☕ Afternoon briefing on June 13

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

☕ Afternoon briefing on June 13

Hanoi (VNA) – The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

- Minister Counsellor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen, Chargé d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), has affirmed Vietnam’s commitment to protecting and promoting the rights of people with disabilities (PwD) when he attended the 18th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP18) held from June 10-12 at the UN headquarters in New York.

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Nguyen said that the commitment was demonstrated through its promulgated policies and legal documents, including the 2010 Law on Persons with Disabilities and the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2014. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has freshly signed a decision approving a project on adjustments to the Ho Chi Minh City Master Plan until 2040, with a vision to 2060.

Accordingly, by 2060, the southern metropolis will establish itself as a global, civilised, modern, and compassionate city whose development level is comparable to that of large cities worldwide. It will become an economic, financial, and service hub of Asia, a growth powerhouse, and a development impulse for the South and Vietnam as a whole. It is expected to have high living standards and quality, along with well developed economy and culture while serving as a destination of international financial institutions and corporations. Read full story

- Journalist and scholar Gaston Fiorda from the East Asian centre under Argentina’s Gino Germani Research Institute has described Vietnam as an important destination within ASEAN at a recent scientific workshop recently held in the South American country.

In his presentation, the scholar laid stress on the leadership role of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), particularly Party General Secretary To Lam, in driving state apparatus streamlining while accelerating science-techology development, digital transformation, international integration, and private sector growth. Read full story

- Miyake Kazuhisa, former chief representative of Kyodo News in Vietnam, has recently shared his insightful perspectives on the remarkable evolution of Vietnamese journalism, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Vietnam's Revolutionary Press Day (June 21).

Talking to Vietnam News Agency (VNA) correspondents in Japan, Miyake, who served two terms as Kyodo’s bureau chief in Hanoi, reflected on the stark contrast between the two periods. Read full story

- Wutip, the first storm arising in the East Sea so far this year, has caused widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage in central localities, prompting them to take urgent response measures.

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Landslides on a section of the Ho Chi Minh Road in Quang Tri province (Photo: VNA)

In Quang Tri, thousands have been urgently evacuated as authorities race to protect lives and minimise further losses. Read full story

- The High-level People's Court in Hanoi held an appeal hearing to review the appeals of 11 defendants involved in the second phase of the "repatriation flight" case during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among those appealing are Tran Tung, former Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Thai Nguyen province; Nguyen Van Van, former Deputy Director of Quang Nam province’s Department of Health; Le Ngoc Tuong, former Deputy Director of Quang Nam province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; along with several other defendants from companies and businesses linked to the case. Read full story

- In preparation for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in 2027, Phu Quoc island city in the southern province of Kien Giang is actively raising public awareness and encouraging community involvement in building a green, clean, beautiful, and civilised city so as to shape the image of “Every Phu Quoc resident serves as a tourism ambassador.”

Hosting this important event is expected to offer a chance for the city to build a long-term development foundation in terms of infrastructure, management mindset, investment attraction, and urban planning. Read full story

- The Ministry of Construction officially granted an air transport licence to Sun Phu Quoc Company Limited (Sun PhuQuoc Airways), an airline brand invested in and developed by Vietnamese conglomerage Sun Group.

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A graphic image of a new terminal of Phu Quoc International Airport (Photo: CPG Consultants)

Sun PhuQuoc Airways (SPA) has been licensed to operate under a traditional full-service business model with high-quality standards, while also incorporating a charter flight model. With Phu Quoc as its central hub, Sun PhuQuoc Airways aims to connect Vietnam’s island paradise with major domestic economic and tourism centers such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and other key cities. Read full story

- The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel has advised Vietnamese citizens to strictly follow safety and security regulations issued by local authorities, minimise inter-city travel, and stay close to shelters when possible.

The recommendation follows the issuance of nationwide emergency security guidelines by Israel’s Home Front Command on June 13 amid the heightened risk of a large-scale missile attack from the east, as Israel continues its military campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile facilities. Read full story

- The Central Executive Board of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Sangha held a ceremony on June 13 at An Hoa Tu Pagoda in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang to commemorate the 86th anniversary of the sect’s founding (1939–2025).

Hoa Hao Buddhism was founded by Huynh Phu So on the 18th day of the fifth lunar month in 1939, which falls on June 13 this year./. Read full story

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Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left) meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on March 25. (Photo: VNA)

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Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung (Source: MoFA)

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Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh (R) receives Chay Borin, Minister of Cult and Religion of Cambodia, in Hanoi on March 25 (Photo: VNA)

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Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam (R) and Thongly Sisoulith, member of the Lao Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union at a photo exhibition held as part of the ceremony marking he 95th anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in Vientiane on March 25. (Photo: VNA)

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Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Minh Vu pays a New Year visit to the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (Photo: VNA)

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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) meets with Russian Railways CEO Oleg Belozyorov (Photo: VNA)

PM works with leading Russian infrastructure enterprises

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