Vietnam and China have expanded their cross-border QR payment arrangement, allowing Chinese visitors to use China’s Alipay app to scan VietQRGlobal codes and make payments directly in Chinese yuan at millions of acceptance points across Vietnam, in a bid to boost tourism flows, trade, and digital financial connectivity.

Vietnam will impose administrative fines of up to VND50 million (US$1,890) on individuals who commit violations in social protection and child welfare, as part of newly-issued Government Decree 98.

The Hanoi Department of Construction has rejected recent media reports claiming that the city plans to make bus services free for all residents, saying the information is inaccurate and has caused public misunderstanding.

HYDERABAD, India - Soon-to-be brides and grooms seeking shortcuts to shed pounds before the big day have become the latest consumer target for weight-loss drugs in India.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday confirmed that the upcoming Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers’ Day (May 1) holiday will follow the previously announced schedule, despite public calls to extend the break to nine days.

Hundreds of officers and personnel from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security, alongside on-site emergency teams, took part in a fire prevention and rescue drill at Phu My Thermal Power Company on Friday.

Vietnam’s vast network of reservoirs holds untapped potential for aquaculture development, with annual revenues expected to reach VND16 trillion (US$605 million), heard a conference held in Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam on Friday.

A major water pipe burst in southern Ho Chi Minh City will cause low water pressure in multiple communes and wards for 48 hours, starting 10:00 pm on Sunday, as authorities work to repair the damaged pipeline, the city’s water utility Saigon Water Corporation (SAWACO) said.

Good morning from Vietnam!

Ho Chi Minh City attracted nearly US$2.9 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first quarter of 2026, expanding nearly 220 percent year on year, with a $125 million TikTok Shop Vietnam project among the most notable new investments, the city’s finance department told a press briefing on Thursday.

TOKYO -- Local authorities in Japan are warning people to watch out for bears as they emerge from hibernation.

TOKYO -- Microsoft Corp. said Friday it will invest US$10 billion in Japan between 2026 and 2029 to beef up artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure capacity in the country and reinforce cybersecurity cooperation with the government.

Authorities in Ninh Binh Province, northern Vietnam have fined a local company VND22.5 million (US$854) for producing 6,000 T-shirts featuring a map of Vietnam that omitted the country's Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes, officials said on Thursday.

Authorities in Hanoi have suspended operations at the Van Phuc slaughterhouse after police uncovered a ring that processed and distributed 300 metric tons of pork infected with African swine fever to local markets and school canteens.

Ho Chi Minh City is preparing to introduce free bus travel for all residents this month, with authorities finalizing plans to submit the proposal for approval.

SYDNEY -- Since Australia banned children from using social media in December, lawmakers from Spain to Malaysia have expressed interest in following suit, while U.S. courts have found tech firms negligent toward young users.

Danish toymaker Lego will continue its expansion into the sports market this year with a collaboration with four of the world’s most famous soccer players.

A quartet of astronauts soared into space Wednesday aboard NASA’s towering new lunar rocket, beginning the first crewed journey around the Moon in more than half a century.

Vietnamese authorities on Thursday handed over an Indonesian seafarer who was rescued after drifting at sea to Indonesia’s consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, the city’s border guard command said.

Vietnam’s Quang Ninh Province and Hai Phong City on Wednesday launched a passenger transport route linking Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, opening a cross-regional tourism corridor between the two UNESCO-recognized sites, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

A surge in construction material prices in Ho Chi Minh City since the 2026 Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday in mid-February has squeezed contractors and homeowners, disrupting projects and forcing difficult trade-offs across the local building sector.

The Drug Administration of Vietnam under the Ministry of Health has issued a nationwide recall of a batch of Aceclofenac STELLA 100mg, a commonly used anti-inflammatory medication for joint pain, after determining it failed to meet quality standards and could pose potential risks to users.

The International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City has climbed 11 places to rank 84th among 120 global financial centers, according to the latest Global Financial Centers Index.

TOKYO -- Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority has approved a plan to ease a rule on the deadline for installing antiterrorism facilities at nuclear power plants.

TOKYO -- Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways will raise fuel surcharges for tickets issued in June and July, nearly doubling the rates from April and May, due to rising oil prices linked to the situation in Iran, it was learned Wednesday.

TOKYO -- Japan has begun an emission trading system in which companies that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide must participate.

United Kingdom transnational education (TNE) enrollment in Vietnam has grown at about 20 percent annually since 2018, the British Council (BC) Vietnam said, citing rising demand for internationally accredited programs delivered locally and a shift toward deeper academic partnerships.

Good morning from Vietnam!

TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday said that the government has set up a working group to discuss measures to secure a stable supply of critical products.

Authorities in Phu Quoc, a special zone administered by An Giang Province in southern Vietnam, have reassured vendors that the island’s popular night market will not be shut down, calling it a vital part of the local nighttime economy.

TOKYO -- The Japanese rice farming industry, saddled with an increased burden amid labor shortages and farmland consolidation, is shifting its attention to the water-saving dry field direct seeding method in hopes of securing stable rice production.

Farmers in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta are struggling as Thai jackfruit prices have plunged to just VND2,000-3,000 (US$0.07-0.11) per kilogram, the lowest in years, leaving many unable to cover production costs.

Divorcing parents in Japan can opt to share custody starting Wednesday, ending a system both criticized for encouraging parental child «abductions» and defended as a safeguard for domestic abuse survivors.

Ho Chi Minh City has unveiled a plan for 15-minute artistic fireworks displays on the evening of April 30 to celebrate the Reunification Day.

TOKYO -- Japan will introduce the 'blue ticket' system for cyclists on Wednesday, allowing riders who commit relatively minor traffic violations to avoid criminal punishment by paying fines.