Philippines cancels traditional festival over COVID-19 concerns
Philippine authorities have cancelled the traditional "Black Nazarene" procession in Manila capital city, in response to the huge spike in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila.
Catholic devotees attended a mass on the feast day of the Black Nazarene last year. (Photo: Reuters)
Hanoi (VNA) - Philippine authorities have cancelled the traditional "Black Nazarene" procession in Manila capital city, in response to the huge spike in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila.
One of the country's largest religious festivals slated for January 7, it is cancelled for the second straight year due to the ongoing pandemic.
On January 5, the Philippines expanded restriction measures around Manila, including Blacan, Cavite and Rizal with a combined population of more than 1 million.
The Philippine Department of Health on January 5 reported 10,775 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily spike since October 10, and more than 60 times the 168 cases recorded on December 21.
The tally brought total cases to over 2.86 million, and deaths to more than 51,660, the second highest COVID-19 infections and casualties in Southeast Asia, next to Indonesia.
In Singapore, from February 14, those aged 18 and above will have to take a booster shot within 270 days of completing their primary vaccination series in order to maintain a fully vaccinated status against COVID-19.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said the Omicron variant now accounts for 17 percent of COVID-19 cases in Singapore.
Around 87 percent of Singapore’s total population has received two shots under the national vaccination programme, and 42 percent of the population has received booster shots.
More than 20,000 children aged 9-11 have received the first jab./.
The Philippines on November 29 kicked off a massive three-day vaccination drive as it tries to head off a surge that the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus could cause.
The Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 23 approved emergency use of a COVID-19 antiviral pill for adult patients at risk of developing severe illness, and a COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11.
The Philippines will remain under Alert Level 2, the second most-relaxed in its five-tier COVID-19 alert level system, until January 15; while Indonesia aims to produce its own vaccine against the corona virus in the second half of 2022.
The Philippine House of Representatives has gone into lockdown to curb the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus while Indonesia has reportedly prepared 120,000 hospital beds to cope with outbreaks caused by this new variant.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Catholic devotees attended a mass on the feast day of the Black Nazarene last year. (Photo: Reuters) 
