Amazon and Intel drive US markets lowerWall Street shares plunged to their lowest level in weeks on Monday in a wide sell-off led by technology firms. Intel was among the biggest losers, after a report that Apple plans to stop using Intel chips for its computers. The falls extended recent declines triggered by increased debate in the US about competition and privacy rules, as well as tensions over trade. The report sent Intel shares down more than 6%. Amazon reported the steepest decline on the S&P 500, falling 5.2% after Mr Trump tweeted another attack on the firm.

Spanish conductor to lead national theatre in capitalSpanish conductor David Gomez Ramirez will conduct Vietnam National Opera and Ballet to perform opera extracts and contemporary dance at Hanoi Opera House on April 11-12. Spanish conductor David Gomez Ramirez has performed many time in Vietnam since 2015. Conductor Ramirez has performed in Vietnam many times since 2015. He has directed the Lira Saguntina Symphony Orchestra in Valencia and the Conservatory of Music “Joaquin Rodrigo” in Sagunto, Valencia, since 2007. He has conducted all the major Spanish orchestras and appears as a guest conductor in Europe, Asia and South America.

As Uber leaves, ride hailing apps enter new periodVietNamNet Bridge - Uber, Grab and Easy Taxi spent big money to fight for market share in Vietnam. Uber's drivers will become partners of GrabOn April 21, Thai An would have been working as a taxi driver for Uber Vietnam for two years. Prior to that, Grab Vietnam had sent a message to the community of users, informing them about the successful deal. However, Easy Taxi came to Vietnam too soon, when the e-hailing and shared economy remained unfamiliar concepts for Vietnamese. Uber, Grab and Easy Taxi spent big money to fight for market share in Vietnam.

Caricature contest returns after hiatusAfter a four year hiatus, the Vietnam Caricature Contest is open for applications again. A caricature by artist Vo An Lai during the resistance war against the US. — Photo courtesy of the organisation boardThe fifth edition of the contest was launched at the National Centre for News by Sport& Culture newspapers yesterday, themed ‘Cultural Behaviours: Civilised Society’. “We all know that laughter is the best medicine; therefore, caricature not only criticises uncultured behaviours but also supports civilised ones. The first Vietnam Caricature Contest was launched on 2007 and was held annually until 2014.

Vietnam Youth Theatre celebrates 40th anniversaryThe Vietnam Youth Theatre will perform a series of plays in Hanoi between April 5 - 10 to mark the 40th anniversary of its establishment. German playwright Bertolt Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle will be performed by the Vietnam Youth Theatre in celebration of the theatre’s 40th anniversary. "The Youth Theatre is the only one to perform for young audiences in Vietnam," said Chi Trung, who is also the theatre director. "The Youth Theatre is a go-to destination for young art lovers.”"The theatre will continue its mission to make good use of traditional culture to develop its performances. The The Caucasian Chalk Circle will be staged by German Dominik Guenther as part of an ongoing co-operation project between the Youth Theatre and Goethe Institute.

Cinderella ballet returns to Opera HouseThe HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will restage the classical ballet Cinderella by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev at the city’s Opera House on April 7 and 8. Japanese dancer Nobu Fujino and HBSO dancer Tran Hoang Yen in the Cinderella ballet. — Photo courtesy of HBSOThe ballet, composed between 1940 and 1944, has inspired an estimated 1,500 ballet versions around the world. In 2013, Cinderella premiered at the city’s Opera House and has become an annual performance for city audiences, especially young people. The show will feature young dancer Tran Hoang Yen as Cinderella and Japanese dancer Nobuo Fujino as the Prince.

US launches investigations into Vietnamese laminated woven sacksThe US Department of Commerce (DOC) recently announced an anti-dumping duty and countervailing duty investigations into laminated woven sacks imported from Vietnam. The investigations were launched based on petitions filed by the Laminated Woven Sacks Fair Trade Coalition and its individual members, Polytex Fibers Corporation and ProAmpac Holdings Inc on March 7. They said that the sacks purchased from Vietnam are receiving subsidies and the products are sold in the US market at less than fair value, damaging domestic production. In the countervailing duty investigation, the DOC will determine whether Vietnamese producers of laminated woven sacks are receiving unfair government subsidies. In 2017, US imports of laminated woven sacks from Vietnam were valued at an estimated US$21.1 million.

