A slump in tourism has hit the Ho Chi Minh City's hotel market, which saw a drop in the average rate of reserved rooms in the first six months of the year compared to the previous five years.

 Some 20 ancient carved sandstone slabs were recently discovered scattered in fields and around villages of Tang Ghenh, Hu Tru Lin and Hong Nhi Pa in Lao Chai commune, Mu Cang Chai district, the northern province of Yen Bai.

 Nine art troupes across the region have gathered at a five-day traditional music festival of the Association Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in northern Thanh Hoa province, beginning on August 1.

VietNamNet Bridge - While economists doubt commercial banks can reduce the bad-debt ratio to below 3 percent by the end of August, bankers said the target was within reach because the current situation is not as bad as once thought. 

 Ongoing rains and floods have left another seven dead or injured in the northern provinces of Dien Bien, Lai Chau and Son La, reported the Office of the National Steering Committee on Disaster Prevention and Control on August 2.

Her facial skin was itching and swelling so Thach Thi Tha Ri, 29, went to a drugstore to purchase ointment to apply to her face. After using the 7th phial, her skin became lumpy and she looked much older.

 With supply forecast to outstrip demand in the global market, the country's rubber industry is expected to have a difficult time over the next few years, according to the Viet Nam Rubber Association.

 Of the 268 businesses that owed the Ha Noi Government back taxes, 136 have paid up more than VND700 billion (US$32.1 million) after being publicly named last week, according to the city tax department.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The National History Museum, the largest museum in Vietnam, has a total investment of up to VND11,277 billion, not including the cost of designing the museum contents and display.

 Plaintiff lawyers in the lawsuit against 26 US chemical companies over their supply of chemical toxins used during the Vietnam War have expressed their firm determination to follow the case, though it could last 20 years or longer.

 Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will pay an official visit to Malaysia from August 7-8 at the invitation of his Malaysian counterpart Najib Rajak.

VietNamNet Bridge - The Vinh Tan 2 thermal power plant is located in an area with the strongest wind in the country, scientists say, causing serious pollution to a large area.

VietNamNet Bridge - The news that a high number of 68,700 students failed the national high school finals has caused educators to rethink their view about the test.

VietNamNet Bridge - Investors are hesitating to pour money into waste treatment projects because of unclear service fees set by local authorities.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Ba Be National Park, lying 240 kilometres northwest of the capital city Hanoi in the northern mountainous province of Bac Can, has absolutely stunning vistas with dense evergreen forests.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A Ministry of Health plan to build additional satellite hospitals across the nation and upgrade existing ones lacks money and qualified personnel,

The tightening of control over truck loads and the loosening of control over imports have led to the sharp increase in the number of imported Chinese trucks imported. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Expensive fares and cumbersome customs clearance procedures are blamed for a big reduction in passengers travelling on the Viet Nam-China train in the last three years.

 Dong Nai attracts 3.42 bln USD from ASEAN countries, Nielsen survey: Vietnamese tops world for savings, Gov't debt trader to lift charter capital to US$273m, Real estate chaos surrounds Long Thanh Airport project

 VietNamNet Bridge - After Zone 9 closed, young people and expats still had many other options for the bars as Barbetter, Yolo or Hero. These bars have a unique décor and serve customers with different tastes.

 Vietnamese martial artists secured their fourth consecutive championship title at the World Vovinam (Vietnamese Martial Arts) Championship after bagging 19 gold and five silver medals.

  Hue Royal food has a long tradition that has been both recorded for prosperity and kept alive throughout the centuries.

A new museum project in HCM City has been met with skepticism and criticism as there are already too few visitors and too few artifacts for the number of museums the city already has.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Quang Dat, 24, from Hanoi is the chief pilot of Jetstar Pacific and the youngest chief pilot of Vietnam.

Foreigners can buy and own houses in Vietnam for a 50 year period. If the owners sell or give their houses to foreign institutions and individuals within that period, the recipients will have the right to possess the house for the remaining time.