Party leader calls for balanced growth, social security, justice
It was the time to devise measures to curb problems arising from economic growth to ensure sustainable development, social security and justice, according to the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, Nong Duc Manh. He was speaking at the ninth plenary session of the committee here yesterday.

Prices plunge in tourist bid
In a move to attract more tourists, prices for many tours throughout Viet Nam will drop by 30 to 50 per cent until September.

Tax, customs overhaul best way to increase production
Overhauling tax and customs policy is the best way to help businesses increase production through such a tough time, Deputy Minister of Finance Do Hoang Anh Tuan said.

Falling demand may affect VN textile exports
The textile and garment industry would have to make great efforts to meet the 2009 export target of US$9.2 to 9.5 billion, said deputy director general of the Viet Nam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) Le Tien Truong at a press conference in Ha Noi yesterday.

Shoes lose EU tariff preferences
The EU decision to remove Vietnamese footwear from the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) as of January 1 is expected to put even greater pressure on domestic producers and exporters.

Tet prices for ornamental kumquat, peaches up 25%
Prices of peach blossoms and kumquat trees for this year's Tet are 25 per cent higher than last year. However, people are still rushing to place advance orders for ornamental peach and kumquat trees, said Ha Noi's sellers.

Capital jobless rate still far too high
The Ha Noi Statistics Department estimates the city's unemployment rate was 5.2 per cent last year, just 0.2 per cent less than 2007.

HSBC launches its own VN bank
HSBC officially launched its own local bank, HSBC Bank (Viet Nam) Ltd yesterday. This is the first 100 per cent foreign-owned bank inaugurated in the country, following approvals granted by the State Bank of Viet Nam last September.

Special children may need special loving
The father of five-year-old Tran Ngoc Long Chau kept his son home to study difficult maths, instead of attending kindergarten, after deciding the boy had a special talent.

TV to continue aiming at the young
Domestic film studios say they will continue making TV series with scripts about young people and contemporary life.