VOV.VN - Ho Chi Minh City will launch a large-scale free health check-up programme this weekend, with 58 general and specialised hospitals and medical centres taking part across the city.

The People's Court of Dak Lak province on April 2 handed down a sentence of 8 years and 6 months in prison to a local man for "making, distributing, or disseminating information aimed at opposing the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam".

VOV.VN - Nearly 170 wild animals were released into the wild on April 2 in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park by the Center for Rescue, Conservation and Creature Development under the park’s Management Board, in coordination with the Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Centre.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra emphasised the need to apply scientific and technological advances to enhance the effectiveness of the search, recovery, and identification of fallen soldiers’ remains while addressing a ceremony on April 2 to launch a nationwide 500-day campaign to accelerate the mission.

Vietnam’s forest coverage rate remained stable at 42.03% in 2025, with total forest area estimated at 14,971,553 ha, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE).

VOV.VN - The escort vessel Asahi of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, led by Captain Jio Takemasa, commander of Escort Flotilla No. 2, arrived at Tien Sa Port on April 2, beginning a four-day friendship visit to the central city of Da Nang from April 2 to 5.

Vietnam is moving to refine its intellectual property (IP) framework for strategic technologies, shifting from a protection-focused approach to one that enables value capitalisation and commercialisation, as policymakers seek to bridge the persistent gap between research and the market.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued a dispatch directing ministries, sectors and localities to accelerate the development of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in urban areas and apartment buildings.

VOV.VN - Four rare animal species have been newly recorded at the Than Sa–Phuong Hoang Nature Reserve in northern Thai Nguyen province following two years of biodiversity surveys and monitoring, local authorities said.

VOV.VN - An increase in hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases has been recorded among children in Dak Lak province, Vietnam’s Central Highlands, with the local health sector taking measures to curb new infections and ensure effective treatment.

Lam Dong province has demonstrated strong determination and rolled out comprehensive measures aligned with the European Commission (EC)’s recommendations to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, in a bid to have the commission’s “yellow card” warning against Vietnam's seafood exports lifted.

VOV.VN - The Ministry of Education and Training on April 1 announced a list of 37 students selected for Vietnam’s national teams to compete in regional and international Olympiads in 2026.

VOV.VN - Hanoi is accelerating digital transformation in urban planning, building an inter-sectoral data platform to support a 100-year urban vision. At the same time, bottlenecks related to data, technology and human resources need to be resolved to avoid digital transformation becoming merely formalistic.

VOV.VN - The nation has pledged action on promoting gender equality and eliminating violence against women, as speakers at a United Nations event said major barriers remain despite progress.

VOV.VN - Northern Vietnam is expected to experience only a brief period of mild weather before two widespread heatwaves return and dominate in early April.

Hanoi has put into operation 10 electric bus routes with a total of 288 vehicles from April 1, marking a significant step in the capital city’s roadmap to develop greener public transport.

Construction of the Da Nang–Sekong Friendship Hospital was launched on April 1 in Sekong province, southern Laos, highlighting growing cooperation between localities of the two countries.

VOV.VN - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called for urgent modernisation of the country’s disaster prevention and response system, warning that increasingly extreme weather is posing serious risks to lives, property and economic stability.

VOV.VN - Public attention in Vietnam has recently focused on a major case involving the manipulation of environmental monitoring data across the country, where pollution figures, often regarded as a measure of truth, were altered and no longer reflected actual conditions.

VOV.VN - Vietnam and the United Kingdom have recorded positive progress in migration management, particularly in reducing illegal migration and improving repatriation efforts, while promoting safe and legal migration pathways.

VOV.VN -An exhibition featuring 450 archival photos and documents recounts the 45-year development of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, marking key milestones in its formation and growth alongside the country’s history.

Freedom of belief and religion is a fundamental human right, prescribed in Vietnamese laws and ensured in reality.

VOV.VN - A 3.1-magnitude earthquake struck Guangxi, China, late on March 31, about 5 km from Cao Loc commune in Lang Son province, northern Vietnam with tremors felt by local residents.

VOV.VN - Vietnam plans to provide free textbooks for all general education students nationwide starting from the 2029–2030 school year, according to a draft decree released by the Ministry of Education and Training.

VOV.VN - A weak cold air mass has triggered widespread showers and thunderstorms across northern Vietnam, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

VOV.VN - The Ministry of Health (MoH) has issued an urgent directive to strengthen patient triage, treatment capacity and infection control across the healthcare system, as cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) are rising rapidly, particularly in the southern region.

Representatives of the International Committee and national committees for the Vietnam Friendship Village signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on March 31, agreeing on a range of key areas of cooperation aimed at improving care, rehabilitation and support for victims of Agent Orange/dioxin during the 2026–2027 period.

VOV.VN - Vietnamese Ambassador to Greece Pham Thi Thu Huong met with Greek Minister for Migration and Asylum Athanasios Plevris on March 30 to discuss labour cooperation between the two countries.

VOV.VN - Ho Chi Minh City will stage an artistic fireworks display to mark the 51st anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975-April 30, 2026), under a plan issued by the municipal People’s Committee.

VOV.VN - The BA.3.2 COVID-19 variant, also referred to as “Cicada”, has not been shown to cause more severe illness than previous variants, according to health experts.