Vietnam sets fines of up to $190 for e-cigarette use under new decree
Vietnam News 16:33 02/01/2026Vietnam has begun enforcing tough penalties on the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs), with individuals facing fines of up to US$190 and mandatory destruction of the devices under a new government decree.
Ho Chi Minh City multi-purpose circus theater lights up during final testing phase
Ho Chi Minh City 15:53 02/01/2026The Phu Tho circus and multi-purpose performing arts theater in Ho Chi Minh City has begun lighting up at night as key technical systems enter trial operation, marking a new visual highlight for the Phu Tho sports and cultural complex as the landmark venue nears completion.
Vietnam Airlines launches in-flight Internet service on int’l air routes
Economy 12:28 02/01/2026After a successful trial period, Vietnam’s national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on Thursday announced the official launch of its in-flight Internet service on international air routes.
Starbucks hits 150-store milestone in Vietnam
Economy 14:18 02/01/2026Starbucks Vietnam announced on its Facebook page on Thursday that it had opened its 150th store, more than a decade after the American coffee chain launched its first location, Starbucks New World, in Ho Chi Minh City.
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.
Expert flags bottlenecks in Ho Chi Minh City’s digital economy
In-Depth 10:12 02/01/2026Ho Chi Minh City should urgently remove two major bottlenecks over hard infrastructure and legal frameworks to unlock the potential of digital economy development.
'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.
Rural municipalities working with students from urban areas
World 17:47 02/01/2026TOKYO -- In a model project by Japan's internal affairs ministry, municipalities in the countryside are collaborating with university students from urban areas, in order to leverage young people's ideas for regional revitalization.
3-year-old dies, 5 relatives hospitalized after suspected food poisoning in Vietnam
Vietnam News 17:12 02/01/2026Six members of a family in Son La Province, northern Vietnam were hospitalized with suspected food poisoning after eating fruit and yogurt during a holiday gathering, with a three-year-old boy later confirmed dead, local authorities said on Friday.
Swiss face painful task of identifying victims of deadly bar fire
World 15:26 02/01/2026Investigators on Friday set about the painful task of identifying the burned bodies of a blaze that engulfed a crowded bar and killed around 40 people at a New Year's Eve party in the upscale Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana.
Contaminated water kills 9 and hospitalises 200 in India's Indore city
World 15:26 02/01/2026NEW DELHI - At least nine people have died and more than 200 have been hospitalised in the central Indian city of Indore after a diarrhoea outbreak that officials said was linked to contaminated drinking water, according to a lawmaker and local health authorities.
Canada asks Air India to probe incident of pilot reporting for duty under influence of alcohol, source says
World 14:49 02/01/2026NEW DELHI -- Canada's transport regulator has asked Air India to investigate an incident of a pilot reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol and failing two breathalyzer tests, a person familiar with the matter said.
Choppers take to skies over Da Nang as training season begins
Vietnam News 14:45 02/01/2026The skies over Da Nang City in central Vietnam became noticeably busier as helicopters from Air Defense Division 372 conducted regular training flights in the final days of 2025, signaling the start of a new chopper flight training season.
Int’l tourists gravitate to Vietnam’s Phu Quoc for day-to-night activities on New Year’s Day
Travel 14:23 02/01/2026Phu Quoc Special Zone, administered by An Giang Province in southern Vietnam, welcomed nearly 7,000 foreign visitors on January 1, 2026, with many enjoying the island’s high-end attractions from daytime sightseeing through night-time entertainment.
Ho Chi Minh City residents welcome New Year with metro rides, cycling in new lane
Ho Chi Minh City 14:08 02/01/2026During New Year’s Eve and the first day of 2026, passenger numbers on metro line No. 1, which links Ben Thanh Market with Suoi Tien Coach Station, rose sharply; while many residents were excitedly riding the newly inaugurated dedicated bicycle lane along Mai Chi Tho Boulevard.
Vietnamese conglomerate takes over operations of Phu Quoc int'l airport
Economy 14:02 02/01/2026Leading Vietnamese conglomerate Sun Group officially assumed the management and operation of Phu Quoc International Airport on Thursday, a major shift in the administration of one of southern Vietnam's busiest aviation gateways as the island prepares for large-scale international events, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in 2027.
Fire ravages Amsterdam church on 'unsettled' Dutch New Year
World 13:59 02/01/2026A huge inferno gutted a 19th century Amsterdam church Thursday, as the Netherlands endured an unsettled New Year's Eve with two dead from fireworks and "unprecedented" violence against police.
China taxes condoms, contraceptive drugs in bid to spur birth rate
World 13:58 02/01/2026China removed a three-decade-old tax exemption on contraceptive drugs and devices from January 1 in new steps to spur a flagging birth rate.
3-year-old dies, 5 relatives hospitalized after suspected food poisoning in Vietnam
Vietnam News 17:12 02/01/2026Six members of a family in Son La Province, northern Vietnam were hospitalized with suspected food poisoning after eating fruit and yogurt during a holiday gathering, with a three-year-old boy later confirmed dead, local authorities said on Friday.
Choppers take to skies over Da Nang as training season begins
Vietnam News 14:45 02/01/2026The skies over Da Nang City in central Vietnam became noticeably busier as helicopters from Air Defense Division 372 conducted regular training flights in the final days of 2025, signaling the start of a new chopper flight training season.
Nearly 10,500 drivers penalized in Vietnam on New Year’s Day
Vietnam News 12:31 02/01/2026Vietnamese traffic police handled nearly 10,500 violations nationwide on Thursday, the first day of the four-day New Year holiday, according to the Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security.
Vietnam’s new traffic rules on child safety, drivers to take effect this year
Vietnam News 09:55 02/01/2026Vietnam will roll out a series of new traffic regulations this year, tightening child safety requirements in cars, revising rules on drivers’ working hours, and expanding eligibility for higher-grade driver’s licenses, as part of broader legal changes on public order and road safety.
Ho Chi Minh City residents welcome New Year with metro rides, cycling in new lane
Ho Chi Minh City 14:08 02/01/2026During New Year’s Eve and the first day of 2026, passenger numbers on metro line No. 1, which links Ben Thanh Market with Suoi Tien Coach Station, rose sharply; while many residents were excitedly riding the newly inaugurated dedicated bicycle lane along Mai Chi Tho Boulevard.
Free metro, bus rides ring in 2026 as Ho Chi Minh City residents flock to public transport
Ho Chi Minh City 10:04 02/01/2026Ho Chi Minh City offered free rides on all public transport services, including the metro and buses, on January 1 (Thursday), to mark the New Year, drawing large crowds and creating a lively atmosphere across the city.
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.
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.
