Authorities in Lâm Đồng province are investigating after a car struck two elderly women sitting by the roadside. The driver transported both victims to a hospital but did not notify local authorities. One victim later died.
The incident occurred on November 11 at Km 61+300 on QL55, near the Sơn Mỹ commune office. Security camera footage shows a black car turning into the office driveway and hitting the two women. One victim was run over by both the front and rear wheels.
Car runs over two elderly people PHOTO: CUT FROM CLIP
The driver immediately got out and, with the help of locals, loaded the victims into the vehicle and took them to a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. On November 14, one victim, identified as Trần Thị Ch., passed away. Her sister remains in serious condition.
Local officials confirmed they had not received any report of the accident. The women had visited the commune office to collect social assistance and were waiting by the roadside for a bus when the crash occurred.
The case has now been referred to the Lâm Đồng Provincial Police Investigation Department for further investigation.
A group of nine Australian men visiting Ha Giang province spent four days exploring the region and had some unexpected adventures, from moving bricks under the midday sun to helping locals carry motorcycles through flooded roads.
The unusual experience went viral after a video captured the tourists, shirtless and passing bricks by hand, gaining tens of thousands of interactions on social media. Some commenters joked, “They paid to experience manual labor in Vietnam.”
According to Đinh Hùng, tour guide for Jasmine Tours, the group immediately embraced hands-on experiences. On their first day, they joined local farmers to harvest rice. By the third day, while passing through Mậu Duệ commune, they offered to help women working under the hot sun, moving a significant stack of bricks in just 30 minutes.
In a lighthearted moment, Hùng jokingly acted as “foreman,” urging the visitors to work quickly. The tourists were delighted to find themselves gaining fame online in Vietnam.
The adventures continued. On the final day, heavy rain had flooded Thượng Road in Yên Minh commune, leaving the group unable to ride through. Together, they carried each motorcycle across the chest-deep water, using wooden poles and coordinating as a team. After helping their own vehicles, the Australians stayed an extra two hours assisting locals and other tourists stranded by the flood.
Hùng noted that young foreign travelers are often eager to immerse themselves in local life. They are open, adaptable, and willing to step into the daily routines of rural communities. Tour operators in Ha Giang have responded by designing more authentic, hands-on experiences, including farm work, gardening, and living alongside local families, catering to travelers who want to connect with the region beyond traditional sightseeing.
Police in Phu Tho have arrested Tạ Minh Châu, a former healthcare worker accused of running a brutal insurance fraud scheme worth more than 6 billion VND. Investigators say Châu sedated insurance buyers and used a hammer and metal tools to break their bones, then staged fake accident scenes to claim payouts from multiple life insurance companies.
Ta Minh Chau. Photo: Provided by the police
Châu, 30 years old, previously worked at the Cam Khe District Medical Center and had deep knowledge of bone structure and insurance compensation rules. Police say he used this expertise to design a full process that included recruiting buyers, inflicting injuries, and preparing falsified medical documents.
Châu reportedly sedated victims before breaking their bones in ways that closely resembled real accident injuries. His group then staged scenes such as slip and fall incidents or electric shock falls to legitimize the claim files.
The ring targeted several major insurers, including Manulife, AIA, Dai ichi Life, FWD, Sun Life, and Chubb Life. Manulife alone lost about 2.6 billion VND.
Police describe the operation as organized, calculated, and extremely cruel. The group chose fracture points that triggered higher payouts, which made the fraud difficult for insurers to detect.
Châu and four accomplices have been detained on suspicion of property appropriation as the investigation continues.
Vietnamese authorities, in coordination with Philippine police, have arrested Lê Khắc Ngọ, known as “Mr Hunter,” a key suspect in a massive investment fraud case worth over 5,300 billion VND ($225 million USD). Ngọ is set to be extradited back to Vietnam, authorities confirmed on November 14.
The operation, led jointly by Ngọ and Phó Đức Nam (“Mr Pips”), targeted Vietnamese investors through a network of fake foreign exchange and stock trading platforms. Launched in 2021, these websites were designed in English and presented as reputable international trading platforms, but were in fact controlled by the suspects with bank accounts managed by Nam’s team.
