VIETNAM TODAY

Two years after a world economic downturn all but wiped them out, European carmakers have bounced back to the spotlight.

The US dollar rose against the euro and the yen after reports that Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had been killed after the September 11 attacks.

Accidents caused by cranes have been reported recently. Cranes have been spotted carrying concrete blocks hanging over crowded traffic in Hanoi.

The first big budget film of the summer season, "Fast Five," broke new records as it scored USD83.6 million in its first weekend in theaters.

This year’s mid-term Consultative Group Meeting will take place in the central province of Ha Tinh on June 8-9.

Google is the new darling of software wizards out to cash-in on the world's love for customizing smartphones with fun, hip or functional applications.

Wildlife experts have warned that the number of elephants in Vietnam is falling and elephants will be extinct in the next ten years.

A number of new economic policies took effect on May 1, including rise in minimum salary and use of e-invoices.

Japan's Prime Minister pleaded for public "understanding" after a poll showed 75% of people questioned about his leadership and handling of the post-disaster crisis.

More than 460,000 international visitors travelled to Vietnam in April, a 6.3 per cent rise against the same month last year.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Beijing wants to boost cooperation in trade and security with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Pope Benedict XVI will honour his late predecessor John Paull II with near-sainthood status at a Vatican beatification ceremony.

Facing a shortage of capital, many real estate companies in Ho Chi Minh City have been selling off their projects as the last resort.

Alexis Thompson, a 16-year-old US prodigy, fired a five-under par 67 on Saturday to share the lead at the Avnet Classic.

A growing number of Vietnamese students are studying the Korean language at university, mainly to work at Korean firms operating in their country.

Survivors of powerful tornadoes that swept the US south this week began the monumental task of clearing away debris from a disaster.

Over 42,000 applications for land-use certificates in Hanoi were waiting to be processed, said the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Asia needs to work to ensure the potential of its economic and political rise is realized, the Asian Development Bank said.

Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi's youngest son and three grandchildren were killed in an air strike, a spokesman said Sunday.