Vietnam’s central coastal hub, a growing, transport-forward city.
Families and lawmakers have raised alarms about living conditions and mental health aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been continuously at sea since November and has not made a port call for more than 240 days. Reports have cited food shortages, plumbing failures, water contamination and multiple attempted overboard incidents; senators have asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for answers.
Vietnam is confronting a major wildlife trafficking problem after authorities reveal a 221-piece ivory haul weighing 1,193 kilograms at Quy Nhơn port. Investigations trace the shipment to the Republic of the Congo, with police launching a criminal probe into protected-animal violations. The case comes amid wider concerns about demand for ivory and wildlife products in Southeast Asia.
Vietnam and Japan have broadened their strategic partnership, pledging faster public-private cooperation on critical minerals, energy security, and digital development. The leaders signed multiple deals in Tokyo, with a focus on AI, semiconductors, and offshore energy, while highlighting human rights concerns amid CPTPP commitments.