Hanoi (VNA) – The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last night by the Vietnam News Agency.
- Party General Secretary To Lam on October 16 visited the northern province of Thai Nguyen to inspect its recovery efforts following Storm Matmo and subsequent flooding, and to present gifts to local households affected by the disaster.
The Party chief and his entourage inspected the Ben Tuong Bridge area, where armed forces are working tirelessly to reinforce embankments and prevent landslides and flooding. Read full story
- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on October 16 attended the ground-breaking ceremony for Tay Giang Boarding and Semi-boarding School for Primary and Secondary Students in the central city of Da Nang's Tay Giang commune which borders Laos.
The project is part of Da Nang’s plan to build six boarding and semi-boarding schools in border communes, in line with the Politburo’s directive issued in July 2025. The Tay Giang school will be built on a site of more than 7 hectares at a cost of over 262 billion VND (about 10 million USD). The school will include classrooms, dormitories for students and teachers, a library, a canteen, a multifunctional hall, a cultural house, a mini football field, and other facilities. Read full story
- Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son held a working session with his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak in Moscow on October 15 afternoon, on the occasion of his attendance at the Russian Energy Week 2025 Forum.
Novak affirmed that Russia always attaches great importance to promoting the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Vietnam and highly values the positive progress made in recent years in bilateral economic and trade cooperation, especially the concrete results achieved in the field of energy and oil and gas collaboration. Read full story
- Vietnam welcomes the US's objective assessment of its positive results in combating and preventing human trafficking over the past period, said Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang.
Hang made the statement at the ministry’s regular press conference on October 16, in response to a reporter's question about Vietnam’s comments on the US Department of State’s 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report, which includes content related to Vietnam. Read full story
- Vietnam has requested the parties concerned to respect its sovereignty over Truong Sa (Spratly), the Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Pham Thu Hang told the press on October 16 in response to a question regarding the recent incident in the territorial waters of Thi Tu (Thitu) Island, part of Truong Sa, between vessels of Chinese and Philippine competent agencies.
Hang reaffirmed that Vietnam has a solid historical and legal basis to assert its sovereignty over Truong Sa, including Thi Tu Island. Read full story
- Vietnam welcomes Timor-Leste’s upcoming official admission as the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said at the ministry’s regular press conference in Hanoi on October 16.
Responding to a reporter’s question regarding Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement on October 11 that Timor-Leste will officially become a full member of ASEAN on October 26, Hang confirmed that the 46th ASEAN Summit held in May decided to admit Timor-Leste as the bloc’s 11th member. The admission ceremony is scheduled to take place during the 47th ASEAN Summit on October 26. Read full story
- Vietnam pledges to work with other ASEAN member states and partners to realise shared goals, making sports a source of pride for the ASEAN Community and contributing to building a peaceful, prosperous and cohesive region, said Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh.
Addressing the opening of the 8th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS-8) in Hanoi on October 16, Deputy PM Chinh described the meeting as a platform to share visions, strengthen cooperation and shape a sustainable and distinctive future for ASEAN sports. Read full story
- Ho Chi Minh City has reaffirmed its position as one of Asia’s premier destinations after winning four major titles at the 2025 World Travel Awards announced recently.
The city received awards for Asia’s Leading Business Travel Destination and Asia’s Leading Festival and Event Destination for the fourth consecutive year. Additionally, the HCM City Department of Tourism was recognised as Asia’s Leading City Tourist Board for the third year in a row. Vung Tau was awarded the title of Asia’s Leading Coastal City Break Destination. Read full story
- At least 14 people were injured, four of them seriously, on October 16 when militants remotely detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) hidden in bushes near a tea shop in Yee Ngor district, Narathiwat province, southern Thailand.
Police said three officers and three civilians were at the tea shop when the explosion occurred, about 200 metres from the Yee Ngor police station. The blast and shrapnel also injured several civilians in a pickup truck passing by the area. All the injured, including a 79-year-old woman, were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment./. Read full story
