As many as 1,414,228 Vietnamese children have now been vaccinated against COVID-19, accounting for 15.5% of the total number of children aged 12 to 17, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).

Vietnam has planned to carry out a mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign for children in December.
The vaccinated children are living in 16 cities and provinces nationwide, including big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, said the MoH, adding the vaccination campaign will be continued in other localities such as Long An, Binh Phuoc, Quang Ngai, and Khanh Hoa in the coming days.

The MoH has approved the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for use in children aged 12 to 17 in Vietnam. Priority will be given to children aged 16-17 and those living in high-risk areas and areas with a high-population density. Children in other age groups will be inoculated later as soon as the vaccines are available.

Dr. Duong Thi Hong, deputy director of the National Institute of Hygiene Epidemiology, said the campaign will be piloted in several localities in November and be expanded nationwide in December.

The MoH has conducted training for all 63 cities and provinces to carry out the vaccination campaign for children.

Dr. Tran Minh DIen, director of National Children’s Hospital, said his hospital and other children’s hospitals are ready to offer assistance to hospitals and community vaccination sites to accomplish their mission.

Vietnamese students win ASEAN Student Contest on Information and Technology

A student team from the University of Technology won the first prize in the 2021 ASEAN Student Contest on Information Security on Saturday (November 13).

Pawsitive, the team from the University of Technology under the Hanoi National University triumphed in the final round of the contest after eight hours of competition. The team defeated 17 teams from Việt Nam and ASEAN member states on how to mount cyber-attacks against their opponents and to defend their own computer networks.

The winning team received vouchers worth US$1,000 to participate in high-quality information security exams and courses awarded by EC-Council, a world-renowned information security training organisation.

This is the second time Vietnamese teams have won the contest. Last year, the student team from the University of Natural Science under the Vietnam National University won first prize.

The competition consisted of three rounds taking place from September to November. After the preliminary round, 17 out of 73 teams were selected for the final round, including ten from Việt Nam and seven from other ASEAN countries, including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Singapore and Thailand.

The competition was organised by the Vietnam Information Security Association (VNISA) in collaboration with the Information Technology Department under the Ministry of Education and Training and the Information Security Department under the Ministry of Information and Communications.

The contest has been held annually in Việt Nam for the last 13 years, and this is the third year it was held among ASEAN nations.

It encourages students to study and cultivate practical and team-working skills. It also aims at fostering cultural and academic exchanges among information security students in ASEAN. 

Emergency flight carries patient from Song Tu Tay island to mainland for timely treatment

The Army Corps 18 under the Ministry of National Defence has safely operated an emergency flight to carry a patient from Song Tu Tay island of Truong Sa (Spatly) archipelago to the mainland for timely treatment.

The patient is a 47-year-old fisherman suffering from severe tetanus in the lower leg and need emergency aid.

Receiving the permission from the Ministry of National Defence, the Army Corp 18 coordinated with relevant agencies to send an EC – 225 helicopter to the island to collect the patient. It landed in Tan Son Nhat International Airport on 6:25 on November 15, bringing the patient to Military Hospital 175 in a timely manner.

The flight was operated in bad weather conditions amid COVID-19 pandemic. However, thanks to careful preparations, high determination of crew members and close coordination with the Military Hospital 175, the patient had been taken to hospital on time for treatment./.

Vietnam resolve to earn points in World Cup qualification

Vietnam’s national football team have lost all five opening matches of the third qualifying round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and they have maintained their target of winning points in the remaining five matches, starting with the clash with Saudi Arabia in Hanoi on November 16.

Just after their 0-1 defeat to Japan on November 11, Vietnamese footballers gathered together in Hanoi for training to pursue their quest.

Head coach Park Hang-seo stated that the Vietnamese team will not give up their hope under any circumstances.  

The Korean coach has made changes to the squad, with newcomer Quan Van Chuan replacing injured goalkeeper Nguyen Van Toan and striker Ho Thanh Minh returning to the Vietnamese U22 squad.

The November 16 clash with Saudi Arabia would be considered a big test for Park after Vietnam’s losing streak in the previous five matches.

In their first leg match on September 3, Vietnam took the lead but were finally outperformed by powerhouses Saudi Arabia that now top Group B with 13 points after four wins and one draw.

Vietnam play in Group B alongside Saudi Arabia, Japan, Australia, Oman and China. Many commentators admit that there is a widening gap between Vietnam and their opponents, and it is difficult for Vietnam to earn points.

To bridge the gap the Vietnam Football Federation has no choice but to develop a long-term strategy to train talented young footballers, they said.

