That was the affirmation from Vietnam Football Federation President Tran Quoc Tuan in an interview with VietNamNet on the first day of 2026. Tran Quoc Tuan: It is clear that the achievements of Vietnamese football have shown stability in recent years. Could you elaborate on the development strategy the Vietnam Football Federation has implemented over the years and in the coming period? Improving the quality of domestic leagues, persisting with youth development and accelerating international integration and cooperation are key pillars of sustainable growth for Vietnamese football. The World Cup serves as a guiding compass for VFF in its commitment to the sustainable development of Vietnamese football.

In Vietnam, during the first half of 2025, AI Hay surpassed global names such as Google Gemini and DeepSeek in real user numbers, after only ChatGPT. AI Hay is also the country’s first and largest purely Vietnamese AI Q&A social network. Photo: Duc Thien / Tuoi TreSpectacular growth trajectorySeveral international reports show that Vietnam’s AI sector is expanding at one of the fastest rates in the region. The newly enacted AI law includes provisions for a National AI Development Fund, a state financial mechanism operating on a non-profit basis to accelerate innovation. Despite its rapid ascent, Vietnam’s AI journey faces formidable challenges, including a shortage of high-quality AI specialists, gaps in infrastructure and limited investment capital.

It is a question of national capacity - institutional capacity, implementation capacity and the ability to mobilize and unlock social resources. Interwoven opportunities and challengesIf one had to capture the spirit of action for 2026 in a single sentence, it would be this: do immediately the difficult but necessary things. With a young population, rapid technology adoption and strong entrepreneurial spirit, Vietnam does not lack the potential to participate more deeply in this wave. That message provides an important political anchor for reform: development for stability, real outcomes as the standard of evaluation, and no tolerance for superficial reform. It is not an easy promise but a rigorous test of reform capacity and the system’s will to act.

Yen Stream is bustling with boats carrying visitors to celebrate the Huong Pagoda Festival. The main festival day is the 14th day of the first lunar month. On the following day, visitors often continue to the nearby Phu Day Festival, dedicated to Princess Lieu Hanh, one of the "Four Immortals" in Vietnam's folk belief. Visitors flock to Yen Tu in Quang Ninh Province to make pilgrimages to Dong (bronze) Pagoda atop the sacred mountain. The festival also features associated events such as the Yen Tu Cherry Blossom and Yellow Apricot Festival, the Hang Son Temple and Pagoda Festival, and the Ba Vang Pagoda Spring Festival.

The bus involved in an alcohol violation case in Hanoi on Lunar New Year’s Day, February 17, 2026. Photo: D.C.Traffic police stopped the 29-seat bus on Tuesday along Provincial Road 422. At the time of inspection, the bus was in service but carried no passengers, only the driver and one assistant. Under current regulations, he faces a fine of VND7 million (US$270) and a deduction of four points from his 12-point license. Officers recorded 393 alcohol-related violations and temporarily impounded all 393 vehicles.

On such occasions, Mr. Vy and his wife prepare 10 trays of food to host their children and grandchildren. The pot of cakes represents their boundless love and care for their children and grandchildren,” Binh said. Children and grandchildren gather at Mr. Vy’s home during Tet. Instead, on the first day of Tet, everyone returns in full force to celebrate together. The grandchildren dress up to visit their grandfather’s house for Tet.

More importantly, it is a strong, direct and unequivocal commitment: Education is the foremost national policy, decisive for the nation’s future. I once spent a long conversation with a lecturer from Hanoi National University of Education, a teacher of many teachers. The policy of exempting tuition fees for preschool and general education students has opened doors for many disadvantaged children. Education is the foremost national policy, decisive for the nation’s future. Education remains at the heart of national progress.

Hoi An Ancient Town, now part of Da Nang City in central Vietnam, is packed with visitors on Lunar New Year’s Day, February 17, 2026. Visitors take cyclo rides to explore the UNESCO-listed ancient town of Hoi An in Da Nang City, central Vietnam on Lunar New Year’s Day, February 17, 2026. Photo: Doan Cuong / Tuoi TreA foreign family explores Hoi An Ancient Town on Lunar New Year’s Day, February 17, 2026. Photo: Doan Cuong / Tuoi TreCrowds grow larger as evening approaches in Hoi An Ancient Town on Lunar New Year’s Day, February 17, 2026. Photo: Doan Cuong / Tuoi TreVisitors capture memorable photos in Hoi An on Lunar New Year’s Day, February 17, 2026.

