Speaker of the Republic of Korea’s National Assembly (NA) Chung Ui-Hwa arrived in Hanoi on March 17 to begin his five-day visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Vietnamese NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung.

Vietnam supports Australia’s increased role in the evolving regional structure and hopes for further cooperation with Australia and other partner countries to contribute to an actively-developing and well-connected Asia, said PM Nguyen Tan Dung.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese enterprises started buying one tonne of rice each in March for temporary storage in the Mekong Delta,

Ambassador Nguyen Trung Thanh, Head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, has called for promoting dialogue and cooperation to address human rights issues in Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Myanmar.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Year in, year out, throngs of fishermen head for the lower reaches of Tien and Hau rivers in the Mekong Delta around the beginning of year for the harvest season of bong lau (Pangasius krempfi) fish

Art communities everywhere have big expectations and look forward to collecting art. However, in Vietnam collecting has faced obstacles due to the lack of a local market as well as confidence in the art world.

 The Government has urged farmers to produce more macadamia nuts, but scientists say more research is needed before they could be cultivated successfully en masse.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam consumed 28.7 million cellphones last year, a year-on-year increase of 13%, according to a quarterly survey on Asian-Pacific cellphone markets released by the market research firm IDC.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Internationally renowned musical ensemble Pink Martini will visit HCM City early next month for charity concerts on their first ever tour of Asia.

 Ministry makes motorcycle helmets mandatory for students, Dong Thap destroys smuggled cigarettes, Customs detain man after finding heroin in car, Blaze destroys Dien Bien house, workshop, Hanoi sees drop in drug addicts

ANZ raises GDP growth forecast, PVN to develop fuel facility on Phu Quoc, VN-India venture to help manage Bao Viet Fund, HCM City to host int'l maritime exhibition, Trade deficit with China on the rise, Samsung tops list of 500 fastest growing firms

 Minister of Public Security General Tran Dai Quang held talks with Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) James Comey on March 16.

 Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung held a dialogue with hundreds of Vietnamese and Australian business representatives in Sydney on March 17, committing all possible support to them in accordance with the law.

 Southeast Asian countries expect to develop a rubber-trading floor for regional rubber-producing countries to actively fix export rubber prices on the world market, Vietnamese and Thai officials announced during talks.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen relations with Ho Chi Minh City in climate change adaptation.

 The HCM City Computer Association signed on Thursday co-operation agreements with the municipal Department of Information and Communication to boost development of the city's information technology sector.

VietNamNet Bridge – Though gold prices remain unchanged and land and securities have become more valuable, the rich still prefer to keep their cash.

 Tourism festival aims to promote heritage sites, Malaysia lures more Vietnamese tourists, Hue’s tourism potential promoted at int’l tourism fairs, HCM City to launch aerial tour with seaplane, Nha Trang offers walk on seabed

 Pioneering surgeons have developed a technique to preserve the bowels when removing pre-cancerous growths.

Photo exhibition depicts country's land and people, Artist sells paintings to save wife's life, Int’l puppetry festival to promote Hanoi tourism, Colourful Vietnam to shine in London, Oxford Dictionary with Vietnamese translation released

 Cuba's state telecom agency Etecsa has granted approval to the artist Kcho to open the country's first public wireless hub at his cultural centre.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nine-year-old Y Quyet Rya can control an elephant weighing 4 tons, taking him to the forest to seek food and serve tourists in Don Village in Dak Lak province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

Authorities launch probe into carnival train accident, Foot and mouth outbreak found in cattle, pigs in north, Complaints on transport hit 1,000 last year, Cigarette smuggling increases after Tet, Motorcyclist remanded to custody

 Vanuatu urgently needs food and relief supplies, officials said, days after Cyclone Pam caused massive devastation across the Pacific nation.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Breakthrough decisions are needed to bring optimism and prosperity to the economy in 2015, economic expert Le Trong Nhi told Nong Thon Ngay Nay (Countryside Today) newspaper.