Check out the news you should not miss today, May 4:

Politics

-- Vietnam has recently become the latest official member of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) following its participation in the 56th Annual Session on Tuesday in Nairobi, Kenya. 

-- At a recent meeting with John McCain, chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services in Washington DC, Vietnamese Ambassador to the U.S. Pham Quang Vinh affirmed Vietnam’s desire to tighten its comprehensive partnership with the U.S., highlighting the development of the two countries’ relations in all fields, including politics, economics, investment, education, tourism, and science-technology.

Society

-- Nearly 20,000 cancer pills worth almost VND14 billion (US$625,000) have been destroyed because they had expired, pending complicated procedures.

-- Police in the central province of Quang Tri have recently arrested Nguyen Quoc T., 37, who allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl and filmed the raping to silence her.  

-- Market watchdogs in the south-central province of Phu Yen have seized nearly a ton of jam smuggled from the northern border. The food, mostly ‘made in Hong Kong’ without any manufacture and expiry date on its label, was on the way to being transported from Hanoi to Da Lat.

Lifestyle

-- Vietnamese citizens partaking in beauty pageants overseas without approval from competent agencies will be fined VND15-30 million ($670-1,339) in accordance with the regulations taking effect on Friday.

-- Around 50 Vietnamese public figures have joined a project in which they share their favorite books to inspire people to read and promote a reading culture.

-- A Buddhist culture week is taking place at Pho Quang Pagoda in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate this year’s Vesak, informally known as the Buddha’s birthday. The week will run until May 10 with a wide range of activities, including an exhibition featuring Buddhist artworks.