Vietnamplus

The smoking rate among men in many provinces and cities last year fell compared to 2017 as a result of agencies’ efforts to implement tobacco harm-prevention programmes, Dr Phan Thi Hai, deputy head of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund, said at a conference held in HCM City last week.

The Ministry of Transport has required the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) to temporarily suspend the licensing of flights from countries and territories harbouring new COVID-19 variants that spread faster, first of all those from the UK and South Africa.

Indonesia received the third bulk of COVID-19 vaccine by Chinese manufacturer Sinovac Biotech one day prior to the start of the national vaccination campaign.

A strong cold spell hit the north and north central provinces from the evening of January 7-11, affecting local lives and production.

Cambodia has temporarily banned all imports of farmed fish from neighbouring countries in efforts to promote locally farmed fish, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF).

Air quality in the capital city of Hanoi fell to dangerous levels in the first week of the New Year, particularly in inner city areas, according to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on January 9 cut the ribbon to put the interchange connecting Belt Road No 3 and the Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway into operations.

Amidst the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world with over 85 million confirmed cases and 1.84 million deaths in 215 countries and territories, Vietnam has applied drastic responding measures with the spirit of “fighting the pandemic is like fighting an enemy”.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long has submitted a report to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, proposing that inbound flights should be suspended or limited from countries and territories where new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are found.

The Hue Monuments Conservation Centre on January 1 hosted an opening ceremony for Ngo Mon space and re-enactment of Ban Soc ceremony (ceremony to distribute calendars for royal mandarins during the Nguyen Dynasty).

Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has declared stricter measures for 28 "red zone" provinces, including the capital of Bangkok, amid COVID-19 spikes across the country.

Making sauces to accompany food is a challenge for any chef and the world of sauces can be a jungle that novice cooks falter in.

The northern mountainous province of Cao Bang possesses a magical beauty that few places have. In winter, the forests in the locality with many vibrant colours give off an extraordinary beauty.

Thailand’s cabinet on December 29 approved eight special holidays for 2021 in a bid to boost local tourism.

Thanks to support programmes on improving quality of life in rural areas, the number of women leaving their hometowns in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai to seek work elsewhere has declined significantly.

The Cambodian Government allowed private schools to reopen from December 29 and public schools to start the new academic year on January 11, 2021.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged concerted efforts to turn Vietnam into an agriculture powerhouse with a modern and effective farm produce processing industry during a conference between the Government and localities in Hanoi on December 29.

Several Southeast Asian countries are taking drastic measures with a view to preventing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thailand hosted 3,065 foreign tourists in November, official data showed on December 28, the second month of receiving long-stay visitors since a ban was imposed in April to keep COVID-19 infections under control.

Laos has temporarily banned the import of seafood from Thailand after a new outbreak of COVID-19 hit the kingdom, Vientiane Times reported.