An international tourist presented with New Year lucky money in Da Nang City, February 17, 2026. Society-- Vietnam reported 1,570 cases of driving under the influence of alcohol on Tuesday, the first day of the Lunar New Year. Travel-- Local and international tourists flocked to Hoi An Ancient Town in Da Nang City, central Vietnam on Tuesday to celebrate the Lunar New Year. -- Two cruise ships with 2,400 international tourists on board arrived at Ha Long International Cruise Port in Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam on Tuesday. Sports-- As the tallest athlete in Vietnam’s women’s volleyball scene, Ly Thi Luyen is likely to join Thai professional volleyball club Nakhon Ratchasima QminC for the Thai league season.

With advances in technology, modern equipment, and improved physician expertise, an X-ray scan can be completed within seconds. Associate Prof Nguyen Hoai Nam, former senior lecturer at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, HCMC, also described the regulation as problematic in health insurance reimbursement. Nam noted that with today’s advanced equipment, an X-ray scan takes only five to 10 seconds to complete. According to Dr. Khoa, the Ministry of Health has held several meetings with Social Security to develop more realistic guidelines. “Health insurance inspection and reimbursement should focus on the appropriateness of indications and professional processes, rather than rigidly applying time thresholds,” Khoa said.

Many sellers cited difficulties in issuing electronic invoices and raised concerns about rising compliance costs, underscoring ongoing administrative challenges. Demand for electronic invoicing was highest among high-volume issuers, with 47.05% of sellers issuing more than 10,000 invoices annually. The survey showed AI is largely viewed as a short-term revenue support tool rather than a long-term transformation strategy. Online channels were seen as the most effective sales drivers, with 44% of sellers rating social media and e-commerce platforms as their top-performing channels. Looking ahead to 2026, 58.23% of respondents plan to prioritise expansion on social media, followed by 41.46% on e-commerce platforms.

Alongside convenience, however, comes an ever-present risk: personal data belongs to users, but control lies in the hands of centralized storage systems. As a result, personal data is copied and stored across multiple locations, turning users into targets of data leaks and information abuse. Faced with this reality, advanced jurisdictions such as Singapore and the EU have shifted toward citizen-centric digital identity models. This technology allows users to prove a specific attribute, such as meeting age requirements or holding appropriate qualifications, without revealing their underlying personal data. With a nationwide implementation roadmap starting from 2026, NDAKey is expected to become a reliable digital identity infrastructure.

As regional property markets enter 2026 on a more stable footing, Vietnam continues to stand out as a market with solid long-term growth prospects. Vietnam remains among the region’s fastest-growing economies, reinforcing investor confidence in the country’s medium- and long-term outlook. The country’s industrial and logistics property sector remains a key beneficiary of global supply chain restructuring, including “China plus one” strategies and production diversification. MacGregor emphasised that infrastructure development would be the most important catalyst for Vietnam’s property market over the coming decade. Markets supported by real demand, connectivity, and long-term planning will attract sustained investment,” he said./.VNA

With both parents working as doctors, Thuy Trang and her brother are oriented toward and share a love for Biology. Ha remarked that Thuy Trang always demonstrates a serious and persistent learning attitude, especially in Biology. According to Ha, it is this passion, proactivity, and serious study spirit that brought Thuy Trang remarkable results. In 10th grade, Trang won First Prize at the Vietnam Science and Engineering Fair (ViSEF) and made the team for the international competition in the US. In 11th and 12th grade, she consecutively won First Prize in the national selection for gifted students in Biology, notably securing the national valedictorian position this year.

After the welcoming ceremony, tourists followed an itinerary to explore Ha Long Bay, along with city tours discovering local culture, cuisine and daily life. The fact that Ha Long International Passenger Port is set to welcome five super cruise ships during the Lunar New Year holiday underscores Quang Ninh’s growing status as a favored destination on the itineraries of international cruise lines. Bui Van Khang, Chairman of the Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee, presents lucky red envelopes to the first visitors to Ha Long Bay in the new year. 2,400 visitors arrive in Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh, in a festive atmosphere. The cruise ships Seabourn Encore and Piano Land dock at Ha Long International Passenger Port on the first day of the Lunar New Year.