Society

Ho Chi Minh City aims to rank among the world’s top 50 smart cities by 2030 under a draft smart urban development plan for 2026-2030, with a vision to 2035.

A woman in Ho Chi Minh City has been reunited with more than VND 3 billion (USD 114,100) in cash, gold and jewellery after leaving a bag in a taxi.

Authorities in Cat Hai Special Zone, Haiphong City, have launched a campaign to restore order on streets and pavements in Cat Ba’s tourism centre ahead of the island’s 2026 tourism season opening.

Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. announced on March 27 that the 48th ASEAN Summit and related meetings will be held in Cebu on May 8-9.

Two South Korean travellers have been reunited with cash and personal documents after losing their belongings at Danang International Airport.

Vietnam has for the first time assigned an officer to a joint military operations post at the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, as two officers are deployed to international missions.

Vietnam recorded nearly 25,100 hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases and four deaths in the first quarter, marking a fivefold increase year on year.

Dong Nai has accelerated construction of a key road linking to Long Thanh International Airport, prioritising a 7.7km section for completion by June 2027.

Domestic airfares in Vietnam could increase after the Civil Aviation Authority proposed a temporary fuel surcharge in response to rising jet fuel prices.

Mu A Thi has been named among Vietnam’s outstanding young figures of 2025 after rescuing about 90 people from landslides during Storm Yagi, at a ceremony held on March 25 in Hanoi.

Haiphong customs seized nearly 7kg of suspected gold from 20 passengers arriving from South Korea, uncovering an alleged smuggling attempt at Cat Bi Airport.

Long Bien Bridge in Hanoi will shut to all vehicles from March 28 to May 27 for urgent repairs, with authorities diverting traffic to nearby routes.

Ho Chi Minh City will launch free mass health screenings on April 5, targeting about 16,000 residents across 60 sites to improve early detection and access to care.

Leaders agree to expand cooperation in energy, technology and trade during Moscow talks.

Ho Chi Minh City has recorded its first three deaths from hand, foot and mouth disease in 2026, as infections surge sharply, health authorities said on March 25.

Vietnam’s drug regulator has warned of a counterfeit HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) injection circulating on the market, raising concerns over patient safety.