Ho Chi Minh City will create optimal conditions for Bulgarian businesses to seek opportunities for long-term investment and business, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong said. 

 The second session of the 14th National Assembly (NA) will convene on October 20 morning, the NA Secretary-General announced in a press release on October 19. 

 Storm Sarika weakened into a low tropical pressure this morning over the sea some 60km away from the Quang Ninh coast.

 The helicopter that went missing yesterday in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau was found this morning with the bodies of all three military officers on board.

VietNamNet Bridge - The pay policy under which teachers receive salaries based on length of service is believed to be the reason why talented people do not want to become teachers.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc has assigned the Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) to replace the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) as the investor of the $1.7 billion Quang Trach Thermal Power Plant 1 in Quang Binh.

On October 15 more than 2,000 people stormed the Dat Mui clam breeding cooperative in the southern province of Ca Mau to steal clams. The farm guards and the local government were unable to protect the farm.

VietNamNet Bridge - The Guide to Sleeping in Airports website has published the list of the best airports in Asia in 2016, with two Vietnamese names included -Noi Bai and Da Nang.

 Hastening the disbursement of ODA and preferential loans remains a huge task for the remaining two months of this year in the context of increasing public debts and limited resources, said Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh.

 Foreign military attachés in Vietnam took part in a shooting exchange at the Mieu Mon national training centre in Hanoi on October 18. 

 The Government has approved the granting of electronic visa for foreign visitors to Vietnam from early next year, said the Vietnam National Tourism Administration (VNAT).

VietNamNet Bridge - Is Vietnam capable of controlling the international transportation railway, or will it be controlled by Chinese companies?

 The Vietnam Standards and Consumers Association (Vinastas) confirmed on October 17 that a survey it conducted nationally found that most fish sauce has arsenic content exceeding permitted levels.

 Viettel plans to earn $1.5 billion in revenue in its nine international markets this year.

Consideration is being given to raising the basic monthly wage of public servants to VND1.3 million ($58.3) next year, as recommended by a number of National Assembly (NA) delegates.

Vietnam’s two leading beer producers Hanoi Beer, Alcohol and Beverage JSC (Habeco) and Saigon Beer, Alcohol and Beverage JSC (Sabeco) have both registered to list their shares on stock exchanges and received approval.

 The Government will submit a tax reduction plan to the National Assembly (NA) this month, which aims to meet targets of increasing the number of efficient enterprises in the country to one million by 2020.

 More and more retailers in the country are shaking hands with big e-commerce companies in order to widen their businesses while ensuring cost savings.

Ly Hoang Nam and Nguyen Hoang Thien had a promising start in men’s doubles at the Vietnam Men’s Futures tennis tournament’s yesterday in Binh Duong Province.

 Local authorities have been placed on full alert for typhoon Sarika, which is predicted to make landfall in areas from Quang Ninh to Hai Phong at around 4pm today.