Investigators say the scheme exploited social media and phone-based sales teams, promising high returns with zero risk. Early small “wins” were used to build trust before victims were manipulated into transferring significant funds. Authorities expect to charge around 550 sales agents involved in promoting the scam.
So far, law enforcement has recovered over 5,315 billion VND in assets and received 669 complaints, with 601 victims reporting losses totaling more than 1,187 billion VND ($50 million USD).
Ngô Thị Thêu, Ngọ’s wife, had been previously arrested in Thailand and extradited to Vietnam. The case is considered Vietnam’s largest fraud in the foreign exchange and stock sector, with many victims drawn in by the suspects’ ostentatious lifestyle and promises of rapid wealth accumulation.
Authorities caution investors to remain vigilant against high-return schemes and online trading platforms promising risk-free profits.
Japanese authorities have arrested a Vietnamese man and a Brazilian national in connection with an arson attack that destroyed a two-story wooden house and spread to ten neighboring properties.
Gunma Prefectural Police confirmed on November 13 that Pham Tuan Vu, 24, an unemployed Vietnamese man with no fixed address, and Barboza Yasda Marines, 57, a Brazilian national, were taken into custody over the fire in Kiryu City on May 15. The primary target was the residence of a foreign entrepreneur.
The blaze consumed the main house entirely and spread to surrounding homes and storage structures, damaging walls, balconies, and roofs. Firefighters brought the fire under control after five and a half hours. No casualties were reported.
Authorities are investigating the suspects’ motives. Marines is reportedly known to the targeted homeowner, though police have not disclosed further details about their relationship.
The case underscores concerns about property crimes in the region and the need for continued vigilance in residential fire safety.
A 52-year-old German tourist was reportedly defrauded for a staggering 4,000 euros (about 122 million VND) while shopping in central Pattaya, police confirmed. The scam highlights a rising trend of street fraud targeting international visitors in the Thai beach city.
According to local authorities, Nadir Altaf was approached on the street by a foreign vendor selling coconut oil allegedly capable of promoting hair growth and thickness. The vendor quoted a price of “4,000” without specifying the currency. Believing the price was in Thai baht (roughly 3 million VND), Altaf agreed to purchase five bottles.
When the credit card was charged, he discovered the full amount had been billed in euros, roughly thirty times what he expected. Shocked, Altaf reported the incident to Pattaya police on November 12.
Deputy Inspector Phupha Hongyakul of the Pattaya Police noted that scams like this have increased, primarily targeting foreign tourists. He warned that many victims do not report smaller incidents, leaving some offenders at large.
This incident is part of a series of similar scams in the city. Earlier in November, an Australian tourist was overcharged for herbal remedies at a Baywalk Shopping Centre pharmacy, while in September, an Indian visitor was sold overpriced herbal products before being refunded after complaints.
Local residents are calling for stronger enforcement measures to protect tourists and maintain Pattaya’s reputation. Tourism officials note that international visitor numbers have fallen slightly in 2025, with 21.8 million foreign arrivals in the first eight months, down 7.16 percent from last year, reducing revenue by 5.4 percent. Major source markets such as China and Malaysia continue to see weak growth.
Authorities urge travelers to exercise caution when approached by street vendors and verify prices and payment methods before completing purchases.
Vegetable prices in Vietnam’s largest metropolis have spiked by 40 to 50 percent in recent weeks as heavy rains and flooding disrupt supply from major growing regions, experts say. Analysts warn that this is not a temporary fluctuation but the emergence of a new price baseline for fresh produce.
Reporters at Pham Van Bach Market observed that vendors are now selling only 2-3 kilograms of each vegetable type, down from 5-10 kilograms a month ago. Prices for common vegetables have jumped sharply compared to last year: leafy greens at 35,000-40,000 VND per kilogram, green beans 60,000 VND, carrots 25,000 VND, and tomatoes 60,000 VND. Some items, like water spinach, have nearly tripled in price, reaching 40,000-45,000 VND per kilogram.
