Good morning from Vietnam!

Vietnam has emerged as one of the world's fastest-growing tourism destinations, with international accommodation searches on Agoda in the first half of 2025 rising nearly 50 percent year on year, reflecting the country's growing global appeal, according to the online travel platform's Travel Outlook 2026 report.

Vietnam has expressed support for victims of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin in their efforts to hold U.S. chemical companies accountable for supplying the toxic herbicide used by the U.S. military during the war in Vietnam, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said on Thursday.

Vietnam’s Phat Dat Real Estate Development Corporation and South Korea’s Lotte Group on Friday signed an investment agreement for the Lotte Eco Smart City Thu Thiem project in Ho Chi Minh City, with a price tag of about VND60 trillion (US$2.3 billion).

Vietnam and the United States on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to share electronic customs data, aiming to strengthen efforts against trade fraud, counterfeit goods, origin fraud, and tax evasion, Vietnam Customs said.

Located just three kilometers from Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Bac Bien Village has become a favorite destination for foreign visitors seeking an authentic glimpse of traditional Vietnamese life despite having little formal tourism promotion.

Eight female consuls general in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday met with local students to share their diplomatic experiences and offer career advice at an event marking International Day of Women in Diplomacy.

Ho Chi Minh City recorded more than 2,356 workplace accidents in 2025, including 110 fatalities, officials said on Wednesday, as authorities reviewed causes and measures to improve worker safety.

A newly discovered cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve in Quang Tri Province, north-central Vietnam, has amazed cave explorers with an extensive stalactite system described as an unprecedented 'stalactite palace.'

Vietnam is ready to provide appropriate forms of assistance to Venezuela following the devastating twin earthquakes that struck the South American country on Wednesday (local time), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday.

The 2026 World Cup on Thursday became the best-attended in the tournament's history, surpassing the 1994 record of nearly 3.6 million spectators, FIFA said.

Australia's prime minister said on Friday he was keen to make sure the country's social media ban for children was as strong as possible, as a new study found that the measure — the first of its kind and now six months old — had little impact on teen use.

Hundreds of people in Venezuela were trapped under rubble and many more remained unaccounted for on Thursday after two powerful earthquakes devastated areas in and around the capital Caracas, killing hundreds, damaging buildings and leaving thousands homeless.

NEW DELHI -- Durga Devi finds no relief after a day working in New Delhi's sweltering summer, because her poorly ventilated home radiates trapped heat, leaving her bedroom as hot as 45 degrees at night.

Vietnam and China are seeking to deepen agricultural trade cooperation through closer supply-chain integration, improved logistics, digitalization, and higher quality standards, officials and industry representatives said at a forum in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday.

The United States has appointed Vietnamese chess grandmaster Le Quang Liem as head coach of its women's team for the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad, according to the team's roster announced on Friday.

Depending on their social media influence and audience size, influencers including key opinion leaders (KOLs) and key opinion consumers (KOCs) promoting Da Nang City will be eligible for benefits such as complimentary airfare, accommodation, destination familiarization trips, production support for their teams, and other incentives.

Vietnam and Venezuela have agreed to deepen their comprehensive partnership for the 2026-30 period, with energy and oil cooperation identified as key pillars alongside politics, diplomacy, defense, agriculture, and trade.

Good morning from Vietnam!

South Africa celebrated a first World Cup knockout berth with jubilant scenes on Wednesday after Thapelo Maseko's second-half strike secured a 1-0 victory over South Korea, who still have a chance of advancing as one of the best third-placed teams.

What is the secret to a long life? Three Brazilian sisters with a combined age of 316, who were named by Guinness this month as the oldest living trio of siblings in the world, may help researchers find out.

A 65-year-old patient was overjoyed after recovering a bag of gold jewelry she accidentally lost at Thong Nhat Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, thanks to the honesty of another patient and the swift response of hospital staff, a hospital representative said on Wednesday.

TOKYO -- Japan's National Police Agency said Thursday it will begin reviewing a mandatory driving skills test for drivers aged 75 or older with a history of traffic violations after a follow-up study found them more prone to accidents.

A woman has been fined after livestreaming herself exercising on railway tracks in northern Vietnam, according to the Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security.

With summer underway, Nha Trang Bay remains one of Vietnam’s most popular coastal destinations, attracting travelers with its beaches, waterfront attractions, and tourism offerings.

Good morning from Vietnam!

The Indian Navy is prepared to further enhance defense cooperation with the Vietnam People’s Navy, Rear Admiral Alok Ananda said during a goodwill visit by a flotilla of Indian naval vessels to Ho Chi Minh City.

Acting U.S. Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao and Commander of the Vietnam People’s Navy Vice Admiral Tran Thanh Nghiem held talks in Hai Phong City, northern Vietnam on Tuesday, insisting on both sides’ commitment to deepening naval cooperation.

Six red-crowned cranes arrived safely at Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam late on Tuesday after a 19-hour journey from Thailand, marking the second transfer under the country's Red-crowned Crane Conservation and Development Project for 2022-32.

TOKYO -- KDDI Corp. said Tuesday that its email system for internet service providers has been breached, and up to 14.22 million sets of email addresses and passwords may have been leaked.

Airbus has announced it will inspect 16 of its A380 superjumbos, five of them immediately, after cracks were found in a key wing component on some of the jets used by the Emirates and Qantas airlines.

A Canada-funded Matching Grant Facility (MGF) was launched in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday to help climate enterprises in Vietnam access private capital, with each dollar of official development assistance (ODA) expected to leverage about five dollars in private investment.

Da Nang International Airport in Da Nang City, central Vietnam has detected nearly 600 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) within its controlled airspace during the first month of a pilot anti-drone program, with more than 450 of the devices found operating in restricted zones.

Vietnamese airlines are collectively recruiting thousands of flight attendants, engineers, and operations staff as they expand their fleets, launch new international routes, and prepare for the opening of Long Thanh International Airport in southern Vietnam.

Police in Nha Trang, a famed beach destination in south-central Vietnam’s Khanh Hoa Province, have launched rapid drug testing in local neighborhoods, targeting boarding houses and residential areas to strengthen crime prevention and community safety.