What you need to know on New Year’s Day:

Society

-- Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in a meeting on Tuesday that giving gifts to central leaders is banned during Tet, or Vietnam’s Lunar New Year, which is just a few weeks away.

-- Former deputy chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Huu Tin was sentenced to seven years in jail for land mismangement at a court on Tuesday.

-- A lot of foreigners have come to Vietnam for retirement but there is still room for improvement when it comes to an official retirement-visa policy in the Southeast Asian country, according to a quick survey conducted by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

-- Ho Chi Minh City warmly welcomed the first 13 visitors from abroad on board two flights from Japan and France at Tan Son Nhat International Airport on Wednesday morning.

Business

-- Airlines in Vietnam have increased the number of flights to meet high travel demands around Tet, or Vietnam’s Lunar New Year, which is just a few weeks away.

-- National carrier Vietnam Airlines has announced hikes in their fees and ticket prices right ahead of Tet, considered the peak travel season of the year.

Lifestyle

-- Vietnamese and foreigners took to the streets in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to enjoy fireworks displays to celebrate New Year’s Eve on Tuesday.

Sports

-- Vietnam U23s will leave for Thailand at 4:00 pm on Wednesday to prepare for the 2020 AFC U23 Championship, taking place from January 8 to 26.  

-- Nguyen Thi Oanh, a 23-year-old female runner, was voted the number-one athlete of Vietnam in 2019.

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