Vietnam

In Vietnam, hundreds of drivers are getting ready for a two-day boycott against the platform's deductions, which drivers claim amount to as much as 40–45 per cent of the fare. Since 2024, Grab has implemented a flexible pricing system based on various factors. With an estimated 70 per cent market share, finding alternatives is no easy task.

General Min Aung Hlaing ended a three-day visit to Vietnam, where he agreed that defence and security should become a cornerstone of bilateral relations. Hanoi is targeting new investments. Mytel, a telecommunications giant linked to the militaries of both countries, is accused of contributing to digital repression.  

The National Assembly will meet in an extraordinary session starting today until 24 August 2026. Final approval is expected in October. The amendments will allow land confiscation without compensation. The legislative process will take just four months, one of the fastest in Vietnam's history.

A young trainee died in the collapse of the factory where he worked, while five other Vietnamese workers saved their 90-year-old neighbour. More than 630,000 Vietnamese now live in Japan, employed primarily in sectors with the worst labour shortages.

Several recently dismantled networks moved around 133 million dollars through online platforms based in Cambodia. The Vietnamese government has stepped up its crackdown, but the ban on gambling continues to fuel an illegal market linked to money laundering, online fraud and human trafficking.

On behalf of Pope Leo, Cardinal Tagle presided over the beatification ceremony of the martyred priest killed in 1946. Held in Tắc Sậy before 70,000 people, this was the first time the Church of Vietnam was able to hold a service like this in the country. He teaches us to prioritise honesty over corruption, sharing over selfishness, and solidarity over the exclusive pursuit of self-interest.

On 2 July, over 70,000 faithful are expected at the Tac Say shrine for the beatification of Fr Truong Buu Diep, who was killed in 1946 by militiamen recruited by the Viet Minh for refusing to abandon his community. Cardinal Tagle is expected to preside over the ceremony as Pope Leo’s special envoy.

As the country marks Family Day on 28 June, questions are asked about the changes underway with concerns over the fate of local traditions. Divorce and gender imbalance are among the challenges. The party's rhetoric singles out four fundamental family values: prosperity, happiness, progress, and civilisation.

Arrivals reach record levels, especially from Russia and China, and tens of billions of dollars are pouring in to build new infrastructure. Vietnam aims to overtake Thailand and Malaysia as Southeast Asia's top destination. While Thailand is struggling to keep up, Vietnam’s rapid growth comes with risks of overtourism.

Israeli arms exports reached a record US$ 19.2 billion in 2025, with purchases nearly doubling in the Asia-Pacific. Vietnam is one of Israel’s main partners, making it, its the second-largest supplier after Russia. Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhàn, a businesswoman who fell out of favour with the authorities and was sentenced in absentia to 30 years in prison, played a key role in this. India, Thailand, and Singapore are also nurturing military ties with the Jewish state in order to develop their own capabilities.

The measure levies penalties in social media starting 1 July, aimed at organisations, household businesses, and individuals. Fines are imposed for content that, among other things, deemed to cause panic, obstruct state agencies, and reveal state secrets. The latest crackdown on press freedom comes in the wake of similar action taken in late 2025, following Tô Lâm rise to power.

An incentive plan has been launched to encourage residents to move from densely populated areas to new developments connected to metro stations. Some of the targeted areas are currently undergoing redevelopment. The capital's new master plan envisions development along a multipolar and multicentric structure, with the Red River as the main ecological and cultural axis.