☀️ Morning digest January 10

Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last night by the Vietnam News Agency.

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh required that the railway industry optimise existing assets, finance and human resources to modernise its operation, contributing to developing transport and realising the strategic breakthrough of transport infrastructure set in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.

Addressing a conference to launch production and business plans and tasks in 2024 of the Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) on January 9, the PM underlined the crucial role played by the railway sector in developing the national transport infrastructure. Read full story

- The Can Tho municipal Union of Friendship Organisations, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Cuba in Ho Chi Minh City, held a ceremony in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on January 9 to mark the 65th anniversary of the National Day of Cuba (January 1).

In his speech, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thuc Hien recalled that the year 2023 saw several important anniversaries in bilateral relations, including the 60th founding anniversary of the Cuban Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam, the predecessor of the Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Association, and the 50th year since Leader Fidel Castro visited Vietnam for the first time and travelled to the liberated area in southern Vietnam when the war in Vietnam was at a fierce time. Read full story

- Culture always serves as a bridge between nations, fostering closer connection among them, Chairwoman of the Argentina-Vietnam Culture Institute (ICAV) Poldi Sosa Schmidt told Vietnam News Agency in a recent interview in Buenos Aires.

Known as a great friend of the Vietnamese people, Poldi Sosa has dedicated 27 years since the establishment of ICAV to passionately introduce and popularise Vietnam's history, culture, and people to the Argentinean people. Read full story

- The Vietnam Social Security (VSS) has presented social insurance books and health insurance cards to those in difficult circumstances ahead of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, with an aim to expand the coverage of social welfare.

This annual endeavour, conducted at both central and local levels, aligns with the goal of providing all people with social and health insurance set forth in resolutions 20-NQ/TW and 28-NQ/TW of the Party Central Committee. Read full story

- Nestlé Vietnam has decided to invest an additional 100 million USD in its Tri An factory in southern Dong Nai province, lifting total investment capital in the establishment to more than 500 million USD, according to its General Director Binu Jacob.

Jacob said the investment aims to double the processing capacity of high-quality coffee products at the factory, towards meeting the increasing demand for coffee, and turning Vietnam into a high-value coffee production and supply centre for the global market. Read full story

- The 1.3-billion-USD LEGO factory is scheduled to start operation in 2024, Preben Elnef, Vice President of the LEGO Group and General Manager of LEGO Manufacturing Vietnam said at his meeting on January 9 with Chairman of Binh Duong province's People’s Committee Vo Van Minh.

Elnef said that the LEGO project is expected to complete an important phase in 2024, shifting from planning to production. The group has cooperated with partners to ensure 110 kV grid connection and deploy solar power systems for production to achieve the net zero emissions target. This is not just a commitment to efficient production but also a positive contribution to the environment, he said. Read full story

- Vietnamese exporters are recommended to gear up and act flexible with response measures in the face of transport disruption in the Red Sea.

Tran Thanh Hai, Deputy Director of the Foreign Trade Agency at the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), said the Red Sea tension could raise the shipping cost for one cargo container destined for Europe by 1,000-2,000 USD, and the commodities hit hardest include textiles-garments, footwear, wood products, and electronic devices. Read full story

- The 2024 New Year book street festival will take place on Le Loi street, District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City from February 7-14, reported the municipal Department of Information and Communications on January 9.

The event, covering an expansive area of 11,200 sq.m, will feature more than 20 publishing houses showcasing over 3,000 titles, including Tet greeting poems and articles by President Ho Chi Minh; award-winning creative works centered around the theme "Studying and following the thought, morals and lifestyle of President Ho Chi Minh", along with books by revolutionary predecessors, Party and State leaders from different periods; spring newspapers and books by press agencies and journalists. Read full story./.