Vietnam accounts for 6 pct of world’s timber, wooden furniture marketVietnam’s exports account just 6 percent of the global timber and wooden furniture market which is estimated at 120 billion USD, said a local official. A wood processing firm in Binh Duong provincePham Hong Luong, Head of the Planning-Finance under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Vietnam Administration of Forestry, said Vietnam holds huge potential for wood processing and production. Currently, there are nearly 4,000 timber processing firms, with 1,500 wood export companies. With these favourable conditions, Vietnam’s exports of forestry products are expected to bring home some 9 billion USD this year. Last year, forestry exports hit a record growth of 10 percent in recent five years to reach more than 8 billion USD, which surpasses the target of 7.8 billion USD set for 2020.-VNA

Vietnam end Suwon Cup with two drawsViet Nam tied host South Korea 1-1 in their final match of the U19 Suwon JS Cup on Sunday. Vietnamese players enjoy their goal in a 1-1 draw against South Korea. The match was tied 1-1 when Manh Dung volleyed to score his first goal, in a match that Vietnamese national head coach Park Hang-seo was watching from the stands. Earlier, they drew with Morocco 1-1. South Korea came in second, followed by Morocco and Viet Nam.

Foreign media laud Vietnam’s economic achievementsA number of foreign press outlets have published articles lauding Vietnam’s economic achievements. In the first quarter this year, Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth hit decade-high 7.38 percent thanks to strides in industry and construction. The article said Vietnam’s experience holds lessons for developing and advanced economies alike. The foreign media also pointed out urgent issues that Vietnam needs to deal with. According to the News Lens International, only 10 percent of domestic wastewater and 25 percent of industrial wastewater in Vietnam is treated before being discharged into rivers.

Hanoi lead tournament after unexpected drawVietNamNet Bridge – Ha Noi FC remains the top team in the V.League, although they were tied 1-1 by Sai Gon in a sixth round match on Sunday in the capital city. Huu Son netted for the visitors with a 30m-distance shot that goalkeeper Nguyen Van Cong could not block. The second win of the season pushed Hai Phong to the No 10 position, but they may face a fine from the tournament organisers, as their fans set off fireworks in the stands. Hoang Anh Gia Lai found their second win this season after beating SHB Da Nang 2-0 on Saturday on their home turf in Pleiku City. Coach Nguyen Van Sy encouraged his players, praising their efforts during the 90 minutes, but also confirmed that he needed some quality players to avoid relegation.

Vietnam is big winner of free trade dealsThe clinched free trade agreements (FTAs) has opened the door wider for Vietnamese goods to enter foreign markets, helping the country improve trade balance with its trade partners. The clinched free trade agreements (FTAs) has opened the door wider for Vietnamese goods to enter foreign markets. Before 2007, Vietnam was involved in only two free trade deals as member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): the ASEAN-China and the ASEAN- Republic of Korea (RoK) pacts. Particularly, in 2015, Vietnam concluded negotiations with the US in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, with the EU on the Vietnam-EU free trade agreement and with Russia on the Vietnam- Eurasia Economic Union free trade agreement. While Vietnam exported only 5.4 billion USD worth of products in 1995, it gained 48 billion USD from shipments in 2007 and the figure hit 213 billion USD in 2017.

Naked gunman kills four in Nashville Waffle HouseA nude gunman has killed four people at a Waffle House in Nashville in the US state of Tennessee, police say. He was arrested last year after entering a restricted area near the White House, Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said. At a press conference on Sunday, Mr Shaw said he had heard gunshots and glass smashing as people ran for cover. When the firing stopped and the gunman was looking at his weapon, Mr Shaw rushed him and a scuffle ensued. While being treated in hospital for his injury, Mr Shaw was told by a girl that he had saved her life.

Coc Coc browser criticized for collecting users’ informationVietNamNet Bridge - A group of domestic users believe that Coc Coc, a Vietnamese browser, has been quietly storing http cookies recording users’ history of logging in on Facebook and sending the information to another website. Coc Coc administration has denied the accusation. He said the information has been sent to https://spell.itim.vn, a website owned by Coc Coc Company Ltd, the firm that manages Coc Coc browser. Hieu Phan, head of the Coc Coc browser development team, explained that to serve the spellcheck feature, Coc Coc has to send what users put into text fields on the server. RELATED NEWSVietnamese search engine Coc Coc attracts 23 million usersCoc Coc to avoid direct confrontation with GoogleTrong Dat

Brothers fly flag for Vietnam on UK TV showAcrobatic brothers Giang Quoc Nghiep and Giang Quoc Co left British television audiences speechless on April 21 night after performing their death-defying head balancing act on a UK TV talent show. The pair, from Ho Chi Minh City, were given a standing ovation by the crowd and the four Britain’s Got Talent judges on the live show. Although new to the UK, the brothers are well known in Vietnam after breaking the world record for 'most consecutive stairs climbed while balancing a person on the head' in Girona, Spain, in 2016. Before their act the Giang brothers told the TV audience although there was a Vietnam’s Got Talent show, they wanted to appear on the UK version because "It’s the biggest show in the world." In 2016, the two artists scaled 90 stairs of Saint Mary’s Cathedral in 52 seconds with Quoc Nghiep balancing atop Quoc Co using only their heads.

