Vietnam Spotlight Podcast: Ho Chi Minh City seeks to turn concerts into tourism products, Vietnam to scrap IELTS bonus points in university admissions from 2028
Vietnam News 19:00 14/11/2026Ho Chi Minh City aims to link concerts and festivals with sightseeing, food, shopping and entertainment to extend visitors’ stays and increase their spending. Universities in Vietnam will no longer be allowed to award bonus points to applicants holding IELTS certificates or other foreign language qualifications from the 2028 admission cycle. And more in our podcast.
Vietnam Spotlight Podcast: Man killed in UXO explosion, hundreds mobilized to search for missing Kuwaiti
Vietnam News 19:00 13/11/2026A man was found dead following a loud explosion at his home in Da Nang City, and authorities seized four metal objects suspected to be 105 millimeter warheads left over from wartime. Authorities in Sa Pa have mobilized around 250 people to search for a Kuwaiti tourist who has been missing since November 7. And more in our podcast.
Vietnam Spotlight Podcast: 5 more Ho Chi Minh City housing projects cleared for foreign ownership, TikToker honored for reimagining traditional markets
Vietnam News 19:00 12/11/2026Ho Chi Minh City has approved five additional commercial housing projects for foreign ownership, bringing the total to nearly 170. A TikToker with 4.7 million followers was honored for reimagining Vietnam’s traditional markets for the digital generation. And more in our podcast.
Vietnam Spotlight Podcast: Phu Quoc tightens vehicle rentals after tourist crashes; smartphone ban proposed for under-16s
Vietnam News 19:00 11/11/2026Authorities on Phu Quoc Island are tightening controls on self-drive vehicle rentals after four traffic accidents involving foreign nationals this year. A National Assembly deputy has proposed studying a smartphone ban for children under 16. And more in our podcast.
Vietnam Spotlight Podcast: Missing Vietnamese-origin girl found dead in Germany, another province reports meningococcal cases
Vietnam News 19:00 10/11/2026A 13-year-old Vietnamese-origin girl who disappeared while traveling to school in Berlin on November 3 was found dead on Sunday in a house in Brandenburg. Tay Ninh Province confirmed two meningococcal disease cases, both caused by serogroup B. And more in our podcast.
Vietnam Spotlight Podcast: Plan to move all international flights from Noi Bai to Gia Binh Airport, exports to West Africa face $800 container surcharge
Vietnam News 19:00 09/11/2026Vietnam is studying a plan to transfer all international flight operations from Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport to Gia Binh Airport in neighboring Bac Ninh Province. Shipping giant Maersk imposed an additional US$800 surcharge per container on shipments from Vietnam to West Africa. And more in our podcast.
Vietnam Spotlight Podcast: Man arrested over $426,000 overseas property scam, central region braces for 700mm torrential rain
Vietnam News 19:00 08/11/2026Central Vietnam braces for torrential rain of over 700mm. Man arrested over US$426,000 overseas property scam. Nha Trang bans beach soccer after stray balls hit tourists. Expprts to West Africa face additional $800 per container surcharge. All in our podcast.
Vietnam Spotlight Podcast: US to send largest-ever agricultural trade mission to Vietnam, weak passwords of nearly 1.9 million bank accounts
Vietnam News 19:00 07/11/2026The United States Department of Agriculture announced that it would send its largest-ever agricultural trade mission to Ho Chi Minh City from November 9 to 12. Military engineers in Dak Lak Province safely detonated a 250 kilogram bomb left over from the war. And more in our podcast.
Vietnam Spotlight Podcast: Response to emergency stockpiling recommendations, Grab to cut fees and refund drivers
Vietnam News 19:00 06/11/2026Vietnamese authorities will assess risks and consider measures to help the public prepare for emergencies without triggering unnecessary anxiety. Grab will cut fees from November 10 and begin refunding VND3.9 billion to affected drivers on Thursday. And more in our podcast.
Vietnam Spotlight Podcast: Vietnam Airlines announces new rules for passengers flying to US, registered FDI in Vietnam hits 17-year high
Vietnam News 19:00 05/11/2026Vietnam Airlines on Wednesday announced new requirements for passengers traveling to the United States, effective the same day, following updated regulations issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vietnam attracted US$54.85 billion in registered foreign direct investment in January to October, up 74 percent year on year and the highest level since 2009. And more in our podcast.
Vietnam Spotlight Podcast: 90 foreigners charged over $1.94m fraud scheme, trade surplus in October hits record
Vietnam News 19:00 04/11/2026Police have charged 90 foreign nationals in connection with an alleged transnational fraud ring that defrauded victims of approximately US$1.94 million out of a hotel in Thanh Hoa Province. Vietnam recorded its largest-ever monthly trade surplus of $7.31 billion in October. And more in our podcast.
Vietnam Spotlight Podcast: Danish shoemaker ECCO to close Vietnam factory, Vietnam records hottest October in 65 years
Vietnam News 19:00 03/11/2026ECCO Vietnam will cease operations and dissolve its business after its Danish parent company decided to shut down its factory in Ho Chi Minh City, affecting more than 1,600 workers. Vietnam recorded its highest nationwide average temperature for October since 1961. And more in our podcast.