The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment introduced the first Biennial Update Reports (BUR1) of Vietnam to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at a workshop in Hanoi on January 23.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The rich Quang Ninh Coal let defending champions Becamex Binh Duong taste their first defeat of the Toyota V.League 1 season yesterday, Jan 25. The team were beaten 1-2 on their home turf at Go Dau Stadium.

VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc yesterday ordered an all-out inspection of automobile registration across the country after at least nine people were killed in an accident which involved a truck

 VietNamNet Bridge – Composer Vu Cat Tuong scored a hat-trick for his song at Bai Hat Viet 2014 (Vietnamese Song 2014), a television show that runs throughout the year to showcase new songs by Vietnamese writers.

 The submarine cable Asia –America Gateway (AAG) that provides international internet connectivity for Vietnam was fixed successfully on January 23 after 17 days of breakdown.

 Ma Xuan Cuong of Vietnam bagged a bronze medal at the seventh Asian Three-Cushion Championship, which ended in the Republic of Korea on January 22.

The advantage of Chinese goods are the cheap prices, whileThai goods have good quality, and both are popular with Vietnamese customers, according to Dr. Le Dang Doanh, former Director of the Central Institute for Economic Management.

 The Government Inspectorate of Vietnam (GIV) plans to conduct 25 inspections in 2015 with more attention to be paid to the monitoring of the implementation of post-inspection decisions.

 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided Vietnam with two loans totalling 165 million USD to improve secondary education for ethnic minority students in the country’s poorest areas, and upgrade rural infrastructure in six central provinces.

Vietnam and the European Union (EU) concluded the 11th and the last round of free trade agreement negotiations in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, on January 23 after five days of sitting.

VietNamNet Bridge – The dipterocarp forest ecosystem is being devastated in Yok Don National Park, and animals there are being killed day and night.

 With subscription fees for pay TV falling in 2014, the race to add more channels is set to increase among service providers this year.

 Construction of a $70.16 million passenger terminal at Cat Bi International Airport in Hai Phong City was kicked off on January 24 by the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) and the People’s Committee of the northern city.

Workers will enjoy an average Lunar New Year (Tet) festival bonus of VND5 million ($234), an increase of 15 percent from last year, according to a survey by the Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

US, Vietnam step up transnational crime combat efforts; US war veteran activist welcomed in Hanoi; VN shares agricultural development experience at WEF 2015; Ceremony kicks off anniversary year of Vietnam-German ties

 During a recent interview granted to a reporter from VOV, Vadim Bublikov, Russian chargé d’affaires to Vietnam, affirmed that the Southeast Asian nation has always been a reliable long-term partner.

 The seventh Vietnam-US Political, Security and Defence Dialogue took place in Hanoi on January 22-23 under the chair of Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc and US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Puneet Talwar.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Many foreign food and agricultural firms are expecting to reap good returns in Vietnam this year.

VietNamNet Bridge – Nui Da Chong is one of the must-visit destinations in the central coastal province of Ninh Thuan as the peaceful place is renowned for many boulders with distinctive shapes.

State-owned enterprises are chosen as the key sector of the economy but it lacks discipline while it is given too much privilege. When this occurs, the State-enterprise relationship may be transformed into ties of friendship and corruption.