VIETNAM TODAY

A bill on Capital City of Hanoi, presented at the 12th National Assembly, was turned down with only 35.9% of the vote.

Vietnamese of all ages are called upon to vote for 10 books they believe have been most influential in their youth.

Gold and foreign currency speculation has dropped after the government’s recent crackdown on unofficial trading.

Carmelo Anthony scored 39 points for the second-straight game and the New York Knicks rallied from a 16-point deficit for a 120-116 win over New Jersey.

The Minister of Industry and Trade told the National Assembly last week that the power supply problems would worsen in the coming months.

Spain, struggling to avoid a debt bailout, will miss key public deficit targets this year and next, the central bank warned Wednesday.

The Government has approved a project on carrying out measures to ensure security in the atomic energy area.

Vietnamese farmers are facing a lot of difficulties in meeting the Aquaculture Stewardship Council's standards, said an official.

Vietnam Red Cross will set up an electronic blood bank by late 2011 to help deal with the national blood shortage.

Vietnam received more than 1.15 million foreign visitors in the first quarter of the year, representing a year-on-year increase of 12%.

Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi suffered a major blow with the defection of his foreign minister.

Vietnam has been called on to map out a national strategy on talent to optimise the utility of this valuable resource for national development.

Ethnic minority people in the Central Highlands possess a unique culture, which is highlighted by their springtime festivals and cuisine.

The euro struck a ten-month high point against the yen, as traders expected hikes to eurozone and US interest rates in the near future.

Loyalist forces overran the Libyan town of Ras Lanuf, scattering outgunned rebels as world powers debated arming the rag-tag band of fighters.

Vietnam’s crude oil exports have gone up by 15.7%, while petrol imports have risen by more than 50% in the first quarter.

Only 70 percent of Vietnamese urban population can have access to clean water at 100 litre/person/day, an official has warned.

The online Vietnamese young people’s magazine www.thanhnienviet.vn was launched in Hanoi on March 30.

The World Bank on March 30 approved a total loan of USD570 million to support Vietnam’s development efforts.