☕ Afternoon briefing on February 28

Hanoi, (VNA) – The following is a brief review of the day’s news reported by the Vietnam News Agency on February 28. 

- The SEA Games 31’s logo, official song, the main press centre and press facilities at competition venues along with services for the press, as well as the official website and fanpage of the event were announced at an international press conference in Hanoi on February 28. 

The SEA Games 31 will take place from May 12-23. This is the second time that Vietnam has hosted the event. Read full story

An overview of the press conference (Photo: VNA) 

International sport delegations and reporters attending the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) will not be quarantined even if COVID-19 cases are found, the organising committee’s healthcare and anti-doping sub-committee said at a press conference on February 28. Read full story

- The General Statistics Office (GSO) announced on February 28 Vietnam’s export-import turnover hit an estimated over 108.5 billion USD in the first two months of 2022, up 13 percent compared to the same period last year, with a trade deficit of 937 million USD. Read full story

Meanwhile, the consumer price index (CPI) in February rose 1 percent compared to that of the previous month, and up 1.42 percent year-on-year, and 1.2 percent against December 2021. 

In the first two months of 2022, CPI climbed by 1.68 percent over the same period last year, and core inflation by 0.67 percent. Read full story

- Seven former officials of Khanh Hoa province, including two former chairmen of the provincial People’s Committee,  have been prosecuted for violating land management regulations under Clause 3 of Article 229 in the 2015 Penal Code. Read full story

- A year-on-year drop of 15.4 percent was recorded in the number of traffic accidents from January 15 to February 14 to 1,011 cases, according to the National Traffic Safety Committee.

The committee said that 3.73 percent and 25.4 percent declines were also seen in the number of deaths and injuries, respectively, to 620 and 661. Read full story

- Vietnamese carrier Bamboo Airways announced on February 28 that it will launch its direct service connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Sydney city of Australia.

Initially, there will be two weekly return flights every Tuesday and Friday starting from March 29, and the number will be increased to four a week later this year. Read full story

 

Abdala COVID-19 vaccine of Cuba (Photo: AFP/VNA)

- The Ministry of Health has announced the extension of an additional three months to the shelf-life of Cuba’s Abdala vaccine against COVID-19. The Ministry affirmed that increasing the shelf life of the Abdala vaccine would not change the quality, safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. Read full story/.

VNA