VIETNAM TODAY

Vietnam received more than 677,000 foreign arrivals in the early days of August, up 22% against the same month last year, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

The crimes of fallen Chinese politician Bo Xilai were "extremely serious", prosecutors said Monday as his bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power trial began moving into its final stages.

"Forest man" Ho Van Loan appeared happy to make a move to rejoin society by helping transport bricks meant for the construction of his new home.

The new regulation which requires journalists to ask permission from traffic police was recently shot down due to public outrage.

Daring bikers from famous Asian motorbike teams thrilled fans with an excellent stunt show performance during yesterday's opening ceremony for Vietnam's first motorbike festival in Phu My Hung's Crescent Residence in HCM City.

Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh is paying an official visit to the Philippines from August 25-27 and attending ASEAN related meetings in Brunei from August 27-30.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is to hold key talks with Pakistan's newly elected government on Monday, searching for direct communication with Taliban insurgents to end 12 years of war.

Alang Thi Hoa once entered the forest every day to look for firewood to sell. Hoa, from central Quang Nam Province's Ma Cooih Commune, like many other locals, lives close to A Vuong forest.

Yen The free-range chicken – a speciality of Vietnam’s northern province of Bac Giang– will be awarded with the ASEAN BESTFOOD title in Singapore on September 9-11.

Many private universities in Vietnam are struggling enroll students and claim that they should get government funding as public schools do.

A 5.6-magnitude earthquake jolted Indonesia’s Sumatra Island on August 25, the country’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency has said.

Figurines of four eminent Vietnamese generals, namely Ly Thuong Kiet, Tran Quoc Tuan, Nguyen Hue and Vo Nguyen Giap have been shown to the public for the first time in Hanoi.

Around 350 athletes from 27 countries will be competing at the 47th Asian Bodybuilding and Fitness Championship in Ho Chi Minh City from August 30-September 1.

The Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) Agriculture and Forestry Science and Technical Institute has developed 21 new coffee varieties that are disease resistant and have high yields.

Many experts have backed the Ministry of Finance's controversial proposal to levy taxes on corporate deposit interest.

A UNESCO education initiative for sustainable development was launched in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on August 24.

The Vietnamese State creates the best conditions for scientists to contribute to national development, President Truong Tan Sang told Meet Vietnam scientists in Hanoi on August 24.

The Consumer Price Index rose in August by 7.5 percent year-on-year and grew 0.83 percent from July, the General Statistics Office announced on August 24.

Iranian President Hassan Rowhani on Saturday pointed to the use of chemical weapons in Syria, several days after opposition groups said chemical strikes near Damascus killed hundreds.