The North region is experiencing the coldest days of winter. Normally at night, everyone would quickly return to their home to avoid the silvering cold. However, there are young people from a volunteer group called “Ấm” (Warm) in Hanoi willing to go outside the streets at night to spread warmth to the homeless.

Winners of the fifth National Press Awards on Party building, called “Bua Liem Vang” (Golden Hammer & Sickle), were announced at a ceremony in Hanoi on January 13.

The traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) has arrived early for soldiers and islanders on Truong Sa district as ships are crossing rough seas to carry Tet gifts and supplies from all parts of the country to the locality.

Vietravel Airlines is a rookie in Vietnam’s aviation industry. It provides air travel services and inbound/outbound tours. Its first charter flight from Hanoi to Phu Quoc island city (Kien Giang province) took off on January 7 and returned on January 10.

Amid difficulties caused by diseases and natural disasters, social and health insurance policies, Vietnam’s major social security policies, have been effectively implemented, said an official at a conference held on January 14.

Vietnam has recently taken various measures to protect citizens abroad, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said at the ministry’s regular meeting on January 14.

The national target programme on electricity supply for rural, mountainous and island areas will reach approximately 871,263 households between 2021 and 2025, as heard at a conference held in Hanoi on January 14 to review its implementation in the past five years.

Aid packages worth 15 billion VND (650,000 USD) will be sent out before the end of January, with 1,000 tonnes of rice being presented to 50,000 poor households in 54 cities and provinces nationwide prior to the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.

Over 31 kg of drugs of various types have been found in multiple parcels sent from abroad by mail and express mail to Ho Chi Minh City, the city’s Customs Department announced on January 13.

Vietnam’s well-known architecture Vo Trong Nghia and his team in VTN Architects have been honoured at the 2020 Design for Asia (DFA) Awards for their project “Stepping Park House” located in Ho Chi Minh City.

The British Council said on January 13 it has launched the GREAT scholarship programme for sustainable development for students from five countries, including Vietnam.

While the lives of people in ethnic minority and mountainous areas have improved over the years, efforts must be made to preserve their unique cultural identities, a top lawmaker has said.

The photo reportage “The entire political system and people join hands in the COVID-19 fight” by a group of photojournalists from the Vietnam News Agency wins the A prize of the fifth National Press Awards on Party building, called “Bua Liem Vang” (Golden Hammer & Sickle). The award ceremony was held in Hanoi on Jan. 13.

The central province of Khanh Hoa has been asked to stay vigilant in COVID-19 prevention and control, especially when the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday is just around the corner.