VietNamNet Bridge – The percentage of Vietnamese citizens with health care insurance has risen dramatically, reaching 81.7 per cent as of last year thanks to new regulations in the Health Insurance Law,

 VietNamNet Bridge – A spate of fires in the ancient town of Hoi An is causing concern for citizens and local authorities. A project on fire fighting and prevention is looking for funding of VND240 billion.

 The first APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM1) kicked off in Nha Trang city, south central Khanh Hoa province, on March 2, with the attendance of delegates from 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum.

 The Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium on March 1 held a get-together for members of a friendship group of parliamentarians aligned with Vietnam in the European Parliament (EP).

 Several issues of public interests were under focus at the Government’s regular press briefing in Hanoi on March 1.

 HCMC-based Heart Beat will host a show of German DJ Marc Romboy at Apocalypse Now Saigon in HCMC on March 10.

 The General Statistics Office predicted Vietnam obtained export revenue of US$13 billion in February but spent US$14.2 billion on imports, resulting in a trade deficit of US$1.2 billion.

 With infrastructural upgrades and less risk than other investment channels, the resort and second-home real estate market has been developing rapidly. 

 Minister of Transport Truong Quang Nghia appointed Vu Anh Minh as the Chairman of Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) on Tuesday.

 Hoang Thi Bao Tram of Vienam registered her second draw at the Zone 3.3 Chess Championship’s women’s category yesterday in the Philippines.

 On March 12, Goethe Institute will hold a concert featuring piano soloist Boris Schonleber, who presented several concerts at the venue in 2014.

Last month, while Kieu Van Manh was delivering timber in the capital city’s Thach That District, the planks of wood he was carrying came into contact with the overhead power lines and caused a 23-minute power outage for the two districts

 Seven French movies will be screened this month at the Institute of Cultural Exchange with French (IDECAF).

 San Art and Manzi Art Space have co-organised artist Vo Tran Chau’s first solo exhibition, Lingering at the Peculiar Pavilion, which opens on Saturday at 6.30pm.

 On March 5, Salon Saigon will host an interactive experimental concert featuring American multi-genre musician and sound installation artist Alec Schachner and Vietnamese composer Vu Nhat Tan.

She, a free concert to express love and respect for women, will take place at the SOUL Convention Complex on March 11.

A music night presenting jazz manouche, also known as Gypsy jazz, will be held on March 11, at 8pm, at L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien Street, Hanoi. 

Vietnam’s small businesses are among the fastest growing and most confident in the region, according to new survey data released on March 2.

 Vietnamese pharmaceutical market harbours immense potential, but domestic enterprises are exploiting only half of this at best.

 Most local companies have shown optimism about business results in 2016, providing momentum for further growth in 2017.