A HCM City company has asked the Transport Ministry to approve a VND30 trillion (US$1.37 billion) project to build a expressway that will connect HCM City with a southern border province.

The Finance Ministry has reported that the disbursement of State budget in cities and provinces nationwide during the first quarter of this year has been slow.

Nearly 700 new polluters have been identified in HCM City, according to figures released by the city Department of Mineral Resources and Environment at a meeting with the city People's Council last week.

The Tuong Xu Quang (Quang Nam classic drama region) art performance has been recognised as a National Intangible Heritage.

Vietnam won eight gold medals on June 14 and ensured their target of being in the top three at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Singapore.

More Government support for local companies involved in the support industries was needed, according to the managing director of the Japan External Trade Organistion (JETRO)'s HCM City office.

The General Department of Customs has set a target to reduce time spent on customs procedures to less than 10 working days for exports and 12 working days for imports by 2016.

Researcher Ho Tan Phan has presented copies of rare Vietnamese royal chronicles to the National Boundary Committee under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Notre Dame Cathedral in downtown Ho Chi Minh City will undergo its first renovation since it was built in 1887.

An exhibition showing the work of 14 Southeast Asian artists will open on June 17 at the Goethe Institute.