A Hanoi court has postponed the trial of a man accused of signaling an attack on a cafe employee after being reminded not to smoke, citing the absence of key witnesses.
On January 27, the People’s Court of Area 3 in Hanoi began hearings against Nguyen Van Thien, 27, and Nguyen Long Vu, 24, on charges of disturbing public order. The panel later decided to adjourn the case to protect the defendants’ legal rights. The trial is now scheduled to resume on the morning of January 30.
What prosecutors allege happened
According to the indictment, the incident occurred around 2.30 pm on September 17, 2025, at a cafe inside a residential urban area in Hanoi. Thien was smoking indoors when he was reminded several times by a staff member, Minh, 29, who is also the cafe owner’s son, to stop due to a no smoking rule.
After the third reminder, Thien allegedly raised his hand in a signaling gesture. Moments later, Vu stood up, walked to the counter, and punched Minh twice in the face while he was seated at the beverage station, knocking him to the floor.
Prosecutors say Thien then raised his hand again and shouted for Vu to stop. Vu returned to his seat and the group left the cafe shortly afterward.
Video sparks public anger
The entire incident was captured on the cafe’s security cameras. The footage was later shared online by the victim’s family and reported to police. The clip spread rapidly on social media, drawing thousands of comments condemning the violence and the apparent use of a gesture to command the attack.
Two days later, Thien and relatives reportedly went to the cafe to apologize, but the owner declined to meet them and asked them to leave.
Conflicting positions in court
During the investigation, Minh said the cafe is an enclosed space serving many customers and clearly displays no smoking signs. He stated he did not seek civil compensation and only requested that the defendants be handled according to the law.
Vu has admitted his actions during the investigation. Thien, often referred to online as the person who “gave the order,” has denied directing the assault.
Why the case matters
For international readers, the case reflects growing sensitivity in Vietnam around public behavior in shared spaces, especially cafes where smoking bans are increasingly enforced. It also shows how security camera footage and social media can rapidly turn a localized altercation into a national legal and reputational issue.
The court is expected to resume proceedings once witnesses are present to testify.
Police in Hanoi have detained a domestic caregiver accused of repeatedly assaulting an eighty two year old woman she was hired to look after. Investigators say the suspect had previously received a suspended jail sentence for theft while working as a housekeeper.
The suspect, Truong Thi Bac, aged forty seven and originally from Thanh Hoa Province, has been formally charged and placed in temporary detention for abusing another person.
Background and prior conviction
According to police, Bac left school early due to family hardship and later divorced, leaving her child in the care of relatives while she sought work in Hanoi. In twenty seventeen, while employed as a housekeeper, she was convicted of theft and received a six month suspended sentence with a probation period.
The caregiving job
In mid November twenty twenty five, Bac was hired to care for an elderly woman who had suffered a stroke and was undergoing hospital treatment. After the patient was discharged, Bac continued full time care at the family home in the Hai Ba Trung area.
Her duties included bathing, cooking, feeding, personal hygiene, and general care. The agreed salary was eleven million dong per month, with a thirteenth month bonus, ten days off for Lunar New Year, and a monthly breakfast allowance.
Allegations of abuse
During questioning, Bac claimed there were no personal disputes with the family. She admitted to shouting at and striking the elderly woman when the patient did not cooperate, including when she refused food.
Police allege that on January six, eight, and nine, Bac slapped the victim’s face and forehead, squeezed her neck, twisted her head, and dragged her across the floor.
How the case was uncovered
The abuse came to light on January ten when the victim’s daughter noticed her mother was weaker than usual, with swelling on the forehead and bruising around the eyes. Bac told the family the injuries were caused by a fall.
Suspecting otherwise, the family reviewed home security footage. The recordings showed repeated acts of violence during routine care tasks such as changing clothes, feeding, and diaper changes.
The family reported the case to police, who brought the victim for a forensic injury assessment and began formal proceedings.
Legal status
At the investigation office, Bac expressed remorse and asked for leniency. Authorities say the case remains under investigation as evidence is consolidated.
For international readers, the incident highlights growing concern around elder care in rapidly urbanizing cities, where families increasingly rely on in home caregivers. It also underscores the role of home surveillance in exposing abuse that might otherwise remain hidden.
Public concern has risen after reports of a small Nipah cluster in eastern India. Vietnamese infectious disease specialists say the risk of a global outbreak is very low and comparisons with Covid are misleading.
Truong Huu Khanh, vice president of the Ho Chi Minh City Infectious Diseases Association, explains that Nipah spreads mainly through direct contact with infected animal secretions or very close contact with patients. It does not spread efficiently through the air. For that reason, large scale transmission is considered extremely unlikely.
Why this outbreak is limited
Recent cases in West Bengal involve five suspected infections, including two healthcare workers. Investigations point to specific exposure events rather than community spread. One early case was linked to fresh date palm sap believed to be contaminated by bats. Secondary infections occurred during close caregiving without proper protective measures.
How Nipah spreads and why it stays contained
Fruit bats are the natural host. The virus is present in saliva and urine. Humans are typically infected by touching these secretions, eating fruit partially eaten by bats, or consuming contaminated sap. Past outbreaks have been geographically limited and have ended once animal sources and close contact chains were controlled.
