VIETNAM TODAY

Sixteen thousand children of poor families around country will have free milk every day in a campaign by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Unlicensed mineral exploitation, tourism and construction activities are seriously threatening the existence of the Ba Vi National Park in Hanoi.

Many young Vietnamese who do not want to spend Christmas alone pay millions of VND for accompaniment during the holiday.

Vietnam received more than 6 million international visitors during 2011, said Hoang Thi Diep, deputy head of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

France leads the world as the "most pessimistic" country in terms of the economic outlook, according to a global poll published on Friday.

Ho Chi Minh City plans to build a traffic control centre worth around USD187 million to ease traffic congestion in the city.

Some 5,896 households in 69 poorest districts nationwide have received one breeding cow each worth VND7 million from the Vietnam Red Cross.

Vietnam surprisingly defeated stronger Georgia 3-1 in the third round of the 2011 Women’s World Chess Team Championship in Turkey.

The consumer price index in December rose 0.53% against last month, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.12%.

More than 1,000 people remain missing in the Philippines after devastating floods that have already left more than 1,000 others confirmed dead.

The Vietnamese Government has set a goal to limit inflation rates to around 9% in 2012, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung received Lao Minister of Public Security Thongbanh Sengaphone in Hanoi.

Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan yesterday visited the Thai Binh Bishop, dignitaries and followers to give her greetings for another prosperous and peaceful Christmas season.

Christchurch City in New Zealand was rocked by a 5.8 magnitude tremor forcing evacuations from buildings, residents said.

Hanoi will carry out regular inspections over real estate brokerage houses with the aim of heightening their efficiency.

An inspection team is looking into salary issues at the Electricity of Vietnam Group.

Vietnam Airlines will continue to sell 112,000 more tickets on the Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City routes for the coming Tet holiday season before January 1, 2012.

Lively images of the historic Long Bien Bridge, dating from past to present, have been put on display at an on-going exhibition near Hoan Kiem Lake.

The number of low-skilled foreign labourers continues to rise in Vietnam.