(VOVWORLD) -Turkey has acknowledged that Sweden and Finland have taken concrete steps to meet Ankara's concerns over their bids to join NATO and the three will hold further meetings, Sweden's chief accession Oscar Stenstrom said Thursday after a trilateral meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Spokesman for Turkish President Ibrahim Kalin (left) and Sweden's chief negotiator for NATO accession Oscar Stenstrom (right) at a negation on Sweden NATO bid (Photo: AFP/ VNA) Stenstrom said all parties agreed to new negotiations but no specific date has been announced.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/sweden-finland-turkey-hold-nato-talks-agree-to-more-meetings-1182141.vov

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Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo described them as a 'shadow banking' network that moves billions of dollars each year for Iran and allows foreign buyers and dozens of front companies to help sanctioned Iranian companies continue to trade. Adeyemo said the new measures show the US is committed to enforcing sanctions and disrupt the foreign financial networks Iran uses to launder funds.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/us-puts-shadow-banking-network-linked-to-iran-on-blacklist-1182079.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said on Friday that the projects implemented by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Vietnam vividly demonstrates the effective and substantive development of the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Partnership. Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son talks to Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Samantha Power. Photo: baoquocte.vn Receiving USAID Administrator Samantha Power, who is on a working visit to Vietnam, Foreign Minister Son thanked the effective coordination between USAID and Ms.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/usaid-projects-demonstrates-effective-substantive-development-of-vietnamus-partnership-says-fm-1182212.vov

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Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (right) and Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Nong Rong (Photo: VNA) Minister Son stated Vietnam consistently attaches importance to consolidating and developing its comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China, considering this a top priority in the country's overall foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, and diversification and multilateralization of external relations.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/leaders-of-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-receive-hold-talks-with-chinese-official-1182413.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - More than 200 officers and youth union members learned about the national sea and islands and the Vietnam Coast Guard Law at a session on Wednesday in Con Dao island district. More than 200 officers and youth union members learn about the national sea and islands at a recent session in Con Dao island district. (Photo: canhsatbien.vn) Participants were briefed on the role and potential of the sea and islands in national construction and defense, ways to determine internal waters, baselines, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in Vietnam's waters according to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/vietnams-maritime-sovereignty/con-dao-district-holds-session-on-protecting-national-seas-islands-1182394.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang and his Spanish counterpart Nadia Calviño held talks in Madrid on Thursday, affirming the determination to develop the two countries' 'strategic partnership towards the future' on par with their potential. They agreed to increase mutual visits at all levels, effectively carry out cooperation mechanisms, and fruitfully implement the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to raise two way trade to 5 billion USD. Deputy PM Calviño highlighted Spanish enterprises' growing attention to the Vietnamese market and highly valued Vietnam's political stability and favourable investment and business climate.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/vietnam-spain-target-bilateral-trade-of-5-billion-usd-1180491.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Friday that it's necessary to, at least, maintain dialogues or listen to Russia as there is a "small improvement" in diplomacy with Moscow at a Group of 20 meeting that saw rare US-Russia talks. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met briefly Thursday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the Foreign Ministers Meeting of the Group of 20 industrialized and developing nations in New Delhi, India. On the same day, South Korea's Foreign Ministry announced that South Korea will continue to maintain dialogue with Russia for the sake of stability in bilateral relations.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/eu-insists-necessity-to-maintain-dialogue-with-russia-1180525.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - The UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement has created clear advantages for many products of strength of both countries to penetrate each other's markets, together with an extensive tariff reduction roadmap, said delegates at a conference themed 'The UKVFTA – Green and Fair Trade with Vietnam' in Hanoi on Tuesday. The Conference "UKVFTA – Green and Fair Trade with Vietnam' (photo: VOV) Nguyen Khanh Ngoc, Deputy Director of the Department of Europe and America, Ministry of Industry and Trade, said advantages from the UKVFTA Agreement along with the UK's policy of strong transition to a green and sustainable economy will open up great opportunities for Vietnamese businesses.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/conference-on-uks-green-and-fair-trade-with-vietnam-1181392.vov

