Fake food ring busted in Vietnam, CEO Doan Trung Duc indicted
Vietnamese police have dismantled a large-scale counterfeit food and supplement operation involving Medistar Vietnam Co., Ltd., with estimated illegal revenue close to $72 million. During the operation, police discovered an entire production line manufacturing counterfeit health supplements at a factory belonging to Medistar Vietnam. Doan Trung Duc, 45, General Director of Medistar Vietnam, has been charged along with five others for producing and trading counterfeit food, foodstuffs, and food additives. Over that period, the ring is believed to have sold hundreds of tons of counterfeit supplements across the country. Doan Trung Duc (far left), 45, and five other suspects have been charged with producing and trading counterfeit food and violating accounting regulations.
Source:VietNamNet News
January 19, 2026 11:21 UTC
Galaxy S26 Ultra: Subtle tweaks or safe stagnation?
Leaked renders suggest the Galaxy S26 Ultra will feature softer corners but few bold design changes. Image: TechDroider / YouTubeJust days after leaked renders of the Galaxy S26 and S26 Ultra surfaced online, a community poll on tech site PhoneArena quickly highlighted disappointment among users. Minor changes fail to impressAccording to leaks, the Galaxy S26 Ultra won’t feature a radical redesign. The Galaxy S26 Ultra seems to follow this trend. But with the Galaxy S26 and S26 Ultra, it seems the company is opting for caution.
Source:VietNamNet News
January 19, 2026 11:19 UTC
Programmed drones sow green seeds over Vietnam’s desert forest
A programmed drone disperses seeds over Nui Chua National Park in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam. Combined with steep terrain and sheer rocky faces, these conditions make traditional reforestation methods largely unworkable. The drones are programmed to release seeds based on precise coordinates, allowing targeted restoration across difficult terrain. She noted that 2025 marked a major milestone as the company completed its goal of planting one million trees across Vietnam. Over the past five years, OMO has partnered with national parks across Vietnam to apply seed-ball planting methods, dispersing seeds to support forest restoration in challenging environments.
Source:Tuoitre News
January 19, 2026 10:23 UTC
Vietnam’s economy takes off, enters upper-middle income bracket
Vietnam’s economy has entered a period of rapid expansion. In 2024, under the World Bank’s latest income classification (for the fiscal year from July 2023 to July 2024), Vietnam had not yet made it into the upper-middle income group. The World Bank classifies economies based on gross national income (GNI) per capita - not GDP. Assuming exchange rates remain relatively stable, Vietnam is believed to have effectively crossed the World Bank’s upper-middle income threshold. This achievement reflects more than just fast GDP growth.
Source:VietNamNet News
January 19, 2026 10:14 UTC
History casts shadow over Vietnam ahead of U23 Asian Cup semifinal with China
A Vietnam U23 player (in white) challenges a China U23 player during their match at the CFA Team China Panda Cup in China, November 12, 2025. Yet when set against past results in official competitions, the numbers offer a more sobering picture: Vietnam’s U23 side have never beaten China at an AFC-sanctioned tournament. As the teams prepare to meet again, Vietnam have yet to register a single official U23 victory over China in AFC competitions. Vietnam U23 head coach Kim Sang Sik is seen during the AFC U23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. The 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup is being held in Saudi Arabia from January 6 to 24.
Source:Tuoitre News
January 19, 2026 09:33 UTC
Breaking from the past: Vietnam's 10% growth goal requires new thinking
Among them is an average GDP growth target of 10% per year during the 2026–2030 period, and a projected per capita GDP of around USD 8,500 by 2030. The country's economic growth remained relatively strong compared to the global average. Ambitious, strategic economic goalsIn 2025, Vietnam maintained macroeconomic stability and achieved notable outcomes. While the 10% GDP growth and USD 8,500 per capita income targets are highly ambitious, he believes they are grounded in strategic direction. In short, they provide the strategic groundwork for Vietnam to enter a phase of rapid, sustainable, and modern growth.
Source:VietNamNet News
January 19, 2026 07:33 UTC
Japanese coast guard vessel Akitsushima visits Da Nang
During their stay, the ship’s commanding officers will pay courtesy visits to leaders of the Da Nang People’s Committee, the Vietnam Coast Guard Region 2, and other relevant agencies and units. Akitsushima (PLH32) is a large patrol vessel measuring approximately 150 meters in length and 17 meters in width, with a displacement of around 6,500 tons. The Japanese Coast Guard’s Akitsushima patrol ship arrives at Da Nang Port. The Akitsushima patrol ship is about 150 meters long and 17 meters wide. Crew members are expected to visit Da Nang’s key cultural and tourist attractions during their stay.
Source:VietNamNet News
January 19, 2026 06:23 UTC
Ho Chi Minh City steps up crackdown on sidewalk, roadway encroachment
Traffic police officers check violations related to sidewalk and roadway encroachment on Le Van Viet Street in Tang Nhon Phu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, January 18, 2026. Sidewalks in central areas including Ngo Duc Ke, Ham Nghi, Ton That Thiep, and Nguyen Du Streets became clearer following enforcement actions. Motorbikes are parked neatly along Han Thuyen Street in Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, January 18, 2026, following a citywide crackdown on sidewalk encroachment. Photo: Huu DuyThe crackdown follows a citywide campaign launched earlier this month to curb recurring sidewalk encroachment, which officials say undermines pedestrian safety and urban order. Ho Chi Minh City previously allowed limited, fee-based temporary use of sidewalks for commercial purposes under local regulations, but new national rules effective in 2025 removed provincial and municipal authority to permit sidewalk use for business activities.
