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Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them into short, accessible links so you can easily keep up with current affairs.

Saigon

- Uber has finally paid off over VND53 billion in tax arrears to the HCMC tax department. [Dan Tri]

- HCMC authorities will continue subsidizing commuter buses to raise the number of people traveling by bus. [Saigon Times]

Vietnam

- Vietnam is no longer the only catfish producer as China and Indonesia are catching up. [VietnamNet]

- Up to 1.3 million people in Vietnam suffer from dementia and it is forecast that number will rise in the future. [VietnamNet]

- Qatar Airways will launch direct flights to Da Nang starting December 19. [Dan Tri]

- Devastating flood and landslides have caused VND1 trillion in damage in Thanh Hoa. [VOV]

- The PM’s in-principle approval of higher wind energy tariffs is expected to boost renewable energy investments in Vietnam. [VnExpress]

- Vietnam's internet speed is back to normal after the AAG breakage was fixed last weekend. [VnExpress] 

Other

- Jack Ma has decided to step down as executive chairman of Alibaba as of next year. [Asia Times]

- Mobile platforms can give refugees access to vital information when they arrive in Australia. [The Conversation]

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