The Price Management Department under the Ministry of Finance has forecast that Vietnam is likely to face risks of high inflation due to the impact of policies to ease business difficulties in 2013.

Vietnam's total retail sales and service revenues reached VND2,618 trillion (US$124.66 billion), up 12.6% year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

The golden tourism week with big discounts to attract tourists to the ancient imperial city of Hue , the central province of Thua Thien-Hue , which closed on December 30, is a big success, according to the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre.

Vietnam’s rubber output may rise 1.5% to 995,000 tonnes in 2014, after climbing 14% to 980,000 tonnes in 2013, beating Malaysia to become the third largest grower, according to a recent report by the Rubber Economist Ltd.

Vietnam’s industrial production value in 2013 grew by 7.4% from last year’s figure thanks to the remarkable recovery of the processing and manufacturing industry.

Ten teachers who have contributed to developing French language at high schools received Valofrase awards at a ceremony held by the Ministry of Education and Training and the International Organisation of La Francophonie in Hanoi on December 30.

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan on December 30 chaired a meeting with ministries and agencies on the preparations for a ceremony to mark the 35th anniversary of the victory over the genocidal regime in Cambodia.

Despite geographical distance, Vietnam and Cuba always support each other in their national defence and construction over the last 55 years, said a senior official of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisation (VUFO).

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (FM) Pham Binh Minh and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on December 30 held phone talks to exchange New Year greetings and views on bilateral ties.

Vietnam strongly condemns the terror bombings in Russia’s Volgograd city on December 29 and 30 that left many dead and injured.