Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon fell by one-third in the first six months of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s administration compared to the same period of last year, the government said Thursday. The 33.6 percent drop is based on satellite images captured by the National Institute of Space Research, …
Read More »US wants coalition of nations to engage China in curbing synthetic drugs
The U.S. wants other countries to engage China on limiting the flow of synthetic drugs, the State Department’s top official on narcotics said on Thursday, as Washington complains of a lack of cooperation from Beijing to combat illegal trade in the dangerous substances. On the eve of a U.S.-led conference …
Read More »New crocodile newt species discovered in Vietnam
A team of Vietnamese and German researchers has found a new species of crocodile newt in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum. Named Tylototriton ngoclinhensis, the new amphibian was found in Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve in late May following a field survey conducted by nine researchers. Their study was …
Read More »Construction of Long Thanh airport terminal to begin in August
Construction of the Long Thanh International Airport terminal will begin in August at a cost of VND35 trillion (US$1.4 billion). Speaking at a meeting Thursday with leaders of the southern Dong Nai Province on land acquisition and payment of compensation for the airport, Nguyen Tien Viet, deputy general director of …
Read More »Dak Lak attacks not about race: foreign ministry
Vietnam says last month’s deadly attacks on two People’s Committee offices in Dak Lak Province, which resulted in nine deaths, had no ‘racial factors.’ “We completely deny these wrong opinions,” spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said at a press conference Thursday. She was responding to …
Read More »Vietnam rejects products containing China’s illegal claims
Vietnam prohibits the propagation of products and prints that include China’s infamous and illegal “nine-dash line” map, which falsely lays claim to Vietnamese territory, the foreign ministry announced Thursday. “Vietnam’s stance on the nine-dash line is clear and consistent, and has been clarified many times,” spokeswoman of the Ministry of …
Read More »Strong private sector hiring tops US forecasts in June
Private sector employment in the United States came in well above expectations, fueled by leisure and hospitality, according to data from payroll firm ADP released Thursday. The surge in private sector hiring shows the labor market remains remarkably hot despite the U.S. Federal Reserve’s aggressive campaign of 10 consecutive interest …
Read More »Climate change, El Nino drive hottest June on record
The world saw its hottest June on record last month, the EU’s climate monitoring service said Thursday, as climate change and the El Nino weather pattern looked likely to drive another scorching northern summer. The announcement from the EU monitor Copernicus marked the latest in a series of records for …
Read More »Vietnam probes Blackpink concert organizer over South China Sea map
Vietnam has launched an inspection into K-pop group Blackpink’s tour organizer’s website, ahead of its concert in Hanoi, over criticism from fans that it shows a map of the South China Sea with disputed boundaries. The controversy follows Vietnam’s decision to ban Warner Bros’ highly-anticipated film “Barbie” over a scene …
Read More »Hanoi girl bags IELTS 9 score, says she practices English every day
A 12th grader who has got 9 overall in her first IELTS exam ever says she does not learn English for the test but just tries to use it as a second language. Khuat Nguyen Linh, 17, a student at Hanoi – Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, received her …
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