VIETNAM TODAY

The Ministry of Justice is seeking opinions for the recognition of same sex marriages.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will pay an official visit to Vietnam on July 10 and 11, aiming to boost US-Vietnam multifaceted cooperation, says the Foreign Ministry.

The fourth International Vovinam (traditional Vietnamese martial arts) Festival will be held in Binh Dinh Province from August 1-4, according to a press briefing in Hanoi.

Some coffee shops in the southern province of Ca Mau, advertising themselves as 'special cafes', are fronts for brothels.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has released its Global Innovation Index 2012 (GII), in which Vietnam was ranked 76th in innovation performance.

Hanoi has issued policies on resettlement apartments for households that have had their homes withdrawn for projects.

Unidentified gunmen in southwest Pakistan killed 18 people who were trying to illegally cross into neighboring Iran in three vehicles, officials said.

In the first half of this year, Quang Nam Province has received nearly 1.4 million tourists, presenting a year-on-year increase of over 30% and fulfilling more than 50% of its yearly target.

The Ministry of Finance is seeking permission from the government to set up a general department to manage and supervise the state capital and assets in state-run companies.

Vietnamese photographer Tran Viet Van won a silver medal in the Fine Art–Nudes category of the Prix de la Photographie Paris contest.

Tens of thousands of computer users around the world infected with malware last year may lose their Internet access on Monday with the expiration of a fix by US authorities.

A solar-powered aircraft left the Moroccan capital on Friday for Madrid on its return journey to its home port in Switzerland.

Hydropower projects that have significant negative impacts on the environment should be rejected and existing ones that violate regulations should have their licences revoked.

Top Vietnamese chess player Le Quang Liem has secured a place in the finals of the 2012 World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships.

As an ASEAN member, Vietnam will join efforts with other ASEAN nations to help maintain peace and stability in the region, said spokesperson Luong Thanh Nghi.

The life of small traders in Hanoi's Dua Market has become harder over the last seven years because of the renovation of the market.

The United Nations on Thursday called for a tax on billionaires to help raise more than USD400 billion a year for poor countries.

The US is set to call for tough new UN sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad and his inner circle, as over 100 Western and Arab nations meet in Paris for "Friends of Syria" talks.

Apple, which is expected to launch a mini version of its market-leading iPad tablet, could quickly overpower its rivals in the segment with the addition of the new product, analysts say.