Among localities nationwide, the capital city posted the highest growth in retail sales of goods at 15.1 per cent. As per the data, retail sales of services topped VNĐ43 trillion, representing a monthly rise of 1.8 per cent and a yearly increase of 7.4 per cent. According to the Việt Nam Institute for Trade Research, the goods retail market is seeing a blooming trend of minimarts and convenience stores. The institute forecast that convenience stores would see double-digit growth in the next three years and reach 37.4 per cent growth in 2021. Last year, total retail sales of goods and services in Việt Nam reached nearly VNĐ4.4 quadrillion, representing a rise of 11.7 per cent against the previous year.

Early this week, many ATM users and card holders complained they could not withdraw cash from ATMs and had to go to bank branches instead. According to the State Bank of Việt Nam, the demand for cash at ATMs is rising, especially in urban areas, industrial parks and export processing zones (EPZs). Last week, Nguyễn Duy, a resident of District 12, was unable to draw cash from ATMs near his home on two occasions. If a card holder seeks to withdraw a large sum at an ATM which is nearly out of cash, the system automatically notifies a cash limit. Banks must operate mobile ATMs in areas where there is large demand for cash during Tết, he added.

HÀ NỘI — Total revenue from retail trade and services in Việt Nam reached an estimated VNĐ402.2 trillion (US$17.26 billion) in January, up 4.4 per cent month-on-month and 12.2 per cent year-on-year, the latest report from the General Statistics Office (GSO) showed. Among localities nationwide, the capital city posted the highest growth in retail sales of goods at 15.1 per cent. As per the data, retail sales of services topped VNĐ43 trillion, representing a monthly rise of 1.8 per cent and a yearly increase of 7.4 per cent. According to the Việt Nam Institute for Trade Research, the goods retail market is seeing a blooming trend of minimarts and convenience stores. Last year, total retail sales of goods and services in Việt Nam reached nearly VNĐ4.4 quadrillion, representing a rise of 11.7 per cent against the previous year.

HÀ NỘI — Mytel – Viettel’s brand in Myanmar – reached five million subscribers on Thursday just eight months after its launch. Mytel targeted to reach the milestone of 10 million subscribers this year. Prior to launching Mytel, Viettel Global, an arm of Viettel Group set an ambitious target of reaching 2-3 million customers in 2018. In Myanmar, Mytel is the only telecommunications company that can provide a complete package of mobile, fixed line, transmission line and IT services nationwide. Viettel wants to double the number of subscribers in Myanmar by the end of 2019 to about 10 million subscribers.

HẢI PHÒNG (Viet Nam News/ANN) — Customs agents in the northern city of Hải Phòng discovered nearly 1.4 tonnes of pangolin scales and 20 elephant tusks weighing more than 100kg hidden inside a container shipped from Nigeria. The 20-foot container arrived at Lạch Huyện port in Hải Phòng last Saturday. In Việt Nam, illegal hunting, trading, poaching and transportation of even one pangolin carries punishment of one to five years imprisonment and a fine of between VNĐ500 million (US$22,000) and VNĐ2 billion ($86,700). The country banned the trading of elephant tusks in 1992. Trading, storing and transporting ivory is forbidden, with violators fined from VNĐ5-50 million or imprisoned from six months to five years.

The strengthening of employment services is also important in the context of Việt Nam’s role within ASEAN, which Việt Nam will chair in 2020. According to ILO, Việt Nam has made an important step in labour market development by ratifying ILO Convention 88, known as the Employment Service Convention. “As Việt Nam is experiencing its economic transformation, the ratification of this convention which will promote the development of employment services is a significant step,” said Barcucci. In a country in transformation like Việt Nam, labour market information is a vital source of data on how the labour market is evolving. The Convention on Employment Service became the 22nd ILO Convention Việt Nam has ratified.

HÀ NỘI – The Party and State value Vietnamese intellectuals and scientists, as well as their contributions to the nation’s development, said Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc. During a meeting with 300 outstanding intellectuals and scientists from all over the country yesterday in Hà Nội – just ahead of the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday – PM Phúc conveyed his gratitude to scientists for their contributions while stressing the importance of science and technology to the country’s development. He noted that Việt Nam had signed a co-operation agreement with the WEF to build a technological centre in Việt Nam that would be connected to other similar centres in the US, the EU, China and India. The PM called on intellectuals and scientists, including those living abroad, to make more contributions to national development to turn Việt Nam into a high-income country in the future. He asked for more efforts in adapting to climate change; ensuring energy security; and promoting healthcare, agriculture and social sciences.

