Dutch competition watchdog ACM on Monday said it had rejected objections by Apple against fines of 50 million euros ($53 million) it gave the company over failure to comply with orders to limit the dominant position of Apple's App Store. The ACM said Apple has complied with most of its demands to open its App Store to alternative forms of payment for dating apps in the Netherlands, but had not met an undisclosed third element of the conditions related to the fines. The ACM in 2021 ruled that Apple violated Dutch competition laws in the dating app market and required Apple to allow developers of dating apps to use third-party payment processors. It fined Apple 5 million euros per week, eventually reaching 50 million euros during the period it failed to comply. Apple objected to these fines, saying that the regulator had incorrectly defined relevant markets and had overestimated the dominance of Apple's position in the dating app market. The regulator rejected all of Apple's … [Read more...] about Dutch regulator rejects Apple’s objections to fines
When objective resolution was adopted
Defining SOE priorities vital
Do Thanh Trung, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Although SOEs account for a small proportion of the economy, they hold significant resources for the nation’s socioeconomic development, playing a core and vital role in building and safeguarding our homeland in a new context. The significant growth of SOEs contributes to socioeconomic development and serves as an effective tool for macroeconomic regulation, price stabilisation, social security, national security, and sovereignty, especially in border and island areas. SOEs are vital in building and developing essential economic infrastructure and leading industries to drive economic growth, especially in a context where the private sector has not yet fully grown and lacks the capability to perform better. Despite the positive results achieved, the activities of SOEs, especially investment activities, still have some existing limitations. Firstly, SOEs are slow to adapt to the new era, and their roles in … [Read more...] about Defining SOE priorities vital
Major issues to be debated at eighth session of Party Central Committee
In his speech, the Party chief stressed that this time’s session, lasting until October 8, will consider and make decisions about many big, complex, and sensitive issues highly important to the fulfillment of the 13th Party Central Committee’s political tasks from now until the end of the tenure. Socio-economic and state budget issues for the 2023-2024 period will be discussed amid the continuation of fast, complicated, unpredictable and unprecedented developments in the world, along with the appearance of more difficulties and challenges, which have negatively and seriously affected the performance of socio-economic tasks and targets. He asked the Party Central Committee to thoroughly scrutinize the reports and proposals by the Party’s civil affairs board of the Government; analyze outstanding points of 2023; clarify the obtained results as well as shortcomings, weaknesses and challenges; point out objective and subjective causes and lessons; and make objective and comprehensive … [Read more...] about Major issues to be debated at eighth session of Party Central Committee
Bayer leveraging digital models to enhance healthcare
In the healthcare sector, it has become clear that we need to act now in order to provide opportunities to live healthier for longer. Digital health and ICT solutions have come to define a new standard of how people of all ages manage their health and prevent diseases. Digital platforms are combined with hospital expertise across a range of services Dr. Michael Devoy, chief medical officer at global healthcare and nutrition enterprise Bayer AG, says that digitalisation is a means to enhancing how healthcare innovations are brought to patients. “It encompasses an improvement in our processes, rendering them faster and more efficient than before, as well as facilitating a more profound understanding of our patients and delivering better outcomes for them,” Devoy explained. “I am proud of how we already make use of digitalisation at Bayer, as we continuously strive to provide new treatment options for patients across generations.” In Vietnam in recent years, the … [Read more...] about Bayer leveraging digital models to enhance healthcare
Vietnam’s GDP growth forecast to expand by 4.7% in 2023: WB
Lower-than-expected growth in advanced economies and China could reduce external demand for Vietnamese exports. Vietnam's economic growth for 2023 is set to hit 4.7%, primarily influenced by weak domestic and external demand . Production of aircraft components at MHI Aerospace Vietnam. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times The World Bank released the forecast in its latest East Asia and Pacific October 2023 Economic Update. However, there's optimism for a recovery in the following years, with growth expected to reach 5.5% in 2024 and 6.0% in 2025. The main driver of this growth will be domestic demand, although at a slower pace than in previous years. In terms of inflation, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is projected to average 3.5% this year, largely due to scheduled increases in civil servant salaries. In the following years, assuming stable energy and commodity prices, inflation is expected to decline to 3.0% in both 2024 and 2025. On the fiscal side, … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s GDP growth forecast to expand by 4.7% in 2023: WB
Public investment as catalyst for Vietnam’s economic recovery in 2023: ADB
Accelerated government spending is expected to boost demand in the remaining months of the year. ADB’s Principal Country Economist Nguyen Ba Hung shared his thoughts on Vietnam’s economic performance and its prospects for 2023 with The Hanoi Times. ADB’s Principal Country Economist Nguyen Ba Hung. What is the primary obstacle confronting Vietnam's economy for the remainder of the year? In the first half of 2023, Vietnam experienced a slowdown in GDP growth, with growth projected at only 3.7% compared to the positive momentum seen last year, when GDP grew 6.5% in the first half and 9.5% in the second half, resulting in an annual growth rate of 8% for the whole of 2022. One factor contributing to GDP growth in recent years has been public investment's sustained and steady growth. However, significant internal challenges have emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic. Vietnam's economy heavily relies on exports and foreign direct investment (FDI) … [Read more...] about Public investment as catalyst for Vietnam’s economic recovery in 2023: ADB
Defense Minister chairs seventh meeting of Central Military Commission
Present at the event were Chief of the General Department of Political Affairs (GDP) of the Vietnam People’s Army General Luong Cuong, and Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Minister of National Defense Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong, among others. At the meeting, delegates focused on discussing and commenting on reports on the five-year implementation of Resolution No.5-NQ/TW dated April 16, 2018 of the Politburo on Vietnam’s National Defense Strategy; Conclusion No.24-KL/TW dated April 16, 2018 of the Politburo on Vietnam's defense strategy; and proposal for resuming education courses for civilian students in several military schools. At the event, a leader of the GDP informed the participants on domestic, regional, and international situations that have had impacts on the country’s defense-military task performance, and briefed on some major contents of the eighth plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee. In his concluding speech, General Giang praised … [Read more...] about Defense Minister chairs seventh meeting of Central Military Commission