Good morning from Vietnam!

Social media platform TikTok has announced that it has surpassed 460 million monthly active users across Southeast Asia, including 70 million in Vietnam.

Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong arrived in Busan on Tuesday afternoon to attend the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Week and engage in bilateral activities in South Korea through Saturday at the invitation of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

TOKYO -- The Japanese and U.S. governments on Tuesday announced investment projects worth up to US$400 billion involving Japanese and U.S. companies, including the construction of advanced nuclear power plants.

Bringing together artists from Japan, Brazil, Indonesia and Vietnam, the international exhibition Art and Culture has opened a vibrant and emotional contemporary art space in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam has invited leading artificial intelligence (AI) strategists, scholars, and experts from the UK and around the world to visit Vietnam for direct engagement with local policymakers and researchers, aiming to strengthen cooperation in AI-related fields.

Hanoi authorities are considering allowing public elementary and middle schools to offer supervised care for students outside of regular school hours, with a proposed maximum fee of VND12,000 (US$0.45) per 60 minutes.

British bank HSBC has upgraded its forecast for Vietnam’s 2025 GDP growth from 6.6 percent to 7.9 percent following the country’s exceptional third-quarter performance.

The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) issued an official apology on its website on Tuesday after China’s flag was mistakenly displayed in place of Vietnam’s during the draw for the ASEAN U19 Boys’ Futsal Championship 2025.

United Airlines has resumed daily passenger flights connecting Ho Chi Minh City and the United States after nearly ten years, the airline announced on Monday.

On the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong held their second annual meeting on Tuesday, cementing both nations’ commitment to deepening economic cooperation and advancing the next Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP 2.0) generation.

Good morning from Vietnam!

NARA -- Tetsuya Yamagami, who is charged with murdering former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the western Japan city of Nara about three years ago, pleaded guilty in the first hearing of his trial at Nara District Court on Tuesday.

A project to build a radio and television station in Houaphanh Province, Laos — a gift from the Vietnamese government to the Laotian government and the people of the province — began with a groundbreaking ceremony held on Monday.

A new wave of Chinese brands is landing in Vietnam with modern business models, trend-driven designs, and experiences that tap directly into the youth’s appetite for lifestyle and discovery.

Under the blazing sun, fishing boats bob gently in the turquoise waters around the Nam Du archipelago, a tropical cluster of islands off southern Vietnam long hailed as a hidden paradise.

Eight members of the same family in Dien Ban Tay Commune, Da Nang City, central Vietnam were rushed to hospital in critical condition after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning inside an enclosed room, a local official confirmed on Tuesday.

Gold prices extended losses on Tuesday to a near three-week low, as optimism over a potential U.S.-China trade deal dented demand for safe-haven bullion, while investors looked forward to major central bank policy announcements this week.

YANGCHENG LAKE, China -- The last three years have been the toughest for Xie Dandan and her family during more than a decade cultivating one of China's most esteemed culinary delicacies, the 'hairy crab', named for its furry claws.

Seventeen rare albino sea turtles have hatched on southern Vietnam’s Con Dao Island, part of a clutch of 78 eggs, local conservation authorities said on Monday.

The People’s Committee of Da Nang City, central Vietnam has ordered an accelerated schedule for the construction of six multi-level boarding schools in border communes, with total funding of VND1.5 trillion ($57 million) from the central government budget.

A fire broke out at a residential house in Hanoi on Tuesday morning, leaving one person dead, according to local authorities.

SAN FRANCISCO - Amazon is planning to cut as many as 30,000 corporate jobs beginning on Tuesday, as the company pares expenses and compensates for overhiring during the peak demand of the pandemic, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Lionel Messi, still chasing international glory nearly two decades into his career, says he hopes to play at the 2026 World Cup in North America, acknowledging his age and fitness will dictate his role in defending Argentina's 2022 title.

The U.S. dollar was mixed on Monday, coming off a six-day rally against the yen and a three-day losing streak versus the euro, as investors braced for a week packed with central bank meetings and trade negotiations.

The Vietnamese youth have expressed strong support and optimism following the official announcement of Timor-Leste’s accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Amazon plans to invest 1.4 billion euros ($1.63 billion) in the Netherlands over the next three years, the company said on Monday.

Hue City in central Vietnam experienced torrential downpours on Monday, with several areas recording more than 1,300mm of rain in less than 24 hours, leading to widespread flooding by noon.

Up to 200 hotels and restaurants across Da Nang City in central Vietnam have joined a citywide campaign to promote smoke-free environments, marking a major step toward building a healthier, cleaner, and more welcoming destination for both residents and visitors.

U.S. President Donald Trump has accepted an invitation to visit Vietnam extended by Party General Secretary To Lam through Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, while suggesting that Hanoi soon inform Washington of Lam’s planned trip to the U.S., according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Olivier Onidi, directorate-general for migration and home affairs at the European Commission, said Vietnam’s hosting of the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime, also known as the Hanoi Convention, underscores the growing importance of international cooperation in combating cybercrime in Southeast Asia.

An Australian freshwater Murray cod has surprised scientists by swimming a marathon 860 kilometres (530 miles) along a major river system -- believed to be a record for the species.

Vietnam and the U.S. have announced a joint statement on a framework for a reciprocal, fair, and balanced trade agreement, highlighting progress in their ongoing trade negotiations and joint efforts to build stable, sustainable economic ties under the comprehensive strategic partnership.

Continuing his official schedule in Malaysia, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh participated in a series of high-level ASEAN meetings with key partners on Sunday, including the United States, Japan, and India, as part of the 47th ASEAN Summit and related summits.

TOKYO/KUALA LUMPUR -- U.S. President Donald Trump departed for Tokyo on Monday, where he was scheduled to meet Japan's emperor and newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as part of an Asia trip aimed at securing trade deals, investment and increased defence spending.