A motorbike taxi driver, accused of charging an American tourist VND1 million (US$38.3) for a roughly 7km ride, is summoned for questioning at a police station in Hanoi. Photo: VOVThe driver, identified as P.V.L., a 62-year-old resident of Hanoi, acknowledged his wrongdoing, pledged not to repeat the offense, and issued an apology to the tourist. He prolonged the trip before demanding VND1 million for the short journey. When they arrived, the driver demanded VND1 million. Later that evening, the tourist and a Vietnamese friend went to Hoan Kiem Ward Police to report the case.

A law enforcement officer aims an anti-UAV gun at the sky during a patrol in Da Nang City, central Vietnam. All units are required to submit daily reports to the municipal military command. Law enforcement officers patrol Da Nang City in central Vietnam to detect unauthorized UAV operations. Officials said illegal UAV activity in Da Nang has become increasingly complex, particularly in coastal areas and residential neighborhoods located near restricted zones and flight safety corridors. On February 22, Da Nang International Airport reported three separate drone intrusions during the Tet holiday, forcing 49 flights to delay take-offs and landings.

Ton Duc Thang Street along the Rach Gia coast in An Giang Province, Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, is marred by widespread illegal dumping. “The situation has dragged on, polluting the environment and spoiling the urban landscape, but it keeps recurring without being effectively handled.”An illegal dumping site is seen in Rach Gia Ward, An Giang Province, Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. A representative of Kien Giang Urban Development Joint Stock Company acknowledged that the intersection has frequently been targeted for illegal dumping. The company’s name reflects former Kien Giang Province, which was merged into An Giang following a national administrative restructuring that took effect on July 1, 2025. An illegal dumping site is seen at the intersection of Ton Duc Thang and Hoang Van Thu Streets in Rach Gia Ward, An Giang Province, Vietnam’s Mekong Delta.

The Congress also marked a major leadership transition, with a new collective demonstrating clearer reform thinking. When we began economic reform, one of the most powerful and meaningful changes, in my view, was in foreign affairs. As the socialist bloc’s support shrank, we had to think seriously about attracting foreign investment. Though modest, these early ventures opened a new path: attracting private foreign capital to serve domestic development. From those initial steps, we gradually formed a clearer awareness of the role of foreign investment, leading to the promulgation of the Law on Foreign Investment in 1987.

Snakehead fish on the grill at a stall on Tan Ky Tan Quy Street in Ho Chi Minh City, February 26, 2026. These prayers are typically accompanied by offerings of gold, fruit, grilled meat, and, without fail, grilled snakehead fish. Dam Trung Son skewers snakehead fish on sugarcane before grilling them to serve customers on God of Wealth Day in Ho Chi Minh City, February 26, 2026. Grilled snakehead fish are arranged on shelves at a stall on Tan Ky Tan Quy Street in Ho Chi Minh City. A customer selects a grilled snakehead fish at a stall on Tan Ky Tan Quy Street in Ho Chi Minh City.

Thailand’s Bangkok Post described the circumstance as the 'Plan B' tariff, suggesting Washington retains alternative legal pathways to sustain its tariff policy. The U.S high import taxes were already a variable in global trade in 2025. Section 122 allows the president to impose tariffs of up to 15 percent for 150 days unless Congress approves an extension. Varg Folkman, an analyst at the European Policy Center, said the developments signal “a new period of uncertainty” for global trade, as economies attempt to anticipate Washington’s next move. Given that the U.S. remains one of Vietnam’s largest export markets, any adjustment would have direct implications, he said.

In the past, mostly Chinese customers bought these cakes for Tet and God of Wealth Day rituals. Over time, cultural exchange has seen more Vietnamese families purchasing dai phat cakes, prosperity cakes and Than Tai buns for the 10th day of the first lunar month. According to Truong, aside from Tet, these cakes also sell exceptionally well on God of Wealth Day. In 2026, the 10th day of the first lunar month - God of Wealth Day - falls on Thursday, February 26. Photo: Ha NguyenTruong says these cakes sell strongly not only during Tet but also on God of Wealth Day.

Poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, President of the Vietnam Writers’ Association, speaks at the press conference. The province previously organized a provincial-scale poetry event in 1988 to mark the 520th anniversary of King Le Thanh Tong inscribing a poem on Bai Tho Mountain, long before Vietnam Poetry Day was officially launched nationwide in 2003. The Nguyen Tieu poetry night, themed “Before the vast sea,” will introduce sea-themed works by multiple generations of poets. According to Colonel and writer Nguyen Binh Phuong, Vice President of the Vietnam Writers’ Association, this is an important seminar. The Poetry Day space will also display 50 sea-themed verses selected from ancient, medieval and modern poetry, presented on “poetry sails” designed by photographer Duong Minh Long.

