The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport has proposed that long-haul buses be banned from the inner city in a bid to alleviate traffic jams and eliminate makeshift bus stops. The transport department suggested a road map to ban long-haul buses with over 30 seats from entering the inner city. In the first phase from 2022 to 2025, sleeper buses will be prohibited from traveling into the inner city area inside the corridor from National Highway No. 1 (Thu Duc City, District 12, Binh Tan District, Binh Chanh District) - Nguyen Van Linh Street (Binh Chanh District, District 7) - Vo Chi Cong Street (Thu Duc City) - Dong Van Cong Street (Thu Duc City) - Mai Chi Tho Street (Thu Duc City) - Hanoi Highway (Thu Duc City). In the second phase from 2025 to 2030, long-haul buses with over 30 seats, except for city buses, funeral cars, official vehicles, and tourist buses, will not be allowed to enter the inner city from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm daily. The transport department believed that … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh City transport department proposes banning long-haul buses from inner city
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Hanoi strengthens tourism cooperation with Central Key Economic Zone
Hanoi is committed to working closely and effectively with Ho Chi Minh City and the Central Key Economic Zone in tourism. The link between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and the Central Key Economic Zone [comprising five localities of Thua Thien - Hue, Danang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, and Binh Dinh] is very important in the tourism development of those localities and the whole country. Nguyen Hong Minh, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, emphasized the need for closer connection at the preliminary conference on tourism development linkage between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and the five localities for 2021-2025 on August 8 in Quang Ngai Province. tourism in Hanoi and six cities and provinces have had positive results in the past time. Photo: Sun Group After two years of implementation, despite difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the city along with other provinces and cities has actively exchanged information, built new orientations in local … [Read more...] about Hanoi strengthens tourism cooperation with Central Key Economic Zone
Spain recognizes Vietnam’s new passport
Vietnamese, who wish to apply for visas, need to bring their new passports and identity cards to verify their place of birth. Spain has recognized that Vietnam's newly issued blue-violet passport includes necessary information required by international regulations, the Spanish Embassy in Hanoi announced on August 8. The notice said the latest move was taken after technical consultation by the Spanish authorities. “However, people who wish to apply for a visa need to bring their new passports and valid identity cards to verify their place of birth,” the Spanish Embassy noted. Spain was the second country to grant visas to holders of the new Vietnamese passport, after Germany. Photo: VGP It also warned that visa granted by Spain to bearers of Vietnam's new passport would not allow their entry into countries that have not accepted the redesigned passport, even if those countries are Schengen members. Therefore, the embassy recommended that visa … [Read more...] about Spain recognizes Vietnam’s new passport
North-Central-South tourism connectivity enhanced
At the conference In November 2020, leaders of the People’s Committees of seven localities signed an agreement on tourism development cooperation. The program will focus on state management of the tourism industry, the development of tourism human resources and tourist products, and tourism promotion. According to a report, seven cities and provinces received a total number of visitors of 17.7 million and earned VND63, 000 billion (US$2.7 billion) in tourism revenue in 2021. In the first six months of this year, the business outcome of tourism activities saw positive signs thanks to tourism reopening policies. The total number of tourists was estimated at around 32.9 million, including one million international visitors while the revenue from tourism was VND87, 900 (US$3.76 billion). Standing Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Quang Ngai Province, Tran Hoang Tuan speaks at the event. Speaking at the event, Standing Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of … [Read more...] about North-Central-South tourism connectivity enhanced
Hanoi adopts five-year public investment plan
According to the municipal People’s Committee, the disbursement of public capital of a number of projects has lagged behind schedule, with some stagnant projects in the 2016-2020 period cancelled. Meanwhile, the demand for middle-term public investment remains huge. In March, the committee asked local departments, districts and investors to make updates and adjustments to the city's plan. Along with requesting local authorities to apply measures to speed up the progress of projects from all stages, municipal authorities have asked for the allocation of enough capital for underway projects, the adjustments of stagnant projects and the careful consideration of new projects to match the city’s capacity in resource balancing. In order to effectively implement the plan, the city asked local sectors, departments and localities to work closely together to deal with difficulties in the disbursement of public investment capital, while speeding up the progress of new projects. The … [Read more...] about Hanoi adopts five-year public investment plan
