The Ho Chi Minh City administration has submitted an investment proposal for the Thu Thiem 4 Bridge, a major transport project worth over VND5.063 trillion (US$193 million), aiming to improve east-south connectivity and ease traffic congestion, with construction scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Despite the year-end shopping peak, many prime retail streets in Ho Chi Minh City continue to see shuttered storefronts and ‘for rent’ signs, as weak consumer demand, high operating costs, and a shift to online shopping force retailers to downsize or return leased properties.

As Vietnam enters a pivotal stage of development, the Vietnam Economy in 2025 and Prospects in 2026 Forum (VEPF) has served as a platform for dialogue between policymakers and the business community on the country’s growth path.

OTSU, SHIGA PREF. -- Otsu District Court on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by residents of Osaka and Shiga prefectures to shut down three Kansai Electric Power Co. nuclear plants along Wakasa Bay in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan.

TOKYO -- Japan's Children and Families Agency on Friday decided to collect 600 billion yen as so-called child-rearing support funds in the form of extra fees to be added to public medical insurance premiums in fiscal 2026, which starts next April.

Ho Chi Minh City’s high-tech park is seeking government approval to expand by about 200 hectares as authorities look to attract more advanced manufacturing and research projects, park officials said on Friday.

A police officer in Da Nang City, central Vietnam, descended into a storm drain to retrieve an iPhone for a Hong Kong tourist who accidentally dropped it while sightseeing, a quick response that highlighted local authorities' support for foreign visitors despite difficult weather conditions.

Police in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam, have charged seven people after uncovering a scheme in which dead and diseased pigs buried after disease outbreaks were dug up, slaughtered, processed, and sold to the market, posing serious risks to public health and food safety.

On October 30, the Vietnamese government issued Decree No. 282/2025/ND-CP introducing a series of tougher deterrent measures, notably higher fines for accommodation establishments that fail to declare foreigners’ temporary residence as required by law.

Authorities in Binh Hung Commune, Ho Chi Minh City, said Wednesday they will use surveillance camera footage to identify and fine individuals responsible for illegal garbage dumping near Ong Be Bridge and along Nguyen Van Linh Street.

NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES -- A ticket sold in Arkansas scored a $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot after Wednesday night's draw — one of the richest lottery prizes in U.S. history, landing just in time for Christmas.

‘Banh mi’ is not just a convenient meal; it is part of urban life and a defining feature of Vietnam’s street-food culture.

Vietnam has been rated as having met all United Nations (UN) operational readiness standards following a comprehensive assessment of its Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 7 in South Sudan.

TOKYO -- The Japanese government is considering requiring foreign visitors to obtain private health insurance before arriving in the country, Jiji Press learned Wednesday.

A foreign-invested enterprise employing more than 2,600 workers in Ho Chi Minh City has announced it will halt production and business activities in February, citing a prolonged shortage of orders and a restructuring of its manufacturing operations.

India has granted initial clearance to two airlines to begin operations, weeks after mass cancellations by the country's largest airline IndiGo brought into focus the lack of competition in the world's fastest-growing aviation market.

A young man in Ca Mau, the southernmost province of Vietnam, has earned public praise after finding a bag containing gold jewelry and VND54 million (US$2,050) in cash and promptly bringing it to police to help locate the rightful owner, local authorities confirmed on Wednesday.

Vietnam’s largest conglomerate Vingroup said on Thursday it had requested the government to withdraw its registration to invest in the planned North–South high-speed railway that would cost more than US$60 billion, citing the need to focus resources on other priority infrastructure and energy projects.

TCP Group has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Central Committee of the Vietnam National Union of Students (VNUS) to implement the ‘Community Awareness & Action Project on Water Conservation’ for the 2026-28 period.

Cao Thi Ngoc Bao, compliance director at the British Council Vietnam, has been awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by the British royal family in recognition of her long-standing contributions to educational and cultural cooperation between Vietnam and the UK, the British Council announced.

The Vietnamese government has approved a four-day break for the 2026 New Year holiday, following a proposal by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Temperatures plunged on Thursday on Fansipan, the highest peak in Hoang Lien Son range in Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam, leaving its summit blanketed in white frost as the rising sun revealed a breathtaking winter scene.

Precious and industrial metals are surging to record highs as the year ends, driven by economic and geopolitical uncertainty, robust industrial demand and, in some cases, tight supply.

Hanoi authorities will temporarily ban and restrict traffic on dozens of major roads on Friday and Saturday to serve the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, with police urging road users to strictly follow traffic laws and give way to priority vehicles.

TOKYO -- Japan's government revised up its economic forecast for the fiscal year to next March and projected that growth would accelerate in the following year, on the view that its massive stimulus package will boost consumption and capital expenditure.

Good morning from Vietnam!

TOKYO -- Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama and health minister Kenichiro Ueno agreed Wednesday to raise medical service fees by 2.22 pct for a fiscal 2026 review.

TOKYO -- The Japanese government plans to lower passport application fees by up to 7,000 yen, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has announced.

FUKUI -- The Japan Atomic Energy Agency said Tuesday that about 20 milliliters of water containing radioactive tritium leaked at its Fugen advanced converter reactor in the city of Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan.

Companies employing foreigners in Vietnam often face questions about jurisdiction and procedures when applying for temporary resident cards, particularly when business operations span multiple provinces or cities.

TOKYO -- Tokyo Electric Power Co (9501.T) plans to restart the first unit of its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, the world's biggest, on January 20, TEPCO President Tomiaki Kobayakawa told reporters on Wednesday.

Pham Nhat Vuong, chairman of Vingroup, saw his net worth surge by US$3.4 billion in a single day, officially reaching $30 billion on Tuesday and overtaking Chinese billionaire Jack Ma on Forbes’ list of the world’s richest people.

Gold surged past $4,500-an-ounce for the first time on Wednesday, while silver and platinum also hit record highs, as investors piled into precious metals to hedge against geopolitical and trade risks, and on expectations of further U.S. rate cuts in 2026.

The U.S. Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.7 billion ahead of the Christmas Eve drawing on Wednesday night, making it among the largest lottery drawings in American history.

At Demo Day 2025, many Vietnamese start-ups presented products with artificial intelligence at their core, targeting familiar bottlenecks across the market.