WEATHER ALERT
Cambodia hopes a new canal will boost trade. But it risks harming the Mekong that feeds millions
Cambodia has broken ground to build a China-funded canal to eventually link its capital Phnom Penh to the Gulf of Thailand.
Vietnamese real estate tycoon, already sentenced to death for fraud, faces trial on new charges
Vietnamese state media say the second trial for real estate tycoon Truong My Lan โ who was sentenced to death for financial fraud in April โ started on Thursday.
Are Indonesia and Vietnam's multibillion-dollar clean energy deals stuck? Experts say not yet
Indonesia and Vietnam signed multibillion-dollar energy transition deals in 2022 that were heralded as drastic shifts in financing that would enable the coal-dependent countries to pivot to cleaner energy.
Flash flood sweeps away hamlet as Vietnam's storm toll rises to 155 dead
A flash flood swept away a hamlet in northern Vietnam, killing 22 people and leaving dozens missing as deaths from a typhoon and its aftermath climbed to 155.
Death toll from Typhoon Yagi rises to 87 in Vietnam. Dozens remain missing
The death toll from Typhoon Yagi and its subsequent rain that triggered floods and landslides has climbed to 87 as 70 others remain missing and hundreds were injured, state media said.
Typhoon Yagi kills 14 in Vietnam as officials warn of heavy rain that can cause flooding
Vietnamese state media say at least 14 people have died and 176 others injured after Typhoon Yagi slammed the country's north, as officials warned of heavy downpours despite its waning power.
Leaders of China and Vietnam pledge to strengthen political and economic ties
The leaders of China and Vietnam have pledged to further their economic ties and gave a nod to their shared communist ideology during the first visit by Vietnamโs new president to Beijing.
Vietnam's coast guard visits Philippines for joint drills as both face maritime tensions with China
A Vietnamese coast guard ship arrived in Manila on Monday for a four-day goodwill visit and joint exercises as the two countries attempt to put aside their own territorial disputes in the face of rising tensions with China over control of key features in the South China Sea.
Cambodia breaks ground on a China-funded canal and says it will be built 'no matter the cost'
Cambodia on Monday broke ground to build a controversial, China-funded canal to link the capital Phnom Penh to the sea despite environmental concerns and the risk of straining ties with neighboring Vietnam.
Vietnam's president is confirmed as the new Communist Party chief โ the country's most powerful role
Vietnamese President To Lam has been confirmed as the new chief of the Communist Party after his predecessor died July 19.
Vietnam Communist Party chief's funeral draws thousands of mourners, including world leaders
Thousands of mourners gathered in Hanoi for the second day of the funeral of the man who dominated Vietnamese politics for over a decade, Communist Party general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
Vietnam Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong, the country's most powerful leader, dies at age 80
Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of Vietnamโs ruling Communist Party and the countryโs most powerful politician, has died following months of ill health.
6 bodies were found in a Bangkok hotel room with no signs of violence. Police think they know why
Should visitors to Thailand be concerned about their safety after six people were found dead in a locked hotel room in Bangkok.
As 'Bachelor' race issues linger, Jenn Tran, its 1st Asian American lead, is ready for her moment
Jenn Tran cannot escape thinking about being the first Asian lead in the history of โThe Bachelorโ franchise โ not that she wants to.
A U.S. envoy visits Hanoi days after Putin, saying US-Vietnam trust is at 'all-time high'
A senior U.S. diplomat has held talks in Vietnam and said that the trust between the two countries is at an โall-time high,โ just days after Russian President Vladimir Putinโs state visit to Hanoi.
Rights groups urge Thailand not to extradite Vietnamese activist, saying he's at risk if sent home
Human rights groups are urging Thailand not to extradite a Vietnamese activist detained in Bangkok.
Houston nonprofit to hold conference, business expo supporting Vietnamese entrepreneurs
In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, local nonprofit VBI Global is hosting a conference and business expo in support of Vietnamese entrepreneurs and businesses.
In Vietnam, farmers reduce methane emissions by changing how they grow rice
Vietnam aims to transform its rice sector, making it more resilient to climate change while also reducing its emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide.
