A Vietnamese court has sentenced 23 officials and businesspeople for illegally exploiting and exporting rare earths from a northern mine, in a case the court called "especially serious."
Among those jailed was former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Linh Ngoc, who got three years for violating state regulations. Other sentences ranged up to 16 years. Four additional defendants received suspended sentences.
The group was found guilty of unlawfully licensing and profiting from rare earth and iron ore mining at the Yen Phu site in Yen Bai province between 2019 and 2023. The materials were sold for nearly $30 million, much of it to China.
The trial follows the US Geological Survey’s sharp downgrade of Vietnam’s estimated rare earth reserves—from 22 million to 3.5 million tons—dropping it from second to sixth place globally. The cut casts doubt on Vietnam’s hopes to rival China in a sector vital to high-tech industries.
Rare earth extraction is lucrative but environmentally hazardous, generating toxic waste and requiring costly processing.
South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung and Vietnam’s Luong Cuong agreed during a phone call on Thursday to deepen ties with joint high-speed rail and nuclear-energy projects.
Vietnam has officially abolished its long-standing two-child policy in a bid to counter declining birth rates and a shrinking workforce.
Vietnamese authorities have confiscated thousands of counterfeit luxury products, including fake Rolex watches and Prada handbags, during a raid at Saigon Square Shopping Mall in Ho Chi Minh City, state media reported Friday.
France and Vietnam signed a series of agreements, including an Airbus aircraft deal, during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Hanoi aimed at strengthening bilateral ties amid broader trade discussions.
ietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications has ordered the country’s telecommunications providers to block access to the messaging platform Telegram.
Israel’s strike on a Tehran housing complex killed around 60 people, including 20 children, according to Iranian state media. Though aimed at Iran’s nuclear programme, the scale and messaging suggest a deeper goal: regime change.
Kazakhstan has selected Russia’s Rosatom to lead the construction of its first nuclear power plant, edging out bids from China, France, and South Korea, in a move that deepens energy ties with Moscow despite public unease over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Iran confirmed limited damage to its Fordow nuclear facility following recent attacks, assuring that critical equipment had been relocated in advance and there are no contamination risks.
Iran has pulled out of nuclear talks with the United States after Israeli airstrikes on its military and nuclear sites, triggering a wave of missile attacks and raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
Tensions between Iran and Israel reached a critical point as both nations clashed at an emergency UN Security Council meeting, following a sweeping Israeli strike on Iranian targets that Tehran condemned as state terrorism and a deliberate attempt to sabotage nuclear diplomacy.
Pakistan will begin its first freight train service to Russia from Lahore on June 22. The route is part of the INSTC and aims to connect Pakistan's rail network with Central Asia, establishing a new trade corridor via Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 8th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay is in critical condition after being shot three times — including twice in the head — during a campaign event in Bogotá.
A 30-year-old woman was shot by police in Munich on Saturday evening after stabbing two people at Theresienwiese, a central park best known for hosting Oktoberfest.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has condemned U.S. immigration raids and National Guard deployment in Los Angeles, calling for reforms instead of enforcement.
Israel’s strike on a Tehran housing complex killed around 60 people, including 20 children, according to Iranian state media. Though aimed at Iran’s nuclear programme, the scale and messaging suggest a deeper goal: regime change.
Iran confirmed limited damage to its Fordow nuclear facility following recent attacks, assuring that critical equipment had been relocated in advance and there are no contamination risks.
Iran has pulled out of nuclear talks with the United States after Israeli airstrikes on its military and nuclear sites, triggering a wave of missile attacks and raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
Tensions between Iran and Israel reached a critical point as both nations clashed at an emergency UN Security Council meeting, following a sweeping Israeli strike on Iranian targets that Tehran condemned as state terrorism and a deliberate attempt to sabotage nuclear diplomacy.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appeals for calm and diplomacy as Israel and Iran exchange deadly attacks, raising fears of broader regional conflict.
Israel’s strike on a Tehran housing complex killed around 60 people, including 20 children, according to Iranian state media. Though aimed at Iran’s nuclear programme, the scale and messaging suggest a deeper goal: regime change.
Kazakhstan has selected Russia’s Rosatom to lead the construction of its first nuclear power plant, edging out bids from China, France, and South Korea, in a move that deepens energy ties with Moscow despite public unease over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Iran confirmed limited damage to its Fordow nuclear facility following recent attacks, assuring that critical equipment had been relocated in advance and there are no contamination risks.
Iran has pulled out of nuclear talks with the United States after Israeli airstrikes on its military and nuclear sites, triggering a wave of missile attacks and raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
Tensions between Iran and Israel reached a critical point as both nations clashed at an emergency UN Security Council meeting, following a sweeping Israeli strike on Iranian targets that Tehran condemned as state terrorism and a deliberate attempt to sabotage nuclear diplomacy.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment