Macedonian musicians to perform at Bach concert in HCM City

Violinist Lidya Dobrevska and oboist Gordana Josifova Nedelkovska from Macedonia will perform in a concert featuring famous compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach at the HCM City Opera House next week.

Apple is first public company worth $1 trillion

 Apple has become the world's first public company to be worth $1 trillion (£767bn).

HCM City to equitise many public service firms in 2019

 Many State-owned public utility companies in Ho Chi Minh City are set to be equitised in 2019.

Foreign investors stumble when injecting money into bank shares

The value of foreigners’ investments has become uncertain amid unfavorable conditions of the market. Since April 15, after reaching the peak of 1,200 points, the VN Index has been sliding, reaching a low of 884.75 points on July 12.

Vietnamese Deputy PM meets with top diplomats of Japan, Iran, Cambodia & Norway

 Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh had separate meetings with Foreign Ministers Taro Kono of Japan and Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran on August 2.

HCM City: Five sentenced to death in major drug trafficking case

 The People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City has handed down the capital punishment on five defendants involving in the illegal trade and transportation of a big amount of drug at the end of a four-day trial on August 2.

“Quintessence of Tonkin” enters Vietnam Guinness Book of Records

 The live entertainment show “Tinh hoa Bac Bo” (The Quintessence of Tonkin) has received two entries in the Vietnam Guinness Book of Records.

APT attack on Da Nang’s government webs uncovered

 The Vietnam Computer Emergency Response Team (VNCERT) uncovered several advanced persistent threat (APT) attacks on governmental websites in the central city of Da Nang in late July.

Child marriage remains common in Son La

 VietNamNet Bridge – Ethnic minority girls from remote mountainous areas in Son La Province are pushing themselves for marriage, despite being underage, in the hope of a better life.

Many challenges await Vietnam’s shrimp export to US

 Various challenges face Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the US, as aside from high anti-dumping duties, Vietnamese businesses have to tackle harsh policies the US uses to protect domestic production.

Vietnam, New Zealand step up defence ties

 Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phan Van Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), hosted a reception for Major General Tony Davies, Vice Chief of New Zealand’s Defence Force, in Hanoi on August 2. 

Locally-assembled cars up in July

 The Ministry of Industry and Trade reported that the volume of locally-assembled cars in July was estimated at 23,200 units, up 31.4 percent compared with the same period last year.

Second Ngoc Linh ginseng festival held in Quang Nam

 The second Ngoc Linh ginseng festival is taking place in the mountainous district of Nam Tra My, the central province of Quang Nam.

Vietnam sends 532 people to ASIAD 2018

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has confirmed the Viet Nam national sports delegation heading to the Asian Games (ASIAD 2018) will consist of 532 people.

Ha Giang exhibition on seas, islands, naval soldiers

 An exhibition featuring Vietnam’s seas and islands and naval soldiers is taking place in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang.

Vietnam take on Palestine in Hanoi today

Vietnam’s Asian Games football squad takes on Palestine in Hanoi on August 3, and coach Park Hang-seo has his eyes fixed on victory. 

Jetstar Pacific has first female Vietnamese captain

 Female pilot Le Thi Bich Hong, born in 1985, has become the first female Vietnamese captain of Jetstar Pacific Airlines.

August trips to satisfy your wanderlust

 August is a great time to visit many of Vietnam’s beautiful attractions with stunning natural scenery and verdant growth such as Sa Pa, Ha Giang and Hoi An ancient town.

HCMC students to represent Vietnam in F1 in Schools World Finals

Nam Phong Racing team from the British International School HCMC, with sponsorship from Audi Vietnam, will represent Vietnam in the F1 in Schools STEM Challenge World Finals taking place in Singapore from September 9 to 13, 2018.

Many sugar mills face uncertain future

 While the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) has been delayed until 2020, the future of the local sugar industry, with several sugar mills facing closure, remains uncertain, officials said.

Tax investigation removed from draft tax management law

Regulations on tax investigation, which were included in the draft of the tax management law last year, have now been removed from the latest version.

Social News 3/8

Dutch Water Board helps Can Tho improve water management, Vietnam continues aid to victims of Lao dam collapse, Flood relief work underway in northern localities, About 1,000 scholarships to be presented to poor children

Oc Vi Sai Gon - Best snails in town

 VietNamNet Bridge – Popular with locals and foreigners alike, Oc Vi Sai Gon serves a wide array of seafood cooked in a southern style. For the best experience, diners are suggested to dig in with their hands and get messy. 

BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 3/8

 Pork imports see 50% increase as domestic prices rise, Vietnam’s tourism adapts to Industry 4.0, Mostly small enterprises investing in agriculture, Aviation infrastructure short of needs, JLL reports on real estate M&A in first half

Los Angeles’ mayor expects VN-US direct flight by end of 2019

“If things go smoothly, we can expect a direct flight between Vietnam and Los Angeles by the end of 2019 or early 2020,” Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles’ Mayor, told a local newspaper recently.