Le Quoc Hung, head of the Infectious Diseases Department at Cho Ray Hospital, agrees that transmission is limited but stresses that the disease is severe for individuals. Nipah attacks the brain and often causes encephalitis with rapid deterioration. Fatality rates can exceed fifty percent. There is no specific treatment or vaccine, and care is supportive.
Vietnam response and current status
Vietnamese health authorities have increased surveillance at borders and within communities. Vietnam has not recorded any Nipah cases to date. The virus was first identified in 1999 in Malaysia and Singapore and has since appeared periodically in South Asia, mainly in Bangladesh and India.
Practical precautions
Experts recommend simple preventive measures Eat well cooked food and drink boiled water Do not consume fruit that shows bite marks or unexplained damage Avoid raw date palm sap in affected regions Limit contact with wild animals, especially bats Use proper protective equipment when caring for sick people
Bottom line Nipah is dangerous but not pandemic prone. With targeted surveillance and basic hygiene, the risk of widespread transmission remains very low, including in Vietnam.
One one-way ticket to Southeast Asia turned loneliness into freedom, and a temporary move into a lasting home.
At a time when many people in their late 30s feel pressured to “have it all,” one woman’s decision to leave everything behind for Vietnam is resonating far beyond Southeast Asia. Deidre Donnelly, a freelance writer from Cape Town, arrived in Vietnam on a one-way ticket nearly seven years ago. She planned to stay for a year. She never left.
Approaching 40 without a husband or children, Donnelly felt increasingly isolated in South Africa. Her family lived elsewhere, her career had stalled creatively, and the future felt narrowly defined by what she hadn’t achieved. Rather than waiting for life to change, she made a private pact with herself: if marriage hadn’t happened by 40, she would start over somewhere entirely new.
Vietnam offered that reset. Taking a one-year teaching contract in the port city of Hai Phong, Donnelly arrived with no local connections and few expectations. The reality was jarring. The heat, traffic, density, and language barriers were overwhelming, and as a foreigner outside the expat-heavy hubs of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, she often felt conspicuously out of place.
But three months in, something shifted. Her days filled with shared housing, new friendships, language learning, and teaching children and teenagers. Life became communal again, resembling the social intensity of college rather than the isolation she had felt back home. When COVID-19 disrupted Vietnam mid-contract, many younger teachers left. Donnelly stayed.
That decision deepened her connection to the country. As Vietnam reopened, she traveled widely, built long-term friendships, taught hundreds of students, and embedded herself in daily life. Loneliness, once a defining feature of her life, largely disappeared. She started book clubs and food groups, formed bonds across age and culture, and became known locally as “Teacher Dee.”
Living in Vietnam also reframed her identity. In a society where being unmarried and childless in middle age is still considered unconventional, teaching gave her purpose, structure, and belonging. Financially, her situation stabilized. Emotionally, she found safety, autonomy, and momentum — three things she says she struggled to maintain in Cape Town.
Today, nearly seven years later, Donnelly describes herself as having two homelands. She misses South Africa’s nature and familiarity, but knows she would grieve Vietnam’s freedom, security, and sense of possibility. Friends and family often ask when she’s coming home — a question that grows heavier as she nears 50. For now, she has no answer.
Vietnam, she says, is a place of constant motion: open doors, narrow alleys, crowded markets, and a quiet optimism that fuels reinvention. Leaving it one day feels inevitable — but not yet.
For a growing number of Western professionals, digital workers, and educators, Donnelly’s story reflects a broader shift. Vietnam is no longer just a travel destination or short-term posting. For many, it has become a place where alternative lives — freer, less scripted, and deeply connected — are not only possible, but sustainable.
Vietnam’s capital overtakes regional giants, signaling a tourism and investment upswing across Southeast Asia.
Hanoi has climbed to second place among Asia’s top destinations in Tripadvisor’s 2026 Travelers’ Choice Awards, a sharp rise that underscores Vietnam’s growing pull for global travelers—and the broader economic momentum that follows.
The ranking positions Hanoi just behind Bali, and ahead of Bangkok, Siem Reap, and Tokyo—a notable shift in Asia’s tourism hierarchy that international investors, airlines, and hospitality brands are watching closely.
According to Tripadvisor, Hanoi’s appeal lies in its rare balance: a preserved Old Quarter, French colonial architecture, and centuries-old temples coexisting with modern cafés, boutique hotels, and expanding urban infrastructure. The city’s cultural landmarks—from Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum to the former Hoa Lo Prison—anchor its historical narrative, while lakes, tree-lined boulevards, and compact neighborhoods make it unusually navigable for a major Asian capital.
This surge in global recognition is backed by hard numbers. In 2025, Hanoi welcomed more than 33.7 million visitors, a 20.8% increase year-on-year. International arrivals exceeded 7.82 million, up 22.7%, while tourism revenue reached an estimated VND134.46 trillion (approximately US$5.1 billion), rising more than 21%. For international readers, these figures signal more than a travel trend—they point to rising demand across aviation, hospitality, retail, food services, and urban development.
Vietnam’s broader tourism resurgence adds further context. The ancient trading port of Hoi An also climbed the rankings, placing seventh in Asia, reinforcing the country’s ability to offer both high-density urban experiences and heritage-led leisure destinations. Together, these cities strengthen Vietnam’s position as one of Southeast Asia’s most diversified tourism markets.
