The Vietnam International Cafe Show is debuting this year on May 12-14 at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center (SECC) in HCM City, showcasing products related to bakery & confectionery, food & beverage, tea & coffee industries.

 Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen will attend and deliver a speech at the 60th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which will take place in New York from March 14-24.

 President Truong Tan Sang wrapped up his State visit to Tanzania on March 11 after reaching dozens of agreements to elevate the two countries’ wide-ranging cooperation.

The 14th Asia Cooperation Dialogue Ministerial Meeting took place in Bangkok on March 10, focusing on ways to enhance connection among Asian nations in the future. Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Dinh Quy led a Vietnamese delegation to the event.

 Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy and Malta Cao Chinh Thien presented his credentials to Malta President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca at a ceremony held on March 10 in the capital city of Valetta.

 Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the Ministries of Science and Technology of Vietnam and Laos to maintain experience sharing in managing science and technology activities, while welcoming Lao Minister Boviengkham Vongdara on March 10.

 Vietnam is attending the 33 rd session of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific in Malaysia.

VietNamNet Bridge - The proposal by the national oil and gas group PetroVietnam to force domestic enterprises to buy petroleum products from domestic sources will create a monopoly, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has warned.

VietNamNet Bridge - Admitting that the air in Hanoi has been polluted for a long time, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MONRE) said the pollution level in Hanoi must not reach levels as high as in Beijing.

 Vietnam’s President Truong Tan Sang and Speaker of Tanzania’s National Assembly Job Ndugai have consented to back the enhancement of legislative ties between the two countries.

VietNamNet Bridge – The eight provinces in the southern region of Vietnam, including Ben Tre, Kien Giang, Long An, Tien Giang, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Vinh Long, and Tra Vinh have been declared areas faced with natural disaster (drought and salinity).

 VietNamNet Bridge – On March 9, a partial eclipse was observed in Ho Chi Minh City. In Hanoi, astronomy fans could not see the wonderful natural phenomenon because of dense clouds.

 VietNamNet Bridge - 500 Startups's small fund worth $10 million will invest in 100-150 start-up projects in Vietnam.

VietNamNet Bridge – The CEO in Asia Pacific of Barcelona FC, Xavier Asensi, said at a press conference in Hanoi on March 8 that the FC will consider visiting Vietnam from 2017.

VietNamNet Bridge - Bad news has come in succession to intermediate schools. New regulations may lead to a lack of students.

 Many banks have recently opened numerous branches and transaction offices, causing concerns about safety for the banks and unhealthy competition within the banking system.

Vietnam’s game programming technology is developing robustly as many local game studios want to go beyond the international game market. The race in the computer game programming industry in Vietnam is hotter than ever.

 The government has set targets for economic growth of between 6.5 and 7 per cent and total GDP of between VND30,621 trillion ($1.37 trillion) and VND31,487 trillion ($1.41 trillion) over the next five years.

 President Truong Tan Sang will discuss with his Mozambican counterpart measures to enhance the economic cooperation between the two countries during his State visit to the African nation from March 11-13.

The second meeting of the 12th Party Central Committee opened in Hanoi on March 10 with the focus on the working agenda of the committee’s tenure, the socio-economic development plan in 2016-2020.