Vietnamese tourism potential promoted in FranceA tourism promotion programme was held by the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) and the Vietnamese Embassy in France on June 25 as part of the activities to promote Vietnamese tourism in Europe. The Vietnam Tourism Roadshow attracted a large number of representatives from travel agencies, tourism associations, hotels, airlines, and the media from both France and Vietnam. Nearly 216,000 French tourists visited Vietnam last year, 75% of the pre-COVID-19 period, making it the second-largest market of Vietnam in the European Union (EU). The Vietnamese tourism sector has actively conducted tourism promotion activities in France to further boost tourism exchange. Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang said the event helps promote the image of Vietnamese tourism, thus strengthening the France – Vietnam relations.

PARIS — A tourism promotion programme was held by the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) and the Vietnamese Embassy in France on June 25 as part of the activities to promote Vietnamese tourism in Europe. The Việt Nam Tourism Roadshow attracted a large number of representatives from travel agencies, tourism associations, hotels, airlines, and the media from both France and Việt Nam. Over the recent years, the two countries’ tourism sectors have engaged in many cooperative activities to facilitate tourism exchange. The Vietnamese tourism sector has actively conducted tourism promotion activities in France to further boost tourism exchange. Ambassador Đinh Toàn Thắng said the event helps promote the image of Vietnamese tourism, thus strengthening the France – Việt Nam relations.

HÀ NỘI – There are an increasing number of entertainment events, fashion shows, and international beauty pageants organised in Việt Nam and broadcasted on global social media platforms, attracting attention from both domestic and international audiences. Over the past weekend, representatives of the Miss World Organisation arrived in HM CITY to participate in various entertainment activities. The 28-year-old Miss World from Jamaica expressed her deep emotion and pride in performing a song about Việt Nam, as she has long held affection for the country and its people. This trend underscores Việt Nam's growing appeal as a favoured destination for international celebrities. The cultural events currently taking place in Việt Nam and those scheduled ahead have helped effectively promote Việt Nam's images, contributing to not only the economy and tourism but also improving the position of Việt Nam's showbiz industry.

HÀ NỘI — The National Assembly (NA) has agreed to a ban on driving with any level of blood alcohol, on the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety, in its working session on Thursday morning. The law in its entirety was passed with 388 out of 450 votes in favour, or 79.84 per cent of the total number of NA deputies. A total of 293 NA deputies, or 75.52 per cent of the total voting participants, agreed to the zero-tolerance policy. The remaining 24.48 per cent of voting deputies proposed imposing the ban, while specifying the lowest limit of blood alcohol concentration allowed for drivers. The NA Standing Committee has also ordered the inclusion of the MOH’s responsibilities on this matter in Clause 5, Article 87 of the law.

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HÀ NỘI – As Việt Nam is looking for ways to lure more international visitors, an 'open door' visa policy is seen as a lever that could help the country reach its set target, according to insiders. It witnessed a 66 per cent increase in travel searches from European tourists, with the highest figures from France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Spain. However, experts said there is a huge workload that needs to be done if Việt Nam wants to become a leading destination in the region. They said that regional peers have capitalised on their relaxed visa policies to attract foreign tourists, including Thailand that has rolled out various flexible mechanisms. From mid-August 2023, Việt Nam has issued electronic visas to citizens of all countries, extending temporary stay periods from 30 to 90 days with unlimited entries and exits.

SYDNEY — The number of Vietnamese tourists to Australia grew more than 50 per cent as compared with the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level, Australian Tourism and Trade Minister Don Farrell said on June 26. The minister said his agency will work harder to enhance connection with Southeast Asia and attract more visitors from the region. He said international tourist numbers are close to recovering to pre-pandemic levels and visitors are splashing more money in Australia. Some 150,000 Vietnamese visited Australia in 2023, while the number of Australian travelers to Việt Nam in 2023 reached 390,000, compared to the 383,000 in 2019. In the first five months of this year, Việt Nam welcomed 213,000 Australian visitors, an increase of 35 per cent year-on-year, making Australia the seventh largest source of tourists to the Southeast Asian nation.