Indonesia's president visits Vietnam's EV maker Vinfast and says conditions ready for a car plant
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has visited Vietnamese automaker VinFastโs factory and said that he would create the necessary conditions for the multinational to be able to build a plant and invest in Indonesia quickly.
Vietnam's VinFast to build a $2 billion EV plant in India as part of its global expansion
Vietnamese automaker VinFast plans to spend up to $2 billion to build an electric vehicle factory in India, the world's third-largest auto market by sales.
Tacos for any day of the week! Chris Shepherd takes us on a taco crawl around Houston
Enjoy Taco Tuesday? Why limit yourself to just one day when there are so many great places to dine from breakfast to dinner any day of the week.In this episode of โEat Like a Local with Chris Shepherdโ, the chef explores tacos for just about every taste.
Bรกnh mรฌ and Pho: These Vietnamese restaurants are doing it right in Houston
Gather around the table for the best of the best Vietnamese food. Whether youโre in the mood for something quick or looking for a place to sit and enjoy food and quality time with loved ones, this episode has you covered.
6 women are rescued from a refrigerated truck in France after distress call to a BBC reporter
The BBC and French authorities say six female migrants trapped inside a refrigerated food truck were rescued by French police after one of the women was able to make contact with a journalist.
Brisket, ribs, and all the sides: Here are mouth-watering craft barbeque spots in Houston
Chris Shepherd digs into craft barbeque in this episode of "Eat Like a Local". Find out how one popular pitmaster perfected his brisket and how another got his whole family involved in the business.
โOne last mealโ: Beloved Asian restaurant in Stafford to close its doors
Kim Son, an Asian restaurant serving traditional Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine, has announced they will close their Stafford location.
Fire in Vietnam's capital kills at least 56 when it engulfs an apartment building
Authorities say a fire in a nine-story apartment building in Vietnamโs capital has killed at least 56 people, including at least four children, while an additional 37 people are being treated for injuries.
Biden says US outreach to Vietnam is about providing global stability, not containing China
President Joe Biden says his visit to Vietnam to showcase stronger ties with Hanoi isn't about trying to start a โcold warโ with China.
Biden will visit Hanoi next month as he seeks to strengthen US-Vietnam relations
President Joe Biden is heading to Vietnam next month to meet with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and other Vietnamese leaders.
Get a sneak peek at Chef Chris Shepherdโs new show โEat Like a Localโ
Chris Shepherdโs show โEat Like a Localโ will introduce viewers to the people and food that make the Houston food scene one of the most unique in the country.
Yellen visits Vietnam, seeking to build US ties and supply chains, and offset tensions with China
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has told top Vietnamese officials that Washington considers building strong economic and security ties with Vietnam a priority.
Vietnam bans 'Barbie' movie due to an illustration showing China's territorial claim
State media have reported that Vietnam has banned distribution of the popular "Barbie" movie because it includes a view of a map showing disputed Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea.
US aircraft carrier makes Da Nang port call as America looks to strengthen ties with Vietnam
A U.S. aircraft carrier and two guided missile cruisers are visiting Vietnam in a rare port call that comes as the United States and China increasingly vie for influence in Southeast Asia.
Ahead of elections, Asian American and Pacific Islander organizers try to break down language barriers
One of the stateโs fastest-growing demographics, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders often lack information in their languages that would make the political process more accessible.
Watch live: Houston SPCAโs pregnant rescue pig is giving birth to her piglets
Houston SPCA is preparing for the birth of a litter of piglets in the coming days and invites viewers to be a part of the action.
Vietnamese workers at Chinese factory in Serbia cry for help
Vietnamese workers helping construct the first Chinese car tire factory in Europe say they're shivering in barracks without heat, going hungry and stuck in a plainland in Serbia because their passports have been taken by their Chinese employer.
Vietnam seeks information from Iran about seized oil tanker
Vietnam is seeking more information about a Vietnamese oil tanker that was seized at gunpoint last month by Iranian soldiers in the Gulf of Oman, while vowing to ensure the safety and humane treatment of the ship's crew members.
Adora-bao! These steamed buns from the Hong Kong City Mall are almost too cute to eat
Located in the bustling Hong Kong City Mall, Bakery Ngoc Lan serves steamed buns as adorable as they are delectable.
