Binh Duong television cycling tournament to openVietNamNet Bridge – The Binh Duong Television Cycling Tournament, Hoa Sen Plastic Pipe Cup, is scheduled to start on May 24. Cyclists will compete in seven stages in the upcoming Binh Dương Television Cycling Tournament. Cyclists will compete in seven stages covering a near 800km long course which starts in Binh Dinh Province, before passing through a number of other provinces and ending in Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong Province. Although the event has only seven stages, participants have to conquer six mountain passes including Vinh Hy, Ngoan Muc and Prenn. The event is co-organised by the Viet Nam Cycling and Motor Sport Federation, Binh Duong Television & Radio Station, and Hoa Sen Group.

PM approves capital rise for Hanoi metro projectPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has agreed to allow Hanoi’s metro project to increase its capital by VND16.12 trillion (USD727.2 million). The capital of the Nam Thang Long-Tran Hung Dao Metro Line 2 route will be raised to VND35.67 trillion (USD1.59 billion)The Nam Thang Long-Tran Hung Dao Metro Line 2 route, which had initial capital of VND19.55 trillion (USD836.6 million) will be raised to VND35.67 trillion (USD1.59 billion). The PM assigned the Ministry of Planning and Investment to co-operate with the Ministry of Finance as well as the Hanoi People’s Committee to carry out the capital adjustment. The Nam Thang Long-Tran Hung Dao metro project uses the Japanese ODA. The route will be 11.5 kilometres long, including 8.5 kilometres underground, and will have ten stations.

Due to the huge collections of flammable materials, goods, machines and gadgets, industrial zones are always under threat of fire. Industrial zones in HCM City experienced 19 blaze from 2014 to July 2016, leading to damages of more than VND540 billion ($23.7 million). Therefore, it is imperative to improve fire prevention and fighting capabilities in industrial zones. Better to prevent than cureFires at industrial zones are triggered by several causes, mainly due to poor fire prevention and fighting. It is therefore of paramount importance that awareness is raised, and skills of fire prevention and fighting at industrial zones are improved.

Vietnam’s accommodation facilities need better workforceHuman resources development will help improve the competiveness of lodging providers in Vietnam amid the rapid expansion of the country’s tourism industry, according to hospitality experts. Also in 2017, 25,600 lodging facilities ran 508,000 rooms nationwide. Investments and better management of tourism accommodation by big corporations, like Vingroup, Sungroup and FLC resulted in good quality services, Xoan noted. The accommodation workforce also lacks middle and senior managers, Hoa added. Experts at the conference said training of qualified workforce in response to specific needs of different types of accommodation facilities is necessary for tourism development.

Flooding continues to threaten Tan Son Nhat International AirportVietNamNet Bridge – Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City is still at risk of being flooded during the rainy season, as all of the drainage canals are blocked with trash. Specifically, inside the airport, the 1,000mm drain from the Tan Son Nhat Petroleum Joint Stock Company to Nhat Ban Canal was partially blocked by construction waste. The drainage system inside the airport was considered to be incomplete and incomprehensive, and failed to effectively connect to the drainage system outside the airport. Roughly 40 per cent of all flights in the country were from or to Tan Son Nhat Airport. According to the centre, it is necessary to improve the drainage system inside the airport to make sure that it can connect properly with the drainage system outside.

State budget revenue hits over $19 bln in four monthsTotal revenue of the State budget reached 446.3 trillion VND (19.57 billion USD) in the first fourth months of 2018, equivalent to 33.8 percent of the yearly estimate and up 12.1 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Finance. Domestic revenue, estimated at 368.1 trillion VND (16.14 billion USD), rose by 14.5 percent from the same period last year. Import-export activities contributed 90 trillion VND (3.94 billion USD) to the State budget, equivalent to 31.8 percent of the estimate. In the reviewed period, State budget spending stood at 410 trillion VND (17.97 billion USD), or 26.9 percent of the yearly estimate, up 4.6 percent annually. Of the sum, development investment spending, debt payment and regular spending were 65 trillion VND (2.85 billion USD), 41.75 trillion VND (1.83 billion USD), and 301.5 trillion VND (1.83 billion USD), respectively.

HOSE liquidity up 74 percent in 2017Liquidity at the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HOSE) has risen, with more than 192 million shares worth 4.2 trillion VND (186.7 million USD) being traded daily in 2017, up 49 percent in volume and 74 percent in value year-on-year. In its annual report, HOSE said its 2017 revenue surged 68 percent to 828 billion VND, from professional activities (89 percent), services (6 percent) and financial activities (5 percent). The bourse contributed 390 billion VND to the State budget, up 108 percent annually. Increasing foreign capital flows also poured into Vietnam with 26.4 trillion VND for purchase of 14.46 million shares. The bourse also launched nine auctions for equitisation and 23 divestments from State-owned enterprises, collecting roughly 123 trillion VND for the State budget.-VNA

FVH excursion to water puppet villageThe Friends of Vietnam Heritage on May 20 will host a full day study tour to Dong Cac Village in Thai Binh Province (about 130km from Ha Noi). The village, which has over 300 years of water puppet history, is one of the few remaining villages still home to the craftsmen and handlers of the puppets. The FVH will host a full day study tour to Dong Cac Village – one of the few remaining villages which is still home to the craftsmen and handlers of the water puppets. The group will meet the head and some members of the Dong Cac Water Puppet Troupe, who will be the hosts for the day. Although for the troupe members, water puppets are their first love, but most of the puppeteers now work in agriculture, carpentry or masonry to earn a living and raise their families.

