VIETNAM TODAY

PM Nguyen Tan Dung approved a strategy to develop public transport by 2020 to ease traffic congestion, reduce accidents and decrease environmental pollution in cities and provinces across the country.

President Barack Obama promised a speedy investigation into the killing of 16 Afghans by a rogue US soldier, which fuelled tensions after the burning of Korans at a US-run base.

The Asian Development Bank signed two loan agreements with the Government for USD180 million to help improve irrigation and urban infrastructure.

Belgian Prince Philippe, accompanied by executives from 200 businesses, arrived in Vietnam for a weekly visit to promote trade and economic linkages between the two countries.

A troupe from the Thang Long Water Puppetry of Vietnam will bring its fascinating shows to the Havana puppet festival at the invitation of the Cuban Ministry of Culture.

Airbus and six European airlines wrote to four EU leaders attacking the carbon tax, a source close to the dossier said.

U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan ended talks with President Bashar al-Assad and left Syria with little sign of progress.

Thousands of Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns, followers and tourists flocked to the Quan The Am (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) festival from March 9-11 to offer prayers of peace for the nation.

Sixteen Afghans were killed by a rogue American soldier who walked off his base and opened fire on them in their homes in the early hours of Sunday, Afghan and Western sources said.

Vietnam’s 11th National Women’s Congress will convene on March 12 in Hanoi.

Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien and Interior Minister Nguyen Thai Binh will be questioned over pressing social issues at the upcoming session of the National Assembly Standing Committee.

Japan marked one year since a huge earthquake and tsunami killed 19,000 people.

Developing green works has become a growing tendency in the construction industry, because experts believe that green works will create a better and more economical living standard.

A 500-year-old library with over 600 books in Thanh Hoa Province is on the verge of turning to dust.

General school and university students complain that they have nowhere to play in break time, because school yards have become business premises.

State-run PetroVietnam is in talks to sell a 49% stake in its Dung Quat oil refinery to three foreign companies, the refinery's director general said.

Peace Trees Vietnam, which consists mostly of US war veterans, will continue funding operations to clear unexploded ordnance in central Quang Tri and Quang Binh provinces this year.

Top Vietnamese player Nguyen Tien Minh failed in his quest for a repeat victory over world No.3 Chen Long from China in the second round of the Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships.

Boosting friendship and cooperation between localities in the border areas of Vietnam and Cambodia is of significant importance to the fine relations between the two countries, one official said.