The 15th National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee commenced the 8th session in Hanoi on February 15 morning.

In his opening remarks, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said during the session, the Standing Committee will look into the amendment of two draft laws, namely the one on mobile police and another revising and supplementing some articles of the Law on Intellectual Property, expected to be submitted to the parliament for approval at the coming third session.

Participants will scrutinise the articles needing revision in the laws on customs, science and technology, management and use of public assets, and prices as some regulations in these laws are related to the amended ones in the Intellectual Property Law.

They are set to consider including the draft revised Law on Medical Examination and Treatment in the 2022 law and ordinance making programme. Initial results of supervision over the implementation of related policies and legal regulations since the Law on Planning took effect will also come under consideration.

In addition, the Standing Committee will make decisions on the establishment of wards in Pho Yen township and the establishment of Pho Yen city in Thai Nguyen province.

A report on the settlement of people’s opinions in January will also form part of the session’s agenda, according to Chairman Hue.

The 8th session of the NA Standing Committee is scheduled to last for two and a half days.

Vietnam willing to promote cooperation with UN on peacekeeping: Ambassador

Vietnam is ready to promote cooperation with the United Nations on peacekeeping missions, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN) Nguyen Phuong Tra has said.

Speaking at an annual meeting of the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, known as C-34, held on February 14, Tra said Vietnam pays great attention to the participation in peacekeeping missions, especially ensuring the safety and security of peacekeepers as well as securing resources and enhancing the role of regional organisations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and that by women.

The diplomat also said the country is one of the four training centres for peacekeepers in Southeast Asia and stands ready to enhance collaboration in this field.

HCM City celebrates Lantern Festival with parade, cultural shows

Around 800 performers in colourful traditional costumes will parade across main streets of the Cho Lon area in District 5 to celebrate the Nguyen Tieu (Lantern Festival)

Ho Chi Minh City is organising several programmes including a parade to celebrate Tet Nguyen Tieu (Lantern Festival), which falls on the 15th of the first lunar month.

The parade on February 15 with around 800 performers in colourful traditional costumes, taking place this afternoon, is a highlight of the festivities.

The parade will travers the main streets of Cho Lon including Hai Thuong Lan Ong, Chau Van Liem, Lao Tu, Luong Nhu Hoc, Nguyen Trai, Tran Xuan Hoa and the District 5 Cultural Centre.

Dragon and lion dances, stilt walking and several traditional dances will also be part of the programme.

The main celebration of the festival will be held at the cultural centre from 7pm-9.30pm, featuring traditional dances and games, along with calligraphy demonstrations by several artisans.

Meanwhile, a poetry reading event to celebrate the Vietnam Poetry Day will be held at the Van Lang Park from 7.30pm-9.30pm.

The festival also includes a cuisine week on Tran Hung Dao Street, and exhibitions showcasing calligraphy, ink-wash and other paintings as also a photography exhibition at the cultural centre, which will remain open until February 20.

Health ministry issues guidelines for COVID-19 patients under home care

COVID-19 patients who are allowed to self-monitor at home have been told to measure and pay attention to breathing rate, pulse, temperature, peripheral oxygen (SpO2) levels, and blood pressure, then fill out a health monitoring sheet twice a day.

The Ministry of Health on February 12 issued new guidelines on health monitoring for COVID-19 patients who are allowed to self-monitor at home. Vietnam registered 29,413 COVID-19 patients on February 14, the highest since the start of the pandemic.

Under the guidelines, COVID-19 patients are allowed to self-monitor at home but have to watch out for symptoms of fatigue, cough, coughing up phlegm, chills, conjunctivitis, loss of taste or smell, diarrhoea, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, persistent chest pain, drowsiness, sore throat, headache, dizziness, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting and muscle aches.

Japanese Film Festival 2022 opens online

The Japanese Film Festival 2022 in Vietnam by the Japan Foundation Center opens online from February 14 to 28.

The event introduces 20 feature films in different genres, including drama, live-action, anime, musical, comedy and romance.

The organiser hopes the film festival will introduce a taste of the Japanese film industry as well as the country's history, culture and lifestyle to Vietnamese audiences.

COVID-19: Vietnam records close to 30,000 new infections in single day

For the first time since the COVID-19 disease broke out, the daily number of new infections of the coronavirus in Vietnam has surpassed the 29,000 case mark, hitting 29,414 on February 14.

The February 14 caseload for new infections represents an increase of more than 3,000 cases compared to the previous day. Of the total, as many as 20,924 cases were detected in the community, meaning the virus infection risk is very high.