HÀ NỘI — The country’s first multi-platform interactive TV channel on culture and tourism has just been launched by The Voice of Vietnam (VOV) and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. 103 on building specialised channels to promote the country’s culture and tourism," said Nguyễn Thế Kỷ, director of VOV. The channel will be broadcast nonstop in HD on VTV Cab, SCTV, VTC, Mobi TV, FPT, My TV and Next Media in 63 provinces and cities throughout the country. The channel will introduce the country’s natural beauty and Vietnamese culture through shows like I travel, Following the Conical Hat and On every Kilometre. The app also provides information on destinations in Việt Nam, travel guides, hotel reservations, air ticket bookings and photo sharing.

M17 Entertainment is expected to achieve USD 180 million in annual revenues this year, up significantly from previously announced revenue figures, demonstrating strong growth trajectory. I am confident that Joseph will lead the highly capable M17 team in its quest to transform the future of social entertainment.". M17 Entertainment currently has offices in Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, the U.S., and Malaysia, and employs close to 600 people worldwide. With plans to deepen its roots in Asia and having recently entered the U.S. market, M17 Entertainment seeks to pave the way for the next generation of social entertainment globally. 【About M17 Entertainment Limited】

Established in 1984, the HKIS boasts more than 10,000 members and is the only surveying professional body incorporated by ordinance in Hong Kong. "Supplying adequate housing to meet the needs of our growing population may be one of the greatest trials facing Hong Kong -- but for the region's surveying professionals, it also creates unprecedented opportunities. Among the most keenly anticipated lectures was that by Mr Stanley Wong Yuen-fai, Chairman of both the Government of Hong Kong's Task Force on Land Supply, and Hong Kong Housing Authority's Subsidised Housing Committee -- amongst other official titles -- who addressed the government's ongoing public consultation at a session entitled "Land for Hong Kong: Our Home, Our Say! -- Public Engagement Exercise of Task Force on Land Supply". Split into a mix of expert speakers and constructive Q&A sessions, other pertinent programme themes included "Marine Wisdom to Solve the Land Supply Issue in Hong Kong", "Land for Private or Public Housing?"

First up in the multi-year agreement will be a focus on Not Impossible Labs' Vibrotextiles™, a category of vibratory wearables with benefits that extend to areas such as health and wellness, entertainment, safety and communication. "Avnet's ongoing support has brought Not Impossible Labs' work to the next level, whether through event and project sponsorships, or by rolling up its sleeves and facilitating product development, logistics and supply chain management," said Mick Ebeling, founder & CEO of Not Impossible Labs. Through its unique end-to-end ecosystem, Avnet supports every stage of the product lifecycle by delivering design, product, marketing and supply chain expertise. For more information on Not Impossible Labs, learn more at www.notimpossible.com. Ebeling founded Not Impossible Labs, a multiple award-winning social innovation lab & production company, on the premise that nothing is impossible.

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnam Food Administration (VFA) under the Ministry of Health has issued an alert after finding that a number of websites promoting dietary supplements and health products violated advertising regulations. The administration said its representatives have contacted the companies whose products are advertised on the above-mentioned websites. The companies claimed that they didn’t advertise on those websites and are not responsible for their legality. Therefore, the quality and safety of these health food products cannot be guaranteed. The VFA urged consumers to take note of this information and advised them to be careful while buying health products online.

Grab riders to get penalised for using phones while ridingVietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam’s National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC) has ordered the traffic safety boards of Ha Noi and HCMC and GrabTaxi Viet Nam Co Ltd to regulate and strictly handle Grab riders using mobile phones when riding. Viet Nam’s National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC) has ordered the traffic safety boards of Ha Noi and HCMC and GrabTaxi Viet Nam Co Ltd to strictly handle Grab riders using mobile phones when riding. Specifically, the NTSC has requested the traffic safety boards of Ha Noi and HCMC to direct competent forces to intensify patrols to enforce the law against riders using phones indiscriminately on the road, especially those using phones to contact passengers. The Grab Company is required to strengthen the propaganda of traffic order and safety for its rider and driver partners. Under the current law, riders using a hand-held phone while riding motorbikes have to pay a fine of VND100,000-200,000.

The residents of Red RiverVietNamNet Bridge – The Red River that dissects Hanoi takes its name from the colour of the silt that tints the water. A storm, strong winds or impromptu downpours may be inconvenient to most of us, but for the residents of the Red River they potentially spell disaster. But for now, they remain the next generation of the residents of Red River. River facts The source of the Red River is the Hengduan Mountains in Yunnan, China. Log on to vietnamnews.vn to watch a video of the lives of the residents of Red River.

Party chief’s visit to tighten Vietnam’s strategic connectivity with RussiaDuring a visit to Russia from September 5 to 8, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and President Vladimir Putin and other Russian leaders will discuss measures to promote the countries’ relations. Reviewing the countries’ ties, General Secretary Trong affirmed that Russia is an important traditional partner of Vietnam. The leader told TASS that Vietnam respects and prioritises reinforcing the comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia. The partnership between Vietnam and Russia is developing in a substantive and sustainable fashion, he said. The leader said an important direction of energy ties is using atomic energy for peaceful purposes.