An unexploded cluster munition was discovered at an elementary school in central Vietnam during a clean-up activity, prompting authorities to suspend activities and call in a bomb disposal team, local officials said on Friday.

TOKYO -- The Japanese government adopted a package of measures Friday to address problems related to foreign nationals, including planned stricter rules on their acquisitions of Japanese land and nationality.

Remittances sent to Ho Chi Minh City through credit institutions and licensed economic organizations reached more than US$10.34 billion in 2025, up 8.3 percent from a year earlier, according to a State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) official.

Platinum Victory Pte Ltd, a unit of Jardine Cycle & Carriage Limited and part of the Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited, has registered to sell its entire stake in Vietnam Dairy Products JSC (Vinamilk), Vietnam’s largest dairy firm, according to a regulatory filing.

The Australian Embassy in Vietnam hosted a reception on Thursday evening to congratulate the Vietnamese women’s national football team ahead of their participation in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, which will be held in Australia in March.

After just a few days of renovation, Ben Thanh Market in downtown Ho Chi Minh City has taken on a strikingly refreshed appearance, surprising and captivating both residents and tourists.

Wards and communes across Ho Chi Minh City have intensified efforts to restore order on sidewalks and roadways over the past few days, underscoring a strong determination to improve the urban landscape and return public space to pedestrians.

Vietnam’s National Competition Commission has imposed maximum administrative fines on the operators of the Zalo and TikTok platforms for violations of consumer protection regulations.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction is set to announce a list of streets and specific locations eligible for the installation of electric motorbike battery-swap cabinets on sidewalks in January.

WinCommerce, the retail arm of Masan Group (MSN) and the operator of the WinMart, WinMart+, and WiN chains, has set an ambitious target of opening 1,000-1,500 new stores in 2026, with a strong focus on rural areas.

Good morning from Vietnam!

Frost covered Mau Son Mountain peak in Lang Son Province early on Thursday as temperatures dropped to minus 0.1 degree Celsius, the lowest level recorded so far during the ongoing cold spell in northern Vietnam, a meteorological official said.

Schools in Ho Chi Minh City have been required to clean student toilets multiple times a day under new guidelines issued by the local education authority, marking the first time specific hygiene standards have been formally set for the schools.

Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh avenged a previous defeat as she beat seventh seed Chiu Pin-Chian of Taiwan in straight games to reach the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Masters 2026 on Thursday.

Good morning from Vietnam!

A red stencil of a hand pressed against the wall of an Indonesian cave is the oldest rock art ever discovered, scientists said Wednesday, and sheds light on how humans first migrated to Australia.

Foreigners who choose to live in Da Nang for three to six months are emerging as a direct and ‘clean’ source of foreign investment, experts said at a recent workshop held in the central Vietnamese city.

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.