HCM City to revise plan to limit taxisThe HCM City Department of Transport has asked for a revision of a taxi development plan to limit the number of taxis in HCM City up to 2025. The rapid increase in the number of taxis has contributed to traffic congestion and management difficulties for HCM City authorities. There are 11,000 traditional taxis operating in the city, while the number of Grab cars totals 21,050. Under the original plan, the total number of traditional and app-based taxis would have been limited to 14,460 by 2020 and 16,520 by 2025. The recent increase in the number of cars used by app-based taxi services has worsened traffic congestion, according to experts.

Sudden fire breaks out on passenger trainA fire suddenly broke out between two carriages on a train running through Phu Yen Province on June 6. The fire broke out on a passenger train in Phu Yen Province on June 6The fire broke out at 5.30 am when the Hue-Nha Trang train was running through Phu Yen Province. When the train arrived at Hao Son Station, the driver quickly called for all employees to help with the fire and let the passengers out. The fire was extinguished after 30 minutes and the train received a safety inspection. The third carriage, where the fire broke out, was detached from the train.

Vietnam Airlines’ pilots resign citing low salariesVietNamNet Bridge - Many pilots working for Vietnam Airlines, the national flag air carrier, said they are always under pressure and don’t receive high salaries, reported Family & Social Affairs Newspaper. Nearly 60 pilots of Vietnam Airlines have sought leave. The pay for Vietnamese pilots is ‘too low compared with those for foreign pilots with the same capability’. The pay for Vietnamese pilots is ‘too low compared with those for foreign pilots with the same capability’. I have been flying for Vietnam Airlines for 12 years,” he said, affirming that there is no provision about reimbursement in documents signed between Vietnam Airlines and pilots.

Staging English language plays, a creative education methodVietNamNet Bridge – The students of HCM City Open University’s foreign languages courses on June 2 translated a classic English novel, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, into a play and staged it at the Drama Theatre in HCM City’s District 1. Students of the HCM City Open University’s Faculty of Foreign Languages stage plays based on classic American and English novels at Drama Theatre in HCM City’s District 1. — VNS PhotoEveryone was delighted by the production’s quality as the amateur actors acted in a language that was not their mother tongue. The play was the third in a programme called THEATRE IN EDUCATION: English and American Literature Classes’ Performances this year. Students are building language skills, personal skills, and interpersonal skills.

ĐÀ NẴNG — The central city has been selected as a host of the Techcombank Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship in 2019. At the 2019 Techcombank Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship, triathletes will battle for 50 qualifying age group slots for the 2019 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice, France later in 2019. He said the city has seen positive effects from the Ironman race for the community and the city is committed to continue supporting the Techcombank Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship next year. Athletes can also email: im703vietnam@Sunriseevents.com.vnLast year, more than 1,600 people from 56 countries and territories, including 600 from Việt Nam, raced in the Techcombank Ironman 70.3 Việt Nam. The Techcombank Ironman 70.3 Việt Nam race has helped raise more than US$50,000 to support the charity Newborns Vietnam.

Vietnam commits to take action to control plastic waste in the seaVietNamNet Bridge - Plastic waste accounts for 50-80 percent of ocean waste, and more than 80 percent of plastics waste originates from the mainland, while the rest is discharged directly in the sea. The figure is calculated based on the volume of all kinds of waste on the sea, assuming that 55 percent is plastics waste. In Vietnam, recent research found that plastic waste, including domestic land litter and marine waste, is polluting the marine environment in the sea areas of Quang Binh, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and HCMC. Thanks to improved awareness and scientific development, there are many solutions to reduce the amount of plastic waste discharged into the sea. Experts emphasize the need to build policies to control the amount of plastic waste because they serve as a platform to apply other measures.

Mother of Las Vegas stabbing victim to travel to US to collect bodyThe mother of the man who died in Las Vegas stabbing wants to go to the US to bring her son’s body home. Sang was the director of Trieu Hao Tourist Company and Khuong was Sang's employee. They came to Las Vegas with a tour group of their company since May 30 but failed to show up for a trip to the Grand Canyon and couldn't be contacted. Khuong's mother, Thom, in Can Giuoc Town, Long An Province, said, "We had two sons, Khuong and his older brother, Nguyen Le Ba Phuoc. "His company is helping us completing procedures and travel fees to the US.

Da Nang changes policy on attracting talentsVietNamNet Bridge - Da Nang City authorities have shifted from training talented people for long-term use to inviting specialists to work for short-term projects. Da Nang tries to attract talentsWhen 40 civil servants who were trained under the Da Nang program on attracting talents to local state agencies (Program 922) resigned from their posts, analysts commented that the program had failed. Da Nang City, as a last resort, sued some of them for reimbursement of the training cost. Vo Ngoc Dong, director of the Da Nang Department of Interior Affairs, said the city will still run the program, together with attracting talents to work for short-term projects. “I wondered why Da Nang did not think of recruiting existing ‘talents’, rather than sending capable people for training and waiting for them to come back to work for Da Nang,” he said.

