(VOVWORLD) - Russia has decided to completely cease civilian and military cooperation with NATO, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksander Grushko announced on Monday. Russia made the decision 5 years after NATO suspended cooperation with Russia in response to Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula. Relations between Russia and NATO have returned to the Cold War era when NATO was established 70 years ago.

(VOVWORLD) - The first round robin of the HDBank Futsal National Championship 2019 began Monday in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province. The Championship is co-organized by the Vietnam Football Federation and the Voice of Vietnam (VOV).

(VOVWORLD) - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse have begun a visit to the Czech Republic from April 16-18. The visit will offer a chance to discuss ways to boost cooperation in economics, trade, investment, education, and labor export. Vietnam will also take this opportunity to ask for Czech support in its relations with the EU, particularly the signing of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement.

(VOVWORLD) - In 2020 Vietnam will take over the rotating ASEAN Chair and will likely become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 term. The positions will create opportunities for Vietnam to work with ASEAN countries to promote regional programs under the UN agenda to ensure global peace and sustainable growth.

(VOVWORLD) - The time-honored worship of Hung Kings is ingrained in the Vietnamese nation’s communities. Generations of Vietnamese have believed the Hung Kings to be the founders of the first Vietnamese state, named Van Lang 4,000 years ago. Their death anniversary on the 10th day of the third lunar month has long been observed as a national holiday.

(VOVWORLD) - One year after the US withdrew from its nuclear deal with Iran, on Monday President Donald Trump made the unprecedented move of formally designating Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a foreign terrorist organization. It will pave the way for the US to impose further sanctions on Iran and deepen division between the two countries.

(VOVWORLD) - Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte has concluded his official visit to Vietnam. During the visit, the two countries upgraded bilateral ties to a comprehensive partnership, a new milestone in their cooperation.

(VOVWORLD) - National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan returned to Hanoi Tuesday, concluding official visits to Morocco and France, a working visit to the European Parliament, and attendance at the 140th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The trip gained positive results, affirmed Vietnam’s proactive role in resolving regional and global challenges, deepened Vietnam’s relations with partners, and promoted the status of the Vietnamese National Assembly internationally.

(VOVWORLD) - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh last week visited Khmer people in southern provinces on the occasion of the Chol Chnam Thmay New Year festival of the Khmer. The government leaders highlighted the important role of the Khmer in national construction and defense and urged them to strengthen national unity to further contribute to national growth.

(VOVWORLD) - The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) has received approval from 22 African nations, just enough to come into force. The agreement will create one of the world’s largest trading blocs.