Ho Chi Minh City will stage fireworks at seven sites to mark National Day. The city has laid out a plan to enter the world's top 50 smart cities by 2030. Five Chinese nationals were detained over an alleged fake monk scam targeting foreign tourists. And more in our podcast.

Plans to clear part of Singapore's dwindling secondary forests for high-density housing have sparked a rare public backlash in the city-state, prompting the government to adjust the proposal as it tries to boost housing capacity.

Germany registered a record of around 14,000 heat-related deaths this summer as Europe struggled through a series of punishing heatwaves, official data showed Thursday.

Students from Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia and South Africa presented projects tackling practical challenges in agriculture, food access and resource use at the UNIIC Business Challenge 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday.

“For Thailand, Vietnam is not only a close friend and an important ASEAN partner, but also a country with many similarities and complementary strengths,” said Wiraka Moodhitaporn, Royal Thai consul general in Ho Chi Minh City.

Good morning from Vietnam!

The eighth Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF VIII) will open on November 28 at the Vietnam Exhibition Center in Hanoi, featuring its first-ever film market to connect local cinema with international buyers and investors.

Ho Chi Minh City has laid out a smart-city development plan and key solutions to become a leading smart city and rank among the world’s top 50 by 2030, Nguyen Manh Cuong, an alternate member of the Party Central Committee and deputy chairman of the municipal administration, said on Thursday.

In recent years, concert films have become a global phenomenon, giving live shows a lucrative second life on the big screen. Vietnam is now following in these international footsteps, turning major live events into cinematic releases and bringing music, cinema, and fandom together in a new way.

Starting August 20, Vietnamese citizens can enter China visa-free for up to 240 hours while transiting, and enjoy visa-free stays of up to 30 days in Hainan province.

A local campaign to post cemetery photos online has led to a major breakthrough for a family in northern Vietnam, reuniting them with the long-sought resting place of soldier La Phuc Chau after more than half a century.

As the new school year approaches, parents in Ho Chi Minh City are sharing more than just their children’s study corners, school uniforms, books and classrooms. A new trend is taking over social media: showing off where children sleep during the school day.

Aeon Co. said Thursday it has set up a committee of outside experts to investigate a fatal blast that occurred at a shopping mall in Kumamoto Prefecture shortly after last month's earthquake in the southwestern Japan prefecture.

Dak Lak province is implementing a project to seek UNESCO Global Geopark recognition for Phu Yen Geopark, aiming to preserve its rich geological, natural, cultural and historical heritage while leveraging these values to promote sustainable tourism, improve local livelihoods and showcase the eastern part of the province.

The Asian Games are returning to Japan for the first time in 32 years, with the 2026 Games slated to kick off on Sept. 19 in the central prefecture of Aichi.

Ho Chi Minh City is studying the development of multiple outlet centers that would go beyond year-round discount retail to become part of a broader commercial, service and tourism ecosystem, as international visitors to Vietnam spend considerably less on average than tourists in many other countries.

Vietnamese budget carrier Vietjet has reopened five domestic routes connecting Da Lat in Lam Dong Province with Vietnam’s major economic and tourism hubs including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Vinh, and Da Nang.

A new Rixos resort is taking shape on Hon Thom Island in Phu Quoc, featuring a landmark tower inspired by Empress Nam Phuong, Vietnam’s last empress, as the island expands its luxury tourism offerings.

Japan's imports hit a monthly record in July as elevated oil prices drove up energy costs and inflationary pressures, while exports also climbed to an all-time high on a weaker yen and robust semiconductor-related demand.

South Korea will flag off on Saturday a container ship bound for Europe via the Arctic, testing whether a route opened by melting sea ice can be commercially viable, but risking friction with Western allies, as the voyage requires Russian cooperation.

Vietnam and Thailand will meet in the ASEAN Cup final for a record fourth time, renewing one of Southeast Asia’s most familiar football rivalries after both sides advanced from the 2026 semifinals.

Vietnam's seafood industry is targeting US$12 billion in exports in 2026, but exporters face growing demands from import markets for animal welfare standards, including stunning shrimp and fish before slaughter.

Good morning from Vietnam!

The annual flood season is an important part of life in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, but the natural cycle of rising waters has changed in recent years, with floods tending to arrive later and reach lower levels.

Vietnam defeated Malaysia 2-0 in the second leg of their 2026 ASEAN Cup semifinal at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Wednesday, completing a 4-0 aggregate victory to reach the final.

Investigators in Khanh Hoa Province, home to the famed beach destination of Nha Trang in south-central Vietnam, are searching for two men allegedly linked to the transfer of US$12 million overseas through suspected fraudulent customs and banking documents.

A waste-to-energy plant that will convert waste into electricity, with an investment of about US$155 million and a capacity to process 1,500 metric tons of waste per day, broke ground in Nghe An Province on Wednesday, with the project expected to become the largest facility of its kind in central Vietnam.

Thai schools conducted active shooter drills on Wednesday, as authorities moved to strengthen security measures two weeks after a 14-year-old opened fire at a school and killed at least eight people.

Northern Vietnam is forecast to see widespread heavy rain through Thursday as a tropical depression moves westward over the East Vietnam Sea. A new direct air route between Can Tho and Da Lat began operating. The government has proposed reducing the number of offenses subject to the death penalty from 10 to four while adding nine new criminal offenses to the country's Penal Code. And more in our podcast.

Vietnam will look to overturn a long-standing struggle at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi when they host Malaysia in the second leg of their 2026 ASEAN Championship semifinal on Wednesday evening.

At a ceremony marking India’s 80th Independence Day this week, Ho Chi Minh City chairman Nguyen Van Duoc and Indian Consul General Vipra Pandey emphasized closer cooperation toward a shared future.

Vietnam’s Cong An Ha Noi FC will face five Japanese clubs, along with two Chinese sides and one Malaysian opponent, in their debut AFC Champions League Elite campaign, setting up a demanding test for the Vietnamese club but also a valuable opportunity to compete against some of Asia’s best teams.

As younger villagers leave for better-paying jobs, elderly women in a rural village in Quang Ngai Province, central Vietnam, continue hand-weaving hammocks during their spare time, preserving a craft that has been passed down for nearly a century while earning a modest extra income.

Northern Vietnam is forecast to see widespread heavy rain through Thursday as a tropical depression moves westward over the East Vietnam Sea, while strong winds are expected in the northern waters, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

An Indonesian court began a trial on Tuesday for 11 daycare staffers alleged to be involved in a high-profile case of abuse against children in their care, as the chairperson of the daycare faced a separate hearing.