High rainfall volume and domestic demand have raised hydropower plant earnings in the first six months of 2017 and promised to lift their performances in the remaining half, according to Viet Dragon Securities Corp.

 Together with high profits of trillions dong in the first half of this year, domestic commercial banks reportedly recruited thousands of employees in the period to boost development.

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc agreed in principle that the three special economic zones being planned by the Government to spearhead the country’s economic growth should enjoy special regulations and fewer limitations to woo investments.

 The annual Culture and Sports Week for ethnic groups, a platform for connecting different ethnic communities in the region, kicked off on Thursday in Tien Yen District, Quang Ninh Province.

 Connection Music Festival returns this summer with free chamber performances by local and international artists at the National Academy of Music in the capital city of Hanoi on August 17-18.

 K-Pop music girl band Twice will arrive in Vietnam late August to film portions of a reality television show titled ‘Carefree Travellers,’ reports Osen, a Korean entertainment newspaper.

 Nguyen Le Khanh Linh, 6, took first place on July 30 at the children’s Prince and Princess 2017 in Thailand, according to the Tienphong online newspaper.

The Hanam Province People’s Committee declared a state of emergency on Thursday, August 3, to deal with a growing outbreak of dengue fever, spread by infected mosquitoes, with 100 cases confirmed year-to-date.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment on August 2 held its second biannual discussion of the Vietnam-Japan Joint Initiative Phase VI, as well as future trade and investment opportunities between the two nations.

 SCG reports the operating results for the first half of the year, showing similar profit year-on-year due to good performance from the first quarter.

 Vietnam won one gold and two bronze medals at the 29th International Olympiad in Informatics recently held in Iran.

Vice Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Tran Vinh Tuyen has asked local departments and districts to disburse all public investment capital from 2017 by the end of January 2018.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Quite a few transport projects in Ha Noi’s rural areas are not up to scratch due to lack of capital and difficulties in disbursing investments.

 VietNamNet Bridge – More than 150 athletes are competing at the National Youth Shooting Championships which kicked off yesterday in Ha Noi.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Top Vietnamese player Ly Hoang Nam was ousted from the Thailand F4 Futures tennis tournament in Nonthaburi Province on Thursday.

Vietnam's stock market in first 7 months of 2017

 Wushu will remain one of Vietnam’s strongest sports at the upcoming 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Malaysia.

 An exhibition on pottery products of Vietnam’s southern region kicked off in Ho Chi Minh City on August 3.

The US Department of Commerce has announced its decision to adjust antidumping duty on Vietnamese shrimp exported to the US between February 1, 2013 and January 31, 2014 from 1.16 percent to 1.42 percent.  

 Prime Minister of Mozambique Carlos Agostinho do Rosario on August 3 wrapped up his official visit to Vietnam from July 31 as guest of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.