Society

Streets across Ho Chi Minh City have been adorned with flags, banners and posters in the run-up to the 14th National Party Congress.

Dong Nai has launched construction of two major bridges over the Dong Nai River, aiming to strengthen transport links with Ho Chi Minh City and ease long-standing congestion on key routes.

A fire damaged four fishing boats overnight in Quang Ngai Province, causing losses estimated at several billion VND, with two vessels almost completely destroyed, local officials said.

Vietnam is preparing to build a third runway and a second passenger terminal at Long Thanh Airport as rising air travel demand accelerates plans to expand the country’s largest aviation project.

Northern Vietnam is forecast to face a severe cold spell from January 21 to 25 as a strong northeast monsoon moves in, bringing colder temperatures and rain, forecasters said.

A prolonged cold spell in northern Vietnam has pushed more elderly people to seek medical care, with hospitals reporting a rise in respiratory and chronic cases.

HCM City will add 500 electric bicycles to its public transport system before the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday, aiming to expand green travel options and improve links with buses and metro services.

Vietnam’s passport has climbed to 86th place in the Henley Passport Index 2026, its highest position in five years, after rising four ranks from the previous edition.

A proposed rail line linking Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai aims to cut logistics costs by more than USD 2 billion a year by connecting major industrial zones with the Cai Mep Port complex.

Traffic congestion has intensified at a key Hanoi junction after construction barriers were expanded for the Ring Road 1 project, further narrowing lanes at one of the city’s traffic black spots.

Hanoi police held a large-scale rehearsal on Wednesday morning to prepare escort and traffic arrangements for the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party.

At least four people were killed and six others injured after three vehicles collided on a major expressway in Thanh Hoa Province, causing lengthy traffic disruption, police said.

Vietnam consumed 4.6 billion litres of beer in 2024, ranking eighth globally, as emerging markets drove growth while consumption fell in China and the United States, according to Kirin Holdings.

Nearly 2,000 AI-powered traffic cameras in Hanoi issued penalty notices for 6,300 violations in their first month, with running red lights accounting for more than two-thirds, police said.

Vietnam ranked 38th worldwide in artificial intelligence diffusion, according to the AI Diffusion Report 2025 published by the Microsoft AI Economy Institute (AIEI).

A banh mi shop in Ho Chi Minh City has been fined VND 15 million (USD 577) after a suspected mass food poisoning incident sent 125 people to hospital, local authorities said.

A street vendor in Hanoi has been fined after allegedly trying to overcharge foreign tourists for a traditional conical hat in the Old Quarter, police said.

Police in Ho Chi Minh City have arrested the owner of a food production facility accused of using banned chemicals to make fresh noodles.

Vietnam customs have seized more than 1,000 fake AirPods in transit shipments, exposing serious breaches of intellectual property and customs regulations.