Greek tragedy “Antigone” recreated by Vietnamese director

The launch of the play “Antigone” by Director Tran Luc on November 14 marked the start of a theater project by Goethe Institut in collaboration with Hanoi-based Youth Theatre of Vietnam running from late 2021 to early 2022.

“Antigone” was written by Sophokles, one of the ancient Greek playwrights. For two and a half thousand years, the play has inspired the creative world and challenged to reflect on human nature and our place in society. The project engages several well-known theatre directors in Vietnam.

Antigone by Sophocles is little known in Vietnam. It is said to be very similar to “Kieu”, the main character of Vietnam’s classic verse novel “The tale of Kieu” by Nguyen Du. Like Kieu, Antigone came from a good family, made a moral decision for moral reasons and was consequently at the mercy of power structures and violence in her environment.

It is also about loyalty to the family and the state, about human dignity and social cohesion, about the course of history and the importance of the individual in society.

Recreated by Director Tran Luc with Vietnam’s traditional theatre techniques, the play has been more closely related to Vietnamese audience and able to touch their hearts./.

Local beauty makes top three in Miss Grand International fan poll

Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, the Vietnamese representative at Miss Grand International 2021, is among the pageant’s top three contestants following a vote held on the competition’s official fan page.

Tien climbed from fourth spot to second place in the list with 164,000 likes and 1.2 million shares, according to the ongoing vote.

Elsewhere, the entrant from Cambodia temporarily took the lead with more than 166,000 likes and 1.5 million shares.

The competition’s organising board stated that fans are able to continue voting for their favourite contestants until November 16 in order to select the leading five candidates.

The vote is held annually as a warm-up event before the pageant officially starts.

Previously the Vietnamese representative had been tipped as the first runner-up of Miss Grand International 2021 by the official fan page of Beauty Pageants Center.

Meanwhile, Spanish beauty website Missologo Hispano also selected Thuy Tien among its top 10 hot picks for entrants competing in the global beauty pageant.

Miss Grand International is one of the six major global beauty contests which is held annually, alongside Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss Earth, and Miss Supranational.

This year’s final night is scheduled to take place in Thailand on December 4.

Job opportunities introduced to pandemic-affected labourers in HCM City

Ho Chi Minh City's Youth Employment Services (YES) Centre and the Federations of Labour of the city and Go Vap district held an event on November 14 to introduce employment opportunities to labourers who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to YES Centre Director Nguyen Van Sang, this was a good opportunity for workers to directly meet businesses and training establishments, and choose suitable jobs. On the contrary, enterprises and recruitment units have the opportunity to recruit and directly interview workers who were finding jobs, and recruit skilled workers for their production and business.

YES Centre also introduced the ongoing programme dubbed “Zero-dong hostel – free quick test – get a job immediately” which will last until November 30. The programme is offering 60 free-of-charge rooms, and nearly 200 rooms with prices discounted from 30- 50 percent.

Over 300 surveyed enterprises said that they need over 50,000 workers in various fields, in which the business, trade and service sectors account for 42 percent, Sang added.

At the event, many businesses and employers offer a monthly salary of 6 million VND (265 USD) or more along with several allowances and welfare commitments related to health insurance, accident insurance, and social insurance.

On this occasion, the Federation of Labour of Go Vap district also presented gifts to disadvantaged labourers who lost their jobs due to the pandemic./.

Over 1.4 million children receive COVID-19 vaccine in Vietnam

As many as 1,414,228 Vietnamese children have now been vaccinated against COVID-19, accounting for 15.5% of the total number of children aged 12 to 17, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).

The vaccinated children are living in 16 cities and provinces nationwide, including big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, said the MoH, adding the vaccination campaign will be continued in other localities such as Long An, Binh Phuoc, Quang Ngai, and Khanh Hoa in the coming days.

The MoH has approved the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for use in children aged 12 to 17 in Vietnam. Priority will be given to children aged 16-17 and those living in high-risk areas and areas with a high-population density. Children in other age groups will be inoculated later as soon as the vaccines are available.

Dr. Duong Thi Hong, deputy director of the National Institute of Hygiene Epidemiology, said the campaign will be piloted in several localities in November and be expanded nationwide in December.

The MoH has conducted training for all 63 cities and provinces to carry out the vaccination campaign for children.

Dr. Tran Minh DIen, director of National Children’s Hospital, said his hospital and other children’s hospitals are ready to offer assistance to hospitals and community vaccination sites to accomplish their mission.

