He also conveyed thanks to Acting President Delcy Rodríguez and PSUV Secretary General Diosdado Cabello for their separate congratulations to General Secretary To Lam on his re-election for a new term. During the call, Trung updated his counterpart on the key outcomes of the 14th Congress and stressed that Vietnam continues to closely monitor situation in Venezuela while sharing the challenges confronting its people. Vietnam seeks to further consolidate and deepen the traditional bilateral relationship, making it more substantive and effective, he said. The Venezuelan minister voiced admiration for Vietnam’s major socio-economic achievements and its growing global stature and prestige throughout the Doi Moi (renewal) process. They agreed to resume and effectively maintain bilateral cooperation mechanisms, beginning with the fourth meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee and political consultations between the two foreign ministries.

Mironov expressed his belief that the Party chief would lead Vietnam in achieving its goal of building a prosperous socialist state. Mironov affirmed that General Secretary Lam has made major contributions to strengthening the Russia–Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership, and noted his hope that the A Just Russia – For Truth party and the CPV would maintain their effective cooperation in the time ahead. Extending congratulations to General Secretary Lam and the 14th National Party Congress, Secretary-General of the People’s Action Party (PAP) and Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong noted confidence that Vietnam will continue to prosper in the new era under the General Secretary’s steadfast leadership. He said he is confident that General Secretary Lam’s re-election would provide a solid foundation for high-ranking leaders of both countries to continue implementing reached agreements, thereby further deepening bilateral cooperation. The President expressed his hope to meet General Secretary Lam in Vietnam at an early date.

French and Vietnamese students at the International Institute of UEL under the University of Economics and Law, Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City experience wrapping banh chung (square sticky rice cakes). The banh chung wrapping activity drew both French and Vietnamese students as they could learn how to fold leaves, add fillings and tie the cakes under the direct guidance of artisan Nguyen Thi Binh. After the instructional session, the groups entered a friendly banh chung wrapping competition, creating a lively atmosphere with laughter, cheers and distinctive creative touches from international students. A French student (L) learns to wrap banh chung. Artisan Nguyen Thi Binh instructs students how to wrap banh chung.

A concept iPhone 18 Pro Max. In theory, a built-in teleconverter on the iPhone 18 Pro Max would achieve a similar effect -offering users better zoom performance without relying on digital magnification, which often compromises image quality. Earlier rumors have already pointed to the iPhone 18 Pro Max adopting a variable aperture system, enhancing light control and depth-of-field effects. With Android flagships raising the bar on long-range photography, Apple may no longer be able to lean solely on software enhancements and computational photography. Whether or not the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the device to carry this breakthrough, Apple’s camera roadmap seems poised for significant evolution.

French and Vietnamese students in Ho Chi Minh City experience wrapping banh chung (square sticky rice cakes). Ho Chi Minh City-- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training has written to the municipal Department of Food Safety, requesting comprehensive oversight of the school meal supply chain. -- The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has given a nod to the Cai Mep Ha general and container port project and has authorized three investors to carry out the project. -- A jogger was bitten and left bleeding by a wild monkey while running along Vi Ba Road leading up to Lon (Big) Mountain in Vung Tau Ward, Ho Chi Minh City on Friday morning. -- The 10th National Sports Festival 2026 will be held in Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai and Dong Thap Provinces from November 14 to December 12, with the southern metropolis serving as the main host of the event.

After months of underwhelming leaks and speculation, Samsung’s Galaxy S26 is finally making headlines for something positive. Leaks now suggest that the Galaxy S26 base model will offer 256GB of storage -double that of the Galaxy S25, which launched at 128GB for $799 in the US. In an unusual twist, just weeks before the anticipated Unpacked event, real-life images of the Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra have yet to surface -suggesting Samsung may still be finalizing key hardware and design elements. A thinner profile or slightly lighter body, reminiscent of the “Galaxy S25 Edge,” won’t be enough to shift momentum. If Galaxy S26 launches without more standout features, it risks being remembered not as a bold evolution, but as a missed opportunity.

European Council President António Costa expressed hope that metro users would clearly feel the significance of the Vietnam-EU comprehensive strategic partnership. Photo: Pham HaiAnnounced on January 29 in Hanoi during President of the European Council António Costa’s visit, this upgrade marks the EU’s first comprehensive strategic partnership with a country in Southeast Asia. Alongside the EU’s strategic partnership with ASEAN, the elevation of EU-Vietnam relations underlines the strong focus on partnership that the EU and its 27 member states place on this region. As a member state of the European Union, Sweden views this upgrade as a clear expression of the EU’s long-term commitment to Vietnam. The EU sees Vietnam not only as a key partner, but as a strategic anchor in ASEAN, with the EU now Vietnam’s fourth-largest trading partner, third-largest export market and fifth-largest import source, and Vietnam the EU’s largest trading partner in ASEAN.