Looking ahead, Hanoi’s ascent raises a bigger question for global audiences: as travelers increasingly favor authentic, culture-rich cities over purely resort-driven destinations, is Vietnam poised to become Asia’s next long-term tourism and lifestyle powerhouse—not just a stopover, but a strategic destination in its own right?
Health officials say risk remains low—but vigilance rises as outbreaks persist in India and Bangladesh
Thailand has detected the Nipah virus in local fruit bats, prompting health authorities to tighten surveillance at international airports while stressing that no human cases have been confirmed in the country. The finding, disclosed by the Ministry of Public Health, underscores how zoonotic risks can travel silently across borders even when domestic transmission remains absent.
Speaking to reporters, Sophon Iamsirithaworn, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, said tests confirmed Nipah virus presence in several species of fruit bats in Thailand, though at significantly lower concentrations than in countries currently battling outbreaks. The greater concern, he noted, is imported risk from infected travelers rather than local spillover. Direct flights from affected areas—particularly Bangladesh and West Bengal—connect to Thailand’s major gateways, including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, and Phuket.
As a precaution, health workers at Phuket airport are screening arrivals for fever and respiratory symptoms, with particular focus on travelers who have been in outbreak zones within the past 21 days. Similar measures continue at Bangkok’s main airports. Authorities also reiterated a long-standing preventive policy: banning pig farming in areas where infected bats are found, cutting off a known amplification pathway that can transmit the virus from bats to pigs and then to humans.
Thailand’s disease control officials emphasized that, so far, local transmission risks appear limited. Departmentof Disease Control spokesperson Jurai Wongsawat explained that Thailand’s bat samples showed about a 10% infection rate, far below the 40–50% seen in parts of India. She added that the Bangladeshi strain—associated with higher mortality and respiratory spread—is considered more dangerous than the Malaysian strain.
Despite the low transmission rate, experts caution against complacency. Nipah virus has no vaccine or specific treatment and carries a human mortality rate of 40–75%, depending on strain and healthcare capacity. Transmission typically requires direct contact with bodily fluids, limiting spread, but severe outcomes—including pneumonia and encephalitis—make each case potentially devastating.
Pediatric risks are especially acute. Queen Sirikit National Institute for Child Health Director Arkom Chaiwerawattana warned that young children may show milder early symptoms yet face higher risks of severe encephalitis and long-term complications such as epilepsy and developmental delays.
For now, Thai authorities say outbreaks in Bangladesh and India are under control and show no signs of regional spread. Still, the detection of Nipah virus in local wildlife serves as a reminder that pandemic preparedness is no longer episodic—it is continuous. As global travel rebounds and climate pressures reshape animal habitats, early detection and border vigilance may be the most effective defenses against the next cross-border health shock.
From Hanoi’s headline earnings to global wage gaps, why average income figures feel unreal—and why investors should pay attention
When reports claim that Hanoi’s average annual income is nearing 180 million VND, or that employees at major Vietnamese banks earn between 30 and 50 million VND a month, the reaction is often disbelief. For many Vietnamese workers, these numbers feel detached from reality—more fiction than fact. Yet this reaction is not uniquely Vietnamese. The same skepticism exists in the United States, Singapore, and virtually every major economy where income statistics collide with lived experience.
This disconnect matters far beyond dinner-table conversations. For global investors, multinational employers, and policymakers tracking Vietnam’s rise in Southeast Asia, misunderstanding income data can distort perceptions of purchasing power, labor costs, and the country’s true position in global value chains.
The confusion begins with how “average income” is calculated. Governments and companies measure total labor costs, including social security, health insurance, and pension contributions. Workers, by contrast, focus only on take-home pay. In Vietnam, mandatory social insurance contributions add roughly 32% on top of gross wages, mostly paid by employers. Singapore’s CPF pushes that figure to about 37%. These amounts never appear in monthly paychecks, yet they are real income deferred into healthcare, unemployment protection, and retirement. When authorities publish income figures, they include these costs; when workers compare them to their bank balances, the numbers naturally feel inflated.
The second factor is inequality across professions. Averages hide extremes. In the United States, despite a GDP per capita approaching $90,000, the average salaried worker earns just over $53,000 a year, and more than 80% of jobs pay below GDP per capita. Entire professions—teachers, journalists, photographers, flight attendants—earn less than what many assume is the “national average.” Service roles such as bartenders, cashiers, and caregivers earn a fraction of that. Singapore shows a similar pattern: a GDP per capita near $95,000 alongside an average salary of roughly $54,000, with large segments of the workforce earning far less.
Vietnam is beginning to experience the same structural reality as it climbs the income ladder. High-paying roles in banking, technology, and specialized professions lift the average, while large parts of the workforce remain well below it. This is not evidence of flawed data; it is a hallmark of economies transitioning from low-cost manufacturing toward services, finance, and knowledge-intensive industries.
The third reason for disbelief is psychological. People instinctively resist the idea that they may earn less than the societal average. In developed economies, decades of transparent wage data have normalized this understanding. In Vietnam, where public salary benchmarks are still relatively new, skepticism is a natural response to sudden visibility.
For international readers, the takeaway is clear: Vietnam’s income statistics are not signs of exaggeration or propaganda, but indicators of a rapidly diversifying economy with widening income dispersion—much like the U.S. or Singapore at comparable stages of development. For investors, this signals growing consumer segmentation, deeper labor markets, and rising demand for transparency.