Anti-corruption press works honoured

Outstanding press works in anti-corruption and their authors have been honoured at an award presentation ceremony of the third National Press Awards on the prevention and control of corruption and negative phenomena in Hanoi on November 13.

Prominent among guests at the event were Politburo member and standing member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat Vo Van Thuong; head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Internal Affairs Phan Dinh Trac; Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court Nguyen Hoa Binh; President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Do Van Chien who is also deputy head of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption; and head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia.

The organisation of the awards aims to promote social supervision and criticism of the VFF and socio-political organisations as well as the role of the people and the mass media in fighting corruption and wastefulness.

This year, the organising board received 1,181 works in various media forms from 100 central and local media agencies.

The jury presented one special prize, along with four A, 10 B, 12 C and 18 consolidate prizes to 45 works.

The special prize came to a three-episode documentary entitled “internal enemies” by a group of reporters from Vietnam Television’s Channel 1 (VTV1).

Addressing the event, President of the VFF Central Committee Do Van Chien highlighted the contributions of the press and revolutionary journalists to corruption prevention and control work./.

Cho Ray Hospital wins International Hospital Federation’s awards

Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City has won the International Hospital Federation (IHF)'s “Excellence Award for Leadership and Management of American College of Healthcare Executives” and “Austco Excellence Award for Quality and Patient Safety”.

The IHF has announced the winners of the IHF Awards 2021 on the sidelines of the 44th World Hospital Congress (WHC) in Barcelona, Spain.

The “Excellence Award for Leadership and Management of American College of Healthcare Executives” is reserved for excellence or outstanding achievements in strong leadership and management in leading a hospital or a health service provider.

Meanwhile, the “Austco Excellence Award for Quality and Patient Safety” recognises excellence or outstanding achievements in promoting quality and patient safety.

The award committee selected the winners for the six categories from 250 entries submitted from different countries and territories. Winners were chosen based on criteria such as originality and innovation, intended impact, adaptability and scalability, scientific rigour, and clarity.

Gold award winners will be invited to present their winning programmes and projects in a special parallel session at the WHC, as well as appearing in the event-affiliated online brochure. Silver, bronze and honourable mentions will also be able to display posters at the WHC exhibition.

Entries for the 2022 IHF awards are scheduled to open in March 2022 and will be awarded at the next WHC in Dubai./.

Hanoi offers free emission evaluation on old motorbikes

Owners of motorbikes in Hanoi can get free emission evaluation on their vehicles until November 30 as part of the city's scheme to assess the emission levels of operating vehicles so as to apply solutions to improve air quality.

The scheme, starting on November 12, includes major activities such as checking emission, receiving abandoned vehicles, supporting the exchange for new motorbikes, and making a survey on impacts of the emission evaluation policy.

Owners of motorbikes that were registered for the first time before 2002 and belong to five brands of Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Piaggio, and SYM, can bring their motorbikes to eight evaluation stations in Hoan Kiem, Hai Ba Trung, Dong Da, Cau Giay, Thanh Xuan và Ha Dong districts.

If their motorbikes meet a number of requirements, including registration in Hanoi and have full parts, they will receive support of up to 4 million VND to buy to a new vehicle.

Owners of motorbikes registered before 2017 will receive free oil cans, while those that do not satisfy emission standards will receive maintenance coupons with a value of 200,000 VND at maximum./.

Domestic tourists to Phu Quoc on the rise

The number of domestic tourists to Phu Quoc island city of the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has been rising. Local authorities said the increase is attributed to the province’s eased COVID-19 control measures.
 
Specifically, visitors need to be fully vaccinated for at least 14 days or recover from COVID-19 within six months, and are not required to test for COVID-19.

From the outset of this month, the island welcomes up to eight flights per day from the major cities of Hanoi, HCM City and Da Nang, with a toal of about 2,000 passengers. Similarly, they are only asked to make medical declaration and show vaccination/recovery certificates prior to boarding the plane.

To ensure safety, all vehicles are operated at half capacity and passengers must follow the Ministry of Health’s 5K message.

In regards to a roadmap on receiving international tourists, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant agencies are to work with Kien Giang and Phu Quoc authorities on a six-month pilot programme to apply the ‘vaccine passport’, and inspect eligible accommodation and recreation establishments./. 

Vietnam records 8,176 new COVID-19 cases on November 14

Vietnam logged 8,176 new COVID-19 cases in 52 localities during 24 hours as of 4pm on November 14, including 13 imported ones, according to the Ministry of Health.

