VIETNAM TODAY

Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) has proposed that the Government adopt preferential policies to help domestic shipping fleets overcome difficulties, according the online Vietstock newspaper.

Ireland has committed EUR13.29 million to a programme on socio-economic development in Vietnam’s disadvantaged communes (known as programme 135) over the 2013–2015 period.

Facebook is working to become your new best friend, getting to know you better by infusing the billion-member social network's software with artificial intelligence.

Vietnam’s best male badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh has unexpectedly lost to Indonesian rival Rumbaka in their December 13 semifinal at the ongoing SEA Games in Myanmar.

Police in HCM City have asked for help from Interpol Vietnam in their search for the owner of two local Gucci-Milano stores for smuggling.

The Hanoi People’s Procuracy has demanded death penalty for two former executives of the Vietnam National Shipping Lines.

Ministry of Industry and Trade official Vo Ta Luong has said learning more about the US market—Vietnam’s biggest exporter— and Chile—a gateway to Latin America – will help businesses with trade promotion and market development.

Vietnamese wrestlers have earned a total of 9 gold medals from competitions in Myanmar over the past few days, one more gold medal than the set target.

Twenty nine Vietnamese people who were in the Philippines during the typhoon Haiyan will be brought home on December 13-14.

Police in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai said they were actively seeking a British botanist who went missing in Sapa.

The former chairman of the Vinalines denied his responsibility in the big corruption case during the first trial opened by the Hanoi People’s Court.

US flagship Celebrity Millennium docked at Ba Ria-Vung Tau province’s Cai Mep international port on December 13, bringing 3,000 foreign passengers and crew to the southern locality.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) will seek the Government’s approval for a scheme to create funds for tourism promotion by charging hotels US$1 for one-night stay of each international visitor.

At a December 13 reception for Yoneikura Hiromasa, President of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), PM Dung hailed the fine developments of bilateral relations since the two nations set up a strategic partnership in 2009.

The Hue Relic Conservation Centre in collaboration with the local tourism and hotel associations will launch a tourism promotion week from December 24-30, to lure more tourists during the festival season at the end of the year.

Grammys organizers announced lifetime achievement awards Thursday for The Beatles and six other acts, including the Isley Brothers and electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk.

Teenager Nguyen Thi Anh Vien yesterday won a double victory, with both a title and a record, at the ongoing 27th Southeast (SEA) Games in Myanmar.

Vietnam created a breakthrough in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first 11 months of 2013, contributing to affirming attractiveness of the country's investment environment and efforts in the improving its environment.

“Site clearance is a continuing problem which discourages foreign investors in Vietnam,” said Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a recent online meeting.