A rest stop on the Da Nang - Quang Ngai expressway has also recently opened. These rest stops and service points are designed to meet motorists' requirements for rest, refuelling, and basic essential services while travelling on expressways. For rest stops currently under construction, the VRA has finalised investor selection and signed contracts for all 21 facilities outlined in the approved master plan. Investors are accelerating regulatory approvals and on-site construction to meet contractual deadlines, targeting substantial completion of the nationwide rest stop network in 2026. Alongside the rest stop system, the VRA has also released detailed information on interchange locations and connecting roads across the northern, central and southern regions.

At this early stage, orientation-based keywords such as “Tet holiday schedule 2026” and “What date is the first day of Tet 2026?” dominated search queries. Data shows Vietnamese users are starting to plan for Tet about three months in advance, using Google Search as a real-time support tool. About two months before Tet, search flows shift toward consumption and lifestyle, accounting for roughly 28 percent of total queries. According to Marc Woo, General Director of Google Viet Nam, Vietnamese users are preparing for Tet in a more proactive and structured way. Nostalgic searches such as “Tet poetry” and “calligraphy characters” continue to sit alongside newer trends like “Tet nail designs” and “Tet beer towers.”Beyond Google Search, tools such as Gemini are also being used to compose personalized Tet greetings or manage household budgets.

The Spring Calligraphy Festival 2026 opened at Van Lake within Hanoi’s historic Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature) on February 11, marking the start of a series of cultural and art events leading into the Lunar New Year celebrations. The festival will run daily from 8:00 to 22:00 through March 1, corresponding to the 13th day of the first lunar month. This year’s event also coincides with the 950th anniversary of Quoc Tu Giam, Vietnam’s first national university, reaffirming the Temple of Literature’s foundational role in the nation’s educational tradition and its centuries-old tradition of honouring educators and nurturing talent in the historic cradle of Thang Long – Hanoi. A central attraction remains the traditional New Year calligraphy request activity, featuring 35 booths staffed by calligraphers selected through a rigorous, transparent evaluation process. Visitors can also explore an exhibition on the millennium of learning, together with two thematic displays titled “Horse returns to the city” and “Stone steles forever in history”./.

An aerial view of a corner of the Ka Lang border area. Meanwhile, Pa Thang village, where 100 percent of households are Ha Nhi ethnic people, is also changing day by day. The prosperity of border communities here also stems from long-standing friendly relations with residents across the Vietnam-China border. The new pace of life in the border area is also nurtured by border markets, where trade, culture, and cuisine blend into colorful market sessions. Ma Lu Thang border gate economic zoneBeyond the prosperity of individual villages, Lai Chau is pursuing a broader vision: developing the Ma Lu Thang Border Gate Economic Zone into a strategic trade hub for the Northwest region.

109/2025, adopted by the National Assembly, a 0.1% tax will be levied on each transfer of gold bars. The clarification follows concerns raised by Ho Chi Minh City’s Delegation of National Assembly deputies, which warned the tax could affect citizens' legitimate rights, increase transaction costs and risk unsettling the gold market. "The regulations were thoroughly reviewed and approved by the majority of National Assembly deputies," the ministry said in its response to the National Assembly's Committee for People's Aspirations and Supervision. The ministry is working with the State Bank of Vietnam and other relevant agencies to determine the taxable threshold, which will be specified in the decree. From October 10, 2025, the State monopoly on gold bar production was removed as part of efforts to liberalise the market and enhance competition.

To date, over 1,700 medical staff from 18 out of 19 satellite hospitals of the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology have received continuous training. Alongside technology transfer, Telehealth has become a “lifeline” in many critical obstetric cases, enabling real-time coordination in emergency treatment. Anh stated that in 2025, the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology chaired 24 consultation sessions, connecting more than 200 points across 96 units in 32 provinces and cities. Therefore, the hospital pioneered the "Comprehensive Guidance" model, successfully implemented at Nam Dinh Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Hoa Binh General Hospital, and others. When Telehealth is integrated with EMR and HIS, upper-level doctors can evaluate patient records even from hundreds of kilometers away.

According to Forbes, Pham Nhat Vuong’s net worth rose by $2.6 billion, or 11.6 percent, on February 11 to reach $24.9 billion, placing him 94th globally. Capital has gradually shifted from gold and real estate back into equities amid expectations of stronger economic growth. Foreign capital could accelerate into Vietnam on expectations of a stock market upgrade from emerging to advanced emerging status. Pham Nhat Vuong has recently entered the steel sector with VinMetal, while Hoa Phat, Hoa Sen and Ton Dong A are branching into industrial real estate and social housing. The stock market is forecast to attract larger capital flows as alternative investment channels become less appealing.

