Lgbtq discrimination statistics

The moment on June 28 at the Stonewall bar in Greenwich, New York, was triggered by people rising in anger against centuries of homophobia, oppression and discrimination. Since then, June has been celebrated as Pride Month by the LBGTQ community and their friends with parades and other festivities, film screenings and many other activities. Working in an organization fighting for the rights of marginalized people including the LGBTQ, I have always asked myself: Can the community be really proud? Is their integration into mainstream community complete? When these questions come to mind, I remember Tung. When I was working as an LGBTQ reporter for a local newspaper, out of nowhere, Tung sent me a message. We set up an appointment, also on a June afternoon. I was thinking about asking him to be featured in one of my articles. "I used to cut myself here; it was both painful and frightening. The knife was also rusty. After two tries, I stopped. It left nothing but two blurred … [Read more...] about Pride and prejudice – a June reflection

Vietnam has posted GDP growth of 7.72% in Q2 this year. (Photo: VNA) Hong Kong (VNA) – The Lianhe Zaobao daily in Hong Kong, China, on June 30 ran an article highlighting Vietnam’s impressive economic growth of 7.72% in the second quarter. It wrote that with export and consumption recovery, the Vietnamese economy rebounded strongly in Q2, with gross domestic product (GDP) increasing 7.72% year on year – the fastest pace in almost 11 years. This is expected to boost the GDP growth in the first half of 2022 to 6.42% from a year earlier, beyond the Government’s 5.5% expectation. The country recorded a growth rate of only 2.04% in the same period last year. Unveiling the statistics on June 29, the General Statistics Office (GSO) of Vietnam stressed that compared to other ASEAN members and countries in the world, this is a relatively high growth rate, and that the country has also maintained macro-economic stability, according to Lianhe Zaobao. The article noted … [Read more...] about Hong Kong daily spotlights Vietnam’s impressive growth

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

Four tremors with magnitudes of up to 3.2 vibrated throughout the mountainous district of Kon Plong in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum early on June 22, the Institute of Geophysics reported. Four minor quakes hit Kon Tum on June 22 According to the institute’s Vietnam Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Center, a total of four trembles occurred at 0:46 a.m., 0:58 a.m., 1:15 a.m., and 2:04 a.m., with magnitudes of 3.2, 1.8, 2.6, and 2.6, respectively, at a depth of around 8.1 kilometres. Fortunately, these earthquakes did not pose any risk of disaster, the centre noted, adding that it was continuing to observe any related developments. Since the beginning of the year Kon Plong has experienced dozens of quakes with magnitudes ranging from 2.4 to 4.1 on the Richter scale, causing no major danger. Vietnam has recorded three detrimental quakes, all of which occurred in the northern province of Dien Bien in 1935, 1983, and 2001 with the magnitudes of 6.9, … [Read more...] about Four minor quakes subsequently hit Kon Tum in two hours

The economy of HCM City has expanded by 3.82 percent in the first half of 2022. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City recorded growth of 3.82 percent in gross regional domestic product ( GRDP ) in the first half of 2022, according to its Statistics Office. Product tax collection increased 2.03 percent, trade and services 4.83 percent, agriculture - forestry - fisheries 1.77 percent, and industry - construction 2.23 percent. Notably, trade and services generated nearly 99.66 trillion VND (4.3 billion USD) in revenue in June and almost 556.49 trillion VND in the first six months, respectively rising 41.1 percent and 6.2 percent from a year earlier. Such positive growth indicated that sectors are recovering well, especially trade and services, the Statistics Office said. Meanwhile, the southern economic hub has welcomed nearly 216,000 international arrivals since the beginning of June, doubling the figure in the same period last year. The six-month number also … [Read more...] about HCM City posts economic growth of 3.82 percent in H1

