VIETNAM TODAY

When Japanese architect Shigeru Ban designed a new cathedral in earthquake-devastated Christchurch, he chose the most unlikely of materials-cardboard-for the landmark project.

Vietnam has this year welcomed more than 6.84 million foreign visitors, a year-on-year rise of 9.5%, with arrivals from traditional markets remaining high.

More and more Vietnamese parents believe that their children need to go to school soon before the school age, so as to have the best conditions to develop into child prodigies.

Over the last two years, Vietnamese enterprises invested USD3.8 billion into 222 projects in Laos, making Vietnam the third largest investor in that country.

Vietnam Food Administration has announced its new regulation on formula for babies less than 12 months and from six to 36 months of age, which will take effect from June 1, 2013.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu held talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II in Amman recently to discuss violence in Syria and the country's chemical weapons stock, Israeli media said.

Hundreds of teachers in HCM City have taken on the job of psychologists because of a shortage of properly trained people in the field.

A full VND8.8 trillion (US$419 million) was spent this year on social welfare, hunger elimination and poverty reduction, according to a report from the General Statistics Office of Vietnam.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a project to prevent and control the import of alien species of flora and fauna into the country.

The United Nations has ordered more than 200 non-essential staff and families of other workers to leave Central African Republic because of a rebel offensive against the government.

Two members of the Worldwide Fund for Nature, in Sweden and Finland, have put Vietnamese tra fish on their “green” list.

The minimum wage increase set to be in effect starting January 1 will add burdens to companies that have faced difficulties.

Vietnam’s population is forecast to reach around 90 million in 2013, said the General Department of Population and Family Planning.

The 16th conference of the nine provinces through which Highways 8 and 12 run in Vietnam, Laos and Thailand got underway in central Nghe An Province on December 26.

Mai Linh Group may have to sell its assets to settle outstanding debts, threatening 6,000 staff with unemployment.

Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi has urged all political parties to take part in a national dialogue to heal rifts in the country.

Dalat Hasfarm exported the first two shipments of flowers to Russia, each batch containing 7,000 to 8,000 branches, one official said.

Japan has agreed to send experts to Vietnam to help improve the quality of vocational training.

Russia's upper house of parliament was due to vote for a bill barring Americans from adopting the country's children.