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(VOVWORLD) -National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines is set to resume its joint venture agreement with Air France following a period of hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said Nguyen Tien Hoang, head of Vietnam Airlines' branch in France and Europe. Hoang said the resumption of the joint service between the two air carriers will provide customers with additional flight options, as well as optimizing products and services among France, Europe, and Vietnam. The joint venture agreement was originally launched by the two national airlines in 2017, but flights were suspended in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/vietnam-airlines-to-resume-cooperation-with-air-france-1181489.vov

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Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang speaks at the plenary session of the LDC5 conference in Doha, Qatar. (Photo: MOFA) Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang speaks at the plenary session of the LDC5 conference in Doha, Qatar. (Photo: MOFA) At the LDC5 conference, themed 'From Potential to Prosperity', Hang said Vietnam is ready to act as a bridge between development partners and LDC members, especially through South-South and tripartite cooperation. Hang advised countries to improve their internal capacity and national competitiveness based on the strengths and characteristics of each LDC state.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/vietnam-ready-to-act-as-a-bridge-between-development-partners-and-ldc-members-1181520.vov

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(VOVWORLD) -The US imposed new sanctions Thursday on Iran's petrochemical sector and some shipping companies, according to the US Treasury Department's website. The export oil pipelines at an oil facility on Kharg Island of Iran (Photo: AFP/VNA) Bushehr Petrochemical Company and Shiraz Petrochemical Company are among the new targets. The new sanctions also target several companies based in China and United Arab Emirates. In addition, a number of oil tankers from China's Hong Kong and Panama are also on the sanctions list.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/us-imposes-sanctions-on-iranian-shipping-petrochemicals-1180405.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - The building of the National Innovation Centre (NIC) is a necessary and timely move to achieve the targets set by the 13th National Party Congress, including making Vietnam a developed country with high income by 2045 and boosting development based on science, technology, and innovation, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said during a visit to the NIC on Saturday. PM Pham Minh Chinh (third from left) at the NIC on March 4, 2023. (Photo: VNA) The 35ha centre is established to support and develop startup and innovation ecosystems in Vietnam.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/pm-wants-national-innovation-center-to-be-rendezvous-for-intellectuals-worldwide-1180684.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam is among the top six best Asian destinations for a family holiday in a list made by the New Zealand Herald. Illustrative photo. (Photo: VNA) According to the daily, Vietnam is better suited to families with teens who are still willing to go on holiday with their parents. It noted that the country represents an excellent budget destination. 'Hanoi is a lot of fun to explore, even for younger kids, with attractions like the Temple of Literature, water puppet dances or just wandering and nibbling on street food,' the paper said.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/vietnam-among-best-locations-for-family-holidays-in-asia-1180721.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - Italy's media reported on Saturday that about 1,000 migrants have been brought to safety at two Italian ports after the overcrowded boats they were on encountered problems in the Mediterranean sea. (Illustrative photo: AFP/VNA) The coastguard said it had conducted up a large rescue operation that began Friday after three boats were spotted drifting off Italy's coasts. One was south of the Calabrian city of Crotone and two further south, off Roccella Ionica. A total of 1,700 people on two of the three boats were brought ashore safely.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/italy-brings-ashore-1000-migrants-on-drifting-boats-in-mediterranean-1182536.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - Associate Professor Pham Thi Bich Dao of Hanoi Medical University Hospital has more than 25 years of experience treating diseases of the ear, nose and throat. She is the first female doctor to develop a district-level satellite hospital project that enables local hospitals to access advanced techniques and reduces overload at central level hospitals. Associate Professor Pham Thi Bich Dao (R) (Photo: VOV) 'When I first entered Hanoi Medical University, I started with the basic subject of anatomy.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/personality-of-the-week/first-female-doctor-to-develop-districtlevel-satellite-hospital-model-1183281.vov