The spike is affecting both traditional markets and small grocery stores that source produce from surrounding provinces. Shop owners cite storm damage, flooding, and disrupted transport routes as key drivers of reduced supply and higher costs. Some specialty vegetables such as taro shoots and local leafy greens have seen moderate price increases of 10-20 percent.
Vendors report significantly reduced sales due to higher prices, with some returning unsold produce home for personal consumption. “In previous years, prices rose at most 10-15 percent during this season. Now a 50 percent increase is shocking for both sellers and buyers,” said a long-time merchant at Pham Van Bach Market.
At the Thu Duc wholesale vegetable market, supply has fallen by 22 tons compared to earlier levels, pushing prices up by 2,000-10,000 VND per kilogram. Experts note that roughly 60-70 percent of Ho Chi Minh City’s vegetables come from nearby provinces, meaning extreme weather directly affects urban food supply.
Economists warn that the current spike is a signal of a new normal for prices. Dr. Le Ba Chi Nhan, a retail economist, said rising vegetable costs immediately increase household living expenses, particularly for low- and middle-income families. Higher input costs for fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds — up about 20 percent — also force farmers to raise prices to maintain profitability.
“Consumers should expect that higher food prices will persist in the near term,” Dr. Nhan added, noting that this trend could ripple through the broader cost of living and inflation indicators.
The husband and wife team behind Mailisa, one of Vietnam’s most prominent beauty chains, have drawn attention not just for their sprawling cosmetic business but also for a lifestyle marked by luxury estates, rare supercars, and high-profile philanthropy.
Authorities recently conducted inspections across several Mailisa clinics, seizing documents to support an ongoing investigation. During this period, the salons temporarily halted operations, attracting nationwide media coverage.
Founded in 1998 by Phan Thi Mai — widely known as Mailisa — and her husband Hoang Kim Khanh, the brand now employs roughly 2,000 staff across Vietnam. Beyond running one of the country’s largest cosmetic networks, the couple is known for a portfolio of high-value assets.
A Mansion and a Supercar Collection
In September 2024, the Mailisas unveiled a 4,000 square meter villa in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 12, reportedly taking nearly five years to complete. The property reflects the scale of their wealth and taste for luxury.
Khanh is also recognized as one of Vietnam’s leading supercar enthusiasts. His collection includes rare models such as Koenigsegg Regera, McLaren Senna, Lamborghini Aventador S, Ferrari SF90 Stradale, and several high-end Bentleys. In March 2024, dozens of these vehicles made a public appearance in Da Nang, highlighting the rarity and value of their fleet. The couple reportedly owns around 40 cars, supported by 40 to 50 staff including chauffeurs and attendants.
Generous Pay and Employee Perks
Mailisa clinics are known for competitive compensation. Entry-level advisors earn 20 to 40 million VND per month, while branch or department managers can earn 30 to 60 million VND. Receptionists earn 15 to 20 million VND monthly. Social media posts suggest some employees make over 100 million VND per month, with additional bonuses at year-end. Staff also undergo training in communication, body language, and professional presentation to maintain high service standards.
According to the announcement on the website, consultants of the Mailisa Beauty Salon chain are paid a salary of 20-40 million VND/month, no experience required (Photo: Screenshot).
Philanthropy and Public Influence
Beyond business, Mailisa is active in philanthropy, reportedly donating hundreds of billions of VND to support communities in central, northern, and highland regions of Vietnam. Mai has a strong online presence, with millions following her on TikTok and Facebook, where she frequently shares insights into her business, lifestyle, and charitable work.
The Mailisas’ story offers a window into Vietnam’s booming beauty industry and the growing influence of high-profile entrepreneurs who combine luxury, media presence, and philanthropy.
Police in New South Wales have arrested a Vietnamese born woman who allegedly posed as a fortune teller and feng shui master to run a sophisticated seventy million dollar fraud and money laundering scheme targeting members of the local Vietnamese community.
