VIETNAM TODAY

Air quality in Hanoi deteriorated sharply on Tuesday morning as weakening cold air and unfavorable weather conditions hindered the dispersion of fine dust.

Several flights were disrupted at Noi Bai International Airport on January 27 as dense fog and low cloud cover reduced visibility, affecting take-offs and landings.

A white swan stolen from the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Ho Chi Minh City has been rescued after more than 24 hours and returned to the zoo for care and health monitoring.

Vietnamese are adopting multi-currency cards and mobile wallets for both daily and overseas spending, while credit cards remain the top choice for larger purchases, according to Green Shoots Radar.

Hanoi plans to invest about VND 75.263 trillion (approximately USD 2.85 billion) in 2026 to build seven bridges, an urban railway line and a series of key infrastructure projects.

The Ministry of Construction has responded to a proposal by CT Group to invest USD 12 billion in a new HCM City-Can Tho-Ca Mau railway, saying the project is being studied under national planning.

Ho Chi Minh City has assigned Thaco to prepare a feasibility study for the Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem section of metro line 2, with the company required to fund the research at its own expense.

Bac Ninh ranked second nationwide in foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction in 2025, only after HCM City, underscoring its position as one of Vietnam’s leading industrial and investment hubs.

A growing number of Vietnamese fashion brands that once held strong positions in the market are shutting down, underscoring the brutal competition in the domestic fashion industry.

Vietnam recorded a marked fall in traffic accidents over the past month, with declines in fatalities and injuries, according to the National Traffic Safety Committee.

Party General Secretary To Lam held phone talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping on January 26.

Hanoi police have intensified the use of camera-based fines to tackle urban order and environmental hygiene violations, handling 744 cases from January 23 to January 25.

Top Vietnamese and Lao leaders have underscored strategic cohesion as a long-term pillar of bilateral relations following the successful conclusion of their respective Party congresses.

Danang authorities have declared a disaster emergency in several mountainous residential areas after large ground cracks appeared following heavy rains and storms late last year.

A Vietnam Airlines flight from HCM City to Frankfurt made an emergency return to Tan Son Nhat Airport early on January 26 after a passenger suffered a life-threatening medical emergency.

Vietnam’s prime minister has instructed state-owned economic groups and corporations to raise efficiency and target growth of at least 10 per cent in output or revenue in 2026.