Breakfast @ Tuoi Tre News - December 23

Check out the latest news in Vietnam today:

Politics

-- The special ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting on the current Cambodia-Thailand situation was held on Monday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where the bloc’s foreign ministers voiced deep concern over escalating tensions between the two countries, calling for restraint, an immediate ceasefire, and renewed dialogue to protect civilians and safeguard regional peace, security, and stability.

Society

-- A chain-reaction crash involving seven vehicles on National Highway 5 in Hai Phong City on Monday afternoon killed two people and injured another, police said, as traffic was briefly disrupted near a major industrial zone.

-- Cold air continues to dominate Vietnam on Tuesday, creating three contrasting weather patterns nationwide, with cold and misty conditions in the north, widespread rain in the central region, and mostly sunny weather in the south, according to the national weather agency.

-- A large fire broke out early on Tuesday morning at Xanh Market in Hanoi, spreading rapidly through clothing and fabric stalls and forcing nearby residents to evacuate their belongings as firefighters battled thick smoke and strong winds. No casualties were reported.

Ho Chi Minh City

-- Police in Ho Chi Minh City have arrested seven suspects accused of using chemicals to turn pork into fake beef, producing about 600 kilograms a day and supplying some 75 eateries across the city and nearby areas.

-- The Ho Chi Minh City administration has approved a 200-meter extension of its metro line 2 project to ensure full synchronization with metro line 1 at Ben Thanh Station.

Economy

-- Singapore-based UOB has forecast Vietnam’s economic growth at 7.7 percent in 2025, driven largely by resilient exports, especially shipments to the U.S..

Travel

-- Vietnam’s newly launched national tourism data platform, Visit Vietnam, is expected to help attract more international visitors by unifying promotion, strengthening data connectivity, and improving access to potential travelers, tourism experts and industry leaders said.

World News

-- Australia's most populous state is set to pass tougher gun laws, ban the display of terrorist symbols and curb protests after the state parliament's lower house cleared a bill late on Monday in an emergency sitting following the Bondi mass shooting, Reuters reported.

-- Nvidia has told Chinese clients it aims to start shipping its second-most powerful AI chips to China before the Lunar New Year holiday in mid-February, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters.