The latest research by the Northern Water Resource Planning and Survey Federation shows that arsenic in Hanoi’s water resources reaches 40 times more than allowed level.

HA NOI — After several months of trying to stabilise petrol prices the Ministry of Finance yesterday announced an unexpected rise of VND4,500 per litre, the highest increase so far.

HA NOI — Two waste water treatment plants, the largest of their kind for Ha Noi, will be built to improve the capital’s hygiene and environment.

HA NOI — Industrial zones in the capital attracted total investment capital of more than US$152 million in the first half of this year, up 27 per cent year on year, said Nguyen Thai Long, deputy head of the Ha Noi Industrial and Export Processing Zones Management Board.

Global investment in "green" energy surged ahead in 2007 and has continued to grow this year despite turmoil in financial markets, a report says.

HA NOI — A new environmental protection programme titled Go Green – Hanh Trinh Xanh was officially launched yesterday in Ha Noi by Toyota Motor Viet Nam (TMV) in conjunction with the Viet Nam Environment Protection Agency (VEPA) and the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET).

HCM CITY — Property prices in HCM City are continuing to fall after a sharp rise during late 2007.

HA NOI — A sewage treatment plant will be set up to treat nearly half of Ha Noi’s household waste, helping to end the environmental destruction of the current repository in Yen So Park.

Last night Paula Shugart, Chairwoman of the Miss Universe Federation and Nguyen Quoc Toan, Chairman of Vietnam’s Universe JS Company signed an agreement to organise Miss Universe 2008 in Vietnam.

HA NOI — Two hundred and fifty business executives and experts from France and ASEAN countries gathered at the first two-day ASEAN Forum held yesterday in Ha Noi, focused on the major topic: "ASEAN: a market to conquer".