Local Internet providers have said access to international services, including Youtube and Facebook, is choppy as the Asia-America Gateway (AAG) undersea fiber optic cable line is suspended for scheduled maintenance.

 Japanese airline Vanilla Air has launched its service between HCMC and Tokyo, becoming the first Japanese budget airline to fly to Vietnam. Vanilla Air flights will have stopovers at Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan’s Taipei.

 Vietnam’s much-touted E5 bio-fuel projects have virtually ground to a halt as Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group’s (PVN) three E5 factories have remain shut while domestic consumers have turned their back on the fuel.

 Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has pledged all possible support to investors working in oil and gas, including Zarubezhneft and other Russian companies. 

NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu has asked the Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs of the Czech Republic’s Senate to work closely with the Vietnamese NA’s Law Committee.

 The Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) will start the trial teaching of Russian and Chinese for grade 3 to 12 pupils from 2017.

 A requirement that grade 1 pupils in the southern province of Dong Nai have to sign a pledge not to violate traffic regulations has met with opposition from some parents.

The extradition of former board chairman of PetroVietnam Construction  Trinh Xuan Thanh to Vietnam could still be carried out even though he fled to a country which does not sign any judicial assistance agreement with Vietnam.

 The Vietnam Railways Corporation has asked the prime minister to let the Ministry of Transport give them VND471bn (USD21m) to pay outstanding salaries to staff, and payments to suppliers and contractors.

  The Republic of Korea (RoK)'s LG Innotech Co Ltd under the LG Group will invest US$550 million into a project in the northern city of Hai Phong, according to the Hai Phong Industrial Zone Management Board.

 Dat Doc brought a victory to the Hanoi Buffaloes with a three-point shot near the end of their match against Danang Dragon during the Việt Nam Basketball Association League yesterday in Hanoi.

 Vietnam lost 23-25, 23-25, 23-25 to Kazakhstan in the quarter-finals of the Asian Volleyball Confederation Cup for Women yesterday in Vinh Phuc Province.

 The south-central province of Phu Yen has declared a state of emergency due to severe erosion in the estuary of the Da Nong River.

 Health ministers from ASEAN member states convened a teleconference on September 19 seeking ways to combat Zika virus, which has hit many parts of Southeast Asia. 

 Foodies in Hanoi will have a golden chance to taste dishes made by world-renowned chefs as the 10th Les Arômes Festival will take place in the capital from October 10 to November 23.

 Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan and Lao Minister of Post and Telecommunications Thansamay Kommasith have agreed to strengthen future partnership in information security and human resources development. 

 Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith has asked Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) and the Lao Ministry of Post and Telecommunications to work closely together in information security and building e-government in Laos. 

 The France-Vietnam Friendship Association, organisations of Vietnamese community and friendship associations with Vietnam in France issued a joint statement expressing support to the ruling on the East Sea issue by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

 Teachers from northern high schools for the gifted and foreign language universities were updated on regulations on the 14th Russian language Olympiad in 2017 at a workshop in Hanoi on September 19. 

 ASEAN member states and China have agreed to boost partnership in implementing sustainable development goals (SDGs).