Timber exports reach US$8.7 billion in seven months

Timber exports rose 21% year-on-year to US$8.7 billion between January and July, according to the General Department of Customs. The US led the import markets with about US$4.9 billion, up 22% year-on-year, followed by China with US$1 billion, increasing 49% year-on-year.

Processing wood for export in Ung Hoa District, Hanoi. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times

Vietnam pockets five medals at Int'l Physics Olympiad

All five members of the Vietnamese team won medals at the 2024 International Physics Olympiad held in Iran from July 21 to 29, bringing home two gold and three silver medals in the annual contest for high school students that began in 1967. Vietnam first participated in the contest in 1981.

Two foreigners deported for graffiti on local property

Police in Ho Chi Minh City have fined and deported a 24-year-old New Zealander (Tardieu Kerrigan Marcus Trevor) and a 26-year-old French man (Extrammiana Pablo) for vandalizing local properties without permission. They were also ordered to restore the properties to their original condition.

Haiphong opens biggest sports festival for students

The 10th National Phu Dong Sports Festival 2024 opened on July 28 at Lach Tray Stadium in the northern port city of Haiphong under the theme "Phu Dong Youth - Stepping Forward to the Future". The largest student sports festival has attracted more than 8,900 athletes from 63 provinces to compete in 217 events in 15 sports. The festival will last until August 6.

Hanoi accelerates digitization of civil status data

Hanoi plans to accelerate the digitization of civil status data and complete it by October 31. The initiative involves the Department of Justice, local authorities, and civil servants and focuses on digitizing records, ensuring data accuracy, and integrating with the national population database.

Vietnam's coracle among the world's best boating experiences

The coracle experience in Cam Thanh coconut forest, Hoi An City, on July 28, has been ranked among the top 25 boating experiences in the world for 2024 by Tripadvisor. Other Vietnamese experiences on the list include kayaking in Lan Ha Bay (Haiphong) and Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh).

Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 to take place in South Korea

The Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 in Korea will include a series of events from July to September. The highlight will be the Vietnam Pho Festival, a two-day event to take place in September in Seoul's Yeouido Park, featuring approximately 70 booths, including 40 pho booths and cuisine from many of Vietnam's long-standing pho brands. This is the second time the event has been held in another country, following the one in Tokyo, Japan.