Breakfast @ Tuoi Tre News - January 4

Catch up on the news in Vietnam today:

Politics

-- Vietnam is deeply concerned about information regarding the current situation in Venezuela, calling on all relevant parties to respect international law and the United Nations Charter, including the principles of respecting national sovereignty and refraining from the use or threat of force in international relations, spokeswoman for the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said on Saturday.

-- Vietnamese Ambassador to Venezuela Vu Trung My confirmed on Saturday that all Vietnamese citizens in Venezuela were safe, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

-- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday night advised Vietnamese nationals to carefully consider travel to Venezuela due to the ongoing tension in the nation that poses risks to the citizens’ safety.

Society

-- Traffic police on Saturday found that a passenger bus traveling on the Phan Thiet - Vinh Hao Expressway in south-central Vietnam had committed serious traffic violations. Officers then imposed a total fine of over VND60 million (US$2,280) on the vehicle operator.

-- Traffic police officers in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam carried out an unannounced inspection at Nha Trang Tourist Wharf on Saturday, discovering a captain operating his vessel under the influence of alcohol, with 37 South Korean tourists on board.

Ho Chi Minh City

-- Traffic police in Ho Chi Minh City recorded nearly 6,400 violations of traffic safety regulations from Wednesday to Friday, including 2,075 drunk-driving cases, an officer said on Saturday.

-- During the New Year holiday, many young people in the city chose to take pottery-making classes and explore local attractions to save costs, while still enjoying time to relax.

Economy

-- Vietnam’s cement and clinker production was estimated to reach 104 million metric tons in 2025, up about 11 percent year on year, while total consumption hit an estimated 112 million metric tons, a 16-percent year-on-year increase, marking the highest levels of production and consumption recorded in many recent years, according to the Ministry of Construction.