Traditional red three-sail junks, once familiar to generations of Vietnamese through school textbooks but rarely seen in real life for around three decades, sail in Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam, February 2026. -- Pet grooming and care shops in Nha Trang, south-central Khanh Hoa Province are operating at full capacity ahead of the Lunar New Year as demand surges for pre-holiday makeovers for dogs and cats. Ho Chi Minh City-- Ho Chi Minh City has tightened health controls at air and sea entry points by remotely screening the body temperature of all arriving passengers and stepping up citywide surveillance to prevent the spread of the Nipah virus, authorities said. -- A Ho Chi Minh City court on Tuesday sentenced 11 defendants to prison terms of up to two years and nine months for causing public disorder after they staged and filmed a coffin-carrying procession near Ben Thanh Market to promote clothing on TikTok. Sports-- The Vietnamese women’s national football team lost 0-2 to China in an international friendly match played on Tuesday evening in Shenzhen.

People's Artist Bui Cong DuyIn the report on documents submitted to the 14th National Party Congress presented by General Secretary To Lam, the word “culture” is mentioned 14 times. Culture is also placed at the center of the national development architecture, as a spiritual foundation, an endogenous strength, a resource, and a driving force for development. VietNamNet spoke with People’s Artist Bui Cong Duy, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Academy of Music, about this issue. How do you, as an artist, feel about the Party and State’s emphasis on culture and the arts? I believe that a country whose leaders understand culture and love the arts, especially classical music, is truly blessed.

Samsung has officially announced that its flagship Galaxy S26 series will be unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event, scheduled to take place on February 25 in San Francisco, USA. According to Samsung, the Galaxy S26 marks a shift toward a more personalized and intuitive user experience. As in previous years, the Galaxy S26 series is expected to include three variants: the standard Galaxy S26, the larger S26+, and the top-tier S26 Ultra. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is shaping up to be the most powerful model in the lineup. The Galaxy S26 will likely debut at $799, making it a strong contender in the increasingly competitive flagship market.

As Tet (Lunar New Year) 2026 draws near, a striking trio of giant horses has taken shape in Vung Tau, standing tall in a dramatic “galloping into the sea” formation. These vibrant mascots are the centerpiece of the city's upcoming spring flower festival. Located at Bai Truoc Park in Vung Tau Ward (Ho Chi Minh City), the installation features three horse figures, each approximately 8 meters high and 10 meters long. Nguyen Thi Hoa, a Vung Tau resident, shared her excitement: “I feel festive just watching them come together. If it’s completed in time for Tet, I’m sure it will be a major check-in spot.”The flower festival space is divided into two main zones.

Vietnam’s U20 team will replace the U23 squad to represent the country at the 2026 Asiad. Under this agreement, all 16 teams that competed in the U23 Asian Cup will receive automatic entry into the Asiad. On the women’s side, 12 teams participating in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 this March will also qualify directly for Asiad 20. Despite U23 Vietnam securing the ticket, the players who won bronze at the 2026 U23 Asian Cup will not be competing in Japan. His contract with VFF is set to end after the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in March.

Within the framework of the program, organizers recreated several representative rituals associated with the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month. Most prominent was the Tien lich ceremony. This rite symbolized the king conferring the calendar upon the people on behalf of Heaven. After compilation, the calendar was submitted to the king for approval. According to ancient custom, on the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, the court held the solemn Tien lich ceremony in the dragon courtyard of Kinh Thien Palace.

It has since been seen mainly in museum displays, including at the Quang Ninh Museum. The boats were widely used in Ha Long Bay in the 1990s but later fell out of operation. Photo: SuppliedThree of the red-sailed boats are currently operating near the shoreline as part of a program along Ha Long Bay, which runs from February 14 to February 22. Tourism workers in the area say the boats were once a distinctive image of the bay and helped attract repeat visitors. Traditional red three-sail junks, once familiar to generations of Vietnamese through school textbooks but rarely seen in real life for around three decades, sail in Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam, February 2026.

Photo: PVThe agreement was formalized among FPT Corporation, the Quantum AI & Cyber Security Institute (QACI), and the University of Engineering and Technology under Vietnam National University, Hanoi. The goal: to foster training, research, and development of high-quality human resources in strategic technology domains vital to Vietnam’s future. According to the agreement, the two sides will focus on developing talent in key sectors such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and cybersecurity. Our university stands ready to accompany and implement specific joint tasks starting now.”Founded on December 13, 2025, QACI is one of the first quantum research centers led by a Vietnamese enterprise. FPT has pledged a $100 million investment into the institute, focusing on practical solutions to national challenges in quantum technologies, AI, and cybersecurity.