Made in China only: China looks domestically for growth but will it succeed? 

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

CNA Insider – 18-6-2024

Whether by choice or circumstance, China is looking inward for its economic growth.

President Xi Jinping wants Chinese consumers to spend their way to growth, buying up domestically made goods. At the same time, the government will invest more in “New Productive Forces” – A.I, Green Tech and Advanced Computing – all for the goal of moving up the value chain and shedding China’s reliance on foreign technology.

In this period of “de-coupling” and trade wars, Beijing might have little choice but to become more self-sufficient. Yet, an overly inward-looking and nationalistic China could discourage foreign investors. Are domestic consumption and production enough to jumpstart China’s sputtering economy?

Tiếp tục đọc “Made in China only: China looks domestically for growth but will it succeed? “ →

Societal shifts are shaking traditional values in China, South Korea and Taiwan

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

CNA Insider – 25-7-2024

East Asian societies are steeped in Confucian ideals and the emphasis on education, authority and age. But with the region undergoing drastic economic, social and demographic changes in recent decades, some of these values are being put to the test. CNA Correspondent examines the societal shifts.

In China, Emil Wan follows 24-year-old Feng Jiajia and her husband who run a housekeeping company in the eastern city of Wuxi. The couple is among a growing number of young people in China who have ditched air-conditioned offices for blue-collar jobs as China’s economy reaches a critical juncture.

In South Korea, Lim Yun Suk takes a deep dive into the factors contributing to the growing bullying and harassment of teachers by students and parents, as the country navigates a demographic crisis. In Taiwan, Victoria Jen investigates how stagnant wages and soaring home prices have contributed to the growing prevalence of poor mental health among its young people.

00:00 Chinese youth embrace blue-collar jobs amid economic shifts

08:06 South Korea confronts teacher abuse amid demographic crisis

16:24 Taiwan battles youth mental crisis amid housing woes

Cambodia PM launches project linking Mekong river to sea via canal

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

VNE – By AFP   August 5, 2024 | 11:05 am GMT+7

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Funan Techo Canal in Kandal province on Aug. 5, 2024. Photo by AFPCambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet on Monday launched a US$1.7 billion canal project that aims to provide a new link from the Mekong River to the sea.

Manet called the 180-km (110-mile) project “historic” and vowed to “finish it at all costs.”

“We must build this canal at all costs,” Manet said at the project’s launch ceremony before fireworks shot into the air and drums sounded after he pressed the launch button for the project.

The Funan Techo canal will run from the Mekong River, about an hour’s drive southeast of Phnom Penh, to the sea in the Gulf of Thailand.

The government says the canal will offer an alternative to transit via Vietnam and will reduce dependence on Vietnamese ports, generating economic activity worth 21-30% more than its cost.

It would create tens of thousands of jobs in the country, though it has not provided detailed evidence for those forecasts.

An Open Letter from Catholic Bishops to the International Olympic Committee

~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Có bài tiếng Việt liên quan ở dưới bài tiếng Anh.

“If then my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and heal their land.” (2 Chr 7:14)

With shock the world watched as the summer Olympics in Paris opened with a grotesque and blasphemous depiction of the Last Supper. It is hard to understand how the faith of over 2 billion people can be so casually and intentionally blasphemed. Tiếp tục đọc “An Open Letter from Catholic Bishops to the International Olympic Committee” →

Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump?

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Al Jazeera – 4 thg 8, 2024

The Democratic party has united around their new presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, after Joe Biden dropped out. Harris has injected new energy into the party and the campaign, but it looks set to be a very tight race against Donald Trump.

Start Here with Sandra Gathmann explains how Kamala Harris has shaken up the race for the White House and runs through the big issues that are playing out in Harris’ campaign. Chapters:

Tiếp tục đọc “Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump?” →

Laws against forced marriage in Australia

~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Photo Illustration by CNN, Shutterstock, aph.gov.au, Victoria County Court

She wanted ‘the world’ for her daughter. Instead, she got a landmark prison sentence

By Hilary Whiteman, CNN

 9 minute read 

Published 5:27 PM EDT, Sat August 3, 2024

Forced marriage is considered a form of gender-based violence that predominantly affects young women, whose control over their lives is passed without consent from their parents to their partners. It can lead to decades of physical and psychological abuse, and in some cases suicide or murder.

For more than two decades. Forced marriages have been reported within communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and India, among others. Tiếp tục đọc “Laws against forced marriage in Australia” →

China’s youth are ditching city life for countryside: What’s the allure?

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

CNA Insider – 3- 8-2024

In the past two years, digital nomad enclaves have been springing up across China’s rural towns and villages. The country’s biggest digital nomad hubs are both in Anji County, in the Eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang. How have DN Yucun and DN Anji become magnets for a wave of young Chinese professionals seeking to redefine their approach to work and life?

Elsewhere, Chinese youth are leaving prestigious jobs in big internet firms in Beijing and Shanghai and returning to their rural roots.