Quality of school meals remains a constant concern for parents. Photo: AIAn Phuoc Thang SG Trading Co Ltd, known as Sago Food, which supplies about 10,000 meals daily to kindergarten, elementary and lower secondary students in Ho Chi Minh City, has come under scrutiny over suspected use of unsafe food products. A day later, the Department of Education and Training requested schools to coordinate with the Food Safety Department and other relevant agencies to carry out thorough, on-site inspections and strengthen monitoring of school meal providers. On-site monitoring of school meals, not just paperwork reviewsIn a directive on school lunch programs, the department said educational institutions that organize on-campus meals, also known as semi-boarding meals, must strictly carry out a comprehensive review and submit full reports on the organization and provision of school meals. In addition, the department required schools to proactively develop contingency plans and organize alternative arrangements for managing semi-boarding meals during the suspension period, ensuring absolute safety for students.

New housing supply in recent years has met less than half of actual demand, the firm said. Unlike a typical property cycle where prices and supply rise in tandem, Vietnam saw prices surge after years of constrained supply, while new project launches lagged behind. Primary market prices could see a mild correction in 2026 after last year’s sharp gains. VinaCapital said the infrastructure push and legal reforms would mainly support supply expansion and improve market absorption, rather than spark another rapid price rally. The firm noted Vietnam’s property market differs from China’s pre-2020 downturn, citing low vacancy rates and tighter credit controls.

Ho Chi Minh City will develop a smart port-logistics cluster in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai - Can Gio area under a digital mega-port model with an integrated logistics system. The Cai Mep Ha general and container port is designed to function as a gateway port combined with an international transshipment hub. The port will span a total land and water area of 351.2 hectares. The container port area will cover 229.4 hectares, while the water area in front of the berths will span about 121.8 hectares. In addition to cargo handling, the port will provide international transshipment services, waterway-road transport, maritime agent services, and container repair, among other logistics-related services.

With Decree 357 set to take effect on March 1, the Ministry of Construction is racing to implement a nationwide digital identification system for real estate properties. The session introduced key elements of Decree 357/2025/ND-CP, which mandates the creation and management of a real estate data system across provinces and related agencies. Once assigned, each property’s digital ID will enable authorities and users to access comprehensive information directly on the platform. How the digital ID is formedAccording to Article 3, Clause 5 of Decree 357, a real estate digital ID is a string of alphanumeric characters no longer than 40 characters. The ID includes land ID, project or structure code, optional location markers, and a natural character sequence.

The quiet invader in your shopping cartA quick stroll through Tet markets or e-commerce platforms reveals a flood of so-called “modern ao dai” priced as low as $4–$8. These foreign details, when they dominate, turn ao dai into a theatrical costume rather than a piece of heritage. Toward a flexible preservation strategy for ao daiVietnamese women in the past wearing Raglan-style ao dai. Second, rather than enforcing ao dai as a mandatory school uniform, cultural education should be integrated into curricula. Imagine a “Ao dai Passport” in Hue, Hoi An, or Hanoi Citadel: tourists wearing verified traditional ao dai get free entry or discounts.

While many meal suppliers hold proper legal permits and documentation, actual operations often reveal inadequate hygiene conditions and unsafe practices in food preparation, storage, transportation, and delivery. Second, apply stringent controls throughout the entire school meal supply chain - from ingredient sourcing, processing, and storage to transport and final delivery. Inspections must verify the three-step food checking protocol, proper food sample retention, and measures to prevent cross-contamination. If any food safety violations are detected, authorities must impose strict penalties within their jurisdiction. Inspection findings should be shared with the education sector to inform school decisions and help maintain an up-to-date list of qualified, at-risk, or non-compliant meal providers.

Vu Viet Vu, Dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology at CMC University, shared insights drawn from nearly 30 years of research and teaching in computing and IT. Today, IT is an essential infrastructure, a launchpad for countless sectors, and a central pillar of digital transformation,” said Vu. Vu Viet Vu, Dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology at CMC University, assesses the outlook for the IT sector in today’s fast-evolving world. You can work from anywhere for any organization in the world,” Vu explained. Business management, financial literacy, and creative thinking will help young professionals go beyond technical roles to lead major projects or start their own ventures in digital technology.

Prices climb as supply shrinksLive hog prices have been climbing daily. With production costs around VND48,000–50,000/kg, the company is netting an average of VND 3.5 million ($140) profit per pig. An outbreak of African swine fever earlier in the year led to the culling of nearly 1.3 million pigs nationwide. Retail prices also spikeAt local markets, pork prices are following the upward trend. Still, as of late January, pork remains among the hottest commodities heading into the Tet Binh Ngo holiday.