Breakfast @ Tuoi Tre News - January 10

Check out the latest news in Vietnam today:

Politics

-- Party General Secretary To Lam on Friday received U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper, who paid a farewell visit at the conclusion of his term in office, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

-- The Vietnamese military on Friday deployed six helicopters to support security operations for the upcoming 14th National Party Congress, scheduled for January 19-25 in Hanoi.

-- Vietnam has full historical evidence and legal basis to affirm its sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago in accordance with international law, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said on Friday, in response to reporters’ questions about Vietnam's reaction to China’s inauguration of a commercial center on Phu Lam Island in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa.

Economy

-- Vietnam officially launched its International Financial Center in Da Nang on Friday, marking a major step in the country’s strategy to integrate more deeply into global financial markets.

Society

-- Six members of the same family in Ninh Binh Province were hospitalized with suspected food poisoning on Thursday evening after eating seeds from a jicama plant, prompting health authorities to order an urgent investigation.

-- Seven people, including two Vietnamese and five Russian tourists, were rescued and brought safely ashore in four separate incidents after being swept away by strong waves while swimming off Nha Trang beach on Friday, local rescue authorities said, as rough sea conditions continued along the coast.

-- The administration of Nha Trang Ward in Khanh Hoa Province confirmed on Friday it had fined BlueSea Beach & Bar, whose staff were filmed threatening foreign tourists with tools during the New Year holiday, VND50 million (US$1,910) for multiple violations related to food service and business operations along the Nha Trang beachfront.

-- A diet high in salt and protein but low in fiber, combined with insufficient water intake, is a key reason why Vietnam has one of the highest rates of urinary stones globally, experts said at an advanced training workshop on minimally invasive endourology held in Ho Chi Minh City from Thursday to Friday.