VN footwear boasts strong development prospectsViet Nam’s leather and footwear industry will continue to develop in the coming years, according to the Viet Nam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (Lefaso). Delegates exchange information on the sidelines of the two-day Viet Nam Footwear Summit which opened in HCM City yesterday. Speaking at the two-day Viet Nam Footwear Summit which opened in HCM City on Wednesday, Diep Thanh Kiet, Lefaso’s deputy chairman, said exports of footwear and bags increased to US$18.1 billion last year from $16.2 billion in 2016. ChallengesKiet also spoke about the challenges faced by the industry such as increasing labour costs, automation, protectionism, and competition from other countries. “Large customers tend to shift orders to countries with cheaper labour costs, especially for simple and manual items.

Climate change has created many anomalous weather forms with natural disasters, storms, floods and salinization often occurring. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), natural disasters in 2017 caused total damages of VND60 trillion. Climate change has created many anomalous weather forms with natural disasters, storms, floods and salinization often occurring. Jasper Abramowski, country director of GIZ, said Vietnam is one of the countries suffering extreme impact from climate change. It is estimated that Vietnam loses 1-2 percent of GDP because of the effects of climate change.

Who should take responsibility for forest devastation in Central Highlands? More serious deforestation cases were found occurring before, during and after Tet holiday in the province of Dak Nong and Dak Lak. In early March, police in M’Drak district in Dak Lak province discovered many vehicles laden with sawn timber plates in Krong A commune. However, in Dak Lak, no official or forest owner has been prosecuted. RELATED NEWSProtecting forests from illegal logging an uphill battle in Central HighlandsCentral Highlands to plant 12,500 hectares of forestChi Mai

Silicon on Thin Box (SOTB) – a technology breakthrough for smart citiesVietNamNet Bridge - As the number of IoT devices increases, low-power chips manufactured with SOTB technology (Silicon on Thin BOX) will become a key to IC (integrated circuit) industry development. SOTB is the technology breakthrough for smart citiesThe development of smart cities and smart production has led to a sharp demand for sensors. Low-power chips will not only help save energy, but also help prolong the life span of devices. The HCMC University of Natural Sciences, a member of HCMC National University, is a pioneer in the field with research on SOTB for low-power chips. The current leakage of the chip in operation is significantly lower than that of currently used chips.

500 teachers in Dak Lak threatened with dismissalVietNamNet Bridge - More than 500 teachers in Krong Pak district in Dak Lak province have been informed that district authorities will terminate their labor contracts in late April. Recently, provincial authorities discovered the mistakes and found that 521 teachers are redundant. The district authorities decided to terminate the labor contracts signed with the teachers. “There are two important subjects in education – students and teachers. RELATED NEWSEducation minister expresses sympathy at low teacher salariesPreschool, primary teachers’ salaries lower than motorbike taxi drivers’ earningsLe Mai

HCM City plans activities for tobacco harm control and preventionVietNamNet Bridge – Training on how to help local residents quit smoking will be provided to staff at ward- and commune-level People’s Committees by the HCM City Department of Health. Each family member should have a deep understanding of the Law on Tobacco Harm Control and Prevention and should encourage their relatives to quit or never begin smoking. According to a report from the health harm prevention board, 24 wards and communes in the city are smoke-free. Cigarettes should be sold only via retail regulated under the Law on Tobacco Harm Control and Prevention, which means that sites selling cigarettes should not advertise and sell to people under 18 years old. People’s committees in the city’s districts will set up inspection teams to check the implementation of the tobacco harm control and prevention programme.

Fed announces US rate increaseThe US central bank has said it will raise its benchmark interest rate citing a strengthened economic outlook. Policymakers also signalled they would increase rates twice more this year, while raising the forecast for rate hikes in 2019. The central bank is trying to balance a low unemployment rate with the potential for higher inflation. Wednesday's rate increase was widely expected, but there are new faces on the committee, raising questions about whether policymakers will move more quickly in coming months. An increase in the Fed's benchmark federal funds rate typically leads to higher rates for consumers and businesses.

