VN youngsters forego saving for spendingMany young Vietnamese are willing to spend the higher incomes they now earn rather than save. He continued saving throughout his life, to buy a house and cover any future medical bills. After covering the cost of living, consumers in Vietnam are now willing to spend rather than save. Travel tops the spending list of 44 per cent of people, the Nielsen report revealed. The willingness to spend to enjoy life is also reflected in entertainment spending, with wining and dining being the most popular form.

Young people find it difficult to start businesses in VietnamVietNamNet Bridge - Encouraged and supported by the government and local authorities, the startup movement in Hanoi has not developed well despite numerous business ideas. Anh and her team attended a competition on startup ideas launched by the Vietnamese Students Association in early 2017. According to Anh, in most cases, students’ business plans are “cumbersome, requiring complex operations”. Anh’s business idea improved after the competition, especially in terms of calling for capital. However, the majority of students cannot access the programs,” Anh said.

Russia fire: Children killed in Kemerovo shopping centre blazeAt least 64 people have died in a fire that tore through a shopping and entertainment complex in the Siberian coal-mining city of Kemerovo. The shopping centre, which opened in 2013, includes a multiplex cinema, restaurants, a sauna, a bowling alley and a petting zoo. Yevgeny Dedyukhin, deputy head of the Kemerovo region emergency department, said the area of the fire was about 1,500 sq m."The shopping centre is a very complex construction," he said. Four people have been detained for questioning, including the head of the company that manages the shopping centre, according to the Investigative Committee. Andrei Mamchenkov, deputy head of Russia's National Crisis Management Centre, said 41 children were not accounted for.

Unlicensed doctor fined for illegal abortionVietNamNet Bridge – An unlicensed doctor in the central province of Nghe An was fined VND50 million (US$2,200) for performing an unsafe abortion that killed a local woman. Family member gather around the body of a woman that dies after having an unsafe abortion. — Photo: VNNThe unlicensed doctor, Dinh Thi Thanh, 52, performed the abortion by placing a catheter into the woman’s uterus and fed her boiled katuk (Sauropus androgynus) water on March 12, Vietnamnetonline newspaper reported. Local officials said Thanh had only finished secondary school and possessed neither medical qualifications nor a medical license. Thanh reportedly agreed to perform the abortion at the price of VND1.7 million ($75), as per the earlier request of the dead woman’s mother.

Supply chain the key to sustainable farming production in VietnamVietNamNet Bridge – Not any single day past when you won’t find Nguyen Thi Sinh’s tender to her crops on her farm. — VNA/VNS Photo Do Phuong Anh - TTXVNChallengesTuong pointed out several challenges that tackle the development of supply chain in Vietnam. But it takes time for both producers and customers to catch up with the trend of supply chain, he said. The first instruction is how to smoothly run a supply chain with many lessons drawing from typical examples. And the second is provided authorised agencies more skills to manage food hygiene and safety under the supply chain model, he said.

Da Nang sea turns blackLocal people living along the Nguyen Tat Thanh Beach in the central city of Da Nang have complained that the sea water became black with brown foam and a foul smell. The sea water became black with brown foam and a foul smell at Nguyen Tat Thanh Beach in Da Nang City on March 25. Director of Da Nang Drainage and Wastewater Treatment Company, Mai Ma, said that there are 28 drainage pipes which are discharging wastewater and rainwater along Nguyen Tat Thanh and Xuan Thieu beaches. Because most of the wastewater from pipes placed from Phu Loc Bridge to Nguyen Tat Thanh Beach are all well-treated before being discharged into the sea." Earlier, local people and newspapers reported about beaches in Da Nang being polluted by wastewater discharge.

Stable foreign exchange rate expected in 2018Some commercial banks appreciated the US dollar after last week’s interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve (Fed). After the Fed’s decision, domestic commercial banks also increased their US$/VND exchange rate. He explained that if the exchange rate stabilised, the Dong could be appreciated higher, affecting the competitiveness of Vietnamese exports. The stable exchange rate may also cause domestic firms to prefer imported input material for their production instead of local materials, he said. But the exchange rate stability was sure to bring more benefits, he added.

Clean-up makes Vietnam banks attractive to foreign investorsSince last year there has been a churn in the banking sector with some foreign investors selling their stakes in local banks and others buying in. Analysts said foreign banks are merely pulling out to invest in more profitable markets. In December Ho Chi Minh Development Joint Stock Commercial Bank (HDBank) had sold stakes to more than 76 foreign investors before listing. The Government is making policy changes that would help the industry overcome its limitations in technology, capital and management, making foreign investors feel secure. Foreign investors want the ratio to be increased to 50 per cent or even 65 per cent.