The real question is not whether Vietnam’s average income numbers are believable, but whether the country is ready for the next step: a trusted, independent system that regularly publishes detailed wage data by industry and profession. Such transparency would not only build public trust—it would sharpen Vietnam’s credibility in global capital markets and help the world better understand where this emerging Asian economy is truly headed.
Trade, green transition, and security anchor a push to elevate EU–Vietnam relations to a comprehensive strategic level
As global supply chains fragment and geopolitical tensions intensify, the European Union is signaling a decisive pivot toward Vietnam—one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-rising economic and strategic hubs. The message is clear: Europe wants a deeper, more strategic partnership with Hanoi, not just to expand trade, but to anchor long-term cooperation across energy, security, and technology in an increasingly volatile world.
That signal was underscored ahead of the official visit to Vietnam by António Costa, described by Julien Guerrier as a milestone moment in the 35-year relationship between European Union and Vietnam. Coming shortly after Vietnam’s 14th National Congress, the visit carries both diplomatic symbolism and strategic intent, reflecting Europe’s desire to reinforce partnerships grounded in multilateralism and rules-based order.
At the core of this renewed engagement are three strategic pillars. The first is trade, where momentum is already evident. Since the Vietnam–EU Free Trade Agreement took effect in 2020, bilateral trade has surged by roughly 40%, reaching more than US$66.8 billion in the first 11 months of 2025. Yet Brussels sees Vietnam not as a finished success story, but as an underexploited gateway into ASEAN manufacturing, consumption, and resilient supply chains at a time when global trade faces mounting protectionist pressures.
The second pillar is the green transition, an area where Vietnam’s development priorities increasingly align with Europe’s climate agenda. Energy security, renewable power, and sustainable infrastructure have become central themes of EU–Vietnam dialogue, positioning Vietnam as a critical partner in Southeast Asia’s decarbonization push. For European investors and technology firms, this creates a pathway into fast-growing renewable energy markets while supporting Vietnam’s long-term economic resilience.
The third pillar—peace and security—reflects a broader geopolitical calculus. Cooperation now extends beyond diplomacy into maritime security and peacekeeping, including Vietnam’s participation in EU missions in Africa and coordination within ASEAN frameworks. For Europe, Vietnam’s role as a stable, internationally engaged actor in the Indo-Pacific is increasingly valuable amid rising regional tensions.
Beyond these pillars, Brussels and Hanoi are actively exploring new frontiers: digital transformation, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and secure digital value chains. With EU foreign direct investment in Vietnam approaching US$30 billion and Vietnam emerging as the EU’s largest trading partner in ASEAN, the economic logic for upgrading ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership is becoming difficult to ignore.
The larger takeaway for global investors and policymakers is this: Vietnam is no longer viewed by Europe simply as a low-cost manufacturing base, but as a strategic partner in trade diversification, energy transition, and regional stability. As the EU looks eastward to navigate a fractured global order, Vietnam may well become one of Europe’s most consequential relationships in Asia—raising a bigger question for the world: which other powers are moving fast enough to keep up?
With a mortality rate as high as 75% and no approved treatment, Nipah is once again testing the world’s pandemic defenses.
As global health systems remain on alert for the next pandemic threat, India is racing to contain a fresh outbreak of the Nipah virus—one of the deadliest pathogens known to infect humans. The death of a 14-year-old boy in Kerala has triggered emergency contact tracing, quarantines, and renewed fears that a virus long flagged by scientists as a pandemic risk could spill beyond regional borders.
Nipah is not new, but it is uniquely dangerous. First identified in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia, the virus is zoonotic, meaning it jumps from animals to humans. Its natural hosts are fruit bats—often called flying foxes—which can transmit the virus through saliva or urine that contaminates food, particularly fruit. Humans can also become infected through close contact with sick animals or other people, making hospital settings and family care especially high-risk.
What makes Nipah especially alarming for global health authorities is its lethality and unpredictability. According to estimates from the World Health Organization, between 40% and 75% of infected patients die, depending on the outbreak and the strength of local healthcare systems. Symptoms often begin like a common viral illness—fever, headache, cough—but can escalate rapidly into encephalitis, seizures, and coma within days. Even survivors may suffer long-term neurological damage.
India’s southern state of Kerala has become a recurring flashpoint. This is the region’s fifth Nipah outbreak since 2018, underscoring how environmental pressure can amplify health risks. Experts link Kerala’s vulnerability to deforestation and the loss of bat habitats, which increase the likelihood of viral spillover into human populations. In the current outbreak, officials are monitoring more than 350 contacts, including dozens of healthcare workers—an echo of early warning patterns seen in past pandemics.
From a global perspective, Nipah represents a worst-case scenario virus: highly lethal, capable of human-to-human transmission, and without an approved vaccine or targeted treatment. Care for patients remains largely supportive, though experimental options are advancing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that monoclonal antibody therapies and antiviral drugs such as remdesivir have shown promise in early studies, while vaccine development is accelerating.
Momentum is building. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations is preparing human trials of a preventive antibody, and researchers at Oxford University Pandemic Sciences Institute have launched early-stage trials of what could become the world’s first Nipah vaccine—using the same platform behind the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot.
