A report from the World Bank released in 2017 showed that business costs in Vietnam are much higher than in other regional countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.

 VietNamNet Bridge – After waking up at 5am, Nguyen Thi Oanh, a farmer in Hanoi’s Ba Vi District, headed to the field to cut cabbages and carried them to the local market for sale.

 Viet Nam’s fruit and vegetable exports are expected to top US$4.5 billion by 2020, with fruits accounting for $3.6 billion, according to the Crop Production Department.

 Four persons have died, and one is in critical condition after drinking rice spirit in the central province of Quang Nam.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam beat Sri Lanka 2-1 in the third-round match at the Junior Davis Cup in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Wednesday.

 Environmental police in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on Wednesday found about 40,000 tonnes of solid waste dumped illegally in the area of Da Lat Waste Treatment Factory in Xuan Truong Commune, Da Lat City.

 Vietnamese violinist Bui Cong Duy and Russian cellist Dmitri Feygin will perform at the Musical Journey through Europe concert at the HCM City Opera House on March 18.

 A variety of activities, including art events, concerts, film screenings and a writing contest will be held nationwide to celebrate International Francophone Day 2018 in Viet Nam.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Dong Thap won the National U19 Football Tournament after beating defending champions Hanoi 3-2 in a penalty shootout at Tu Do Stadium in Hue City yesterday.

 Among 12-13 storms forecast to enter East Sea, up to six are forecast to directly affect the mainland in 2018, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecastings.

 The People’s Committee of Quang Ninh province’s Uong Bi city on March 15 announced to change the time for the 2018 Cherry blossom – Yen Tu yellow ochna flower festival.

 Outstanding young persons in 2017

 Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov will pay an official visit to Vietnam from March 19-20.

 President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Moon Jae-in and his spouse will pay a State visit to Vietnam from March 22-24.

The Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and the Embassy of Australia co-hosted the second Ocean Dialogue in Hanoi on March 15, focusing on fishery cooperation in the East Sea.

 The chief executive of a company that created highly-secure smartphones allegedly used by some of the world's most notorious criminals has been indicted.

 A 380m ironwood-floored pedestrian road is under construction along the southern bank of Huong River, one of the most well-known destinations in Hue city in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

 Central and local television stations must stop analogue broadcasting before December 31, 2018 under an amendment to Decision No.2451/QD-TTg on transmission, terrestrial TV broadcasting digitalisation by 2020.

 French photographer Réhahn, based in Hoi An ancient town in the central province of Quang Nam, won the Trophées des Francais de l’étranger in recognition of his art gallery and museum in Hoi An, in a ceremony in Quai d’Orsay, Paris, this week.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Some residents in northern Hai Phong City have been living in fear of the fuel stations located near their houses, causing health problems and posing deadly risks.