Over 500,000 routers, storages infected by VPNFilterThe Authority of Information Security under the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications on May 29 warned that more than 500,000 routers and storages in many countries, including Vietnam, have been exposed to VPNFilter virus. The most vulnerable devices are Internet-connected routers and storages produced by popular brands like Linksys, Mikro Tik, Netgear and TP-Link.A research by Cisco Talos group run by Cisco showed that VNPFilter is a multi-phrase cyber-espionage virus that can steal information of websites and spy the industrial command domain such as those of power network or industrial infrastructure.An effected device will be restarted and reset, during which the /var/run/vnpfilterw link will be created.The authority advised that if users think that their devices have been infected by the virus, they should reset their devices to default mode to erase the malware, while updating the firmware as soon as possible.Over the past years, the authority has made several warnings of lopes and weaknesses in information security.Last week, international organisations announced at least 327 security holes could spark attacks to affect Vietnamese users.

President Tran Dai Quang visits Japan’s Gunma prefectureRight after his arrival in Japan on May 29 afternoon, President Tran Dai Quang and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam visited Gunma prefecture where about 7,000 Vietnamese people are living, studying and working. President Tran Dai Quang (left) and Gunma prefecture’s Governor Masaaki Osawa. Later on the same day, President Quang visited Koganei Seiki Co., which is specialising in manufacturing aircraft and formula one cars. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko are scheduled to meet with and hold a state banquet in honour of President Quang and his spouse. During the visit, President Quang will also hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.-VNA

VN-Index rises over 20 pointsThe VN-Index rose more than 20 points on May 29 after suffering a drop of 32 points on the previous day. In the morning, the VN-Index lost 5.86 points to 925.89 points on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE), with total transaction valued over 119 billion VND.After falling to 922 points, from about 10:30am, the index started rising to 938 points. It reached over 952.18 points at the end of the day, up 20.43 points over the previous day, with 184 million shares sold for 5.34 trillion VND.The best sellers in the day included VCB and CTG, while the prices of GAS, VIC and SAB suffered a drop of about 1,000-3,000 VND per share.In the VN30 group, the prices of 4 codes reduced, while that of 2 codes was unchanged. Meanwhile, rise was seen in 24 codes.On the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX), the HNX-Index closed at 112.88 points, up 5.51 points. More than 50 million shares were sold with total transaction value of about 693 billion VND.At the same time, the UPCOM-Index posted 52.33 points, an increase of 1.24 points over the previous day, with total transaction value of 223 billion VND.-VNA

Deputy PM: CPI growth could be kept below 4 percent in 2018Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue has urged the Government’s Steering Committee for Price Management to seek measures in order to minimize external impacts on domestic prices, thus keeping CPI growth below 4 percent in 2018. However, he said, over the past two months, higher prices of oil, gas, pork and food, plus complex developments in the world’s market have put huge pressure on the price management work. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of the Finance Ministry’s Price Management Department, the CPI expanded by 3.01 percent in the first five months of 2018. Concluding the working session, Deputy PM Hue stressed that it is possible to control the CPI growth below 4 percent in 2018. The new circular should come into force from July 15, 2018, stipulating the decreased of 80 types of medical services.-VNA

Vietnam AutoExpo 2018 slated for Hanoi in JuneThe 15th International Exhibition on Automobile, Transportation and Supporting Industry (Vietnam AutoExpo 2018) will be held at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi from June 6-9. Visitors at Vietnam AutoExpo 2017 (Source: organisation board)This year, the exhibition will cover an area of over 10,000 square metres, with 450 pavilions introducing new products and services in automobile, motorbike and supporting industry in Vietnam. Visitors can also experience driving the latest models of Ducati, Haley Davision, Triumph and Royal Enfield. In the event’s framework, a thematic conference will also be held to discuss the development of support industry and the connection of demand and supply sources for the production and assembling of commercial and special-use automobiles in Vietnam. During the conference, participants will also update information of commercial car development direction, market forecast, growth strategy, tax policy and other incentives.

Da Nang seeks investment to boost solid waste treatmentDa Nang is seeking investment to develop a solid waste treatment complex amid challenges facing the central city in dealing with the large volume of untreated solid waste. Map of the planned solid waste treatment complex in the central city of Da Nang. The solid waste treatment complex project will be carried out under the public-private partnership by the municipal People’s Committee. At the workshop, officials and experts in solid waste treatment, and domestic and foreign investors discussed difficulties in the project implementation, along with some solid waste treatment solutions in Vietnam and other countries. Da Nang targets that by 2020, it will collect and treat 95 percent of the daily solid waste volume, 72 percent of which will be recycled and reused.

Schedule of flights to/from Con Dao adjustedThe schedule of 12 flights to and from the Con Dao airport in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has been adjusted due to a drill held by the Con Dao district’s Military Command near the airport on May 29-30. According to the Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO), 10 flights on the HCM City – Con Dao – HCM route have new departure time. On the route between Con Dao - Can Tho, the departure time for the flight code 0V8071/8070 is 11:30 and 15:45, while the flight coded 0V8014/8015 between Can Tho and Phu Quoc takes off at 12:55 and 14:25. Besides, VASCO cancelled the two flights between HCM City and Rach Gia on May 29 and 30. Passengers on the adjusted flights could be transferred to other flights free of charge on May 31.-VNA

Siam Cement acquires 100% stake in petrochemical projectSiam Cement Public Company Limited (SCG) signed an agreement with Viet Nam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) to acquire the latter’s equity stake in Long Son Petrochemical Co Ltd.After the withdrawal of Vinachem, Qatar Petroleum International and now PetroVietnam, SCG is the sole investor of the project with a 100 per cent equity stake. — Photo hanoitimes.vnUnder the agreement, SCG will acquire 29 per cent stake for more than VND2.05 trillion (US$90 million). Long Son petrochemical project, located in Long Son Petrochemical Industrial Park in Vung Tau City, is a key petrol and oil project of the Vietnamese government. Long Son is the third petrochemical complex in Viet Nam after Dung Quat oil refinery and Nghi Son oil refinery and petrochemical complex. After the withdrawal of Vinachem, Qatar Petroleum International and now PetroVietnam, SCG is the sole investor of the project with a 100 per cent equity stake.

