Vietnam has sharply reduced administrative procedures for fire prevention and firefighting, giving investors greater autonomy after complex requirements previously left businesses struggling to bring factories into operation.

About 220km from Hanoi, Ta Phinh Lake in northern Vietnam draws visitors with seasonal turquoise waters, boat rides and a tranquil mountain landscape.

From Pixiu and the three-legged money toad to Qilin and the dragon turtle, feng shui traditions associate each mythical creature with different forms of good fortune, with placement often considered as important as the figure itself.

Several major Vietnamese egg producers, including Ba Huan, DTK and DTG Tien Giang, have recently had assets or debts put up for sale by banks, with collateral ranging from poultry farms and production lines to inventories and land.

Hanoi plans to submit master plans for 44 communes for appraisal by Oct. 31, complete reviews in November and secure approvals in December 2026 as part of its 100-year vision for the Vietnamese capital.

Thousands of PhD places remain unfilled in Vietnam as stricter academic requirements, limited research resources and uncertain career returns deter potential candidates, experts say.

Nighttime businesses in Ho Chi Minh City could be suspended or shut down if they seriously disrupt residents' lives, under proposed rules that seek to balance the city's night economy ambitions with community interests.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam and his spouse hosted a banquet for Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino and his spouse in Hanoi on October 6 evening.

Madame Ngo Phuong Ly, spouse of General Secretary of and President To Lam, and Madame Maricel Cohen de Mulino, spouse of Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, attended a cultural event at Van Lake, part of the Temple of Literature complex on Oct. 6.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam held talks with President of Panama José Raúl Mulino right after the welcome ceremony for the Panamanian leader in Hanoi on October 6.

The inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup ended with two lively finals, but uneven crowds and weak broadcast demand elsewhere, while plans for an AFC Nations League raise questions over whether the new Southeast Asian tournament has a future.

The Hanoi Transport Corporation (Transerco) on October 6 put 25 VinFast EB8 electric buses into service on routes No. 30 (My Dinh Bus Station–Gamuda City) and No. 50 (Long Bien–An Lac Urban Area), replacing diesel vehicles.

The Muong Lo Culture and Tourism Festival 2026, themed “The Essence of Thai Xoe – Colours of the Northwest,” will open on October 16, featuring a mass Xoe dance performed by 2,026 Thai ethnic minority people.

Ho Chi Minh City is considering municipal and project bond issues through Vietnam's international financial center to raise medium- and long-term capital for major infrastructure projects while easing pressure on public finances and bank lending.

Many experts argue that restricting each major to a single admissions method from 2028 will place pressure on universities to create reliable, comprehensive evaluation tools that ensure fairness for applicants.

Vietnam's budget smartphone market is seeing aggressive price cuts in October 2026, putting 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, 120Hz displays and even 7,000mAh batteries within reach of buyers spending around VND5 million ($190).

The proposal to organize three traffic lanes on Ring Road 3 in Hanoi stems from the fact that the route has been overloaded for years.

Diagnosed with kidney failure before her wedding, Chu Thi Thuy has had her husband's unwavering support throughout a decade of treatment. She considers his devotion one of the greatest blessings of her life.

Central Vietnam is facing days of torrential rain, with some areas forecast to receive more than 600mm and authorities warning of flooding, flash floods and landslides.

A construction machine weighing tens of tons toppled across a Ho Chi Minh City street on Oct. 6, shaking nearby homes and forcing an emergency road closure. No casualties were reported.

Police in southern Vietnam have arrested seven suspects over an online prostitution ring that allegedly used a chat group with more than 2,200 members to connect sex workers with clients.

Vietnam's top leader To Lam and his wife hosted a welcome ceremony in Hanoi for Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino Quintero and his wife, marking Mulino's first official visit to Vietnam.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino Quintero and his wife explored Vietnamese heritage at Hanoi's Temple of Literature, sounding a ceremonial drum and viewing a rare 80kg piece of agarwood.

As AI-generated short films surge online, prominent VN directors and actors argue that technology can transform filmmaking but still cannot replicate the emotional depth, creative judgment and lived experience that human artists bring to the screen.

VINASA Chairman Nguyen Van Khoa has been re-elected vice president of the Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organization for 2027-2028, marking his third consecutive term in the role.