Officers detained Anya Phan, age fifty three, and her daughter Thi Ta, age twenty five, during a raid in the upscale suburb of Dover Heights on November twelve. Investigators say Phan convinced vulnerable people to borrow money based on her claims that a billionaire benefactor would soon appear and repay their debts.
A search of the home uncovered financial documents, electronics, luxury handbags, a forty gram gold bar, and six thousand six hundred dollars in casino chips, according to The Guardian.
Police allege Phan operated a large underground financial network with help from her daughter. The New South Wales Crime Commission has frozen an additional fifteen million dollars in related assets.
Inspector Gordon Arbinja, head of the financial crime unit, told reporters that Phan used her self proclaimed feng shui skills to recruit people struggling with debt to work for her. Each transaction brought her at least one hundred fifty thousand dollars, he said.
Authorities noted that many victims took part in high risk borrowing with little caution, and some have also been arrested for their involvement.
Investigators were struck by Phan’s lifestyle. She migrated to Australia in 2001 and later became a citizen. Despite long term unemployment and more than twenty years on disability benefits, she lived in a property costing fifty six thousand dollars per month and held VIP status at a major casino. Police accuse her of laundering more than five hundred thousand dollars there in just two months.
Phan now faces thirty nine charges, including directing the activities of a criminal group, nineteen counts of financial fraud, and thirteen counts of dealing with the proceeds of crime. Bail was denied and she is scheduled to appear in court on January fifteen 2026. Her daughter faces related fraud and money laundering charges.
The case emerged from Strike Force Myddleton, a broader investigation into a vehicle finance network that used stolen identities to obtain loans for so called ghost cars. A deeper probe revealed extensive fraud schemes tied to personal, business, and housing loans.
Police say half of the criminal network has already been arrested. Remaining suspects, including brokers, lawyers, accountants, and property developers, are expected to face prosecution. In total, sixty million dollars in assets has been frozen.
Police in the outlying district of Hoc Mon have opened an investigation after a sixty eight year old woman was stabbed while exercising near her home. The suspect is the step sibling of her late husband, according to the family.
Authorities in Ba Diem Commune confirmed they are working with related units to clarify the incident. The victim, identified as N T K Kh, was hospitalized with multiple injuries.
The attack took place on November eleven at about six in the evening. Family members told local reporters that Kh was walking in a small alley when a forty eight year old woman, identified only as P, allegedly approached her with a knife. Neighbors who heard the commotion intervened, allowing Kh to escape.
Doctors treated wounds to her back, arm, and palm. The family says she remains in the hospital under observation because she still experiences dizziness and nausea. Physicians warned that a severed tendon in her hand could lead to long term impairment if not treated promptly.
The family has requested an official assessment of her injuries and has filed a complaint with the police.
Relatives say the suspected attacker had ongoing disputes with Kh over family land. Police have taken several people in for questioning and have collected statements from the victim at the hospital. Investigators are also reviewing footage from nearby security cameras to determine the sequence of events and identify any witnesses.
This case highlights the rise in interpersonal disputes linked to property conflicts in parts of Vietnam, an issue that has drawn growing attention from legal experts and community organizations.
Dr Daisy Kanagasapapathy (RMIT Vietnam) explains how recent food-poisoning incidents have placed Vietnam’s iconic banh mi under pressure, prompting fresh conversations about food safety, tourism confidence, and the future of the country’s street food culture.
To many travellers, Vietnam is first discovered through taste rather than landmarks. The country’s culinary icons have become its most powerful ambassadors: the comforting warmth of phở, the sweet bitterness of cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese cafe with condensed milk), the crisp lightness of nem rán/chả giò (Vietnamese spring rolls), and the smoky aroma of bún chả (Vietnamese grilled pork with rice noodles) grilled over charcoal. Yet no dish represents Vietnam’s cultural identity more globally than the bánh mì.
In recent years, bánh mì has transcended borders to become a global emblem of Vietnamese creativity. Ho Chi Minh City proudly hosted the Bánh Mì Festival earlier this year, drawing thousands of visitors, foodies, and international media. This highlights how a humble street sandwich has evolved into a cultural export, connecting Vietnam’s culinary soul to the world.
