The UN has congratulated Vietnam on the progress of the LGBT rights movement in the Southeast Asian nation.

'This is vital in order to be better understood, to reduce social prejudice and stigma based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and to contribute to development of relevant legislation to ensure the rights of the community are protected,' said Pratibha Mehta, the UN's resident co-ordinator in Vietnam, Vietnamnet reports.

Transgender Vietnam Idol finalist Huong Giang is the latest celebrity to wear a dress made of 2,000 condoms for a safe sex campaign.

Giang told Tuoitre News Vietnam she is happy for her name to be associated with condom-use and wants to send the public, particularly young people, a message about safe sex.

A Swedish international human rights organization has approved a grant for a Pride celebration in Vietnam this year.

Civil Rights Defenders has given Viet Pride $6,000 (US dollar, €4,700) that will be spent on a campaign against discrimination towards LGBT people in employment and the second Viet Pride bicycle rally.

The appeals court of the supreme court of Vietnam ruled on Friday that two young men who conspired to rob and murder a gay man in April should not have their sentences reduced.

Luu Phuong Dong, 20, and Nguyen Quoc Thai, 22, both natives of Long An Province murdered Trieu Chi Tam, 30, of Tien Giang province, in order to steal his motor scooter and other valuables to solve their money problems.

Vietnam's Ministry of Justice has ordered the local government in Binh Phuoc province to halt their decision to reverse their recognition of intersex teacher Pham Le Quynh Tram's gender.

The halt was demanded while the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health wait for Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's decision on the matter, Tuoitre News reports.

An intersex woman in Vietnam who successfully lobbied authorities to change her legally recognized gender from male to female in 2009, is 'deeply shocked' over an announcement last week that the decision will be revoked.

A photography exhibition celebrating same-sex love has attracted thousands of visitors in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The exhibition entitled Open - Equal - Love features work by Vietnamese photographer Maika Elan (see some of her photographs on a New York Times blog) and was organized by Vietnamese LGBT rights campaigners Institute of Society, Economy and Environment (iSEE).

Two men have been arrested for the murder of a gay man in Vietnam who was reportedly killed and chopped into pieces.

According to the country's Tuổi Trẻ newspaper, 23-year-old Tran Tu Dien, of Bac Lieu province, and Ngo Van Tam, 20, of Tra Vinh province, were arrested by police in southern Dong Nai province yesterday (26 December).

A survey released last week shows that public support could be a obstacle to government interest in legalizing same sex marriage in Vietnam.

The survey by Vietnamese social research group and rights advocates Institute of Studies of Society, Economy and Environment (iSEE) showed that only 37% of those interviewed support same-sex marriage and 58% actively oppose it.

Eight hundred people gathered in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Sunday to celebrate diversity of sexualities.

The event, which carried the slogan ‘Open your heart - embrace diversity’ was organized by Vietnamese LGBT rights group ICS (Information, Connecting and Sharing).

The three-hour event feature cheerful activities like games, singing and performances. It culminated with a mass dance to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way and PSY’s Gangnam Style.

ICS gave out souvenir badges that read ‘I love him’, ‘I love her’ or ‘I love diversity’.

The budding gay rights movement in Vietnam celebrated Spirt Day on Friday with activists wearing purple to protest homophobic bullying of young people.

Dozens gathered in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang and the organizers, LGBT rights group ICS (Information, Connecting and Sharing), also spread the anti-bullying message through Facebook.

Research by Vietnam’s Institute for Studies of Society, Economy and Environment (iSEE) in 2008 showed that 15% of LGBT people interviewed were beaten, locked-up or taken to a psychiatric hospital by their family.

Russia has won a vote in the United Nations today which promotes 'traditional values' above lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and women's rights.

In the resolution references to sexual orientation and transgender protection are actually removed from what is included in human rights.

Activists have said it makes demands for the UN to vote to decriminalize gay sex worldwide even more urgent.