Members of the 14th National Assembly Standing Committee asked for measures to prevent planning overlap and wastefulness while discussing the draft Law on Planning at their on-going sixth session on January 10.

 The US founded retail chain 7-Eleven announced plans in mid-2016 to open its first store in Vietnam in the spring of 2017.

Projects which fail to meet waste treatment requirements would be rejected, and completed projects would only be put into operation when their treatment of waste water treatment met environmental standards.

 The Indian Cultural Centre in Vietnam opened a free class on the Indian traditional dance of Kuchipudi in Hanoi on January 9, giving local residents an opportunity to get better understand of the Indian culture.

 The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has recognised “Zeng” weaving in A Luoi district, the central province of Thua Thien – Hue as a national intangible cultural heritage.

$1.62 billion mobilised by stock market in 2016

 Thailand’s TCC Group, which purchased the Metro Cash & Carry Vietnam in January 2016, on January 10 announced the official change of the brand name “Metro Viet Nam” to “MM Mega Market Viet Nam”.

 Samsung will raise the number of its level-1 suppliers in Vietnam to 29 this year, according to Deputy General Director of Samsung Vietnam Bang Hyunwoo.

 US firms wish to collaborate with Ho Chi Minh City in developing a smart city, heard a meeting between the US Consul General in HCM City, Mary Tarnowka, business representatives and local authorities on January 10 in the city.

The unreasonably warm winter has caused up to 80 percent of the peach blossom trees in the capital city’s major peach blossom gardens to bloom prematurely, well ahead of the Tet holiday.

 As many as 18 national treasures of Vietnam are being exhibited for the first time at the Vietnam National Museum of History from January 10 to May 2017.

 As many as 2,223 sets of martyrs’ remains were found and reburied  in 2016, together with three collective martyrs’ graves, fulfilling 74 percent of the set target for the year.

The International Tennis Federation is willing to cooperate with the Vietnam Tennis Federation and HCM City to deploy training programmes for Vietnamese tennis players and trainers, helping the country to obtain higher international achievements.

 The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs investigated wages in 2,000 businesses with an average of 360 employees in 18 cities and provinces nationwide in 2016, with results indicating an increase from 2015.

 Vietnam always wants to further educational cooperation with the US as it is deploying three breakthrough tasks, such as improving qualifications of human resources, for rapid and sustainable development, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.

 Belarus will allow visa-free entry for citizens from 80 countries, including Vietnam, for visits of up to five days, according to a decree signed by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on January 9.

 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife will pay an official visit to Vietnam from January 16-17.

President Tran Dai Quang has assured Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Bashkortostan of Russia R.Kh. Mardanov that the Vietnamese State continually facilitates ties with Russian localities.

 China highly evaluates the upcoming visit to China by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong, the Xinhua News Agency quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang as saying. 

 U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Vietnam, France, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland from January 13–18, the US Department of State announced on January 10.