
In Suburban Hanoi, With Summer Comes the Red-Purple Cascade of Mulberries
In suburban Hanoi, this is the season when mulberry branches heavy with bright red fruits dangle in the summer wind.

After Saigon Police Bust Major Pet Theft Ring, the City Rallies to Help Care for 400 Cats
After an extended investigation, the Hồ Chí Minh City Police Department has busted a major cat theft and distribution ring that operated across multiple southern provinces.

A Visit to Lê Minh Xuân, a Rare Craft Village Making Incense Sticks Amid Saigon
From inside the workshop, artisans carry bundle after bundle of freshly made incense sticks into the courtyard amid the morning mist. A gentle scent of spices linger in the air.

As Thanh Đa Faces Redevelopment, Writer Dạ Ngân Reflects on What Will Be Lost
To me, my trip to Cư xá Thanh Đa in summer 1982 was a serendipitous encounter. It was Saigon’s largest-scale residential complex in the first half of the 1970s, with nearly 4,000 separate units housing about 50,000 inhabitants. Cư xá refers to a residential quarter reserved for gainfully employed citizens, with a vision to establish a model community with a high quality of life. Here, in their three-bedroom apartments, civil servants, professors, doctors, and military leaders ranked major or higher lived in pride of being a part of a cư xá like that.

How Saigon's Free Water Coolers Quench Thirst and Spread Kindness
In recent years, stories about climate change's impacts on the lives of Vietnamese people have been increasingly making the news.

Inside the Covid Memorial Park at 1 Lý Thái Tổ, Saigon's Brand-New Green Space
As part of Saigon’s latest initiative to increase green space coverage in the city, a number of abandoned land plots were converted into public parks, including a Covid Memorial Park that’s become a beloved destination for Saigoneers seeking a space to jog, reflect, or just simply touch grass.

All Aboard Bus 146, Home of Plushies, Rubber Chickens and a Side of Humanity
“Cute” doesn’t seem like a fitting descriptor for any mode of public transport, but a bus in Saigon is driving straight into the heart of Saigoneers for being the quintessence of “smotheringly adorable.”

Saigon Set to Make Bus Service Free for All to Cut Congestion, Air Pollution
Saigoneers without private vehicles might be happy to hear that the city is planning to make the municipal bus system free to ride in the near future.

The World’s Oldest Woman Lives In Saigon
The Vietnam Records Organization (VRO) is planning to ask the Guinness Book of World Records to recognize 121-year-old Saigon resident Nguyen Thi Tru as the world’s oldest living person, reports DTI N...

Future Saigon: The Bến Thành Market Metro Station
News about the start of construction of Saigon’s first metro terminal in front of the Saigon Opera House has been making the rounds this week, but there’s another large station set to be built in fron...

Saigon Heat Dominate Indonesia Warriors In Season Opener
Saigon’s professional basketball team, the Saigon Heat, kicked off the 2014 ASEAN Basketball League season with a decisive victory over the Indonesia Warriors on July 19 at CIS Stadium.

Morning News Roundup: Red Tape Causes $37bn Loss In Annual Trade Revenue To Vietnam
Vietnam sees growing popularity of electric bike [Shanghai Daily] Vietjet Air opens new direct route linking central and Mekong delta [SGGP] Vietnam's footwear exports among global t...

Report: Bubonic Plague Outbreak Rocks China, 30,000 Quarantined
If that headline make you feel a bit unnerved, it should. According to Reuters, China has set up quarantine zones (home to about 30,000) in parts of the northwestern city of Yumen, following the deat...

100-Year-Old Trees In Front Of Opera House Cut Down To Make Way For Metro
Flower Street and the statues in front of Bến Thành Market aren’t the only sacrifices being made to accommodate the construction of Saigon’s first metro line.

Marks & Spencer (M&S) To Open Shop In Vincom
British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has grand plans for Vietnam expansion after seeing success in Thailand over the last few years, reports Inside Retail Asia.

FPT Announces Repair Date For Undersea Internet Cable
Telecom giant, FPT announced that repairs to the broken Internet cable that connects SE Asia and North America will be fixed by next Wednesday, July 30, reports Tuoi Tre.

Starbucks Confirms Plan To Open 3 Stores In Hanoi
After speculation began earlier this month about Starbucks opening their first shop in Hanoi, the company has confirmed plans for 3 locations in the capital.

Morning News Roundup: FPT Rejects Rumors Of Being Acquired By Apple
Typhoon Rammasun toll 11 in Vietnam [Business Standard] In Vietnam, homegrown mushrooms are gaining in popularity [Tuoi Tre] Proposed ban on late liquor sale sparks controversy among expat...

3 Earthquakes Hit Son La, Aftershocks Felt In Hanoi
On Saturday night, 3 consecutive earthquakes shook Son La Province, with the most powerful reaching 4.3 on the Richter scale, reports Tuoi Tre.

Ministry Proposes Ban On Alcohol Sales After 10pm
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has proposed banning the sale of liquor and beer between 10pm and 6am in an effort to curb rising consumption rates, according to Tuoi Tre.

Weekend News Roundup: Typhoon Hammers Northern Vietnam; Another Storm Brewing
Chinese tourists abandon Vietnam after oil rig row [Global Post] Vietnam's petrol prices remain high despite global dip [Thanh Nien] Qantas, Vietnam Airlines give Jetstar Pacific $38m for ...

Kiwi Bobby Chinn Named Vietnam Tourism Ambassador To EU
Kiwi chef, Bobby Chinn, has been appointed Vietnam Tourism Ambassador to the EU for the term July 2014 to July 2017.

Morning News Roundup: Exhaust Fumes Take Toll On HCM City Air Quality
Gaza violence does not affect Israel trade ties with Vietnam: envoy [Tuoi Tre] Vietnam mulls setting up ‘super ministry’ to watch over state firms [Tuoi Tre] Exhaust fumes take toll on HCM...

[Updated] Typhoon Rammasun Making Its Way To Vietnam
Vietnam may be getting its first major storm of the rainy season this weekend.

[Photos] Red Tide Hits Mui Ne, Forcing Tourists To Swimming Pools
A seafoam composed of critter-destroying algae, also known as red tide has hit Mui Ne – Phan Thiet, making the beaches unsafe for swimming and relegating tourists to their swimming pools.

Bill Clinton To Arrive In Vietnam Tomorrow
Former US President Bill Clinton will visit Vietnam for the first time since 2000 on July 18 as part of his Asia-Pacific trip which also includes Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia.

Morning News Roundup: Super Storm ‘Rammasun’ Approaching East Sea
Super Storm ‘Rammasun’ approaching East Sea [SGGP] Many aviation bodies responsible for VietJet’s landing mistake [VietNamNet] Minister calls for revisions on Vietnam's new north-south fli...

Asia-America Gateway Cable Breaks Down Yet Again
Get ready for a month of slow internet. According to ICT News, the Asia-America Gateway cable that lies off of Vung Tau has broken down in what is seemingly becoming a bi-annual event.