VN retail sales surge 8.6% in Q1Vietnam’s total revenue from retail trade and services rose 10 per cent year-on-year to exceed VND1 quadrillion (US$46.57 billion) in the first quarter of this year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). Customers shop for fruits and vegetables at Co.opmart Chu Van An in HCM City. If inflation were excluded, the increase would be 8.6 per cent, much higher than 6.4 per cent growth recorded in the same period last year, GSO said. In the first three months, retail sales of goods, which accounted for more than 75 per cent of total retail trade and services revenue, topped $35.22 billion, up 10.5 per cent year-on-year. Meanwhile, retail sales in accommodation, restaurant and catering services surged by 9 per cent year-on-year to VND128.9 trillion ($5.72 billion).

Hoai Nam is the only Vietnamese designer to attend Paris Fashion Week - Haute Couture 2018. He was then invited to participate in the Cannes Festival 2018. The collection shows the designer's love and passion for fashion and convey the importance of strengthening the friendship between Vietnam and international friends. This Ao dai show is also the first event as part of the " Vietnam Beauty 2018" programme. Following are some designs from Hoai Nam’s Ao dai collection:

Condotel segment forecast to keep booming in 2018The condotel (condo hotel) market is forecast to remain attractive to investors in 2018, with increasing amounts of capital poured by both domestic and foreign investors into the segment. Big domestic investors such as Vingroup, Sun Group and CEO Group have also invested in condotel projects. The demand for villa resorts and condotels will not cool down in the near future as Vietnam aims turn tourism into an economic spearhead. The country is expected serve 15 million foreign arrivals in 2018 and up to 20 million in 2020. Only the Tourism Law 2017 identifies condotel and villa resort as tourism accommodation establishments, he said.

Hanoi: All industrial parks to have wastewater systems by 2020The capital city of Hanoi will focus on wastewater treatment systems in all industrial parks by 2020 as part of its efforts to enhance environmental protection. The capital city of Hanoi will focus on wastewater treatment systems in all industrial parks by 2020. The capital city is now home to 18 industrial parks with a total area of nearly 3,441 hectares. There are 89 industrial complexes in the city, 43 of which are operating stably and 46 others have just completed their infrastructure systems. According to reports from relevant authorities, wastewater treatment plants have been built in nine operating industrial zones while construction of 21 stations in 43 industrial complexes has been completed.

Wild animal-meat market busy during lunar new year seasonVietNamNet Bridge - Many Vietnamese believe that eating wild animal meat on the first days of the lunar year will bring good luck. This year, the meat market during lunar new year was very busy, with many animals killed. “I heard that you will have a lucky year if you eat wild boar meat on the first days of lunar new year. In Dak Lak province, wildlife meat can be easily found in restaurants. A source said that wild animals were from the districts of Dien Khanh and Khanh Vinh, and that people mostly hunted animals in an area adjacent to Hon Ba Sanctuary.

The view was shared by Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and his Turkmen counterpart Vepa Hajiev at the political consultation between the two foreign ministries in Hanoi on April 2. Deputy Auditor General of the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) Doan Xuan Tien is attending a symposium of the ASEAN Supreme Audit Institutions (ASEANSAI) in Indonesia on April 2-3. In his opening remarks, Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister A.M Fachir described transparency, accountability and anti-corruption as important factors to the completion of SDGs. He also congratulated Wang Yi on being appointed State Councillor and Foreign Minister of China. He informed his host about the outcomes of his visit and the recent sessions of the NPC and the PPCC.

Social News 3/4 (Hourly Updated)Insurance companies may let down Carina Plaza residentsPeople suffering damages from the fire at the Carina Plaza building may not receive compensation from insurance companies. Along with the insurance policies of PVI, Bao Viet, and BSH, Bao Minh and PTI also sold insurance policies for the Carina Plaza residents. Nguyen Dinh Cung, Director of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), said studying ethnic minority policies of other countries will help Vietnam overhaul its ethnic policies in the future. It is also necessary to create development policies for each region and policies for specific ethnic groups, he noted. The Vietnamese government has enhanced international cooperation to improve public awareness on gender equality, eliminate gender violence, and narrow the employment, income, and social status gaps.

National business census 2018 conductedThe General Statistics Office (GSO) has begun carrying out a national business census in 2018 to take stock of the real situation in corporate development. The first group will focus on information identifying the unit of investigation, such as the business name, address, telephone, fax, email, type of business and business activities. The second group will be information on labour and the income of labourers. The third one will be indicators of production and businesses, including assets and resources of capital, production and business results, tax and budget remittances, energy consumption and investment capital. The last group will cover data on the cost of raw materials, labour costs and the asset depreciation expense.-VNA