VIETNAM TODAY

Vietnam has cut the bad debt rate in its banking system to 6% from the 8.82% reported September last year, said an official.

A regulation which would have revoked the permanent residence permits of people who travel abroad and convicts will be repealed, one official said.

MA Pham Quang Tu, Deputy Director of Consultancy on Development Institute confirmed the grave warnings on bauxite projects in the Central Highlands region.

The Ministry of Health is seeking the PM’s approval to spend VND3 trillion to support families who have only daughters in order to alleviate the gender imbalance.

Fishermen in Quang Binh Province found rare sua wood being kept under a river near the Phong Nha-Ke Bang Natural World Heritage.

Vietnam will do its utmost to boost bilateral multi-faceted co-operation with Serbia, especially in the areas of economics, trade and investment.

A newly-released Government decree designed to provide favourable treatment for teachers and educational officials in deprived areas is expected to encourage them to become more devoted to their careers.

Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro said Thursday that President Hugo Chavez was fighting for his life in a Caracas military hospital.

The UNDP in coordination with the Republic Ireland has engaged in a project to help Vietnam in sustainable poverty reduction during the period of 2012-2016.

The Ministry of Finance has issued guidance on the purchases of public asset for this year insisting that due attention must be paid to saving expenses.

Vietnam witnessed 6,777 occupational accidents in 2012, causing 606 deaths, according to the MoLISA.

Classic novels are regarded as unattractive by young readers, while publishers are failing in persuading readers back to the genre.

The Government’s February meeting has underlined the need to intensify bad debt resettlement, restructure the banking system and prevent weak banks from destabilizing the financial and monetary market.

Asia has more billionaires than any other continent, followed by North America and Europe, according to a survey by a China-based wealth magazine.

Vietnam has demonstrated its ongoing strong political commitment to the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women.

Many private colleges and universities are facing the risk of closure due to failure to fill student quotas.

The third Binh Duong International Women’s Cycling Open-Biwase Cup will be held on March 2-8.

The EU struck a historic deal to cap bankers’ bonuses, which critics say played a major role in feeding the financial crisis. New rules require banks to improve their stability in order to withstand future economic crises.

Former Vietnamese Tourist Ambassador Ly Nha Ky and Huynh Thi Ngoc Han, who won the Miss Tourism title in the Miss Vietnam Ethnic 2011, are two potential candidates for the position in the 2013-2014 tenure.