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(VOVWORLD) -World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Vietnam Dr Angela Pratt has said that Vietnam is in the sustainable management phase of the COVID-19 pandemic as the situation continues to stabilize with a very low number of reported daily cases, and importantly no reported deaths in over two months. WHO representative in Vietnam Dr Angela Pratt. (Photo: Ministry of Health) From the onset of the pandemic three years ago, Vietnam applied strong and effective social and public health measures to respond to COVID-19, Pratt said, adding that Vietnam has one of the lowest mortality rates in the region.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/spotlight/vietnam-in-sustainable-management-phase-of-covid19-who-representative-1185797.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - The Nordic Embassies in Vietnam involving Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden shared their experiences on green solutions for circular economy and waste management and policy implications for Vietnam at a seminar in Hanoi on Thursday. Mr. Keijo Norvanto, Ambassador of Finland to Vietnam. (Photo credit: Nordic Day 2023) Organised for the fifth time, the event, part of Nordic Day 2023, aims to provide insight into Nordic policies, initiatives, and innovation in green transition, which is relevant and applicable to Vietnam to eliminate waste and pollution, circulating products, and regenerating nature.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/nordic-countries-share-experience-in-green-circular-economy-waste-management-with-vietnam-1185535.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai visited the Vietnam-Singaporean Industrial Park (VSIP) in Binh Duong province on Saturday, during which he stressed the need to duplicate the VSIP model. Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai visits the Vietnam-Singaporean Industrial Park (VSIP) (Photo: VOV) Mr. Khai also said only feasible projects should be considered for implementation in other localities. Covering 500 hectares, the Vietnam-Singaporean Industrial Park (VSIP1) was set up in Binh Duong province in 1996 with the international standard management and infrastructure system and has been considered a model of industrial parks in Vietnam.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/vsip-model-needs-to-be-duplicated-1185930.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - The British Embassy in Hanoi yesterday announced 9 low carbon projects in Vietnam as the first cohort to join Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA) Vietnam. Dat Bike charging station, one of the projects that received funding from the CFA program. (photo: thanhnien.vn) The selected projects cover renewable energy, resource/energy efficiency, e-mobility , agriculture, forestry and other land uses, decarbonising construction, circular economy, and waste management; and have the potential to benefit communities.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/innovative-low-carbon-projects-added-to-climate-finance-accelerator-vietnam-1186516.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed the importance of creating an open legal corridor that is matched to VN's conditions and circumstances while chairing the Government's monthly law-making session in Hanoi on Monday. PM Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the Government's March law-making session, March 27, 2023. (Photo: VGP) During this meeting, the Government will give opinions on the National Assembly's draft Resolution on piloting mechanisms and policies to remove obstacles to transportation construction and investment; new policies related to the management of entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam; an amended Law on Citizenship Identity; and a revised Law on Credit Institutions.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/pm-presides-over-governments-march-lawmaking-session-1186366.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - The International Friendship Exchange – Spring 2023 concluded in Lao Cai on Monday with foreign NGOs pledging more than 2 million USD in aid for the northern mountainous province. The participants to the International Friendship Exchange – Spring 2023 on top of Mount Fansipan. (Photo: VOV) The event attracted 150 delegates from foreign embassies, international organizations, and NGOs in Vietnam. The participants climbed to the top of Mount Fansipan, the highest peak in Indochina, attended exchanges, and enjoyed local music and art performances.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/ngos-pledge-2-million-usd-for-lao-cai-during-2023-international-friendship-exchange-1186469.vov

