Police bust illegal gambling ring in poker tournament disguiseVietNamNet Bridge – HCM City’s police busted an illegal gambling operation run by Dang Van Quy, 45, a native of southern Dong Nai Province on Tuesday. Poker chips and cash found at the venue. They were found gambling with real money in the disguise of a poker tournament. Similar illegal operations were stopped by the police earlier this year in Phu Nhuan District and District 7 with dozens of gamblers arrested. Poker clubs can be found in many cities and provinces across the country which are gathering places for players and may host poker tournaments.

VN aims to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilisVietNamNet Bridge – Children and pregnant women lack access to health services in remote, border and island areas, creating a major challenge for the national programme to eliminate the transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis from mothers to children, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Viet Tien said in Hanoi on May 22. Therefore, the prevalence of hepatitis B virus among pregnant women is also high. A draft on the National Action Plan to eliminate the transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis from mother to child in the 2018-30 period has been completed by the Ministry of Health. At the workshop, participants discussed issues such as antenatal care and pre-testing for disease discovery, interventions for pregnant women, mother-to-child transmission, funding for the implementation of the plan, inter-sector coordination and monitoring. These diseases can be prevented through simple and accessible interventions, including pre-testing for pregnant women and vaccination of infants after birth.

VN among countries with highest gestational diabetes rate in Asia-PacificViet Nam is among the countries in the Asia-Pacific with an alarming incidence of gestational diabetes, Dr Le Quang Thanh, head of Tu Du Hospital in HCM City, has said. The Viet Nam-France-Asia-Pacific Conference discussed many issues related to obstetrics and gynaecology, including gestational diabetes. Photo Courtesy of FrieslandCampina VietnamSpeaking at a conference last week he said many hospitals in the city, for instance, have seen an increase in the number of cases of gestational diabetes. Pregnant women with diabetes treated at his hospital account for 18 per cent of all diabetics, while the rate is 15 per cent at Hung Vuong Hospital, he said. In Singapore, 30 per cent of pregnant women with gestational diabetes have to be forced to terminate their pregnancy, and the remaining 70 per cent develop two type 2 diabetes after the pregnancy, Tan said.

Pollution behind mass fish deaths incident in Dong NaiSouthern Dong Nai Province’s agriculture department said the unsual high level of NH4 (Amoni) and NO2 (Nitrite) may be the reason behind Monday’s mass fish deaths on the La Nga River based on a test done on water sample collected at the site. Mass fish deaths on the La Nga River. The test showed a NH4 level 5.6-11 times higher than farm fish tolerance level while NO2 was found to be at 10-20 times higher. It was possible that a large volume of water heading from upstream carried enough pollution, which in combination with NH4 and NO2 was deadly to the fish. Vinh also said if natural causes were the cause of mass fish deaths, around 80 fish farming households would eligible for support from the Government.

Hanoi police crack down on illegal racingHanoi’s Police Department has launched a plan aimed at curbing illegal motorbike street racing in the city as the 2018 World Cup draws near. Police deal with a motorbike using for an illegal street racing. The police will also keep an eye on persons who have previously been fined for illegal street racing in the city, he said. During the World Cup, the names of persons fined for illegal street racing will be sent to schools, offices and residential areas for re-education efforts. The 2018 World Cup will be held in Russia from June 14 to July 15.

Amazon defends providing police facial recognition techAmazon has defended working with US police forces to provide facial recognition technology, amid concern from civil rights groups. It said fears over misuse of the technology should not inhibit use of facial recognition to fight crime. "Our quality of life would be much worse today if we outlawed new technology because some people could choose to abuse the technology," Amazon said in a statement. The debate over the implantation of facial recognition software is happening all over the world. In China, three wanted criminals have been arrested while at pop concerts after facial recognition spotted them as they entered the venue.

Thai ‘investment wave’ in Vietnam getting strongerVietNamNet Bridge - Thai investors are expected to increase their presence in Vietnam through capital contribution and M&A deals, analysts say. Thailand now ranks the 10th among the biggest foreign investors in VietnamThe first Thai investors came to Vietnam in 1992 and poured $50 million into Vietnam after the first two years. However, the Thai investment has become stronger in the last few years. A report found that Thai FDI (foreign direct investment) to Vietnam began increasing significantly in 1995, after Vietnam officially joined ASEAN. Vietnam has remained an attractive destination for foreign investors with total foreign direct investment FDI capital hitting $36 billion in 2017, a record over the past 10 years.

