Tuoitrenews briefs some of the leading stories published today on Vietnamese media:

Politics:

-- Two Vietnamese and Chinese localities, a village in the upland province of Lao Cai and a community in China’s Yunnan province, have established twinning relations, the first of such relation between the two neighboring countries.

-- Students and staff from local enterprises in the southern coastal province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau have joined a competition as an opening activity of the province’s Vietnam-Japan cultural week, which has been named “Ba Ria-Vung Tau – Japan: Companionship and Development”, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties.

Society:

-- Bilingual education for Cham and Khmer ethnic groups has become a focus of the agenda when foreign and domestic experts gathered at a recent seminar in the southern province of An Giang, as the two ethnic groups make up about 5 percent of the local population, with many of them only speaking Vietnamese as a second language.

-- The US organization Clear Path International (CPI) has announced that it has received US$524,000 from the Obama administration in non-refundable aid for victims of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Vietnam, according to CPI Executive Director Kiman Lucas, adding that the money will help the organization expand its operation in Vietnamese localities and give necessary support to victims.

Business:

-- A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has recently been signed between Dao Hong Tuyen , chairman of the Tuan Chau Group, and Somvang Vongvilay, Director General of Laos’ Chitchareun Corporation, in Vientiane for the development of a hi-end resort on Tuan Chau Island in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

-- The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has officially started anti-dumping duty investigation into oil country tubular goods (OCTG) imported from Vietnam after six members of the International Trade Council (ITC) voted for the decision after considering complaints lodged by some US steel and steel pipe producers against Vietnam and eight other countries and territories on dumping OCTG on Friday.

Lifestyle:

-- A special art program, themed “Towards national sea and islands” featuring a range of art performances by artists who used to visit Truong Sa island district in the central province of Khanh Hoa, has taken place in Ho Chi Minh City to honor people and soldiers protecting the nation’s sea and islands.

-- Vietnamese and Japanese calligraphers have met together at a recent exchange, was titled “Power of calligraphy”, in Hanoi to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between their two countries.