(VOVworld)- Myanmar President Thein Sein began a 2-day visit to Vietnam on Tuesday to promote friendship and economic cooperation. This is President Sein's first visit to Vietnam since he was elected last March.

(VOV) Domestic enterprises are applying technological advances to enhance their competitive edge during the international integration process. To this end, scientists have been receiving funding for their production-oriented studies. Vietnam’s strategy for scientific and technological development from 2011 to 2020 stresses the importance of technology transfer and commercialization.

(VOV) Experts suggest that Vietnam adopt policies to funnel foreign direct investment (FDI) into the right areas and avoid projects with outdated and environmentally-unfriendly technology. The suggestions were delivered Thursday at a seminar in Hanoi on ways to improve the quality of foreign investment flow into Vietnam.

(VOVworld) - A “comprehensive and mutual” truce has been agreed between Israel and Palestine after four days of fierce violence. The cease fire followed Egypt’s effort to broker a deal to calm military conflict in the Gaza strip.

(VOVworld) The resolution of the 4th plenum of the 11th Party’s Central Committee on urgent issues in Party building and the Political Bureau’s instructions on the resolution’s implementation have been well received by the public. Le Phuoc Tho, former Politburo member and Head of the Central Committee’s Organization Commission says these documents reflect a breakthrough in the current Party-building work.

(VOVworld) The US - Afghanistan relationship has become severely strained lately. A US soldier shot and killed 16 Afghani civilians, mostly women and children, on Sunday, adding more fuel to the fire after the burning of Korans by NATO soldiers last month.

(VOVworld) Vietnamese women have played an important role in the history of national construction and defence. Empowering women and taking better care of them are major tasks of women unions in all revolutionary periods, particularly during the current renewal process. As the National Women’s Congress opens on Monday in Hanoi, VOV reporter Thu Hang looks at efforts to enable Vietnamese women to develop themselves and contribute more to society.

(VOVworld) On Wednesday the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs approved the so-called Vietnam Human Rights Bill, which provides inaccurate and biased information about human rights in Vietnam. The bill does not reflect Vietnam’s human rights reality and runs counter to the course of Vietnam-US dialogue on human rights. VOV editor Thu Hoa has more.

(VOVworld) Diplomatic efforts are being made to find a viable solution in Syria. Kofi Annan, Joint Special Envoy of the UN and the League of Arab States, and representatives of Russia and China were in the region this week. Analysts say the trips have had little effect in the face of sharp divisions between world powers on the Syrian issue.

(VOVworld) - Key measures to stabilize the macro-economy and ease difficulties for business and production were high on the agenda of the regular cabinet meeting for February. The synchronous measures are aimed at realizing this year’s socio-economic development targets.