Four million Vietnamese or about 5 percent of the country's population suffer from asthma, according to a report released by the Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology Association (AACIA) in Hanoi, on May 3.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has granted US$1.7 million in technical assistance to Ho Chi Minh City to help develop two urban mass rapid transit (MRT) rail lines.

Currently, oil and gas importers lose around VND1,300 from the sale of one litre of petrol, yet, the Price Management Department of the Ministry of Finance has informed enterprises that they may only increase the price of petrol by maximum of VND1,000 per litre.

The documentary “The last ghost of war” featuring the lives of Vietnamese Agent Orange/Dioxin victims was screened in New York on May 1, drawing great attention from its American audience.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked the ministries of Public Security, Justice, Foreign Affairs, and Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to apply the “one-stop shop” policy in granting work permits to guest labourers in Vietnam.

Vietnam’s international health quarantine centre has increased supervision activities at border gates in an effort to prevent transmissions of type A (H5N1) flu to humans.

Bui Duc Thang, 12th grader from the Le Quy Don high school in central Da Nang City, has bagged a silver medal at the eighth Asian Physics Olympiad, which took place in China from April 20-29.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development plans to launch a campaign entitled “Toan dan xay dung nong thon moi” (Entire people building the new countryside) nationwide in June in order to boost the industrialization and modernization process in rural areas.

Caring for and protecting employees’ interests are two important tasks of the Trade Union organisation to help them stabilise their lives and contribute more to enterprises. Dang Ngoc Tung, President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, talked about issues related to Vietnamese employees in a recent interview granted to VOV.

The Southern Bangkok Criminal Court began the second proceedings against Vo Van Duc on April 30 on the charge of bombing the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand in June 2001.

The French Vietnam Dioxin Association (Collectif Vietnam Dioxine) held a public rally at Trocadero Square in Paris on April 29 to garner support for Vietnamese Agent Orange (AO) victims.

Central Quang Tri province is closely connected both with glorious victories and terrible destruction and suffering. During the war against the US imperialists, the land was the hotbed of war and burnt with hatred. It was hardest hit by US bombs and shells.

Ha Giang province in the northern region of the country is home to more than 20 ethnic groups. Visitors to the provinces cannot only enjoy beautiful places such as Lung Cu, Ma Pi Leng and Cong Troi (heaven gate), but also witness Mong, Tay, Dao, Kinh, Nung, Lo Lo, and Giay ethnic minority groups working together to develop the province. A VOVNews reporter interviewed Hoang Dinh Cham, vice chairman of the Ha Giang provincial People’s Committee.

A Vietnam summer camp, a gathering in Europe, Vietnamese language classes are just some of the activities available this summer for young overseas Vietnamese. From this year on, the activities will be held both at home and abroad instead of solely domestic activities like in previous years.

Vietnamese soldiers crossed this bridge on their march to liberate the south and unify the country.

A recent visit to Trường Sa (Spratley) archipelago made a strong impression on me. The border-guards there are as enduring and steady as a phong ba birch tree and have a sense of responsibility to the country and the people.

From now to 2010, about VND7,000 billion from the State budget will be allocated for vocational training activities. With the fund, vocational training activities will be improved towards practicality.

The Vietnam Peace and Development Foundation and Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin have called on the world people to continue helping Vietnamese AO victims on the occasion of the UN International Day of Victims of Chemical Weapons (April 29).

Vietnamese enterprises in Poland are taking the lead in developing large trading centres. Nguyen Van Thai, an overseas Vietnamese in Poland, shares information in an interview with VOV.

The Lao province of Champasak has repatriated 49 sets of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in battlefields in Laos.

Vietnamese people living abroad organized various activities to commemorate the Hung Kings, legendary founders of the Vietnamese nation.

Vietnam does not forbid its citizen to voluntarily get married to foreigners. The concern is how to prevent illegal marriages through match-makers.

According to the Labour and Employment Department under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), Vietnam now has about 17 million rural young people aged between 16-30, accounting for more than 74 percent of the total number of young people and 50 percent of the labour force involved in agricultural production activities.

On April 26, the friendship associations with Vietnam in Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland issued a statement urging the US to show responsibility towards Vietnam for their spraying of deadly herbicides during the war against this country.

More than 2,500 Buddhist dignitaries, monks and nuns attended the 7th Congress of the Ho Chi Minh City Buddhist Sangha, which was held at Pho Quang Pagoda from April 24-26.

International organisations on April 25 pledged to assist Vietnam in educational development, with a focus on underprivileged pupils.

The French Government handed over 31 million euros as part of a soft loan package to upgrade the Yen Vien-Lao Cai railway line, announced the Ministry of Planning and Investment on April 25.

Priorities should be given to the construction of metro lines in Hanoi because this means of transport has many advantages thanks to its flexibility in station distribution, and is not affected by direction and line like road traffic.

The First Oral Argument before the US Court of Appeals between lawyers who represent Vietnamese Agent Orange (AO) victims as plaintiffs and US chemical companies as defendants is scheduled for June 18.

The Government of Sweden signed an agreement with the Mekong River Commission (MRC) on April 24 to provide US$6.4 million in aid for economic development and social programmes for people living in the MRC member countries.