Nation cuts list of crimes eligible for death penalty
President Nguyen Minh Triet promulgated three new laws yesterday, including a rule to abolish death sentences for eight crimes, according to the President's Office.

PM Dung greets Mayor of London
Co-operative ties between Viet Nam and the United Kingdom on economics, trade and investment continue to grow, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said in Ha Noi yesterday to visiting Lord Mayor of the City of London Ian Luder.

Plan on ambitious border economic zone gets approval
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a master plan to build the region along the border with Cambodia into a major economic zone.

Helping families through crisis
The economic crisis is challenging Viet Nam to maintain progress in maternal and child health care, especially in mountainous, remote and disadvantaged areas.

Too many cars, not enough parking spaces
Despite high tariffs introduced to keep numbers low, the capital city is being over-run with cars. There is only enough public parking space for 20 per cent of vehicles - or 50,000 out of the estimated 230,000 cruising the streets of the city.

France to help VN on nuclear power
Viet Nam has completed pre-feasibility research in the southern central province of Ninh Thuan's Phuoc Dinh and Vinh Hai districts, which have been selected as locations for the nation's first nuclear power facility.

Photo show brings Cuba half world closer
Cuba is geographically half a world away, but the country and its people have been brought closer to Viet Nam through photos taken by professional and amateur photographers from the Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

Foreign visitor volume falls far short of expectations
Just 279,000 foreign tourists visited Viet Nam in June, down 4.7 per cent on May, according to the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism.

UAE gives thumbs up to catfish imports
The United Arab Emirates has given Vietnamese tra and basa catfish the all clear, according to Viet Nam's Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Fighting to save Pu Mat National Park
Efforts need to be stepped up to protect the UNESCO recognised Pu Mat National Park, which has long been exploited by illegal loggers, said Nguyen Van Minh, deputy director of the park.

Minh advances to Philippine Open semis
Viet Nam's top badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh beat Chao Huang of Singapore in the quarter-finals yesterday to move to the semi-finals today at the US$120,000 Bingo Bonanza Philippine Open Grand Prix Badminton Tournament.