Society
-- Ho Chi Minh City has set a target of earning VND1.2 trillion (US$52.6 million) each day for the 2018 budget, Nguyen Thanh Phong, chair of the municipal People’s Committee revealed at a seminar on Saturday.
-- The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has requested municipal police to tighten their grip over payment in bitcoin pending an official legal framework that would allow the government to better manage the cryptocurrency.
-- A cold spell will continue to chill northern and north-central Vietnamese provinces, while holidaymakers will enjoy warm weather in southern localities, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
-- Violations have been found in the construction of an imposing villa owned by a top executive at Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel JSC, located in Thai Nguyen City in the namesake northern province, in stark contrast with its loss-making project and workers’ meager salaries.
Business
-- An increasing number of urbanites in Ho Chi Minh City have taken to growing safe vegetables at home with affordable cultivation techniques available for their own consumption and as gifts for the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) occasion.
-- The Ho Chi Minh City tax department has announced fulfillment of its annual budget collection target, with imported luxury cars contributing greatly to a total earning of VND109.1 trillion ($4.7 billion) as of Saturday morning.
-- The Airports Corporation of Vietnam, the operator of the country’s civilian airports, has said more aircraft parking spots and speedier check-in procedures will be available at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City to better cope with the influx of air passengers for the upcoming Lunar New Year.
-- The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has requested officials to tighten their grip over payment in bitcoin pending an official legal framework that would allow the government to better manage the cryptocurrency.
Lifestyle
-- The Government Office has given the green light to Ho Chi Minh City’s petition to organize fireworks shows in celebration of the New Year and upcoming Lunar New Year.
-- Residents and out-of-towners flocked to coach stations in Ho Chi Minh City since early Saturday to get home or go on trips for their New Year holiday celebration.