VIETNAM TODAY

Three people were killed and two injured after an ambulance crashed into a parked container truck and burst into flames on the Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway early on December 18.

Vietnam’s total fertility rate has dropped to 1.93 children per woman, below replacement level, highlighting a continuing trend towards smaller families.

Authorities in Tay Ninh Province have fined a crocodile owner VND 315 million after an illegally kept animal escaped and bit a local man.

Air pollution has returned to Hanoi and several northern localities after several days of improvement, with conditions forecast to worsen further on Thursday.

Hanoi’s AI-powered traffic camera system recorded 393 violations in its first three days of operation, mainly red-light offences, exceeding detections made by traditional patrols.

Dense fog covered large parts of Ho Chi Minh City on the morning of December 17, with forecasters warning the phenomenon is likely to persist into the following day.

Hanoi has approved its first underground parking project in the Old Quarter, to be built beneath the Phung Hung-Bat Dan flower garden in Hoan Kiem Ward.

Three Vietnamese carriers will operate the first commercial flights to Long Thanh International Airport on December 19, marking the inauguration of the country’s newest aviation hub.

Vietnam’s goal of rapid and sustainable development based on green and digital transformation has solid foundations, ample potential and strong feasibility, PM Pham Minh Chinh has affirmed.

A farmer in Tay Ninh Province alerted local authorities after spotting a large, unusual bird landing in his rice field while he was working.

The rapid spread of pickleball courts in Ho Chi Minh City is disrupting nearby neighbourhoods, with constant noise from early morning until late at night affecting residents’ daily lives.

A UNDP representative said Vietnam still has substantial room to improve resource efficiency, cut waste, and promote industries that create green value.

Air quality in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi has deteriorated again after two days of improvement, with air quality index (AQI) levels in several areas rising to unhealthy levels.

Vietnam has begun administering a new-generation RSV vaccine, offering timely protection for older adults and people with underlying health conditions against serious respiratory diseases.

Ho Chi Minh City has put into operation the Le Minh Xuan Bus Terminal, covering nearly 14,000 square metres, making it the largest bus terminal on the city’s outskirts to date.

Vietnam’s real estate market is currently driven by real demand and transparent legal frameworks thanks to new legal corridors, with expectations of a clear recovery in 2026.

Authorities have inspected a wildlife breeding facility in Ho Chi Minh City, uncovering several endangered and rare animals being kept without proof of legal origin.

Nine objects believed to be wartime grenades and landmines have been found along the Lo River in Vietnam’s northern province of Phu Tho, prompting an emergency response from local authorities.

Northern and north-central Vietnam will see cold nights and early mornings with scattered rain in the coming days, as a stronger cold air mass is forecast to arrive later this week.