VIETNAM TODAY

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has asked provincial governments to rethink small and medium hydropower projects with low cost-effectiveness.

The Deputy PM wished all bishops, priests, monks and all Catholics in the Archdiocese a Merry Christmas.

The telecom sector is expected to earn revenue of 200 trillion VND (10 billion USD) in 2010.

State-owned Vietnam Airlines said December 23 that it expects pre-tax profit of VND350 billion ($18 million) this year, up from VND154 billion last year.

Pope Benedict XVI says that God is faithful to his promises but often surprises us by how he fulfils them.

Don village was dubbed the “elephant kingdom” in the Central Highlands for its tradition of taming wild elephants and also worshipping them.

Russia was due Friday to give initial approval to a historic nuclear arms pact with the US that opens the way for the former Cold War foes' cooperation.

The Vietnam Oil and Gas Group will postpone the official inauguration of its US$3 billion Dung Quat Oil Refinery by two weeks to January 6.

Although Vietnam businesses have taken the initiative to seek cooperation opportunities with Russian partners, no national level projects have been formed between the two sides.

Vietnam regretted that the Swedish Government will close its embassy in Vietnam in 2011and pledged to create favourable conditions for it to re-open the embassy.

South Korea's military Thursday held a live-fire drill involving tanks, artillery and jet fighters, in a major show of strength.

With Nguyen Hue Street in downtown HCM City set to host festivities, only people living in the vicinity can drive their vehicles on certain roads on New Year’s Eve.

Street children and those at high risk of becoming street children in 10 provinces and cities have received timely assistance.

The long list of trade disputes between the United States and China lengthened further, as Washington asked the WTO to examine subsidies to the Chinese wind power sector.

The U.S. Embassy has granted four projects with supportive funding of US$70,000 to promote and enhance socio-economic development in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Finance decided to further reduce petroleum import tariffs by 2%-6% beginning December 22.

Vietnam is working together with the U.S. and neighbors to find ways to prevent and control Influenza disease.

Foodstuffs sold at markets are a serious concern in terms of food hygiene, said Deputy Health Minister Trinh Quan Huan at a recent conference on food safety.

Relevant authorities in Vietnam are finding it hard to help HIV/AIDS-infected children go to schools.