Developing a national brand name is an urgent need for improving the competitiveness of Vietnamese rice, a conference heard in HCM City on November 11.

 Dong Thap Province’s People’s Committee will set aside a budget of VNĐ 90 billion (US$4.03 million) to develop tourism infrastructure at Tram Chim National Park.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment reported the results of an investigation into Taiwan-invested Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Company’s efforts to deal with the environmental incident it caused in four central provinces.

 Vietnamese top billiard player Tran Quyet Chien earned a ticket to compete in the semi-finals of the ongoing LG U+ 3 Cushion Master Cup in Seoul, South Korea.

 Vietnam’s top female badminton player Vu Thi Trang was ousted from the Celcom Axiata Malaysia International Challenge 2016 badminton tournament in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah yesterday.

 More than 30 circus artists from different art troupes will entertain audiences at HCM City’s Sen Hong (Pink Lotus) Stage with a free gala.

 Women and men from across the country have been encouraged to take part in the Vietnam Fitness Model Search 2016, the first national event featuring fitness enthusiasts.

 Loi Krathong, one of the most important festivals in Thailand, will be held at District 2 Thao Dien Village on Sunday (Nov 13).

 Canadian culinary specialties will be presented at the Savour Canadian Delights event in Hanoi from now to November 18 as part of a Canadian food branding series.

 Belgian filmmaker Rob Rombout will present a documentary series at the Vietnam National Documentary and Science Film Studio from November 14 to 16. 

 Capital authorities have approved a plan to set up a fixed book street on December 19 Street, which links Hai Ba Trung and Ly Thuong Kiet Street in downtown Hanoi.

 Two people have been killed and six others injured in a boiler explosion in the northern province of Thai Nguyen.

 HCM City authorities are considering using LED adverts on buildings and installing free high-quality wi-fi along Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in District 1. 

 Le Hong Phong High School for Gifted Students won first prize in the English Speaking Contest for high school students in HCM City, held by Vietnam-based Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation’s Regional Training Centre.

 Vietnam is among the 15 countries with the highest estimated numbers of clinical pneumonia, with 2.9 million cases reported every year, doctors said.

Some four million men in Vietnam will have no chance of getting married by 2050 if the current imbalance in the nation’s sex ration persists, experts say. 

 The Ministry of Industry and Trade will tighten inspections and force all reservoirs in the central region to seriously obey regulations related to reservoir operation.

The rapid increase in the number of Vietnam-trained PhD holders over the past decade coupled with shortcomings revealed in training have stirred public concern.

 Vietnam and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) sealed an agreement on satellite monitoring during a ceremony in Hanoi on November 11. 

 Ho Chi Minh City has recorded six more cases inflected with Zika virus as of November 11, raising the total number of infections in the city to 35, the municipal Preventive Medicine Centre announced.