Trading personal data faces tenfold fines under Vietnam’s new privacy law
Vietnam News 13:09 01/01/2026Trading personal data in Vietnam will carry fines of up to ten times the illegal profits earned starting January 1, 2026, as the country enforces a sweeping new law aimed at strengthening digital privacy and consumer protection, officials said.
Ho Chi Minh City sees record $10.5bn in remittances in 2025
Ho Chi Minh City 12:58 01/01/2026Ho Chi Minh City was estimated to receive US$10.5 billion in remittances in 2025, the highest in the city’s history, according to Tran Thi Ngoc Lien, deputy director of the State Bank of Vietnam’s Regional Branch No. 2.
Hundreds of thousands gather at Sa Dec Square in southern Vietnam for hot-air balloon program
Vietnam News 15:15 01/01/2026Sa Dec Square in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam buzzed with excitement on Wednesday evening as hundreds of thousands of visitors gathered for the opening of a hot-air balloon performance program, ushering in the New Year with a vibrant visual spectacle.
Ho Chi Minh City sets floor area standards for apartments
Vietnam News 13:04 01/01/2026The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee has issued a decision establishing regulations for determining population density in apartment buildings and mixed-use apartment buildings, setting per capita floor area at 25-32m²/person.
Vietnam reports 415 killed or missing in natural disasters in 2025
Vietnam News 11:42 26/12/2025Vietnam has recorded 415 people killed or missing and 728 injured due to natural disasters so far in 2025, the Ministry of Public Security said on Friday.
Police probe dam releases in Vietnam’s Dak Lak, where historic floods killed 113
Vietnam News 18:31 20/12/2025Historic floods that struck Dak Lak Province, south-central Vietnam, late last month left 113 people dead and caused massive damage, provincial authorities said, adding that the Ministry of Public Security is investigating whether the discharge of the Song Ba Ha hydropower plant was conducted properly.
How central Vietnam can ease pain of natural disasters
Vietnam News 17:39 17/12/2025For central Vietnam to truly ‘live with floods,’ it needs fundamental, long-term solutions built on three key pillars, including reorganizing living space, restoring natural ecosystems, and strengthening community capacity.
Vietnam's Khanh Hoa warns of new flood risk, orders evacuations from high-risk areas
Vietnam News 13:22 10/12/2025The administration of Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam has issued an urgent warning about a possible new flood wave on local rivers and streams from Tuesday night to Thursday, calling on authorities to prepare immediate evacuations from areas prone to flooding and landslides.
'Acoustic hazard': Noise complaints spark Vietnam pickleball wars
In-Depth 15:14 28/12/2025The piercing pop-pop of pickleball paddles starts before sunrise and ends after midnight at dozens of newly built courts across Hanoi, as residents relish one of Vietnam's fastest-growing sports -- or rage at the noise it makes.
Op-ed: To make ‘banh mi’ safe, Vietnamese vendors must change
In-Depth 12:22 26/12/2025‘Banh mi’ is not just a convenient meal; it is part of urban life and a defining feature of Vietnam’s street-food culture.
When AI cameras reshape public conduct in Vietnam
In-Depth 14:34 24/12/2025Arriving in Hanoi last week, I noticed something quietly striking as lines of vehicles waited neatly behind stop lines.
Digital infidelity in Vietnam: Married to the game or to each other?
In-Depth 10:57 23/12/2025Infidelity in the digital age no longer needs a hotel room or a paper trail but it rather unfolds quietly through screens and usernames.
Sedentary lifestyles drive rise in early joint degeneration among young adults in Vietnam
In-Depth 13:33 22/12/2025Young adults in Vietnam are increasingly being diagnosed with joint and spine disorders once associated mainly with old age, as sedentary lifestyles and heavy technology use take a growing toll on musculoskeletal health.
Who’s teaching Vietnam’s next generation how to live in cyberspace?
In-Depth 12:16 21/12/2025One day he was on the TEDx stage delivering an inspiring speech and the next day he was named a fraud. Last month, a rising IELTS creator who aspired to make English learning more affordable for Vietnamese students stumbled through a few mispronunciations and awkward grammatical errors.
Refereeing controversies deepen chaos at SEA Games in Thailand
In-Depth 14:21 19/12/2025Amid a 2025 Southeast Asian Games already weighed down by logistical failures and complaints from athletes, a wave of refereeing controversies has pushed the regional competition into deeper disarray.
Businesses and the journey to shaping Vietnam’s future for every child
In-Depth 14:00 18/12/2025In a new development context shaped by climate change, digital transformation and population ageing, Vietnam is increasingly recognizing investment in children as a decisive driver of national competitiveness.
Japan retailers racing with low-priced goods amid inflation
World 17:51 01/01/2026TOKYO -- Japanese retailers are competing to offer low-priced goods as consumers continue to keep their purse strings tight amid inflation.
Over 900 graves closed in Japan's Noto quake area
World 17:30 01/01/2026KANAZAWA, ISHIKAWA PREF. -- More than 900 applications needed to close family graves have been filed in the Okunoto area of central Japan since it was hit by the January 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake.
Vietnam to enforce sweeping digital, telecom, data laws this year
Vietnam News 16:04 01/01/2026Vietnam’s series of new laws and regulations are set to take effect from 2026 to reshape digital industry development, public telecommunications services, data protection, and investment procedures.
