Truong Thi Mai, head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation and leaders of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, visited the Xuan Loc Diocese in the southern province of Dong Nai on December 21 ahead of Christmas.

Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue has entrusted the Ministry of Finance to provide rice from the national reserves to the northern mountainous province of Son La to aid local people affected by recent storms and floods.

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has asked leaders of the Red River Delta province of Thai Binh to take measures to effectively implement its socio-economic development plan in 2018. 

The production of external information has helped promote the country’s image and culture to the world, boosting the country’s sovereignty over sea and islands as well as human rights.

A beautifully coloured frog found in the limestone mountains of Vietnam, two mole species found by a team of Vietnamese and Russian scientists, and the Vietnamese crocodile lizard are among 115 new species discovered by scientists in the Greater Mekong region in 2016.

VOV.VN - The King and Government of Cambodia have presented noble orders to officials and experts from Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) who have helped the Radio National of Kampuchea.

The People’s Court of southern An Giang province on December 21 sent five local people to jail for conducting “anti-State propaganda” under Article 88 of the Penal Code.

With tonnes of waste discarded directly into fields, lakes and ponds or dumped on roadsides for years, the northern province of Vinh Phuc has a serious pollution problem.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has stressed the need to get people and businesses involved in social welfare to create high social consensus for economic development and national defence-security.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan spoke highly of the active role and contributions of the Catholic community to the national building and development cause while visiting the Thanh Hoa diocese on the occasion of the Christmas and New Year holidays.

 In future, the revised project on vocational training for rural labourers will be based on demands from enterprises.

About 126,000 people have tuberculosis (TB) in Vietnam, but fewer than 106,000 have received treatment, while the others are undetected and sometimes unaware of their status, said Director of the Hanoi-based Central Pulmonology Hospital Nguyen Viet Nhung.

VOV.VN - A train carrying passengers on the Hanoi-Hai Phong railway route collided with a truck at 7am on December 21 in Kim Xuyen commune, Kim Thanh district in the northern province of Hai Duong. 

VOV.VN - A large fire broke out at a local market destroying dozens of kiosks in Anh Son town, Anh Son district at 00:30 am on December 21 in the central province of Nghe An. 

The Embassy of Vietnam in Cambodia along with Vietnamese representative offices, overseas Vietnamese businesses and students laid wreaths and offered incense at the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Monument in Phnom Penh on December 21.

The HCM City Department of Transport said it would ensure the orderly flow of traffic during the Calendar New Year and Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays by strictly enforcing traffic regulations and inspecting interprovincial bus stations for illegal buses.

Facebook Messenger is reported to be under attack in recent days by a new virus.

All 11-digit mobile phone numbers in Vietnam will be changed to 10-digit numbers in 2018, said Pham Hong Hai, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications.

VOV.VN - The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting announced on December 21 that a tropical low pressure system has formed in the eastern waters of the southern region of the Philippines and has strengthened into a new tropical storm (international name Tembin). 

Hanoi plans to put up kiosks at hospitals for people to lodge complains or their dissatisfaction about health check-ups and treatment quality via a software.

A US women’s delegation led by activist Merle Evelyn Ratner met with female journalists at the Sai Gon Giai phong newspaper office on December 20.

The south central province of Phu Yen has asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to approve adding three solar power projects to the Provincial Power Development Planning in 2011-2015 period, with a vision to 2020, a local senior official has said.

The sustainable development of the Mekong Delta must go in hand with its long-term ability to recover and adapt to the multi-dimensional impacts of climate change, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has said.

 The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and the Centre of Workers of Cuba have enjoyed sound friendship and supported each other at international forums, said VGCL President Bui Van Cuong.

Ho Chi Minh City recorded an average prenatal and newborn screening rate at over 80% on an annual basis since 2011, heard a meeting celebrating Vietnam's Population Day (Dec. 26) held in the city on December 20.

Eleven houses in Tien Thanh commune in Phan Thiet city of the south central coastal province of Binh Thuan collapsed on December 20 due to coast erosion triggered by high tide and strong wind.

The Military Command of the northern province of Tuyen Quang on December 19 successfully destroyed a 337kg bomb left from the war in the Lo River at An Loc A commune, An Khang commune, Tuyen Quang city.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said it is a must to improve the quality and operational efficiency of grassroots-level health care centres in order to attract more patients. 

The job market in Vietnam is expected to be largely positive next year as the country continues to develop its manufacturing base, recruitment companies said.

The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin (VAVA) mobilised nearly VND306 billion (US$13.5 million) to support AO victims in 2017, heard a conference in Hanoi on December 19.