Controversial asset tax not yet on Gov’t agendaVietNamNet Bridge – Finance minister Dinh Tien Dung on Tuesday said that the controversial asset tax will not be on the agenda at least until the next National Assembly (NA) semester, or 2021. More recently, the Politburo in 2016 issued Resolution 07 on the restructuring of the State budget and public debt management which proposed research to apply an asset tax. Dung said that the new asset tax had sufficient legal basis to be brought to the table for serious discussion, which he even considered “already late”. The debate on the asset tax broke out in April, following reports that the Ministry of Finance had prepared a draft law to tax houses and cars. It will be a long time until (the law) makes it to the National Assembly,” Dung said.

Businesswoman returns to the silver screenVietNamNet Bridge – The serial Tinh Khuc Bach Duong (Love Stories in the Land of Birch) is being broadcast on Viet Nam Television’s Channel 1. Actress Thanh Mai. — File PhotoThe serial features many established artistes like Le Vu Long, Thanh Mai and Chi Bao, who rarely appear on television these days. Actress Thanh Mai stars one of the leading roles. Thanh Mai has previously played about 100 roles in television series.

In the coming time, the JCCH will host more business forums and trade-investment exchanges with businesses in HCM City, he said. Mai said he hopes the UJC and the Ben Tre Party Committee exchange experience in organising youth activities, and expects the UJC to help Cuban firms visit Ben Tre to seek partnerships. As the two cities share similarities in smart city building targets, which are to provide convenient services and improving living conditions for local people, they should step up cooperation and sharing experience in smart city building, the official said. It is also experienced in building a smart city and providing smart city solutions. He expressed his city’s willingness to cooperate with HCM City in creating start-up incubators and exchanging experience in smart city building.

Outdoor light pollution worsens in VietnamVietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam is faced with increasing outdoor light pollution, which can be harmful to physical and mental health, according to local experts. Light pollution has worsened in recent years, experts say. In many alleys of HCM City, for instance, many 0.6-1.2m fluorescent and halogen lights are used to light streets. At night, light throws the body’s biological clock and circadian rhythm out of whack, disturbing sleep, according to Harvard University’s Medical School website. Experts at the Harvard Medical School said that people should use dim red lights for night lights.

Ignoring protests, banks insist on raising service feesVietNamNet Bridge - The number of e-banking service users had reached 81 percent by the end of 2017, according to IDG. The service fee frame was set by the watchdog agency in 2013 and commercial banks have the right to set service fees themselves, provided that the fees are not higher than ceiling levels. Explaining their decisions, banks said the adjustment of service fees will be associated with new services with higher quality. Banks’ clients said the explanations are ‘unconvincing’ and voiced strong protests against the decisions. An official of the State Bank said the service fee frame was set by the watchdog agency in 2013 and commercial banks have the right to set service fees themselves, provided that the fees are not higher than ceiling levels.

Concert to feature Stravinsky’s Firebird SuiteThe Firebird Suite, an orchestral work for the ballet The Firebird by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, will be performed in Ho Chi Minh City on May 27. The ballet premiered in Paris in 1910 by the Ballet Russes, and has been performed by famous ballet companies around the world. Apart from the original score for the ballet, Stravinsky arranged three shorter suites for concert performances which date from 1911, 1919 and 1945. The HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will perform the 1919 suite, which is the most well-known and played. French composer and conductor Fabien Tehericsen, a professor of music composition at University of Poitiers and the University of Orsay, Paris, will lead the concert at the HCM City Opera House.

HCM City calls for investment in waterway, seaport projectsHo Chi Minh City is calling for investment in waterway and seaport projects. Ho Chi Minh City is calling for investment in waterway and seaport projects (Illustrative image: VNA)According to the municipal Department of Transport, the city plans to organise a seminar on investment in waterway and seaport projects in June. At the Transport Department’s press conference on May 22, the department’s representative also informed participants of the progress of several transport projects. The first phase of the new eastern bus station project will be put into operation this year, while its second phase will be complete by 2025. For the new western bus station project, ground clearance compensation is being conducted.-VNA

HCM City prioritises luring FDI in urban developmentHCM City is giving the priority to luring new-generation foreign direct invest (FDI) in the fields of high technology and urban development, along with FDI attraction in the four main industries and two traditional sectors. The city is exerting efforts to call for investment in 190 projects, focusing on the development of smart and innovative urban areas. Innovative urban areas which are calling for investment include District 2, District 9 and Thu Duc district. Ho Chi Minh City expects the success of these areas will pave the way for the development of smart urban areas. Most of foreign investors have shown their appreciation of and back for the city’s urban development efforts.