Technology giants Alibaba and Tencent are trying to penetrate the Vietnamese e-payment market. 

 As Internet use in Viet Nam continues to rise, avoiding online security threats will become even more difficult, said Vu The Binh, Viet Nam Internet Association (VIA) general secretary, at a symposium in Ha Noi on Tuesday.

 Foreign ownership in the Vietnam Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Techcombank) is officially at zero per cent, the bank announced late last week.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Le Tu Chinh continued to shine in the short-distance events at the National Athletics Championships at the Thong Nhat Stadium in HCM City yesterday.

 The European Commission (EC) has issued a "yellow card" warning to Viet Nam, after the country failed to demonstrate sufficient progress in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing worldwide.

 The General Department of Customs (GDC) on Monday signed a co-operation agreement with five commercial banks to implement a 24/7 e-tax payment scheme.

 The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has proposed to the Prime Minister four different plans to operate airfields in the future, aiming to narrow a yawning gap between the Airports Corporation of Viet Nam’s (ACV) revenue and expenditures.

The natural rubber market is anticipated to continue struggling due to plunging prices, according to the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC). 

 Hanoi plans to install an additional 70 air monitoring stations to improve air quality, according to the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

 The 7th Southern Khmer Festival of Culture, Sports and Tourism will be held in Bac Lieu on November 17-19.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Yen Bai forest is not only rich in fauna and flora but also abundant in specialites, such as rare bamboo shoots locally known as mang Sat and nhong ong rung.

 Shares rebounded on October 24 on the two national stock exchanges after a flop the previous day, propped up by the strong growth of several major large caps.

 Police in the central province of Ninh Thuan said that they had launched an official investigation into the rape of a 14-year-old girl in Ninh Hai District.

 Artificial sand ground from rocks might be a valid alternative for the over-exploited natural product which is expected to run out in Vietnam within five years, scientists said.

 Eleven teams will represent Viet Nam at the World Robot OlympiadTM (WRO) 2017 along with participants from 60 other countries at the event, to be held in Costa Rica on November 10-12.

 A draw for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U23 Championship 2018’s final round took place in China on October 24.

 Vietnam and Iran should focus on promoting economic and trade cooperation to soon raise two-way trade value to $2 billion as agreed by leaders of both sides, said Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh.

 The APEC Economic Leaders’ Week will offers opportunities to promote the beauty of Vietnam’s landscapes and people, especially destinations in the central region, to international friends.

 Hanoi wants to boost cooperation with domestic and international organisations, including the ICT federation Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organisation (ASOCIO), in a bid to turn it into a smart city.

 Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich has called on the ASEAN countries and partners to have joint efforts, shared perspectives and strategic trust, in dealing with current challenges to maintain a peaceful and stable environment.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong applauded cooperation between the Vietnamese and Lao Governments at a reception for Lao Deputy Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in Hanoi on October 24.  

 The governments, ministries and sectors of Vietnam and Laos should collaborate together closely to tackle bottlenecks to increase bilateral trade and speed up the implementation of key projects, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

 Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung and his Indian counterpart Preeti Saran co-chaired the ninth political consultation and sixth strategic dialogue at the deputy foreign ministerial level between Vietnam and India in Hanoi on October 24.

Legislators discussed in groups outcomes of the implementation of the socio-economic development plan and State budget in 2017 at the National Assembly (NA)’s fourth session on October 24 morning. 

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed he will make concerted efforts to elevate relations between Vietnam and Australia to a new height during a reception for Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittick in Hanoi on October 24.