Vietnam rose from 98th in 2007 to 86th in 2008 in the IT rankings, according to the latest report from Information and Communication Development Index ranking 159 countries and territories.

Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) signed a cooperation agreement in Hanoi on June 18 to promote bilateral cooperation in informatics.

The government of Vietnam values the cooperation and engagement of private enterprises in building policies and strategies for socio-economic development.

Nguyen Van Lap, a Vietnamese of Greek origin, donated nearly VND70 million to Agent Orange (AO)/Dioxin victims in the central city of Da Nang on June 18.

An agreement to help Vietnam deal with climate change was signed in Hanoi on June 18 between the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the French Development Agency (AFD).

The northern and central regions are sweltering in the most severe heat wave ever experienced in recent decades. 

After suffering from the global economic crisis, labour export businesses need to improve the quality of guest workers.

Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) has made great strides in disseminating overseas-targeted information, making a significant contribution to the implementation of foreign policy of the Party and State.

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee held a ceremony on June 18 to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day and launch the 8th journalism award for the cause of great national unity in 2010.

The central border province of Thanh Hoa has joined Laos ’ Houaphan province in protecting the forests along their border over the past year, said local officials. 

Myanmar is willing to co-operate with Vietnam to remove barriers for mutual benefit and support tourism enterprises. 

A plenary conference of the Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organisation (ASOCIO) will be held in Hanoi and the northeastern province of Quang Ninh from June 17-20.

A scaffolding at the construction site of the Son La hydro power plant in the northeastern province of Son La collapsed on June 16, killing three workers, according to the plant’s Project Management Board.

A seminar to collect opinions on the establishment of a national forum on natural disaster mitigation and climate change was held in Hanoi on June 17.

Fighting infectious diseases is not the task of any single country - it is the responsibility of the whole world.

The number of people, especially children and the elderly, who have gone to health centres in Hanoi have increased sharply due to the prolonged heat wave over the last few days.

Vietnam is joining international efforts to cope with climate change by developing a low carbon economy and a green model of growth, says a senior official.

The Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) will launch a range of activities from July 10 to August 10, such as a Texting for AO victims programme to raise funds for these unfortunate in society.

The Ben Tre provincial centre for disease prevention and control has diagnosed a case of acute diarrhea as vibrio cholera, which raises the total number of cases in the province to 50.

Camera traps have revealed a flock of over 100 individuals of Siamese Fireback pheasant (lophura diardi), living in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the central province of Quang Binh.

An exhibition showcasing nearly 150 publications of the Vietnamese press was opened in Hanoi on June 16 by the East-West Culture and Language Centre, sachxua.net­ forum and the Hanoi Library.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has decided to fund a training programme for southern farmers on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) using Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). 

The Vietnam Red Cross Society, in coordination with the Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission (EC), held a meeting in Hanoi on June 16 to present the results of two projects for relief aid to victims of tropical storms No. 9 and 11 that hit central and central highland regions of Vietnam last September.

The Costa Classica cruise liner brought 1,000 tourists from Hong Kong and China, docking at Tien Sa port, Da Nang City on June 15.

The Japanese government has pledged to provide US$156,000 to build a rehabilitation centre for disabled children and roads for the rural northern provinces of Ha Giang and Phu Tho.

A seminar to help Vietnam improve its ability to assess projects to encourage further economic development took place in Hanoi on June 15.

The Board of Emulation of the editorial section, Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV), held a ceremony on June 15 to review the emulation campaign over the last five years and draw an operation directive for the 2010-2014 period.

A meeting to mark the 85th anniversary of the Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21) will be held at the Friendship Palace in Hanoi on June 21.

A gaggle of French print and electronic-media journalists have been visiting the central city of Hue since the beginning of this month to report on culture and tourism in the heritage city.

The Economics University under the Vietnam National University and the Thailand’s Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in business administration training.