VIETNAM TODAY

Vietnam will commence a trial period of issuing e-visas to foreign visitors from January 2017 as a measure to boost the tourism industry, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

Indonesian police quelled a mass protest by tens of thousands of hardline Muslims on Friday, firing tear gas and water cannon into crowds demanding the resignation of the Christian governor of Jakarta, who they said had insulted the Koran.

Hanoi Department of Transport has proposed to the city people's committee to implement an odd-even car parking pilot programme in November.

Vietnam ranked second in the number of trainees fleeing from their workplaces in Japan in 2015, according to a report from the Japanese Ministry of Justice’s Immigration Bureau.

About 70 per cent of Vietnamese adults are to have bank accounts by 2020, a State Bank of Vietnam conference in Hanoi was told.

Floods triggered by torrential rains over the past few days in the central and Central Highlands region have killed five, injured 17 and left 10 missing.

The Vietnam Mountain Bike Marathon will take place in Sapa from November 4 to 6.

Hà Tĩnh is asking for urgent funds from the central government to assist the local economy after repeated floods occurred in October and early this week.

Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi has just been named one of the world’s 16 most beautiful pagodas by the British Daily Mail Newspaper.

Flooding has turned streets in the old town of Hoi An into rivers, but a tragedy for many provides appeal to many foreign tourists.

Waste and dead animals from upstream have been washed up to the beach in Nha Trang City, rated as one of the most attractive beaches in the world.

Children with congenital heart diseases will be offered free health checks and surgery under a programme launched by the Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City Medicine and the Pharmacy University and two US charity organisations, Gift of Life and

VNPT-VinaPhone officially launched 4G services on the 1800MHz band at a ceremony in Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang province on November 3, becoming the first 4G services provider in Vietnam.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan that Vietnam wants to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) soon.

The Secretariat has decided to dismiss former Minister of Industry and Trade, Vu Huy Hoang, from the position as secretary of the ministry's party branch during the 2011-2016 tenure for his violations related to personnel.

Vietnam’s Ambassador to Kuwait Nguyen Hong Thao has been elected to the United Nations’ International Law Commission (ILC) with 120 out of 191 votes by the UN General Assembly.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye said in a tearful apology on Friday that her "heart was breaking" over a political scandal that has engulfed her administration and said will cooperate with prosecutors in their investigation.

Seven people have been killed during floods in the southern central coastal provinces of Binh Dinh and Phu Yen.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has directed agencies to tighten management and quickly reduced the number of state-owned cars by 30%-50% by 2020.