Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith left Ho Chi Chi Minh City on May 17, concluding his three-day official visit to Vietnam, the first foreign trip on his new PM post.

 A HCM City-based unit of Parkson, Malaysia's largest department store chain, was officially shut down on May 16 after five years of operation in the Phu My Hung New Urban Area.

 The New York Times has run an article with entitled “Obama in Vietnam Will Focus on Future, Rather Than the Past” in the “White House Letter” column on the threshold of the US President’s visit to the Southeast Asian country from May 23 to 25.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on May 17 called at Zarubezhneft – one of Russia’s leading oil and gas groups during his ongoing Russia visit from May 16-20.

A rally in U.S. crude oil prices recently has put the market on its firmest footing since the rout started in 2014, with the spread between prices for near-term delivery and future delivery narrowing,

VietNamNet Bridge – A five-star public toilet has been put into operation to serve local residents and tourists.

Ukrainian politicians hailed their country's surprise weekend victory in the European Song Contest as a continent-wide endorsement in their smoldering conflict with Russia, while Moscow said the competition had been hijacked by politics. 

Tien Phong Commercial Joint Stock Bank’s SWIFT money-transfer system (TPBank) was recently attacked by hackers, using similar techniques in the case occurring at the Bank of Bangladesh.

 VietNamNet Bridge - After successfully creating four varieties of herbal rice, a farmer in the central province of Nghe An “drew” a map of Vietnam on his herbal rice field.

 VietNamNet Bridge - In a locked apartment in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa, an Australian tourist was found dead.

International bathymetric agencies recognise that lighthouses on Truong Sa have been established and are maintained. They shine all around to support ships in the region and to affirm VN's sovereignty over the archipelago.

 VietNamNet Bridge - CIA Director John O. Brennan was in Hanoi last week to prepare for the upcoming visit of President Barack Obama to Vietnam, reported Zing news.

VietNamNet Bridge – A group of foreign diplomats on May 16 completed a 5-day tour to explore the world’s largest cave of Son Doong. All of them were very healthy after the tour.

The HCMC government has proposed the Ministry of Planning and Investment assist the city to mobilize official development assistance and preferential loans for its large-scale infrastructure, transportation and environment projects.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Many hotels of three- to five-star standards in the south-central beach city of Nha Trang are fully booked even though the tourism season has yet to enter its peak as large numbers of Chinese tourists are flocking to the city.

VietNamNet Bridge - A series of banks have unanimously expressed their wish to lift the foreign ownership ratio ceiling, saying that the current ceiling of 30 percent is not high enough to attract investors to the banking sector.

Photographer Le The Thang used a drone to capture some intriguing photos of many popular destinations of Vietnam for his personal use, which he shared on his Facebook page.

Dung Quat oil storage terminal planned for 2020, Wholesale electricity prices to increase by 2-5 per cent, Co Bi depot starts construction work, Toyota, Nissan recall cars to fix problems, Hanoi Telecom’s general director owns 1% of Vietnamobile

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese readers, particularly youth, will have more opportunities this summer to learn more about the country’s history after the release of new books.

A total of 33 Vietnamese tourists visited Son Doong cave in the central province of Quang Binh in the first few months of 2016.

 Vietnam and Sudan should foster bilateral cooperation in all fields, especially agriculture and industry.

 Thailand presented Phuong Minh Hoa, vice director of the Department of Politics under Vietnam’s Defence Ministry, with the Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand in Bangkok on May 16.

 VietNamNet Bridge – On Saturday evening, seven giant lotus flowers floating on the central Huong River in Hue were lit up to inaugurate a cultural week celebrating Buddha’s 2560th birthday.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Thai Son Nam triumphed in the National Futsal Championship yesterday (May 16) even though the tournament still runs for another two rounds.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Suzuki Vietnam yesterday (May 16) signed a two-year contract to sponsor the national football squads in HCM City.