On December 21, at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi, Nguyen Trong Tai officially opened his solo exhibition Reflected light, featuring 29 works created over the past five years. Nguyen Trong Tai has been exploring the ballet theme since his student days. Nguyen Trong Tai’s nude series reveals a discreet, poetic approach. Sharing his thoughts about the exhibition, Nguyen Trong Tai said: “Reflected light is the flash that emerges from fragments - ancient relics that have endured the ravages of time. Born in 1978 in Thai Nguyen, Nguyen Trong Tai graduated from the Hanoi University of Fine Arts (now Vietnam University of Fine Arts) in 2004, majoring in Printmaking.

Image of the foreign woman performing a motorcycle "circus act." On December 21, the Traffic Police Department of Khanh Hoa Province reported that it had forwarded the case of a Russian woman accused of reckless motorbike riding to the provincial Criminal Police Division for further investigation. The incident began circulating online on December 18, when videos emerged showing the woman riding a motorcycle with license plate 79N2-552.54. She said she had performed the stunt - lying on the seat while riding - along various roads in Cam Lam District (formerly part of Khanh Hoa) during January and June of 2025. Believing that the act showed signs of disrupting public order, the traffic police finalized the preliminary case file and handed it over to the Criminal Police Division of Khanh Hoa Province for legal processing under the appropriate statutes.

Photo: Tuoi TreThe HPV vaccine is used to prevent cervical cancer in women and several cancers in men caused by the human papillomavirus. The HPV vaccine is one of four new vaccines scheduled for inclusion in the national immunization program during the 2024-30 period. Public health experts said that many countries have sharply reduced HPV infections and cervical cancer cases through widespread vaccination combined with early screening. In Vietnam, HPV vaccines have been available since before 2010, but the uptake has remained low because the vaccines were offered mainly through private services at a relatively high cost. Health authorities said including the HPV vaccine in the free national program will significantly expand access and help Vietnam move toward eliminating HPV-related diseases, particularly cervical cancer.

People use their mobile phones as they warm themselves by an outdoor fire during cold weather in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi TreRead what is in the news in Vietnam today:Society-- Hanoi traffic police said on Sunday that traffic flow at major intersections improved and congestion eased after seven days of operating an artificial intelligence-powered traffic control network, with AI cameras detecting 1,020 violations, mainly running red lights and riding without helmets. -- Hanoi authorities said the city would stage a 15-minute fireworks display at five locations across the capital from 11:45 pm on December 31 to mark the 2026 New Year, according to VnExpress. -- Vietnam’s state budget revenue reached about VND2.47 quadrillion (US$94 billion) by December 15, exceeding the full-year 2025 target by 25 percent, the Ministry of Finance said. Sciences-- Two species from Vietnam, the sucker-mouthed fish Supradiscus varidiscus and the bee Habropoda pierwolae, were among more than 70 new species identified in 2025 and listed by the American Museum of Natural History.

A developed country is one in which intangible assets and intellectual property account for a large proportion of total national assets. Regarding AI-generated products, the Law affirms that AI is not a subject of intellectual property rights. Intellectual property will be incorporated into general and higher education, while communication and outreach to enterprises and communities will be strengthened. An important content of the Law is to strengthen support for the creation and commercial exploitation of IP rights objects. increasingly account for a large proportion of enterprise value, setting the goal of transforming IP assets into assets that can be valued, bought, sold, and mortgaged shows a new mindset.

Released on December 19, Avatar: Fire and Ash has lived up to its massive expectations, becoming a global box office sensation. Credit: DisneyThe movie has created an unprecedented box office craze and is projected to dominate theaters throughout the 2025 holiday season. Nonetheless, it was enough to push the animated blockbuster past the 200 billion VND (8.3 million USD) milestone in Vietnam. Animated film The King of Kings came in third with 1.5 billion VND (62,000 USD), while Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbor Totoro took fourth with 1.1 billion VND (46,000 USD). Vietnamese film The Hunt for Ambergris rounded out the top five, grossing just over 600 million VND (25,000 USD) in three days.

Vietnam is among Southeast Asia's most active social media populations, with its youth spending hours scrolling every day. A 2025 study found that 73.7 percent of Vietnamese youths are active users, and among university students, usage is almost absolute. Social media is not just present in student life but rather folds itself into the rhythm of it. First-year university students, however, sit in the gap between protection and independence, which is why they require more urgent attention. A recent case study describes media literacy as the ability to judge accuracy, spot bias, and understand how the media shape society.