For international readers, the lesson is clear: Nipah is not just a regional health issue but a global stress test for pandemic preparedness. As climate change, urban expansion, and wildlife disruption intensify across Asia and beyond, viruses once considered rare are moving closer to population centers. The question is no longer whether the world will face another high-impact outbreak—but whether it will be ready when one of the deadliest contenders comes knocking again.
Chuỗi sự kiện cộng đồng thuộc khuôn khổ chiến dịch “Chung Vị Tết Việt – Gắn Kết Muôn Miền” do Ủy ban Trung ương Mặt trận Tổ quốc Việt Nam (UB TW MTTQVN) phối hợp thực hiện cùng Tổng Công ty Cổ phần Bia – Rượu – Nước giải khát Sài Gòn (SABECO) tiếp tục đến với tỉnh Nghệ An, mang lại những phút giây trải nghiệm văn hóa Tết đầy gắn kết và ý nghĩa dành cho hàng ngàn người dân địa phương.
Trong khuôn khổ sự kiện tại xã Kim Bảng, tỉnh Nghệ An, SABECO mang đến không gian trải nghiệm “vị Tết” đậm đà bản sắc văn hóa Bắc Trung Bộ, với điểm nhấn là hoạt động biểu diễn dân ca ví giặm – loại hình nghệ thuật dân gian được công nhận là di sản văn hóa phi vật thể quốc gia, gắn bó mật thiết với đời sống tinh thần của người dân xứ Nghệ. Những làn điệu ví giặm mộc mạc, sâu lắng vang lên trong không khí ngày xuân không chỉ tôn vinh giá trị nghệ thuật truyền thống, mà còn góp phần gìn giữ và lan tỏa một di sản văn hóa tiêu biểu của khu vực Bắc Trung Bộ đến với cộng đồng địa phương.
Bên cạnh các màn trình diễn dân ca ví giặm, sự kiện cũng mang đến các khu vực tương tác với nhiều hoạt động hấp dẫn, tái hiện những phong tục Tết quen thuộc của địa phương như gói bánh chưng, sắp xếp mâm cỗ Tết, và các trò chơi lấy cảm hứng từ những hoạt động quen thuộc ngày xuân như ca hát, chúc Tết hay nâng ly chúc mừng năm mới. Mỗi trải nghiệm đều góp phần khắc họa một lát cắt sinh động của văn hóa Tết, nơi truyền thống được gìn giữ và tiếp nối trong từng khoảnh khắc đời thường.
Thông qua chuỗi sự kiện cộng đồng “Chung Vị Tết Việt – Gắn Kết Muôn Miền” được tổ chức tại ba miền Bắc – Trung – Nam, nét đặc sắc văn hóa vùng miền được thể hiện đa dạng qua ẩm thực, phong tục và các loại hình nghệ thuật dân gian. Dù mang những sắc thái riêng, tất cả đều cùng hội tụ để làm nên “vị Tết” chung của Việt Nam, nơi các giá trị về sự sum họp, sẻ chia và gắn kết cộng đồng được lan tỏa trọn vẹn.
Trong hai ngày 24-25/1, SABECO cùng đại diện UB TW MTTQVN và chính quyền địa phương tỉnh Nghệ An và Hà Tĩnh cũng đã phối hợp trao tặng 800 phần quà mang thông điệp “Chung Vị Tết Việt” cho các hộ gia đình có hoàn cảnh khó khăn – những con người đại diện cho sự lạc quan và ý chí vươn lên trong cuộc sống, cùng đội ngũ bộ đội biên phòng đang ngày đêm bảo vệ sự yên bình cho người dân. Mỗi phần quà không chỉ bao gồm các nhu yếu phẩm và những hương vị Tết quen thuộc như bánh chưng, mứt Tết, mà còn có phong bao lì xì như một lời chúc may mắn và tốt lành gửi đến người dân nhân dịp năm mới. Thông qua món quà ý nghĩa này, SABECO mong muốn mang đến sự trọn vẹn và đầm ấm cho những người chưa có cơ hội đón một mùa Tết đủ đầy, để ai cũng cảm nhận được mình là một phần của niềm vui chung trong dịp năm mới.
Ông Nguyễn Hải Dương – Bí thư Đảng uỷ, Chủ tịch HĐND xã Kim Bảng, tỉnh Nghệ An chia sẻ:“Tiếp nối những giá trị tích cực của chiến dịch ‘Chung Vị Tết Việt – Gắn Kết Muôn Miền’ tại các địa phương trước đó, việc phối hợp cùng SABECO triển khai chương trình tại Nghệ An mang ý nghĩa thiết thực đối với người dân địa phương và lực lượng tuyến đầu trên địa bàn tỉnh. Thông qua các hoạt động gắn kết và những phần quà Tết của chương trình, người dân có thêm cơ hội cảm nhận trọn vẹn không khí Tết, được sẻ chia và trở thành một phần trong niềm vui chung của cộng đồng. Đây cũng là cách giúp tinh thần đoàn kết, nghĩa tình và truyền thống nhân ái của dân tộc tiếp tục được lan tỏa mạnh mẽ mỗi dịp Tết đến xuân về.”
