Ho Chi Minh City offers free bus rides on Fridays in 2026
Ho Chi Minh City 17:20 05/02/2026Ho Chi Minh City offers free bus rides every Friday in 2026 to passengers who pay fares using approved cashless payment methods, the city’s Management Center of Public Transport said.
Vietnam’s popular piracy streaming app Ro Phim shuts down
Vietnam News 17:05 05/02/2026Ro Phim, a popular Vietnamese app that streamed pirated movies and television shows, said on Thursday it had ceased operations, with users receiving shutdown notices on the app and its social media pages.
Hanoi to stage 34 fireworks displays on Lunar New Year’s Eve
Vietnam News 17:08 05/02/2026Hanoi will host 34 fireworks shows across the capital on Lunar New Year’s Eve, with each display lasting 15 minutes to welcome the Year of the Horse.
International tourists snap up Phu Quoc fish sauce ahead of Tet
Travel 17:02 05/02/2026Foreign visitors to Phu Quoc Special Zone, an island administered by An Giang Province in southern Vietnam, are increasingly buying Phu Quoc fish sauce as gifts and for home use ahead of the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year holiday), drawn by its distinctive aroma and rich, savory taste.
Ho Chi Minh City launches comprehensive review of school meals over safety concerns
Education 11:48 31/01/2026The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training ordered on Friday a comprehensive review of school meal programs, following reports that a food supplier used products that did not meet safety standards.
How 3,000 tonnes of chemical-soaked snail meat slipped past Vietnamese authorities for years
Ho Chi Minh City 17:11 30/01/2026The recent dismantling of a Ho Chi Minh City-based facility that allegedly soaked some 3,000 metric tons of apple snail meat in an estimated 500 metric tons of industrial chemicals has sparked an inquiry into how it managed to evade detection for years.
Suspect details ‘formula’ behind 3,000 tonnes of chemical-soaked snail meat in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City 17:34 28/01/2026The investigation into a massive food safety scandal in Ho Chi Minh City has uncovered chilling details about how Huynh Van Truong processed thousands of metric tons of snail meat using industrial chemicals purchased from Kim Bien Market.
Ho Chi Minh City police bust operation soaking 3,000 tonnes of snail meat in chemicals
Vietnam News 09:39 28/01/2026The Ho Chi Minh City police department’s economic crime division has uncovered a shocking case of food safety violations, involving the use of industrial chemicals to process thousands of metric tons of snail meat for sale on the market.
Dog walking emerges as profitable line of work in Ho Chi Minh City
In-Depth 09:19 05/02/2026During the Lunar New Year holiday, pet services enter their busiest season, with dog walking increasingly sought after by busy owners and emerging as a lucrative line of work in Ho Chi Minh City.
Op-ed: Do not let violence drive tourists away from Vietnam
In-Depth 15:42 04/02/2026Vietnam needs exemplary court rulings and tough closure orders against tourism businesses where violence against visitors occurs.
Vietnam positioned as EU’s strategic anchor in ASEAN: ambassador
In-Depth 12:28 31/01/2026The elevation of EU-Vietnam relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership comes at an important moment.
Vietnam’s biggest cities push to reclaim sidewalks, drawing praise, nostalgia, and skepticism
In-Depth 12:18 30/01/2026Efforts by authorities in Vietnam’s largest cities to clear sidewalk encroachments and restore pedestrian space are gaining momentum and reshaping street life, but they are also sparking debate over how to balance urban order, safety, and a deeply ingrained street culture.
When Vietnamese children go online every day, are parents truly present?
In-Depth 10:29 29/01/2026There was a time when many Vietnamese parents believed online safety was someone else’s problem, trusting that their well-behaved children were immune. Yet the moment such confidence takes hold is also when the protective line shielding children from fake news, harmful content and toxic information online becomes dangerously thin.
From Russian vodka to Vietnamese kombucha: Ivan Fomenko’s journey to building life in Vietnam
In-Depth 10:05 28/01/2026Without a background in business or formal culinary training, Russian Ivan Fomenko came to kombucha largely by chance, sparked by an idea from his ex-girlfriend and a simple motivation: finding a way to earn a living in Vietnam.
Vietnam projected to enter aging society within next decade
In-Depth 17:47 27/01/2026Vietnam is approaching a major demographic turning point, with projections showing the country will exit its ‘golden’ population period within just over a decade and move rapidly toward an aging and eventually ‘super-aged’ society by mid-century.
Engineer returns home to rethink farming in Vietnam
In-Depth 13:10 27/01/2026Vietnamese agriculture is entering a new chapter. A growing number of young people returning home, bringing back skills, training, and a strong belief that farming can be modernized without losing its roots.
Pokemon-themed facility opens in Japan
World 18:40 05/02/2026TOKYO -- PokePark Kanto, the first permanent theme park based on the popular Japanese video game series Pocket Monster, or Pokemon, opened inside the Yomiuriland amusement park straddling Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture on Thursday.
"Care beauty" for seniors spreading in Japan
World 17:47 05/02/2026SAITAMA -- So-called care beauty, which involves providing older adults with makeup, hand care and light aesthetic treatments at nursing homes and other facilities, is spreading across Japan, aiming to improve seniors' quality of life and encourage their social engagement.
