VIETNAM TODAY

Former British prime minister Tony Blair will testify at a press ethics inquiry set up following a phone-hacking scandal at Rupert Murdoch's News of the World.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is planning to raise fines for illegal mineral exploitation in a bid to curb rampant violations and reduce pollution from such activities.

Many small enterprises in Hanoi have opted to move their offices to homes due to economic difficulties.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked authorities in the northern province of Hung Yen to make a full report of the Van Giang land eviction on April 24.

Political leaders in Athens and thousands of internet users rounded on the IMF chief for branding Greeks tax-dodgers, as parties went on the campaign trail for next month's elections.

The Government aims to develop the country's coastal tourism sector into one of the top in the region by 2030, rivalling sea and coastal tourism in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will attend the World Economic Forum on East Asia 2012 in Bangkok on May 31.

The Government convened to review the socio-economic performance in May and the first five months of this year, and discuss a draft resolution to promote global economic integration.

Syria strongly denied allegations that its forces killed scores of people and the U.N. Security Council held an emergency session on the massacre.

The government has recently cracked down heavily on corruption, penalising as many as 577 leaders of the 678 found to have committed wrongdoings during the last five years in 101 cases of corruption and unlawful activities.

One hundred and twenty eight art works were presented the State Award for Literature and the Arts and 356 nominees received the Meritorious Artist title at a ceremony in Hanoi on May 27.

A plan to develop a database on the nation's human resources that aims to help forecast demand for workers in various sectors has been approved by the Prime Minister in Decision 601/QD-TTg.

Vietnam and Algeria have signed an exchange of note ratifying agreements on judicial assistance in civil and commercial matters and cooperation in maritime transport.

Gold traders have 6 months to trade gold bars freely before being compelled to conduct the transactions at stores licensed by the SBV.

Novak Djokovic will accept the 'unique' French Open challenge of becoming the first man in 43 years to monopolise all four Grand Slams, but six-time champion Rafael Nadal has his own history to make.

More than 460,000 hand-foot-mouth cases have been reported in the country since the beginning of 2012, with 27 fatalities, but till now the disease has not been contained.

Part 3 of Laura Lam's new series deals with Viet Minh's first victory, which marked the heroic death of Phan Dinh Giot.

The National Assembly has voted to remove NA deputy Dang Thi Hoang Yen from its list of members due to her declaration of dishonesty.

Vietnam rejects the 2011 Human Rights Report issued by the US Department of State, saying that the country continues to make unjustified remarks about human rights issues in Vietnam.