A crisis for an icon
That is why the recent surge in food-poisoning cases linked to bánh mì in Ho Chi Minh City, with over 300 hospitalisations, has caused deep concern.
Food tourism is central to Vietnam’s visitor economy. Travellers come seeking the sensory authenticity of street-level dining – an experience that transforms eating into cultural discovery. When a flagship dish becomes linked to risk, confidence in the broader food scene wavers. Visitors may avoid street stalls or local food tours, preferring hotels and chain restaurants. This, in turn, reduces earnings for small vendors and weakens the informal but vital food-tourism ecosystem that gives Vietnamese cities their distinctive flavour.
Street vendors are often family-run, women-led enterprises passed down through generations. If travellers begin to associate “street food” with “unsafe food,” the consequences extend beyond economics to identity itself. Cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Hoi An have built global reputations around their vibrant food trails and night markets. Rebuilding tourist confidence will require collaboration across tourism boards, local authorities, and food entrepreneurs to ensure that Vietnam’s most celebrated dishes remain symbols of pride, not caution.
Bánh mì is one of Vietnam’s most iconic foods. (Photo: Freepik)
From crisis to innovation
Vietnam’s growing food-tech sector can play a transformative role in this recovery. Over the past few years, the country has embraced digital delivery, mobile payments, and smart logistics. These same innovations can now enhance transparency and traceability in the food supply chain, making safety a visible, measurable attribute.
Many of Vietnam’s beloved street vendors lack access to advanced tools or digital platforms. For them, small, affordable measures can make an immediate impact.
Some easy practices include:
Visible hygiene commitment: Displaying “Clean Food” or “Safe Vendor” stickers verified by local health units. Even simple signage promoting glove use or handwashing boosts visitor confidence.
Better storage habits: Covering ingredients, separating utensils for raw and cooked items, and using ice boxes or insulated containers for meats and eggs.
Personal cleanliness: Wearing aprons, gloves, and hairnets; washing hands frequently; and using disposable napkins rather than shared cloths.
Safe ingredient rotation: Buying smaller quantities and avoiding overnight storage of sensitive fillings such as pâté or sauces.
Community micro-training: Quick workshops by tourism or hospitality schools to teach hygiene basics using visual, easy-to-follow examples.
Digital storytelling for trust: Vendors can share short videos on Facebook or TikTok showing their clean preparation process, blending authenticity with assurance.
These small steps, when consistently applied, create a powerful visual signal of professionalism and care. They require minimal cost but deliver high returns in trust, complementing digital innovation with human touch.
Repositioning Vietnamese street food for the future
As Ho Chi Minh City and other destinations recover from the bánh mì incident, this moment can become a catalyst for transformation. Imagine future Bánh Mì Festivals that celebrate not only flavour but also hygiene excellence, with vendors proudly showcasing both tradition and technology. Food tours could feature “Verified Safe” street vendors, combining cultural storytelling with transparency.
Vietnam’s culinary identity, from phở to bánh mì, is one of its most valuable tourism assets. Protecting it demands balance: preserving authenticity while embracing safety. By uniting low-cost hygiene practices with food-tech innovation, Vietnam can ensure that its street-food culture remains both world-famous and world-trusted.
Story: Dr Daisy Kanagasapapathy, Associate Program Manager, Tourism and Hospitality Management, RMIT University Vietnam
In recent years, Vietnam has become an important destination for global entrepreneurs looking to expand their businesses. Many start with dropshipping, acting as intermediaries to sell products online without directly handling inventory, and gradually take a bolder step: establishing direct partnerships with Vietnamese manufacturers and managing full container shipments to international markets.
This shift from dropshipping to overseeing international logistics highlights the growing potential of Vietnam’s manufacturing sector. Entrepreneurs who follow this path not only gain control over product quality and supply chains but also unlock a new level of business growth, turning digital ventures into full-scale global trade operations.
The Starting Point: A Beginner’s Guide to Dropshipping
For many aspiring entrepreneurs, dropshipping offers the most accessible entry point into e-commerce. The model is brilliantly simple: an online store is created to market products, and when a customer makes a purchase, a third-party supplier ships the item directly to them. This eliminates the significant risk and capital investment associated with stocking a warehouse.
