Good morning from Vietnam!

Vietnam’s former health minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien was accused of receiving VND20.4 billion (US$784,000) in illicit payments linked to two major hospital projects, though she admitted to accepting only VND7.5 billion ($288,210), according to an investigative conclusion issued on Friday.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has directed all airlines operating in the country to avoid conflict-affected airspace in the Middle East and prepare contingency plans after escalating military tensions involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran forced the closure of major airports in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Doha in Qatar.

A three-year-old boy from Thai Nguyen Province, northern Vietnam has made a remarkable recovery after suffering severe brain damage from a near-fatal drowning accident and facing the prospect of a vegetative state.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc has called for a sharp reduction, or potentially a complete suspension, of events on Le Loi Boulevard, citing concerns over traffic congestion and noise pollution in the city’s downtown area.

The weeks after an English proficiency test often feel suspended. Students move through classes, part-time jobs, and daily routines while quietly tracking when results will be released.

DUBAI/JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON - Israel said it had launched another wave of strikes on Iran on Sunday, as Iranians faced uncertainty after the killing of their supreme leader in U.S. and Israeli attacks that threatened to destabilize the wider Middle East.

Four Vietnamese people were honored at the 2026 Study UK Alumni Awards in Vietnam, organized by the British Council in Hanoi on Saturday night.

Inside the intensive care unit at the Pediatric Center of Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, premature infants, including babies born to mothers living with HIV, fight for survival, as doctors and nurses monitor every breath, heartbeat and fragile sign of life.

A Belarusian wrestler’s appearance at a traditional village festival in Hanoi drew large crowds and heightened excitement at the annual spring wrestling event, as local competitors took on the heavier foreign contender.

Six people were admitted to Military Hospital 175 in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday with suspected food poisoning symptoms after eating ‘banh mi’ from the same outlet.

Unseasonal rains affecting southern Vietnam are gradually shifting westward and weakening, making way for a return of hot and sunny conditions, but forecasters said the rains are likely to come back shortly after.

MADRID/LONDON -- A Spanish startup is selling bedrooms in flats shared with strangers, a British developer offers mortgages for friends willing to buy together, while stakes in rental properties help some tenants cover their housing costs.

An elementary school teacher in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam has been temporarily reassigned after allegations surfaced online that she forced students to lick the ground during class.

Ho Chi Minh City will launch nine electric bus routes with 169 VinBus vehicles seating 30–60 passengers from early March, replacing diesel-powered buses as part of its transition toward greener public transport.

Warner Bros Discovery has agreed to be acquired by Paramount Skydance in a $110 billion deal, ending a high-stakes bidding war after Netflix walked away from its agreement with the HBO Max owner.

Good morning from Vietnam!

A Vietnamese airport operator, food service vendor, and industry specialists said high operating costs and regulatory requirements contribute to elevated prices at airports, after a passenger said he was charged VND346,000 (US$14) for a bowl of ‘pho’ at Cam Ranh International Airport this week.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s southern economic hub, and Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on friendly cooperation during an early-year visit by Yamaguchi leaders.

The European Commission said on Thursday that member states may use an existing EU social fund to terminate pregnancies free of charge for women visiting from EU nations that restrict access to safe abortions, a significant policy clarification amid divisive debates on abortion rights.

TOKYO -- Japan is working to increase the number of female pilots in an effort to address the aging of commercial airline pilots and growing air travel demand, but progress has been slow.

TOKYO -- Lamborghini will withdraw its current plan to launch electric vehicles globally around 2030, CEO Stephan Winkelmann has said in a recent interview.

ZURICH -- The president and CEO of the World Economic Forum, Borge Brende, said he was stepping down on Thursday, a few weeks after the forum launched an independent investigation into his relationship with late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

A company within Thai billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi’s business empire is seeking to acquire a soft drink factory owned by Chuong Duong Beverages JSC for nearly US$3.8 million, as the loss-making Vietnamese firm moves to ease mounting financial strain after five consecutive years in the red.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) and other relevant bodies to complete phase 1 of Long Thanh International Airport in southern Dong Nai Province in the first half of 2026, warning that those involved will be held fully accountable for the project’s progress, quality, and safety.

Two women’s cycling races in Vietnam have been included in the International Cycling Union (UCI) calendar as Class 2.2 events for the first time, marking a milestone for the country’s women’s cycling scene.

Authorities in Khanh Hoa Province, home to the famed beach destination of Nha Trang in south-central Vietnam, have stepped up health screening at airports and seaports to guard against the possible entry of the Nipah virus, a rare but highly lethal pathogen.

The 11th Japan Vietnam Festival in Ho Chi Minh City will take place on the weekend under the theme of ‘Holding Hands Together – Children – Earth – Future.’

Good morning from Vietnam!

TOKYO -- A recent incident in which an elevator at Tokyo Skytree stopped and 20 people were trapped inside for about six hours was caused by damage to a cable that supplies electricity and transmit signals to the elevator car, the operator of the 634-meter-tall tower has said.

Waste has repeatedly been dumped illegally at a coastal land reclamation region in Rach Gia Ward, An Giang Province, located in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, leaving residents frustrated by persistent foul odors and environmental pollution despite repeated clean-up and enforcement efforts.

After more than 50 days of intensive construction, the VND33 billion (US$1.3 million) Xuan Huong viaduct project over a major landslide site on Mimosa Pass in the Da Lat popular destination in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam is nearing completion.

Many grilled snakehead fish stalls along Tan Ky Tan Quy Street in Ho Chi Minh City have kept their fires burning through the night to meet residents’ demand for buying fish as offerings for the God of Wealth on Thursday, or the 10th day of the first lunar month, known as God of Wealth Day.

Sun PhuQuoc Airways, a new Vietnamese carrier under Sun Group, on Thursday launched new routes linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Da Nang, enhancing air travel options between Vietnam’s two major cities and the central heritage hub.

Vietnamese buyers lined up in the rain in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City early on Thursday to purchase gold for luck on the annual God of Wealth Day, one of the busiest trading days of the year for gold retailers.