VietNamNet Bridge - Native Panax vietnamensis, also known as Vietnamese Ngoc Linh ginseng, is becoming  scarce amid a hunt for the herb, which is seen as a panacea to treat a number of illnesses.

VietNamNet Bridge - With the cost price accounting for only 20-25 percent, high-end coffee chains are making big profits selling coffee at VND40-90,000 per cup. 

 The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs has proposed the Government either keep retirement age unchanged at 60 for men and 55 for women, or raise it to 62 for men and 58 for women.

VietNamNet Bridge - Seven young Vietnamese have created Kien Hoc, an education project and website which will provide lectures from the world’s leading universities to Vietnamese users, free of charge. 

 Total motor vehicle sales during November reached 28,442 units, of which 18,016 were passenger cars, 9,296 were commercial vehicles, and 1,130 were special-purpose vehicles.

VietNamNet Bridge – In the dark of night, when the house is still, what fears creep into your heart? Conor O’Malley’s nightmares take the shape of a very old and very dangerous monster who visits him every night at the seventh minute past midnight.

 The HCM City People’s Committee has announced a plan for firework displays to celebrate the New Year and Lunar New Year-Tet Holiday.

 Vietnamese employee may work a maximum of 600 extra hours per year, according to a proposal from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vuong Dinh Hue, Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Steering Committee for Enterprise Renewal and Development speaks with Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam about the restructuring of State-owned enterprises

 The country should halve its rice exports from the normal 7-8 million tonnes until 2020 because of difficulties exporters face and falling production due to climate change, according to the Viet Nam Food Association.

 World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) and Vietnamese nature authorities today kicked off an emergency project to protect the biggest herd of elephants in the country from extinction.

 An outdoor concert performance and carnival will welcome in the new year in the ancient town of Hoi An’s Sculpture Park on new year’s eve, the city’s Culture and Sports Centre said.

 The Dutch, Danish and Swedish embassies today introduced the first ever DiploHack in Viet Nam, themed “Trust in the Food Chain”, one of the major issues in Viet Nam.

 Cua Dai coast in Hoi An city, Quang Nam province is being seriously damaged by chronic erosion and sea encroachment, threatening residents and causing big losses for the tourism sector.

 Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Tuan Nhan has expressed wish that Japan would continue boosting effective cooperation with Vietnam in environment protection and climate change response.  

 An exhibition showcasing outstanding works selected from the second ASEAN Graphic Art Competition – Vietnam 2016 opened in Hanoi on December 14.     

 A Vietnamese delegation led by Advisor to Foreign Minister Vu Quang Minh attended the Sherpa Meeting of the G20 Developing and Emerging Economies in Berlin, Germany on December 12-13. 

 Negotiators of Vietnam and Indonesia have met in Hanoi for the 9th technical meeting on the Delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

 Vietnam always considers Japan its top and long-time partner, said Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong while receiving newly appointed Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Umeda Kunio in Hanoi on December 14.

The sixth deputy foreign ministerial-level political consultation between Vietnam and Venezuela took place in Hanoi on December 14, under the co-chair of Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Ba Hung and his Venezuelan counterpart, Felix Plasencia.