Following verification, authorities identified the driver as Pham Van Lich, born in 1964 and residing in Nghia Do ward, Hanoi. Hoan Kiem ward police return the refunded money to the female tourist. Photo: People’s Committee of Hoan Kiem wardLich committed not to repeat the violation, refunded the money and apologized to the tourist. After receiving the information, Hoan Kiem ward police summoned the drivers. In May 2024, two French tourists reported that a taxi driver charged them VND500,000 (US$20) for a trip from Tran Nhat Duat Street to Cho Gao Street.

Keeping the forest so the forest can shelter the village Ba Ro Goc village lies at the foot of the majestic Chu Mom Ray mountain range and preserves the traditional cultural values of the Gia Rai people. More than 20 households decided to separate and establish a new settlement near the Ja Ray stream, at the foot of Chu Mom Ray mountain. Residents of Ba Ro Goc village have contracted to manage and protect more than 840 hectares of forest within Chu Mom Ray National Park. When violations or unusual signs are detected, they promptly report to Chu Mom Ray National Park authorities for coordinated handling. A Duin, Party cell secretary of Ba Ro Goc village, said the village still preserves seven valuable sets of gongs.

The National Blockchain Platform (NDAChain) has been positioned as a nationwide shared digital infrastructure connecting central and local levels, under the National Digital Architecture Framework issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2025. Vietnam’s first national blockchain infrastructureNDAChain is being developed under the leadership of the Ministry of Public Security, in coordination with the National Data Centre and the National Data Association (NDA). The platform has completed its core technical infrastructure, national standards and essential functions. According to a representative from NDAChain, blockchain is shifting from a transactional technology to a core infrastructure of the data economy. The second one comprises sector-specific blockchain platforms and services such as NDADID and the national data exchange.

Vietnam Airlines will halt all flights to and from Lien Khuong International Airport in Lam Dong Province, located in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, from March 4, 2026. Photo: Vietnam AirlinesFollowing the announcement, Vietnam Airlines confirmed on Wednesday that it will halt all flights to and from Da Lat and adjust its network to maintain regional connectivity during this period. The national flag carrier will increase services on nearby routes such as Ho Chi Minh City-Buon Ma Thuot, Ho Chi Minh City-Pleiku, and Da Nang-Buon Ma Thuot, providing alternative transit options for passengers heading to Lam Dong. Travelers departing from Ho Chi Minh City may also use National Highway 20 via Bao Loc or take the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway connected to the Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet Expressway, then turn at Dai Ninh interchange to National Highway 28B. Lien Khuong became the first international airport in the Central Highlands in June 2024, classified as a 4E airport with a design capacity of five million passengers per year.

Another injured person, Do Nhu H., born in 1985 and living in Ngoc Hoi commune, Hanoi, was taken to the Agricultural Hospital for emergency treatment. Upon receiving the report, traffic police, fire prevention and rescue forces, and Ngoc Hoi commune police rushed to the scene to conduct rescue operations. By approximately 9:45pm, functional forces had recovered the truck driver’s body, which had been trapped inside the cabin, and removed the damaged truck from the railway tracks. The scene of the collision between the train and the truck in Ngoc Hoi commune. Photo: Dinh HieuThe damaged truck was lifted off the railway tracks later that evening.

International tourists visit Cai Rang Floating Market in Can Tho City, Vietnam ahead of the 2026 Lunar New Year. Chaos from the pier to the marketReader Tran Cong Vinh, a tourist from Da Nang, described a disappointing visit to Cai Rang Floating Market on the morning of February 21. For many visitors, Cai Rang is a one-time-only destination. Reader Nguyen Bong agreed, saying Cai Rang now survives largely in name, sustained by short-term, opportunistic practices. Environmental sanitation is also a key concern raised by readers, who believe improvements are needed to make Cai Rang Floating Market more attractive.

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung (R), special envoy of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) To Lam, meets Dmitry Medvedev, chairman of the United Russia Party, in Moscow, Russia, February 24, 2026. The special envoy reaffirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to its comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia and values its long-standing ties with both major Russian political parties. He proposed expanding cooperation between the Communist Party of Vietnam and its Russian counterparts to further strengthen bilateral relations. Medvedev described Vietnam as a trusted and important partner of Russia in the Asia-Pacific region, saying the country’s achievements reflected the sound leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. On the occasion, Trung conveyed invitations from General Secretary Lam and the Party Central Committee to Medvedev and Zyuganov to visit Vietnam at a mutually convenient time, which both leaders accepted.