As of 9:30am, arrivals and departures had resumed normal operations, although four inbound flights had been redirected elsewhere. Earlier, several outbound services were temporarily unable to take off, while some incoming flights were placed in holding patterns as crews waited for weather conditions to improve to safe landing standards. With fog and low cloud forecast to persist over Hanoi, Noi Bai International Airport has advised passengers to stay informed and proactively monitor flight information on terminal display systems, as well as updates from airlines. Airlines have also issued notices adjusting their operating plans to await more favourable weather conditions, while urging travellers to check flight schedules, traffic conditions and weather updates before heading to the airport. A knock-on effect from the adverse weather could lead to further changes to flight operations, the airport said./.

A researcher captures a bat to collect Nipah virus samples in Shuvarampur, Faridpur Province, Bangladesh. Photo: ReutersThe ministry said the Nipah virus is classified as a Group A infectious disease, capable of spreading from animals to humans or through contaminated objects and food. The latest Nipah outbreak in India has forced hundreds of people into isolation and prompted countries across the region to raise alert levels. “The most alarming feature of the Nipah virus is its extremely high fatality rate,” Phu said. First identified during an outbreak in Malaysia in 1998-99, the virus has since appeared sporadically in South and Southeast Asia.

A foreign man eats ‘hu tieu’ (Vietnamese rice noodle soup) at a sidewalk food stall in Vietnam, awkwardly crouching on a low plastic stool that appears too small for his tall frame, in undated images that have gone viral on Vietnamese social media. The images, shared widely on Facebook pages, show a man estimated by commenters to be nearly two meters tall sitting at a curbside makeshift eatery. His long legs were folded beneath him in what appears closer to a kneeling posture than the casual squat familiar to local diners. “Tourist has to kneel in front of Vietnamese food,” wrote Tran Mi, adding a laughing emoji, while another user, Quang Anh Nguyen, joked: “That must come from a great craving [for Vietnamese food] to sit like that.”Others mixed humor with sympathy. Vietnam’s street dining culture is built around low tables and plastic stools that encourage a compact, crouched posture, a setup second nature to locals but often challenging for taller visitors.

Professor Vu Ha Van, one of the world’s most prominent Vietnamese mathematicians, has joined the University of Hong Kong after over a decade at Yale. Photo: Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong. At HKU, Professor Van is expected to strengthen both pure and applied mathematics, while helping train a new generation of mathematicians. Born in 1970 in Hanoi, Professor Van attended specialized mathematics programs at Chu Van An High School and Hanoi–Amsterdam High School for the Gifted. In Vietnam, Professor Van continues to serve as Scientific Director of VinBigdata and the VinIF Research Support Fund under VinUni, two major initiatives he helped establish in 2018.

On January 28, FPT will officially announce the establishment of the FPT Advanced Semiconductor Packaging and Testing Plant. Experts have long described chip manufacturing as one of the most complex industrial processes in the world, involving nanometer-scale lithography, ultra-precise ion implantation, and near-sterile cleanroom environments. Semiconductor design, in particular, is considered the gateway for Vietnamese talents to fully enter the multi-billion-dollar global chip industry. Earlier, on January 16, Viettel broke ground on Vietnam’s first domestic semiconductor manufacturing plant. For Viettel, being tasked with spearheading the semiconductor manufacturing plant aligns with the Group’s long-term strategy of mastering core technologies.

Gold bullion traded without licenses will be confiscated in Vietnam from February 9, 2026. 340, which takes effect on February 9, stipulates administrative sanctions in the monetary and banking sector and introduces strict measures against the illegal production and trading of gold bullion and raw gold. Apart from monetary penalties, authorities can impose supplementary sanctions, including confiscation of all illegally traded gold, suspension of gold bullion trading activities, suspension of raw gold imports, or revocation of business licenses in cases of serious or repeated violations. For violations involving gold trading transactions, including gold bullion, which are not settled through bank accounts, applicable to transactions of VND20 million ($764) or more per day, fines of VND10-20 million ($382-764) will be imposed. Meanwhile, failure to publicly list buying and selling prices of gold bullion, jewelry, or fine-art gold products, producing gold jewelry, fine-art gold, or gold bullion without disclosing applicable standards, or failing to label goods in accordance with regulations will result in fines of VND30-50 million ($1,150-1,910).

According to him, the gold market is undergoing unprecedented fluctuations as global gold prices have surpassed $4,700 per ounce, while domestic gold prices at times touched VND165 million per tael. Regarding the question of whether to sell gold to buy real estate, Hieu said this is a difficult question at the moment. Therefore, if profitability is the main criterion, investors should not sell gold to invest in real estate, he said. Hieu predicted that interest rates will increase this year, and this is one of the factors pushing real estate prices higher. Nevertheless, in the long run, the real estate market, especially the housing segment, still has room for growth because supply has not yet met real demand.

