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

Politics:

-- Vietnam and Antigua and Barbuda have established diplomatic ties, a step forward to strengthen and develop mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries and peoples,a according to a recent joint communiqué signed by Ambassador Le Hoai Trung, head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN) and his counterpart Anthony Liverpool in New York.

Society:

-- Police in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1 said that they have just arrested a gang led by a Vietnamese American, who attempted to extort US$45,000 from a Canadian of Vietnamese origin.

-- The moving direction of Super typhoon Haiyan is getting more complicated to forecast as though it is moving towards the west-northwest direction, it is likely to change in the direction between north and north-east when moving along the central coast towards the northern region, according to the National Hydrometeorological Center.

-- A man in Binh Duong  province was given the “outstanding farmer of the year” award only three months after he was fined $14,400 for illegally raising wildlife in captivity at his farm.

-- Deputy Prime Ministers Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Hoang Trung Hai have met with leaders of the central province of Quang Ngai in an inspection to check for the preparations for the super typhoon Haiyan, which is expected to make landfall in central provinces early today.

-- Vietnam has made significant progress in realizing its United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in poverty reduction and the universalization of primary school education, said Helen Clark, General Director of the United Nation Development Program at a recent seminar on women of ethnic minority groups and development issues in Hanoi.  

-- The National Action Day on Energy and Climate is taking place in Phu My Hung residential area in district 7, Ho Chi Minh City today, Nov 10.

Business:

-- Local carriers, including Airlines Vietnam Airlines (VNA), VietJet Air (VJA) and Jetstar Pacific Airlines (JPA ) have continued to cancel many domestic flights to/from the central region due to the impact of typhoon Haiyan.

-- Hundreds of Japanese business executives have joined to a ceremony in Tokyo for the launch the Vietnamese Business Association in Japan (VBAJ) which, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Doan Xuan Hung, will help make it easier for both nations’ firms to do business across such diverse areas as trade, science-technology, culture and education,

Lifestyle:

-- German mezzo-soprano artist Katharina Padrok and pianist Boris Schönleber are set to perform several famed works by revered composers Richard Wagner, Franz Liszt and Richard Strauss in Hanoi tonight, Nov 10.

-- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has adopted a resolution honoring Vietnamese poet Nguyen Du and other world famous people at its ongoing 37th General Assembly in Parism, which, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh Son is a great honor for Vietnam. 

-- The northern province of Nam Dinh has been asked by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to compile a dossier seeking UNESCO’s recognition of the Chau Van (spiritual singing) ritual as a piece of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Chau Van, which has national heritage status already, was created during the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400) and Nam Dinh province is considered its birthplace.

-- A tea culture feast, held within the framework of Thai Nguyen-Vietnam Tea Festival, has been opened in the northern province of Thai Nguyen with the aim of popularizing the tea products and culture of the province and Vietnam as a whole.

-- Diwali – the Festival of Lights symbolizing the victory of good over evil – has been launched on Saturday evening at Sheraton Saigon Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City.