FUNABASHI, CHIBA PREF. -- A record 15 countries took part in a New Year's jump training simulating island defense that was conducted at a Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force facility in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, on Sunday.

Can Tho City in southern Vietnam will stage fireworks displays at three locations on Lunar New Year’s Eve, alongside flower streets and a large spring flower market, offering residents and visitors a series of festive cultural activities to welcome the Year of the Horse, authorities announced on Monday.

Italy's property market could outpace other European countries in 2026 as political stability and a regulatory clean-up after a Milan building permits scandal boost investor confidence - even as supply constraints loom.

Global smartphone shipments rose 2% year-on-year in 2025, lifted by stronger demand and economic momentum in emerging markets, Counterpoint Research said on Monday.

Hundreds of barges have been anchored for days along a nearly-two-kilometer stretch of the Mekong River at Vietnam’s border with Cambodia, where companies are waiting to receive sand shipped from Cambodia for construction projects, local authorities said.

Vietnam consumed 4.6 billion liters of beer in 2024, placing it eighth worldwide, according to Kirin Holdings, one of Japan’s and the world’s leading beverage groups.

A Vietnamese-born academic has been recognized as Australia’s most influential researcher in organic chemistry, drawing praise from Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and highlighting the growing global impact of Vietnamese intellectuals in international science.

Green and Smart Mobility JSC (GSM), a taxi and electric vehicle rental company owned by Vietnam’s richest man Pham Nhat Vuong, has announced the completion of a capital increase, raising its charter capital from VND25 trillion (US$951 million) to VND35.5 trillion ($1.35 billion), representing a 42-percent growth rate.

MELBOURNE -- Australia will prioritise antimony, gallium and rare earth elements as part of its A$1.2 billion ($802 million) strategic reserve, it said on Monday, as its Treasurer Jim Chalmers prepares to join a G7 meeting to discuss critical minerals.

The Rach Chiec national sports complex project, which is poised to become a landmark for Ho Chi Minh City, will get off the ground on January 15, with a total capital of over VND145 trillion (US$5.5 billion).

Vietnam’s Lo Thi Phung won a gold medal at the 2026 Asian MMA Championship in China on Sunday after submitting Iran’s Akbaridastgerdi Mobin 50 seconds into the women’s 49 kg final.

Hanoi is speeding up work on its southern axis road, a major infrastructure project stretching more than 41 kilometers and carrying a price tag of over VND6 trillion (US$228 million).

Vietnam’s under-23 team will face hosts Saudi Arabia at 11:30 pm (Vietnam time) on Monday in the final Group A match of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup, with both sides needing a win to keep their knockout-stage hopes alive.

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.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s southern economic hub, is launching initiatives to help U.S. semiconductor leader Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) establish a research and development (R&D) center at the Saigon High-Tech Park.

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.