Customers warned about online suppliers trading without their own websitesLe Thi Thu Hang from HCM City’s Go Vap District recently ordered a product displayed on an e-commerce marketplace from a supplier that had no e-commerce website. E-commerce websites play a role in quality control and protect customers’ interests. “After I said no, I received an email that said they had run out of the item.”E-commerce websites play a role in quality control and protect customers’ interests. Many suppliers who trade directly with customers provide low-quality products, an e-commerce expert said. To limit trade without e-commerce websites as well as protect customers’ interests, e-commerce websites should stop contracts with suppliers who try to trade directly with customers, and hire more customer-care staff to warn buyers about inappropriate sellers, according to a representative of one e-commerce website.

Forestland left fallow as land disputes in Highlands spikeVietNamNet Bridge - Land disputes in the Central Highlands have spread to new areas. Conflicts occurred, including a number of murdersDeforestation and illegal forest trading have become common in Central Highlands’ provinces. In Ea Sup district, thousands of households have appropriated forest and sold land plots. Deforestation and illegal forest trading have become common in Central Highlands’ provinces. People have been flocking there, clearing land, cultivating crops, declaring their ownership over the land, and selling the land for money.

Shooting Cup finishes with eight recordsThe National Shooting Cup saw eight records set after 10 days of competitions, which closed in Hanoi yesterday. Tran Chau Tung of Hanoi (centre) breaks the national record in the men’s 10m air pistol with 242.8 points in this year’s National Shooting Cup. — Photo sggp.org.vnAmong the records, seven were new tournament records and one was a national record. Tran Chau Tung of the host team broke the national record in the men’s 10m air pistol with 242.8 points. Seven records for the Cup were in the women’s 10m air pistol individual and team, women’s 10m running target individual and team, women’s 50m rifle 3x20 individual, and women’s 10m air rifle individual and team.

Domestic tours stuck as hotels fully booked by Chinese travelersVietNamNet Bridge - Travel firms complain they cannot book hotel rooms in Nha Trang and Da Nang because most rooms have been reserved for Chinese travelers. Travel firms complain they cannot book hotel rooms in Nha Trang and Da Nang because most rooms have been reserved for Chinese travelers. “Even hotels under two stars are fully occupied because the very high number of Chinese travelers,” he said. A hotel receptionist said travel firms buy hotel rooms in bulk many months or one year in advance. RELATED NEWSMore than 1.1 million Chinese visitors to Nha Trang in 11 monthsThe best attractions in Nha TrangKim Chi

Flowers, women themed paintings honour feminityAn art exhibition by seven female painters work on the theme of feminity is underway in Ha Noi. Titled Flowers and Women, the exhibition focuses on the beauty, inner lives and desires of women. The 42 paintings in the exhibition reflect the aesthetic perception and view of the artists on society, ethics and their desire for gender equality. To Ngoc Thao, student of the Viet Nam Fine Arts University, is the youngest in the group. The exhibition will run until April 22 at VICAS Art Studio, 32 Hao Nam Street, Ha Noi.

ComfortDelgro Savico Taxi suspends operations due to Uber and GrabComfortDelgro Savico Taxi, a joint venture between Saigon General Services Corporation (Savico) and Singapore's ComfortDelgro, announced suspending its operations. The movement came after the operations of several traditional taxi firms were impacted by Uber and Grab. According to Savico, the purpose of ComfortDelgro Savico Taxi’s decision is to look for other business opportunities as well as safeguard the capital that Savico and ComfortDelgro contributed to the joint venture. At the time, Savico released that ComfortDelgro Savico Taxi faced difficulties in maintaining its operations due to the competition with Uber and Grab. Along with ComfortDelgro Savico Taxi, the operations of traditional taxi firms have been seriously impacted by the appearance of Uber and Grab.

Hanoi cracks down on poor fire prevention and safetyHanoi People's Committee has asked the Ministry of Construction to check fire safety threats on 17 apartment buildings in the area. A fire at CT4 La Xa apartment building in 2015Hanoi has about 1,075 apartment buildings and high-rises. According to the municipal authorities, investors had low fire safety awareness, but this had improved since 2011. Hanoi Fire Department and the Department of Construction were asked to find solutions. Hanoi authorities suggested replacing regular doors with automatic fire-resistant doors at corridors and install booster pumps systems.