FBI hands over illegally-acquired cultural artefacts to Vietnam
Vietnamese Ambassador in the US Nguyen Quoc Dung (third from the right) receives the handover of illegally-obtained cultural artefacts originating from Vietnam from the FBI. (Photo: VNA) Washington (VNA) – A number of illegally-obtained cultural artefacts originating from Vietnam have been returned to the Southeast Asian nation by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ). The transfer took place at the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington last week in the presence of representatives from the US’s Department of State and Department of Homeland Security. According to FBI, the US agency took possession of more than 7,000 artefacts illegally acquired by an American citizen during an operation from 2013 – 2014. It is the largest single discovery of cultural property in FBI history. A year before his death, the man agreed to relinquish these items and wished to return them to their rightful owners. With the help of experts, the FBI has managed to identify several … [Read more...] about FBI hands over illegally-acquired cultural artefacts to Vietnam
Investigation continues into Vietnamese accused of sexual assault in Spain
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a Monday statement the men got their passports back as their lawyers will represent them throughout the case. The ministry also confirmed that the men, identified as an actor and a composer, had left Spain for Vietnam. "The investigation into their conduct will continue. The Vietnamese Embassy in Spain and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to follow the case and coordinate with relevant agencies to handle the incident according to their duties and competence," it said. Spain's Ultima Hora newspaper reported Sunday the Provincial Court of Palma had decided on Aug.3 to return the passports of two Vietnamese citizens accused of sexually abusing a minor. On June 28, foreign media said two Vietnamese citizens were arrested on the island of Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, Spain, for allegedly raping a 17-year-old British girl. A spokesman of the Mallorca police department told VnExpress on July 1 that two Vietnamese men, 42 … [Read more...] about Investigation continues into Vietnamese accused of sexual assault in Spain
HCM City proposes city centre coach ban
The HCM City's Department of Transport has proposed banning sleeper coaches from the city centre. The HCM City's Department of Transport has proposed banning sleeper coaches from the city centre to curb congestion. According to the proposal, sleeper coaches are banned from most areas in the city centre between 6 am-10 pm from now until 2025, and after that coaches with over 30 seats will be added to the list. The ban, however, will not be applied to public transport or vehicles on duty. Fifteen areas in the city centre covered by the ban include Ton Duc Thang, Nguyen Huu Canh, and Nguyen Binh Khiem in District 1, and Nguyen Tat Thanh Street in District 4. Some areas around Tan Son Nhat Airport including Truong Chinh Street, Lang Cha Ca Roundabout, Cong Hoa - Hoang Hoa Tham Intersection, and Nguyen Thi Dinh Street will also ban those vehicles which is aimed at curbing constant congestion. Other areas include Nguyen Huu Tho - Nguyen Van Linh Intersection … [Read more...] about HCM City proposes city centre coach ban
Spain accepts Vietnamese new passports
After conducting compulsory technical consultations, authorised agencies of Spain decided to accept the new-style passport (dark blue cover) of Vietnam as it includes necessary information in line with international regulations. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Spanish Embassy in Vietnam has released a notice affirming that from August 8, it accepts visa applications of holders of the Vietnamese new passports again, requesting applicants to submit their valid ID cards together with the passports. According to the notice, after conducting compulsory technical consultations, authorised agencies of Spain decided to accept the new-style passport (dark blue cover) of Vietnam as it includes necessary information in line with international regulations. However, as the place of birth is a compulsory information for applicants of Schengen visas, holders of the new passports must include their valid ID cards in their applications to show this information, it said. It reminded … [Read more...] about Spain accepts Vietnamese new passports
☕ Afternoon briefing on August 8
Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency on August 8. - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 described digital transformation as an important tool for the building of an independent and self-reliant economy and the extensive and effective integration into the world. He made the remark while chairing the third meeting of the National Committee on Digital Transformation in Hanoi. Read full story - Issues in the areas of public security and culture, sports and tourism will be the focus of the upcoming question-and-answer session of the 15th National Assembly (NA)’s 14th session on August 10, according to a freshly-released plan of the NA Standing Committee. Read full story - A delegation of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) led by Lt. Gen. Hun Manet, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the RCAF and Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army, is making an official visit to Vietnam. Following an official welcome … [Read more...] about ☕ Afternoon briefing on August 8