Of the total, the central budget capital accounts for 345.12 trillion VND, including 327.44 trillion VND in domestic capital and 17.68 trillion VND in foreign capital, while the local budget capital stands at 650.23 trillion VND. In addition to the assigned plan, many localities have allocated additional balanced local budget capital. 254/2025/ND-CP on management and settlement of public investment projects, while streamlining procedures and promptly submitting payment dossiers for completed volumes to avoid end-of-year congestion. According to the Ministry of Finance, total public investment capital assigned in 2025 exceeded 1.18 quadrillion VND. Public investment, therefore, is a decisive growth lever for 2026, provided that implementation is carried out in a more proactive, disciplined and results-oriented manner from the outset./.

Vietnam is front-and-centre within the global hospitality investment conversation and two landmark transactions underscore the country's emergence as a major player in the regional hospitality investment market, experts said. "Our revised forecast of 200 million USD for 2026 reflects the growing confidence international and regional investors have in Vietnam's hotel sector fundamentals and long-term growth trajectory." The successful completion of these transactions demonstrates the firm's leading position in Vietnam's evolving hotel investment market. "Vietnam's entry into the 200 million USD transaction threshold marks a significant inflection point for the market," added Trang Le, country head, JLL Vietnam. Vietnam's hospitality investment market benefits from the country's strategic location, rapidly growing middle class, and government initiatives promoting tourism development.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Health holds a meeting to mark Rare Disease Day 2026 in Hanoi, February 28, 2026. “These figures show rare diseases are not limited to individual specialties but must be treated as a national health policy priority,” Thuan said. Vietnam plans to finalize a science-based national rare disease list aligned with international experience while being tailored to local conditions. About 7,000 rare diseases have been identified globally, with roughly 72 believed to be genetic. A provisional list of nearly 1,300 rare diseases has been compiled, with a national list expected to be issued in October.

Luong Ngoc Linh (R, 2nd) wins the Culture, Creativity and Sport award at the 2026 Study UK Alumni Awards, held in Hanoi, February 28, 2026. Photo: Thien Dieu / Tuoi TreNow in its 12th year, the Study UK Alumni Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of UK alumni worldwide. The Culture, Creativity and Sport Award went to Luong Ngoc Linh, an illustrator and author based in Ho Chi Minh City. Since returning to Vietnam, he has developed art projects centered on Vietnamese culture and inclusive art. Vu Long (C) receives the Science and Sustainability Award.

Vietnam's focus on English proficiency scores has become a familiar topic in education debates. Others argue Vietnam should develop its own English proficiency test. English proficiency tests function well as filters, but far less reliably as predictors of who will thrive in academic environments. Some students also notice that native English speakers do not always perform well when they encounter standardized English tests themselves. English proficiency tests are not meaningless.

They are the foundation of a digital state - now mastered to a high degree by a Vietnamese private enterprise. In both examples, private enterprises are not peripheral service providers or subcontractors. The other half lies in the systemic barriers still holding the private sector back. Awakening a sector that generates over 50% of GDPThe private sector contributes more than 50% of GDP, over 80% of employment and nearly one-third of export turnover. If such approaches are replicated, 2,981 stalled projects could become a catalogue of opportunities for private enterprise and supply-side growth.

An aircraft operated by Emirates, the UAE’s flagship carrier, carries passengers from Dubai to Da Nang City in central Vietnam. The directive came as the security situation in the Middle East deteriorated sharply following military actions involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran. The sweeping shutdown of regional airspace has disrupted global aviation, particularly Europe–Asia routes that typically transit the Middle East. National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines said its routes between Vietnam and Europe have not been directly affected so far, but it is closely monitoring the situation and stands ready to adjust operations if necessary. Other Vietnamese airlines, including Vietjet, Bamboo Airways, and Vietravel Airlines, do not operate services through the airspace of Israel or Iran, and their schedules remain unchanged.

Photo: SuppliedNguyen Thien Binh, 38, from Dak Lak Province, began paragliding in early 2022 despite difficulty walking in one leg due to childhood polio. Speaking about his progression in the sport, Binh said he started "from a blank page" and gradually learned to control both powered and non-powered paragliders, also known as mountain paragliders. According to Binh, paragliding requires intense concentration, as weather conditions can change quickly and pilots may encounter turbulence that causes the canopy to spin or makes landing difficult. He also took advanced safety training and prefers non-powered paragliding. Nguyen Thien Binh paraglides during a training session in Vietnam.

