Society

At sunrise in some parts of China and by sunset in the western United States, a partial solar eclipse is set to slink across the Earth on May 20 and 21.

The fifth meeting of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) completed its agenda after nine days of sitting in Hanoi.

The UN Development Programme released the Asia-Pacific Human Development Report 2012, entitled “A planet to share – Sustaining human progress in a changing climate” in Hanoi.

Hanoi’s vice chairman, Vu Hong Khanh, has asked the city’s department of construction to look into the illegal leasing of a state-owned houses.

The VINASAT 2 satellite roared off the launch pad aboard an Ariane 5 rocket at 22.13 GMT on May 15 from Kourou (South America).

Prosecutors accused ex-Rupert Murdoch aide Rebekah Brooks and five others of obstructing justice in the first criminal charges to emerge from the News of the World hacking scandal.

Director Nguyen Hoang Diep will present a short film entitled Hai, Tu, Sau (Two, Four and Six) at the Cannes film festival.

Representatives from 27 member countries of EU approved the signing of a PCA with Vietnam at the EU Foreign Ministers Meeting.

More than 70 sandy statues were created by hundreds of Vietnamese and foreign visitors on My Khe beach, in a sandy statue making competition.

Health officials on May 14 dismissed the idea that a transmissible disease was responsible for 21 deaths and over 200 cases of a mysterious skin condition.

Four South Korean activists have been detained in China on suspicion of spying after they interviewed North Korean refugees living in hiding there.

With hope of expanding tiger population, MoNRE submitted a draft National Tiger Conservation Programme to the Prime Minister at the end of April.

Universities complain that some unreasonable regulations have prevented many people to enter the training courses for doctorates.

Socialist Francois Hollande was to be sworn in as France's president before naming a prime minister and dashing to Germany to battle with Berlin over how to tackle Europe's debt crisis.

More than 100 domestic and foreign businesses will attend an international exhibition on energy efficiency and environment to be held in Hanoi on May 23-26.

Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks with the President of the Republic of Korea Lee Myung-bak and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda during the fifth Trilateral Summit Meeting.

Vietnam has won the bid to host the Southeast Asian Women’s Football Championships 2012, which is scheduled to take place from Sept. 13-22.

Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike agreed with Israel to end their fast in return for improved conditions, officials on both sides said.

A documentary about the hard lives of Vietnamese fishermen who disappeared and died while fishing near Paracel archipelago, was screened at the Vietnamese Cultural Centre in Paris.