Ho Chi Minh City continued to record the highest number of infections with 985, followed by An Giang (695), Dong Nai (674) and Binh Duong (623).

The national tally reached 1,026,522.

According to the Ministry of Health’s report, 3,947 patients nationwide are in serious conditions, with 333 requiring invasive ventilation and 13 on life support (ECMO).

On the day, the country saw 64 deaths from the disease. The death toll now hits 23,082, accounting for 2.2 percent of total cases.

A further 5,275 patients were given the all-clear, taking the total number of recoveries to 863,311.

By November 13, the country had injected over 98.9 million doses of vaccines to date, with more than 34.6 million people now fully inoculated./.

Vaccination, 5K message key to protect pandemic fight outcomes: Health Minister

As COVID-19 may continue to develop complicatedly until the end of 2022, the speeding up of vaccination and implementation of 5K message are the best way to protect the outcomes of the pandemic fight in the country, according to Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long.

Statistics from the Ministry of Health show that as of November 14, Vietnam recorded over 1.018 million COVID-19 infections, including 1.013 cases seen in the fourth wave from April 27, with 855,237 recoveries. Highest case numbers were recorded in Ho Chi Minh City (446,443 cases), Binh Duong (242,874), Dong Nai (77,399) Long An (36,441) and Tien Giang (20,506).

The capital city of Hanoi reported 5,777 cases since April 29, including 2,202 ones found in the community.

Minister Long said that the forecast of the pandemic developments is difficult due to the emergence of new variants of the virus and complicated developments of the unprecedented pandemic. So far, no long-term predictions have been given in the world, he said, adding that the World Health Organisation forecast that it may not end in 2022 and prolong to 2023, becoming a normal flu.

The official said that the ministry has asked localities to remain vigilant against the pandemic and increase COVID-19 vaccine coverage.

He stressed the need for all people to strictly implement the Health Ministry’s 5K message, which, together with the COVID-19 vaccination, helps reduce the number of infections and deaths.

As of November 13, nearly 98 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered. Localities with the highest vaccination rate are Ca Mau, Hai Duong, Thai Binh, Bac Giang, Ha Tinh, Kon Tum Son La, Quang Ninh and Khanh Hoa.

Meanwhile, the lowest rate was seen in Can Tho, Bac Kan, Kien Giang Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Quang Ninh, Vinh Long, Binh Duong, Hung Yen and Tra Vinh.

At the same time, 16 cities and provinces have started injected COVID-19 vaccines into children aged from 12-17 years old, including Ninh Binh, Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Dien Bien, Da Nang, HCM City, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Soc Trang, An Giang, Vinh Long, Binh Duong, Kien Giang, Ca Mau, and Hau Giang, with over 1.38 million doses.

The scheme will be implemented in Hanoi from the fourth quarter this year to the first quarter of 2022.

On the national scale, 86.3 percent of adults have received the first shots, while 45.5 percent have been fully vaccinated.

In the recent National Assembly session, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said that the Government has issued a resolution on pandemic fight and a master strategy in responding to COVID-19 in the next two years, underlining that speeding up vaccination is an urgent task.

Thanks to efforts of the whole system, currently, Vietnam has had enough vaccines. In order to give full two shots to all people aged from 18 years old, the northern region needs 23 million doses, which will be allocated until the end of November, while the central region needs 5 million doses, the southern localities 4 million doses and the Central Highlands 2.5 million doses.

However, he pointed out that millions of people are still facing the risk of COVID-19 infection, stressing the need for all people to wear masks in public places and strictly implement the 5K message.

He also underscored the necessity to ensure close health supervision during vaccination and the preparation of COVID-19 treatment medicine as well as home treatment for COVID-19 patients./.

Party leader joins great unity festival in Hanoi's Yen So commune

General Secretary of the Party Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong on November 14 participated in the National Great Unity Festival at Village 5 of Yen So commune in Hanoi's outlying district of Hoai Duc.

The event also drew Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Do Van Chien, head of the Party Central Committee’s Office Le Minh Hung, Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung and member of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Chu Ngoc Anh, among others.

Addressing the festival, Party leader Trong expressed his delight to join locals in the festival, which aims to build, reinforce and develop the people's right to mastery and enhance the strength of the great national unity bloc as well as enhance the role of the VFF in the new period.

He underlined that this year, the festival carries a special meaning when the whole Party, people and military are joining hands in pushing back COVID-19 and implementing the resolutions of the 13th National Party Congress and Party congresses at all levels.

