VIETNAM TODAY

Representatives from localities and the diplomatic corps met for a June 22 conference in the ancient town of Hoi An city in Quang Nam province to discuss ways to develop international tourism and boost cooperation towards sustainable green growth.

The death toll from days of flooding and landslides in India neared 600 on Saturday as more than 30,000 people remained trapped by rising waters in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand.

The UNICEF has launched the UNICEF Next Generation Vietnam programme, an initiative to help raise awareness and raise funds in support of UNICEF's mission to support the rights of children.

Under permission of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Defence, two naval ships departed from the central city of Da Nang on June 22 to take part in the 15th joint patrol with Chinese naval forces.

The TAL Group from Hong Kong plans to invest US$200 million to produce fabrics, garments and textiles in Vietnam.

The HCM City-based company, Travel Life, will be fined VND80 million for leaving 701 visitors in Thailand, said an official.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on June 21 received First Vice President of the Council of State of Cuba Miguel Diaz Canel, who is leading a delegation visiting Vietnam.

Bebinca, the second tropical storm of the year, hit the East Sea yesterday and is expected to bring heavy rains to the northern region of Vietnam tomorrow, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorology Forecasting.

Fires on Indonesia's Sumatra, which have cloaked Singapore in record-breaking smog, are raging on palm oil plantations owned by Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean companies, environmental activist group Greenpeace International said.

Deputy PM said that the Government of Vietnam will direct relevant ministries, agencies and localities to speed up the implementation and disbursement of ODA funded projects relating to transport.

The June CPI in the country's two largest cities increased after recent falls, the General Statistics departments said.

Vietnam should consider climate change mitigation an opportunity to swiftly embrace a low-carbon economy and protect the environment.

President Truong Tan Sang on June 21 left for Hanoi, concluding his State-level visit to China.

The CIA and US special operations forces have been training Syrian rebels for months, since long before President Barack Obama announced plans to arm the opposition, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.

The PM has urged the four localities of Hanoi, HCM City, Haiphong and Nam Dinh to report on prostitution situation.

Vietnam’s trade deficit rose to USD1.06 billion from the beginning of the year to June 15 despite increased exports.

Top badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh secured a berth in the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open after he beat Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand in the second round.

Haiphong police prosecuted a local couple for massive trade and production of weapons on June 21.

As many as 100,000 people could be forced from their homes by heavy flooding in western Canada, Calgary city officials said.