Chiến dịch “Chung Vị Tết Việt – Gắn Kết Muôn Miền” do SABECO khởi xướng với mong muốn gìn giữ nét đẹp văn hóa và kết nối những sắc thái văn hóa khắp mọi miền thành một trải nghiệm Tết chung, nơi ai cũng cảm nhận được sự gắn kết và thuộc về. Đây cũng là năm đầu tiên SABECO đưa chương trình Tết thường niên thành nền tảng tôn vinh sự đa dạng văn hóa vùng miền Việt Nam, thể hiện vai trò của doanh nghiệp trong việc bảo tồn bản sắc văn hóa truyền thống, gắn kết cộng đồng và lan tỏa niềm tự hào dân tộc.
Song song với chuỗi sự kiện tại các địa phương, hoạt động gắn kết cộng đồng “Chung Vị Tết Việt” trên mạng xã hội cũng được SABECO triển khai như một sáng kiến ý nghĩa, nhằm kết nối người dân tại 34 tỉnh thành trên cả nước trong niềm vui chung của ngày Tết. Qua việc chia sẻ hình ảnh và câu chuyện đón Tết của mình cùng hashtag #ChungViTetViet, mọi người cùng nhau vẽ nên một bức tranh Tết chung, nơi tinh thần tết gắn kết và sẻ chia được lan tỏa mạnh mẽ, giúp người dân khắp Việt Nam trở thành một phần của mùa Tết.
Bà Patsy Lim, Phó Tổng Giám đốc phụ trách Marketing của SABECO cho biết: “Đối với SABECO, Tết là thời điểm những giá trị văn hóa và tinh thần gắn kết cộng đồng được thể hiện rõ nét nhất.Nghệ An là vùng đất có bề dày truyền thống, nơi văn hóa được gìn giữ qua từng câu hát, phong tục và nếp sống của người dân. Chính sự mộc mạc, nghĩa tình và tinh thần gắn bó cộng đồng đã tạo nên một không gian Tết rất riêng cho nơi đây. Thông qua chiến dịch này, chúng tôi mong muốn được đồng hành cùng địa phương trong việc gìn giữ và lan tỏa những giá trị văn hóa đó, để Tết không chỉ là dịp sum vầy, mà còn là khoảnh khắc để mỗi người cảm nhận rõ hơn sự gắn kết và niềm tự hào về bản sắc Việt”.
Nghệ An và Hà Tĩnh là 2 trong số 16 địa phương nơi SABECO tổ chức chuỗi hoạt động trao quà Tết và gắn kết cộng đồng từ ngày 10/1/2026 đến hết ngày 8/2/2026. Đây là những địa phương tiêu biểu của khu vực Bắc Trung Bộ sở hữu bản sắc văn hóa đậm đà, đồng thời là nơi đã gắn bó lâu dài với SABECO trong hoạt động kinh doanh và các chương trình cộng đồng ý nghĩa khác.
Tính đến nay, chiến dịch đã đi qua 8 tỉnh thành gồm Đak Lak, Lâm Đồng, Vĩnh Long, Cần Thơ, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Đồng Tháp, Bình Dương (nay thuộc TPHCM), với 3.300 phần quà Tết đã được trao tặng. Tiếp sau đó, SABECO sẽ tiếp tục mang các hoạt động ý nghĩa của chiến dịch đến với Quảng Trị, Ninh Bình, Khánh Hòa, Gia Lai trong hai ngày 31/1 và 1/2 sắp tới, tiếp nối hành trình mang trải nghiệm Tết đến gần hơn với cộng đồng và lan tỏa tinh thần sẻ chia gắn kết trong dịp năm mới Bính Ngọ.
Ho Chi Minh City intensifies security as global travel returns and authorities send a clear signal to tourists and expatriates
As Vietnam prepares for the Lunar New Year—its most important holiday season—authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have launched a sweeping security crackdown that has resulted in the arrest of multiple foreign nationals linked to drug-related offenses, underscoring the country’s zero-tolerance stance on narcotics amid rising international travel.
On January 24, the Ho Chi Minh City Police confirmed the detention of 10 suspects, including eight South Korean tourists and businesspeople, in connection with the illegal possession and organized use of prohibited drugs. The arrests were made by the city’s Drug Crime Investigation Unit following an expanded probe into transnational drug trafficking networks operating in Vietnam’s largest commercial hub.
The operation uncovered a significant cache of narcotics across several locations, including more than 300 grams of ketamine, over 1,000 ecstasy tablets, and 63 packets of so-called “happy water,” a cocktail drug increasingly popular in nightlife settings across parts of Southeast Asia. Investigators also revealed that one of the detained South Korean nationals is subject to an international arrest warrant, highlighting the cross-border nature of the case.
The arrests come as Vietnam experiences a strong rebound in tourism and business travel, with Ho Chi Minh City once again positioning itself as a regional magnet for foreign investors, expatriates, and short-term visitors. Authorities say the timing of the crackdown is deliberate: Lunar New Year traditionally sees a spike in travel, entertainment activity, and opportunistic crime, prompting heightened enforcement across major cities.
Police officials emphasized that Vietnam will not allow individuals to exploit business or tourism entry to engage in criminal activity. The investigation is ongoing, with further arrests possible as authorities expand their review of associated networks and venues.