He lauded the achievements that the Party Organisation, administration and locals of Yen So commune have made so far, making it one of the 50 outstanding new-style rural areas of the city and among 27 best communes nationwide in the field. Last year, Yen So was recognised as an advanced new-style rural area, he noted, adding that in the first nine months of this year, the locality’s total income is estimated at over 500 billion VND (over 22 million USD), while annual per capita income of locals 68 million VND (3,000 USD) in 2021, higher than the average level of Hanoi.

Meanwhile, 95.3 percent of local households have become cultural families, and all of the nine villages have received the title of “Cultural village”. The commune has no poor households.

The Party leader showed his pleasure at the high spirit of mutual support and solidarity of local residents in Village 5 in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control.

He asked local authorities to continue promoting the achievements, while exerting efforts to speed up the implementation of the resolutions of the 13th National Party Congress and Party congresses at all levels, encouraging local residents to strengthen solidarity and complete all local socio-economic and socio-cultural targets.

He also reminded the commune to mobilise resources to support pandemic-hit people and work together to overcome difficulties caused by COVID-19.

Earlier, the Party chief and delegates offered incense at Phap Vu Pagoda and planted trees at Yen So commune's cultural house.

On the occasion, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung, President of the of the VFF Central Committee Do Van Chien and head of the Party Central Committee’s Office Le Minh Hung presented gifts to Yen So commune, and 11 outstanding families and 10 poor households hit by COVID-19./.

Teachers carry out honorable and proud mission: PM

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on November 14 had a meeting with representatives of outstanding teachers and education managers on the occasion of Vietnam Teachers' Day (November 20), during which he affirmed that teachers are carrying out a honorable and proud mission.

Addressing the event, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said that for nearly two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected all socio-economic fields, including education and training.

According to the minister, nearly 20 million students, and more than 1 million teachers and lecturers across the country have not been able to go to school for a long time. Thousands of teachers working in non-public schools live without wage and their life is very difficult.

However, all employees, teachers and managers of the sector have worked to overcome difficulties and promote creativity to effectively respond to the pandemic and ensure the transmission of knowledge to students, he said.

Besides touching stories about difficulties of teachers and students in remote areas amid the complicated developments of the pandemic, participating teachers expressed their honour, pride and happiness to be "soul engineers".

They expressed their determination to continue to devote themselves to the cause of education and training, all for the sake of dear students.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh extended his sincere thanks to generations of teachers across the country, affirming that the Party and State always consider education as the top national policy.

The State has spent a lot of resources and investment on education development, he said. He noted that policies have focused on comprehensive reform of education, in which attention is being paid to developing the contingent of teachers, especially those in remote, border and island areas.

Although the education and training sector is still facing many obstacles, it has made great contributions to fostering the personality and morality of the young generation, improving people's knowledge and training human resources, thus importantly contributing to the country’s socio-economic development, he stressed.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, PM Chinh praised teachers across the country for their efforts and achievements to overcome difficulties amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Teachers and the education and training sector have turned risks and challenges into opportunities and motivation for educational innovations," he stressed.

According to the Prime Minister, Vietnam is now drastically implementing solutions to radically and comprehensively innovate education and training in order to improve the quality of education at all levels with the motto of taking students as the centre and focusing on developing their personality, morality and creativity.

In the context of the pandemic, the Government is and will soon solve immediate problems to create conditions for the education and training sector to adapt safely and effectively to COVID-19.

In particular, the Government continues to ask relevant ministries and sectors to review support policies for teachers, especially those working at preschools and non-public education establishments, the PM affirmed.  

The Government leader called on all sectors and everyone to join hands with the education and training sector and teachers in the cause of education and training./.

Food creations by Michelin chef presented in Korean culinary event

Food creations by Australian Michelin-star chef Joseph Lidgerwood will headline a culinary event that begins today (November 15) at the historical Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi.

The two-week event – a celebration of modern Korean gastronomy – will feature extraordinary dishes created by chef Lidgerwood, an Australian native living in Seoul whose fascination with local Korean ingredients serves as the main inspiration behind the creative offerings at his 1-Michelin star Evett restaurant. The winner of the Michelin Young Chef Award 2021 always pushes boundaries transforming local ingredients.

During the special Korean culinary event, which is in its second year, his food creations will be featured as à la carte dishes at the Metropole Hanoi’s Le Club Bar, in addition to bar bites and cocktails at Angelina – the hotel’s cocktail bar, whisky lounge and restaurant.

A food creation by chef Joseph Lidgerwood at his Seoul-based restaurant Evett. — Photo courtesy of Evett
The culinary event will begin with a private lunch at La Veranda, showcasing canapés and two live cooking stations featuring Korean dishes.

