Breakfast @ Tuoi Tre News - January 18

Check out the latest news in Vietnam today:

Society

-- The northern region and many provinces from Thanh Hoa to Hue City will see scattered showers, with fog in the early morning and sunny conditions in the afternoon on Sunday, while the southern region is forecast to be sunny during the day, followed by showers later in the afternoon and overnight, according to the national weather center.

-- After the groundbreaking ceremony on December 19 last year, the Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board has shifted from the preparation phase to on-site construction for the Van Cao - Hoa Lac metro link, the city’s fifth metro route.

-- Police in Da Nang City, central Vietnam have busted a cryptocurrency investment fraud ring involving some individuals in Cambodia that swindled several victims out of billions of Vietnamese dong.

-- Gia Lai Province had reported over 244,200 hectares of land contaminated by bombs and mines as of 2025, accounting for 11.3 percent of the province’s total area. To date, relevant authorities have cleared 5,350 hectares of landmines and explosive remnants of war, just 2.2 percent of the contaminated area.

Ho Chi Minh City

-- Less than an hour after setting up an alcohol-check checkpoint at the intersection of National Highway 1K and My Phuoc Tan Van Road in Dong Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday night, traffic police officers detected seven violators.

Economy

-- Agribank is set to auction 30 cars with starting prices from VND60 million (US$2,280) per vehicle. The cars are collateral assets for loans taken out by BG Taxi, a traditional taxi operator that once operated in Hanoi.

Travel

-- The Da Lat Cherry Blossom Festival kicked off in Lam Dong Province on Friday, drawing crowds of residents and tourists. The fest runs until February 5.

-- The People’s Committee of Dak Lak Province has issued a tourism development plan for 2026 under the theme ‘Dak Lak - Journey to Heritage Land,’ featuring a series of appealing cultural and tourism activities and events that will be held throughout the year.

World News

-- Top officials from the EU and the South American bloc Mercosur signed a free trade agreement on Saturday in Paraguay, paving the way for the European Union's largest-ever trade accord after 25 years of negotiations, Reuters reported.

-- President Donald Trump on Saturday vowed to implement a wave of increasing tariffs on European allies until the United States is allowed to buy Greenland, escalating a row over the future of Denmark's vast Arctic island, according to Reuters.