All eyes are on northern localities which have seen the virus spread very quickly over the past few days. On February 14 alone, Hanoi capital topped localities, registering 3,507 new infections, followed by Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Lang Son, Nam Dinh, Thai Nguyen and Phu Tho that reported more than 1,000 new cases each.

The daily count of new infections has skyrocketed after people returned to work from the nine-day lunar New Year holiday that ended on February 6. Experts fear the figure is likely to keep rising over coming days as localities are launching spring festivals that attract large crowds of people and Vietnam is going to reopen all international air routes shortly.

Official data from the Ministry of Health show the past 24 hours saw an additional 6,193 patients recover from the disease and 91 more patients died of the virus and other underlying illnesses.

Defender Trọng leaves Hà Nội to play for Bình Định

Defender Trần Đình Trọng has left Hà Nội FC and signed for Topenland Bình Định on a free transfer, but he will be paid VNĐ10 billion (US$434,700) for the duration of his three-year contract.

The hefty salary shows the ambition of Bình Định, who hope Trọng will strengthen their defence.

Bình Định have also signed deals with Hà Đức Chinh and Rafaelson Bezerra Fernande from SHB Đà Nẵng, Nghiêm Xuân Tú and Mạc Hồng Quân from Quảng Ninh Coal as well as Jermie Lynch from Hải Phòng.

Joining Bình Định will see Trọng play more often than he did at Hà Nội FC and he will reunite with coach Thắng who helped him develop at Sài Gòn FC.

Trọng, who was born in 1997, is a graduate of Hà Nội FC's academy. He moved to Sài Gòn FC on loan in 2017. In 2018, he returned to Hà Nội FC where he won the V.League 1 in 2018, 2019, the National Cup in 2019 and 2020, and the National Super Cup in 2018, 2019 and 2020. With the national team, Trọng won a silver medal at the 2018 AFC U23 Championship. But in recent months, injuries have kept him on the sidelines. Trọng played 32 matches for Hà Nội FC and has made 13 appearances for the senior national team.

UNESCO-recognised Ha Long Bay popularized at EXPO 2020 Dubai

The World Heritage Week Ha Long Bay - New Wonder of the World at EXPO 2020 Dubai has officially kicked off, with a wide range of activities held to promote Ha Long Bay as a UNESCO recognized World Heritage site.

Ha Long Bay has twice been recognised as a World Natural Heritage site by UNESCO in 1994 and 2000. In 2011, Ha Long Bay was voted as one of the new seven natural wonders of the world.

The landmark is therefore expected to become an interesting check-in point in the premises of the Vietnam Pavilion as it will help visitors to gain greater insights into the World Natural Heritage of Ha Long Bay.

The World Heritage Week is of great significance in reviving the local tourism industry following the pandemic, serving to introduce Vietnamese arts and cuisine, as well as elevating Ha Long Bay to an array of international friends.

Glass bridge leaves visitors cracking up

Glass bridges are certainly not for the faint-hearted, and if you don't have a head for heights then maybe it's best not to cross. But one tourist attraction in northern Việt Nam has left visitors cracking up – after a glass panel on the bridge appears to be shattered.

Photographs published on social media clearly show the damage. But it seems the shattered pane is nothing more than a visual effect to get hearts racing even more.

Local authorities in Lai Châu Province insist the bridge is still perfectly safe to cross despite the cracks, but they still say they will soon replace the broken pane, offering peace of mind and calming the nerves of visitors.

Nguyễn Văn Huân, who is responsible for the Glass Bridge Dragon Cloud Tourism site on Ô Quý Hồ Pass, in Tam Đường District, Lai Châu Province, said the glass panel measures 1sq.m at the foot of the glass staircase.

A representative from the local Culture, Sports and Tourism Department and Construction Department visited the site to examine the glass and said it was in good condition and perfectly safe for tourists to cross. However, they decided that the site should replace the glass to calm the nerves of visitors.

Huân said the glass used was imported from Japan and consisted of three layers, each measuring 1.2cm in thickness, which was then bordered with bullet-proof film layers imported from the US.

The site was opened to the public in November 2019, which includes a lift inside a glass cage of 300m in height. The glass bridge runs 500m in length, a part of which reaches out of 60m of the attached cliff. The bridge was built at an altitude of 2,200m above sea level and is the highest glass bridge in the country.

Local image claims prize at CEFF International Environmental Photography

An image snapped by Vietnamese photographer Tran Viet Van has been named the winner in the Indigenous Cultures category at the CEFF International Environmental Photography.

The photograph titled “Sunny Day” features a woman drying incense sticks in Quang Phu Cau, a 100-year-old incense making village located in Hanoi.

Viet Van is currently a journalist working for Lao Dong (Labor) newspaper. The Hanoi native received a bachelor's degree from Hanoi Cultural University in 1996. He started photography in 1998 and has so far won over 80 international photo prizes. He has also worked as a judge at many film festivals and photo contests in Vietnam.