The dishes on chef Lidgerwood’s special à la carte menu are inspired by popular Korean folktales. These include ‘Liver Parfait with Assorted Namul Muchim’, a foie gras parfait inspired by the tale of a smart rabbit that makes use of a variety of mountain herbs found in Korea. 

The ‘Stuffed Persimmon with Creamy Halibut Tartar and Citrus’ is inspired by the humourous folktale known as the Tiger and Persimmon.

Drawing from the Fairy and the Woodsman, the ‘Velvety Lobster on Gondrae Jook and Paprika Leathers’ features lobster brushed with seaweed butter, congee and paprika leathers.

Inspired by the same story, ‘Gochujang Glazed Wagyu Beef and Paprika Crisps’ features a dish covered in fallen “autumn leaves” of sweet potato and paprika crisps atop Wagyu beef glazed with gochujang sauce on a bed of sweet potato mash.

Chef Lidgerwood is the chef-owner of the restaurant Evett in the South Korean capital, which showcases a tasting menu based on Korean ingredients and traditional food, taking a fresh perspective, with ideas and techniques gathered from around the world.

Due to ongoing travel restrictions, chef Lidgerwood is unable to personally join the event, but Metropole Executive Sous Chef Thiện Nguyễn and Korean culinary guide So Yeon Kim will present the food according to chef Lidgerwood's exclusive recipe and procedures. 

NA leader attends great unity festival in Hanoi’s Quan Thanh ward

Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on November 13 joined the National Great Unity Festival at the residential area No.6 in Quan Thanh ward of Hanoi's Ba Dinh district.

At the event, the top legislator listened to the local authorities’ reports on the outcomes of new-style rural area and civilised urban area building and the ward Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee's performance in implementing support policies for COVID-19-hit people and promote solidarity and democracy among local residents.

On the occasion, NA Chairman Hue and Standing Vice Chairman Tran Thanh Man presented gifts to the ward VFF Committee, War Veterans’ Association and some local families with outstanding contributions to the development of the community in the area. Meanwhile, Minister of Public Security To Lam also presented 10 wheelchairs, two computers and medical equipment to Quan Thanh ward.

Addressing the event, NA Standing Vice Chairman Man noted that National Great Unity Festival is an annual event held across the country to mark the traditional day of the VFF (November 18).

He extended congratulations and best wishes to local residents.

Man underlined that despite difficulties due to COVID-19, with the joint efforts of the Government and people, positive results were seen in the socio-economic situation in the past 10 months, including credit growth of 7.67 percent, State budget collection reaching nearly 90 percent of the estimate, and total import-export revenue hitting 539 billion USD, up 22.5 percent year on year.

At the same time, social welfare, security and defence were ensured, corruption combat was strengthened and external relations were expanded, he said.

Man lauded Quan Thanh ward’s performance in all fields with improved locals’ living conditions and increasing trust in the Party and State.

Amid the difficulties brought about by COVID-19, which has resulted in a drop of 15.7 percent in the number of newly-established firms and 96.7 percent in the number of foreign visitors, Man expressed his hope that the VFF Committees at all levels in Hanoi will continue to effectively implement the Resolutions of the Party and the Politburo’s Directive No. 05 on strengthening the studying and following of President Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality and lifestyle.

He stressed the need for Hanoi and localities across the capital city to build plans and roadmaps to safely and effectively adapt to COVID-19 in line with speeding up socio-economic recovery, while strengthening social consensus to overcome all difficulties and challenges to make the city more civilised and modern./.

Ha Tinh man gives rare turtles to national park

A man in Ha Tinh Province has bought 44 rare turtles and then given them to the Vu Quang National Park for protection.

According to the Vu Quang National Park, they received 44 rare turtles given by Pham Viet Thang on the evening of November 14 in which 41 turtles lie in the Red Book of Vietnam and the World.

Thang said that he bought the animals from different areas during his business trips. He then contacted the national park to ask for their help to release them into the wild.

"The animals are now not in good health so we need to take care of them first," the park said. "We’ll release them when their conditions ensure they will survive in the wild."

Online contest raises youths’ awareness of traffic safety

An online contest aiming to raise awareness of traffic safety amongst youths was launched on November 15.

The event was jointly organised by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, the National Traffic Safety Committee and the Vietnam Youth Federation Central Committee together with Honda Vietnam.

It aims to devise innovative solutions to ensure traffic safety in a bid to reduce the number of accidents, fatalities and injured people.

