Breakfast @ Tuoi Tre News — January 8

Read what is in the news in Vietnam today:

Politics

-- Many ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions highly valued Vietnam’s recent development achievements and expressed high expectations for the country’s future development directions, heard a meeting in Hanoi on Wednesday.

Society

-- A cold air mass reached the south-central region on Thursday and is continuing to expand deeper into the southern region, while many localities in central Vietnam may experience scattered rains today, according to the national weather center.

-- The People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province on Wednesday imposed a total fine of VND92 million (US$3,500) on the owner of a ‘banh mi’ outlet in Phan Thiet Ward for causing a severe food poisoning incident, in which 89 people were hospitalized after eating its ‘banh mi’ in mid-December 2025.

-- The 60-kilometer-long Vinh-Thanh Thuy Expressway project, which is expected to shorten the distance between Thanh Thuy Border Gate and urban areas and seaports, strengthen regional and international connectivity, and boost the development of the border-gate economy, is scheduled to get off the ground on April 30, with a total investment of nearly VND24 trillion ($913 million).

Ho Chi Minh City

-- A fierce fire broke out on a tourist boat that was moored on the Saigon River, Ho Chi Minh City at around 4:00 pm on Wednesday. Authorities in Thanh My Tay Ward were working with police officers at 9:00 pm to examine the scene and investigate the cause of the blaze.

-- The municipal Department of Industry and Trade on Wednesday announced that the city’s administration had approved a project titled ‘Building the city into a major service hub of the country and the region, featuring high-end, modern service industries with high added value.’

-- The Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee has thrown its support behind a proposal by Khang Dien House Trading and Investment Joint Stock Company to continue the renovation of Ben Thanh Market, Nguyen Hue and Dong Khoi Streets, and several roundabouts in downtown Ho Chi Minh City.

Economy

-- Vietnam’s stock market closed 2025 on a divergent note, with the benchmark VN-Index of the Ho Chi Minh City bourse surging 40.9 percent despite sharp falls in numerous stocks.

-- Vietnam aims for a total seafood output of over 10 million metric tons in 2026, up 0.6 percent from 2025, while seafood export turnover is targeted at around $11.5 billion.

Travel

-- Khanh Hoa Province in south-central Vietnam will host an international kitesurfing tournament at My Hoa Beach in Vinh Hai Commune from January 15 to 17, featuring the participation of 200 local and international riders, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism announced on Wednesday.