The year-end conference for reviewing the performance of the central government body in charge of state management on religion 2018 and mapping out its plan of activities was held on January 29.

Authorities say a grenade was thrown into a mosque in the southern Philippines where Muslim teachers were sleeping, killing two and injuring four.

On occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) 2018, a delegation of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs led by Director of Buddhist Affairs Department Bùi Hữu Dược extended Tet visits to religious organizations and dignitaries in two provinces of Gia Lai and Kon Tum on January 24-26.

 A ceremony to plant Neu (a tall bamboo pole with red garment strips used to ward off evil spirits during the lunar New Year) was reenacted at the Hue Imperial Citadel in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue’s Hue City on January 28.

At least 19 people were killed and 48 others wounded in two bomb attacks at a Catholic cathedral in Jolo city, the southern Philippine province of Sulu in the morning of January 27. 

Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Vũ Chiến Thắng hosted a reception for visiting Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Central Executive Council Most Venerable Thích Thanh Nhiễu on January 29.

Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Vũ Chiến Thắng hosted on January 28 a reception for Evans F. David, President of the Asia Area of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints (LDS Church) on occasion of New Year 2019 and Vietnam traditional New Year.

Vice Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs (GCRA) Trần Tấn Hùng led a delegation visiting religious organizations in Ninh Thuan province on January 25 ahead of Lunar New Year (Tet) 2019.

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyễn Đức Chung on January 28 hosted a reception for Evans F.David, President of the Asia Area of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints (LDS Church or Mormon Church). 

Vietnam strongly condemns the terror bomb attacks on a Catholic cathedral in Jolo island city in the southern Philippine province of Sulu on January 27, spokesperson of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Lê Thị Thu Hằng has stated. 

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình visited and presented New Year gifts to Cham ethnic group in Ho Chi Minh City on January 26. 

The International Council for the Day of Vesak (ICDV) and Vietnam Buddhist Sangha held on January 25 the second meeting in the northern province of Ninh Binh for speeding up preparations. 

A delegation from the representative committee of the Caodai Tay Ninh church in Tien Giang province led by Chairman of the committee priest Thái Điều Thanh paid visits on January 24 to provincial authorities in the province ahead of Lunar New Year (Tet) 2019.

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS)’s Executive Committee held on January 22 a meeting to review its performances 2018 and set out working plans for 2019.

Three American citizens of Kenyan descent have been charged with conspiring to support the Islamic State group after an arrest at a Michigan airport foiled their alleged plot, authorities announced Tuesday.