The CEFF International Environmental Photography is part of the Colorado Environmental Film Festival (CEFF) of the United States. It is open to all photographers over 18 years old and features categories such as landscape, wildlife, indigenous cultures, and environmental impact.

Most notably, a grand prize will be awarded US$1,000 in cash, while the winners of each category will receive US$500.

Hue man preserving imperial glazed ceramic tiles

Dang Uyen in Thuan Hua ward in Hue city is the only person to have successfully restored ancient royal tiles, contributing to rejuvenating important monuments at the Hue Monuments Complex, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.

According to historical research, lapis lazuli is a precious jewel and the Nguyen Dynasty used the name for royal lapis lazuli (yellow-glazed tiles) and lapis lazuli bar (blue-glazed tiles). They were used as roofing at palaces and mausoleums, and contain cultural, historical, and aesthetic meaning.

To restore the royal tiles, Dang Uyen spent a lot of time researching and learning from historical and cultural researchers as well as ceramic artisans.

The most difficult matter was determining the components of ancient enamel, so that when fired at high temperatures the tiles turn yellow or blue.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang Park hoped to become central region’s biodiversity conservation centre

The People’s Committee of the central province of Quang Binh has approved a project to support the work of wildlife rescue, conservation and release at the Center for Rescue, Conservation and Creature Development in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

The project will operate with an assistance of more than 1.7 billion VND (74,740 USD) provided by the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF).

It is hoped to help turn the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park into a biodiversity conservation centre in Vietnam’s central region, that meets requirements in welfare, treatment and release of wild animals, said the management board of the park.

Local image wins prize at CEFF International Environmental Photography

An image snapped by Vietnamese photographer Tran Viet Van has been named the winner in the Indigenous Cultures category at the CEFF International Environmental Photography.

The photo “Sunny Day” features a woman drying incense sticks in Quang Phu Cau, a 100-year-old incense making village located in Hanoi, reported the Voice of Vietnam (VOV).

Viet Van is currently a journalist working for the Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper. He got a bachelor's degree from Hanoi Cultural University in 1996.

He started photography in 1998 and has so far won over 80 international photo prizes. He has also worked as a judge at many film festivals and photo contests in Vietnam.

Perfume Pagoda ready to welcome tourists back

Preparations have been completed for the reopening day of the Perfume Pagoda, a famous spiritual tourist destination in Hà Nội.

Everything is ready to welcome thousands of Buddhist pilgrims back on February 16.

Hương (Perfume) Pagoda opened on a pilot basis four days earlier than expected, to check its ability to cope and prevent the pandemic before officially welcoming visitors back.

Mỹ Đức District has set up eight checkpoints to control the pandemic at the entrances and exits of Hương Sơn scenic area, and two mobile medical stations at Hương Sơn commune health station and Bến Trò .

Visitors with suspected symptoms of COVID-19 will be taken to the isolation point and supported by health workers according to regulations.

Organisers recommend that tourists and boat owners strictly follow the 5K message, wash their hands with sanitiser, and have a sense of self-prevention against COVID-19 to protect themselves and the community. Visitors who have not received two doses of the vaccine should not visit Hương Pagoda on this occasion due to the high possibility of infection.

Vietnamese film Memoryland being screened at Berlinale

“Mien Ky Uc” (Memoryland), a film by director Bui Kim Quy, is being screened at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) taking place from February 10 – 20.

Charge d’affaires of the Embassy of Vietnam in Germany Dang Chung Thuy was among the audience at its premiere at the Berlinale on February 14.

Mai Nguyen, Director of Munich-based Scarlet Visions, one of the Memoryland producer, said the movie highlights the differences between urban and rural life. It reminds those leaving villages to pursue their dreams, study, work or a better life in the cities of the customs and traditions of where they were born and grew up, she said.

In this year’s Berlinale, the 99-minute film is vying in the “Forum” category. There will be five screenings of the film at five different movie theatres in Berlin from February 14 – 19.

After Berlinale, “Memoryland” will compete at Doc Fortnight, an annual international festival for nonfiction films, in New York, the US at the end of this month, Mai added.

Mekong Delta set for dry-season saltwater intrusion

Saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta’s rivers is expected to be less severe than last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Irrigation Department.

Water from the sea is likely to enter 50 – 65km up rivers in February and March, 15 – 25km less than last year.

It is expected to reduce gradually in April.

The delta, the country’s largest producer of rice, fruit and seafood, suffers from saltwater intrusion annually in the dry season that lasts from December to April.

