The Trang Tien Plaza in Hanoi is decorated to welcome Christmas (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – A new Christmas festive seasonhas swept through provinces and cities across the country on December 24despite the cold weather.
In Hanoi, streets embraced a bustling vibe with beautifully-decoratedshopping malls, supermarkets, hotels, squares and churches.
At Vincom Royal City in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)
The well-known Hanoi Cathedral attracted many revelers fromabout 5pm.
The Christmas atmosphere has also spread to major streetsand parishes in the southern largest hub of Ho Chi Minh City. All the roads tothe city’s downtown became crowded at dusk.
Catholic followers flock to a church in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA)
Churches in the city were decorated with pine trees,colorful lights and decorative items.
Despite the cold weather, thousands of Catholic followers alsogathered at churches and parishes in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue inthe night of December 24 to welcome the Christmas holiday.
On a street in Thua Thien-Hue (Photo: VNA)
The province is now home to over 58,000 Catholic followers.
On the occasion, Secretary of the Hanoi municipal PartyCommittee Vuong Dinh Hue paid a courtesy call to Archbishop of the HanoiArchdiocese Joseph Vu Van Thien.
Hue wished that the Archbishop together with Catholicdignitaries and followers would continue actively joining emulation movements,contributing to fulfilling set targets.
Joseph Vu Van Thien thanked the municipal authorities forcreating favourable conditions for religious activities in the city. He alsowished Hue, Hanoi leaders and people a peaceful and happy Christmas season./.
Cities and provinces across Vietnam were transformed into stunning localities with music, colourful lights and decorations as Christmas atmosphere is bustling in every corner of the country.
Both timeless and modern Christmas hits will be performed by foreign and Vietnamese artists in a music programme that will be held in August Revolution Square in front of Hanoi Opera House on Christmas Eve, running from 8pm until midnight.
Neighbouring Thuan Nghia parish in Quynh Lam commune, Quynh Luu district, in Nghe An province, the Quynh Lam B Elementary School’s 700 students are all from nearby catholic families. Students, teachers, and parents have joined hands at this time of year to prepare for a warm and loving Christmas.
The joyous Christmas vibes have reached every corner across Vietnam. At churches and dioceses, all the preparations have been completed to celebrate a merry and cosy holiday.
Vietnam has over 4.8 million people exposed to AO/dioxin, including hundreds of thousands in the second, third, and even fourth generations. Many live with severe disabilities, facing high medical costs and loss of earning capacity.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang reaffirmed that amnesty is a humanitarian policy of the Party and State, reflecting the Vietnamese tradition of compassion and winning attention and high praise both domestically and internationally.
Vietnam officially grants limited-term visa-free entry to high-profile foreigners whose presence is deemed beneficial to the country’s socio-economic development.
With support from the Vietnamese Association in Ufa, Vietnamese language classes for children have been offered for many years. Currently, 60 children of various ages are attending two classes taught by Duc Anh, free of charge.
Vietnam ranked among the top four countries and territories at the 2025 International Olympiad on Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), reaffirming its strong position in international academic competitions.
All 20 crew members aboard the Vietnamese oil tanker GT Unity were successfully rescued from a fire in the vessel’s engine room, thanks to the swift response of the Liberian-flagged ship Androusa and Vietnamese maritime rescue teams.
Describing Agent Orange as one of the most severe and enduring legacies of the war in Vietnam, Vietnam's former Honorary Consul to Belgium Joseph-Michel de Grand Ry warned that its impact – still affecting generations more than five decades later – could last another two to three decades.
Running from August 4 to September 2, under the hashtag #TuHaoVietNam, the campaign invites participants in two categories: “I Love My Country” video clips and “I Love My Country” check-in photos.
Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on the issuance date, introduces amendments that integrate the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for foreign workers into the process of submitting applications for work permits.
With a tight 13-month deadline, the move is under a strategic and urgent policy to bridge educational gaps, train the local workforce, and shore up territorial sovereignty in some of the country’s most remote areas.
The parade and personnel send-off ceremony will officially take place on August 10 at the area surrounding the Statue of King Ly Thai To and Dinh Tien Hoang street of Hoan Kiem ward, with the participation of nearly 3,000 officers, soldiers, and local residents.
According to national technical regulations, AIS installation is mandatory for boats carrying more than 50 passengers. However, operators of smaller vessels (under 50 seats) in Ha Long Bay have voluntarily committed to completing installation by the deadline to enhance operational safety.
The activities include a Vietnamese language teaching training course for overseas Vietnamese teachers from August 13 to 28 in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Thai Nguyen.
Specifically, the ships will carry out patrols from 7am to 6pm daily along the main tourist routes in Ha Long Bay, with one ship permanently stationed at Ti Top island. From 6pm to 7am the following day, the mobile vessels return to Tuan Chau island to maintain a 24/7 on-call duty shift, ensuring constant readiness.
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) plans to open to traffic 208km of expressways of six key projects by August 19, bringing the country’s total expressway network to 2,476km.
As of July 1, a two-tier local government model started in 34 provinces and cities, streamlining administration but creating a surplus of public properties. If not promptly addressed, these assets could become a financial burden.
Whether they grow up to become journalists, diplomats, or professionals in other fields, these children can one day become bridges of friendship and cooperation, telling new and inspiring stories of Vietnam – China relations, said Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh.
A 21-year-old Indian tourist was successfully resuscitated and treated by doctors at Hoan My Da Nang Hospital after a near-drowning incident left him in critical condition. After three days of intensive care, the man was discharged from the hospital and has since returned to India.
In an document issued on August 5, the PM emphasised the need to stablise living conditions for people hit by floods, landslides, and flash floods in late July and early August in northern and north-central provinces, especially Dien Bien, Son La, and Nghe An which suffered some of the worst damage.
Although millions of Vietnamese were affected by AO, only over 626,000 individuals, including war veterans and their children suffering from dioxin-related conditions, are currently receiving state benefits.
The Trang Tien Plaza in Hanoi is decorated to welcome Christmas (Photo: VNA) 
At Vincom Royal City in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) 
Catholic followers flock to a church in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA) 
On a street in Thua Thien-Hue (Photo: VNA) 
