The Military Command of the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai has safely defused a 60kg bomb in Tran Yen district on January 11.

 Charles Jackson, a US veteran and prisoner during the war in Vietnam, expressed his wish to find his war-time rescuers during a meeting with the Vietnam-US Society (VUS) on January 11.

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved a project improving the teaching of Vietnamese for people living abroad.

 A suitcase left by a tourist from the UK on the Da Nang – Saigon SE7 train on January 10 was returned to him one day later with all his posessions intact.

 The Government Inspectorate of Vietnam reported that the inspection sector discovered economic irregularities involving more than 59.4 trillion VND (2.63 billion USD) and 4,000ha of land in 2016.

 Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) to rearrange its organisation for more efficient operation, becoming a pioneer in the restructuring movement.

 Vietnam and Spain have pledged to facilitate business exchanges and connectivity, especially in the fields of clean and renewable energy, environment, infrastructure and tourism. 

 President Tran Dai Quang on January 11 received the ambassadors of New Zealand, Timor Leste, Cote d’Ivoire, Rwanda and Slovenia, who presented their credentials.

 The signing of a framework agreement on credit cooperation between the Vietnamese and Hungarian Governments is an important landmark in the two countries’ diplomatic activities this year.

 Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong renewed his city’s wish to intensify cooperation with Japan’s Iwate prefecture while meeting with its Governor Takuya Tasso on January 11.

 Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam left Hanoi on January 12 morning for an official visit to China.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc reiterated that Vietnam wants to strengthen the strategic cooperative partnership with the Republic of Korea during a phone conversation with acting RoK President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on January 11. 

Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex) and Viet Nam Steel Corporation (VNSTEEL), achieved record profits last year, according to a conference held by the Party Organisation of the Central Enterprises Bloc (CEB) on Monday.

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam cannot continue to develop in a way that relies on natural resources and cheap labor costs. Businesses must proceed with ‘know-how’, not ‘know-who’, experts have urged. 

VietNamNet Bridge - In recent years, wild elephants have been increasingly hunted, while their natural forest habitat has diminished in size. As it has become more difficult to find food, the animals have become more aggressive.

VietNamNet Bridge - All five members of Tran Mong Hung’s family were listed among the top 100 Vietnamese stock billionaires in 2016.

VietNamNet Bridge - MOLISA estimates that about 200,000 university graduates are jobless, and that the figure will not increase sharply in upcoming years but will stay the same.

 Products including telephones and spare parts, garment and textile, electronics and computers are expected to bring highest export turnover to the country in 2017, said the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

 Coming out ahead after a 2016 economic rollercoaster, Vietnam’s agro-forestry-aquatic sector is expected to climb even higher 2017.