HCM City leaders warmly welcome Overseas Vietnamese back home for Lunar New Year celebration HCM City leaders award certificates of merit to 19 people with outstanding achievements in overseas work and contributions to the city. HCM City leaders held a reception yesterday for a delegation of 800 Overseas Vietnamese (OV) from 26 countries and territories on the occasion of Tết 2019 (Lunar New Year). On behalf of the city government, Nguyễn Thiện Nhân, secretary of HCM City Party Committee, extended his warmest greetings to the OV community, while applauding their contributions to the development of the country and HCM City in particular. Nhân said the city would continue to foster reforms, industrialisation and the modernisation process, and international integration. He expressed his hope that 800 overseas Vietnamese at the meeting would enhance solidarity, treasure traditional cultural identity, and serve as a bridge to connect Việt Nam … [Read more...] about Government News 26/1
Recent news on immigration
BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 12/12
Vietnam’s agricultural sector records progress Over the past years, Vietnam’s agricultural sector has reaped marked achievements, helping ensure national food security. Vietnamese staples such as coffee, rice, rubber, cashew nuts, pepper, fruit, seafood, wood and timber products have gained firm foothold in the global market. Statistics show that the sector’s gross domestic product (GDP) grows about 2.5 percent while its production value expands by 2.73 percent each year. During the 2013-2017 period, the sector’s total export turnover reached 153 billion USD, with 36.2 billion USD earned in 2017. Seven out of the 10 major products saw export turnover exceeding 1 billion USD. To create impressive changes in agricultural production, the Vietnam Farmers’ Union (VFU) has signed a cooperation programme with the Ministry of Science and Technology, under which the two sides join hands in implementing scientific and technological tasks … [Read more...] about BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 12/12
BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 10/12
Fayfay.com announces strategic partnership with Ho Chi Minh City tourism Hong Kong-based Fayfay.com on December 6 announced that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Centre to promote tourism in Vietnam, with a special focus on the city. The MoU was signed by Tran Ngoc Dong Quan, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Centre, along with Kingston Lai and Kelvin Wu, the co-founders of Fayfay.com, at Bep Nha Luc Tinh Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, in the presence of industry experts and members of the media. “Ho Chi Minh City is an important destination on Fayfay.com and we look forward to partnering with the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Centre to showcase the city’s vibrant architecture, rich culinary scene, and authentic local experiences,” said Lai. “We believe strategic joint promotional activities with the Tourism Promotion Centre will enable us to leverage our online platform and … [Read more...] about BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 10/12
France adopts law on asylum, immigration
Viet Nam News PARIS — France’s parliament on Wednesday signed into law a controversial asylum and immigration bill – despite opposition on the left which decried an effort to limit arrivals while the far right saw the measure as not going far enough. The bill is designed to accelerate asylum procedures by cutting the maximum processing time to 90 days after entering France from 120 currently. The text was adopted on a final reading by 100 votes in favour to 25 against with 11 abstentions. The senate had rejected the bill on Tuesday, but the lower house passed the text as President Emmanuel Macron’s La Republique En Marche party holds a large majority, even if the law has exposed divisions within his own camp. As well as slimming down the time taken to overcome administrative hurdles the text cuts to six months, from 11, the time limit to make an asylum claim while facilitating both the expulsion of those rejected and the acceptance of those whose bid … [Read more...] about France adopts law on asylum, immigration
Trump claims victory on travel ban, but border crackdown on hold
Members of the New York Immigration Coalition hold a news conference in Foley Square, to talk about the US Supreme Court decision to uphold US President Donald Trump's Muslim ban. (Don EMMERT/AFP) The court ruling handed a major victory to Trump in a tortuous legal battle over the Republican leader's efforts to restrict immigration. But it follows two embarrassing climbdowns on illegal migration, as Trump and Congress face mounting pressure to legislate a solution to the flashpoint issue. Conservative jurists prevailed over liberals in Tuesday's majority opinion from America's highest court. The 5-4 ruling validated the third and most recent version of the ban, which applies to travellers from five mainly Muslim nations - Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen - and from North Korea, about 150 million people in total. Trump pounced on the decision as an endorsement of his authority to defend national security and "a tremendous success and victory for the American people." Protesters … [Read more...] about Trump claims victory on travel ban, but border crackdown on hold
