VIETNAM TODAY

Hanoi has approved a plan to expand its night-time economy, targeting the sector to contribute about 5 per cent of the capital's gross regional domestic product (GRDP) by 2030.

Khanh Hoa Province is stepping up measures to reduce vehicle fires on expressways after six incidents in the first half of 2026 caused nearly VND 2 billion (USD 76,000) in damage.

Police in Phu Tho Province have seized more than 4.6 tonnes of counterfeit turmeric powder and thousands of kilogrammes of raw materials from a facility accused of producing fake food products.

Hanoi will increase primary school lunch subsidies from the 2026-2027 academic year, raising support for disadvantaged pupils by VND 10,000 a day under a city council resolution.

A wildlife rescue centre in central Vietnam has received six rare wild animals from Quang Tri Province for treatment before their release into the wild.

A 200-metre crack has appeared on a mountain in Ha Tinh Province, raising landslide concerns along a road linking National Highway 1A with the North-South Expressway.

Illegal hunting of swiftlets in Khanh Hoa province is threatening the country's bird's nest industry, officials warned on Tuesday, citing risks to biodiversity and long-term growth.

Business confidence among European companies in Vietnam rose to 79.7 in the second quarter from 72.7 in the previous quarter, reflecting improving business conditions, EuroCham said on Wednesday.

Schools in Ho Chi Minh City began surveying parents and students on Wednesday to assess demand for a textbook borrowing programme, ahead of the scheme's rollout in the 2026-27 academic year.

Hanoi has accelerated drainage and flood-control projects, saying newly completed works improved water runoff during early-season downpours as the city seeks to reduce chronic urban flooding.

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.

Authorities in Lai Chau Province have approved the conversion of nearly 3.68 hectares of natural production forest to support a road project linking northern mountainous localities.

Police in Yen Dinh Commune, Thanh Hoa Province, received the monkey on Monday after it was found in the garden of a local resident's home.

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.

Dong Nai City and HCM City plan to build eight new bridges to improve regional transport links as authorities seek to ease congestion and strengthen connectivity between the neighbouring cities.

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.

Vietnam's Ministry of Construction has dropped a proposal to introduce fixed-term ownership of apartment units from a draft revision to the Housing Law, following public debate over the measure.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has ordered provinces to activate emergency plans for dams and reservoirs amid warnings of extreme rainfall despite El Niño.

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.