This journey often begins in established markets like the United States, launching online stores for high-ticket items. The primary tool for growth is typically paid advertising, which forces a steep learning curve in digital marketing, product selection, and conversion optimization.
While this model can yield initial success with typical profit margins of 20-30%, its inherent challenges soon become clear. High advertising costs, dependence on volatile trends, and a complete lack of control over the supply chain make scaling a precarious endeavor. This experience, however, lays the critical groundwork for a more ambitious, sustainable business model.
Check out the video below for an in-depth, practical look at dropshipping. Learn where to begin, understand how the process works, and see how Vinh Ho, successfully scaled from simple dropshipping to managing his first full container shipment.
Beyond Dropshipping: The Shift to Sourcing in Vietnam
For many global entrepreneurs, the search for long-term scalability and better profit margins has led to a natural pivot toward Vietnam, now recognized as one of the most dynamic manufacturing centers in Asia.
Vietnam’s strategic advantages were clear: lower operational costs, rapid industrial growth, and a growing reputation as a reliable “China Plus One” alternative. Entrepreneurs and sourcing agencies alike began establishing operations in major hubs such as Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Da Nang, where access to factories, materials, and logistics infrastructure offered direct exposure to the manufacturing process.
This shift marked more than just a geographic move, it represented a transformation from online reselling to active participation in global supply chains. By working directly with Vietnamese manufacturers, visiting trade shows, and gaining first-hand knowledge of production capabilities, many discovered the untapped potential of “Made in Vietnam.” As the world’s supply networks diversified, Vietnam’s role evolved from a secondary option to a key player connecting Southeast Asian production to Western markets.
The Ultimate Upgrade: Shipping Your First Container from Vietnam
For entrepreneurs importing products from Vietnam to the US, one of the biggest milestones is sending the first full container of goods. This often starts with building a strong partnership with a trusted Vietnamese manufacturer, sometimes even securing exclusive distribution rights for the US market.
Moving from small-scale dropshipping to handling a full container brings new challenges and responsibilities. To successfully navigate this step, importers need to plan carefully:
Logistics: Coordinating with a freight forwarder for a sea journey that can take five to six weeks from Ho Chi Minh City to a US port like Tampa Bay.
Costs: Factoring in total shipping costs including ocean freight, US tariffs, and inland transportation.
Payment Terms: Managing factory payments, which typically require a 30-50% upfront deposit to begin production, with the balance due upon shipment.
Customs: Hiring a US-based customs broker to handle duties, bonds, and essential documentation like the country-of-origin certificate.
Vietnam or China? Making the Right Sourcing Decision for Your Business
An on-the-ground perspective reveals a nuanced comparison between Vietnam and China. China’s manufacturing ecosystem is defined by its decades of experience, massive scale, and ability to produce nearly anything. In contrast, Vietnam still relies on importing some raw materials and components, often from China.
However, Vietnam holds powerful advantages. Its labor costs are more competitive, and it has developed world-class expertise in specific categories like wood furniture, textiles, and footwear. While China’s sophistication is hard to match across the board, Vietnam’s established infrastructure in these key sectors allows for rapid and high-quality production. As the trend of supply chain diversification continues, Vietnam is strategically positioned to become a central manufacturing bridge for Southeast Asia.
Successfully sourcing from Vietnam requires more than just finding a supplier; it demands a strategic approach to partnership and logistics. For global entrepreneurs looking to navigate this dynamic market, here are the essential considerations:
Build Direct Relationships: The most valuable asset is a strong, trusting relationship with factory partners. In-person visits and direct communication are irreplaceable.
Validate Quality with Samples: Never commit to a large production run without first thoroughly testing samples to ensure they meet exact quality standards.
Understand Factory Operations: Knowing a factory’s Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) and production lead times is crucial. High MOQs exist because small runs are often unprofitable for large manufacturers, so negotiation requires understanding their business reality.
