The People’s Committee of Quang Tri Province in north-central Vietnam has approved a project to build an over-six-kilometer-long conveyor belt to transport coal from Laos, the office of the provincial administration said on Monday. The conveyor belt is set to carry 30 million metric tons of coal a year. The conveyor belt will start at the border between Vietnam and Laos, and end at a warehouse in A Ngo Commune, Dakrong District, Quang Tri. Vietnam's Quang Tri Province will build an over-six-kilometer-long conveyor belt to import coal from Laos. The three conveyor belts are expected to create a conveyor system with a total length of 160 kilometers to transport coal from Laos to Vietnam.

HOÀ BÌNH — The General Statistics Office (GSO), in coordination with the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, has started a census to collect socio-economic details of 53 ethnic minority groups. The goal is to gather data for the National Statistical Indicator System and the Statistical Indicator System on ethnic minority affairs. This will inform the development and policy-making process for socio-economic development in ethnic minority regions for the period 2026-2030. Additionally, the census will cover three provinces and cities with significant ethnic minority populations: HCM City, Long An, and Hà Tĩnh. The survey targets ethnic minority households and actual residents living in these households at the time they are questioned.

Addressing specific issues, the Deputy PM requested the drafting agency to amend and supplement criteria for localities to identify high-yield and high-quality rice-growing areas within the allocated specialised paddy land. "The goal is to ensure income and stable livelihoods for rice farmers in all situations," he said. Notably, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has incorporated and supplemented regulations on the criteria for identifying high-yield, high-quality rice-growing areas that need protection and restricted conversion. Additionally, they should identify areas of rice land that can be converted but still maintain the conditions for reverting to rice cultivation. Similarly, some delegates emphasised the need to clearly delineate rice land areas, specialised rice cultivation areas, and high-yield, high-quality rice land areas to develop corresponding policies and avoid overlap and redundancy.

In addition, people’s apathy and lack of self-discipline in dengue prevention and control are also to blame for disease outbreaks. According to Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, there is no specific treatment for dengue fever. Lien said current prevention and control of dengue fever mainly relies on vector prevention and control and changes in people’s behavior and habits. Countries where dengue fever is endemic have pooled a lot of resources to prevent the disease, but the results are still limited. However, the prevention and control of dengue fever remains increasingly difficult and challenging, admitted the health official.

Survey results showed that despite the impressive economic growth, most businesses said that they have faced numerous difficulties. As much as 53.8 percent of the enterprises said they have been challenged by low domestic market demand. Some 30.5 percent asked the government to find solutions for maintaining the supply of raw materials and production inputs, while 35.4 percent emphasized the need to stabilize the prices of input factors, including raw materials and fuel." Dr. Nguyen Quoc Viet, deputy director of the Institute of Economic and Policy Research at the Vietnam National University-Hanoi, identified two factors directly impacting the consumption of goods by domestic enterprises. However, many experts advised that the VAT reduction policy should be extended until the end of 2025 to effectively stimulate demand and promote sales.

HÀ NỘI — The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has issued an urgent directive to domestic airlines to promptly address the ongoing aircraft shortage and implement flexible pricing strategies. Lê Hồng Hà, Director-General of the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (VNA), said VNA had grounded 11 aircraft due to the recall and expects to ground another six by the end of this year. The lengthy repair and maintenance process, taking between 250 to 300 days, means VNA's aircraft shortage is projected to persist throughout 2024 and gradually ease by mid-2025. To mitigate the impact of the shortage, CAAV has instructed the airlines to seek and secure replacement aircraft from leasing partners worldwide to fill the void left by grounded aircraft. Before the directive, CAAV conducted inspections to assess the pricing practices of four airlines and six travel agencies.

HÀ NỘI – There were 12,321 traffic accidents, resulting in 5,255 deaths and 9,599 injuries nationwide in the first half this year, reported the National Traffic Safety Committee. Although the number of traffic accidents across the country increased, the number of deaths significantly decreased compared to the same period last year, the committee said. “Compared to the first six months of 2023, traffic accidents increased by 1,842 cases, up 17.58 per cent, deaths decreased by 702 people, down 11.78 per cent, and injuries increased by 2,707 people, up 39.28 per cent,” said Trần Hữu Minh, the committee’s head. Out of these, there were 12,225 road traffic accidents, causing 5,191 deaths and 9,584 injuries. Railways experienced 66 accidents, resulting in 48 deaths and ten injuries, waterways had 27 accidents, leading to 15 deaths and five injuries and at sea, there were three accidents, causing one death.

HÀ NỘI For the first time, Vietnamese children under the age of six can be issued ID cards upon request as the Law on Identification comes into effect on July 1, 2024. The legal representative of the child must complete the procedure through the public service portal or national identification application. Vietnamese citizens under 14 years old can be issued ID cards upon personal request. If the current residence information of Vietnamese citizens who are not eligible to register for permanent or temporary residence is updated in the National Population Database, they will also be issued ID cards. The new ID law has integrated health insurance cards, social insurance books, driver's licences, birth certificates and marriage certificates into the ID card.

