The CIA says the Islamic State (IS) militant group may have up to 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria - three times as many as previously feared.

Vietnam lost more than it gained after opening its Phuoc Son and Bong Mieu gold mines to a Canadian exploiter. Seven tons of gold were exploited, but the forests are now gone. Only the excavated land and polluted environment remain.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam will have only one national annual GDP figure released by the General Statistics Office instead of multiple figures for individual provinces and cities.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The tourism ministers of five countries in the Mekong sub-region have proposed a single visa scheme and other measures to facilitate travel for tourists in the area.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A significant jump in machinery and equipment imports in the first months of the year shows businesses are picking up the pace of modernising production facilities.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Industry and Trade's proposal to stick stamps on beer products to deter fake products has not been welcomed by the industry. Similar stamps are already placed on tobacco products.

 Consumption of two or more servings of fish per week may reduce the risk of hearing loss in women, U.S. researchers said Wednesday.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam plans to send a nano-satellite weighing 10kg to orbit in 2016, Associate Prof. Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, Director of the Vietnam National Satellite Centre (VNSC) has revealed.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Finance is considering removing a regulation that requires businesses to pay no more than 15 percent of total expenses on advertisements.

VietNamNet Bridge – Climate change is hitting the Mekong Delta much earlier than expected, Phung Duc Tien of the National Assembly Commission of Science and Technology told Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam

 VietNamNet Bridge - According to the Mother Nature website, the terraced fields in Sapa, Vietnam are ranked among the top 30 most beautiful places in the planet, along with the Maldives and Angkor Wat.

VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the streamlining of administrative procedures at ministries and local governments has remained slow, affecting the business environment and lives of people in the country.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The three biggest mobile network operators, MobiFone, VinaPhone and Viettel, have raised 3G access speed sixfold in an aim to satisfy increased demand.

The honor of the Silk Road on the sea must be based on respect for international law,  independence and sovereignty of related countries, for the sake of peace and stronger friendship between peoples.

The Government’s already-approved development strategy for the auto industry could help Vietnam meet domestic demand and join the world’s production chain but specific policies must be in place to help the nation realize preset goals.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A new concept of education in Vietnam has been initiated: non-profit education. The debate has caused quite a furor among educators and analysts.

 Two Chinese citizens cross the border with $900,000 in cash; Over 1.5 million USD invested in HCM City integrated railways; Denmark helps Mekong Delta province deal with climate change; Australian drug trafficker to spend 15 years in prison

Vietnam joins Summer Davos forum 2014; Vietnam issues rules for securities lending; Foreign banks offer syndicated loan to VietinBank; Building materials industry under realignment; Vung Ro oil refinery to turn out first products in 2020

On September 10 Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung approved the equitization plan of the national air carrier Vietnam Airlines, with over VND14 trillion of charter capital, equivalent to more than 1.41 billion shares with a par value of VND10,000  share.

 Vietnam to continue launching tours to world’s largest cave; First high-class tourism complex in North Central Coast; First resort in Quang Binh province to earn five-star rating; AirAsia resumes flights to Danang

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Government has approved a zoning plan worth 3.7 million euros (US$4.8 million) for wind power development in Vietnam, with 3.6 million euros of the amount to be granted by the German government.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A number of cement plants have been taken off the list of proposed plants in the country’s development plan for the industry, in an effort to “tidy up” the national industry.

 VietNamNet Bridge - With its poetic scenery, Ba Be Lake is a mysterious green gem in the northeast mountains and forest.

 Punk-pop duo to hit CAMA ATK; Theatre group holds auditions for Dahl play; Aussie singer-songwriter heads to Ha Noi; Los Angeles-based electric duo to perform; Thai artist exhibits photos of famous people

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnamese national shooting team are undergoing intensive training in South Korea with the aim of winning a gold medal at the 17th Asian Games (ASIAD).