Minister of Construction Pham Hong Ha has signed a decision to inspect 12 large real estate companies in 2017.

 A tropical depression is drifting west, north-westerly toward the East Sea, and forecasters say it could potentially become a typhoon and cross-over northern Vietnam later this week.

 As the traditional Lunar New Year festival or Tet is approaching, many special and unique agricultural products like watermelon, bonsai kumquat, chicken listed in “Red book”, and Tran Mong orchid are coming onto the market.

 The Ministry of Industry and Trade has set an export target for 2017 with 13 key products projected to reach billions of US dollar each.

 It is an urgent need to push ahead with building and perfecting a law-governed socialist State of the people, by the people and for the people, President Tran Dai Quang wrote in an article published on January 9.

 Lao Defence Minister Chansamone Channhalat has arrived in Vietnam to meet with Vietnam’s armed forces chiefs and begin an official three-day visit to deepen military relations between the two countries.

 The southern province of Dong Nai on January 9 declared Zika outbreak at commune-level in Vinh Thanh commune, Nhon Trach district.

 The benchmark VN-Index will soon face resistance at 680 to 690 points, as short-term profit-taking activities are forecast to intensify early this week.

 The US magazine Forbes said Vietnam can meet its target of 6.7 percent GDP growth in 2017 thanks to five engines, including its resources and trade agreements with other nations.

 Sea water and wastewater samples related to mass clam deaths in central Thanh Hoa Province have failed to meet environment criteria, said Le Van Binh, head of the Environmental Protection Branch.

 Hanoians as well as tourists may soon get to enjoy free Wi-fi at various places in the capital, if a proposal put up by the local tourism department goes through.

 Viet Nam currently has an average floor area per person of 22.8sq.m, according to a recent report by the Ministry of Construction.

 The People’s Committee of the central province of Quang Ngai has approved a plan to turn a coastal road in Ly Son island into a walking street.

 The seventh Traditional Trade Festival will take place in the ancient imperial city of Thua Thien – Hue from April 28 to May 2, announced the provincial People’s Committee.

 With high growth potential, Vietnam has become a promising destination for leading global beer companies, according to Sai Gon Giai Phong newspaper.

“Although there remain many difficulties and challenges, the outcomes obtained last year were encouraging, giving favourable conditions for the country to enter a new stage of development,” Party Chief Nguyen Phu Trong has said.

 President Tran Dai Quang hosted a reception in Hanoi on January 9 for the newly-accredited Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam, Kunio Umeda.

VietNamNet Bridge – Countryside markets, flower villages and fruit farms are among the bustling places in the upcoming Tet holiday. Saigontourist Travel Service Co. is offering tours called “Traveling before Tet, bringing spring to home.”

 Vietnam’s foreign exchange reserves have soared to an all-time high of US$41 billion, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a conference on the implementation of 2017 banking tasks held by the central bank in Hanoi on January 5.

 A new rule that requires film classification went into force on January 1, but few cinemas have strictly abided.