Vietnam is considered the biggest beer market in South East Asia with nearly 3.8 billion litres of beer consumed in 2016.

 Many children in the remote mountainous Tra Don Commune of Nam Tra My District in the central province of Quang Nam are struggling at school, after being given responsibility by their parents to look after younger siblings.

VietNamNet Bridge - The lack of wood materials has once again caused difficulties for wooden furniture manufacturers.

 Savills has reported that Ho Chi Minh City will see 16 new hotel projects from 2017 to 2019 supplying approximately 3,500 rooms. More than 700 rooms from five existing three- to four-star hotels are also awaiting ratings approval.

JLL Vietnam has reported that the real estate markets in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi had a very strong 2016, with multiple new highs recorded in all facets of the residential market. 

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed his delight at the development of Vietnam-US ties, especially since the establishment of comprehensive partnership, during a reception for visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry in Hanoi on January 13. 

 Vietnam’s acting Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry had a meeting in Hanoi on January 13 to exchange measures to enhance the two countries’ comprehensive partnership in the coming time.

 The Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam)’s Exploration Production Corporation (PVEP) and the Exxon Mobil Vietnam Company signed a framework agreement on the Blue Whale project development and gas sale in Hanoi on January 13.

 PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception for U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on January 13 in Ha Noi.

 Six people were seriously injured when a bridge hit by a barge collapsed in the southern Ca Mau Province on January 13.

Hanoi authorities have announced a contest to find the best ideas to solve the city’s traffic problems with prizes amounting to VND6bn (USD266,000).  

FPT Telecom JSC and FPT Securities JSC, two companies under the umbrella of information technology company FPT Corp, both debuted shares on the securities market on January 13.

 Established in 2001, the music band of Vo Thanh Trang Secondary School in Tan Phu District has become one of the most renowned student bands in Ho Chi Minh City.

 The average bonus given to Vietnamese workers for Tet is 4.9 million VND (218 USD) per worker, almost equivalent to a month’s average salary and 96 percent of last year’s level of 5.1 million VND (227 USD).

 Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu held talks in Hanoi on January 13 with his Hungarian counterpart Gergely Gulyas, who is on a working visit to Vietnam from January 12-16.  

 The National Assembly plans to pass 24 bills and debate 14 other draft laws in 2017, along with considering many important policies, stated NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in a New Year interview with Vietnam News Agency.

 The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) will work to foster relations between Vietnam and China in a long-term and sustainable manner.

  Computer viruses caused losses of VND10.4 trillion (US$470 million) in 2016, surpassing the VND8.7 trillion the year before, according to the latest report from the BKAV Technology Group.

 The Asia-America Gateway (AAG) submarine cable broke once again, causing bandwidth loss from Viet Nam to Hong Kong, Singapore and the US.

 Ha Noi Beer Alcohol and Beverage Joint Stock Corporation (Habeco) will start trading with code BHN on the HCM Stock Exchange (HOSE) on January 19, the southern bourse announced on Wednesday.