Society:

-- A 45-seat bus caught fire while traveling on a Hanoi street at April 2 dawn, sending 20 passengers on board into panic.

-- About 600,000 tons of unexploded bombs and mines remain on an area of 66,000m2 or 20 percent of the country’s total area, according to a press talk held in Hanoi Tuesday to mark the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action (April 4). 

-- Authorities in the central highlands province of Lam Dong have just approved a VND900 billion (US$43 million) project to upgrade its highway ĐT 725 which connects Da Lat city with Lam Ha and Di Linh districts where many popular tourist attractions are located.

-- The trial of fish farmer Doan Van Vuong who attacked authorities in Hai Phong northern city in a controversial compulsory land eviction with homemade weapons early last year, began on Tuesday. Vuong has been charged with “murder and acting against on-duty officers”.

-- Police in Hanoi on Tuesday detained two local men Nguyen Van Cuong, 29, and Nguyen Van Cuong, 24 who have been accused of disguising as journalists to blackmail seven infant schools.

-- Police in the central province of Quang Tri have arrested two suspects involved in the brutal murder of five men who went to a local jungle to search for million-dollar agarwood.

Business:

-- A Tuoi Tre investigation in late March uncovered a fake shower cream “factory” located in a 10 sq.m rented house on Nguyen Minh Chau Street, Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City.

-- From now until December 31, Vietnam Airlines offers special discounts from 38 to 58 percent on several domestic flights for members of the Ho Chi Minh City’s Tourism Association (HTA) in an effort to boost domestic travel.

Sports:

-- Barcelona stayed on track for a sixth consecutive Champions League semi-final appearance despite conceding a last-gasp goal by Blaise Matuidi in a pulsating 2-2 first-leg draw at Paris St Germain on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

-- Bayern Munich tore Juventus apart on a rare off night for Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon but had to settle for a 2-0 win after missing a hatful of chances in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg, Reuters reports.

Politics:

-- Vietnam’s Minister of Public Security - General Tran Dai Quang - held talks with Director of the Russian Federal Security Service - General Bortnikov A.V - who is leading a high-ranking delegation to Vietnam from April 2-4, VNA reports.

-- Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on April 2 sent his congratulations to Pak Pong Ju on his election as Premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at the seventh meeting of the 12th Supreme People’s Assembly, VNA reports.