Harris says she urged Vietnam to free political dissidents
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris says she raised issues of human rights abuses and restrictions on political activism in her conversations with Vietnamese leaders this week, but offered no indication those talks bore fruit.
Possible Havana syndrome case delays Harris trip to Vietnam
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harrisโ trip from Singapore to Vietnam was delayed several hours Tuesday by an investigation into two possible cases in Hanoi of the so-called Havana Syndrome in Hanoi.
US defense secretary broadens cooperation with Vietnam
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has met his Vietnamese counterpart to deepen cooperation in security and pandemic recovery, after Washington vowed support for Southeast Asian nations embroiled in territorial rifts with China.
Vietnam finds new virus variant, hybrid of India, UK strains
Vietnam says it has discovered a new coronavirus variant thatโs a hybrid of strains first found in India and the U.K. The Vietnamese health minister made the announcement Saturday.
Amnesty International: Hackers attacking Vietnam dissidents
The human rights group said Wednesday that Amnesty Tech's Security Lab found evidence of the hacking attempts in phishing emails sent to two dissidents, one in the Philippines and one in Germany. Cybersecurity firms earlier identified hacking attempts by Ocean Lotus targeting dissidents, governments and companies across Southeast Asia. The Amnesty report also said the hacking efforts involved emails pretending to share an important document with a link to download a file. An analysis of the phishing emails indicated they were generated by Ocean Lotus, based on the tools and techniques they used, it said. According to the cybersecurity company Volexity, OceanLotus was identified as a Vietnam-based hacking group in 2015.
Presidentsโ Day Trivia with the stars of HBO Maxโs โHouse of Hoโ
HOUSTON โ HBO Maxโs โHouse of Hoโ is reality series that follows the lives, loves, and conflicts of a Vietnamese American family living in Houston. In honor of Presidentโs Day, two of the show stars, Washington and Lesley Ho, took a quiz to find out who knows the most about our former presidents. The Houston couple followed a family tradition and have two kids named after US presidents: Lincoln, and Roosevelt. โHouse of Hoโ is streaming now on HBO Max. And to see the trailer for House of Ho, watch the video below.
Activists back French-Vietnamese woman's Agent Orange case
Tran To Nga, a 78-year-old former journalist, attends a gathering in support of people exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, in Paris, Saturday Jan. 30, 2021. Activists gathered Saturday in Paris in support of people exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, after a French court examined a case opposing a French-Vietnamese woman to 14 companies that produced and sold the toxic chemical. U.S. forces used Agent Orange to defoliate Vietnamese jungles and to destroy Viet Cong crops during the war. Between 1962 and 1971, the U.S. military sprayed roughly 11 million gallons of the chemical agent across large swaths of southern Vietnam. AdโThatโs where lies the crime, the tragedy because with Agent Orange, it doesnโt stop.
Fresh outbreak in Vietnam grows to 82, company closed
Vietnam has reported 84 new cases of local transmission after nearly two months. Vietnam has reported 82 new COVID-19 cases in two clusters, hours after counting its first new local cases in nearly two months. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)HANOI โ Vietnam reported 82 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, hours after confirming the first two infections in nearly two months. The company with over 2,200 workers was closed for disinfection and the provincial authority locked down surrounding communities to curb the outbreak. Meanwhile, in neighboring Quang Ninh province, 10 people tested positive after a man working at Van Don International Airport was confirmed to be infected.
This is the Houston restaurant America canโt afford to lose, according to Esquire
Esquire magazine has included a Houston restaurant on its list of places it deems too essential to lose to the COVID-19 pandemic. Huynh, the family-run Vietnamese eatery in Houstonโs East Downtown Management District (a.k.a EaDO) was cited in the Dec. 29 article, which includes old and new, famous and obscure eateries nationwide. Because if we lose them, we lose who we are,โ wrote Esquire editor Jeff Gordinier. The family-run Vietnamese eatery in operation for over a decade has received high praise for its home-made Vietnamese food, regularly landing on โbest ofโ lists. โVisiting Houston without eating Vietnamese food would be like going to Bologna and neglecting the pasta,โ wrote Gordinier.
