a 2-2 draw.