VIETNAM’S National Assembly on Wednesday approved investment for the Lao CaiHanoi-Hai Phong railway project, Vietnam News Agency reported.
According to the proposal by the Vietnamese government, the main railway line will stretch approximately 390.9 km, with three branch lines totaling about 27.9 kilometres.
The railway will pass through seven provinces and two cities, namely Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Duong and Hai Phong.

WITH less than one year remaining to the opening of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, preparations are advancing at a brisk pace, as evidenced by record-breaking ticket sales and robust volunteer recruitment.
At a press conference held on Tuesday at the Foreign Press Association in Rome, Andrea Varnier, Chief Executive Officer of the Milano-Cortina Foundation, announced that nearly 300,000 tickets had been sold in just six days since the public ticketing programme was launched on 6 February.

18 Feb 2025

China has asked Thailand to maintain its cuts on electricity, fuel, and internet services, which were imposed on five locations in Myanmar since February 5.

This request comes after the Burmese government and the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) agreed to transfer 1,219 people of 12 nationalities, mostly Chinese (1,041), to Thailand.

18-2-2025

China will fly home about 200 of its nationals found in call-centre scam compounds on the Thailand-Myanmar border, a Thai security official said on Tuesday, as part of a multinational effort to crack down on illegal online operations in the region.

Hundreds of thousands of people trafficked by criminal gangs have been forced to work in such compounds that have sprung up across Southeast Asia, including the border area between Thailand and Myanmar, the United Nations says.

18 Feb 2025

Israel and Hamas have reached an agrement under which six living Israeli hostages will be released on Saturday, and the bodies of eight others will be handed over this week and next.

The agreement reached in Cairo on Tuesday was confirmed by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Bulldozers with Egyptian and Qatari flags wait to enter Gaza at the Rafah border crossing on February 13, 2025 [Mohamed Arafat/AP Photo]

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2025

Vietnam's National Assembly on Tuesday approved a bold bureaucratic reform plan that will slash up to a fifth of government bodies, as the country tries to cut costs and improve administrative efficiency.

The number of government ministries will be reduced to 14 from the current 18, to be up and running from March 1, the assembly said in a statement.

More than 97% of the lawmakers present approved the plan.

In order to cause injuries to both peaceable civilians and administrative authorities who are striving to restore the rule of law, extreme terrorists provide financial assistance and instigate destructive activities, such as detonating explosive devices and remote blasting, against public roads, railways, government offices and houses.

Insurgents committing terrorist activities have been engaging in battles, firing heavy weapons and improvised rockets and dropping bombs using drones into the public towns, wards and villages.

In some townships across States and Regions, terrorists motivated by a radical ideology that views “anyone with differing views is an enemy” are conducting violent assaults and assassinations. Their targets are administrative officials who do not support their terrorist acts. Using firearms and knives, these terrorists are committing brutal assassinations after accusing them of “spies, informants or decoys”. This strategy is intended to in still fear among peaceable civilians and create a pervasive sense of dread within these communities.