Ho Chi Minh City tightens friendship with Bulgarian partners
The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) held a ceremony on March 2 to mark the 148th anniversary of the Liberation Day of Bulgaria (March 3) and the 76th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Bulgaria.
In her address, President of the municipal Vietnam-Bulgaria Friendship Association Hoang Thai Lan expressed delight at the strong and positive trajectory of bilateral ties across diplomacy, education, trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges. She noted encouraging gains in economic links, with two-way trade showing steady expansion in recent years.
Sharing historical similarities, Vietnam and Bulgaria have fostered a steadfast and loyal friendship over the past 76 years, sustained by successive generations of leaders and citizens. In October 2025, the relationship was upgraded to a “Strategic Partnership”, making Bulgaria the first country in the Balkan region to reach such a level with Vietnam. Ties continue to advance robustly in politics and diplomacy, economy, trade, and education and culture, demonstrating sustainable collaboration in the global arena and contributing to worldwide peace, prosperity, and development, she said.
On the occasion, Lan conveyed her sincere appreciation to the Bulgarian Ambassador to Vietnam and the Bulgarian Embassy’s staff for their active support and close coordination with the municipal association in exchange and joint events between the city’s residents and Bulgaria, for the sake of friendship, solidarity, and joint development.
In his congratulatory message, Bulgarian Ambassador to Vietnam Pavlin Todorov affirmed that the event clearly reflects the enduring and growing Bulgaria–Vietnam relationship, bolstered not only through official channels but also vibrant ties grounded in trust and long-standing friendship, according to VNA.
He recalled that the establishment of the Strategic Partnership ushered in a new phase, providing a clear framework for future development. In this process, friendship associations play a particularly important role in delivering practical and humanitarian value to bilateral agreements.
Bulgaria attaches importance to its friendship with Vietnam and the efforts of those contributing to mutual development, he said, believing that the municipal association will remain a positive and inspiring force to nurture the bonds between people of both countries.
Vietnamese culture shines at France’s largest Lunar New Year parade
Vietnamese culture left a strong impression at France’s largest Lunar New Year parade, held on March 1 in Paris’ 13th arrondissement, drawing hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors.
First launched in 1989, the annual parade has become a popular early-spring cultural event in the French capital.
From early afternoon, major streets in the Asian quarter, stretching from Choisy Avenue to Ivry Avenue near Place d’Italie, were filled with spectators. Lion and dragon dances, accompanied by drums, gongs and vibrant music, created a festive and colorful atmosphere throughout the neighbourhood.
Within this diverse setting, the Vietnamese delegation continued to make a distinctive mark. Following its notable debut in 2025, when Vietnam first joined the event after its official renaming from “Chinese New Year” to “Lunar New Year”, the Vietnamese community again enriched the festival’s cultural landscape. Traditional martial arts demonstrations, “ao dai” (Vietnamese traditional long dress) shows and Vietnamese folk dances attracted strong public interest, further affirming the growing presence of Vietnamese culture in France’s multicultural life.
French singer Laroche Valmont, best known for the 1980s hit T’as le look coco – translated into Vietnamese as “Xuan yeu thuong”, told Vietnam News Agency that the event held special meaning for him as it coincided with the 40th anniversary of both the parade and his song’s Vietnamese adaptation, reported VNA.
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| An “ao dai” (Vietnamese traditional long dress) show at the Lunar New Year parade in Paris. (Photo: VNA) |
Ava Mathidle, a young French participant in the Vietnamese delegation, expressed pride in representing Vietnam and other Asian communities at the symbolic event, describing it as an opportunity for cultures to shine together in a spirit of respect and sharing.
Fashion designer Precious by Lexie said she felt honored to participate at the invitation of the Vietnamese community. Her showcased collection blended Asian and African styles, drawing inspiration from the cultural space of Indochina – Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia – and adding creative diversity to the festival.
Dom Aujollet, representing the Kinh Van An Vietnamese traditional martial arts school in France, said practitioners were delighted to perform alongside various Vietnamese associations, viewing the event as an opportunity to introduce Vietnam’s traditional martial arts to the local public.
Dang Giang, President of the Francophone friendship association, noted that the Vietnamese delegation’s official presence helped promote national identity while offering French audiences a fuller understanding of Lunar New Year traditions shared across Asian cultures, united by the common values of family, reunion and new beginnings.
According to Giang, Vietnamese shops, restaurants and businesses are on the rise in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. Participation in the parade has fostered pride among Vietnamese residents while highlighting their positive contributions to the local economic and cultural life.
