Society

More than one million people, including over 256,000 international visitors, paid their respects at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi during the first half of 2026, the mausoleum's management said.

Rain and thunderstorms are expected to become more frequent in Ho Chi Minh City and southern Vietnam from this weekend as the southwest monsoon strengthens.

Hanoi is expected to experience temperatures of 35-37 degrees Celsius through July 17, with forecasters warning of increased risks of heatstroke, fires and power-related incidents.

HCM City's bus network recorded its highest daily ridership since free fares were introduced on July 1, with passenger numbers rising 68 per cent from a year earlier.

Vientamese health authorities inspected 118,009 food businesses in the first six months of 2026 and found 5,695 violations, accounting for 4.83 per cent of those checked.

Hanoi is rolling out more than 20,000 AI-powered cameras across nearly 1,000 inner-city streets to improve public security and traffic management.

New branches of Bach Mai Hospital and Viet Duc University Hospital in Ninh Binh Province have quickly reached full capacity, treating thousands of patients.

A total of 255 hazardous unofficial railway crossings were removed in the first half of 2026, bringing the total eliminated over the past six years to 1,840.

A Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) mine clearance team uncovered 18 unexploded wartime munitions buried beneath a forest in Hue City during a clearance operation.

Hanoi will begin operating 36 electronic traffic information screens on July 15, providing motorists with real-time updates on congestion, accidents, traffic diversions and alternative routes.

HCM City has provided free health check-ups to 467,800 residents in the first two months of a citywide screening programme and is expected to surpass 500,000 this week.

Severe winds damaged 75 homes and injured four people in southern Ca Mau Province on Monday, prompting local authorities to provide emergency assistance and help residents repair the damage.

Higher tides are forecast along much of Vietnam's coastline in the coming days, raising the risk of coastal flooding, strong offshore currents and saltwater intrusion.

Children's adenovirus infections have nearly tripled from a year earlier at Vietnam National Children's Hospital, which warned that public swimming pools could pose a cross-infection risk.

A Lithuanian man has been arrested in Laos after authorities allegedly found 15 kg of heroin that police said he was attempting to smuggle by air to Hanoi.

Two women died and a six-year-old child remained missing after they were swept away by strong waves while swimming at a beach in Quang Ngai Province on Sunday evening.

Police have detained the captain of a tourist speedboat that capsized off Phu Quoc, killing 15 Indian tourists, as authorities launch a criminal investigation.

A Taiwanese man has lost his appeal against an 18-year prison sentence after threatening restaurant staff with a handgun and damaging property in Ho Chi Minh City.

A family in Phu Tho Province captured a 4m reticulated python behind their home and handed it over to forestry officials for release into the wild.