-- The first ever Vietnam-Latin America Trade and Investment Forum opened in Hanoi on July 5 in the presence of Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
-- The Vietnam News Agency yesterday released an official announcement refuting reports by Chinese media that four Chinese marine surveillance ships "blocked" and "chased" Vietnamese ships in the Spratly Archipelagos.
-- National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung visited the Lao National Assembly Wednesday and delivered a speech at the plenary session.
-- Vietnam always attaches importance to strengthening its friendship and cooperation with Nicaragua, said Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.
Society
-- The Ministry of Health yesterday joined hand with the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang to grant 1,000 mosquito nets to 409 households who are infected with the mysterious skin disease in the central province of Quang Ngai, in a bid to protect them from insects.
-- Nearly 55 percent of adults of more than 45 years old are overweight, according to a recent survey conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Nutrition Center.
-- Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, deputy head of the steering board formed to fight corruption, has ordered relevant agencies and departments to strengthen inspection and supervision on corruption cases.
-- More than 90,000 local residents, students, and tourists in the tourism city of Hoi An in Quang Nam Province are suffering an unprecedented drought with paddy fields all going dry, and fresh water becoming salty.
-- C47 unit of police under the Ministry of Public Security have recently busted a nationwide drug trafficking racket, which transport a huge number of drugs from Laos to Vietnam before passing them to China.
-- More than 15,000 people have voluntarily registered for body donation in 2011, according to the HCMC Red Cross.
Business
-- The Ministry of Finance has sought permission from the government to set up a general department to manage and supervise the public capital and assets in state-run enterprises.
-- Rice processors and exporters are ordered to consume all of the rice produced by local farmers in the summer-autumn crop, and prevent prices from slumping, following a government directive that the companies must stockpile 500,000 tons of rice to assist farmers.
-- Low-cost carrier Jetstar has announced that it will add 48 flights between Da Nang and Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City starting July 12.
Education
-- Police yesterday summoned Le Thanh Tung, a student in Hanoi, who was identified as having posted some photos of the math test questions of the national university admission exam, which are classified as “national secret documents,” on a Facebook fanpage 75 minutes before the closing of the math test.
Lifestyle
-- The Bup Sen Hong (Pink Lotus) charity group is running a free of charge book-reading program every Saturdays and Sundays in the 3-2 park in Hue City, serving more than 500 different books for local booklovers.
Sports
-- Vietnamese swimming talent Hoang Quy Phuoc was shocked to learn that he was not qualified to attend the 2012 London Olympic Games, according to an official from his training center.