US military may house immigrant children as Trump policy beset by confusion
The U.S. military has been asked to get ready to house up to 20,000 immigrant children, officials said on Thursday, as President Donald Trump's efforts to roll back a widely condemned policy of separating children from their parents were beset by confusion. While no decision has been made, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has already assessed three military bases in Texas and would review another in Arkansas, Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said. She said HHS had asked the Pentagon "to determine its capabilities to provide up to 20,000 temporary beds for unaccompanied alien children" at military installations." White did not give further details and it was not clear how many of the children who could be sent to the bases are already being detained at other facilities. Trump and his administration have faced fierce criticism in recent weeks for separating more than 2,300 children from their families in order to prosecute their parents for crossing the border illegally. … [Read more...] about US military may house immigrant children as Trump policy beset by confusion
US sending 1,600 immigration detainees to federal prisons
U.S. authorities are transferring into federal prisons about 1,600 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees, officials told Reuters on Thursday, in the first large-scale use of federal prisons to hold detainees amid a Trump administration crackdown on people entering the country illegally. An ICE spokeswoman told Reuters five federal prisons will temporarily take in detainees awaiting civil immigration court hearings, including potential asylum seekers, with one prison in Victorville, California, preparing to house 1,000 people. Officials of a prison employees’ union said the influx of ICE detainees, who were arrested at the border or elsewhere in the United States by immigration officials, raises questions about prison staffing and safety. Union leaders at prisons in California, Texas and Washington state who spoke to Reuters said they had little time to prepare for the large intake of detainees. At Victorville, the prison getting the largest number of people, … [Read more...] about US sending 1,600 immigration detainees to federal prisons
Trump says DACA deal for young immigrants is off
President Donald Trump said on Sunday that there will be no deal to legalize the status of young adult immigrants called Dreamers and he said the U.S.-Mexico border is becoming more dangerous. After tweeting a “Happy Easter” message on Twitter, he said: “Border Patrol Agents are not allowed to properly do their job at the Border because of ridiculous liberal (Democrat) laws like Catch & Release. Getting more dangerous. “‘Caravans’ coming. Republicans must go to Nuclear Option to pass tough laws NOW. NO MORE DACA DEAL!” he wrote, adding a threat to kill the North American Free Trade Agreement which is being renegotiated with Mexico and Canada. DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is a program created in 2012 under Democratic former President Barack Obama that Trump sought to rescind last autumn. Designed for people brought to the United States as children by parents who were undocumented immigrants, the program shielded them from … [Read more...] about Trump says DACA deal for young immigrants is off
Social News 28/3
Tay Ninh: Police bust drug trafficking ring Police in the southwestern province of Tay Ninh are teaming up with relevant forces to investigate the trafficking of 11kg of methamphetamine. On March 22, two Cambodians namely Buy Bunly, 51, and Lim So Thea, 34, both residing in Tbong Khmum province of Cambodia, were caught transporting 5kg of myth by motorbike in Thanh Tay commune, Tan Bien district, Tay Ninh province. The provincial drug crime investigation police also seized a gun and six bullets. On March 23 night, they arrested six people relating to a drug ring in ward 4, Tay Ninh city, comprising Phan Thi Mong Cam, Phung Ngoc Tan, Pham Hong Thai, Tran Quang Khanh, Nguyen Hoang Sang and Huynh Han Song, all residing in Tay Ninh city. These suspects confessed that they were waiting for the drugs. In the early morning of March 24, the police forces arrested eight other people involved, along with another 6kg of myth, more than 5 billion VND (220,000 … [Read more...] about Social News 28/3
Social News 30/1
Ho Chi Minh City launches activities to mark 1968 Tet Offensive Nguyen Van Binh book street in Ho Chi Minh CityAn array of activities are scheduled to take place from January 30 to February 4 at Nguyen Van Binh book street in Ho Chi Minh City to recount the General Offensive and Uprising in Spring 1968, known in the West as the Tet Offensive.Notably, a model of the Ben Thanh market, which has been constructed from 1,000 books on the Spring 1968 campaign and the history of Ho Chi Minh City, is expected to catch the public’s attention.Various books on the two resistance wars against French colonialism and American imperialism, as well as the history, renewal process and development of the City, will be introduced to visitors.Two forums themed “Saigon’s youth during the Spring 1968 campaign’ and ‘Memories about Spring 1968’ will also be held on January 30 and February 2 to mark the occasion.The speakers will be former members of the armed forces and … [Read more...] about Social News 30/1