Child abuse in the united states

The United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom launched an informal group aimed at boosting economic and diplomatic ties with Pacific island nations, the White House said on Friday. The Biden administration has vowed to commit more resources to the Indo-Pacific as China seeks to boost economic, military and police links with Pacific island nations hungry for foreign investment. The group, dubbed Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP), will seek to support Pacific regionalism and strengthen economic ties between the Pacific islands and the rest of the world. "We are united in our shared determination to support a region that benefits the peoples of the Pacific. We are also united in how we realize this vision -- according to principles of Pacific regionalism, sovereignty, transparency, accountability, and most of all, led and guided by the Pacific Islands," the White House said. White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell said on Thursday he expects … [Read more...] about U.S., Japan, Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom form Pacific group

Rapid economic development often results in serious impacts on forests, evidenced by the alarming deforestation in Phu Quoc City in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang having plunged the city’s forests into a state of emergency. Forests are regarded as the living soul of residents on the 'pearl island.' However, the woods full of stone stakes and steel wires are disappointing tourists. The situation is becoming truly alarming. Forests seem empty after one unguarded night Deforestation and land encroachment in Phu Quoc City in mid-June 2022 were no longer overt and rampant, but it did not mean that forests stopped 'bleeding.' On the main path from Ham Ninh Commune to Thom Beach, people could easily see excavated mountainsides and forest land areas occupied with concrete stakes, zinc-coated barbed wire fences, and even well-built constructions. “Some gangs secretly encroached and built fences," complained N.X.T., a forest ranger. “During the forest land invasion … [Read more...] about Phu Quoc forests in state of emergency

Factory workers are working at a export processing zone in HCMC. (Photo: SGGP) Industries recover and grow According to Mr. Nguyen Khac Hoang, Director of the HCMC Statistics Office, Vietnam's economy has maintained a strong recovery momentum despite the continuous increase in commodity and fuel prices and the disruption of the supply chain. Besides, domestic demand has recovered robustly, retail sales of consumer goods and services have grown steadily, tourism has been vibrant again, export activities have accelerated, and stably-grown credit has supported capital positively for the economy. As a result, the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) in the first six months of 2022 was estimated at VND511.91 trillion, up 3.82 percent over the same period. Of which, the commercial service sector contributed the most, with a growth rate of 4.83 percent in the context that service activities have just begun to recover after being heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic; the … [Read more...] about Despite difficulties, State budget revenue of HCMC increases robustly

The House voted 234-193 for the bill. No Democrats were opposed, while 14 Republicans backed the measure. It was supported by major law enforcement groups and its passage was a rare defeat for U.S. gun manufacturers and the National Rifle Association. House action followed a late Thursday Senate vote of 65-33 to pass the bill, with 15 Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, in favor. Biden will sign the bill on Saturday morning, the White House said. Gun control has long been a divisive issue in the United States with multiple attempts to place new controls on gun sales failing time after time until Friday. The bill does not go as far as Democrats, including Biden, had sought. It includes provisions that would help states keep guns out of the hands of those deemed to be a danger to themselves or others and close the so-called boyfriend loophole by blocking gun sales to those convicted of abusing unmarried intimate partners. However, it did not ban sales … [Read more...] about U.S. House passes gun-safety legislation as court expands gun rights

As a major U.N. conference opened in Portugal on restoring the planet's ailing oceans, U.S. President Joe Biden signed a memorandum that aimed to step up coordination and enforcement within the U.S. government against illegal fishing and the use of forced labor. The White House said the United States also plans new engagement with Ecuador, Panama, Senegal, Taiwan and Vietnam on fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, dubbed "IUU" in environmental jargon. An administration official said, without further detail, that the cooperation would include "capacity building" as part of a strategic plan. The United States identified the five "not because they are the primary offenders of IUU fishing but because they have expressed a willingness to work with the United States to combat IUU fishing in their countries," she told reporters on customary condition of anonymity. Another official said that, while the new U.S. effort does not target any country, China "is a leading … [Read more...] about US to work with Vietnam against illegal fishing

