PRESS DIGEST - Vietnam newspapers - February 21
HANOI, Feb 21 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in the official Vietnamese press on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
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VIETNAM NEWS
-- Northern Vietnam faces the probability of water shortages for both household and industrial use after a prolonged dry cold, meteorologists said. The Agriculture Ministry said the water volume for rice and other crops may fall by about one third.
-- Wholly foreign-owned insurance brokerage Gras Savoye Willis Vietnam has received approval to provide services to all economic sectors in Vietnam, the first firm of its kind allowed to do so. The firm is a venture between France's Gras Savoye and Britain's Willis Group Holdings Ltd (WSH.N).
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NHAN DAN
-- The central bank said the country's money market remained stable and banks' payment ability was ensured after it forced banks to buy Treasury notes as a measure to help control inflation.
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HANOI MOI
-- Singapore's President S.R. Nathan will visit Vietnam between Feb. 25-29.
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SAIGON GIAI PHONG
-- A record long cold spell ended in northern Vietnam on Wednesday after 39 days, the weather bureau said.
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LAO DONG
-- Small banks in Vietnam could face tough liquidity despite many have raised interest rates to boost dong funds after the central bank imposed measures this month to arrest credit growth.
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TUOI TRE
-- Doctors suspected a 40-year-old patient who died at a hospital in the southern city of Can Tho after being taken there from Bac Lieu province may have been killed by bird flu.
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THOI BAO KINH TE VIETNAM
-- Vietnam's Military Bank has projected its gross profit to reach at least 700 billion dong ($43.6 million) this year, up from 610 billion dong last year.
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