VIETNAM TODAY

The Minister of Transport has controversially banned ministry staff from golf in order for them to spend more time on their work.

Public interest in climate change issues has been considerably improved over the past few years thanks to increased communications.

Vietnamese people will have the chance to vote for Ha Long Bay as a new World Wonder through a TV programme to be broadcast live on October 29.

Up to 34 million of the country’s 87.5 million population had not bought health insurance as of June this year.

Nam Dinh provincial authorities said that they will not accept the bachelors who graduate from non-state schools as the officers in state agencies.

China’s Haier Group has acquired businesses operating under the Sanyo Electric brand name in Southeast Asia.

China said it would maintain a stable exchange rate and warned that foreign trade faced a "severe situation" due to the West's economic woes.

Vietnam’s top badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh is competing at the 2011 Open Badminton Tournament, which kicked off in Denmark on October 18.

The Thai government has donated three million baht (USD100,000) to help the Vietnamese people get over the aftermath of the recent floods.

The import duty on cars will be cut by 3-5 percent from next year if a proposal drafted by the Ministry of Finance is approved.

Localities across Vietnam have been conducting a survey to gather statistics on households living below or near the poverty line.

Current wage policies are outdated and unable to assist citizens in coping with the rising cost of living, said President Truong Tan Sang.

Intel Corporation reported record-high earnings as the company shipped more chips than ever despite talk of a gloomy global computer market.

Preschools are facing many obstacles, including over-worked, undertrained teachers, affecting education quality.

The Prime Minister has allowed the State Bank of Vietnam to play the host of a Meeting on Cooperative Relationship between Vietnam  and the World Bank.

The search for the world's first malaria vaccine received a boost with the release of early results from a major clinical trial.

Restructuring investment mechanisms is a key to restructuring the economy, according to a seminar in Hanoi on Oct. 18.

The ASEAN+3 Youth Forum opened as a venue for young people to raise their voices and propose policies to uphold the role of youth in national construction.

Goldman Sachs, weighed down by problems in its private equity portfolio and the broader global economic woes, reported a loss of $428 million.