The Foreign Ministry has sent two official documents on its stance on Vietnam's marine sovereignty in the East Sea and over the Hoang Sa Archipelago (Paracels Islands) and China’s deployment of its HD-981 oil rig in Vietnam’s waters to the UN.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The competition of 11-year-old students to obtain seats at prestigious secondary schools is as fierce as the race for universities.

 Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has signed a resolution on regular government meeting for June which focuses on utmost efforts to protect national sovereignty and ensure political security, social order and safety.

A  July 8 meeting in HCM City marking World Population Day announced that on a per capita basis, Vietnam has one of the five highest abortion rates in the world.

 US$446 million allocated for IT industry; Vietnam imports 25,000 cars in H1; VNPT International opens rep. office in Cambodia; EU to check quality of bivalve molluscs in Vietnam; Newly-established businesses up 19.3%

 The second phase of the 2014 national university entrance exams kicked off on the morning of July 9, with some 575,180 candidates sitting the exams, which run through July 10.

The provincial People’s Committee of the south central province of Khanh Hoa recently announced this year’s annual International Yacht Festival is scheduled for August 2-4.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Set on an island in Ha Noi's Red River, Tam Hon Me (Mother's Soul) won the top prize at the Viet Nam Film Festival in Saint Malo, France.

 Marksmen Hoang Xuan Vinh ranked eighth in the men's 50m pistol event at the ongoing International Sport Shooting Federation World Cup Rifle-Pistol-Shotgun competition in China.

 About 190 million registered voters have begun casting ballots for the president of Indonesia, the world's third largest democracy.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Large corporations have been silently pouring their money into other business fields after they can get a firm foothold in their core fields.

Vietnam should deliver a message that the country is safe to tourists as workers protests against China’s illegal deployment of an oil rig in Vietnam’s waters in mid-May are over,

 There are women walking through Accra's crowded streets performing remarkable balancing acts.

The Vietnam Fisheries Society (VFS) has released a statement, strongly protesting against China’s recent apprehension of six Vietnamese fishermen and their boat.

 VietNamNet Bridge – There will be a free screening of French director Andre Menras's documentary on the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago at 53 Nguyen Du Street, at 3pm on Friday.

 VietNamNet Bridge – An 18-year-old girl died at Thanh Nhan Hospital in Hanoi on Monday after a 10-day fast.

 VietNamNet Bridge - An earthquake registering 3.6 on the Richter scale with a focal depth of 5.7 km occurred in the area of Song Tranh 2 hydropower plant in the central province of Quang Nam on Tuesday morning, the strongest so far this year.

 UK diplomat honoured with Certificate of Merit; Czech Republic, Vietnam strengthen crime prevention cooperation; Vietnam-Japan defence ties develop well; Voters interested in sea, island sovereignty defence

Viettel has asked the Ministry of Information and Communications’ permission to use the same charge for mobile phone calls made between subscribers of the same networks and those made between subscribers of two different networks.

 VietNamNet Bridge – After a year of being in Vietnam, with six shops already opened in Ho Chi Minh City, Starbucks is preparing ground to open several shops in Hanoi, according to VNE online newswire.

 Economic growth rate forecast at 5.7- 5,8%: Report; Motor Show 2014 attracts 16 automakers, traders; US agricultural businesses still await more ‘carrots’; TPP provides US firms with huge prospects

 China on July 8 mobilised an electronic reconnaissance plane to oversee the operation of Vietnamese law enforcement ships in the area that China is illegally placing its oil rig Haiyang Shiyou – 981.

 World Bank (WB) Group President Jim Yong Kim will pay an official visit to Vietnam from July 16-17 to strengthen the strong partnership with the country.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Thi Mai Hung ranked fifth at the end of the second event of the "Chess for Girls Asia" series in HCM City yesterday, July 7.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The State budget will save about VND1.5 trillion (US$71.4 million) a year if a draft decree on cutting back car purchases by Government agencies is approved.