VIETNAM TODAY

Syria’s opposition coalition early on Tuesday elected a Western-educated businessman and Islamist activist, Ghassan Hitto, to head an interim government to administer rebel-held areas of Syria.

A delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs held a working session with officials from the Lao Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare in Vientiane.

Police in Haiphong City have accused a man of having attempted to burn his son’s family alive because he was disappointed to have only female grandchildren.

Police in An Giang Province arrested several managers of a local secondary school for allegedly appropriating students' scholarships and bonuses.

A proposal to reduce corporate income taxes was raised during a discussion about amendments in the Corporate Income Tax Law.

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors has opposed the US Department of Commerce’s new calculations of tax rates imposed on Vietnamese Tra fish imported to the US.

A Chinese drama that touches on sensitive topics including police corruption won the best picture at the Asian Film Awards, while Japan's Takeshi Kitano scooped the best director gong.

A delegation from the Olympic Council of Asia led by Wei Jizhong on March 18 worked with administrative representatives from Khanh Hoa, Danang and Binh Thuan to prepare for the 5th Asian Beach Games.

Coffee shops in Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province have been left deserted after a recent inspection trip conducted by the provincial party committee secretary.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung on March 18 hosted separate receptions given to the UK’s former PM Tony Blair and former Italian PM Romano Prodi who are on their visits to Viet Nam.

Vietnam and Mongolia will expand bilateral cooperation in all areas, especially economics, trade and science-technology to meet their national interests.

Real estate firms currently owe thousands of billions of VND worth of land use right fees while tax agencies are finding it difficult to recover the debts.

After successfully raising liquidity, and despite low interest rates, many Vietnamese banks have been finding it difficult to find new customers for loans.

The Vietnam Friendship Village held a meeting in Hanoi on March 18 to commemorate its 15th anniversary and receive the Labour Order, first-class.

Police in central India have paraded a group of men on television who were arrested over the gang-rape and robbery of a Swiss cyclist who was assaulted while on a holiday with her husband.

Unsatisfied with the forensic results on the cause of a young man's death, thousands of people in Vinh Phuc Province have carried his coffin as part of a protest.

A man in Haiphong City admitted he had attempted to burn his family alive due to his disappointment in only having daughters.

Deputy Defence Minister Do Ba Ty has left Hanoi for Brunei to attend the 10th ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Informal Meeting from March 19-21.

Vinamilk's CEO, Mai Kieu Lien, and Pham Thi Viet Nga, Chairman of DHG Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Co, Ltd have been placed 27th and 31st in the Forbes Asia’s 2013 list of 50 Businesswomen In The Mix.