A wide variety of activities are being held at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel in Hanoi to welcome traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival.

 The first-ever permission for Vietnamese citizens to gamble in the country-based casinos will now open the door widely for foreign investment to rush into this lucrative industry.

 Many foreign-invested companies in Vietnam proposed that the government reduce the frequency of minimum wage increases so they would have time to prepare themselves.

 A report by property consultants Savills Vietnam said that the rate of people that use public transport in urban is the lowest in Southeast Asia.

 Hanoi’s streets have faced increasing congestion in recent days, adding to the pollution as the Lunar New Year approaches.

 The My Son religious site in the central province of Quang Nam, a World Cultural Heritage site, is facing pressure from the increasing number of visitors.

 VietNamNet Bridge – People across the country will enjoy warm weather during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays, falling between January 26 and February 01.

 Coach Nguyen Huu Thang will represent Viet Nam at Asian Cup 2019’s third qualification draw being held on the night of January 23 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Viet Nam Football Federation’s (VFF) Deputy General Secretary Duong Nghiep Khoi will retire on Tuesday, ending his 13 years’ association with the national football community.

 Microsoft Vietnam earlier this week signed a memorandum of understanding with Saigon Innovation Hub (SIHUB) to support startups in the information technology sector in the southern region.

 The 40 SOEs are now being directly managed by the HCM City People’s Committee.

 The Viet Nam’s Government plans to sell a part of its ownership in the electricity producer PetroVietnam Power Corporation (PV Power) to foreign investors, reported the Wall Street Journal.

 Long-term Government bonds will remain the focus of the finance ministry in the future to help the Government extend the loan due dates and reduce pressure on paying its debts.

 The State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) expects to save around VND400 billion (US$17.7 million) by not issuing new small-value banknotes during the Tet holidays.

 Some 48 per cent of 501 Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which participated in The Future of Business survey, have positive views about the current situation.

 Incorrect news broadcast by overseas media can hurt exports of tra fish this year, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Producers and Exporters (VASEP) has said.

 Lan Anh, an accountant living in District 3, HCM City, is over-worked as the Lunar Year draws to a close.

There is plenty of optimism in the hospitality market this year underpinned by very strong international arrivals growth, according to a recent survey by a real estate consulting firm specialising in the sector.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese labourers, especially skilled labourers, are expected to get more opportunities to work abroad this year.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Highlands city of Da Lat – often referred to as “the city of thousand flowers” – is well into its busiest days of the year, harvesting flowers for the upcoming Tet holiday.