We are witnessing a tragedy called the political playground of major countries, especially in the East Sea. So how can small countries struggle against the power that is seeking every way to rise, with the burning hegemonic ambition.

 A series of new policies on land levy, specific allowances for a number of judicial and inspection titles in the Army, assessment of primary pupils shall come into force in November, 2016.

 European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan will lead a high-level mission to Vietnam from November 2 to 4 to sound out trade opportunities.

 Mai Tien Dung, Minister and Chairman of the Government Office, has defended a proposal for hiking Government debt to no higher than 55% of gross domestic product (GDP).

 Sound measures to tackle the country’s mounting bad debts are available, and all it takes is having the guts to employ them, in an effort to systematically solve such issues for the sake of society and the economy.

 At the World Economic Forum last week, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc confirmed the government’s policy to allow foreign investors to engage more in Vietnam’s economy via accelerated equitisation of state-owned enterprises and capital divestments.

 The Halloween parades in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on October 30 attracted thousands of people in a bewildering variety of costumes, from the surreal to the thoroughly gruesome and disgusting.

 Vietnam chess master Nguyen Quoc Hy won a silver medal at the World Cadets U8, U10 and U12 Chess Championships that wrapped up on October 30 in Batumi, Georgia (local time).

 The 50 leading Vietnamese IT companies reportedly earned revenues of VND28 trillion (US$1.2 billion) last year, accounting for 35 per cent of the sales reported by the software and digital content industry.

 In a ceremony this afternoon, the Ho Chi Minh Museum received a portrait of President Ho Chi Minh by Algerian-French artist Mustapha Boutadjine.

 Severe floods are expected as the river water level is rising swiftly in the central Quang Binh and Ha Tinh provinces, which were devastated by historic floods earlier this month.

 Consumers in HCM City can check the origin of pork they buy under a city project that will be piloted from December 10 this year.

 The Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City declared 17 Zika infections in the city as of October 31, all detected by the local disease monitoring system.

 Domestic and foreign researchers and managers in archaeology gathered in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai on October 31 to seek ways to promote the value of the archaeological studies of the Paleolithic age.

 Press agencies must operate under their set principles and objectives and journalists must always keep their professional ethics, Minister of Information and Communication Truong Minh Tuan has said. 

 Ho Chi Minh City and Seoul, the Republic of Korea (RoK) have agreed to boost friendship and bilateral cooperation.

 Politburo member and standing member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Dinh The Huynh on October 31 wrapped up his visit to the US at the invitation of Secretary of State John Kerry.

 Vietnam wants to learn from Israel’s experience in mitigating climate change impacts, said President Tran Dai Quang at a reception for outgoing Israeli Ambassador in Vietnam Meirav Eilon Shahar in Hanoi on October 31. 

 President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins and his spouse will pay a State-level visit to Vietnam from November 5-11.

 Five draft laws were submitted to the National Assembly (NA) for consideration on October 31 as part of the 14th parliament’s second session.