Breakfast @ Tuoi Tre News - December 16

Check out the latest news in Vietnam today:

Society

-- The number of people hospitalized in a suspected food poisoning incident linked to ‘banh mi’ in Phan Thiet Ward, Lam Dong Province has risen to 80, local authorities said on Monday afternoon.

-- The Japanese government has announced US$1.5 million in emergency humanitarian assistance for Vietnam to support disaster relief and recovery efforts in 2025, with priority given to Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, and Lam Dong Provinces.

-- Da Nang plans to launch the office of the Vietnam International Financial Center on Sunday, the central city’s administration announced at a meeting on Monday.

-- Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday issued a renewed advisory urging Vietnamese citizens to immediately leave areas affected by armed clashes along the Thailand-Cambodia border, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.

-- Vietnam’s law-making National Assembly has passed amendments to the Law on Drug Prevention and Control, introducing electronic monitoring measures for people undergoing drug rehabilitation, effective July 1, 2026.

Ho Chi Minh City

-- Ho Chi Minh City has set a roadmap to fully transition government vehicles to electric and green energy, with the goal that 100 percent of public buses and government passenger cars will use clean energy by 2030, city authorities said.

-- Kazakhstan is preparing to open a Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and establish direct air links between the southern Vietnamese metropolis and the Kazakh capital Astana, Kazakh Ambassador to Vietnam Kanat Tumysh said during his meeting with chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc on Monday.

Education

-- Professor Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai has been appointed chancellor of Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, becoming the first woman to hold the position since the institution’s establishment.

Travel

-- Vietnam on Monday officially welcomed its 20 millionth international tourist of 2025, marking a historic milestone for the country’s tourism sector, with the ceremony held in Phu Quoc Special Zone, an island administered by the southern province of An Giang.

World News

-- Nasdaq, one of the world's largest exchanges that is home to tech companies Nvidia, Apple and Amazon, is planning to submit paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday to roll out round-the-clock trading of stocks, as it looks to capitalize on a global demand for U.S. equities, Reuters reported.