Beyond festival participation, the association aims to strengthen connections with other Asian communities and the French public. The increasingly confident and professional presence of the Vietnamese delegation at the Lunar New Year parade stands as both a cultural highlight and evidence of the Vietnamese community’s proactive and sustainable integration into French society, she noted.
Doctors perform Vietnam’s first robot-assisted surgery for rare lung condition
Surgeons at Binh Dan Hospital have successfully used a robotic system to remove the lower lobe of a patient’s left lung affected by intralobar pulmonary sequestration, a rare congenital malformation.
On March 2, Binh Dan Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City announced that it had successfully treated a patient diagnosed with pulmonary sequestration. This is the first reported case in Vietnam in which a rare form of pulmonary sequestration was operated on using robotic surgery.
The patient, identified as N.N.T., 56, from Tay Ninh Province, incidentally discovered a lesion in the lower lobe of his left lung during a routine health check. Imaging results at Binh Dan Hospital revealed a 23x26mm mass, sufficient to diagnose intralobar pulmonary sequestration.
The artery supplying the mass originated directly from the descending aorta and measured up to 17mm in diameter - an unusually large size that posed significant risks if left untreated.
According to MSc, Specialist Level II Nguyen Van Viet Thanh, Head of the Department of Thoracic and Thyroid Surgery, the greatest challenge of the operation lay in this abnormal feeding artery. “The vessel was large, fragile and densely adherent due to chronic infection in the surrounding area. Even a minor error during surgery could have led to uncontrollable bleeding,” he said.
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| Doctors perform robot-assisted surgery on a patient. Photo: Courtesy of the hospital |
For decades, this condition has typically required open surgery, involving a large chest incision and rib retraction to access the lesion. The advent of thoracoscopic techniques has helped reduce invasiveness to some extent, but limitations remain in complex cases.
After a hospital-wide consultation, the surgical team opted for the Da Vinci robotic system as the most suitable solution under the circumstances. The procedure lasted approximately 120 minutes. The robotic platform provided high-resolution 3D imaging with significant magnification, allowing the team to clearly visualize vascular structures hidden deep within the chest cavity, cited VNN.
Following surgery, the entire sequestered lung segment was completely removed. The descending thoracic aorta was safely preserved, and no bleeding complications occurred.
Doctors recommend that individuals who experience recurrent pneumonia in the same location, cough up blood, or incidentally detect abnormal lung masses should promptly seek care at specialized medical facilities for screening with multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT). Early surgical intervention, before complications arise, remains the most definitive and safest treatment option.
Cold surge to bring rain, chill and humidity to northern Vietnam
Northern Vietnam will experience one more day of warm sunshine on March 2 before a new cold air mass moves in overnight, bringing rain, lower temperatures and high humidity, according to the Vietnam National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
Provinces across the Northern and North-central regions are expected to see warm weather on March 2, with temperatures in many areas reaching nearly 30°C. Light morning fog and scattered clouds are forecast, with sunshine becoming more prominent toward midday, creating mild early-spring conditions.
However, this weather pattern will not last long. A cold air mass is currently moving southward and is expected to reach the northern border areas by late March 2.
From the night of March 2 into March 3, the cold air will first affect the Northeastern region, then expand to the North-central region, most parts of the Northwestern region, and some areas of the Central region.
Due to the cold surge, Northern and North-central provinces are set to experience scattered rain and showers, with isolated thunderstorms. From March 3, nighttime and early morning temperatures in the North and localities in the North-central region will turn chilly, while mountainous areas in the Northeast will see colder conditions.
The lowest temperatures during this cold spell are expected to range between 15–18°C in the North and drop below 14°C in some mountainous areas.
Increased moisture associated with rainfall and cold air may lead to higher humidity levels in northern localities. However, meteorological expert have not issued an official warning regarding widespread damp or “humid condensation” conditions during this cold spell.
In Hanoi, rain and scattered showers with possible thunderstorms are expected from the night of March 2. From March 3, the capital will turn chilly at night and in the early morning, with minimum temperatures ranging from 16–18°C during this cold spell, cited VOV.
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| Rain and scattered showers with possible thunderstorms are expected from the night of March 2 due to the impact of a new cold air mass. |
Meteorological experts have also issued warnings about hazardous weather conditions associated with the cold air mass, including strong winds and rough seas in the Gulf of Tonkin and East Sea.
From March 3, the central region is also expected to see scattered showers and thunderstorms. During thunderstorms, residents are advised to remain alert for possible whirlwinds, lightning, hail and strong gusty winds.
Severe weather phenomena may negatively affect agricultural production, damage trees, houses, transport infrastructure and other facilities. Strong winds and high waves at sea may also disrupt fishing operations and maritime activities.
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