The volume of goods and passenger transported in Hanoi have strongly increased in January as the country’s biggest festival in the year - the Lunar New Year (Tet) – is approaching.

 Ho Chi Minh City People’s High Court on January 24 upheld the lower court’s 30-year imprisonment sentence given to former Chairman of the Vietnam Construction Bank (VNCB) Board of Directors Pham Cong Danh.

 Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang sent on January 24 a congratulatory message to his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko on the 25th founding anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relationship.

President Tran Dai Quang asserted that Vietnam always wants to develop its strategic partnership with Singapore when receiving Singapore’s Ambassador to Vietnam Catherine Wong in Hanoi on January 24.

VietNamNet Bridge - While Hanoians have lower incomes on average than Saigonese, they pay more for housing because of higher construction costs.

VietNamNet Bridge - Hundreds of trillions of shares in dong transacted on the bourses since the last days of 2016 have brought great opportunities to investors.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Television stations have lined up dozens of new and interesting programmes to entertain nationwide audiences during Tet (Lunar New Year).

VietNamNet Bridge - As the ‘.shop’ domain name becomes more popular, e-commerce experts believe a record number of registrations will occur.

VietNamNet Bridge - Hundreds of unowned import containers of waste banned by Vietnam have been left at HCMC ports, causing problems for port authorities. 

Leaving his home village for Hanoi with his parents when he was in the fifth grade, Pham Minh Hoa now speaks English fluently. He founded an international volunteers’ organization for which he serves as a Vietnamese ambassador.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Businesses have complained that they have to deal with a host of barriers and risks in agricultural projects though they are encouraged to invest in the sector.

 Central bank eyes lower bank lending rates, SMEs positive about business future, National power firm plans 2017 expansion, Multi-level marketing firm attempts to deflect accusations, Vietnamese firms ignorant about EU FTA

 Pre-Tet visits paid to former State leaders, the poor, Overseas Vietnamese worldwide celebrate Lunar New Year, HCM City presents Tet offering to nation founders Hung Kings, Flower market opens in HCM City     

 A Khen (panpipe) Festival will open for the first time from January 30 to February 12 in Sapa, Lao Cai province.

 The Vietnam Poetry Day 2017, the 15th edition, will be held in Hanoi on February 11 or the 15th day of the first lunar month of the New Year (Nguyen Tieu festival), with a special space designed for children’s poet clubs.

 The Ban Flower Festival 2017 will take place on March 12 together with the fifth Culture – Sports – Tourism Festival in the northern province of Dien Bien.

Property developer Sun Group will open Dragon Park, Souheast Asia’s largest theme park by area, in the northern province of Quang Ninh’s Ha Long city on January 25. 

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a New Year banquet in Hanoi on January 23, with the participation of foreign ministry officials and representatives from foreign embassies in Vietnam.

 Le Bleu, Lacaito, Satori, Mei Hideaway, and Au Frais to name a few are beautiful homestays for visitors who want to relax during the upcoming Lunar New Year Festival.

 Farmers in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap not only grow fruit trees for a living but are also tour guides in their own gardens.