New Briefs

By Joe Fotalattee

Vietnam’s President Nguyen Xuan Phuc Resigns

Following several changes in the country’s leadership, Vietnam’s President Nguyen Xuan Phuc declared he would step down. Following the dismissal of two deputy prime ministers, Pham Binh Minh and Vu Duc Dam, Phuc is the third high-level official to either resign from his position or be fired from it this month. On Wednesday, the National Assembly will convene to formally accept the resignation.

As president, Phuc had a significant influence on Politburo, the body that set the Communist Party of Vietnam’s policies. In a statement from his party, he was thanked for his service but it was also made clear that he was accountable for any infractions committed by those who worked for him.

Sleeper Bus Accident Kills Three

At 2 a.m. this morning, January 18, a sleeper bus lost control, flipped, and collided with three motorcycles while it was traveling on Highway 6 in Hoa Binh province. Twenty people were hurt and three people died immediately.

In an interview with Tuoi Tre Online on January 18, a representative of the People’s Committee of Tong Dau commune (Mai Chau district, Hoa Binh province) stated that the police department was investigating the traffic collision.

As soon as he entered the boundaries of Tong Dau commune, he lost control of his brakes, collided with three motorcycles, struck the right side rail, and overturned.

Stealing From Teachers

Tuoi Tre reported police in Ho Chi Minh City are looking for a man who broke into a primary school in Thu Duc City on Monday during a ceremony honoring the flag and stole VND15 million (US$640) from numerous teachers.

By Joe Fotalatte

Nine Percent Increase In Personal Savings

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) branch in HCMC reports that the number of people saving money at banks for the year 2022 increased significantly.

Data from the SBV, the nation’s central bank, revealed that capital raised by commercial banks in the city increased by an estimated 6%, and personal savings increased by 9.2% compared to the previous year. Given the unfavorable market circumstances in 2022, this was a good sign, according to Nguyen Duc Lenh, deputy director of the SBV branch in HCMC. He claimed that, in some ways, investing money in a bank is a safe and successful move.

Homes Donated To Poor For Tet
The FPT Corporation has donated 50 homes to underprivileged families in HCMC in honor of the upcoming Tet holiday, or the Lunar New Year.
In the Cu Chi neighborhood of the city’s outskirts, these charitable homes can be found in the communes of Hoa Phu, Phuoc Vinh An, Tan Thanh Tay, Tay Thanh Dong, Phu Hoa Dong, and An Phu.

The company gave 50 gift sets to underprivileged individuals . A representative from FPT stated to Saigon Times that the charitable homes given to low-income families before Tet serve as a small gift from FPT to spread love and hope for 2023.

The social program is a component of the “Happy House” project, which FPT and the Hope Foundation unveiled in September of last year.

Second Earthquake In Two Weeks In Northern Province

According to the Vietnam Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Center under the Institute of Geophysics, a magnitude-3 earthquake struck Nghe An Province in north-central Vietnam on Friday at 8:53 am at a depth of 10 km.

After the incident, the Vietnam Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Center stated that it would … Read more

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

To The Principal’s Office!
A foreign teacher in Ho Chi Minh City was fired for fighting with a security guard on the morning of December 9. The principal of Nguyen Thi Dieu High School, Duong Van Thu, confirmed the incident to the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that a foreign teacher and security guard got into a fight

The security guard N., 65, was verifying the students’ names and classes as they were leaving the school that morning, Thu explained. The security guard demanded that the schoolgirl remove her jacket, and when she refused, he started yelling at her.

The teacher did not agree with the security guard’s actions and shoved him to the ground. The school viewed it as an act of violence, and it harmed the school’s reputation. Therefore, the teacher’s contract was terminated.

International Tourism Ads
According to Nguyen Cam Tu, director of the tourism promotion center at the HCMC tourism department, a promotional video will air during the New Year’s Eve event broadcast live by CNN in Times Square. According to Tu, the action is a component of HCMC’s campaign to promote tourism to draw more foreign visitors.

The CNN website will also feature banners and videos promoting travel to HCMC. The HCMC Tourism Department will keep featuring pictures of the city on major media outlets like CNBC and Amadeus after CNN. There is no word yet on altering the current one-month visa policy in Vietnam, which strictly adheres to a specific date of entry, versus the flexible policies of other countries in the region.

Vietnam To Invest In Railway Infrastructure
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport proposed funding for the expansion of several railway projects in Ho Chi Minh City and the surrounding area during a meeting with officials from the Ministry of … Read more