President Tran Dai Quang received Victoria Kwakwa, Regional Vice President for East Asia and Pacific of the World Bank (WB) in Hanoi on May 19.

 US President Barack Obama and Vietnamese leaders will discuss measures to promote the comprehensive partnership between the two countries.

 A five-star bus route between Tan Son Nhat International Airport and District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City was put into operation from May 19.

  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc left Moscow on the afternoon of May 19 for Sochi to attend the Commemorate Summit to mark the 20th anniversary of the ASEAN-Russia dialogue relations.

The authorities of District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, have promised to pay VND2-5 million ($100-$250) for those who provide information about criminal cases related to prostitution, human trafficking, drug trading, robbery and gambling.

Eight domestic film producers and distributors have sent a complaint to the Vietnam Cinema Association, saying that they were being hampered by the CGV cinema system.

Many incapable investors had to give up their projects as they could not survive the frozen market of the last few years. Now is the right time for financially powerful investors to take over these projects at reasonable prices.

On May 17 the General Department of Environment decided to impose nearly VND4 billion ($190,000) fines on three companies for polluting the Buoi River by discharging untreated wastewater.

 The Ministry of Health (MoH) warned on May 18 that yellow fever, a dangerous infectious disease, may appear in Vietnam.

 The 6th Southern Cuisine Festival will take place in Dam Sen Culture Park in Ho Chi Minh City from May 28-June 1 to promote Vietnamese and particularly southern cuisine to both domestic and international visitors.

 Vietnamese Ambassador to Mexico Le Linh Lan reaffirmed Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos in the East Sea in her speech at Mexico’s national defence institute (IDENA) on May 18.

Each Vietnamese living in Russia has the responsibility for nurturing and developing the time-honoured friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said.

 Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung received Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Konstantin Vnukov on May 18, where he expressed his belief in the bright future for cooperation between Hanoi and Moscow.

 Streets across the capital city have been colourfully decorated to celebrate the 2016 National Assembly and all-level People’s Council elections set to take place on May 22.

 The first Vietnamese spacecraft made by a group of Vietnamese engineers was successfully launched into the space from the town of Alice Springs in Australia on May 16.

 Three scientists were honoured at the Ta Quang Buu Awards, which is held annually to honour exceptional basic scientific researches, at a ceremony in Hanoi on May 18.

VietNamNet Bridge – Salt makers in Duc Pho district, Quang Ngai province, the home of the country’s largest salt field of Sa Huynh, have abandoned their job to earn their living by other jobs, far from home, because of the drop in salt prices.

James Josehph Kendal, the founder of the Keep Hanoi Clean group, was honoured with an insignia from Chairman of the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung on May 18.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Viet Nam River Network (VRN) has called for the cancellation of a transportation and hydroelectric project along the Hong (Red) River in the north of Viet Nam.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Coach Thai Thanh Tung has agreed to train the national women’s volleyball team again.