Da Nang enhances beach safety amid peak seasonSandy beaches in the central city of Da Nang welcome tens of thousands of people everyday during the peak season. The massive influx of tourists to the beaches requires the city to exert tremendous efforts to ensure beach safety and security. The local security forces have kept a close watch on the crowds to ensure safety and security for visitors. Despite a 60km long coastline with numerous public beaches, the city’s Beach Safety and Security Force has now only 56 members. The Beach Safety and Security Force has worked closely with the local public security in preventing vices.

Rice exports: good news arrives, but worries still existVietNamNet Bridge - The current conditions are all favorable for Vietnam to export rice: global demand is high while export prices are on the rise. The good news is that export price of Vietnam’s rice is now higher than Thailand’s rice of the same kind. Tran Xuan Dinh from the agriculture ministry confirmed that Vietnam’s rice export price has increased recently thanks to the larger high-quality rice growing area. However, Dinh said Vietnam’s rice can be compared with Thailand’s rice of the same kind. RELATED NEWSAuspicious start to Vietnamese rice export in 2018Heavy rain flattens summer autumn rice in Mekong DeltaKim Chi

Over the years, the East Asian nation has been one of the leading countries in terms of investment in the Vietnamese capital. Regarding Vietnam’s investment market, Ito said Vietnam becomes a partner country for Japan’s direct investment and trade activities. The expert, however, also noted that the two countries’ cooperation has not yet matched their potential as the operation scale of Japanese firms in Vietnam remains limited. While in Shenzhen, the Vietnamese Party delegation also visited a number of local businesses and residential communities to learn about their Party building work. In order to boost Vietnam – Japan strategic partnership, bilateral collaboration in regional and global issues play an important role, he said, adding that the two nations have worked closely together on the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Vietnamese people may have to miss World Cup 2018The 2018 football World Cup will start in three weeks, but Vietnam has yet to officially announce to own broadcasting rights. World Cup 2018 will take place in next three weeks (June 14 - July 15). Photo: vtc.vnAccording to thethaovanhoa.vn, information from Vietnam Television (VTV) on May 22 affirmed that the television owns the $8-million TV rights to broadcast the 2018 World Cup. Newswire thethaovanhoa.vn stated that the distributor of the World Cup’s TV rights, Infront Sports & Media AG, has asked for $10.3 million from the Vietnamese television company. Four years ago, Infront Sport & Media used to ask for $14 million for broadcasting rights of the 2014 World Cup, but VTV paid only $7 million after eight months of negotiation.

President Tran Dai Quang begins State visit to JapanPresident Tran Dai Quang and his spouse arrived in Tokyo at noon on May 29, beginning a State-level visit to Japan which will last until June 2. President Tran Dai Quang was greeted at the Haneda International AirportThe Vietnamese President was greeted at Haneda International Airport with a 21-gun salute. President’s upcoming visit to Japan expected to lift two-way tradePresident Tran Dai Quang’s State visit to Japan from May 29 – June 2 is expected to breath new life into bilateral trade in the near future. Most imports were machinery and equipment (675 million USD); computers, electronics and spare parts (392 million USD) and iron and steel (203 million USD). President Tran Dai Quang and his spouse at Haneda airport, TokyoA welcome ceremony is held for President Tran Dai Quang and his spouse at Haneda airportPresident Tran Dai Quang is welcomed by Vietnamese embassy staff and Vietnamese people living in JapanPresident Tran Dai Quang is welcomed at the airportVNA

Medical students, lecturers discourage illegal wildlife productsVietNamNet Bridge – Students and lecturers from five of Vietnam’s traditional medicine universities developed communications strategies to combat the use of illegal wildlife products in traditional medicinal treatments. “We are committed to ensuring that traditional medicine continues to be practised in Vietnam in accordance with the law and sustainable principles. The lecturers and students were given communication guidelines and suggested activities to help them formulate effective strategies to deter the use of illegal wildlife products in formal prescriptions by traditional medicine practitioners and dispensaries to customers. The workshop highlighted recent research findings that identified the traditional medicine sector as a priority sector in the fight against illegal wildlife trade. It is hoped that through such sessions, future traditional medicine practitioners can promote legal, sustainable and socially responsible practices for sourcing and prescriptions.

NA report shows SOEs debts in the quadrillionsThe report of the supervision board of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) shows that the public sector owed VND1.6 quadrillion (nearly $73 billion) between 2011 and 2016. According to the report, the efficiency of SOEs is low compared to private and foreign-invested enterprises. Total assets and capital increased, but revenue and pre-tax profit rose very slowly (by around 3 per cent annually). According to the report, 571 SOEs have been equitised in the last six years. The ratio of state capital held in joint stock companies is still high.