Toy makers at the Consumer Electronics Show were adamant about being careful to ensure that their fun creations infused with generative artificial intelligence don't turn naughty.

The An Giang Province Tourism Association has proposed establishing a dedicated tourist police force in Phu Quoc Special Zone, a popular island destination in southern Vietnam, to strengthen security, curb harassment and overcharging, and enhance the overall experience of both domestic and international visitors.

JAKARTA - An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck off the coast of Indonesia's Talaud Islands on Saturday, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said.

BISHOFTU, Ethiopia - Ethiopian Airlines on Saturday officially started a $12.5 billion construction project for what officials say will be Africa's biggest airport when completed in 2030 in the Ethiopian town of Bishoftu.

China’s Pacific Construction Group (PCG), ranked among the world’s top 500 companies, has proposed investing in Ho Chi Minh City’s infrastructure, including metro line Nos. 2 and 6 and a coastal road project, according to local authorities.

Grab will begin piloting a pet-friendly car service in Ho Chi Minh City on January 14, allowing passengers to travel with dogs and cats for an additional fee, the ride-hailing company said, as demand grows among urban pet owners facing limited transport options.

Vietnam put the Nhon Trach 3 and 4 power plants into commercial operation early this month, marking a major milestone for the country’s power sector as its first large-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) project begins supplying baseload electricity to southern Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City authorities are considering opening nine centrally located sites as temporary parks and flower gardens for Lunar New Year 2026, aiming to transform long-fenced vacant lots into public spaces for residents and visitors during the Tet holiday.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, in coordination with the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Development Management Board and the An Khanh Ward People’s Committee, on Saturday held a tree-planting launch ceremony at the Thu Thiem riverside park in An Khanh Ward to mark the first Vietnam Tree Day on January 11.

A bus driver in southern Vietnam has been fined VND5 million (US$190) after being caught using a mobile phone while driving, causing a collision with a parked truck, an incident that sparked public outrage after video footage spread widely on social media, local authorities confirmed on Saturday.

Farmers in a northern Hanoi suburb have begun harvesting a rare variety of red-skinned pomelo ahead of the 2026 Lunar New Year, banking on strong seasonal demand for the fruit, which is prized for its symbolic association with luck and prosperity.

Vietnam on Friday opened a new facility of its International Financial Center (IFC) in Da Nang City, marking another step in its efforts to build a globally competitive financial hub after the first IFC facility opened in Ho Chi Minh City in December.

WASHINGTON (UNITED STATES) -- Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok has turned off its image creation feature for non-paying users following backlash over its use to create sexualized deepfakes of women and children.

Vietnam’s military has deployed six helicopters to a Hanoi airbase as part of heightened security preparations for the 14th National Party Congress, with experienced aircrews placed on standby to support safety and defense missions during the high-profile political event.

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved Boeing's largest variant of its best-selling 737 MAX jet, the MAX 10, to move to the second phase of flight testing on the plane's long-delayed certification campaign, according to a source familiar with the program.

Six members of the same family in northern Vietnam were hospitalized with suspected food poisoning on Thursday evening after eating seeds from a jicama plant, prompting health authorities to order an urgent investigation.

Diets high in salt and animal protein and low water intake are contributing to Vietnam having one of the world’s highest rates of urinary stone disease, Vietnamese urologists said on Friday at a medical conference in Ho Chi Minh City.

Good morning from Vietnam!

Two major retail and distribution groups in Vietnam were listed as key customers of Halong Cafoco, which is at the center of a major food safety scandal in which contaminated pork was stockpiled for canned meat production, according to the company’s midyear 2025 financial statements.

English courses for preschool children are proliferating across Ho Chi Minh City, even enrolling babies past their first birthday and promising that the earlier they learn, the sooner they speak, leaving many parents torn between following the trend and choosing the right time for their child.

The Japanese government and ruling coalition plan to submit a bill to this year's ordinary session of parliament that would give legal force to the use of maiden names in daily life by people who have changed surnames upon marriage.

TOKYO -- Japanese astronaut Makoto Suwa will make a long-term stay at the International Space Station around 2027, marking his first space mission, science minister Yohei Matsumoto told a press conference Friday.

Canada will provide more than CA$81 million (about US$58.4 million) to fund ten development projects in Vietnam, Canadian Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai announced during his three-day visit to the country, which concluded on Thursday.

Ca Mau Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital in southern Vietnam said on Thursday that its doctors had saved two young children who swallowed extremely dangerous foreign objects, including one case involving a perforated duodenum and another in which a sharp metal object became lodged dangerously close to the aorta.

Canada’s Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai visited the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday afternoon as part of his three-day official visit to Vietnam from January 6 to 8.

Outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper has reviewed major milestones in Vietnam-U.S. relations, highlighted Ho Chi Minh City’s pivotal role in bilateral cooperation, and reaffirmed his continued commitment to advancing ties as he prepares to conclude his tenure.

SINGAPORE - A Singaporean initiative to boost the IPO market with a fast-track route to a Nasdaq dual listing has garnered a warm response from potential issuers, though bankers caution thin liquidity and a high valuation requirement could limit take-up.

The international community has spoken highly of Vietnam's economic performance in 2025 and expressed confidence in its outlook for 2026, according to information released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.

The real estate market in Ho Chi Minh City has shown signs of recovery after a prolonged downturn, with business activity returning to positive growth from late 2024 and continuing to improve through 2025, city authorities said on Thursday.

Leaders of foreign-invested enterprises in Vietnam praised the country’s young talent for driving future growth in digital technologies, particularly crypto and blockchain, heard a panel discussion held in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday.

LAS VEGAS -- AI companies are on the hunt to design the ideal device to deliver AI's superpowers, and some new enterprises are convinced that headphones or earbuds are the way.

Good morning from Vietnam!

A «serious medical condition» with a crew member aboard the International Space Station has led NASA to bring the astronaut and three crewmates back to Earth months earlier than planned, the first such emergency return in the orbiting laboratory's 25-year history, senior space agency officials said Friday.

TOKYO -- Asian black bear sightings in Japan from April to November 2025 totaled 47,038, marking the highest figure since comparable data became available in fiscal 2009, according to the Environment Ministry.

TOKYO -- Japan's program to effectively eliminate high school tuition from fiscal 2026 is heightening concerns among public high schools that a shift toward private education will increase further.