THÁI NGUYÊN — Two people have died after a fire broke out on Wednesday morning at a house in the northern city of Thái Nguyên. The blaze started around 4am in the two-storey property on Dương Tự Minh Street, Tân Long Ward. At the time of the fire, there were six people in the house, the owner, her Indian husband, their child and grandchild and two helpers. Four people on the first floor managed to escape but the owner and her husband were both trapped on the second floor. Eventually the fire was brought under control and the two were taken to Thái Nguyên Central Hospital where they both died.

HCM CITY — Despite the increase in the frequency of night flights, tourists and travel agencies are not opting for this option due to the limited availability of services at their destinations during nighttime. Moreover, traveling at night would be inconvenient for my two young children,” An stated, deciding against choosing night flights. Vietjet's night flights have also increased by 46 per cent compared to normal, equivalent to 3,100 night flights network-wide, in the time frame from 1am to around 2:30am. Since night flights waste sightseeing time and increase hotel, transportation and meal costs, Vietnamese tourists tend not to prefer night flights for domestic trips. “Currently, most tourists still choose reasonable flight times to ensure their health and travel schedule rather than prioritising night flights," Khanh added.

Vietnam will facilitate the import of Poland’s strong products such as machinery and ships into its market, Chinh assured Duda. Tang appreciated the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia. For his part, Ung Rachana congratulated Vietnam on its outstanding achievements in domestic and foreign affairs, as well as its strong economic development. Japan proposes Vietnam revise maximum residue limits for some agricultural chemicalsJapan has suggested Vietnam revise the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for certain agricultural chemicals, according to the Office of the Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point (SPS Vietnam). The office on June 24 sent a document to the Plant Protection Department under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development regarding the proposal.

An added time goal from Italy's Mattia Zaccagni snatched a 1-1 draw with Croatia which was enough to earn them a place in the last 16 of Euro 2024 as Group B runners-up where they will face Switzerland, while Croatia must wait to see if they progress.

WASHINGTON/SYDNEY -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is due to plead guilty on Wednesday to violating U.S. espionage law, in a deal that will end his imprisonment in Britain and allow him to return home to Australia, ending a 14-year legal odyssey. A video posted on X by Wikileaks showed Assange dressed in a blue shirt and jeans signing a document before boarding a private jet with the markings of charter firm VistaJet. He will return to Australia after the hearing, the Wikileaks statement added, referring to the hearing in Saipan. A spokesperson for Assange in Australia declined to comment on his flight plans. While in Belmarsh Assange married his partner Stella with whom he had two children while he was holed up in the Ecuadorean embassy.

The rice prices account for approximately 9% of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the Southeast Asian country. Việt Nam exported 1.44 million tonnes of rice to the Philippines as of May 23, accounting for 72.9% of the total import of the grain of the country. The reduction of rice import tax by the Philippines is said to increase opportunities for Vietnamese rice in the market. Latest data from the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Plant Industry, the Philippines' total rice imports rose by 20.3% to 1.97 million tonnes in the reviewed period. The country’s total rice imports are estimated to reach about 4 million tonnes in 2024.

Cheyenne, WY (82003)TodaySunny, along with a few afternoon clouds. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph..TonightSome clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.

SEOUL -- A fire broke out at a lithium battery factory in South Korea on Monday, killing at least 16 people and five others remain missing, local fire officials said. The fire, which has largely been extinguished, occurred at around 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) at a factory run by battery manufacturer Aricell in Hwaseong, south of the capital Seoul. A firefighter inspects the site of a deadly fire at a lithium battery factory owned by South Korean battery maker Aricell, in Hwaseong, South Korea, June 24, 2024. Emergency personnel carry the body of a person killed in a deadly fire at a lithium battery factory owned by South Korean battery maker Aricell, in Hwaseong, South Korea, June 24, 2024. Photo: ReutersEmergency personnel work at the site of a deadly fire at a battery factory in Hwaseong, South Korea, June 24, 2024.