Hopeful new year

Speaking at the event, head of the association Duong Trung Duc reviewed negative effects caused by COVID-19 for Vietnamese in Macau, saying many lost their jobs and others could not return home due to the postponement of commercial flights. According to him, receiving assistance from the Vietnamese Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau and recognition of the local administration, the association, established in November last year, has so far operated well and significantly supported Vietnamese expatriates in legal consultations, organization of flights, and unemployment aid, among other aspects. The gathering aims at reminding the community about their responsibilities for the home country, particularly via building a good image of Vietnamese people overseas and making efforts to overcome obstacles and contribute to Vietnam. Macau now hosts more than 22,000 from Vietnam or those of the Vietnamese origin. The lion’s share of the number are people working as housemaids or at casinos. Source: VNA …

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Around $200 billion is now in tumult after a succession of days of network congestion and the news about the required increase in minimum trading lot from 100 to 1,000 shares on the HCM City stock market. Nguyen Giang, owner of The Way Coffee, completed the procedure to open an account at SSI Hanoi Branch after hearing that the HCM CIty Stock Exchange (HOSE) was planning to increase the required minimum trading lot from 100 shares to 1,000 shares. The reason behind the plan, as explained by Le Hai Tra, HOSE’s CEO, was to ease the overload. However, this was not good news for many investors, including Giang. Because of Covid-19, he no longer can work as an outbound tour guide, which he did for 10 years. In 2020, he opened a street coffee shop. However, the third Covid-19 outbreak once again affected his business. Giang then decided to make financial investments as he has confidence in the bright prospects of the stock market. However, the calculations of the investor may fail because of HOSE’s tentative policy. If the tentative policy takes effect, Giang will have to spend VND100 million at least for every purchase transaction of VIC (Vingroup), VJC (Vietjet), VCB (Vietcombank) and VNM (Vinamilk). If buying SAB (Sabeco), he would have to spend VND180 million at least, and ifor VCF (Vinacafe Bien Hoa), he would have to spend VND240 million. These are very large amounts of money compared with Giang’s investment plan. However, Tra said the policy, once applied, would bring benefits. It would not only help ease congestion thanks to the reduction of 40-50 percent in number of transactions, but would also better protect small investors. Nguyen Duy Hung, president of SSI, also commented that this is the best choice for now to maintain the system’s operation. However, many experts and securities companies don’t share the same view. They have warned that the policy isn't in line with stock market development and discriminates against small and …

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Walking their dog after dinner has always been a favorite daily activity of Tho Pham and his wife, a Vietnamese couple who live with their 39-year-old son in Garden Grove City, California. But not in the last few months as the wave of anti-Asian violence and harassment has terrified him. "I do not dare go out without my children because I am afraid someone will knock me to the ground or stab me to death just because I am Asian," he laments, adding that the hate crimes have disrupted his daily life. Many other Vietnamese share his apprehension, especially older people. Wally Ng, a member of the Guardian Angels, patrols with other members in Chinatown in New York City, New York, U.S., May 16, 2020. Photo by Reuters. Violence and hatred directed at Asian Americans, which also includes mugging, have surged across California since the beginning of the Covis-19 pandemic as Asians are blamed for its origin in Wuhan, China. Videos of an Asian woman being punched in the face on a subway platform and a Thai man being pushed to the ground in San Francisco have sparked fears, and the Vietnamese community is traumatized. Hoai Nguyen, a housewife in San Jose, home to the largest Vietnamese population in America, says: "It is annoying and scary when you go out and have to keep looking behind your back to see if you are being followed by someone suspicious." She has been called "coronavirus" several times while walking and shopping, but she had not expected the discrimination and hatred to turn violent and even murderous. Last month the Vietnamese community in San Jose was shocked after a 64-year-old woman was robbed in front of Dai Thanh Supermarket during the Lunar New Year holidays. Nguyen says with a sigh: "I cannot do that (go out) on my own because they may kill me. How weak I am and how cold-hearted those people are." Since older people are targeted, no one is comfortable letting their parents or grandparents go out alone though the first …

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