Illustrative photo (Source: moit.gov.vn) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnam is targeting to control public debt below 60 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030 to ensure debt safety and national financial security. The goal was highlighted in the public debt strategy by 2030. Deputy Minister of Finance Ta Anh Tuan said at a two-day workshop held in Thanh Hoa province on June 21 that the public debt strategy issued on April 14 played an important role in the socio-economic development in the 2021-2030 period, which serves as an important basis for continuing sustainable and efficient public reform management and ensuring debt safety and national financial security. Under the strategy, public debt would not exceed 60 percent, government debt 50 percent and foreign debt 45 percent of GDP, and the amount for debt repayment would not exceed 25 percent of the total budget revenue. The strategy targeted that GDP would expand at an average of seven percent per year with … [Read more...] about Keeping public debt below 60 percent of GDP by 2030 targeted

Binh Duong smart city in the namesake southern Vietnamese province was listed in the world’s top seven intelligent communities for the second consecutive year. The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) and Binh Duong People’s Committee organized a ceremony in the southern province on Tuesday evening to announce the 2022 Top 7 Intelligent Communities of the Year. Binh Duong smart city was named in the Smart21 Communities for the fourth year in a row and Top 7 Intelligent Communities for the second consecutive year in 2022. In order to get recognized as one of the Smart21 Communities, Binh Duong smart city and other cities around the world had to meet strict criteria including broadband coverage, equality in digital access, innovative workforce, and support for sustainable development, said Louis Zacharilla, co-founder of the ICF. The ICF gathers nearly 200 prosperous smart cities in the world, Zacharilla continued, adding that it offers a chance for organizations and businesses in … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s Binh Duong among world’s top seven intelligent communities

At shareholders' meetings in recent years, the common discussion of commercial banks is that they often set credit growth targets much higher than the credit growth target of the whole banking system. However, how much is set depends on the credit limit granted by the State Bank of Vietnam. Usually at the beginning of the year, the State Bank of Vietnam grants a credit room to each commercial bank depending on their state as healthy banks. From the middle of the year onwards, the operators begin to adjust the credit room for commercial banks, based on developments in the economy, operations, and health of the bank. This is to say, that looking at the actual needs of the market, commercial banks can predict their credit growth, but they can only do so within the level allowed by the State Bank of Vietnam. Every year, around the middle of the second quarter onwards, commercial banks mostly step up and race to send applications to the State Bank of Vietnam to ask for more credit room. … [Read more...] about State Bank of Vietnam unwilling to dismantle credit room

Utop – an app for online shopping using blockchain technology by FPT Group. (Photo: SGGP) CEO of Vietnam Blockchain JSC. Do Van Long commented that owing to negative incidents of digital currency, many people tend to think that blockchain is merely digital currency, which is extremely mistaken. In fact, this advanced technology can be used to create digital property or to upgrade existing information management systems to gain a higher level of security and transparency. Technology Director of FPT Group Vu Anh Tu also stated that besides the popular use of blockchain in digital currency, it can effectively boost innovative technological startups thanks to its wide applications. Statistics from Vietnam Blockchain Association reveal that among 200-top successful blockchain enterprise in the world, 7 were founded by Vietnamese people. Vietnam is one of five leading countries in this technology. At present, about 10 Vietnamese innovative startups in the blockchain field have the … [Read more...] about Vietnam to actively apply blockchain technology in various fields

Role of press highlighted in promoting development Nguyen Thu Lan, a consultant from a Hanoi-based US-invested investment consultancy firm, two weeks ago completed a digital transformation report for the firm’s three potential American clients, who are exploring Vietnam’s investment climate. Lan had to seek information from many sources for the report, including local newspapers. She also found detailed information on Vietnam’s macroeconomic situation and digital transformation in VIR, which features a new hallmark scheme from the government on supporting industrial enterprises in smart production development. Lan said, “I am very happy as I had been seeking such information for months. More importantly, such information was cited from an original source,” she said. Under the draft scheme, expected to be enacted by the government soon, just over one-third of Vietnamese businesses will implement digital transformation effectively by 2025, and the rate will increase to 85 per … [Read more...] about Role of press highlighted in promoting development