The initiatives of scientists have not only contributed to developing the country’s agriculture sector but also to affirming the Vietnamese people’s intelligence, industriousness and creativity.

Together with those in the homeland, many Vietnamese living overseas, including those in France are preparing to welcome the traditional Lunar New Year festival (Tet) which is of great significance to every Vietnamese.

French politicians and intellectuals showed their interest in Vietnam at a talk on the country held on February 13 by the Paris-based Institute for European-Asian-American Relations, a non-profitable organisation studying affairs of regional countries.

Bird flu has been contained in Vietnam as no new outbreaks were detected across the country in the past 21 days, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) announced on February 13.

Vietnam and Cambodia have signed a supplementary agreement to the previous Agreement on Road Transportation.

Although bird flu in the Mekong River Delta has been basically contained, the recurrence in other localities across the country remains imminent due to the increasing demand for the transport and trading of poultry.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Huy Quang on February 12 held a reception on the occasion of the traditional Lunar New Year festival (Tet).

A photo exhibition on Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims entitled “ Orange ” by Japanese photographer Goro Nakamura will be held in New York from February to July, 2007.

Border police in Vietnam's southern Binh Phuoc province and Cambodia's Kratie province have signed a cooperation programme to strengthen border security in 2007.

Genuine businesses and production units always find ways to protect their reputation as well as customers’ health. However, the mass production of counterfeit products is becoming a complicated problem beyond control.

More than 78,500 Vietnamese workers were sent to work abroad in 2006 which saw remarkable progress in achieving labour export targets as well as ensuring the criteria for guest workers.

The transport ministries of Vietnam and Laos have discussed future plans for cooperation in building road and conducting a feasibility study into a railway project to link the provinces of Quang Binh and Khammoune.

France wants to promote cooperation with Vietnam and invest in the latter's atomic energy plant for mutual benefit, French parliamentarians told a high-ranking Vietnamese National Assembly official.

Although Hanoi made every effort to control the illegal transport, slaughtering and trading of poultry, there has been widespread apathy towards the bird flu epidemic among local administrations and people at the communal levels.

Technical problems have recently forced Vietnam Airlines to delay several flights or make emergency landings. In an interview granted to VOV, Ho Minh Tan, deputy head of the Flight Safety Agency under the Vietnam Civil Aviation Administration, said that only aircraft meeting technical specifications are put into operation.

At the meeting, Vietnamese nationals living overseas shared their feelings and opinions on issues relating to domestic administrative reform so as to increase the efficiency of investments run by overseas Vietnamese, house ownership in Vietnam, visa exemption under the Nationality Law and teaching of Vietnamese language for young Vietnamese generations abroad.

The US will provide technical assistance worth US$400,000 to help Vietnam overcome dioxin effects in the areas sprayed with the US toxic chemicals.

The foot-and-mouth disease is likely to recur and spread widely. By February 7, the disease was reported in 43 communes in 22 districts of 13 provinces and cities nationwide. A total of 1,399 buffalos and oxen, 191 goats and 2,839 pigs have been infected with the disease in the past 21 days.

The National Committee for Population, Family and Children instructed local authorities from 64 cities and provinces nationwide to conduct programmes and present Tet gifts to children, according to the Vietnam Sponsor Fund for Children.

Vietnam has received more than US$216 million in aid from foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in 2006, marking a year-on-year increase of 23 percent.

The Most Venerable Thich Thanh Tu, Vice Chairman of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS), paid a visit to the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee on February 8 on the occasion of the forthcoming Lunar New Year Festival (Tet).

The remarkable achievements recorded 2006 which was considered a successful year for Vietnam’s foreign affairs have been giving overseas Vietnamese a strong sense of pride. The following interview was conducted by a Voice of Vietnam Radio reporter with Chu Tuan Cap, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan.

We are surprised at Vietnam’s achievements in its efforts to contain bird flu. Vietnam’s successful model in the fight against bird flu has been applied so far in over 30 other countries, said the World Bank's Vice President Jim Adams.

The French Development Agency (AFD) will give three credit agreements worth 123 million euro to Vietnam.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the Cambodian Ministry of Interior have signed a cooperation programme to fight criminals in 2007.

Ho Chi Minh City regards 1.8 million Vietnamese people living overseas as an important part of human resources in its ongoing development strategy. The City has issued many incentive policies aimed at encouraging overseas Vietnamese to make more contributions to the current process of national construction and development. The following interview was conducted by a Voice of Vietnam Radio reporter with Nguyen Chon Trung, Chairman of the HCM City Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs.

Labour export experienced a difficult time in 2006, especially as the Republic of Korea market was almost frozen. Regardless of the difficulties, the Overseas Labour Cooperation Company (LOD) under the Ministry of Transport made a fruitful working year last year. Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reporter talked to LOD general director, Vu Cong Binh.

A delegation of Vietnamese residents in Thailand, many of whom are over 80, arrived in Hanoi on February 7 to receive the Independent Order, first class and to welcome the Lunar New Year Festival (Tet).

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved the content of three credit agreements with the French Development Agency (AFD) to carry out railway and flood prevention projects.

World Bank funding has not been misused at the Ministry of Construction’s Project Management Unit 18 (PMU 18) and the WB and other donors are confident of the effective use of preferential credits in Vietnam, said Jim Adams, new general vice president for East Asia Pacific.