TOKYO -- The Bank of Japan kept interest rates steady and sharply cut its growth forecasts on Thursday, suggesting uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariffs and the hit to exports could keep policy in a holding pattern for some time.

Vietnamese electronics retailer Mobile World Investment Corp (MWG) reported a sharp rise in financial income in the first quarter of 2025, as short-term lending and interest-bearing investments became a significant contributor to its bottom line.

SEOUL -- The five members of one of K-pop's trendiest groups PLAVE have appeared on TV, held concerts, and one of their songs has even secured a place in the prestigious Billboard Global 200, an international music chart.

For Ted Hammett, a former U.S. officer who once served in Vietnam, his relationship with the Southeast Asian country has been shaped by personal sacrifice, deep regret, and a decades-long commitment to healing the wounds of war.

Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong grants amnesty to 8,055 prisoners, including 25 foreign nationals, under a 2025 clemency decision announced by the Presidential Office on Tuesday afternoon.

Ten vibrant hot-air balloons soared above Ninh Thuan Province on Thursday morning as part of the south-central Vietnamese province’s Culture, Sports, Tourism, and Cuisine Week, celebrating the 50th anniversary of national reunification.

A much-delayed nuclear fusion project involving more than 30 countries is ready to assemble the world's most powerful magnet - a key part of efforts to generate clean energy by smashing atoms together at super-high temperatures.

World leaders have extended a wave of congratulatory messages to Vietnam as the country commemorates the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the southern region and national reunification (April 30, 1975–2025), according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Vietnam is experiencing a strong wave of international tourism growth, marked by a broader mix of visitor markets and a rising trend of longer vacation stays, according to Ru Yi, assistant vice-president of international markets for the Asia-Pacific region at Trip.com.

A Vietnamese technical delegation has departed for the U.S. to initiate trade and tariff discussions this week as part of their ongoing bilateral negotiations, following an invitation from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), according to Do Ngoc Hung, trade counselor and head of the Vietnam Trade Office in the U.S..

A police station in the historic sailors' quarter of the Belgian port of Antwerp is surrounded by sex workers' neon-lit red-light windows.

MANILA -- Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday agreed to start discussions to conclude an intelligence sharing agreement.

Following the morning grand parade commemorating the 50th anniversary of the April 30 liberation of southern Vietnam and national reunification, Ho Chi Minh City residents are preparing to enjoy a major fireworks display and a series of cultural events on Wednesday evening.

STOCKHOLM/PRAGUE/PARIS -- Some European tech workers who might once have headed to the United States are looking at defence startups closer to home. Others are rushing back to Europe from jobs abroad.

Social media behemoth Meta unveiled its first standalone AI assistant app on Tuesday, challenging ChatGPT by giving users a direct path to its generative artificial intelligence models.

BANGKOK -- Japan's trade minister Yoji Muto has said that the country wants to protect the free trade system in cooperation with Southeast Asia, in response to high tariffs imposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Vietnam’s National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has warned of a possible storm or tropical depression forming over the East Vietnam Sea in May, alongside widespread heatwaves in northern and central regions.

Military contingents from China, Laos, and Cambodia on Wednesday morning participated in the grand military parade and march held in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the liberation of southern Vietnam and national reunification (April 30).

Ho Chi Minh City inaugurated its International Friendship Symbol, modeled after a Möbius strip, at Bach Dang Wharf Park in District 1 on Tuesday, as part of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the liberation of southern Vietnam and national reunification (April 30, 1975-2025).

The appearance of a cavalry unit was a standout moment in Wednesday morning’s parade, marking the 50th anniversary of the liberation of southern Vietnam and Reunification Day.

Seeking a private and comfortable way to watch Vietnam’s 50th Reunification Day parade, a local family paid VND30 million (US$1,153) per night to rent a presidential suite at a 5-star hotel in central Ho Chi Minh City.

After completing the official parade past the grandstand on Le Duan Boulevard in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday morning for the 50th anniversary of the liberation of southern Vietnam and Reunification Day (April 30), the parade units continued their routes through Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street, and Ton Duc Thang Street, greeted by thunderous applause from residents lining both sides of the streets.

Ho Chi Minh City is offering free rides on its metro line No. 1 for two days to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the liberation of southern Vietnam and Reunification Day (April 30).

Authorities in Vietnam’s Lam Dong Province on Tuesday inaugurated the province’s first solid waste treatment plant capable of producing clean soil for agricultural use.

Crowds have packed downtown Ho Chi Minh City from midnight to sunrise to witness a grand military parade commemorating the 50th anniversary of the liberation of southern Vietnam and national reunification on April 30, with many expressing gratitude for past generations who secured Vietnam’s independence and peace 50 years ago.

Good morning from Vietnam!

Ho Chi Minh City will host a grand military parade to commemorate Vietnam’s Reunification Day on April 30, so thousands of residents and visitors are eager to eye the skies for one of the most anticipated parts of the celebration: an aerial display featuring helicopters carrying the national flag and SU-30MK fighter jets performing thrilling maneuvers.

Hundreds of people laid out tarps, brought chairs, food, and drinks – and even pitched tents along key roads in downtown Ho Chi Minh City – on Tuesday to reserve spots for a military parade marking the 50th anniversary of the liberation of southern Vietnam and Reunification Day on Wednesday.

India's financial crime agency has privately sought sales data and other documents from smartphone players including Apple and Xiaomi as part of an investigation into Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

A group of philanthropies including the Gates Foundation has set up a fund backed with nearly $500 million to help save the lives of newborn babies and mothers in sub-Saharan Africa, standing out against a bleak global health funding landscape.

Vietnam’s shrimp exports rocketed in the first four months of 2025 as local seafood companies have sped up shipments bound for the U.S. ahead of the July 9 deadline, when a 90-day delay on Washington’s global reciprocal tariff is set to expire.

Dao Quang Ha, a 24-year-old resident in northern Thai Binh Province, arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday evening as scheduled to attend the 50th anniversary of Vietnam’s Reunification Day after a 20-day bicycle journey from Hanoi.

Da Nang City in central Vietnam has set a target to establish and put into operation an international financial center by 2030, aiming to position itself as a key financial hub in the region.

Fifty years after national reunification, Vietnam is stepping into the digital age, with Vietnamese people at home and abroad joining forces to build a stronger, more prosperous nation.

Good morning from Vietnam!