For international travelers and expatriates, the message is unambiguous. Vietnam remains one of Southeast Asia’s safest and fastest-growing destinations—but its laws, particularly around drugs, are among the region’s strictest. As borders reopen wider and nightlife returns, this case serves as a reminder that Vietnam’s economic openness does not extend to tolerance for criminal behavior.
VN-Index retreats from 1,900 as foreign selling persists and investors reassess risk
Vietnam’s stock market is flashing a warning signal to global investors after sliding for a fourth consecutive session, underscoring how fragile sentiment remains in Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing equity story when large-cap state-owned stocks turn lower.
After briefly testing the psychologically critical 1,900 level early in the session, the VN-Index reversed sharply under broad-based selling pressure. By the close, the benchmark had fallen nearly 12 points to around 1,871, extending a week-long correction that has erased more than 8 points despite repeated attempts to break higher.
What made the decline notable was not just the index drop, but the internal damage. On the Ho Chi Minh City exchange, decliners outnumbered gainers by roughly three to one, signaling a high level of market consensus rather than a narrow or technical pullback. Heavyweights linked to the state sector led the sell-off, including Vietcombank, BIDV, Petrovietnam Gas, VietinBank, Vinamilk, Becamex, BSR and FPT—names that dominate both the index and foreign portfolios.
In contrast, resilience from Vingroup and Vinhomes prevented a steeper fall. Shares of Vingroup rose nearly 3%, while Vinhomes gained close to 2%, cushioning the index by an estimated nine points. Without their support, losses could have approached 21 points, highlighting how concentrated Vietnam’s market leadership has become at elevated levels.
Liquidity offered a mixed signal. Total trading value on the HoSE fell to roughly 29.3 trillion dong, the lowest in more than two weeks. While reduced turnover suggests selling pressure may be cooling, it also reflects investor caution as valuations stretch and global risk appetite softens.
Foreign investors remained net sellers but at a slower pace, offloading about 200 billion dong—the smallest daily outflow since late last year. Selling focused on large banks and property names, while selective buying emerged in stocks such as STB and PLX, hinting at rotation rather than a full retreat from Vietnam.
According to Vietcombank Securities, the correction reflects profit-taking in large-cap stocks that had rallied strongly in recent sessions. The firm advises investors to hold positions that are stabilizing near support levels and to accumulate selectively rather than chase momentum.
For international investors watching Vietnam as a long-term growth and FDI destination, the message is clear: the structural story remains intact, but short-term volatility is rising as the market struggles to convincingly clear 1,900. Whether this pullback proves to be a healthy reset—or the start of a deeper re-pricing—may determine how global capital positions itself in Vietnam for the rest of the year.
After semi-final heartbreak, two Asian football powers meet with reputation, momentum and future direction on the line.
At 10 p.m. on Friday, Vietnam and South Korea will face off in a bronze-medal match that carries far more weight than a typical third-place playoff. For both sides, the clash at the AFC U23 Asian Championship is about restoring confidence, proving direction, and answering deeper questions about the trajectory of their football systems in an increasingly competitive Asia.
Vietnam arrive wounded but reflective. Their 0–3 defeat to China in the semi-finals was not only their heaviest U23 loss to that opponent since 1999, but also a rare night when Kim Sang-sik’s side looked out of sync. Defensive lapses, loss of structure, and the absence of key defenders Nguyen Hieu Minh through injury and Pham Ly Duc via red card exposed a young team still learning how to manage adversity at elite level. The emotional scenes after the final whistle underscored how close Vietnam believed they were to something bigger.
Yet for international observers, Vietnam’s story is not defined by one defeat. The team’s four-match winning streak earlier in the tournament reinforced the country’s broader rise as a disciplined, tactically aware football nation in Southeast Asia. The semi-final loss has instead become a stress test: how quickly can this generation adapt, recalibrate, and respond when momentum turns against them?
South Korea, meanwhile, are confronting a different kind of unease. Their 0–1 loss to Japan reignited long-standing sporting and cultural rivalries, but it also triggered domestic debate about strategic priorities. Japan fielded a younger, U21-focused squad aligned with long-term Olympic planning, while South Korea leaned on the traditional incentive of military service exemption tied to tournament success. Critics in Korean media argued this reflected a short-term mindset that may be costing the country ground in Asia’s evolving football landscape.
Statistically, the concerns are tangible. South Korea dominated possession among the semi-finalists but ranked only sixth in total shots, converting just 12.5% of their chances. Control without incision has become a recurring theme, raising questions about attacking creativity and balance—issues that Vietnam, with their compact structure and high-intensity transitions, will look to exploit.
Friday’s match therefore becomes a referendum on resilience and coaching leadership. For Kim Sang-sik, facing his home country carries symbolic weight after missing the final he publicly targeted. For South Korea’s Lee Min-sung, it is a chance to quiet criticism and reassert authority over a team still searching for cohesion. Historically, South Korea hold the edge, having beaten Vietnam 2–1 in the 2018 final and edged them again in recent friendlies. But Vietnam’s steady progress suggests the gap is no longer psychological—it is marginal and situational.
This is Vietnam’s first appearance in a U23 Asian Championship third-place match. For South Korea, it is familiar territory. Yet the stakes feel unusually balanced. Beyond the medal, the outcome will shape narratives about development models, regional momentum, and which football culture is adapting fastest in Asia’s next cycle. For global fans and investors watching Asian sport’s rapid rise, this match is less about bronze—and more about who is learning the right lessons at the right time.
