VOV.VN - Unlike scenes in previous years when people poured onto the streets to watch firework displays and enjoy entertainment to celebrate New Year’s Eve, public places in Ho Chi Minh City this year are much more quiet.

VOV.VN - The ancient city of Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam has temporarily suspended all cultural and art activities planned to celebrate the New Year amid challenges caused by COVID-19.

Ho Chi Minh City will roll out virtual activities in parallel with in-person ones to celebrate the upcoming 2022 New Year amid complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, announced the municipal Department of Culture and Sports.

VOV.VN - Nearly two months on from launching a pilot scheme to welcome foreign visitors with ‘vaccine passport’, Da Nang has yet to receive any groups of international tourists amid the central city encountering numerous difficulties in reopening tourism activities.

United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix has highly valued Vietnam’s cooperation with the UN in peacekeeping activities since the country joined the operations in 2014 as well as the country’s efforts throughout 2021.

VOV.VN - The Ministry of Health (MoH) has proposed suspending activities which may lead to crowding, such as entertainment centres, festivals, and religious rituals in localities that are at a high risk of COVID-19 infection during the upcoming Lunar New Year, known locally as Tet.

Experts from the UK and the Secretariat of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) shared their experience in accelerating the reform of business regulations and designing digital services for people and enterprises during a workshop on December 16.

VOV.VN - The Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) has handed over the remains of a servicemen from the United States who went missing in action during the conflict in Vietnam to his country of origin.

Throughout the “Doi moi” process, the belief and religious life in Vietnam has changed towards greater freedom and progress and the right to belief and religious freedom better protected, which has been recognised by the international community.

VOV.VN - The first Vietnam-Laos border defence friendship exchange was held on December 12 in Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province of Vietnam and Sepon district, Savannakhet province of Laos.