In June alone, over 1.2 million international tourists traveled to Vietnam, a year-on-year rise of 28.1 percent, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism. Given the positive growth in international travelers in the first half of the year, Vietnam reached 50 percent of the whole-year target, set at 17-18 million international tourist arrivals. During the January-June period, South Korea continued to be Vietnam’s largest tourist source market, with 2.2 million travelers, or 25.8 percent of the total international tourist arrivals. Therefore, the number of international tourist arrivals in Vietnam is forecast to continue rising in the coming months. International tourists visit Phu Quoc Island off Kien Giang Province, southern Vietnam.

HÀ NỘI – With summer vacation approaching and travel demand surging, Vietnamese airlines are ramping up capacity, particularly on popular routes connecting to tourist destinations. Weekends and days closer to departure show the highest demand, with booking rates exceeding 50 per cent on some routes. Destinations like Quy Nhơn, Phú Quốc, Nha Trang and Điện Biên are experiencing particularly high booking rates from both Hanoi and HCM City. To cater to this increasing demand, airlines are offering a variety of fares, including several significantly lower-priced options compared to the maximum fares regulated for economy class. Industry leaders believe there is ample room for cooperation between airlines and tourism companies to maximise efficiency and affordability.

KUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysia-Việt Nam Friendship Association participated in the ongoing IFOOD EXPO 2024 – a large-scale food, beverage, and nutritional supplement fair – from June 28-30 in Malaysia. Joining as a partner, the Malaysia-Việt Nam Friendship Association sets up 10 booths to introduce visitors to traditional Vietnamese dishes such as phở (beef noodle soup), bánh mì (bread), and spring rolls. Additionally, various Vietnamese food products are being sold, including instant noodles, dried phở, instant coffee, and different types of sauces. Talking to the Việt Nam News Agency's resident reporter on the sidelines of the event, Vietnamese Trade Counsellor Lê Phú Cường emphasised the necessity to participate in fairs to promote Vietnamese cuisine. Cuong said that in the future, the Trade Office and Embassy of Việt Nam will continue to support organisations and activities that promote Vietnamese products to enhance related awareness and interest among Malaysian consumers.

Huge potential for Vietnam – Croatia cooperation: AmbassadorBoth Vietnam and Croatia boast great potential for stronger cooperation by bringing into full play each other’s strengths and competitive advantages, says Vietnamese Ambassador to Croatia Nguyen Thi Bich Thao. Bình Dương proposes $2.55 bln credit to boost social housing projectsBình Dương is looking for credit of at least VNĐ65 trillion (US$2.55 billion) to develop approximately 160,300 social housing units for workers and low-income earners from now until 2030. The total land area for social housing development is about 470.4 hectares, with an estimated construction floor area of 9,253,924 square metres. Võ Hoàng Ngân, Director of the provincial Department of Construction, stated that developing social housing and worker housing is an important part of Bình Dương's socio-economic development policy. While the social housing is under construction, around 1,200 applications have been registered by those interested in purchasing an apartment.

SEOUL – Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính had a meeting with 70 Koreans who represented organisations and associations as well as standout individuals with significant contributions to the Việt Nam – the Republic of Korea (Rok) ties over the past years, as part of his official visit to the Northeast Asian nation. He acknowledged the effective activities made by both Vietnamese and Korean organisations to bolster the exchange and cooperation between the two nations and enterprises that help shape up a firm social foundation for the bilateral ties to develop strongly over years. PM Chính held that people-to-people exchange, which has been unceasingly developing, has been significant to the bilateral ties, stressing the two states and governments always create favourable conditions and ensure legitimate rights of more than 270,000 Vietnamese in the RoK, and some 100,000 Koreans in Việt Nam. The Korean friends expressed their admiration for Việt Nam's standout development, as well as their delight over the robust bilateral relations over the past time, saying they will continue supporting Việt Nam during the country’s development process and serving as a bridge to nurture the Việt Nam – RoK ties. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Korea – Việt Nam Friendship Association Lee Shin Jae said the association wants to play a bridging role to connect the two cultures, societies and economies.

Common violations include the construction of shacks, businesses operating near railway tracks, illegal crossings and ignoring warning signs. Notably, in Hà Nội, along the railway routes through Bắc Từ Liêm, Thanh Trì, and Thường Tín districts, violations of railway safety corridors are prevalent. Lieutenant Dương Thanh Khánh, a traffic policeman, said: “The ward police frequently address these violations, preventing stalls within the railway safety corridor. The local authorities are reviewing land along the railway safety corridor to propose this project to the higher authorities. Violations of railway safety corridors primarily stem from a lack of awareness among some residents who fail to recognise the severe consequences of their actions, said the chairwoman.

The draw moved Copa America debutants Canada up to four points in Group A, five behind leaders Argentina, who had already qualified for the quarter-finals. Jun 29, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; A Canada fan cheers during the game against Chile at Inter&Co Stadium. Jun 29, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Chile forward Alexis Sanchez (10) dribbles the ball around Canada forward Jacob Shaffelburg (14) during the second half at Inter&Co Stadium. Photo: ReutersJun 29, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Canada goalkeeper Maxime Creapeau (16) throws the ball against Chile during the second half at Inter&Co Stadium. Canada thought they had taken the lead in the second minute of stoppage time through substitute Tani Oluwaseyi, but the goal was ruled out for offside.