Two everyday Vietnamese condiments beat dozens of global rivals, reflecting Southeast Asia’s rising influence on global food culture.
Vietnam’s global brand is increasingly being shaped not just by manufacturing, tourism, or investment flows—but by flavor. In the latest 2026 ranking of the world’s best sauces by Taste Atlas, two distinctly Vietnamese condiments—garlic chili fish sauce and fermented anchovy paste—have secured places among the top 100 worldwide, outperforming iconic sauces from Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Garlic chili fish sauce placed an impressive 16th, scoring 4.3 out of 5, while fermented anchovy paste ranked 79th with 3.9 points. The list, updated on January 22, is based on nearly 16,000 global reviews from readers and culinary experts, with rigorous filtering to ensure credibility and reduce local bias. For international audiences, the result highlights how Vietnam’s everyday street flavors are increasingly resonating with global palates.
Taste Atlas describes garlic chili fish sauce as a cornerstone of Vietnamese cuisine, blending fish sauce with citrus, sugar, water, garlic, and fresh chilies to create a balanced sweet-sour-salty profile. Its versatility is key to its appeal, pairing seamlessly with spring rolls, Vietnamese pancakes, grilled meats, seafood, noodles, and soups. Unlike many Western sauces designed for a single dish, this condiment adapts to regional tastes and culinary contexts—an attribute that global chefs and diners increasingly value.
Fermented anchovy paste, known for its bold aroma and umami depth, represents a more adventurous side of Vietnamese food culture. Often mixed with pineapple, lime juice, garlic, sugar, and chili to soften its intensity, the sauce is commonly paired with beef dishes and central Vietnamese specialties. Its inclusion in the ranking underscores a broader global trend: consumers are becoming more open to fermented, complex flavors once considered niche or challenging.
At the top of the 2026 list sits Peru’s salsa ocopa, reinforcing the idea that global food influence is no longer dominated by traditional Western culinary powers. Instead, regions like Southeast Asia and Latin America are shaping taste preferences through authenticity, heritage, and distinctive local ingredients.
While Taste Atlas emphasizes that the ranking is not a definitive judgment on world cuisine, its growing influence matters. For Vietnam, such recognition strengthens culinary tourism appeal, supports food exports, and enhances the country’s soft power at a time when global audiences are actively seeking new cultural experiences beyond familiar capitals and cuisines.
The deeper takeaway is not just about sauces. As Vietnam continues to attract tourists, investors, and expatriates, its food culture is emerging as a powerful connector—one that turns everyday meals into global ambassadors. The question now is whether Vietnamese cuisine will remain a traveler’s discovery, or become a permanent fixture on menus worldwide.
Fitch’s BBB- upgrade signals lower risk for global investors, without changing Vietnam’s sovereign rating
Vietnam has quietly crossed an important threshold in global capital markets. On January 22, Fitch Ratings upgraded Vietnam’s senior secured long-term debt instruments to BBB-, officially placing them in investment-grade territory. While the country’s sovereign credit rating remains at BB+, the move sends a strong signal to international investors navigating risk across emerging markets.
The upgrade applies specifically to secured sovereign instruments, not Vietnam’s general foreign-currency debt. Under Fitch’s new National Credit Rating Criteria issued in September 2025, these instruments are now rated one notch higher than Vietnam’s unsecured long-term foreign-currency obligations. In a global environment where capital is increasingly selective, this distinction matters—particularly for institutional investors bound by investment-grade mandates.
At the center of the decision are Vietnam’s legacy Brady Bonds, a 30-year issuance dating back to 1998, whose principal is partially or fully secured by U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds. Fitch’s assessment reflects stronger recovery prospects on these secured instruments, which benefit from explicit collateral protections that materially reduce downside risk. In effect, Vietnam’s secured debt now carries a risk profile closer to lower-tier developed-market instruments than to typical frontier sovereign issuers.
Importantly, Fitch was clear that the upgrade does not alter Vietnam’s overall sovereign credit profile, which it reaffirmed at BB+ with a Stable Outlook in June 2025. However, market participants often view such instrument-level upgrades as a precursor—not a guarantee, but a signal—of improving institutional credibility and debt management sophistication.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance has framed the upgrade as the result of closer, more proactive engagement with rating agencies, including Moody’s and S&P Global Ratings. Rather than responding passively to data requests, the ministry is now coordinating across government agencies to articulate Vietnam’s macroeconomic stability, institutional reforms, and long-term growth trajectory—an approach more typical of investment-grade sovereigns.
Beyond sovereign debt, the implications ripple into Vietnam’s domestic capital markets. More than 140 Vietnamese companies across sectors have now obtained credit ratings for bond issuance, and in 2024, rated bonds accounted for 46.3% of total issuance value. This growing reliance on ratings reflects a structural shift toward transparency and risk pricing—key prerequisites for attracting long-term foreign capital.
The broader takeaway for global investors is nuanced but clear: Vietnam is not yet investment grade as a sovereign, but parts of its debt stack already are. As global funds rebalance exposure across Southeast Asia, that distinction could prove decisive—raising a strategic question for markets: if secured Vietnamese debt is now investment grade, how long before the sovereign itself follows?