Asset taxation to increase real estate prices: expertsVietNamNet Bridge - The proposed asset tax on properties worth VND700 million and more is expected to increase house prices, experts say. Chair of the HCM City Real Estate Association (HoREA) Le Hoang Chau warned that the Ministry of Finance’s tax proposal would have a big impact on the real estate market. The proposed asset tax on properties worth VND700 million and more is expected to increase house prices. Enterprises have to pay corporate income tax of 20 percent, while personal income tax rates are between 5 percent and 35 percent, the same as tax rates in developed countries. If the state taxes real estate assets, businesses and individuals will have to bear too many kinds of tax.

Is it time to end the State Professorship Council’s mission? Dr Dam Quang MinhVietnam does not follow international practice in awarding the title of professor or associate professor to educators. According to international practice, a professorship is a title for those who work in scientific institutions or research universities. In Vietnam, a professor or associate professor title is considered a position in an organization, used to glorify someone for his achievements and dedications. There is no limitation on the number of professors or associate professors.

On this occasion, Linh presented a certificate recognising Alejandro Ramos’s participation in the National External Information Service Award in 2016. Two-way trade has enjoyed an average annual growth of around 10 percent, staying at over 5 billion USD in 2017. According statistics of the Guangxi side, Vietnam is the largest trade partner of Guangxi for many consecutive years. In 1977, two years after the south’s liberation and national reunification, front organisations, including the Alliance, merged into the VFF to meet the national development and protection demand in the new period. Since Vietnam and Laos set up diplomatic ties in 1962, the bilateral cooperation has flourished, especially in economy, trade and investment.

Sao Khue IT winners honouredThe Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA) presented the Sao Khue Awards to 73 information and technology (IT) solutions and services, and software products in a ceremony in Hanoi on April 21. At the awarding ceremonyAddressing the event, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Minh Hong praised the role played by VINASA and IT enterprises nationwide for the country’s IT sector’s development. Sao Khue 2018 received 103 nominations from 80 organisations and enterprises nationwide, of which 51 software products and 22 IT services were awarded Sao Khue title. VINASA Chairman Truong Gia Binh affirmed the Sao Khue Awards will continue to be innovated, aiming to encourage IT firms to make their utmost and promote innovation, focusing on promoting digital conversion strategy, and developing high-quality services and products, thus serving Vietnam’s development and the demand in international markets. The organising board has so far honoured over 800 outstanding software and IT products and services.-VNA

Property market remains attractive to investorsThe real estate market continues to be attractive to investors, but the level of competition would be much higher this year and the following years. “If we do not have data, we cannot discuss about development, forecasts and co-operation among investors in the estate market,” he added. Vo suggested that the Government should have real and open data to help investors have an overall view about the market. Dong said the property market has not had information only on estate projects but also materials, suppliers and finance. “The real estate market has been an important index of the economy in addition to securities and the macro-economy,” he said.-VNA

Vietnam updates emission target in Paris climate agreementVietnam is reviewing and updating the country’s carbon emission target to better comply with the Paris agreement on climate change and prepare for the global assessment later this year. The greenhouse gas mitigation component focuses primarily on energy-related policies, industrial and agricultural production, land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) and waste. Evaluation of data needed for calculating costs and the feasibility of greenhouse gas mitigation in various areas and opportunities to mitigate greenhouse gas emission between 2020 and 2030 were also discussed. They identified priority solutions for greenhouse gas mitigation and challenges to take such measures. Currently, according to climate watch organisations, Vietnam ranks 27th in greenhouse gas emissions, contributing around 0.72 percent to the global emissions.-VNA

Ministry of Health proposes tobacco tax hikeThe Ministry of Health (MoH) has proposed to raise the tax imposed on a pack of cigarettes to 2,000 VND (0.088 USD). Currently, tax on tobacco is 70 percent of their prices. The taxation policy aims to gain an additional tobacco tax revenue of 6,300 billion VND (280 million USD) per year, decreasing the rate of male smokers by three percent and reducing 300,000 early deaths caused by smoking. Experts believe the low price of tobacco products is the main cause leading to its widespread use. “A tax increase of 10 percent is estimated to reduce tobacco consumption by four percent in developed countries and by five percent in developing countries.