Elite mobile police snipers have been positioned at strategic high points, while police dogs are being used to detect explosives at key locations to ensure absolute security for Vietnam’s ongoing 14th National Party Congress, which opened in Hanoi on Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Japan still needs to overcome mounting challenges to achieving its goal of 60 million annual visitors by 2030, although the number of inbound tourists topped 40 million for the first time ever last year with their consumption growing to around 9.5 trillion yen.

Authorities in Thanh My Tay Ward, Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday morning conducted inspections and enforcement operations to restore sidewalk order along several streets, including Nguyen Gia Tri, Ung Van Khiem, and an alley leading to the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH).

OSAKA -- A 31-year-old Thai woman has been arrested by Japanese police for allegedly smuggling etomidate, known as 'zombie cigarettes,' in a suitcase.

The gunman charged with killing Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe was found guilty Wednesday and jailed for life, more than three years after the broad-daylight assassination shocked the world.

Vietnam’s drug regulator has ordered a nationwide suspension and recall of certain Acnes facial cleanser and Kleen hand wash products after inspections found their ingredients did not match registered cosmetic formulations.

BARCELONA -- A commuter train near Barcelona ploughed into the rubble of a collapsed wall on Tuesday, killing one and injuring dozens in Spain's second deadly rail accident in days.

Phu Quoc International Airport in Phu Quoc Special Zone is seeing a sharp rise in international arrivals to Vietnam’s largest island, administered by southern An Giang Province, with inbound flights and passenger volumes reaching record levels ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.

Vietnam on Tuesday began piloting a licensing regime for organizations operating crypto asset exchanges, representing the country’s first formal step toward regulating the fast-growing sector after years in a legal grey area, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Hue Central Hospital in central Vietnam said on Wednesday that its doctors had successfully carried out the country's first surgery to simultaneously remove two massive polycystic kidneys and perform a kidney transplant on a patient with end-stage renal failure.

Following the recent incident of a foreign visitor wrapping ripe bananas around his body to approach and feed wild monkeys on Son Tra Peninsula in Da Nang City, central Vietnam, wildlife an expert has warned that such actions, regardless of intent, can inflict serious and long-term damage on wild monkey populations.

Vietnam’s national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines is standing at the threshold of a new growth cycle, as long-standing institutional constraints that once limited its development space are gradually being dismantled following the issuance of Resolution No. 79 by the Politburo on the development of the state-owned economy.

Vietnam U23s' coach Kim Sang Sik apologized to supporters and took responsibility after his side lost 0-3 to China in the semifinals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup early on Wednesday.

Vietnam's state-run lottery company Vietlott announced late on Tuesday that a customer had won the Power 6/55 Jackpot 1 prize worth more than VND257 billion (US$9.8 million), making it one of the largest payouts in the company's history.

Manchester City suffered a humiliating 3-1 defeat against Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday as the Norwegian minnows caused one of the biggest shocks in Champions League history.

JAKARTA -- Indonesia has revoked the permits of 28 companies over violation of environmental rules that exacerbated the impact of floods in Northern Sumatra, a presidential spokesperson told a press conference on Tuesday.

Under the theme ‘Spring Convergence - Advancing with Strength,’ Nguyen Hue Flower Street for the 2026 Lunar New Year (Tet) of the Horse in Ho Chi Minh City is expected to mark a significant turning point after 23 years of formation and development.

Vietnam were beaten 0-3 by China in the semifinals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup early on Wednesday, missing out on a place in the finale.

Party General Secretary To Lam, head of the Documents Subcommittee, on behalf of the 13th Party Central Committee, on Tuesday presented its report on the documents submitted to the 14th National Congress, highlighting key issues and new points in the draft documents for the congress to consider, discuss and decide upon.

Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Nauka Jotham Napat paid a working visit to Nha Trang University in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam on Tuesday as part of his official visit to the Southeast Asian country, aiming to strengthen education and training cooperation between the two sides.

Good morning from Vietnam!

As Vietnam convenes its 14th National Party Congress after five years of strong growth, governance reforms, and broader diplomatic engagement, foreign policymakers and analysts are looking to the congress to set the direction for a new stage of development.

TOKYO -- The annual number of foreign visitors to Japan came to some 42.7 million in 2025, up from 36,870,148 in the previous year, exceeding 40 million for the first time, tourism minister Yasushi Kaneko said at a press conference on Tuesday.

TOKYO -- Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department has arrested a 31-year-old man for allegedly creating deepfake pornography of female celebrities and posting them on the internet.

The Communist Party of Vietnam opened its 14th National Congress on Tuesday in Hanoi, bringing together 1,586 delegates representing more than 5.6 million party members nationwide to set the country’s political, economic, and development direction for the coming decades.

Vietnam has taken a historic step into the most complex segment of the global semiconductor value chain as its military-run telecom company Viettel broke ground on a chip manufacturing plant in mid-January, marking the country’s first official entry into chip fabrication.

Police in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday night stepped up enforcement against sidewalk and roadway encroachment along Pham Van Dong and Nguyen Xi Streets, ordering eateries and establishments to restore pathways for pedestrian use.

Facing harsh dry conditions, Nui Chua National Park in south-central Khanh Hoa Province has teamed up with OMO, a brand under major consumer goods company Unilever Vietnam, to pilot a drone-based reforestation initiative to restore vegetation in areas where conventional tree planting is nearly impossible.

A construction worker by trade, Saravanan B waited all year to celebrate his true passion -- daring bare-hands bullfighting that has never gone out of fashion in India's south.

Ho Chi Minh City will install four giant LED screens along Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street to allow fans to watch and cheer for Vietnam's under-23 team at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia this week.

Countries including France and Britain are considering following Australia's lead by banning children and some teenagers from using social media, but experts are still locked in a debate over the effectiveness of the move.

China's population fell for a fourth consecutive year in 2025 as the birthrate plunged to a record low, official data showed on Monday, with experts warning of further decline.

A section of road along the Tau Hu Canal in Ho Chi Minh City collapsed on Sunday, authorities said, prompting traffic restrictions as officials investigated the cause.

Vietnam has accepted an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to join the Gaza Strip Peace Council, reaffirming its consistent support for peaceful solutions to international conflicts and its readiness to contribute to global peace efforts, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Local police and border guard forces successfully rescued two foreign tourists who were swept out to sea while swimming in Hoa Xuan Commune, Dak Lak Province, Vietnam on Monday morning.