In the west of China, in the province of Sichuan, a former ByteDance product manager gave up a career at ByteDance to become a new farmer, with plans to revolutionise farming practices in his rural hometown. Not far from him, a young couple with postgraduate degrees, left their jobs in Beijing – and an annual salary of 800,000 yuan, or 110,000 US dollars – to pursue dreams of being rural influencers. What enticed them to do so? Discover why attitudes towards rural living have been changing in China.

Tiếp tục đọc “China’s youth are ditching city life for countryside: What’s the allure?” →

A critical system of Atlantic Ocean currents could collapse as early as the 2030s, new research suggests

~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Angela Fritz

By Angela Dewan and Angela Fritz, CNN

Updated 10:56 AM EDT, Sat August 3, 2024

Light blue and turquoise phytoplankton seen through the clouds highlight the ocean currents off the coast of Greenland. New research suggest an important system of these currents is at risk of collapsing as soon as next decade.

Light blue and turquoise phytoplankton seen through the clouds highlight the ocean currents off the coast of Greenland. New research suggest an important system of these currents is at risk of collapsing as soon as next decade. NASA Earth/Shutterstock/FILECNN — 

A vital system of Atlantic Ocean currents that influences weather across the world could collapse as soon as the late 2030s, scientists have suggested in a new study — a planetary-scale disaster that would transform weather and climate.

Several studies in recent years have suggested the crucial system — the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC — could be on course for collapse, weakened by warmer ocean temperatures and disrupted saltiness caused by human-induced climate change. Tiếp tục đọc “A critical system of Atlantic Ocean currents could collapse as early as the 2030s, new research suggests” →

Ân nhân của những dòng kênh

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

YẾN TRINH – 03/08/2024 05:53 GMT+7

TTCT – Nhóm Sài Gòn Xanh thành lập tháng 12-2022 do hai bạn trẻ Nguyễn Lương Ngọc và Hồ Văn Vĩ khởi xướng. Đến nay, nhóm có 50 thành viên thường trực và hơn 1.400 tình nguyện viên.

Đoạn rạch dưới chân cầu Rạch Lăng sau khi vớt rác. Ảnh: YẾN TRINH

Họ đã bắt đầu đi dọn rác trên kênh từ tháng 12-2022. Họ đã dọn được hơn 2.000 tấn rác từ 150 dòng kênh ở nhiều tỉnh thành. Nhưng “Một nhóm Sài Gòn Xanh dọn không hết rác, 1.000 nhóm dọn cũng không hết rác, chỉ khi mỗi người không xả rác thì mới hết rác” – lời của nhóm Sài Gòn Xanh.

Sáng sớm, Nguyễn Vũ Hùng – sinh viên Trường ĐH Khoa học Tự nhiên (ĐH Quốc gia TP.HCM) – chạy xe từ TP Thủ Đức đến gửi gần cầu Rạch Lăng (quận Bình Thạnh) để tham gia vớt rác với các bạn mình trong nhóm Sài Gòn Xanh. 

Mặc đồ bảo hộ (gồm áo phao, quần yếm, ủng, ba loại găng tay), Hùng lội xuống dòng kênh bùn sình đen kịt, gỡ từng giề lục bình ra khỏi phao chắn rác rồi chuyển lên bờ.

Tiếp tục đọc “Ân nhân của những dòng kênh” →

US requested to continue commitment and soon recognise Việt Nam’s market economy status

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

VNN – August 03, 2024 – 09:49

Vietnamese agencies and businesses have actively coordinated with the US Department of Commerce to provide many convincing arguments affirming that Việt Nam’s economy has fully met six market economy criteria in line with the US law.

Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Phạm Thu Hằng. — VNA/VNS Photo 

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam requests the US to continue implementing its commitment to broad, strong and constructive coordination and to soon recognise the market economy status of Việt Nam, Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Phạm Thu Hằng has said.

Hằng made the statement on August 3 while answering a reporter’s question about Việt Nam’s reaction to the US Department of Commerce (DOC)’s decision on continuing to identify Việt Nam as a non-market economy.

Tiếp tục đọc “US requested to continue commitment and soon recognise Việt Nam’s market economy status” →

83 earthquakes recorded in July in Kon Tum and Thanh Hóa provinces

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

VNN – August 01, 2024 – 13:35

An expert said earthquakes in Kon Tum are expected to continue and affect densely populated areas and key infrastructure, especially near the epicentre.

A view of Kon Plong District in the central highland province of Kon Tum. A total of 82 earthquakes occurred in the district in July. VNA/VNS Photo Dư Toán

KON TUM – A total of 83 earthquakes occurred in July, with 82 reported in Kon Plong District, Kon Tum Province, the Institute of Geophysics under the Việt Nam Academy of Science and Technology announced on Thursday.

Only one earthquake was recorded in Ngọc Lạc District in Thanh Hoá Province. Most of the earthquakes ranged in magnitude from 2.5 to 5.0.

Tiếp tục đọc “83 earthquakes recorded in July in Kon Tum and Thanh Hóa provinces” →

World Bank recommends Vietnam to impose 155% alcohol tax

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

VNE – By Phuong Dung   July 31, 2024 | 11:13 am GMT+7

People hold glasses of beer. Photo by Pexels

The World Bank has recommended that Vietnam consider implementing a 155% special consumption tax on alcoholic beverages in response to the rising number of alcohol-related deaths and illnesses.

