While many people are choosing ornaments for Christmas trees and gifts for relatives and friends, their children have only one thing in mind: Santa Claus and the gifts he will bring.

Oscar winner and one of France's most recognised actresses, Juliette Binoche, will head the jury of next year's Berlin film festival, organisers said on Tuesday.

A viral video showing a gigantic python wrapping itself around an Indonesian villager has secured more than a million views, after locals wrestled with the serpent before successfully caging it.

The German Christmas Market will be held for the second time at Cửa Bắc Church, offering handicraft gifts and musical performances to local people from December 13-15.

Jurors of the "Khoảnh Khắc Vàng" (Gold Moment) photo contest will begin the process of choosing the best pictures from thousands of entries next week. It is the fifth time Vietnam News Agency has held the press photo contest for professional and amateur photographers from around the country and overseas.

As the year-end approaches, the spirit of Christmas can be seen across cities in Asia with stores putting up decorations, streets illuminated with colourful lights, people shopping for presents and Christmas songs hanging in the air.

Three acrobatic performances by the Việt Nam Circus Federation, Việt Nam Circus and Variety Training School and Phương Nam Art Troupe won first prizes at the National Circus Talents Contest held in Hà Nội between December 4 and 10.

The national costume representing Bánh Mì or Vietnamese Bread, worn by H’Hen Niê – the Vietnamese representative in Miss Universe 2018 – was one of the top four outfits with the most compelling back stories, as revealed by the official fanpage of this year’s beauty pageant right before the national costume round.

An oil-on-canvas painting by HCM City–based designer Tia-Thủy Nguyễn has sold for US$100,000 in an online auction by Sotheby’s.