For over four decades, a hidden noodle stall run by Chung Thi Thao in Can Tho has drawn crowds with its unwavering dedication to a single pot of broth each day. The nameless noodle stall run by Thao is always packed. Locals fondly refer to the stall by several names - “Bun Mam 57,” “Bun Mam Cho Sat,” or most affectionately, “Bun Mam Co Lun,” a nickname inspired by the petite stature of its owner. Back then, her mother sold an assortment of dishes: chao long (pork offal porridge), bun rieu (crab noodle soup), bun mam (fermented fish noodle soup), and banh tam (thick rice noodles with coconut sauce). Thao revealed that she always sources fermented fish (mam ca) from a trusted vendor she’s relied on for years.

Earlier, in October, another student from the school, Nguyen Kieu Anh (class 12A1), also attained the same perfect score. Four students from FLSS earned perfect SAT scores of 1600. From right to left: Nguyen Minh Thu (12A3), Pham The Tuan (12A1), Ha Bao Tran (12A6), Nguyen Kieu Anh (12A1). Photo: Provided by schoolThis means that within a single semester, FLSS has produced four students with perfect SAT scores. She was accepted into the English-specialized programs of three top schools: FLSS, Hanoi University of Education High School for Gifted Students, and Chu Van An High School.

A sign bearing the university’s name is seen at the entrance of the National Economics University in Hanoi, Vietnam. Under the proposal, university names must accurately reflect an institution’s legal form, training level and accreditation, and must not imply government affiliation, national status or superior ranking without authorization. The ministry said universities would be barred from using words or phrases that suggest national or special status, including Vietnamese and English terms such as ‘quoc gia,’ ‘quoc te,’ ‘International,’ ‘National,’ ‘State,’ ‘Vietnam,’ and ‘Ho Chi Minh,’ unless approved by competent authorities. The proposal also seeks to curb misleading branding practices, including the use of foreign-language names or marketing that could cause students to confuse vocational colleges with universities or academies. The ministry cited cases in which institutions’ Vietnamese and English names differed significantly, or marketing materials used titles suggesting university or academy status despite being licensed only as vocational colleges, prompting confusion among students and parents.

Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports Atthakorn Sirilatthayakorn speaks during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, December 20, 2025. Members of Vietnam’s sports delegation parade on the field during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, December 20, 2025. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi TreAthletes from participating nations parade alongside mascots during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, December 20, 2025. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi TrePerformers take part in an artistic segment titled ‘The Sound of the Whistle’ during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, December 20, 2025. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

Since the Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien Metro Line officially began operation at the end of last year, Ho Chi Minh City’s housing market has undergone a remarkable transformation. Condo values nearly double along metro routeApartment prices near Metro Line 1 stations have surged rapidly since the route became operational. Photo: Thuy ChiEven before trains started running, the anticipation surrounding Metro Line 1 had already fueled an upward trend in apartment prices. Over the past three years, several housing projects recorded price hikes ranging from 30% to 50%, with some units nearly doubling in value. From USD 210,000 to nearly USD 380,000 in five yearsMany residential projects close to Metro Line 1 have doubled in value since their initial launch.

Two young concertgoers take a wefie at the 10-hour Y-Concert, which organizers billed as the largest music event ever staged in Vietnam, in Hung Yen Province, northern Vietnam, December 20, 2025. Travel-- Vietnam on Saturday launched Visit Vietnam, a national tourism data platform aimed at providing unified data infrastructure for regulators, businesses, and travelers, organizers said. -- Vietnam’s Hue City welcomed an estimated 6.3 million visitors and generated more than VND13 trillion (US$494 million) in tourism revenue in 2025, local authorities said at the closing ceremony of the National Tourism Year on Saturday night. SEA Games-- The 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games closed on Saturday night at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium with a brief ceremony, during which the SEA Games flag was handed over to Malaysia, host of the next edition. Thailand finished top of the medal table with a record 233 gold medals, followed by Indonesia with 91 and Vietnam with 87.

The US government’s countervailing tariffs on Vietnamese wood products have posed significant challenges for exporters. Yet, Vietnam’s wood industry is demonstrating notable resilience, with businesses actively adapting and charting new directions. Data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade shows that wood and wood products alone account for about $15.5 billion, reaffirming Vietnam’s lead in Southeast Asia and its position as Asia’s second-largest wood exporter. From zero to $400 million in four yearsA standout example is Huynh Le Dai Thang, Director of Nghia Son Wood Company. Currently, only about 10–15% of Vietnamese wood businesses have the capacity to develop their own designs.

According to the nomination dossier, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao is the individual proposed to receive this prestigious national title. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao. 477 to the Prime Minister, recommending that the President confer the title of Hero of Labor on Thao under his designated authority. The collected feedback will serve as the basis for the Central Emulation and Commendation Council to review and decide. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao is widely regarded as one of Vietnam’s most prominent business leaders, recognized for her significant contributions to private sector development and the aviation industry.