Photo: GKidsThe film has become the highest-grossing Japanese live action film of all time in Japan. Released in Japan in 2025, Kokuho, which translates as national treasure, quickly became a cultural phenomenon. He is adopted by a renowned Kabuki performer and thrust into the rigorous, hierarchical world of traditional Japanese theater. Over time, he matures into a gifted onnagata – a male performer specializing in female roles in Kabuki, a Japanese traditional theater form. Set against the shifting landscape of post-war Japan, Kokuho portrays a generation of young artists confronting rapid modernization.

Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang. Photo: Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign AffairsThe foreign ministry's spokesperson Pham Thu Hang made the statement on Saturday in response to reporters’ questions about Vietnam’s reaction to the latest developments in the region. The parties concerned must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations and create favorable conditions for peace negotiations to ensure security, safety, peace, and stability in the region and around the world, she added. According to the latest updates from the Vietnamese missions in Israel and Iran, all Vietnamese nationals in the two countries remain safe. The ministry has advised Vietnamese citizens not to travel to Iran or Israel, or to nearby areas affected by the conflict, unless absolutely necessary.

Do Thi Phuong Anh, born 2003, a young woman raised at SOS Children’s Village Hai Phong, has just graduated with distinction. She was taken in and raised by Do Thi Thang, who adopted her and gave her the name Do Thi Phuong Anh. Growing up at SOS Children's Village Hai Phong, Phuong Anh said the thing she learned most was gratitude. I only feel grateful for growing up and studying at the village,” Phuong Anh shared. Phuong Anh hopes in the near future to develop herself in the field of education and social organizations.

Vietnam is deeply concerned about the complicated and escalating conflict in the Middle East. -- Due to the tensions in Iran and Israel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises Vietnamese citizens not to travel to the two nations at this time. Society-- Northern Vietnam is forecast to see scattered showers, with early morning fog and sunshine by late morning and afternoon on Sunday. -- Visitors wearing traditional Vietnamese ao dai to the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens and Ao Dai Museum are offered discounted admission tickets in March. Entertainment-- Blockbuster film 'Kokuho' will make its debut in Vietnam on March 6 after topping over 20 billion yen ($128 million) in Japan.

Ho Chi Minh City has proposed research and pilot testing of 6G technology in selected areas in 2026. The meeting aimed to exchange information on global research trends and potential preparations for the roll-out of 6G technology. Instead, 6G development is being considered at the broader corporate strategy level within each group. The Ho Chi Minh City Steering Board for Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation on February 14 issued a plan to implement Resolution No. Furthermore, Ho Chi Minh City is accelerating the completion of IT infrastructure to support digital transformation, deploying licensed AI assistant solutions for the public sector, working with the municipal People’s Council on digital infrastructure planning, and signing a cooperation program for the 2026-30 period with Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City.

Under the law, the government will establish a national AI computing centre, improved data resources and large language models in Vietnamese. - 'Not the final word' -So far only a handful of countries have implemented far-reaching regulatory frameworks on AI. In January, South Korea became the first country to have an AI law take full effect, while the European Union is gradually phasing in a set of rules that will become completely applicable in 2027. The law is "not the final word" but rather a "decisive starting point", Vietnam-based LNT & Partners law firm said in an analysis on its website. At an AI summit hosted by New Delhi in February, 91 countries and international organisations called for "secure, trustworthy and robust" AI.

Southern Vietnam is experiencing off-season rains. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi TreThe Southern Regional Hydrometeorological Center said an upper-level disturbance causing the off-season showers is moving west and losing strength. Meanwhile, a subtropical high-pressure system, typically associated with clear skies and intense sunshine, is extending westward across central Vietnam and strengthening. Weather across the southern region is expected to feature variable cloud cover, with scattered showers and thunderstorms at night in some areas, mainly along the southwestern border. From around March 5 onward, upper-level disturbances may become active again, increasing the likelihood of scattered unseasonal showers and thunderstorms across multiple provinces and cities.