VIETNAM TODAY

Vietnam has highlighted its success in doubling exclusive breastfeeding rates over a decade, as it seeks to expand a maternal and child healthcare model across south-east Asia.

Border guards in Danang have helped a Lao woman experiencing complications during labour reach medical care safely.

Vietnam’s Defence Minister Phan Van Giang has travelled to China for a bilateral border defence exchange, with joint naval activities planned in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Vietnam has begun construction of 121 boarding schools in border areas, with Party General Secretary To Lam calling for faster progress, quality and efficiency.

Southern Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, is entering a widespread heatwave, with temperatures in some areas expected to exceed 35 degrees Celsius in the coming days.

A weak cold spell is set to affect northern Vietnam from March 20, bringing scattered showers and thunderstorms, while heat intensifies in the south.

Vietnam has proposed tax cuts and fee reductions to support transport firms as Middle East tensions disrupt global routes and drive up fuel and logistics costs.

Vietnam and Belgium have approved a project to treat dioxin-contaminated soil, marking a major step in addressing the long-term environmental and human impacts of war.

Japan will provide JPY 50 billion in next-generation ODA to support Vietnam’s green transition, climate adaptation and sustainable development goals.

Deposit interest rates in Vietnam are edging higher, with some lenders offering up to 8.4 per cent a year as credit demand and liquidity pressures increase.

A 3.5-metre reticulated python found in a Danang neighbourhood has been safely captured and released back into the wild, authorities said.

Google Maps has begun updating Vietnam’s administrative boundaries, more than eight months after the country implemented a major restructuring of its local government system.

Vietnam and China on March 18 launched the 10th Border Defence Friendship Exchange, a key annual event aimed at strengthening military and border cooperation between the two countries.

Ho Chi Minh City plans to launch a design contest for the Thu Thiem 4 Bridge, which is scheduled to break ground in the third quarter of 2026.

Ho Chi Minh City aims to develop more than 30 elderly care facilities by 2030 as demand rises with an ageing population, officials said.

Around 80 per cent of supermarket suppliers in Vietnam have requested price increases, prompting urgent measures by authorities to stabilise the market.

Chu Mom Ray National Park in Quang Ngai Province has, for the first time, captured clear images of a hornbill and an otter using camera traps.

Traffic police in Hanoi have tested school transport drivers for alcohol and drugs, with no violations found during inspections aimed at improving student safety.

Three earthquakes measuring up to 3.8 magnitude struck Quang Ngai Province within two hours on March 17, with no damage reported but tremors clearly felt by residents.