Changes in target markets worry wooden furniture exportersVietNamNet Bridge - Wooden furniture manufacturers have been warned that they will face more trade barriers as export markets have applied new policies to restrict imports. Therefore, wooden furniture manufacturers and Vietnamese management agencies have been told to make reasonable preparations to minimize changes in exports to the US. Most Vietnamese wooden furniture enterprises don’t have direct contact with European importers. Therefore, the requirements on timber sources and forestry from Europe cannot reach Vietnamese enterprises, especially small companies. RELATED NEWSFuture bright for VN’s woodworking industryVietnam wooden furniture products now target high-end marketThanh Lich

HCM City towards clean energy solutions in smart city buildingExperts and scientists have discussed how to promote the application of technological solutions to produce clean energy, and form communities using smart energy, towards making over Ho Chi Minh City as a smart city in a seminar on April 20. Nguyen Phuong Duy from the municipal Department of Industry and Trade said the city has implemented important items in the project “Developing HCM City into a smart city in 2017-2020, with a vision to 2025”, focusing on promoting the use of smart and clean energy, saving and effective energy use. Over 12,000 solar energy water heaters have been used in HCM City so far. “Smart city development should include the ability to deal with environmental challenges and clean energy technology solutions will play a very important role,” said Tran Ngoc Giao, chairman of USTA. Statistics show that HCM City saved 3.1 billion million kWh and reduced 2.039 billion tonnes of CO2 in 2011-2017.

Effective spending required for people’s acceptance of new property tax proposalThe Ministry of Finance has proposed imposing a new tax on people who own property worth VNĐ700 million ($31,000) or more. That includes a 10 per cent value added tax, 0.5 per cent land use tax and some other extra fees for necessary registration procedures. Alternative approachDang Hung Vo, former deputy minister of environment and natural resources, agreed with the property tax proposal. However, he argued the housing property tax should adopt an area-based approach rather than a value-based approach. A reconsideration and thorough review of the property tax proposal based on this approach would be better accepted by the people.

More Vietnamese startups register business in SingaporeVietNamNet Bridge - After spending two hours on a flight from HCMC, plus 30 minutes on entry procedures, a group of Vietnamese, including two business owners and investors, landed in Singapore recently to complete business registration procedures. It took four hours to register a business in SingaporeThe growing tendency of registering businesses in Singapore is not good for Vietnam. The State loses a source of revenue from the businesses, while an ecosystem for the Vietnamese business community cannot be created. At 11 am on Monday, they turned up at a business registration service company and were asked to fill in documents shown by an officer named Lizzie. The State loses a source of revenue from the businesses, while an ecosystem for the Vietnamese business community cannot be created.

Chu Dinh Nghiem on verge of setting new record with Hanoi FCManager Chu Dinh Nghiem is on the brink of establishing a new home record with Hanoi FC, as they host Saigon FC at Hang Day Stadium in the sixth round of the 2018 Nuti Café V.League on April 22. A triumph over Saigon FC this weekend will be Hanoi FC's seventh consecutive win at Hang Day Stadium under manager Chu Dinh Nghiem. Despite the absence of “assassin” Hoang Vu Samson, Hanoi FC are still showing an impressive form since the beginning of the season. Hanoi FC is currently the only unbeaten team in the 2018 V.League. With the advantage of playing at home, Hanoi FC will surely head into Sunday’s fixture determined to take the full three points and strengthen their hold on the top of the table.

Vietnamese banks seek support from foreign capitalVietNamNet Bridge - In bankers’ eyes, 2018 is the time to try to attract foreign capital to boost growth. While VPBank and HD Bank offered low ownership ratios to foreign investors, other banks were seeking investors willing to make huge investments. Analysts say it is the right time for banks to seek foreign capital and for foreign investors to pour capital into Vietnamese banks. An analyst noted that because many banks are rushing to seek foreign capital, they will have to compete with each other to become more attractive to foreign investors. RELATED NEWSReal estate M&As 2018: golden time for foreign capitalBig foreign investors eye Vietnamese corporationsMai Chi

Tourists ride elephants on Lak LakeTourists ride an elephant in Yok Don National ParkLocal artists perform traditional gong - UNESCO-recognised world cultural heritageGong performance by K'ho girlsVisitors pose in front of Dray Nur waterfallDak Lak province museum is designed after the Ede ethnic minority's long housePalace of King Bao DaiKo Tam community-based ecotourism hamletCom lam (steamed sticky rice in bamboo tubes) - a delicious food of the Ede ethnic group

Plastic waste – serious threat to environmentUS Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Mary Tarnowka has called for actions to improve public awareness of plastic waste as well as measures to reduce and recycle plastic waste. Mary Tarnowka described plastic waste as a serious threat, noting that piles of plastic waste in oceans have destroyed the natural environment, adversely affected the marine life and threatened the living environment. Given this, she urged agencies and units to regularly launch campaigns to clean up rubbish, especially plastic waste, in localities, thus raising public awareness of this issue. Besides, competent agencies need financial support to carry out communications programmes as well as projects on recycling plastic waste and producing environmentally friendly products, she said. A survey conducted by the HCM City Department of Natural Resources and Environment found that the volume of plastic trash in the city is just behind food waste, with an estimated 250,000 tonnes of plastic waste discarded each year.

