The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday said the nation's economic activity slowed pace in the first half of this year, but it did not announce new monetary moves to bolster the weak economic recovery.

 “Could you do this trip twenty times a month?”

 Eight women badminton players disqualified from the London Olympics on Wednesday for deliberately trying to lose their doubles matches have been punished for infringing the spirit of their sport but not the rules.

 An exhibition of photographs depicting Agent Orange victims opened on August 1 at the War Remants Museum, supported by the Ho Chi Minh City Association for Agent Orange/dioxin victims.

 With a passion for theater and the wish to create an art space for the foreign community in Ho Chi Minh City, some expats have paid from their own pocket to make their own shows.

 Wrestling draw ceremony to be held on Saturday; VN football team gathers to prepare for AFF Cup; U15 football tournament kicks off in August

Misfortune never comes alone. A lot of businessmen had to sell their immovable properties to get money to pay workers. And now they have to sell the last valuable asset – cars – to get by.  

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese fencer Nguyen Tien Nhat failed to progress to the next round of his event at the London Olympics yesterday.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday, Aug 1, asked authorities, especially those in border provinces, to tighten inspections and control of poultry imports in an attempt to stem a bird flu epidemic.

 VietNamNet Bridge – At noon of August 1, the second whirlwind swept over the three southern provinces of Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ben Tre, damaging nearly 350 houses.

 VietNamNet Bridge – As many as 8,994 trawlers were said to set sail at 12pm on August 1 and fish in the East Sea areas which in fact belong to Vietnam’s territorial waters.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Military Corp 3 on July 31 announced to revoke the soldier’s title of private first class Nguyen Van Quang, who was involved in the torture and killing of two rare langur and posting pictures on Facebook.

Smart phones would be the fulcrum of the mobile phone retail market, with 42 percent of Vietnamese users saying they would use smart phones instead of normal phones in the near future.

 A bomb threat at San Antonio International Airport in the U.S state of Texas caused the evacuation of both terminals there on Wednesday afternoon, said local media.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Two people were killed and dozens of others were injured after whirlwinds battered Bac Lieu and Soc Trang provinces in the Mekong Delta on August 1.

 Top DPRK legislator to visit Vietnam; VFF-UN joint projects advance; Phu Tho boosts ties with Lao localities; Leader of Labour Confederation visits Australia

Advertisement leaflets, brochures have been delivered at schools, banderoles have been hung at the school entrance, in front of classes.  

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam and New Zealand have agreed on a working holiday scheme which would allow people from each country to spend working holidays in the other country for up to 12 months, under an agreement that took effect yesterday

 Police officers in the central province of Khanh Hoa have arrested a man who allegedly placed a bomb at the provincial police chief’s house on July 30.

While a lot of animals living in the wild have been hunted by people, many others have been put on cages at private houses just to entertain people.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A popular event in Vietnamese history has been depicted in a 3D animated film by a group of students at HCM City's Hong Bang University.

 VietNamNet Bridge – An amendment to the Labour Code lengthening maternity leave to six months is expected to increase the rate of children being breast-fed,

VietNamNet Bridge – The government of Vietnam, via the asset management company (AMC)--where it holds controlling stakes, would define the prices of the bad debts.

VietNamNet Bridge – Japanese and Russian scientists have announced their discovery of a new striped Ichthyophis species in Vietnam’s Central Highlands on Japan’s Current Herpetology Journal. 

FIEs expand investment while fresh FDI funds tumble; Rubber firms bend with downtimes; Foreign groups deepen Vietnam distribution market roots; Luxury cars roll into Vietnam despite economic doldrums; Strict quarantine for plant imports