TRAVEL THRU TAKEOUT: Pho Houstonโs broth is magic in a bowl
The really special thing about Vuโs pho, and really the entire menu at Pho Houston is simple, high quality ingredients. That noodle will be perfect just like this.โWhile the main attraction at Pho Houston was of course the pho, I also couldnโt get enough of their bรกnh mรฌ. Bรกnh mรฌ!โ Thatโs what it is.โBรกnh mรฌ is served on a French baguette, typically with pork, pรขtรฉ and a variety of vegetables. Pho Houston delivers on both counts, sourcing fresh bread from a French bakery in Midtown and making their own pรขtรฉ in-house. To connect with Pho Houston, visit the Pho Houston website.
Asia Today: Vietnam reports 1st local infection in 89 days
HANOI โ Vietnamese authorities are conducting intensive contact tracing after discovering the country's first confirmed local transmission of the coronavirus in 89 days. The new case ended Vietnamโs streak of 89 days without any known local transmission of the virus. The country has reported 1,347 coronavirus cases, including 35 deaths. โ Coronavirus quarantine restrictions will continue in the Philippine capital during the Christmas season in Asiaโs largest Roman Catholic nation. Duterte lamented that many people still defy social restrictions such as the use of face masks and warned of a possible resurgence of the virus.
Pompeo says AES of US, PetroVietnam to sign $2.8B LNG deal
HANOI โ The U.S. energy firm AES and PetroVietnam plan to soon sign an agreement on a $2.8 billion liquefied natural gas project, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday. Pompeo made the comments in pre-recorded remarks to a business conference hosted both online and in person in Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital. Later Wednesday, the State Department announced that Pompeo had added a stop in Vietnam to his Asia tour this week. Pompeo said Vietnam has approved the project, and that it would โopen the door to billions of dollars per year in U.S. LNG exports to Vietnam. Delta Offshore Energy and a consortium that includes Bechtel Infrastructure, GE Power and other companies also recently announced plans for a $4 billion LNG to power project in southern Vietnam's Bac Lieu province.
Police in Vietnam seize 345,000 used condoms that were cleaned and sold as new
(AP) โ Vietnamese police said they will investigate a factory that was found recycling about 320,000 used condoms for resale, local media reported Thursday. Following a tip from a local resident, Binh Duong provincial market inspectors over the weekend raided a factory near Ho Chi Minh City where they found used condoms being repacked for sale at the market, the state-owned Tuoi Tre newspaper reported. A market inspector said the owner of the factory, a 34-year-old woman, confessed that they bought the used condoms from a man in the province. The condoms were washed, reshaped and packed into plastic packages, the newspaper said. The newspaper quoted a health official as saying the recycled condoms posed an extreme health risk to users.
Vietnam reports 3rd death, more cases linked to hospital
All three died in a hospital in Da Nang, a hot spot with more than 100 cases in the past week, more than half of them patients. Da Nang is Vietnams most popular beach destination, and thousands of visitors were in the city for summer vacation. On Saturday morning, the Health Ministry confirmed 12 more cases, all linked to the hospital. But a week ago an outbreak began at Da Nang Hospital. It is for me and for the community," said Pham Thuy Hoa, a banking official who recently went to Da Nang for a family vacation.
Vietnam reports more than 3 dozen new cases, 3rd death
People wait in line for COVID-19 test in Hanoi, Vietnam, Friday, July 31, 2020. Vietnam reported on Friday the country's first ever death of a person with the coronavirus as it struggles with a renewed outbreak after 99 days without any cases. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)HANOI Vietnam reported more than three dozen new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, while a third person died of COVID-19 complications a day after the country reported its first-ever death from the disease. Da Nang is Vietnams most popular beach destination, and thousands of visitors were in the city for summer vacation. Of the 40 new cases reported Saturday, 32 are from Da Nang hospitals and six are from local community transmissions in the city.
Vietnam imposes more virus restrictions as outbreak spreads
(Tran Huy Hung/VNA via AP)HANOI Vietnam imposed more coronavirus restrictions Thursday as an outbreak that started in a popular beach resort destination grew with nine new cases. The outbreak has spread from Da Nang in central Vietnam to 5 other cities and provinces with 43 cases since the weekend, and Vietnam is intensifying protective measures across the country. Dak Lak province starting Thursday morning is reimposing social distancing, closing nonessential services and banning public gathering of more than 20 people. Another popular tourist destination Hoi An old town, near Da Nang, is also reimposing social distancing. It also plans testing of some 21,000 people who returned from Da Nang before the coastal resort was locked down Tuesday.