European Council President António Costa. Photo: AFPThe visit will be only the second official trip to Vietnam by the EU’s top leader, following the 2012 visit by then European Council President Herman Van Rompuy. He assumed the post of president of the European Council in December 2024. Vietnam and the EU have steadily deepened their relationship over more than 35 years since formally establishing diplomatic ties on November 28, 1990. For its part, Vietnam is the EU’s 16th-largest trading partner globally and its largest partner within ASEAN.

Statcounter data shows iPhone users are sticking with iOS 18 over upgrading to iOS 26. With iOS 18 having met those needs well, a new wave of “update hesitation” has emerged. In contrast, the adoption rates for iOS 26 remain modest: iOS 26.1 stands at 10.6%, iOS 26.2 at 4.6%, and iOS 26.0 at only 1.1%. This platform suggests that around 60% of users have already moved to iOS 26, while roughly 37% remain on iOS 18. While iOS 18 introduced many noticeable improvements over iOS 17, subsequent versions have focused more on refinements.

Flight VN31, using a Boeing 787 aircraft, had been airborne for around 37 minutes when a female passenger of Spanish nationality developed severe symptoms, including convulsions and vomiting blood. Upon identifying the situation, the cabin crew immediately made an announcement seeking medical assistance. Two other passengers who are doctors provided first aid, subsequently advising that the aircraft return to Ho Chi Minh City to ensure the passenger’s safety. The passenger was handed over to medical personnel for further monitoring and treatment, accompanied by a family member and a representative of Vietnam Airlines. The diversion resulted in a delay of approximately 2 hours and 55 minutes and affected some passengers’ onward connections.

Congratulating Thongloun Sisoulith on his re-election as Party General Secretary, General Secretary Lam appreciated his selection of Vietnam as the first country to visit immediately after the successful conclusion of the new-term Party Congresses of the two Parties. He affirmed that the visit holds historic significance, vividly demonstrating the special importance that the Lao Party, State and the General Secretary personally attach to Vietnam–Laos relations. General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam (R) welcomes General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith. On this occasion, Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith respectfully invited Party General Secretary To Lam to visit Laos again at an early date. At the end of the talks, the two leaders witnessed the exchange of cooperation documents between the two countries./.VNA

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam and his spouse hosted a state banquet in Hanoi on January 26 evening in honour of General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation of the Lao Party and State, who are on a state visit to Vietnam. In his remark, Party General Secretary Lam highlighted that the first overseas visit on January 26 - 27 by the Lao Party General Secretary and President, taking place shortly after the successful 14th National Congress of the CPV and the 12th National Congress of the LPRP, is a politically significant event of historical importance. The visit, he noted, is also a powerful testament to the deep affection, attention and strong support extended by the Lao Party, State and people, especially by General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith personally, to the Party, State and people of Vietnam in their revolutionary cause and national renewal process. Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse with Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse at the banquet (Photo: VNA)The Vietnamese Party chief stressed that in the new phase of development, cooperation between the two Parties, States and people of the two countries holds even greater significance. He expressed confidence that under General Secretary Lam’s leadership, Vietnam will enter a new era, one of strong national advancement and successful achievement of its strategic goals.

These confrontations pose critical questions about how cities define ownership and regulate shared urban space. As sidewalks - once integral to the vibrant culture of street-facing homes - clash with accelerating motorization, parking disputes have evolved far beyond petty neighborhood quarrels. Advertisement in Japan guiding customers on how to obtain proof of legal parking. In China, neighborhood committees play a key role in mediating parking disputes based on community rules. Conversely, Brazil illustrates what happens when public space management fails: “parking mafias” (Flanelinhas) have monopolized urban curbs and demand illegal fees from drivers.

Sam experienced what he calls “love at first sight” the moment he met a woman from Hanoi. At 37, with their hearts marked by past love and loss, both were hoping for something real - a partner with shared intentions and emotional maturity. “I met Sam on an extremely hot day in Hanoi,” Linh recalled with a laugh. The couple held an Islamic wedding ceremony in Hanoi in November 2025. A wedding of traditionsIn November 2025, the couple held a Nikah ceremony - an Islamic wedding - in Hanoi.

I’m truly proud of them.”Coach Kim also acknowledged the team’s shortcomings in the loss to U23 China, where the injury to key player Hieu Minh disrupted their rhythm. “We prepared thoroughly, but the match shifted when Hieu Minh had to leave. Still, he sees clear growth in the squad - highlighting players like Trung Kien, Hieu Minh, Van Khang, Thanh Nhan, and Dinh Bac as strong candidates for the senior team. He hopes to see Vietnamese players competing abroad in stronger leagues - a move he believes will elevate the country’s footballing ambitions. Hopefully, a few of them will secure overseas opportunities, which would be a great stepping stone for Vietnamese football,” Kim concluded.