A smart traffic operation centre in Ho Chi Minh City will receive an investment of 6 trillion VND (265 million USD) from 2017 to 2020, the city’s Department of Transport has said.

 he foreign ministers of G7 have called for the strict enforcement of the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s ruling, which rejected China’s groundless claims of “historical rights” over the waters within the so-called “nine-dash line” in the East Sea.

 The Asian Games 2018 in Indonesia will feature 39 sports, including new ones, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced on April 21.

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a meeting with Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Hugo Hanz Siblesz in Hanoi on April 21.

 Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has suggested Ireland prompt the European Union (EU) to soon sign and ratify the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UVFTA) and recognise Vietnam’s market economy.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held separate meetings on April 21 with US Acting Trade Representative Stephen Vaughn and a group of assistants to senators of the Democratic and Republican Parties.

 A native of Dien Bien Province, the Mong man joined the border force a year ago, and is now a member of the Apachai Border Guard Post in Muong Nhe District, which straddles two borders, that with Laos and China.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A throat affliction putting paid to her chosen vocation as a teacher, a young woman stumbles on to a new art form, courtesy some lotus flowers and a Buddhist spirit. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Young entrepreneurs have come up with a creative way to have visitors to Hoi An City take part of its famous nipa palm forest home as souvenirs.

VietNamNet Bridge - A lot of shops which sell products at exorbitant prices to Chinese tourists under "zero-dong tours" have been forced to shut down. 

VietNamNet Bridge - The Ministry of Education and Training is setting stricter requirements when granting professorship titles.

Nguyen Lan, Ha Noi’s former Chief Architect, speaks to the newspaper Kinh te & Do thi (Economic and Urban Affairs) about some of the measures needed to keep the capital clean and green.

 VietNamNet Bridge – On the anvil for about a decade, Culture Ministry gets serious about transforming the Ha Noi Opera House and its environs, 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Famous comedian Hoai Linh has reduced his audience to tears in the newly released film Da Co Hoai Lang (Night Drumbeats Cause Longing for Absent Husband) directed by Nguyen Quang Dung. 

Urban specialists have been suggesting since 2015 that Ha Noi number its streets, rather than name them. Currently, most streets are named after people who contributed to the cause of national development.

 Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung held a dialogue with local residents in Dong Tam commune in the city’s My Duc district on April 22.

The Party Central Committee’s Secretariat met on April 18 and 21 to consider disciplinary measures against certain Party organisations and Party members at the proposal of the Central Inspection Commission. 

Vietnam and India should bolster investment ties in areas of India’s strength and Vietnam’s demand, while minimizing and generally removing trade obstacles, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said.

Vietnam will continue to be an active and responsible member of the international community and the UN and engage more in the UN’s peacekeeping operations, said President Tran Dai Quang.

 Eleven innovative tourism startups from Viet Nam have qualified for the Mekong Innovative Startup Tourism (MIST) Startup Accelerator programme.