129 Vietnam virus patients repatriated; local spread widens
A health worker disinfects arriving Vietnamese COVID-19 patients at the national hospital of tropical diseases in Hanoi, Vietnam on Wednesday, July 29, 2020. The 129 patients who were working in Equatorial Guinea were brought home in a repatriation flight for treatment of the coronavirus. For more than three months until recently, all confirmed coronavirus cases in Vietnam have come from overseas, like the Vietnamese repatriated from Africa. But the virus has recently resumed spreading within Vietnam, starting from a hospital in the popular beach city of Da Nang. Prior to the patients' arrival, the hospital cleared out its 500 beds to treat the new cases, state broadcaster VTV said.
Vietnam locks down its 3rd-largest city as virus cases grow
A woman wearing a mask carries her child on a beach in Vung Tau city, Vietnam, Sunday, July 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)HANOI Vietnam on Tuesday locked down its third-largest city for two weeks after 15 cases of COVID-19 were found in a hospital, the government said. Public transport into and out of the central city of Da Nang was cancelled. Over the weekend, thousands of mostly Vietnamese tourists had to end their summer holidays in the popular beach destination. With the new infections, Vietnam has reported 431 cases of COVID-19 without a death.
Vietnam bans wildlife imports, markets amid new health fears
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Thursday signed a directive to ban wildlife imports and closes illegal wildlife markets as a response to the thread of zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh, File)HANOI Vietnam announced Friday that it was banning wildlife imports and would close wildlife markets in response to renewed concerns about the threat from diseases that can jump from animals to humans, such as the virus that causes COVID-19. An order signed by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Thursday bans all imports of wildlife dead or alive and includes eggs and larvae. The move comes amid increased scrutiny of the health risks of the wildlife trade as the world deals with the new coronavirus, which is thought to have jumped from animals to humans. The existence of wildlife markets in many locations has been a big problem in Vietnam for a long time, said Phuong Tham, country director for the Humane Society International Vietnam.
ASEAN virus fund, sea feud in spotlight in virtual summit
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the 36th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam Friday, June 26, 2020. Leaders from the Southeast Asian ten-nation bloc hold the bi-annual summit via online video conference to discuss regional issues. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)HANOI Southeast Asian leaders are holding an annual summit Friday by video to show unity and discuss a regional emergency fund to tame the immense crisis wrought by the coronavirus pandemic. The long-divisive South China Sea conflicts are also in the spotlight. Vietnam, the current ASEAN chair, had planned face-to-face meetings, but most member states assessed it was still too risky for leaders to travel.
4 top options for low-priced Vietnamese food in Houston
In search of a new favorite Vietnamese spot? Yelper Kevin S., who reviewed Pho Binh 59 South on Feb. 5, wrote, "Outstanding pho! Yelper Christina M., who reviewed Pho Saigon on Feb. 24, wrote, "Pho Saigon has withstood the test of time and remains amazing. Pho Binh TrailerPhoto: Nhien D./YelpFinally, there's an outpost of the Houston-based chain Pho Binh Trailer, a South Belt / Ellington favorite with 4.5 stars out of 245 reviews. Stop by 10928 Beamer Road to hit up the Vietnamese spot, which offers soups and noodles, next time you're in the mood for cheap eats.
Takeout Shoutout: Hughieโs Tavern & Vietnamese Grill in The Heights
HOUSTON โ Hughieโs is a fresh, vibrant, and family-owned Vietnamese and American fusion restaurant. Some of those dishes include both the Shaking Beef and Shaking Chicken: both tender and delicious and packing a big-time-flavor-punch. Hughieโs is a place that combines very fresh vegetables with hearty proteins. It is the creativity in the cuisine: exciting flavors cooked infusing Vietnamese and American favorites. Hughieโs Tavern and Vietnamese GrilleAddress: 4721 North Main Street, HoustonPhone: 281-888-9415