Guitar concert features Vincent FillatreauThe Erato School of Music & Performing Arts will host a Guitar Concert featuring Vincent Fillatreau from 8pm to 10pm on May 24 at 107 Ton Dat Tien Street, District 7. The Erato School of Music & Performing Arts will host a concert featuring guitarist Vincent Fillatreau from 8pm to 10pm on May 24 at 107 Ton Dat Tien Street, District 7. Photo citynetevents.comFillatreau began his music studies at the Conservatoire National de Toulouse where he was awarded the golden medal in viola and chamber music. He has also been member of the Super World Orchestra in Tokyo and Solo Violist at Karlsruhe Opera Orchestra Germany, and has travelled around the world with various groups of chamber music. Tickets are VNĐ150,000 (US$7) and VNĐ100,000 ($4.5) for students.

Music show dedicated to bambooThe experimental music centre Phu Sa Lab continues to present their successful performance Bamboo Talk this month. The creative performance Bamboo Talk with music instruments made of bamboo is a journey imagined by the artists and dedicated to the audiences. Bamboo Talk will be presented from 7pm on May 11, 13, 19, 20, 24, and 25. In preserving this beautiful culture, the creative performance Bamboo Talk, which uses music instruments made of bamboo, is a journey imagined by the artists and dedicated to the audience. Bamboo Talk will be presented from 7pm on May 11, 13, 19, 20, 24, and 25.

Bank bosses leave ‘hot seats’ because of new state regulationVietNamNet Bridge - Big changes in key personnel have been among the hottest issues discussed at banks’ shareholders’ meetings this year. Tien is also the chair and CEO of Geleximco, chair of An Binh Securities and chair of Thang Long Cement JSC. He left his position at AB Bank to be able to continue holding posts in other corporations. Vo Quoc Thang left his hot seat at Kien Long Bank after five years to continue to be the chair of Dong Tam Group. The Law on Credit Institutions took effect three months ago, but there are still many people concurrently holding posts at banks and other businesses.

HCM City to improve universities, colleges to ASEAN standardsVietNamNet Bridge – HCM City will undertake programmes this year to improve its universities and colleges to meet ASEAN accreditation standards. HCM City will this year improve public universities and colleges to meet ASEAN accreditation standards.-VNA/VNS PhotoThe programmes will be carried out under an action plan to improve the quality of training. It will also improve the professional knowledge of managers and lecturers at its universities and colleges, who will be sent to other countries for three weeks for training. The city is encouraging all universities and colleges to get international accreditation. The People’s Committee has instructed Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University, Sai Gon University, HCM City Technical and Economic College, and Thu Duc College of Technology to submit plans for developing advanced facilities matching ASEAN standards.

JC&C joins the race for VinamilkSingapore’s largest automotive group, Jardine Cycle & Carriage Limited Company (JC&C), announced intentions to take up the competition with F&N Dairy Investment Pte., Ltd. for a stake in Vietnam Dairy Products JSC (Vinamilk) by registering to buy an additional 14.5 million shares through its Platinum Victory Pte., Ltd. investment fund. On May 4, Platinum Victory submitted a notice to the State Securities Commission, the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange, and Vinamilk. Accordingly, it registered to buy an additional 14.5 million Vinamilk shares. Once the purchase is completed, Platinum Victory will increase its holdings in Vinamilk to 160.1 million shares or 11.03 per cent from the existing 145.58 million shares or 10.03 per cent. After the latest registration, the firm released that it completed the purchase of 6.6 million of the expected 14.5 million shares, increasing its holdings to 17.25 per cent or 250.4 million shares.

Malaysia's Mahathir Mohamad on course to be world's oldest elected leaderMahathir Mohamad is on course to become the world's oldest elected leader at 92, after a shock victory in Malaysia's bitterly fought election. "Yes, yes, I am still alive," Mr Mahathir told a news conference in the early hours of Thursday. Mr Mahathir was prime minister, at the head of the BN coalition, for 22 years, from 1981 until he stepped down in 2003. Mr Mahathir was also a mentor to Mr Najib, who became prime minister in 2008. Mr Najib has been accused of stifling Malaysian investigations by removing key officials from their post.

World Tour beach volleyball to begin todayVietNamNet Bridge – Sweden and Israel are the final participants of the FIVB Tuan Chau Ha Long Open after winning their qualification matches yesterday in Quang Ninh Province. Sweden and Israel will join 14 other pairs to compete in the Main Draw, which will begin today with pool play matches, scheduled to start at 8.30am local time. The Main Draw will see top two seeds of the tournament, both from Japan, taking on local sides who are World Tour debutants. The Japanese pair are fresh from a silver medal at the two-star Phnom Penh event last week, their best finish together in an FIVB World Tour tournament. The tournament has been recognised as a World Tour event this year after being an Asian competition for many years.