Society

Vietnam has tightened administrative penalties for railway violations, introducing stricter fines for high-risk behaviour under new regulations.

Residents in Hue City have discovered two unexploded artillery shells while working in fields, highlighting ongoing risks from wartime remnants.

Prime minister Pham Minh Chinh has called on Nghi Son refinery to diversify crude oil sources, warning that stable supply is vital to Vietnam’s energy security.

The Ministry of Health has ordered close monitoring of the SARS-CoV-2 BA.3.2 variant reported in the US and said current assessments place its public health risk at a low level.

Vietnam moves to ease IP valuation bottlenecks and unlock asset value as an amended law takes effect on April 1.

A programme to honour the Vietnamese language and seek overseas ambassadors for 2026 was launched on March 28 in Hanoi, connecting more than 150 locations worldwide.

A man has died after falling while climbing Bai Tho Mountain in the northern Quang Ninh Province.

The project is seen as a strategic step to help transform Laos from a landlocked country into one better connected to regional and global markets via the East-West Economic Corridor.

Le Huu Phuc, Vietnam’s Trade Counsellor in Thailand, said Vietnam should expand national crude oil reserves to ensure at least 90 days of supply in the event of major global disruptions.

Vietnam officially inaugurated its embassy in Ireland at a ceremony in Dublin on March 26, marking an important milestone in Vietnam-Ireland relations.

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.