Cyber threats

Lan made the remarks at a ceremony held in Hanoi on December 12 to release the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)’s annual report “State of the World’s Children 2017: Children in a Digital World”. She noted that it is necessary to equip children with necessary skills to access to a safe internet environment and children should be put in the center when building digital policies. Meanwhile, Youssouf Abdel-Jelil, UNICEF Representative in Vietnam, said that digital technology can make a life change for children who are left behind, particularly disable and ethnic kids and those living in disadvantaged areas. Children should be put in the center when building digital policies.  Online protection does not mean to control children’s internet use but protect their safety, he highlighted, adding that the Government need to closely work with the private sector to safeguard children, especially disadvantaged kids. The … [Read more...] about UNICEF annual report released in Hanoi

Indonesia's little-known glaciers are melting so fast they could disappear in a decade, a new study says, underscoring the imminent threat posed by climate change to ice sheets in tropical countries. Indonesia's little-known glaciers are melting so fast they could disappear in a decade, a new study says As the COP 25 summit wraps up in Madrid, nations are struggling to finalise rules for the 2015 landmark Paris climate accord, which aims to limit global temperature rises. Thousands of kilometres away, glaciers on a mountain range in Indonesia's Papua region -- and a handful of others in Africa and the Peruvian Andes -- are an early warning of what could be in store if they fail. "Because of the relatively low elevation of the (Papua) glaciers... these will be the first to go," said Lonnie Thompson, one of the authors of the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week. "They are the 'canaries in the coal mine'". This summer, Iceland … [Read more...] about Tropical Indonesia’s tiny glaciers to melt away in a decade: study

They had failed to apply a code of conduct to prevent corruption in their businesses, participants said at a forum held yesterday in Hanoi. “One of the reasons is the law is new,” one representative said. Corruption in the private sector was on the rise, posing a threat to society and the economy, he said. Speaking at the forum, deputy inspector general of the Government Inspectorate Tran Ngoc Liem said the expansion of the law’s scope to non-state sectors was necessary. Catherine Phuong, assistant resident representative of UNDP Vietnam , said the implementation of the law required efforts not only from the Government but also from companies. “Companies should play an active role in complying with the laws and regulations, and ensuring their business practices promote the values of fairness, inclusiveness, integrity, transparency and accountability,” she said. Vuong Hoang Hai from the Vietnam International Commercial Joint Stock Bank said Vietnam … [Read more...] about Private firms confused about anti-corruption law

The trial opened in the Phu Tho People’s Court in the northern province, 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of Hanoi. Phan Van Vinh, former director of the General Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security, and Nguyen Thanh Hoa, former director of the ministry’s Departmentfor High-Tech Crime Prevention, are charged with "abuse of power or position in performance of official duties." Vinh was arrested in April and Hoa a month earlier. They could be sentenced to 5-10 years in prison. The 90 other defendants are charged with six different crimes: gambling, organizing gambling, money laundering, and trading illegal receipts. The trial, guarded by more than 500 cops on the opening day, is expected to last for 20 days. Nguyen Thanh Hoa, former director of the ministry’s cyber crime division, arrives at the Phu Tho People's Court on Monday. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy Investigations found Vinh had helped Nguyen Thanh Hoa and Nguyen Van Duong, chairman of … [Read more...] about Former top cops stand trial in massive gambling case

If it goes ahead, the $35 billion-plus tie-up would alter the landscape for rivals including General Motors and Peugeot maker PSA Group, which recently held inconclusive talks with Fiat Chrysler (FCA), and could spur more deals. French group Renault said it was studying the proposal from Italian-American FCA with interest, and considered it friendly. Shares in both companies jumped more than 10 percent as investors welcomed the potential creation of a company that would produce more than 8.7 million vehicles a year and aim for 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion) in annual savings. It would rank third in the global auto industry behind Japan’s Toyota and Germany’s Volkswagen. But analysts also warned of big complications, including Renault’s existing alliance with Nissan, the French state’s role as Renault’s largest shareholder and potential opposition from politicians and workers to any cutbacks. "The market will be careful with these synergy numbers as much … [Read more...] about Fiat Chrysler and Renault pursue $35 billion merger to tackle car sector challenges