HCM City (VNA) – A ceremony to mark the 63rd anniversary of the Day for Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin Victims (August 10) was held in Ho Chi Minh City on August 6.
Speaking at the event, held by the city's Association for Victims of AO/dioxin, Chairman of the association Major General Tran Ngoc Tho laid tress on the devastating impact of the catastrophic AO disaster that left hundreds of thousands of people dead, and many others struggling with fatal diseases and deformities.
He called on individuals and organisations to provide support for the victims, helping them overcome challenges and gradually integrate into the society.
Over the past time, the association, in collaboration with many organizations, have run various support programmes for AO victims, including presenting 7,600 gifts and providing medical examinations worth over 6 billion VND (238,700 USD) for 105 people.
On the occasion, a fund raising programme was launched to provide further support to AO victims.
On August 10, 1961, the US began spraying Agent Orange in Vietnam, in a campaign called “Operation Ranch Hand” to clear out the dense tracts of tropical jungles that served as the hideouts of the Vietnamese military forces.
Within ten years, it dumped about 80 million litres of herbicide on southern Vietnam, 61% of which was Agent Orange, containing about 366kg of dioxin, on of the most toxic chemicals known to man.
The chemical warfare conducted by the US destroyed more than 3 million hectares of forest, affected more than 22,000 villages with 4.8 million people directly exposed to toxic chemicals. Three million people have grappled with debilitating diseases including various types of cancers, neural damage and reproductive failures. Birth deformities and mental impairments continue to haunt even the third and fourth generations of descendants of those originally exposed to dioxin, nearly 50 years after the war ended./.
The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is home to more than 11,800 Agent Orange/dioxin victims, most of them live in poverty, according to the provincial association of AO/dioxin victims.
Chris Geyskens, a Belgian woman, has worked dedicatedly over the past decade in a bid to improve living conditions of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims in Hoi An city in the central province of Quang Nam.
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.
