Spanish King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia de Grecia began an official visit to Vietnam on February 20 at the invitation of State President Tran Duc Luong. This is the first Vietnam visit by a Spanish King since the two countries established diplomatic ties in May 1977. The visit aims to further develop the friendly and co-operative relations between the two countries.

A survey conducted by the United Nations eventually concluded that the US violated international laws and conventions on human rights as it illegally detained, ill-treated and tortured prisoners at Guantanamo Bay jail.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Ephimovic Fradkov pays an official two-day visit to Vietnam, beginning on February 16, at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai. The visit takes place at a time when Vietnam and Russia are making continued efforts to boost their partnership on the principles of a stable, long-term and equal co-operation and mutual benefit.

Drought is forecast to continue for the next few months. In such a context, people should save every drop of water. Canal dredging work is now an urgent task. Farmers should response to measures taken by local authorities to cope with droughts and other natural disasters.

The diplomatic crisis that stemmed from Danish newspaper Jyllands Posten’s publications of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad has resulted in the first deaths reported in Muslim countries.

The APEC Golf Tournament, which teed off on February 5, was an activity to mark the beginning of a new year for the diplomatic sector. The tournament attracted the participation of 32 Government officials, ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps. The event was also held in the framework of a series of activities to welcome the 14th summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum, scheduled to take place in Hanoi later this year.

The Vietnamese people will enter the Year of the Dog (Binh Tuat lunar year) with pride of great achievements in the past 20 years of the national Doi Moi (Renewal) process and with new plans for future development.

The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) on January 25 adopted resolution No.1481 on the so-called "need for international condemnation of crimes of totalitarian communist regimes". This is a wrongful resolution which has drawn strong protests from Russian veteran groups and other organisations across the world.

Marxism does not act for us, but provides us with an appropriate analytical method and vision, a correct political strategy to reform society and successfully apply the achievements of the Renewal process to all areas of life and the long-term process of socialist construction in Vietnam.

In 2005, the Ministry of Construction issued numerous law-regulated documents on capital construction investment to accelerate the national industrialisation and modernisation process. However, low-quality projects still remain.