Vietnamese citizens aged between 16 and 30 are eligible to join the contest, which covers the Law on Road Traffic as well as activities and solutions of youth organisations to maintain traffic safety.

The contest’s preliminary will take place virtually in four weeks from November 15. Multiple-choice questions can be found at the website thanhnienvoivanhoagiaothong.vn.

Each contestant has five attempts per week to take part in the contest. The top 15 with the highest scores taken in the shortest time will advance to the final round scheduled to be held online on December 23.

The winner will walk home with a prize worth 10 million VND (440 USD) and a Honda Wave Alpha motorbike, while the runner-up is to receive 5 million VND and a laptop.

A special prize of 20 million VND will be presented to the locality having the largest number of participants./.

Hanoi offers free emission evaluation on old motorbikes

Owners of motorbikes in Hanoi can get free emission evaluation on their vehicles until November 30 as part of the city's scheme to assess the emission levels of operating vehicles so as to apply solutions to improve air quality.

The scheme, starting on November 12, includes major activities such as checking emission, receiving abandoned vehicles, supporting the exchange for new motorbikes, and making a survey on impacts of the emission evaluation policy.

Owners of motorbikes that were registered for the first time before 2002 and belong to five brands of Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Piaggio, and SYM, can bring their motorbikes to eight evaluation stations in Hoan Kiem, Hai Ba Trung, Dong Da, Cau Giay, Thanh Xuan và Ha Dong districts.

If their motorbikes meet a number of requirements, including registration in Hanoi and have full parts, they will receive support of up to 4 million VND to buy to a new vehicle.

Owners of motorbikes registered before 2017 will receive free oil cans, while those that do not satisfy emission standards will receive maintenance coupons with a value of 200,000 VND at maximum./.

Tuong artists to perform at China-ASEAN Theatre Festival and Forum

Artists from the Vietnam Tuong Theatre will perform at the China-ASEAN Theatre Festival and Forum, which opens in Nanning in China’s Guangxi province on November 27.

They will introduce tuong or hat boi (classical drama), a unique Vietnamese art that developed from a folk art into a royal art in the 17th century. 

They will stage Thoai Khanh – Chau Tuan (Husband and Wife), a famous play featuring love and piety based on folk stories from the central provinces. It was first released in 1957 and has been restaged many times by artists from leading theatres in the country. 

“We hope foreign audiences will learn about Vietnam's history, culture and lifestyle from the play,” said Pham Ngoc Tuan, director of the Vietnam Tuong Theatre. 

“The China–ASEAN Theatre Festival and Forum is a chance for our actors, particularly young talents, to perform and share skills and experiences.” 

Tuong consists of singing and dancing accompanied by music, and is highly stylised and filled with symbolism. Its themes include monarchist loyalty and patriotism which help define the play’s structure, language, music, struggles, and characters' personalities.

Artists often wear heavy costumes weighing up to 10 kilos. They use their body, from the fingers to the elbows to all of the muscles, to move on stage. They sing and dance at the same time while expressing the emotions of the characters.

Famous plays, such as Tran Binh Trong Tuan Tiet (National Hero Tran Binh Trong), Ho Nguyet Co Hoa Cao (Nguyet Co Turning into a Fox) and San Hau (The Reign), feature historical events and national heroes.

Skilled performers, such as People’s Artist Dinh Bang Phi and Meritorious Artist Huu Danh, who have decades of experience, are still working hard to honour tuong and keep traditional Vietnamese theatre alive.

In recent years, cultural authorities have offered new policies and projects to help tuong artists expand their art.

Vietnam first participated in the annual China-ASEAN Theatre Festival and Forum in 2013 and introduced outstanding performances in tuong, cai luong (reformed opera) and cheo (traditional opera) and Vietnamese drama.

This year, the festival has attracted several leading art troupes from ASEAN countries and China. The event will close on December 2./.

Private theatre troupe offers tuồng shows

Facing challenges as the COVID-10 pandemic spreads, Huỳnh Long Tuồng Troupe, one of HCM City’s private theatres, is working to offer new shows of tuồng or hát bội (classical drama), a Vietnamese traditional theatre genre that originated in the 12th century. 

The troupe will restage a series of famous plays in the 1960-70s written and directed by late veteran artist Bạch Mai, the troupe’s founder. 

Mai played a role in the development of tuồng. She was famous in the 1960s, starring in 60 plays in tuồng and cải lương (reformed opera), a 100-year-old traditional genre of Vietnamese theatre in the South. 