JAXA aims to launch Epsilon S rocket in fiscal 2026
World 17:47 05/02/2026TOKYO -- The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, aims to launch the improved Epsilon S rocket in fiscal 2026, which starts in April, using an existing second-stage engine, officials said Wednesday.
Vietnam expects to launch national gold exchange before February 10
Economy 17:11 05/02/2026Vietnam is aiming to put a national gold exchange into operation before February 10 as part of urgent efforts to stabilize the domestic gold market amid prolonged price volatility, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son said on Wednesday.
AI to track icebergs adrift at sea in boon for science
World 17:00 05/02/2026PARIS, France -- British scientists said Thursday that a world-first AI tool to catalogue and track icebergs as they break apart into smaller chunks could fill a "major blind spot" in predicting climate change.
Japan-Qatar gas tie-up highlights global push for energy security
World 17:00 05/02/2026LONDON -- Qatar's long-term deal to supply Japan's power giant JERA with liquefied natural gas highlights two key themes in the red-hot market for this super-chilled fuel: the race to gain market share and the global push for energy security.
Malaysia imposes ban on e-waste imports
World 17:00 05/02/2026KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia has imposed a ban on imports of electronic waste, as it looks to tighten controls on the entry of hazardous materials and safeguard the environment, the head of the country's anti-graft body said.
1 dead in Portugal as storm forces thousands to evacuate in Spain
World 16:59 05/02/2026A storm unleashing more than 40 centimeters of rain in 24 hours battered the Iberian Peninsula on Wednesday, killing one, forcing thousands more from their homes, shutting schools and cancelling trains.
Hanoi moves to build 2 emergency underground tanks to tackle persistent flooding
Vietnam News 16:14 05/02/2026Hanoi is preparing to build two underground water storage tanks as an emergency measure to curb urban flooding, a senior official at the city’s construction department said on Thursday.
Vietnam adopts strategy to build unified national image for global engagement
Vietnam News 15:54 05/02/2026Vietnam is seeking to present itself to the world as a developed, humane, creative, and trustworthy nation under a government-adopted strategy to promote the country’s image abroad, aimed at strengthening national identity and soft power to foster international cooperation, investment, tourism, and long-term development.
Google Maps to update Vietnam place names after administrative overhaul
Vietnam News 15:49 05/02/2026Google Maps is preparing to update place names in Vietnam to reflect the recent reorganization of administrative units, according to mapping data experts.
Hanoi moves to build 2 emergency underground tanks to tackle persistent flooding
Vietnam News 16:14 05/02/2026Hanoi is preparing to build two underground water storage tanks as an emergency measure to curb urban flooding, a senior official at the city’s construction department said on Thursday.
Vietnam adopts strategy to build unified national image for global engagement
Vietnam News 15:54 05/02/2026Vietnam is seeking to present itself to the world as a developed, humane, creative, and trustworthy nation under a government-adopted strategy to promote the country’s image abroad, aimed at strengthening national identity and soft power to foster international cooperation, investment, tourism, and long-term development.
Google Maps to update Vietnam place names after administrative overhaul
Vietnam News 15:49 05/02/2026Google Maps is preparing to update place names in Vietnam to reflect the recent reorganization of administrative units, according to mapping data experts.
Vietnam’s Khanh Hoa tightens oversight of foreign nationals to address safety, residency issues
Vietnam News 11:08 05/02/2026Authorities in Khanh Hoa Province, home to the famed beach destination of Nha Trang in south-central Vietnam, have ordered stronger coordination among agencies to manage and address issues involving foreign nationals, including stricter checks on immigration, residency, and traffic violations.
3 killed in early-morning house fire in Ho Chi Minh City alley
Ho Chi Minh City 15:01 05/02/2026A house fire that broke out in a narrow alley in Ho Chi Minh City in the early hours of Thursday claimed the lives of a woman and her two children, authorities said.
Ho Chi Minh City police dismantle large fake RON A95 gasoline ring
Ho Chi Minh City 14:53 04/02/2026Police in Ho Chi Minh City have uncovered a large-scale ring accused of producing and selling counterfeit RON A95 gasoline by blending genuine fuel with industrial solvents and colorants, a scheme that authorities say posed serious risks to consumers and disrupted the fuel market.
Dozens hospitalized in Ho Chi Minh City after year-end party
Ho Chi Minh City 11:07 04/02/2026Dozens of people in Ho Chi Minh City were rushed to hospital for emergency treatment after developing symptoms consistent with food poisoning following a year-end party held a few days ago.
Ho Chi Minh City braces for motorcycle emissions inspections
Ho Chi Minh City 10:28 04/02/2026The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction has instructed vehicle registration and inspection centers to prepare facilities and equipment for motorcycle emissions testing.
Ho Chi Minh City reports full access to clean water: SAWACO
Ho Chi Minh City 16:59 03/02/2026Ho Chi Minh City has achieved 100-percent access to clean water for residents, including expanded meter installation in hard-to-reach areas, the city’s water utility Saigon Water Corporation (SAWACO) said on Tuesday.
