Society

Authorities in Phu Quoc Special Zone have fined a petrol station VND 15 million (approximately USD 570) for restricting fuel sales despite having sufficient supply.

A cargo vessel collided with a span of Ghenh Bridge over the Dong Nai River on March 6, causing rail misalignment and disrupting traffic on Vietnam’s North-South Railway.

Showers and thunderstorms are forecast in several regions of Vietnam from the night of March 5 to March 7, with localised heavy rain and hazardous weather conditions possible.

More than 12,000 Vietnamese citizens in the Middle East remain safe and stable, with no reports of anyone affected by ongoing regional conflicts, the Foreign Ministry said.

Vietnamese ministries and agencies are taking measures to ensure trade, economic activities and energy security amid the escalating tensions in the Middle East.

A Vietnamese-crewed tanker diverted its course in the Gulf of Oman to rescue 21 sailors who abandoned a burning vessel amid heightened tensions near the Strait of Hormuz.

Meat from the winning buffalo at a traditional festival in Phu Tho was sold for VND 5 million (about USD 200) per kilogramme on March 5, drawing strong demand from thousands of visitors.

Airlines from the Middle East have introduced support measures for passengers in Vietnam after flight cancellations and schedule changes caused by escalating regional tensions.

Vietnamese customs officers have seized 3.6kg of cocaine hidden in the luggage of a South Korean passenger arriving at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.

Under the plan, AI clusters will be developed under a model that combines centralised physical spaces with digital network linkages.

Customs officers at Noi Bai International Airport seized 12.3 kilogrammes of suspected gold from four passengers arriving from Taiwan on March 3, with the case transferred to police for investigation.

Vietnam has issued a high-level maritime security alert after eight cargo vessels carrying about 160 Vietnamese seafarers were reported operating near conflict hotspots in the Middle East.

Obesity is rising rapidly in Vietnam, with nearly 20 million people overweight or obese, raising mounting health, economic and social concerns, experts warned on March 4.

A VND 1.032 trillion (about USD 41 million) upgrade of Lien Khuong International Airport in Lam Dong Province began on March 4 and is scheduled for completion by late August.

A nearly two-metre oarfish weighing about 10 kilogrammes washed ashore in Danang on Wednesday, attracting crowds of residents who stopped to watch and take photographs.

Conscription ceremonies began nationwide on March 4 as tens of thousands of young people started their military service in a three day recruitment drive.

The number of suspected food poisoning cases linked to banh mi sold in Vung Tau Ward in Ho Chi Minh City has increased to 54, health authorities said.

Four local youths were killed when two motorbikes collided on National Highway 4B in Lang Son Province late on March 3, authorities said.

Skywatchers worldwide, including in Vietnam, observed a total lunar eclipse known as a blood moon on the 15th day of the first lunar month, corresponding to March 3, 2026.