The bank has proposed to the Ministry of Finance that an absolute tax of VND16,500 ($0.65) per liter of alcohol be applied in addition to the existing 65% tax per product, according to a consultancy report.

Tiếp tục đọc “World Bank recommends Vietnam to impose 155% alcohol tax” →

Gen Z & lonely in the Philippines: Why do Filipino youths feel so alone?

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

CNA Insider – 30-7-2024

Last November, the World Health Organisation declared loneliness a ‘Global Public Health Concern’. Meanwhile, Gen Zs are emerging as the loneliest generation ever. Filipino youths are the loneliest in Southeast Asia. About 6 in 10 Filipinos say they are lonely, more than double the global average, and much higher than neighbouring countries in ASEAN. For a country known for their friendliness, why do young Filipinos struggle with social alienation? From the stigma around mental health, to the overuse of social media, to poverty, Insight explores why young pinoys feel increasingly alone.

Tiếp tục đọc “Gen Z & lonely in the Philippines: Why do Filipino youths feel so alone?” →

Việt Nam tiếp tục hành trình đòi công lý cho các nạn nhân chất độc da cam/dioxin

~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Báo tin tức – Ngày đăng: 31/07/2024 – 11:37

“Mặc dù đã 3 lần bị tòa án Mỹ bác đơn kiện nhưng Hội Nạn nhân chất độc da cam/dioxin vẫn tiếp tục theo đuổi đến cùng vụ kiện, ở lần thứ 4 này, chúng tôi kiện các công ty sản xuất hóa chất Mỹ, buộc họ phải chịu trách nhiệm cho việc đã hỗ trợ quân đội Mỹ rải chất độc hóa học da cam/dioxin gây ra hậu quả nặng nề trong giai đoạn từ năm 1961 đến năm 1971”.

Đây là thông tin được Thiếu tướng Nguyễn Hồng Sơn, Phó Chủ tịch Hội Nạn nhân chất độc da cam/dioxin Việt Nam cho biết tại buổi giới thiệu Chương trình “Đi bộ đồng hành cùng nạn nhân da cam/dioxin”, ngày 30/7.

5.000 người đi bộ đồng hành vì nạn nhân độc da cam/dioxin Việt Nam nhân tháng hành động vì nạn nhân chất độc da cam/dioxin và kỷ niệm 62 năm ngày thảm họa da cam/dioxin ở Việt Nam 10/8/1961 – 10/8/2023. Ảnh minh họa: Thanh Vũ/TTXVN Tiếp tục đọc “Việt Nam tiếp tục hành trình đòi công lý cho các nạn nhân chất độc da cam/dioxin” →

Capturing early 20th century southern Vietnam through foreign lenses

~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

By Mai Nhat   July 29, 2024 | 12:11 pm GMT+7Foreign photographers documented scenes of early 20th-century southern Vietnam, including images of students from the Marie Curie private girls’ school and crowds enjoying traditional opera performances.

Không gian trước Nhà hát Thành phố đầu thế kỷ 20. Công trình được khởi công năm 1898 và hoàn thành sau hai năm, do kiến trúc sư Félix Olivier thiết kế, lấy cảm hứng từ nhà hát Opera Garnier ở Paris (Pháp). Các họa tiết trang trí lẫn vật liệu xây dựng hầu hết được đặt hàng sản xuất và vận chuyển từ Pháp qua.Loạt ảnh được giới thiệu trong cuốn Kiến trúc đô thị và cảnh quan Sài Gòn - Chợ Lớn xưa và nay, do Nhà xuất bản Tổng hợp TP HCM phát hành giữa tháng 7. Tác phẩm các tác giả Nguyễn Đức Hiệp, Tim Doling, Võ Chi Mai thực hiện, nguồn ảnh được sưu tầm từ các tạp chí, tư liệu đầu thế kỷ 20. Nhóm tác giả nhiều năm nghiên cứu về lịch sử, văn hóa thành phố, làm cố vấn văn hóa cho UNESCO, từng ra mắt một số ấn phẩm về vùng đất Sài Gòn - Gia Định - Chợ Lớn.
The street in front of the HCMC Opera House at the turn of the 20th century. The building, designed by Félix Olivier, was inspired by the Palais Garnier in Paris, France. It was built in 1900, with most of the decorative elements and building materials sourced from France.

A series of these photographs is featured in the book “Urban Architecture and Landscape of Saigon – Cho Lon (a Saigon neighbourhood with a heavy Chinese influence) Past and Present,” published by the HCMC General Publishing House in July. The work, by Nguyen Duc Hiep, Tim Doling and Vo Chi Mai, includes images gathered from magazines and other sources from the early 20th century. The authors, who have extensively studied the history and culture of the city and have served as cultural advisors to UNESCO, have previously released several publications about the Saigon – Gia Dinh – Cho Lon area.
Tiếp tục đọc “Capturing early 20th century southern Vietnam through foreign lenses” →