Vietnam has been re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2026–28 term with 180 votes in favor, the highest tally among Asia–Pacific candidates, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Eating ‘pho’ is not just about enjoying food, but about embracing a way of life,” said Pham Thi Thanh Huong, head of the culture department at UNESCO Office in Vietnam, adding that the traditional dish cooking is potentially to obtain UNESCO recognition.

Vietnamese singer-songwriter Hamlet Truong says he is counting down the days to perform at this year’s Vietnam Phở Festival in Singapore, following two unforgettable seasons in Japan and South Korea.

Over the course of just four days, traffic police in Ho Chi Minh City issued nearly 400 delayed fines to motorbike riders caught illegally driving on sidewalks.

TOKYO -- Japan has recorded seven bear-related deaths so far in fiscal 2025, which started in April, the highest since records began in fiscal 2006, the Environment Ministry said on Wednesday, with most attacks occurring in northeastern regions and the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido.

Vietnam’s technology start-up scene is evolving rapidly, driven by young entrepreneurs who attract major foreign investment through innovative products, strategic thinking, and a focus on real value.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that FIFA chief Gianni Infantino would support moving 2026 World Cup games from US cities for security reasons if necessary.

Vietnam has hailed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas as a significant step toward ending the conflict in the Gaza Strip, expressing its readiness to contribute to post-war reconstruction efforts, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Over the past few months, it has become increasingly common to see middle school students riding modified electric bicycles at speeds rivaling motorbikes in Vietnam.

The draft amendments to the Law on Tax Administration include a proposal allowing tax authorities to retain 10 percent of the surplus tax revenue collected beyond the annual target set by the National Assembly and allocate it as a bonus to tax officials, Deputy Minister of Finance Cao Anh Tuan has revealed.

WASHINGTON -- The International Monetary Fund edged up its 2025 global growth forecast on Tuesday as tariff shocks and financial conditions have proven more benign than expected, but warned that a renewed U.S.-China trade war threatened by President Donald Trump could slow output significantly.

European and Arab nations, Canada and the U.S. appear willing to contribute to the estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild Gaza, a U.N. official said on Tuesday, adding that the two-year war there had produced rubble equal to 13 times the pyramids of Giza.

TOKYO -- An All Nippon Airways flight returned to Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Monday evening, about an hour after takeoff, as it was discovered that the aircraft had hit runway lights.

A morning downpour during the rush hour on Tuesday left many major roads in Hanoi’s western part gridlocked, with long lines of vehicles crawling through key intersections despite moderate rainfall.

Police in Ho Chi Minh City have arrested five medical staff in connection with the death of a woman following a cosmetic procedure at a private hospital, authorities said on Tuesday.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has confirmed it is collaborating with relevant authorities, cybersecurity experts, and relevant units to investigate a recent data breach involving a third-party customer service platform operated by a global technology partner.

After a long day patrolling the neighbourhood or protecting the house, pets in New Zealand have a new way to unwind -- non-alcoholic wine.

Authorities and residents in Dien Lam Commune, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam captured a 2.65-meter-long crocodile weighing about 80 kilograms in the Cho River on Monday afternoon, following nearly a week of public warnings and search efforts.

More than 100 members of the Saigon Motorcycle Engineering Association have traveled over 1,000 kilometers to Thai Nguyen Province in northern Vietnam to provide free motorbike repair services for residents affected by recent floods.

BRASÍLIA -- Brazil is betting its much-hyped climate summit in the Amazon next month can deliver something increasingly rare in a fractured world: proof that nations can still unite to confront a global crisis.

Cape Verde beat Eswatini 3-0 on Monday to secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup, booking their place in football's global showpiece for the very first time.

Traffic police officers in Quang Ngai Province, central Vietnam on Monday issued a fine of VND20 million (US$762) and deducted four points from the driver’s license of a truck driver who was captured on video transporting multiple large round concrete pipes without securing them.

The world’s largest rice importer, the Philippines, may extend its rice import ban until the end of this year, instead of lifting it after two months as initially planned. This move could slow global rice prices and place mounting pressure on Vietnamese exporters.

TOKYO -- Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba actively interacted with foreign dignitaries who visited the East Asian nation to attend the 2025 World Exposition in the western city of Osaka.

SJC-branded gold bar prices soared to an all-time high on Monday afternoon, reaching VND144.1 million (US$5,470) per tael, marking the highest level ever recorded in Vietnam's gold market.

In just one year, the combined wealth of the top 10 richest Vietnamese entrepreneurs on the stock market has witnessed a remarkable transformation, soaring to nearly VND700 trillion (US$26.6 billion), more than double the previous year’s total.

A series of seven small earthquakes struck early Monday in central Vietnam’s Quang Ngai Province, in an area formerly part of old Kon Tum Province, with authorities warning that seismic activity in the region is likely to continue.

The Economic Police Division under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security announced on Monday that it had initiated criminal proceedings and arrested Vo Thi Ngoc Ngan, commonly known as DJ Ngan 98, on charges of manufacturing and trading counterfeit food products.

Vietnam’s domestic carriers like Vietjet, Vietravel Airlines, and Bamboo Airways are launching large-scale recruitment drives for flight attendants while accelerating the expansion of both domestic and international routes ahead of the 2026 Tet holiday.

Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) has reached US$510 billion in 2025, marking a significant rise from $346 billion in 2020, representing a jump of five places in global rankings, heard a plenary discussion held as part of the first Party Congress of the Government for the 2025-30 tenure on Sunday.

MEXICO CITY -- At least 44 people were killed in Mexico after days of heavy rains and flooding, the government said on Sunday.

Natalie Grabow proved that age really is just a number when the 80-year-old became the oldest woman ever to complete the gruelling Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii on Saturday.

Mohammed Kudus scored as Ghana beat Comoros 1-0 in Accra on Sunday to win Group I and become the fifth African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup after Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia.

Ho Chi Minh City is accelerating efforts to build a vibrant innovation ecosystem based on the ‘Triple Helix’ model — a partnership connecting government, academia, and industry — with the goal of becoming Southeast Asia’s leading innovation hub by 2030.

The air route between Vietnam and Hong Kong is witnessing a strong rebound, with airlines increasing flight frequencies and launching new international routes to meet surging travel demand.