She wrote and directed dozens of tuồng plays, many of which won top prizes for best plays at national theatre contests and festivals. 

She worked with State-owned and private theatres and art schools in the region to offer training for artists, including cải lương stars Kim Tử Long and Ngọc Huyền. 

In 2017, she opened Huỳnh Long Troupe featuring 30 actors, mostly graduates of leading art schools in the region. 

She died at age 74 after days of COVID-19 treatment in hospital in HCM City in August. 

Her troupe is managed by her daughter, actress Bình Tinh, who has nearly 20 years of experience in cải lương.

“My mom, Bạch Mai, wanted our troupe to become a place for people to enjoy tuồng in a unique way. She hoped our young actors will preserve and bring the art closer to young audiences," said the troupe’s head and art director Tinh. 

Tinh and her staff are working on new versions of historical plays Thất Tinh Mai (Mai’s Love Story), Xử Án Phi Giao (Royal Trials) and Ngô Quyền Và Chiến Thắng Bạch Đằng Giang (Ngô Quyền and the Great Victory on Bạch Đằng River).

These productions were written and directed by Mai and have been staged many times by different generations. 

Tinh adds modern styles to these new versions to meet the taste of young audiences. 

She uses young talents, Mỹ Châu, Đăng Khoa and Quốc Thanh, graduates of the HCM City University of Theatre & Cinematography, to play leading roles.   

“We will offer quality shows with images, sounds and music, that provide young audiences with wonderful insights about their history, traditional culture and theatre,” said 40-year-old Tinh. 

Highligted shows include Ngô Quyền Và Chiến Thắng Bạch Đằng Giang, a historical story featuring the Bạch Đằng Battle of 938 on the Bạch Đằng River between Vietnamese troops led by Ngô Quyền and Chinese invaders under the Han dynasty.

Quyền at the time asked his troops to plant iron-headed wooden stakes, invisible during high tides, into the river bed. After he launched a counter-attack at low tide, the enemy's large boats ran aground as they were pierced by long stakes.

The victory of Bạch Đằng ended the 1,000-year Chinese domination of Việt Nam, opening a period of Việt Nam's independence and sovereignty. Quyền became the King and ruled the Ngô Dynasty. 

“Our veteran artists help young talents improve their vocal and performance skills in the hopes that they will renew the art," said Tinh, who works hard to maintain her family’s artistic tradition. 

New shows by Tinh and her actors are scheduled to be staged every Sunday in December at 144 Đinh Tiên Hoàng Street in Bình Thạnh District.

COVID-19 cases surge in Cửu Long Delta

Thousands of new COVID-19 cases have been recorded daily in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta in recent weeks.

An Giang Province found 548 COVID-19 cases on November 12, including 200 cases in the community.

Community cases have been reported at enterprises in Bình Hòa and Châu Thành industrial parks in Châu Thành District, Châu Đốc Market of Châu Đốc City, Tân Châu Town, and Tịnh Biên District.

The province’s Department of Health has classified Tịnh Biên and Tri Tôn Districts and Châu Đốc City as level 4 or very high-risk (red).

Lê Văn Phước, deputy chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, has approved home quarantine for people who have had close contact with COVID-19 patients.

Meanwhile, Cần Thơ City recorded 524 new COVID-cases on November 12, mostly in Ô Môn, Thốt Nốt and Ninh Kiều Districts and industrial parks.

COVID-19 treatment hospitals in the city are overloaded, so the city is allowing home quarantine for COVID-19 patients and their close contacts.

Districts are also testing people in high-risk localities as part of an effort to contain the outbreak, and are improving community healthcare services' treatment of COVID patients.

The city will speed up COVID-19 vaccinations for adults and children aged 12-17.

In Đồng Tháp Province, the daily number of COVID-19 cases has reached a new all-time high, with 383 cases recorded on November 12, including 124 community cases.

Phạm Thiện Nghĩa, chairman of the province’s People’s Committee, has asked departments and local authorities to raise people’s awareness about preventive measures.

The city’s Department of Health asked the province to approve home quarantine for COVID-19 patients with no or mild symptoms.

Sóc Trăng Province has also reported its highest daily number of COVID-19 cases with 343 cases on November 12, including 186 community cases.

Trần Văn Lâu, chairman of the province’s People’s Committee, said that more than 10,000 people from other provinces and cities had returned. Many of them tested positive for COVID-19, which spread in residential areas, production facilities and public agencies.

He asked all returnees from other localities to make health declarations at ward-level medical centres. 

Source: VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/SGGP/Nhan Dan 

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