Nguyen Ayi

By Joe Fotalatee

Two Deputy Prime Ministers Canned
Amid protracted investigations fueled by a campaign to root out corruption, Vietnam fired two deputy prime ministers, the most senior officials to be relieved of their duties since 2017.

The National Assembly removed Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam from office after a four-day special session. The vote also resulted in the removal of Pham Binh Minh, who had served in the role since late 2013.

According to the news website VnExpress, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh asked the National Assembly earlier today to dismiss Minh and Dam at their requests. The National Assembly tally shows 484 delegates cast ballots, 476 did so in favor of the dismissals, and three abstained.

Vietnam Oil Production Slowed
The government announced on Thursday that the largest oil refinery in Vietnam will experience a 20–25% drop in output during the first ten days of January due to the shutdown of its residual fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC) unit.

The government announced in a statement that the RFCC unit at the 200,000 barrel-per-day Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical leaks.
Late last month, Reuters was the first to report on the shutdown.

To make up for the shortage and “ensure sufficient fuels for the local market until the end of the first quarter,” the Ministry of Industry and Trade has asked fuel dealers to increase their imports.

Updated Blue Passports With Birth Dates
The new version of the Vietnamese passport will include the holder’s place of birth information starting on September 15, according to a directive from the Ministry of Public Security to the Viet Nam Immigration Department.

According to To Lam, the minister of public security, the new passport for Vietnam is a result of the 2019 National Assembly-approved Law on the Exit and Entry of Vietnamese … Read more

By Joe Fotalattee

Boy Falls Into 35-Meter-Deep Hole

Rescue workers in the province of Đồng Tháp Province are currently working to save a 10-year-old boy who fell into a concrete hole. The boy, Nam, entered a construction site at 11:30 a.m. on December 31 to collect scrap metal with two other boys on provincial road No. 857 in Ph Li Commune.

The rescue crew arrived on the scene thirty minutes later and made several attempts to save him. The pillar would not come out despite their best efforts. The boy in the hole received water and oxygen.

To save Nam, the rescue crew worked all night. Three excavators and one crane were used by the team of about 100 people this morning to dig the hole needed to remove the concrete pillar.

The boy has still not been retrieved from the hole as of 11:30 this morning.

Hanoi Considers Fees For Cars

As part of its efforts to reduce traffic jams, which cost the city an estimated $1 billion annually and have made air pollution five times worse, Hà Noi may think about charging vehicles entering the inner city.

Don Minh Tâm, a former leader of the Institute of Transport Science and Technology, stated to the online newspaper Dân Tri, “We need to review ongoing solutions for traffic jams.”

He proposed three components of the solution, including seeking expert advice for Hà Noi’s traffic planning to 2030 with an eye toward 2050, a proposal for motorcycle-restricted areas, and a plan to charge vehicles entering the inner-city areas.

Tan Son Nhat Airport Is Prepared For Peak Season

The number of passengers flying through Tân Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City has increased as a result of people traveling for the New Year’s holidays, which will be observed between December 31, … Read more