VIETNAM TODAY

Americans plunked down an estimated $1.5 billion on an infinitesimally small chance to win the $640 million Mega Millions jackpot.

Hanoi is adorned with a carpet of Ban (Bauhinia) flowers in purple colour spreading around Hoan Kiem Lake and along Thanh Nien and Bac Son Roads.

HCM City drafted a plan to improve the appearance of areas bordering the city's three most significant roads, and make them safer for motorists and pedestrians.

HCM City plans to build a green bus rapid transit route along Dong Tay Avenue, which will use green energy.

Vietnamese representative at an international flower arrangement contest in Thailand, Mr. To Duy Kha, won two first and two second prizes.

Eurozone nations are set to clash over boosting the zone's "firewall" against its debt crisis, as Spain's fiscal woes stokes fears that the bloc could yet be pitched into a new emergency.

Japan has committed over JPY136 billion in official development assistance loans to Vietnam for the second phase of fiscal year 2011.

The central city of Danang will subsidise the cost of motorbike helmets for residents as a measure to curb traffic accident injuries and fatalities, a local official said.

Since mid-2009, the number of Vietnam-invested projects in Cambodia has doubled with a total amount of capital rising five times compared to the period before 2009.

While the CPI is not expected to rise much, consumers and businesses are still facing difficulties.

North Korea has begun preparing for a rocket launch next month despite international condemnation, satellite images show, as Japan vowed to shoot down the projectile if it poses a threat.

After the Long An Province People’s Court yesterday gave a life sentence to Tran Thuy Lieu for burning her husband to death, the victim’s mother has said she would appeal the case.

An investigation has been launched into state-owned firm Vicem, after they reported debts totaling thousands of billions of VND.

Hanoi has been listed as one of the ten greatest street food cities in Asia by CNN.

The Supreme People’s Procuracy proposed that former chairman of Vinashin be sentenced to 19 - 20 years in prison.

President Truong Tan Sang hosted a ceremony to hand over appointment decisions to 25 representatives.

DTiNews has uncovered illegal logging that is decimating forests of Nghe An Province’s due to lax management.

Vietnam and the Republic of Korea issued a joint press release following PM Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to the RoK and his participation in the second Nuclear Security Summit.

At least 13 people were killed in a Honduras prison fire, officials said, less than two months after a blaze killed more than 350.