UNFPA Vietnam calls for ending child marriage on Valentine Day

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam has called upon the community to take immediate actions to end child marriage on the occasion of Valentine Day (February 14).

According to the UNFPA, to end child marriage, many changes are needed, including strengthening and enforcing laws against the practice, promoting gender equality and ensuring the community’s commitment to the rights of girls.

However, young people must also be empowered to understand and claim their rights. This means they must be provided with accurate sexual and reproductive health information, educational and skills development opportunities, as well as platforms for

According to the Survey measuring Vietnam Sustainable Development Goal indicators on Children and Women (SDGCW) 2020-2021, co-launched by the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UNFPA in Vietnam, among women and men aged 20-24 surveyed, 14.6 percent of women and 1.9 percent of men were first married or in union before the age 18.

Rural women and men are much more likely to marry before age 15 and 18 than their urban peers. Marriage before age 18 among women aged 20-49 is negatively correlated with their education level and their household wealth quintile. Women who have lower education and come from poorer households are more likely to marry before their 18th birthday.

Vietnam Airlines to launch online check-in service at Lien Khuong airport

Vietnam Airlines will launch online check-in service for passengers departing from Lien Khuong Airport in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong’s Da Lat city from February 16.

This is the 10th domestic airport the carrier provides this service after Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat, Da Nang, Cam Ranh, Van Don, Cat Bi, Vinh, Chu Lai and Con Dao.

According to Vietnam Airlines, the expansion of its airport network applying online check-in service is one of its efforts to achieve the goal of a digital airline.

Passengers can save time by check-in online via website www.vietnamairlines.com or mobile app within 24 hours until 60 minutes prior to their scheduled departure time.

Vietnamese to compete at Super Ball 2022 in Czech Republic

Nguyen Danh Quang will represent Vietnam at the Super Ball 2022, which is scheduled to take place in the Czech Republic this August.

The event is dubbed the biggest and most prestigious open competition of freestyle football in the world.

Quang, born in 1994, triumphed at the recent Tet Freestyle Football 2022 in Hanoi, with two categories of Routine and Battle. He received a cash prize of 500 USD, a trophy and a berth at the Super Ball.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Anh Tuan, aged 24 and Vu Ngoc Nam (20), were awarded the second and third prizes.

The Tet Freestyle Football was first initiated by winner of the Asian Freestyle Football Championship 2013 Do Kim Phuc, with a hope to promote the sport in Vietnam.

At this year’s competition, jerseys of forward Nguyen Tien Linh of the national men’s team and midfielder Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung of the women’s squad were auctioned. Proceeds totalling 110 million VND (4,840 USD) will be transferred to a fund supporting disadvantaged athletes.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang Park hoped to become central region’s biodiversity conservation centre

The People’s Committee of the central province of Quang Binh has approved a project to support the work of wildlife rescue, conservation and release at the Center for Rescue, Conservation and Creature Development in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

The project will operate with an assistance of more than 1.7 billion VND (74,740 USD) provided by the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF).

It is hoped to help turn the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park into a biodiversity conservation centre in Vietnam’s central region, that meets requirements in welfare, treatment and release of wild animals, said the management board of the park.

The project will also have an important role to play in the prevention and handling of poaching and wildlife smuggling, helping restore the forest ecosystem.

New highway planned in Mekong Delta

A new 188-kilometre highway in the Mekong Delta between Chau Doc city in An Giang province and Soc Trang province is planned to be built, and the feasibility study for it has been handed to the Ministry of Transport by the My Thuan Project Management Board.

It will start at National Road No 91 in Chau Doc, pass through Can Tho and Hau Giang province and end at Tran De Port in Soc Trang.

In the first phase, it will have four lanes and allow speeds of up to 80km per hour.

To be built using public funds, its cost is estimated at 44.3 trillion VND (1.9 billion USD) for the first phase.

It will be widened to six lanes by 2030.

COVID-19 measures must be strengthened when reopening KTVs, bars

The Ministry of Health has suggested the reopening of karaoke and bars based on the pandemic evaluation in each area.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyễn Trường Sơn this week issued an official dispatch in response to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism about the proposal to reopen karaoke and bars to help the businesses recover after two years of serious disruptions.

Throughout 2020 and 2021 in Việt Nam, karaoke and bars, deemed inessential services and breeding grounds for the virus, were usually the first to be closed and the last to be allowed to resume operations when a COVID-19 outbreak emerged.

The health ministry asked the other ministry to ensure karaoke and bar businesses strengthen pandemic prevention measures including frequent disinfection and better ventilation as they are indoor venues.

Source: VNA/SGP/VNS/VOV/SGGP/VNN

VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES FEBRUARY 14

EC Executive Vice President to visit Vietnam this week