Embrace Continuous Learning: The world of global trade is dynamic. A mindset of constant learning, testing, and adapting is non-negotiable for long-term success.
Conclusion
The journey of scaling from a dropshipping operation to managing full container shipments from Vietnam to the US illustrates the transformative potential of engaging directly with Vietnamese manufacturing. Entrepreneurs can transition from intermediaries handling online orders to active participants in global supply chains.
Vietnam offers clear advantages for sourcing and production. Competitive labor costs, improving industrial infrastructure, and growing expertise in key sectors such as furniture, textiles, and consumer goods make it an increasingly attractive destination for international entrepreneurs. By leveraging these strengths, businesses can gain greater control over product quality, optimize supply chains, and tap into sustainable growth opportunities.
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) has confirmed a global “technical issue” that led to inaccurate results for an undisclosed number of candidates, including many in Vietnam. Several universities across the country are now reviewing admissions and graduation cases tied to the exam.
The error, which affected tests taken between August 2023 and September 2025, resulted in some candidates receiving incorrectly higher or lower scores in the Listening and Reading sections. IELTS announced that all old Test Report Forms (TRFs) issued during the affected period are now invalid.
While some Vietnamese test takers reported their scores had increased — with a few jumping to a perfect band 9.0 — others said their results dropped. IELTS has not disclosed how many candidates were affected globally or in Vietnam but emphasized that “over 99 percent of IELTS results worldwide remain unaffected.”
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and are working directly with affected candidates and institutions,” an IELTS spokesperson said on Wednesday evening.
Compensation and Next Steps
IELTS is offering affected test takers two options: a full refund of exam fees or a free retest before May 2026. The organization also said it has contacted universities, testing partners, and regulatory bodies to ensure proper coordination and verification.
In 2022 alone, Vietnam issued more than 124,000 IELTS certificates, according to the Ministry of Education and Training. The incident is raising concern among students who used IELTS scores for university admissions or graduation requirements.
Vietnamese Universities Begin Internal Reviews
Universities in Ho Chi Minh City have begun reassessing student records involving IELTS scores.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Hoan, Rector of Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, said the school will set up a review committee to check all cases where scores were adjusted. However, he warned that the process “will be difficult” because institutions depend on students’ honesty and have limited access to official IELTS databases.
Meanwhile, the University of Economics and Law and the University of Industry are also conducting internal audits while awaiting official guidance from the Ministry of Education and Training.
Why It Matters
The IELTS exam, co-owned by the British Council, IDP Education, and Cambridge Assessment English, is one of the world’s most trusted English proficiency tests, used for immigration, university admissions, and professional certification.
This scoring glitch is rare but significant. For thousands of Vietnamese students and professionals, IELTS scores can determine whether they qualify for study abroad programs, scholarships, or job opportunities.
IELTS says it has since implemented “enhanced quality control measures” to prevent similar incidents and reassured test takers that current and future exams are unaffected.
How a Sydney psychic allegedly ran one of the nation’s biggest financial crime rings, exposing global vulnerabilities to ‘affinity fraud.’
A colossal financial fraud scheme, allegedly orchestrated by a self-proclaimed Vietnamese “fortune teller” in Sydney, has exposed a critical vulnerability in Australia’s lending sector, drawing global scrutiny to the phenomenon of affinity fraud within tightly-knit diaspora communities. Police have arrested Anya Phan, 53, and her 25-year-old daughter, accusing the pair of being central players in a criminal network that allegedly siphoned an estimated AUD $70 million ($46 million USD) from financial institutions by preying on the trust of vulnerable individuals. This is not merely a local crime story; it is a chilling case study for international banks and regulatory bodies on how a facade of community influence and prophetic promises can be weaponized to compromise vast sums, moving far beyond initial small-scale scams.
The investigation, dubbed Operation Myddleton, initially targeted a sophisticated racket using stolen personal data to secure loans for non-existent “phantom supercars.” However, the scope broadened dramatically, revealing a deep-seated conspiracy involving large-scale personal, business, and mortgage loan fraud across multiple financial organizations. Chief Inspector Gordon Arbinja noted that Phan, a naturalized Australian citizen who was reportedly receiving disability benefits and had no employment history since arriving in 2001, was a figure of immense trust within her local Vietnamese community.
