Asia Vietnam Vietnamese tycoon Trương Mỹ Lan, founder of Vạn Thịnh Phát, was sentenced to death for embezzling $12.5 billion via Saigon Joint Stock Commercial Bank; her sentence may be commuted to life if she repays 75% of the funds
Asia Vietnam Crackdown on anti-state activity on social media has been intensified, with police investigating and prosecuting individuals accused of spreading content deemed harmful to national security; critics argue it further restricts freedom of expression
Asia Vietnam VNeID is being expanded into an all-in-one digital “super app” integrating identity verification, public services, payments and administrative procedures; Authorities aim to centralize services into a single state-backed platform
Asia Vietnam Local firms are testing AI-driven commerce tools: pilot chatbots for customer service, AI-powered product recommendations, demand forecasting and automated ad targeting; trials focus on e-commerce platforms to boost sales and efficiency
Asia Vietnam Technology will help authorities locate and repatriate the remains of war martyrs, the soldiers who died in the Vietnam War; Deputy PM ordered the use of DNA testing, digital archives and mapping to identify remains and return them to families