Thieves drill into German bank vault and make off with millions
World 14:11 01/01/2026BERLIN - Thieves used the quiet Christmas period to drill their way into the vault of a German retail bank and make off with at least 10 million euros' worth of money and valuables from customers' deposit boxes, police said on Tuesday.
Anthony Joshua released from hospital following car accident
World 13:57 01/01/2026Two days after he was hurt in a deadly car crash outside Lagos, Nigeria, British boxing star Anthony Joshua was released from hospital on Wednesday and will continue recovering at home, Nigerian officials said.
Fireworks light up Vietnam’s major cities as 2026 begins
Vietnam Life 12:55 01/01/2026Fireworks burst over Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and other major Vietnamese localities at midnight on Wednesday as tens of thousands of people gathered to welcome the start of 2026.
Oil prices log steepest annual drop since 2020
World 11:51 01/01/2026LONDON/NEW YORK - Oil prices fell on Wednesday and recorded an annual loss of nearly 20%, as expectations of oversupply increased in a year marked by wars, higher tariffs, increased OPEC+ output and sanctions on Russia, Iran and Venezuela.
Local, foreign tourists dash to Hoi An Ancient Town for New Year celebrations
Travel 11:42 01/01/2026Hoi An Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in Da Nang City, central Vietnam, buzzed with excitement on Wednesday evening as thousands of visitors, including international tourists, lined both banks of the Hoai River to ring in the New Year.
Ho Chi Minh City police charge landholder over illegal dumping of more than 250 tonnes of waste
Ho Chi Minh City 11:18 01/01/2026Police in Ho Chi Minh City have charged a woman with causing environmental pollution after more than 250 metric tonnes of solid waste was found dumped on land she managed, authorities said on Wednesday.
N2 overpass branch at An Phu Intersection opens to traffic in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City 11:13 01/01/2026The Transportation Works Construction Investment Project Management Authority of Ho Chi Minh City said on Wednesday night that the unit had held a ceremony to officially open the N2 overpass branch of the An Phu Interchange project to traffic.
Vietlott jackpot finds $650,000 winner in year-end draw
Vietnam News 11:05 01/01/2026A single lucky ticket won Vietlott’s Mega 6/45 jackpot worth VND17,185,095,500 (US$650,650) in the Wednesday evening draw, marking one of the final big lottery prizes of 2025 in Vietnam, the state-run Vietnam Lottery Company (Vietlott) announced.
Vietnam to enforce sweeping digital, telecom, data laws this year
Vietnam News 16:04 01/01/2026Vietnam’s series of new laws and regulations are set to take effect from 2026 to reshape digital industry development, public telecommunications services, data protection, and investment procedures.
Vietlott jackpot finds $650,000 winner in year-end draw
Vietnam News 11:05 01/01/2026A single lucky ticket won Vietlott’s Mega 6/45 jackpot worth VND17,185,095,500 (US$650,650) in the Wednesday evening draw, marking one of the final big lottery prizes of 2025 in Vietnam, the state-run Vietnam Lottery Company (Vietlott) announced.
Zalo responds to backlash over updated terms of service in Vietnam
Vietnam News 07:55 01/01/2026Vietnamese messaging app Zalo on Wednesday afternoon released an unexpected announcement addressing updates to its terms of service, a move that has drawn significant attention from tens of millions of users across Vietnam.
Police arrest company director after abrupt cancelation of major music show in Hanoi
Vietnam News 17:16 31/12/2025Hanoi police have arrested the director of Ngoc Viet Education Co. Ltd. on fraud charges after a highly anticipated music concert was abruptly canceled, leaving audiences demanding refunds and triggering a criminal investigation, authorities said on Tuesday.
Ho Chi Minh City police charge landholder over illegal dumping of more than 250 tonnes of waste
Ho Chi Minh City 11:18 01/01/2026Police in Ho Chi Minh City have charged a woman with causing environmental pollution after more than 250 metric tonnes of solid waste was found dumped on land she managed, authorities said on Wednesday.
N2 overpass branch at An Phu Intersection opens to traffic in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City 11:13 01/01/2026The Transportation Works Construction Investment Project Management Authority of Ho Chi Minh City said on Wednesday night that the unit had held a ceremony to officially open the N2 overpass branch of the An Phu Interchange project to traffic.
Ho Chi Minh City unveils renovated Le Loi Boulevard to celebrate New Year
Ho Chi Minh City 10:53 01/01/2026Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday inaugurated the renovated Le Loi Boulevard, a key downtown thoroughfare, following nearly 20 days of work to upgrade infrastructure and revitalize the city center ahead of New Year celebrations.
Joy overflows as newborns welcome first moments of 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City 09:10 01/01/2026As the clock struck midnight ushering in the New Year 2026, six newborns let out their first cries at Tu Du Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, bringing waves of joy to their families and the medical staff who helped them into the world.
Ho Chi Minh City nears completion of 1st school on former cemetery site
Ho Chi Minh City 16:14 31/12/2025An elementary school is nearing completion on land that once housed the former Binh Hung Hoa cemetery, as Ho Chi Minh City presses ahead with plans to redevelop the city’s largest burial ground for public infrastructure.