Authorities allege that Phan leveraged this trust—and alleged “prophecies” that her clients would become “future millionaires”—to persuade victims to act as straw borrowers. These individuals were allegedly convinced to take out up to ten loans, each valued at approximately AUD $1.5 million, with Phan allegedly retaining the principal proceeds. The scale of the operation’s alleged ill-gotten gains was underscored by the seizure of luxury items, financial documents, over $6,000 in casino chips, and a $10,000 AUD gold bar during the November 12 dawn raid.
The daughter, arrested alongside Phan at a property in Sydney’s exclusive Dover Heights, is accused of purchasing a $5.3 million AUD Rose Bay house to facilitate the criminal enterprise, highlighting the staggering wealth accumulated by the network. The NSW Crime Commission has since frozen an additional AUD $15 million in assets, bringing the total value of recovered assets in the entire network to approximately AUD $75 million. In total, 17 other individuals have been charged under Operation Myddleton, which investigators now describe as one of the most complex and sophisticated financial crime syndicates they have ever encountered.
Phan now faces 39 charges, including directing a criminal group and multiple counts of fraudulent gain, and was denied bail. This case serves as a stark warning to global wealth managers and lending platforms: the rising reliance on digital and automated loan processing, coupled with the blind spots of cultural affinity, makes the next wave of financial crime less about external hacks and more about internal subversion and the devastating breach of community trust. The true cost of this alleged fraud will be borne not just by the financial firms, but by the victims who now face crippling debt under the guise of a false oracle’s promise.
Millions of remote workers, investors, and students hit by critical disruption to Google Drive, Docs, and Search.
A sudden, widespread outage across core Google services—including the mission-critical cloud storage platform Google Drive, Docs, and Sheets—has sent a jolt through the global economy, grinding productivity to a halt for millions of businesses, remote professionals, and educational institutions relying on the tech giant’s infrastructure. This disruption, which saw nearly 3,000 reports flood monitoring site DownDetector for Drive alone, is far more than an inconvenience for individual users; it underscores the profound systemic risk inherent in our over-reliance on a handful of “hyperscale” cloud providers, posing a direct threat to global supply chains and the efficiency of the modern digital workforce. The incident serves as a stark warning to CEOs and CIOs worldwide about the fragility of the $4.5 trillion cloud-dependent ecosystem.
The technical failure, which Google has publicly acknowledged and apologized for, quickly escalated from a local issue—as first reported in Southeast Asia during a critical working window—to a documented global crisis affecting users attempting to access everything from client documents on Drive to fundamental information via Google Search. Reports confirmed users globally were met with frustratingly slow response times or complete platform unresponsiveness. For a corporate world increasingly built on collaboration tools like Google Workspace, this simultaneous failure of essential productivity apps like Docs and Sheets exposed a single point of failure that can instantaneously wipe out hours of potential work for vast distributed teams.
This outage, while seemingly short-lived, highlights a critical vulnerability in the digital infrastructure underpinning major market indices and enterprise operations. When the system that manages corporate data, client communication, and team workflow collapses, the ripple effect on corporate earnings, investor sentiment, and real-time execution across financial markets becomes a tangible concern. Market Insider analysis suggests that such widespread cloud disruptions can translate to millions in lost productivity per hour for Fortune 500 companies alone, raising difficult questions for leadership teams about robust multi-cloud strategies and data redundancy policies.
The takeaway for global investors and analysts is clear: While the world races toward total cloud adoption, the financial and operational risk tied up in major cloud providers like Alphabet (Google Cloud’s parent) is soaring. This incident is less about a single technical glitch and more about a systemic need for enterprise-level disaster recovery that extends beyond a single vendor’s assurance.
The debate now shifts: Are CIOs adequately prepared for a world where core infrastructure will fail, or are the cost savings of deep cloud integration blinding them to the urgent necessity of geographically diverse redundancy?
