Read what is in the news in Vietnam today:

Politics 

-- Vietnam appreciates the United States' recognition of its efforts in combating human trafficking, Pham Thu Hang, the spokeswoman for the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during a regular press briefing in Hanoi on Thursday. However, Vietnam urges the U.S. to provide fair and accurate evaluations of the country's religious and belief practices, using comprehensive information. Vietnam also asks to be removed from the U.S. special watch list for religious freedom.

-- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Thursday sent a message of condolences to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi over casualties in a serious stampede in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh two days earlier, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

Society

-- Thach Ban Park JSC has proposed developing a 30-kilometer-long automated guideway transit connecting Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City and Dam Sen Cultural Park in District 11 at a total cost of VND20 trillion (US$779 million), according to a recent report the municipal Department of Transport sent to the Department of Planning and Architecture.

-- The People’s Committee of Long An Province in southern Vietnam has passed a project to build corridors along over 80 rivers, canals, streams, lakes, and reserves to protect water sources.

-- Many parts of northern Vietnam are forecast to experience heavy downpours on Friday evening, while the central region might see scorching heat in the daytime and showers at night. Meanwhile, showers and thunderstorms are expected in the southern region late Friday afternoon, according to the national weather center.

Lifestyle

-- Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam will organize an international kite festival that is set to feature 100 types of kites from 10 countries between July 25 and 28, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism announced on Thursday.

Sports

-- The World Athletics has added Vietnamese runner Tran Thi Nhi Yen to a list of recipients of wild cards to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, taking the total of Vietnamese qualifiers for the Games to 16.

World News

-- Switzerland and the European Union resumed talks on financial market regulation on Thursday after dialogue was suspended in 2017, Reuters reported, citing the Swiss government as saying.

-- Hurricane Beryl took aim at some of Mexico's top tourist resorts on Thursday after churning past the Cayman Islands and belting Jamaica with winds that tore apart buildings and uprooted trees, according to Reuters.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!