VIETNAM TODAY

Outdoor workers in Hanoi continued to labour under scorching temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius on May 25, as a severe heatwave gripped northern Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City has proposed piloting an app-based demand-responsive minibus service aimed at improving first- and last-mile connections with metro lines and the public transport network.

A whale has been spotted near the protected Hon Mun area in Nha Trang Bay, authorities in Khanh Hoa Province said, calling it a positive sign for the local marine ecosystem.

A large wildfire swept through forest areas in Quang Tri Province on May 25, destroying about 200 hectares of natural and planted forest as hundreds of people battled the blaze in extreme heat.

Vietnam’s Coast Guard has detained an iron-hulled fishing vessel found transporting 22,000 litres of diesel without valid documents off the coast of Ha Tinh Province.

Deposits from Vietnamese households in the banking system have climbed to a record VND 10.38 quadrillion, while corporate deposits continued to decline in the first month of the year.

The number of people hospitalised in a suspected food poisoning outbreak linked to banh mi in Gia Lai Province has risen to 75, according to local health authorities.

Authorities in Hung Yen Province have uncovered a facility allegedly producing tens of thousands of counterfeit sanitary pad packages, with seized goods valued at approximately USD 38,500.

Vietnam’s Politburo has set a target for Ho Chi Minh City to achieve per capita GRDP of at least USD 14,000 by 2030 as part of plans to transform the city into a leading regional economic hub.

Police in Ho Chi Minh City have arrested 21 people as part of an investigation into an alleged drug trafficking and illegal drug use network.

Vietnam remained among the countries most severely affected by natural disasters in 2025, with disasters leaving 484 people dead or missing and causing economic losses of approximately USD 4 billion.

Ho Chi Minh City has introduced contingency plans to safeguard energy security amid concerns over global supply instability, including scenarios involving severe fuel and electricity shortages.

Forestry officials in Tay Ninh Province have seized nearly 300 birds after a bird trading facility failed to provide documents proving their legal origin.

Hundreds of people were mobilised to tackle a forest fire in Quang Tri Province as extreme heat and strong southwesterly winds hampered firefighting efforts.

Heavy rain and a whirlwind swept through a durian-growing area in Lam Dong Province, damaging homes and 37 hectares of orchards, with losses estimated at around VN D8 billion (USD 310,000).

Heavy rain swept across Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of May 25, flooding several roads and causing severe traffic congestion during the evening rush hour.

HCM City has accelerated a large-scale public health screening programme across nine communes and special zones, aiming to complete most examinations within the second quarter.

Ha Tinh Province held a memorial and burial ceremony on May 25 for the remains of nine Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos more than four decades ago.

Hanoi recorded the country’s highest temperature on May 25 as northern Vietnam faced severe heatwaves ahead of heavy rain forecast later this week.