Briefs of some of leading news stories published Friday (August 30) on local media:

Politics:

- Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão will officially visit Vietnam from September 3-5 at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung. Also on August 5, Malaysian King Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah and his wife will pay a State visit to Vietnam at the invitation of President Truong Tan Sang and the trip will end on September 8. Also being invited by President Sang, President of the Republic of Korea Park Geun-hye will pay a State visit to Vietnam from September 7-11.

- Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong on August 29 held a reception for a high-ranking delegation from the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC)’s Organisation Commission led by its head To Huy Rua.

Society:

- Inspectors of the Ministry of Health on August 29 made a trip to check Apollo health clinic in HCMC’s District 1. Many Chinese “doctors” working illegally at the clinic ran away when the inspector came. Some even hid on the roof of the restroom.

- Dang Van Thinh, 41, and Dang Ba Dong, 37, reside at the Bac Giang’s Hiep Hoa District were beaten to death since they were alleged for dogs stealing.

- Tuoi Tre depicts life of the sanitation workers whose job is cleaning drains on streets. A seasonal drain cleaner earns around VND150,000 (US$7.08) to VND170,000 (US$8.02) for a working day.

Business:

- Numerous tourist destinations across the country including Mui Ne, Nha Trang, Da Nang have offered discounts in order to attract tourists on the occasion of the short-term National Day (September 2 holiday. In Nha Trang, a hotline has been established to received complaints of ripped off tourists.

- An event titled “Ket Noi Giao Thuong Nhat Ban – Vietnam” (Connecting Japan – Vietnam trade) gathering more than 100 Japanese enterprises and around 300 Vietnamese enterprises will be held next month in HCMC by the Japanese Business Association of HCMC, the. According to Yamaguchi Kimio, chairman of the association, the club has currently 625 members and the number is expected to increase since a lot of Japanese enterprises express their interest in Vietnamese market.

Lifestyle:

- Around 500 Raglai artisans from Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa and Lam Dong on August 29 gathered at the 2013 Raglai Cultural Day at Bac Ai District in the central province of Ninh Thuan.