A house fire along National Highway 14 in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam kills four members of the same family and left a newborn baby severely injured, December 27, 2025. Flames engulf a house along National Highway 14 in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam, killing four members of the same family and leaving a newborn baby severely injured, December 27, 2025. A house fire along National Highway 14 in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam kills four members of the same family and left a newborn baby severely injured, December 27, 2025. An aerial view of a house fire along National Highway 14 in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam that kills four members of the same family and left a newborn baby severely injured, December 27, 2025. The couple’s newborn baby, less than one month old, was rescued alive but suffered severe burns and is currently receiving intensive treatment at a hospital.

Hotels receive recognition for maintaining smoke-free environments at a ceremony held in Hanoi on December 24, 2025. Photo: T.HoaHealth experts described the trend as a positive signal for both community well-being and the overall quality of Vietnam’s tourism services. The findings were highlighted at the first-ever ceremony honoring ‘Outstanding Smoke-Free Hotels,’ held on Wednesday in Hanoi. These included disseminating tobacco harm prevention regulations to staff and guests through internal rules, signage, leaflets, and direct guidance. “In addition to no-smoking signs, we inform guests that smoking in rooms will result in penalties,” the representative said.

Mang Den Ultra Trail 2026 will take place from January 16 to 18, 2026 in Mang Den Commune, Quang Ngai Province, central Vietnam. -- Cold air may continue to dominate northern Vietnam on Saturday, bringing chilly temperatures, fog, and severe cold in mountainous areas, while southern Vietnam could experience sunny daytime conditions, according to the national weather agency. Ho Chi Minh City-- Ho Chi Minh City lawmakers on Friday approved investment policies for the Can Gio Bridge and the Phu My 2 Bridge under the public-private partnership model, clearing the way for two major transport projects worth more than VND36.386 trillion (US$1.38 billion) to improve connectivity at the city’s southern and southeastern gateways. -- Ho Chi Minh City plans to spend more than VND156 trillion ($6 billion) in compensation to relocate about 20,000 homes built along canals and rivers by 2030, aiming to improve living conditions, reduce pollution, and upgrade urban infrastructure, according to a proposal submitted by the city’s construction authority. -- Mang Den Ultra Trail 2026 will take place from January 16 to 18, 2026, in Mang Den Commune, Quang Ngai Province, offering runners five challenging distances through pristine forests and local culture.

Instead of a January debut, the Galaxy S26 is now rumored to be unveiled in February and officially available for purchase in March. A concept Galaxy S26 Ultra. Meanwhile, a report from Korea Economic Daily confirmed that Samsung has officially ceased development of the Galaxy S26 Edge. While no official date has been confirmed, launching the Galaxy S26 in February wouldn’t be unprecedented. The Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S22 both debuted in February, as did the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S10, with availability typically following in March.

Duy is among those honored in the “Outstanding and Excellent Ethnic Minority Students 2025” program organized by the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs. Overjoyed at 28.25 - with a touch of regretNguyen Hoang Duy, born 2007, Khmer ethnic group, scored 28.25 and entered the Faculty of Chemical Engineering at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. His parents couldn’t guide him through complex formulas, but they taught him something more valuable: diligence and perseverance. “The way my father looked at me - proud and emotional - made me feel twice as happy,” Duy said. “While city students - especially those at specialized schools - solve complex problems easily, I struggled just to keep up.”When he decided to join the national gifted student exam, Duy felt overwhelmed.

The new anode-free battery allows electric vehicles to travel nearly twice as far without increasing size. The innovation lies in the anode-free architecture of the lithium metal cell. Meanwhile, the custom electrolyte promotes the formation of a stable surface layer of Li₂O and Li₃N on the lithium metal, enhancing ion transport and protecting the electrode throughout repeated use. Professor Park emphasized that the research marks a significant advance in addressing both the performance and durability issues of anode-free lithium metal batteries. The study has been published in Advanced Materials and has been hailed as one of the most promising breakthroughs in electric vehicle battery technology in recent years.

Nguyen Xuan Vu, vice president of the Vietnam Football Federation, speaks after the federation’s annual congress in Hanoi, December 26, 2025. Nguyen Xuan Vu, a VFF vice president, said the under-21 squad would form the core of Vietnam's Olympic team, allowing players to gain experience ahead of future regional and international tournaments. He said the age group would be eligible for the 2027 Southeast Asian Games and that several Asian football powers, including Japan and South Korea, have previously used younger squads at the Asian Games to prepare for Olympic qualification. Vietnam took a similar approach at the 2022 Asian Games, held in China in 2023, when a largely under-20 squad represented the country in the men's tournament. The 2026 Asian Games will be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4.

