Major issues discussed at 7th meeting of 12th Party Central Committee

 Vietnam is concerned about escalating tension and violence in the Gaza Strip over recent days, which killed and injured many Palestinians, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said at a regular press briefing on May 17.

VietNamNet Bridge - Most commercial banks have announced plans to pay big dividends, but there are some banks which have not paid dividends over the last 10 years.

 The World Health Organization (WHO) is to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the risk of Ebola spreading from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga stressed the obligation of each and every State to solve disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law while attending a UN Security Council debate on May 17.

 Vietnamese actress Nha Phuong has appeared at the Cannes Film Festival to screen short film Infill & Full Set at Festival Corner.

The 16th meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Commission on Economic, Cultural, and Scientific-Technological Cooperation was held in Hanoi on May 17.

 Governor General of Australia Peter Cosgrove and his spouse will pay a State visit to Vietnam from May 23-26 on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. 

 President Tran Dai Quang on May 17 hosted Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn.

 VN-Index fell sharply for the second consecutive day, dropping nearly 24 points on May 17.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) launched the One Commune, One Product (OCOP) programme worth nearly 45 trillion VND (about 2 billion USD) on May 17. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Health (MoH) has begun implementing a plan to strengthen control over drug distribution by applying information technology.

The US Navy’s hospital ship USNS Mercy docked in Nha Trang port of Khanh Hoa Province on May 17, beginning its Pacific Partnership Programme 2018 (PP18) from May 17 – June 2. 

Vietnam will welcome over 200 experts and researchers from around the world to participate in the fifth International Conference on Rice Bran Oil in Hanoi from May 23-25.

Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga deposited with the UN Secretary General Vietnam’s instrument of ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on May 17, becoming the 10th country ratifying the document.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Two access points to public beaches will be constructed on Ho Xuan Huong Street and Ariyana Beach Resort.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Every night on Viet Nam Television’s VTV1 channel, thousands of viewers are watching a new show about Sai Gon’s lifestyle in the 1950s.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Freddy Gentizon, known as McFreddy, a photographer from Switzerland, has spent 13 years capturing the beauty of Vietnam and its people.

 VietNamNet Bridge – An English tutor in Hanoi was fined for using inappropriate terms to address her student and running tuition classes without a licence.

 Travel firms lending or borrowing licenses will face tough punitive sanctions, including a suspension of license for 18 to 24 months and a fine of VND40-50 million, according to a draft Government decree.