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(VOVWORLD) -Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on Friday received Liu Ning, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region , who is on a visit to Vietnam. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Liu Ning, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and other delegates pose for a group photo. Photo: Tri Dung/VNA At the meeting, Mr. Trong expressed his pleasure over the new developments in relations between the two parties and the two countries, in which the relationship between Guangxi and the border localities of Vietnam has flourished since the official visit to China in October 2022 by the Party General Secretary.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/party-leader-urges-guangxi-and-vietnams-border-provinces-to-pioneer-economic-cooperation-1187660.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - Hanoi was the most expensive place to reside in Vietnam in 2022, according to a recent report the Cost of Living Index, published by the General Statistics Office. Quang Ninh ranked second, followed by Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Ba Ria-Vung Tau. A resident buys food in a supermarket in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA) Quang Tri province was found to be the locality with the lowest Spatial Cost of Living Index last year. The Red River Delta retained its position as the most expensive region in the country, with the Northern Midland and Mountainous region and Southeast region following closely behind.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/hanoi-named-most-expensive-city-in-vietnam-last-year-1187437.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - The ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) has released a forecast that Vietnam's economy will have the best growth in ASEAN this year. AMRO revises Vietnam's 2023 GDP upward despite regional slowdown. According to the AMRO, in 2023, ASEAN+3 including ASEAN and China, Japan, and South Korea, faced geopolitical risks, inflationary pressures and disruptions to global supply chains. But China's recovery could provide an impetus for overall growth in the region. The AMRO forecast ASEAN growth will reach 4.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/spotlight/vietnam-has-positive-economic-prospects-1188006.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - Carlo Urbani Museum opened on Saturday in the Municipality of Castelplanio, Ancona province, Italy as part of activities to mark the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Italy diplomatic ties. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Counselor Nguyen Thai Hoc at the museum's opening ceremony (Photo: VNA) Carlo Urbani is an infectious disease specialist of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam, who identified and died of Sars in March 2003. Addressing the opening ceremony, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called Dr Urbani the 'hero of the world', a symbol of the global fight against diseases.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/carlo-urbani-museum-opens-marking-50h-anniversary-of-vietnamitaly-diplomatic-ties-1187990.vov

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(WORLD) - Australian Governor General David Hurley began a 4-day state visit to Vietnam Monday. This is the first state visit to Vietnam by a foreign leader this year and the first state guest of President Vo Van Thuong since he took office. Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski (Photo: Viet Nguyen/baoquocte.vn) Vietnam and Australia established diplomatic ties on February 26, 1973. The two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties and the 5th anniversary of their strategic partnership this year.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/current-affairs/vietnam-australia-strengthen-strategic-trust-1188171.vov

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(VOVWORLD) -Vietnam's GDP growth of 3.32% in the first quarter of this year was lower than forecast, which is a reflection of the reality, said Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuong. Government regular press conference on April 3 (Photo: VGP) The Deputy Minister told a Government regular press conference held on Monday that the GDP growth of 3.32% over the same period last year is quite high compared to the average of other countries. He called for greater efforts of ministries, branches and localities to compensate for the first quarter.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/government-focuses-on-monetary-and-fiscal-policy-macroeconomic-stabilization-1188407.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam exported 1.7 million tonnes of rice in the first quarter of 2023 worth over 900 million USD, a 19% increase in quantity and 30% rise in value compared to the same period last year. Farmers harvest rice in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap. (Photo: VNA) The majority of exported rice came from the Mekong Delta, with the rest of the country's rice production centres mainly serving the domestic market. Vietnamese rice will likely continue to be sought after in the second quarter of the year as demand has been on the rise in major markets including the Philippines, China and Africa, said the Vietnam Food Association (VFA).

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/vietnam-exports-17-million-tonnes-of-rice-in-q1-1189453.vov

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(VOVWORLD) - The US Congress wants to elevate the relationship between the US and Vietnam to the next level, a visiting delegation of the US Congress told reporters in Hanoi on Saturday evening. Senator Jeff Merkley. (Photo: Minh Quan) Head of the delegation, Senator Jeff Merkley, said with the mission to heal the wounds of war, the delegation will work with affected localities to help address the harmful legacy of Agent Orange, remove unexploded ordnance, search and identify fallen soldiers, and support children disabled as a result of war.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/us-congress-looks-to-elevate-usvietnam-relations-to-new-height-1189830.vov

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(VOVWORLD) -Iran will send a team of experts to Saudi Arabia this week to prepare for the reopening of the Iranian embassy in Riyadh. Meanwhile, the Saudi delegation arrived in Tehran on Sunday to discuss the process of reopening the Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran. On March 10, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations under a deal brokered by China. According to the deal, the two sides pledged to reopen embassies and representative missions in each other country within two months, as well as implement the economic and security cooperation agreements signed more than 20 years ago.

https://vovworld.vn/en-US/news/iran-to-reopen-its-embassy-in-saudi-arabia-1189977.vov

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