Good morning from Vietnam!

Vietnamese street food has long been beloved by food lovers worldwide, but a recent viral trend on the social media platform TikTok is bringing the iconic ‘banh mi’ into the international spotlight in a playful, music-driven way.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group, a leading Vietnamese agricultural production and processing company, has signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a 5,000-hectare high-quality coffee plantation in Champasak Province, southern Laos, with a total investment of US$50 million.

The Vietnamese government recently launched a sweeping campaign against online copyright violations, prompting dozens of illegal streaming and fansub websites to shut down within 24 hours.

Six earthquakes were recorded in Quang Ngai Province, central Vietnam on Monday, shaking several communes but causing no damage or injuries.

TOKYO -- Convenience stores in Japan, long an essential part of daily life, are seeking to serve as disaster response hubs that help sustain nearby residents in times of major natural disasters.

Europe’s co-located renewable power and battery capacity is expected to surge more than 450% by 2030, with Germany the most attractive country to build projects, a report by Aurora Energy Research showed on Monday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged a spate of measures including fuel conservation, work-from-home practices and limits on travel and imports, as a surge in global energy prices puts pressure on the country's foreign exchange reserves.

Good morning from Vietnam!

LONDON -- Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised the courage of referee Chris Kavanagh for disallowing a West Ham United equaliser as his side snatched a 1-0 victory to move closer to securing the Premier League title on Sunday.

Jorge Martin overtook MotoGP championship leader Marco Bezzecchi on the penultimate lap to win the French Grand Prix on Sunday, while Ai Ogura secured Japan's first podium finish for 14 years.

Demand for elderly care, particularly home-based services, is rising sharply in Vietnam, highlighting strong growth potential for the country’s silver economy, though the market remains fragmented and underdeveloped.

Spain said it had begun bringing Spanish passengers ashore from the cruise ship hit by a hantavirus outbreak which anchored near Tenerife on Sunday, with groups of nationals from other countries to follow.

Authorities in Da Nang City, central Vietnam have proposed a support payment of VND100,000 (US$3.8) per person for personnel working night shifts at the city’s beaches.

Police in Hung Yen, northern Vietnam have indicted four senior figures of a coffee manufacturing company over allegations of running a massive counterfeit instant coffee operation, following the seizure of nearly 224,000 fake coffee sachets along with large quantities of equipment and raw materials.

Agriculture has remained one of the key pillars of Vietnam’s economy, contributing roughly 12-14 percent of the country’s GDP and providing livelihoods for tens of millions of workers, but the sector is under greater pressure than ever before as Vietnam moves deeper into the 21st century.

At the busy intersection of Pasteur and Vo Thi Sau Streets in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, passers-by in recent days have been slowing their steps, drawn to the sight of a foreigner giving lessons to a young girl on the sidewalk.

Hundreds of students in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam used discarded items such as plastic bottles, bottle caps, disposable spoons, and aluminum cans to create colorful sea creature models during a competition on Saturday, delivering messages about ocean conservation and reducing plastic waste.

Disputes that once remained confined to social media are increasingly leading to real-life confrontations among children and teenagers in Vietnam, with recent police investigations in Ho Chi Minh City drawing attention to the risks associated with excessive exposure to online platforms and games.

Vietnamese travel firms said demand for personalized and experience-focused tours is rising ahead of the 2026 summer holiday season, with some travelers spending thousands of dollars on high-end exploration trips despite higher travel costs.

Ho Chi Minh City and Mumbai have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish friendship and cooperation relations, marking a new framework for collaboration between the two dynamic economic hubs.

Schools in Da Nang City, central Vietnam are experimenting with strict measures to curb students’ reliance on smartphones and social media, as educators warn of rising classroom distractions and conflicts fueled by online platforms.

A Russian tourist has been fined in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam for riding a motorbike without a license and with alcohol in her breath, local traffic police said on Saturday.

Authorities in Quang Ngai Province, central Vietnam are helping search for a missing U.S. citizen who has not contacted his family since November 2025 and was last known to have stayed in neighboring Da Nang City.

Ho Chi Minh City recorded strong growth in tourism during the first four months of 2026, with surging domestic and international arrivals helping generate more than VND172 trillion (US$6.5 billion) in tourism revenue, fulfilling over 52 percent of the city’s annual target.

LOS ANGELES -- Memorabilia belonging to late model and movie star Marilyn Monroe is heading to the auction block, offering a rare glimpse into the private world of one of Hollywood’s most enduring legends. Items up for sale include pieces from her wardrobe, jewelry, letters, handwritten notes, paintings, and poetry.

JAKARTA -- Indonesian authorities resumed their search on Saturday for three hikers missing after Mount Dukono erupted on the Pacific island of Halmahera, a rescue official said.

Health authorities in Quang Tri Province, central Vietnam on Saturday confirmed that two types of bacteria, Salmonella spp and Bacillus cereus, were detected in food samples linked to a mass food poisoning incident that left 64 people hospitalized after they ate ‘banh mi’ from a local shop.

The Vietnam Tennis Federation (VTF) on Thursday introduced a new sport called ‘ToTEN,’ a Vietnamese-developed hybrid that combines elements of tennis and pickleball.

Vietnam will impose fines ranging from VND7-15 million (US$266-$570), higher than the previous levels of VND5-10 million ($190-$380) for acts related to pulse diagnosis, ultrasound scans, or laboratory tests to disclose the sex of a fetus from May 15.

The Australian government has appointed Peggy O’Neal AO as Australia’s new Business Champion for Vietnam, reinforcing Australia’s long-term commitment to strengthening two way trade and investment with Vietnam.

Vietnam’s VinMetal and UK-based Primetals Technologies on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding on comprehensive strategic cooperation to back VinMetal’s large-scale integrated steel production complex in Ha Tinh Province.

Good morning from Vietnam!

The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism and Mastercard on Friday announced a strategic partnership for the 2026-30 period aimed at accelerating the growth of Vietnam’s tourism industry, with a strong focus on digital transformation and cashless payment technologies.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on Thursday held a series of bilateral meetings with leaders of ASEAN countries and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on the sidelines of the 48th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Cebu, the Philippines.