Entertainment

Resolution 80 affirms central role of culture, people in sustainable development

March 20, 2026 - 16:33 More than two months after the implementation of Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on cultural development in the new era, experts say its groundbreaking provisions affirm the central role of culture and people in the country’s sustainable development strategy. A parade titled Bách Hoa Bộ Hành (Parade of Flowers) is one of regular activities held in Hà Nội and received huge attention of local people and visitors. —Photo courtesy of Bách Hoa Bộ Hành Club HÀ NỘI —

Mar 224 min read

International Francophonie Day celebrated in Hà Nội

March 21, 2026 - 06:49 Under the theme “Generation Peace: The Contribution of Youth to a More Peaceful World”, this year’s celebration delivered a strong message about the youth’s pioneering role in fostering social cohesion and peacebuilding. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Đặng Hoàng Giang speaks at the event. — VNA/VNS Photo HÀ NỘI — A ceremony marking the International Francophonie Day took place at Văn Lake within Hà Nội's Temple of Literature complex on March 20 even

Mar 222 min read

Phở Festival 2026 connects domestic, foreign food enthusiasts

March 21, 2026 - 09:50 Running through March 22 at Thiên Trường pedestrian street in Thiên Trường Ward, the festival pulls in artisans, businesses, researchers and food enthusiasts from Việt Nam and abroad. Artisans cook pho at the festival. — VNA/VNS Photo NINH BÌNH — The Phở Festival 2026 kicked off in the northern province of Ninh Bình on March 20, celebrating the historical origin of pho and its ongoing evolution across regions. Lê Thị Thiết, Chairwoman of the provincial

Mar 222 min read

Vietnamese Bánh Mì Festival set for April return

March 22, 2026 - 07:32 The annual Vietnamese Bánh Mì Festival will be held at Lê Văn Tám Park in HCM City from April 23 with more than 150 stalls set up by restaurants, bakeries and food suppliers. Bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwich) with many types of fillings on display at the annual Vietnamese Bánh Mì Festival in HCM City last year. — VNA/VNS Photo HCM CITY — The annual Vietnamese Bánh Mì Festival will be held at Lê Văn Tám Park in HCM City from April 23 with more than 150 stall

Mar 222 min read

Fish eyes in Hội An nets top portrait award

March 21, 2026 - 13:02 An evocative image capturing the life of a Vietnamese fisherman has taken the highest honour at a UK photography competition, bringing global attention to Việt Nam's coastal communities. Fish Eyes by photographer Sophia Spurgin. HỘI AN — A portrait of an elderly fisherman from Hội An has hooked the top prize in the Portrait of the Year (POTY) 2024, a UK-based photography competition organised by LCE Group, besting more than 14,500 entries worldwide. Ti

Mar 222 min read

A look at Eid al-Fitr and how Muslims celebrate the Islamic holiday

By MARIAM FAM Updated 1:10 PM GMT+7, March 18, 2026 A family browses footwear at a local market for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr celebrations, which marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Peshawar, Pakistan, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. CAIRO (AP) — Muslims around the world are bidding farewell to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and will soon start celebrating the holiday of Eid al-Fitr. Eid is typically greeted with joy and excitement and is marked with congregatio

Mar 223 min read

The advantage of buying a used luxury car rather than a new non-luxury car

By DAN FRIO Updated 9:11 PM GMT+7, March 18, 2026 Unsold 2023 and 2024 models sit on display outside a BMW dealership on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, in Loveland, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) It’s pretty common for new-car shoppers to look at what they can afford and go from there. Typically, that means focusing on vehicles from mainstream brands, even though owning a luxury vehicle is something many people aspire to. But there’s a right-now alternative that could be

Mar 224 min read

French bulldog frenzy may be cooling in US, but dachshunds are riding high

By JENNIFER PELTZ Updated 9:01 PM GMT+7, March 18, 2026 Four dachshunds wait in a basket of breeders at a dog show in Dortmund, Germany, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File) NEW YORK (AP) — Americans still dig French bulldogs , retrievers and German shepherds. But dachshunds are increasingly hot dogs. For the first time in over two decades, the sausage-shaped hounds were among the top five most prevalent dog breeds, according to American Kennel Club rankin

Mar 224 min read

War, through food’s lens: How Iranian Americans are celebrating their new year — or not

By J.M. HIRSCH Updated 3:25 AM GMT+7, March 21, 2026 Kayvon Pourmirzaie and his wife, Behnaz Almazi, eat a tahdig-like pasta dish, based on a classic Iranian crispy rice dish, during a Persian pop-up dinner to celebrate Nowruz in New York on Saturday, March 14,2026.(AP Photo/ J.M.Hirsch) NEW YORK (AP) — War is rippling through their ancestral land — and being waged with the country where they live. This week, Iranian Americans already trying to navigate a push-pull of worry

Mar 225 min read

Entering a soccer stadium without a ticket is now a criminal offence in Britain

By STEVE DOUGLAS Updated 4:41 PM GMT+7, March 20, 2026 An aerial view of Wembley stadium in London, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File) Entering a soccer match without a ticket will become a criminal offence under new laws that will take effect ahead of the English League Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. It was at the national stadium where thousands of ticketless people forced their way in for the European Cha

Mar 221 min read

Models with Down syndrome in Romania strike a pose for World Down Syndrome Day

By STEPHEN McGRATH and ANDREEA ALEXANDRU Updated 8:49 PM GMT+7, March 21, 2026 BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Dozens of models with Down syndrome strutted down a catwalk at a fashion show in Romania’s capital for an evening celebrating style, “atypical beauty” and courage to mark World Down Syndrome Day. The SEEN Anonymous Seamstresses Gala in Bucharest brought together designers from across the country, who created garments “with great kindness, care and creativity” for young p

Mar 223 min read

Doctors want more women lifting weights. Experts say welcoming gyms and education would help

By ALBERT STUMM Updated 11:01 AM GMT+7, March 21, 2026 During her first year of college, Elisabeth Bradley was inspired to try weightlifting after she followed a woman tracking her fitness transformation on social media, one barbell at a time. Then, Bradley found herself to be the only woman in the weight room at San Diego State University. “I felt like I stuck out a lot, and I just thought, ‘OK, I’m gonna look dumb,’” she says. Intimidated by a room full of grunting, muscul

Mar 224 min read