Many countries around the world have started to apply measures to minimize the use of plastic bags, plastic bottles and cans. New regulation sends social insurance debts downSpeakers are seen at a conference on social insurance debts in Hanoi in this file photo. More enterprises have fulfilled their social insurance payment obligations thanks to new regulationsSince Vietnam Social Security (VSS) was allowed to inspect and take legal actions against those enterprises having long-overdue social insurance debts, such debts have declined this year. VSS has conducted inspections into enterprises with social insurance debts overdue by three months and above, and made unannounced inspections into those incurring social insurance debts for six months and above. Three out of four firms in the northern province of Ninh Binh have paid their social insurance debts while the remaining firm has drawn up a roadmap for social insurance debt payment due to its difficulties in operation, Thang gave an example on the results of the inspections.

Beauty of Bac Ha in plum harvesting seasonThese days, farmers in Bac Ha district in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, are busy harvesting their Tam Hoa plums. The annual Bac Ha Plum Festival kicked off Monday morning in Bac Ha town, offering a chance for plum growers and visitors to catch up and enjoy the fresh, sweet and unique fruit of the Northwest. With more than 500 ha of plum, Bac Ha district is dubbed the “Tam Hoa plum capital” of Lao Cai province and of the whole region as well. Bac Ha, dubbed the White Plateau, is under a cover of cloud for most of the year. The Bac Ha Plum Festival has been held annually to promote the famous Tam Hoa plum.

VN, Czech enhance cooperation in aviation, automobile productionPM Nguyen Xuan Phuc proposed Viet Nam and the Czech Republic make efforts in enhancing and expanding cooperation in economics, trade and investment at his reception for Czech Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies and President of the Czech-Morava Communist Party Vojtech Filip on June 5 in Ha Noi. Viet Nam will facilitate cooperative projects with the Czech Republic, asserted the Vietnamese leader, adding that the nation welcomes the Czech Republic to promote cooperation with Viet Nam in automobile production. Viet Nam is willing to support the Czech Republic to strengthen the relationship with ASEAN and its country members, he confirmed. He suggested the Vietnamese Government support launching the direct air route between the two nations to boost trade, cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. The Czech Republic is actively promoting cooperative projects in labor exports with the northern province of Quang Ninh and a project on automobile production with the hope of bringing more cooperative opportunities for the two sides.

TV market turns sour with World Cup uncertaintyDomestic television retailers are on the edge because VTV or other televisions have yet to announce securing the 2018 World Cup’s TV rights, with only 10 days to go. Dien May Xanh website's TV promotional programme“Buy a TV and receive a keg of beer or Coca-Cola,” “Buy a TV with 0 per cent interest rate,” and “VND2 million ($88) off every TV set,” are just some promotions TV sellers use to boost sales in the World Cup season. thegioitiepthi.vn stated that as the World Cup approaches, retailers and market research company GFK expect TV sales to reach three million this year. However, TV retailers are getting desperate as only 10 days remain until the World Cup. “If the average monthly TV sales are about 240,000, sales during the World Cup will be 600,000 units,” Thach added.

Photographic Society of America opens photo exhibition in HanoiThe Association of Vietnamese Photography Artists (AVPA) and the Photographic Society of America (PSA) are jointly hosting the PSA international photo exhibition in Hanoi through June 17, news website Vietnamplus reports. The PSA international photo exhibition is open to visitors at the Vietnam Art Photograph Archives and Exhibition Center until June 17The exhibition, taking place at the Vietnam Art Photograph Archives and Exhibition Center, featuring 148 snapshots taken by professional and amateur photographers from 43 countries . The exhibition also offers a chance for domestic and international photographers to introduce their works, and discuss photography trends and techniques. The PSA international photo exhibition will visit HCMC from July 21 to August 5. Founded in 1934, the Photographic Society of America (PSA) is a worldwide organization providing a wide range of services that promote the art and science of photography as a means of communication, appreciation of images and cultural exchange.

HCM City shooting kills one, leaves one injuredHCM City police are investigating a shooting which has killed a man and injured another. The scene of the incidentThe case happened on the afternoon of June 3 on National Highway 1 section running through District 12. When Kiet and his friend were approaching the group, two other people tried to overtake the group and then opened fire using a shotgun to shoot the group. Kiet later died at hospital, while his friend faced light injuries. After leaving school, Kiet left his hometown for HCM City to earn his living.

Hanoi’s special lotus teaNguyen Thi Dan has made lotus tea in Hanoi's Tay Ho District for 70 years. This long process is probably why West Lake lotus tea is one of the most expensive teas in Vietnam. In recent years, the tea makers have used whole lotus flowers to make a type of tea called tra xoi. To many households in Quang An Ward, making lotus tea is a way of preserving one of Hanoi's oldest crafts. Nguyen Thi Dan separates the lotus petals, stamen and pistil to make teaSpecial lotus tea in HanoiTra xoi is much cheaperDan Viet/Dtinews