Major tech-based companies like Samsung and Intel already have a presence in Vietnam, but the country is seeking even more, Photo: Le Toan The Fortune Global 500 goal is a highlight of Vietnam’s strategy for foreign investment cooperation for the 2021-2030 period. At a conference on strengthening Vietnam-Japan cooperation and development organised in the northern province of Vinh Phuc last week, Masuoka Hiroyoshi, general director of Thang Long Industrial Park Company, said that the group is continuing to survey locations to develop industrial zones, following Thang Long I and II industrial parks (IPs) in Hanoi and the northern province of Hung Yen and Thang Long IP in the northern province of Vinh Phuc. Sumitomo Corporation is one of the groups listed on the Fortune Global 500, and has operated IPs for over 20 years in Vietnam. “Since first entering Vietnam, the corporation has received support from the government, relevant authorities, and localities in completing … [Read more...] about Vietnam going for gold with Fortune Global 500 attraction

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Việt Nam Lê Thị Thu Hằng during Thursday press briefing held in Hà Nội. — Photo from the ministry HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam on Thursday denounced China’s illegal military exercise in the Hoàng Sa (Paracel) archipelago as a serious violation of its sovereignty over the South China Sea Island chain. The spokesperson for the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng made the remarks during a press briefing in Hà Nội, in response to requests for a reaction to the announcement from China’s Hainan Province’s Department for Ocean Affairs about a June 19 drill in the waters off of Phú Lâm (Woody) Island, part of Hoàng Sa, which Việt Nam claims as its own. The military drill “goes against the spirit of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), complicates the situation, is not conducive to the ongoing negotiations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the Code of … [Read more...] about Việt Nam denounces China’s military drill, asserts sovereignty over island chains in South China Sea

Ambassador Đặng Hoàng Giang, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the United Nations. — VNA/VNS Photo NEW YORK — Ambassador Đặng Hoàng Giang, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the United Nations, has affirmed the importance of international humanitarian efforts as well as Việt Nam’s commitments to contribute to these activities. Addressing the three-day UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Humanitarian Affairs Segment, which concluded on June 23, Giang said that in 2022, Việt Nam had donated US$500,000 to the UN’s humanitarian funds and $1 million to the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) mechanism. Việt Nam had also coordinated with other ASEAN member states, through the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA) and UN offices, to provide humanitarian assistance for Myanmar people. The diplomat affirmed that peace and stability were prerequisites to ensure safe and uninterrupted humanitarian access for those in need. Humanitarian … [Read more...] about Việt Nam always supports UN’s humanitarian efforts: Ambassador

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Phạm Quang Hiệu delivers an opening speech at the eighth ocean dialogue. — VNA/VNS Photo HÀ NỘI — The eighth ocean dialogue was held on Wednesday in Hà Nội on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of UNCLOS with the theme of promoting maritime cooperation in Southeast Asia. It drew the virtual and in-person participation of more than 250 domestic and foreign experts. The event was jointly organised by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV), the Australian Embassy in Việt Nam and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation (KAS). In his opening speech, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Phạm Quang Hiệu said the adoption of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 40 years ago is a historic milestone in the development of the international law of the sea. For the first time, a comprehensive legal framework, a "charter" of the sea was established. The convention has laid a foundation for the development of the … [Read more...] about Ocean dialogue promotes maritime cooperation in Southeast Asia

The Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, unveiled with fanfare by U.S. President Joe Biden and G7 allies from Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the European Union, aims to fill a huge gap left as communist China uses its economic clout to stretch diplomatic tentacles into the furthest reaches of the world. Biden said the target was for the United States to bring $200 billion to the table, with the rest of the G7 another $400 billion by 2027. Funding the kinds of projects that China currently dominates -- everything from roads to harbours in far-flung corners of the world -- is not "aid or charity," Biden said. Highlighting the geostrategic thinking behind the plan, Biden said such projects "deliver returns for everyone, including the American people and the people of all our nations." Around the world, the role of China's democratic rivals is "a chance for us to share our positive vision for the future" and for other countries to "see for themselves the … [Read more...] about G7 touts $600 bn global infrastructure plan to rival China