President Tran Dai Quang on June 19 sent a message of condolences to his Portuguese counterpart Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa over human and property losses caused by forest fires in central Portugal.
Hanoi (VNA) – President Tran Dai Quang on June 19sent a message of condolences to his Portuguese counterpart Marcelo Rebelo deSousa over human and property losses caused by forest fires in centralPortugal.
The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister PhamBinh Minh also extended his sympathies to Portuguese Foreign Minister AugustoSantos Silva over the disaster.
The devastating forest fires broke out on June 17 in PedrogaoGrande city, about 200km south-east of Lisbon capital city, killing at least 62people and injuring over 60 others, five of them seriously.
The combination of high temperatures and strong windsappeared to have contributed to the rapid spread of the fires. Portugal is suffering a severe heatwave with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in many areas.
More than 1,000 firefighters are still battling the blaze,which spread to neighbouring regions of Castelo Branco and Coimbra on June 19.
Earlier, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costaannounced three days of national mourning for the victims of the forest fires.
In 2016, many fires ravaged the country with 40 homes beingdestroyed and 5,400 hectares of land burned.-VNA
The Ministry of Agriculture &Rural Development has instructed the People’s Committees of all provinces and cities to increase forest-fire protection and to make it a main task during the dry season.
The Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau is taking plenty of precautions this year after several forest fires broke out last year at the U Minh Ha National Park.
Localities across the country are preparing seedlings in service of dispersal tree planting and concentrated afforestation, according to Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The Central Highlands region is mobilising resources to prevent forest fires as it is the peak of the dry season, which begins in November and ends in April every year.
Since the Strategic Partnership was established in 2020, Vietnam and New Zealand have witnessed steady growth in the relations. Beyond the remarkable 40% increase in bilateral trade over five years, political relations and multilateral interactions, particularly within the CPTPP framework, have remained highly positive.
Known as the “four pillars for Vietnam’s ascend”, the Pobiburo's Resolutions 57, 59, 66, and 68 focus on cultivating a robust national entrepreneurial spirit, unlocking resources for innovation across society, and accelerating the development of digital economy, knowledge-based economy, green economy, and circular economy, propelling Vietnam forward rapidly and firmly on the path of modernisation and international integration.
Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang cleared up deputies' concern regarding how to spur socio-economic growth, renew traditional growth motives and establish new momentum for development.
Vietnam proposed several priorities: narrowing the digital divide, strengthening women’s leadership in the digital economy and AI governance, and mobilising sustainable financing for gender equality initiatives in line with each country’s national priorities and context. Vietnam also advocated for genuine women’s participation and leadership across all areas of public life.
Ha expressed his hope that cooperation in science and technology, agriculture, and natural resources would emerge as new focal points and engines of growth in Vietnam–China relations.
Giang said he believes that building on the solid foundation nurtured over the past half-century and the strong determination of both nations, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will continue to grow in a more robust, comprehensive, and extensive manner, thus bringing more practical benefits to the two nations' people.
Highlighting the transformative potential of the draft law in revitalising Vietnam’s railway industry, Hoang Van Cuong, a deputy of Hanoi, expressed his support for Article 39, which empowers the Prime Minister to issue a list of railway-related goods and services to be assigned or ordered from domestic enterprises for production.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, Hoan, formerly Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, is under investigation for allegedly taking bribes in connection with a case involving the Hoang Long Construction and Manpower Supply JSC and related units.
Chairing a national conference on the organisation of the examination on June 18, the PM highlighted the historical significance of the examination, as the restructuring of provincial-level administrative units is underway and the two-tier local administration model is set to officially begin operations on July 1.
Right on the same day, the ministry issued its highest-level travel warning, urging Vietnamese citizens not to travel to Israel or Iran, and advised those already in these countries to swiftly consider evacuation or relocation plans.
From the struggles against colonialists and imperialists to the period of Doi moi (renewal) and international integration, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has always played a pioneering role on the ideological and cultural front, he said.
The Party leader's working session with the standing boards of the Party Committees of HCM City, Ba Ria – Vung Tau and Binh Duong, the VNA General Director's remarks on the occasion of the 19th OANA General Assembly, the launch of new NIC - Google initiatives aimed at bolstering AI entrepreneurship and digital literacy in Vietnam are among news highlights June 18.
Vietnam and Indonesia reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in combating terrorism as it remains a threat to peace, security, and stability across their respective nations, the broader region, and the international community.
The Vietnamese representative also emphasised the shared responsibility of relevant parties to build trust, enhance cooperation, and jointly manage the risks of conflict, thus safeguarding long-term peace and stability in the East Sea.
The National Assembly on June 18 passed the law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality, with 408 out of 420 participating deputies voting in favour, accounting for 85.36% of the total.
The Party leader asked the new HCM City to embrace a multi-centre and integrated urban ecosystem where each development pole functions as a link complementary to and intelligently connected with each other in a harmonious whole.
The resolutions issued by the PM as well as ministries and ministry-level agencies reassign responsibility for 346 administrative procedures - 18 from district to provincial levels, 278 to commune level, and 50 eliminated.
Legislators are due to pass several amended laws, including the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy, and the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality.
The forest fires (Source: EPA/TTXVN) 
