A costume inspired by Vietnamese altars displayed during the national costume segment of the Miss Grand Vietnam 2025 pageant has drawn public criticism, with some social media users questioning whether the design was appropriate for a beauty contest.

TOKYO -- The Japanese government held the first meeting of its headquarters for promoting the use of artificial intelligence and strengthening related risk management, at the prime minister's office on Friday.

Vietnam condemns the use of force in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas and calls for disputes to be resolved through peaceful means toward a sustainable ceasefire, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

TOKYO -- Asian black bear sightings in Japan totaled 12,067 cases from April to July, the highest figure since records began in 2009, it was reported at a government meeting on Thursday.

A commune in Quang Ngai Province, central Vietnam was shaken by five earthquakes within 24 hours on Thursday, including three before dawn, leaving many residents awake through the night, according to the Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Center under the Institute of Earth Sciences.

Starting in 2026, every Vietnamese citizen will be entitled to at least one free annual health check-up or specialized screening, and by 2030, basic hospital fees will be waived under a new resolution from the Politburo.

Johannesburg -- South Africa's top court ruled Thursday that men should be able to take their wives' surnames and a law that prevented this amounted to unfair gender discrimination.

At a meeting with the Da Nang People’s Committee on Wednesday, Deo Ca Group proposed completing the urban railway connecting Da Nang and Hoi An by 2030, with project dossier preparation to begin in 2025.

Discarded seashells and conchs from the sea are being transformed into eye-catching bikinis, delicate jewelry, and decorative accessories for handbags and silk conical hats, thanks to the creativity of young Vietnamese artisans.

Cinemas across Vietnam have ignited with excitement over the release of a Vietnamese movie that has taken the country by storm: ‘Mua Do’ (Red Rain).

Authorities in central Vietnam have restored the lighting system at Nghinh Phong Tower, a prominent tourist attraction, after more than seven months of disrepair, according to a local official.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training has announced a new official daily schedule for the 2025–26 school year, requiring all schools to remain open until at least 4:00 pm.

While a strong majority of 84 percent of respondents in Vietnam believe early cancer detection improves treatment outcomes, only 34 percent had ever undergone cancer screening, according to a new survey commissioned by Siemens Healthineers.

It is very good that Vietnam, at a very early stage, has taken action to implement the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (VPA/FLEGT), in a bid to address the global challenge of illegal logging, strengthen its timber supply chain, and ensure the legality of its wood products, said Jens Schmid-Kreye, First Secretary at the German Embassy in Vietnam.

Vietnam’s top leaders reaffirmed the country’s commitment to strengthening its comprehensive strategic partnership with Australia during separate meetings on Wednesday afternoon with Governor-General Sam Mostyn, who is on a state visit to the Southeast Asian nation from Tuesday through Friday.

TOKYO -- The number of children who died from abuse totaled 65 in Japan in fiscal 2023, down by seven from the preceding year, an expert panel of the Children and Families Agency said Thursday.

High tide on the Saigon River reached 1.52-1.57 meters late on Wednesday afternoon, forcing residents in Ho Chi Minh City to wade through waterlogged streets on their way home.

Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Hong has once again received an A+, the highest grade, from Global Finance, a leading U.S.-based financial magazine, in its 2025 Central Banker Report Cards for her achievements in financial management.

To achieve the goal of becoming a Southeast Asian leader in artificial intelligence (AI) by 2030, Vietnam must urgently enact an AI law, according to an expert.

On the Philippine island of Pugad, street food vendor Maria Tamayo wakes before her grandchildren to begin the backbreaking work of removing seawater from her home scoop by scoop with a plastic dustpan.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction has urgently requested road management units, businesses, and local authorities to promptly review, list, and relocate all parking lots currently located under bridges and within other road infrastructure protection zones by October 30.

A designer in the team responsible for the renovation of Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square in Hanoi has defended their concept, saying the design balances heritage and modernity after residents raised concerns about aesthetics, public space use, and past structures on the site.

Two earthquakes measuring 3.0 and 4.5 in magnitude struck Quang Ngai Province in central Vietnam early on Thursday, according to the Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Center under the Institute of Earth Sciences.

Soldiers guarded Nepal's parliament and patrolled deserted streets on Wednesday with the capital Kathmandu under a curfew, after two days of deadly anti-corruption protests forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign.

In a quiet hospital room in Ho Chi Minh City, tears welled in the eyes of Vo Van Hoai as he held a receipt for VND40 million (US$1,516) in hospital fees, fully paid by someone he has never met.

So why should Asia’s tertiary education systems – from Malaysia to Vietnam – be any different from those in the Western world? They, too, should be embedded with flexibility.

As floodwaters return to Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap Province transforms into a vibrant wetland teeming with life, drawing visitors eager to drift beneath the shade of melaleuca forests and watch flocks of birds in their breeding season.

Since embarking on its Doi Moi (Renovation) journey in 1986, Vietnam has achieved a remarkable socio-economic transformation, a testament to its visionary policies and the enduring support of partners, said UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Ramla Khalidi during a talk with Tuoi Tre News.

SAGA -- A worker at the crime laboratory of the Saga prefectural police in southwestern Japan is believed to have conducted 130 improper DNA analyses, it has been learned.

TOKYO -- Seven-Eleven Japan Co. on Tuesday showed to media organizations robots stocking shelves and doing the cleaning in a convenience store in Tokyo in a demonstration experiment.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc has signed Resolution No. 5 on piloting a crypto asset market in Vietnam, effective from September 9.

Dong Kinh - Nghia Thuc Square in the heart of Hanoi has taken on a broader, more open appearance following the completion of the first phase of a major renovation project, carried out under the direction of the municipal People's Committee.

TOKYO -- The number of people taken to hospital by ambulance due to self-harm is on a rising trend in Japan in recent years, logging 42,977 in 2023, a survey showed Wednesday.

Vietnam’s U23 team booked their place at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup with a narrow 1-0 victory over Yemen in their final Group C qualifier in Phu Tho Province on Tuesday.

SYDNEY - National Australia Bank (NAB) is cutting 410 jobs in its technology and enterprise operations in Australia and creating 127 roles in India and Vietnam, a spokesperson said, confirming cuts first revealed by the country's financial services union.