Decree 296/2025, which governs the enforcement of administrative penalty decisions, will take effect from January 1, 2026, replacing Decree 166/2013. Under the new decree, if shared business assets are insufficient to pay fines, authorities may seize personal property from members of household businesses or families. Expanded scope of asset seizureDecree 296/2025 clarifies the sources from which penalties may be collected and assets seized in cases involving organizations, household businesses, family units, cooperatives, and community groups. For household businesses, family-run operations, or cooperatives, enforcement will first target shared funds and assets. Wage and income deductions allowedThe decree introduces a mechanism for partial wage or income deductions from individuals.

Seven suspects have been charged with digging up dead, diseased pigs in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam, and then slaughtering, processing, and distributing the meat to the market. Of these, 146 pigs had already been butchered, 125 were dead but intact, and 33 were still alive but severely weakened. Investigators estimated the total value of the seized pigs at about VND850 million (US$32,400). Laboratory tests conducted on 304 samples revealed that 295 tested positive for African swine fever, a highly contagious and deadly viral disease in pigs. Khanh Hoa police said the suspects’ actions seriously violated food safety regulations, threatened consumer health and lives, disrupted the livestock industry, and caused environmental pollution.

The incident happened on Thursday as the tourist was walking around central Da Nang and exploring the beach city. At the time, Da Nang was experiencing persistent heavy rain, which further complicated the situation and increased the risk for anyone attempting to retrieve the device. A police officer climbs into a dark storm drain to retrieve an iPhone for a Hong Kong tourist who accidentally dropped it while exploring Da Nang City, central Vietnam, December 25, 2025. She expressed heartfelt thanks to the Da Nang police officers, praising their professionalism and willingness to help in challenging conditions. The Hong Kong tourist (C) smiles with relief after receiving her recovered phone, Da Nang City, central Vietnam, December 25, 2025.

Floodwaters inundate houses in Tay Nha Trang Ward, Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, during historic flooding in November 2025. Total losses were estimated at more than VND91 trillion (US$3.5 billion). Police forces have deployed more than 11,000 officers in nine central cities and provinces to support rescue, relief and recovery efforts. Vietnam is highly vulnerable to floods, storms and landslides, particularly during the annual monsoon season, which regularly causes loss of life and widespread damage. The ministry said police are also implementing a government-backed housing reconstruction program for households affected by disasters, with dozens of homes already completed and further handovers planned before early 2026.

Foreign tourists eat ‘banh mi’ at a ‘banh mi’ festival in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. What is troubling is that despite millions of ‘banh mi’ sold every day, ‘banh mi’ largely sits outside the reach of routine inspections. In the short term, oversight should focus on larger ‘banh mi’ shops with signage and daily sales in the thousands. Street-side ‘banh mi’ cannot be safe if sausages, pâté and fresh herbs come from unregulated sources. Where people choose to buy ‘banh mi,’ and whether they tolerate unhygienic stalls, amounts to a daily vote on food safety.

However, a few stocks remained in positive territory, including Hoa Phat (HPG), LPBank (LPB), Sacombank (STB), Vietcombank (VCB), TPBank (TPB), and Vinamilk (VNM), helping to partially offset the overall decline. According to Forbes, Pham Nhat Vuong’s net worth dropped from $30 billion on December 23 to $28.1 billion by the end of December 25-a loss of $1.9 billion. Just days earlier, on December 19, Vingroup had been buoyed by the simultaneous groundbreaking of 11 major projects across Vietnam. Vingroup was also assigned to develop key transportation infrastructure, including the Ben Thanh–Can Gio and Hanoi–Quang Ninh high-speed railways. On the other side of the market, Sacombank (STB) and LPBank (LPB) both saw gains.

The four suspects involved in the counterfeit gas operation. Counterfeit gas cylinders bearing fake trademarks seized by authorities. Source: Police photo (CACC)Fake gas sold up to 50% cheaperTo gain illegal profits, the group sold fake gas cylinders at prices 30–50% lower than genuine branded products. Thousands of counterfeit cylinders and tools seizedDuring searches, police confiscated large quantities of counterfeit gas cylinders, thousands of empty tanks awaiting refilling, fake labels and seals, refilling machinery, and heat tools used in the production process. The Ho Chi Minh City Police Department continues to investigate the broader network, focusing on financial transactions and distribution routes that supported the illegal gas operation.

A farmer carries flowers from a field at Sa Dec Flower Village in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam, for delivery to customers, December 25, 2025. -- MIK Group said it has asked Hanoi authorities to withdraw from an investor consortium developing the Red River landscape boulevard in central Hanoi under a public-private partnership scheme. -- Local authorities in Binh Hung Commune, Ho Chi Minh City said on Thursday they would intensify waste collection, review surveillance cameras and impose fines after household garbage was found dumped around the foot of Ong Be Bridge and along Nguyen Van Linh Street. -- Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke in hotels in Vietnam fell by 14.6 percent in 2024 from 2020 levels, according to the results of an adult tobacco survey. -- Lung Cu in Vietnam’s Tuyen Quang Province will hold its first wild Himalayan cherry blossom festival from January 2 to 4, 2026, an event expected to draw 3,000 to 5,000 visitors, local authorities said.