The wedding anniversary of an elderly couple in Ho Chi Minh City was celebrated like a real wedding, complete with a bridal procession, ring exchange, champagne pouring, congratulatory speeches, and a festive banquet.

Hanoi’s street food continues to win the hearts of international visitors, not only for its distinctive flavours but also for the unique dining spaces and lifestyle it reflects.

The centre will provide essential infrastructure and public services to support semiconductor design and prototyping as part of Vietnam’s broader industrial strategy.

Under the plan, all civil status events of Vietnamese citizens, foreign residents in Vietnam, as well as foreigners and people of Vietnamese origin, must be registered in a timely, complete and accurate manner in accordance with the law.

Most recently, University Medical Centre HCM City successfully performed two simultaneous transplants, a heart and a liver, using organs donated from a brain-dead patient at People’s Hospital 115.

Israel and Vietnam on January 5 launched their first direct air route, linking Tel Aviv and Hanoi in a move expected to accelerate tourism, trade and wider bilateral exchanges.

Industrial production rose by 9.2% for the year, accelerating from an 8.2% increase in 2024 and marking the strongest performance since 2019.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg approving a plan to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and Israel (VIFTA), aiming to ensure the agreement is carried out fully and effectively.

Hanoi aims to cut average annual PM2.5 concentrations by around 20% by 2030 compared to 2024 levels, lowering them to below 40 µg/m³, as air pollution remains a serious challenge for the capital and other major urban areas.

The Homeland 2026 Spring programme, themed “Vietnam’s Aspiration: Peace and Prosperity”, will be held on February 8 in Hanoi, according to the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Politburo member and Standing member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Cam Tu on January 6 inspected preparations for the upcoming 14th National Party Congress at the National Convention Centre (NCC) in Hanoi.

Bac Ninh emerged as one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing local economies in 2025, driven by strong industry and startup activity.

The rate of fly ash utilisation has steadily increased over the years, to 84% in 2021 from 37.5% in 2018.

Despite global uncertainty in 2025, the agriculture and environment sector fulfilled and exceeded all nine targets assigned by the Government.

ASEAN, particularly Vietnam and Thailand, has also stood out. The RoK’s exports to ASEAN rose 12.5% over the period, reaching 122.4 billion USD in 2025, while exports to Vietnam climbed 10.8% to 62.8 billion USD.

Vietnam allocated about 1.15 quadrillion VND (nearly 43.8 billion USD) for development investment in 2025, the highest ever recorded, the Ministry of Finance reported at its year-end review conference held in Hanoi on January 6.

Health insurance cardholders from near-poor households have their payment rate raised from 95% to 100% of covered medical expenses effective on January 1.

Vietnam’s total trade in services surpassed 70 billion USD last year, with exports reaching 30.3 billion USD and imports amounting to 40.5 billion USD, resulting in a deficit of more than 10 billion USD.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on January 7 urged the swift completion of the “Quang Trung Campaign” to rebuild storm-hit homes in central Vietnam before the 14th Party Congress and Lunar New Year.

Ho Chi Minh City has set an economic growth target of over 10% for 2026, based on favourable international conditions and the early impact of the amended Resolution 98 on special mechanisms and policies for the city.

Vietnam's stock market continued its upward trajectory on January 7, with the VN-Index surpassing 1,835 points-a new all-time high. The early-year rally reflects strong investor sentiment and rising confidence.

The National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance on January 7 launched the 2026 Economic Census across the country.

National cybersecurity authorities reveal a troubling increase in sophisticated mobile threats, with nearly 63,000 new strains recorded.

U23 Vietnam defeats Jordan 2-0 in their AFC U23 Asian Cup opener with a standout tactical performance.

Vietnam’s new 0.1% tax on gold bullion transfers is designed more as a management tool than a revenue measure.