Vietnam has officially abolished its long-standing two-child policy in a bid to counter declining birth rates and a shrinking workforce.
On Tuesday, Vietnamese lawmakers approved amendments to the Population Law, granting families the freedom to decide how many children to have.
Originally introduced in 2009 to curb overpopulation, the policy limited families to one or two children. Although enforcement was lenient for the general public, it remained strictly applied to government employees and members of the ruling Communist Party.
According to the Ministry of Health, Vietnam’s population currently stands at just over 100 million, with a median age of 33.4 and around 70% of citizens in the working-age group (15–64). However, the national fertility rate fell to 1.91 children per woman in 2024 — the lowest in the country’s modern history and below the replacement threshold.
From 1999 to 2022, Vietnam’s fertility rate remained stable around the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. However, in the past two years, it has dropped sharply, from 1.96 in 2023 to 1.91 in 2024 - the lowest level in the country’s history.
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Conflicts well beyond Southeast Asia are set to dominate talks as leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional bloc gather in the Philippines, with the crisis in the Middle East looming large over fuel‑import‑dependent economies.
The European Broadcasting Union and global entertainment company Voxovation have announced that the first-ever Eurovision Song Contest Asia will take place in 2026, with Bangkok selected to host the inaugural edition.
Flag carrier Vietnam Airlines plans to cancel 23 flights per week across several domestic routes from April because of looming jet fuel shortages, Vietnam's aviation authority said.
Tens of millions of Vietnamese were voting on Sunday (15 March) to elect members of parliament from a list of candidates almost exclusively fielded by the Communist Party, ensuring the party's continued overwhelming dominance.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's Civil Contract party has won the Armenian elections, picking up nearly half the vote. With a majority in parliament, Pashinyan is set for a third term as Prime Minister. But an opposition politican has said he will challenge the election results.
The results of Armenia’s parliamentary elections will determine the makeup of the National Assembly and shape the country's political direction for the foreseeable future. But in Armenia, the final result is not decided by vote percentages alone. Here's how it works.
Barcelona is preparing to mark a historic milestone in the legacy of architect Antoni Gaudí as Pope Leo XIV visits the city this week to inaugurate the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Família basilica, almost exactly 100 years after the visionary architect’s death.
Iran and Israel have halted strikes on each other, but Tehran has warned it will recommence attacks if Israel continues military action in Lebanon. U.S. President Donald Trump and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun have meanwhile made pleas for peace.
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A U.S. doctor who contracted Ebola while on a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has recovered and been discharged from a hospital in Germany, according to officials.
Protesters in Nanyuki blocked roads and burned tyres after residents challenged a U.S. plan to house Americans exposed to Ebola at a nearby military base.
Global health organisation CEPI will provide around $60 million to Moderna and two other partners to speed up the development of vaccines targeting the Ebola Bundibugyo strain, which is currently driving an outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo may be significantly larger than official figures suggest, following a visit to the country where he briefed President Felix Tshisekedi on the ongoing response.
Four nurses have recovered and been discharged after receiving treatment for Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.
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