Source:Tuoitre News
January 19, 2026 04:02 UTC
Vietnam accepts invitation to join Gaza Peace Council
On January 16, President Trump sent a letter to General Secretary Lam, inviting the Party chief and Vietnam to participate in the Gaza Peace Council as a founding member state, alongside the international community, to promote a sustainable peaceful solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine in the Gaza Strip. A scene of devastation caused by conflict in Gaza. Vietnam underscored that the establishment of the Peace Council is a necessary step in implementing the Gaza peace plan adopted by the United Nations Security Council under Resolution No. The resolution welcomes United Nations member states to participate in the Peace Council to advance peacebuilding, humanitarian assistance, and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. In his letter, General Secretary Lam also proposed that Vietnam and the US continue to strengthen cooperation to further develop the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries in a substantive and effective manner.
Source:VietNamNet News
January 19, 2026 03:27 UTC
Cold surge forecast to bring severe chill, rain across northern Vietnam
Photo: Nguyen Minh ChuyenFrom late Tuesday through Thursday, scattered rain is forecast across the north and the north-central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An. Mountainous and midland areas of the north may experience severe cold from Thursday to Friday, with some locations facing damaging cold. During this cold spell, the lowest temperatures in the north, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An are forecast to range from 11 to 14 degrees Celsius. In northern mountainous areas, the mercury may fall to 8-11 degrees Celsius, with some high mountain locations dropping below six degrees Celsius. From Wednesday, the Gulf of Tonkin is forecast to experience northeast winds at around 50 kph, gusting to 75 kph, with waves 2-3 meters high.
Source:Tuoitre News
January 19, 2026 03:17 UTC
Vietnam holds preparatory session for 14th National Party Congress
Banners decorate a street in Hanoi ahead of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, January 2026. Photo: Gia HanThe 14th National Party Congress is scheduled to run from January 19 through 25, about one and a half days shorter than the previous congress in 2021, which lasted eight days. During the preparatory session, delegates observed a minute of silence in memory of former Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and members of the Party Central Committee who passed away during the 13th Congress term, according to the congress agenda. Following the preparatory session, delegates will meet in their respective groups to study draft documents, including reports by the 13th Party Central Committee on congress submissions and its leadership performance during the past term. The opening session of the 14th National Congress is scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Source:Tuoitre News
January 19, 2026 03:07 UTC
Breakfast @ Tuoi Tre News — January 19
Farmers harvest watermelons ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday in Vietnam. -- Vietnamese police have fined a man VND2.5 million (US$95) for approaching foreign tourists to offer drugs in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, authorities said on Sunday. Ho Chi Minh City-- Ho Chi Minh City will continue to expand trials of delivery drones with longer flight routes and roll out more complex operating scenarios, including flights in rain and strong winds as well as control-signal loss and technical failures, the city’s Department of Science and Technology said. -- A 20-meter-long and 10-meter-wide section of road along the Tau Hu Canal in Ho Chi Minh City collapsed on Sunday, prompting authorities to cordon off the area as they investigated the cause and carry out repairs. Economy-- Vietnam’s Gia Lai Province has approved the investment policy and selected an investor for the Tay Giang Industrial Park project in Binh Khe Commune, a 300-hectare development with a total investment of nearly VND1.8 trillion ($68.5 million), authorities said on Sunday.
Source:Tuoitre News
January 19, 2026 01:31 UTC
New milestone for VN on global map of surgeons
According to Dr Linh, in the UK, many foreign doctors are studying and practicing, but the number of Vietnamese doctors remains limited. Challenging early daysFew know that to achieve today's success, Dr. Do Thi Ngoc Linh underwent a long and arduous journey. She and her team performed reattachments of severed body parts using microsurgery, expanding treatment capabilities for such injuries in Vietnam. Dr Linh said surgeons must receive training in microsurgery and have solid practical experience. Beside microsurgery, since 2008, plastic surgeons and vascular interventionists in Vietnam have researched arteriovenous malformations (AVM) in the head, face, and neck.Dr.
Source:VietNamNet News
January 19, 2026 01:02 UTC
Vietnam U23s have never beaten China U23s in official football competition
Vietnam’s under-23 team have only managed to defeat China in friendly tournaments. Photo: TED TranAhead of the semifinal at the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026, optimism is running high among Vietnamese fans, fueled by the Vietnamese team’s encouraging recent results. In contrast, when it comes to official competitions such as the Asian Games or continental qualifiers, history tilts decisively in favor of China’s U23 team. At the Asian Games in 2002 and 2010, Vietnam’s U23 team were comprehensively beaten by China, suffering defeats of 0-2 and 0-3, respectively. Vietnam will take on China in the semifinal match of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup at 10:30 pm next Tuesday.
Source:Tuoitre News
January 18, 2026 23:55 UTC
The main targets of cybercriminals: the elderly
Beyond financial loss, elderly victims often suffer psychological shock, which can lead to a rejection of technology altogether. Meanwhile, Vietnamese telecom operators are striving to build automatic “protective layers,” such as integrating directly into Wi-Fi modems. Viettel has proposed a model similar to Singapore’s ScamShield, with the participation of financial institutions, telecom operators, and citizens. Telecom operators provide early warnings and block scam calls, messages, and websites, and citizens share information with agencies and organizations. Equipping oneself with basic knowledge and skills to protect personal information is the “key” to staying safe in the digital environment.
Source:VietNamNet News
January 18, 2026 23:01 UTC