World

President Vladimir Putin authorized “a special military operation” against Ukraine on Thursday morning to eliminate what he called a serious threat, saying his aim was to demilitarize Russia’s southern neighbor. In an early morning address on state television, Putin said he had been left with no choice but to launch …

Oil prices broke past $100 and safe havens surged while equities tumbled Thursday after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “military operation” in Ukraine, accelerating fears of a major war. Markets have been hammered this week after the Kremlin recognized two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine and said it would …

The situation of around 100 Vietnamese nationals living in Donetsk and Lugansk are “fundamentally stable,” Vietnamese foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said Wednesday. On Feb 21 Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, and ordered his army to launch a peacekeeping operation in …

Farmers and authorities in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta have started storing water, building dams and planting seeds early to avoid drought and salinity. Living near Kenh Lap, Mekong Delta’s largest manmade reservoir in Ben Tre Province, Le Van Hao said he had witnessed how the reservoir, which has a capacity of …

PM Pham Minh Chinh has instructed authorities around the country to speed up the third dose of Covid-19 vaccination for people aged 18 and above. In a communiqué sent to all 63 cities and provinces Wednesday, he said all adults should be immunized by the end of the first quarter …

The Hanoi education department on Wednesday proposed for students in grade 1-6 of 12 inner districts to return to school in March. Primary school students and 6th graders in the capital’s 12 inner districts – Ba Dinh, Bac Tu Liem, Cau Giay, Dong Da, Ha Dong, Hai Ba Trung, Hoan …

Hong Kong rolls out a vaccine passport on Thursday that requires people aged 12 and above to have at least one Covid-19 vaccination and also tightened restrictions in a city that already has some of the most stringent rules in the world. Residents will have to show their vaccine record …

Airlines should stop flying over any part of Ukraine because of the risk of an unintended shootdown or a cyber attack targeting air traffic control amid tensions with Russia, a conflict zone monitor said on Wednesday. Safe Airspace, which was set up to provide safety and conflict zone information for …

The World Health Organization said on Wednesday it has set up a hub in South Korea to train low- and middle-income countries to produce their own vaccines and therapies, and is expanding its Covid-19 vaccine project to a further five nations. The new training hub comes after the U.N. agency …

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he believes Russia will invade Ukraine within hours after separatists on Wednesday asked for Russian help to repel “aggression” and as explosions rocked the breakaway eastern city of Donetsk. Blinken told NBC News he expected Russian forces would attack Ukraine overnight although he …