Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries last weekend by the Vietnam News Agency.

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 12 chaired a meeting with ministries, sectors and localities, discussing plans to invest in an expressway connecting the northern provinces of Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh and Thai Binh, and another linking Gia Nghia city in the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong and Chon Thanh township in southern Binh Phuoc province.

The Ninh Binh-Nam Dinh-Thai Binh expressway has a total length of 88km, while the Gia Nghia-Chon Thanh expressway is 128.8km long. The designing work of the two projects are being underway. Read full story

- Vietnam’s retail market has seen positive signs of recovery, especially domestic demand, after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In the new context of the market, many businesses and retailers in Ho Chi Minh City have carried out plans to improve e-commerce infrastructure in both online and offline channels. Read full story

- The non-life insurance sector has seen a flurry of merger and acquisition (M&A) deals over the past two years, partly reflecting the attractiveness and keen competition of the market, which still has room for growth.

DB Insurance, which is one of the Republic of Korea’s leading non-life insurance companies, has just completed another step of its purchase strategy to take control of Vietnam National Aviation Insurance Company (VNI). Read full story

- Vietnam has no coffee brand in the list of the 10 most expensive in the world, although it is the largest Robusta coffee producer and ranks second in export coffee volume.

- Authorities of the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak and the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) held an international trade conference on March 11, as part of the ongoing eighth Buon Ma Thuot coffee festival.

The event drew about 450 delegates who are importers, distributors, e-commerce platforms, enterprises, coffee producers and cooperatives at home and abroad, as well as economic organisations, contributing to expanding coffee consumption of Vietnam and Dak Lak in particular and realising the goal of “Buon Ma Thuot – destination for world’s coffee”. Read full story

- The diverse and attractive cuisine of Vietnam is increasingly becoming known to international friends, with not only pho and spring rolls but also many other dishes catching the attention of food connoisseurs around the world.

In late 2022, the World Culinary Awards listed Vietnam as the "Best Culinary Destination in Asia in 2022", surpassing other well-known names in the region such as China, Malaysia, Singapore, the Republic of Korea and Thailand. As part of the World Travel Awards, this prestigious annual award aims to honour and reward excellence in the culinary industry. Read full story

- Vietnam is likely to welcome the 100 millionth citizen in April, according to the Population and Labour Statistics Department under the General Statistics Office (GSO).

A representative of the department said that amid the global economic competition where all countries consider workforces as the most important tool to improve their competitiveness, the birth of the 100 millionth citizen is a memorable milestone for Vietnam. Read full story

- Vietnam advanced to the next qualification round of the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup after a 1-1 draw with India in Group F on March 11 at Pho Tho Stadium.

Both teams are level on seven points but Vietnam top the group due to their better goal difference./. Read full story