Authorities in the Mekong Delta are setting up firebreaks, preparing equipment and putting up warning boards as the area’s forests face a high risk of fire in the dry season.

 The recent abnormal weather conditions have indicated that natural disasters will be unpredictable in the time ahead, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

 A seminar on the film industry will take place at Hoa Sen University in Ho Chi Minh City on February 19 to help young Vietnamese filmmakers gain access to regional and international film festivals.

 As a popular investment channel for foreign investors in recent times, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) secured Ho Chi Minh City 6 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in 2018.

 An exhibition featuring works by Thai artist Vichit Nongnual opened at Dong A Gallery in the capital city of Hanoi on February 19. 

 Nearly 90 percent of measles cases reported in Vietnam can be traced to people who were either not vaccinated against the highly contagious virus, received no full vaccinations or had unknown vaccination status.

 Hanoi and Moscow are expected to promote cooperation and experience sharing in numerous fields, especially corruption prevention.

Vietnam has detected African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in the northern provinces of Thai Binh and Hung Yen, unveiled Director of the Department of Animal Health Pham Van Dong on February 19.

 Deputy Minister of National Defence, Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh made a courtesy call to Chinese Minister of National Defence, Sen. Lt. Gen. Wei Fenghe during his working trip to China from February 19-22.

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception in Hanoi on February 19 for head coach of the Vietnamese men’s football team Park Hang-seo and his spouse. 

 The ongoing tulip festival at the Sun World Ba Na Hills tourism complex in the central coastal city of Da Nang has been recognized by the Guinness Vietnam Record as the biggest of its kind in Vietnam.

 The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has requested its chapters in the Mekong Delta and commercial banks to provide loans for rice procurement in the 2019 Winter-Spring crop, which is now in the prime harvest season in the delta.

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired a working session with ministries and agencies in Hanoi on February 19 to discuss the acceleration of rice purchase as a way to improve income for farmers. 

 A cherry blossom viewing festival opened at the Hoi An Impression Theme Park in Hoi An ancient city of the central province of Quang Nam on February 19.

 Vietnam earned a ticket to the semi-finals of the ongoing ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U22 Youth Championship in Cambodia after beating Timor Leste 4-0 in a match which took place in Phnom Penh on February 19.

 The Government recently issued a decree on amending and supplementing the list of foreign citizens eligible for e-visas and border gates that allow immigration by e-visas. 

Forty years have gone by since Vietnam struggled against Chinese invaders to protect the northern border, the pangs of Vi Xuyen are still there.

 A freight train, called AH2, derailed at Suoi Kiet Station in the south-central coastal province of Binh Thuan this morning, February 19, bringing the North-South rail line to a temporary halt.

 After 10 years of negotiations, Vietnamese mangoes were licensed for export to the US on Feb 18.

VietNamNet Bridge - PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, at a conference held in late December, said the localization ratio in the textile and garments, and footwear industries, has risen to 40-45 percent.