Da Nang, FPT cooperate to build ‘smart’ cityThe central city of Da Nang and FPT, a Vietnamese software giant, inked on April 19 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on building Da Nang as a ‘smart city’ for the 2018-20 period. Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, Ho Ky Minh, said the MoU would help Da Nang improve administrative reform and transparency for local people, businesses and tourists, and build Da Nang as a ‘liveable’ city in the near future. FPT, who started investment in the city from 2004, has so far employed 2,000 IT engineers from Da Nang to work for the company’s software export department. In 2016, FPT debuted its IT Service Centre, the FPT Complex in Da Nang. Da Nang plans to become a ‘smart city’ by 2020 and a ‘green city’ by 2025.

Time 100: Millie Bobby Brown is youngest person ever on listMillie Bobby Brown has been named as one of the world's 100 most influential people by Time magazine. She is the youngest person to be included in Time's top 100, which is published every year. Brown rose to fame with her role as the character Eleven in the hugely popular science fiction TV show. Other famous figures who made the Time magazine list include singers Rihanna, Kesha and Shawn Mendes as well as US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Who else made the 2018 Time magazine list?

Hanoi likely to face water shortage in summerEven though the city's pumping system has been upgraded, it still can't keep up with rapid urbanisation and water shortages are looming over many districts in Hanoi. People in Hanoi take water brought by a truck in 2017The issue was discussed during a meeting on April 19 held by Hanoi Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung. However, the capital’s population had also increased so there may be water shortages in districts on higher ground. "Water availability will be rotated or water trucks will be sent to some wards," Duc said. A representative of the Department of Health warned about the water quality and suggested shutting down substandard facilities.

Economy lacks capital, even as treasury deposits remain highVietNamNet Bridge - While the state treasury has plenty of money, the national economy still thirsts for capital. According to Anh, commercial banks are seeking medium- and long-term capital in the market at the interest rate of 6-7 percent per annum. They receive 3-4 percent per annum in interest rate when lending to the government. If counting the CDS (credit default swaps), the Vietnamese government bond interest rate is even lower than the US. This can be seen in the large amounts of treasury deposits at commercial banks, up to hundreds of trillions of dong.

Body of dead tourist stranded in Phu QuocAn American tourist who died in the southern province of Kien Giang's Phu Quoc Island over 20 days ago but his family have been unable to transport his body due to financial difficulties according to local police. The body of the tourist is kept at Phu Quoc General HospitalHead of the Phu Quoc District's Police Department, Le Van Mot told Dtinews.vn on April 18 that they had sent a report about the death of the American tourist, Mitchel King, 58, to the province's Investigation Police Agency. "Initial investigations showed that the tourist died of poor health at a local guesthouse where he had been staying for several months," Mot said. "His body is now being kept at Phu Quoc General Hospital." According to director of Phu Quoc General Hospital, Truong Van Huu, they have kept the body for over 20 days for police investigations.

For months before this holiday travel agencies in Hanoi have prepared relevant tours to serve tourists. The company’s tours for this occasion have lured thousands of people. Many tours to the US, Dubai and Japan have been fully booked. The number of guests booking the tours of the company has surpassed 90 per cent of the company’s available spots. The holiday is also the beginning of summer holiday, so many localities have prepared to open summer tourism services to mark the occasion.

Railway ticket prices for long trips cut 20-50%VietNamNet Bridge – Passengers buying train tickets 20 days in advance of their journey will have the price reduced, ranging from 20 per cent to 50 per cent, the Sai Gon Railway Transport JSC has announced. — VNS Photo Ngoc DiepThe promotion applies to trips of more than 1,000km on the Thong Nhat (North - South) route and TPHCM–Hue route at Sai Gon Train Station. Groups of over 10 passengers will see their ticket prices cut by 3-12 per cent. Accordingly, SE1 will depart at Ha Noi Railway Station at 10.20pm daily; SE2 will leave Sai Gon Railway Station at 9.55pm daily; SE3 will depart at Ha Noi Station at 7.30pm daily; and SE4 will leave Sai Gon Railway Station at 7.45pm every day. A 30 per cent discount will be given for those who are war invalids, policy beneficiaries, Agent Orange victims and people with disabilities.