Vietnam names police chief as new pres.

Vietnam's lawmakers on Wednesday elected police minister To Lam as the country's new president, after his predecessor Vo Van Thuong resigned barely a year after he took office. The country's parliament voted unanimously in favor of the police chief's ascendency to the presidency, following his efforts to start a sweeping national anti-corruption drive. The move comes after months of political turmoil in which six senior leaders stepped down, while Lam has been named the president after being a central figure in national efforts to clamp down on corruption across the nation. In Vietnam, the president holds ceremonial powers, being one of the four main positions of power in the country, behind the party chief, prime minister and parliament speaker. Source: Kuwait News Agency