Teenager hacks crypto-currency walletA hardware wallet designed to store crypto-currencies, and touted by its manufacturer as tamper-proof, has been hacked by a British 15-year-old. It would allow a malicious attacker to drain the wallet of funds, he said. Craig Young, a researcher at security firm Tripwire commented: "It is very difficult to thoroughly secure any device from attackers with physical access. "In this particular case, it was discovered that anyone with physical access could modify the Ledger hardware wallet to gain access to funds. In effect, this would mean that someone selling this hardware wallet would be able to steal funds from their customers.

VN-Index rises for three consecutive daysThe VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE) on March 21 increased for three consecutive days to reach 1,170 points, up nearly 10 points over the previous day. In early morning, the index rose 7.78 points to 1,167.17 points, which over 6 million shares worth nearly 141 billion VND changed hands. More than 77 million units valued at 3,898 billion VND were traded. As many as 69 million shares were traded with a total value of 1,268 billion VND. The transaction volume reached over 20 million units worth 350 billion VND.

VEAM to list 1.33 billion shares on HSXVietnam Engine and Agricultural Machinery Corporation (VEAM), which currently holds a 30 per cent stake in Honda Vietnam, a 20 per cent stake in Toyota Vietnam, and a 25 per cent stake in Ford Vietnam, will list 1.328 billion shares on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HSX). Previously, in November 2017, the firm received the securities registration certificate from Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD) to list 1.328 billion shares. Being considered the largest IPO of the year, it expected that after the sale VEAM’s charter capital will increase to VND13.28 trillion ($595.5 million), equalling 1.33 billion shares. Accordingly, the state will hold 51 per cent of the charter capital with 678 million shares, and strategic shareholders will hold 36 per cent, equalling 478 million shares. In addition, the company currently holds a 30 per cent stake in Honda Vietnam, a 20 per cent stake in Toyota Vietnam, and a 25 per cent stake in Ford Vietnam, which bring massive profits.

VN master painter’s work auctioned in FranceVietNamNet Bridge – A silk painting by master Nguyen Nam Son (1890-1973), one of the leading artists in modern Vietnamese fine art, will be auctioned by the Aguttes company at Drouot auction sale centre in Paris, France, on March 26. Delicate work: Silk painting Thon Nu Bac Ky by Nam Son. At the same fair, Nam Son exhibited three other silk paintings. “Though he did not specialise in silk painting, the audience can see delicate lines on the painting,” said Khoi. Long career: Painter Nguyen Nam Son in 1919.

World pop star hoping for prize at homeVietNamNet Bridge – Pop and soul sensation My Tam is among five female singers battling it out to win Best Music Album. My way: HCM City-based pop star My Tam has been nominated for the Cong Hien (Devotion) Prize for Best Album presented annually by The Thao & Van Hoa newspaper. The songs were produced as Music Videos (MVs) by MT Entertainment, owned by Tam, before release on the album Tam 9. “My dream of introducing Vietnamese music to the world has come true,” said Tam, known as the Queen of Pop, on her fan page, after being the first Vietnamese singer listed on Billboard. The traditional categories include Best Music Video, Best Musician, Best Producer, New Talent, Best Singer, Best Show and Song of the Year.

Nearly $10bn investment for three high-tech parksThree national hi-tech parks in Hoa Lac, HCM City and Da Nang have attracted 218 investment projects with a registered capital of nearly US$10 billion, creating jobs for about 50,000 workers. Hoa Lac hi-tech park currently has 81 valid investment projects with total registered capital of $3 billion. HCM City hi-tech park is owning 130 valid investment projects with total registered capital of $6.8 billion. Hoa Lac hi-tech park currently has 81 valid investment projects with total registered capital of $3 billion. In addition, seven projects at the Da Nang hi-tech park have been granted investment registration certificates, with a total investment of more than $160 million till date.

Hanoi's hospital accused of polluting riverMany people in Trung Tu Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi, have blamed Hanoi Medical University Hospital for discharging sewage and polluting Lu River. Lu River severely pollutedThe residents discovered the discharge on March 16 and quickly reported it to the municipal authorities, local police and the hospital. Chu Thi Hoa, a local in Trung Tu Ward, said, "Our house is near the river so our life has been turned upside down. The discharged water on March 19 into Lu River still has a yellowish colour and can be clearly seen from afar. Nguyen Van Can from Hanoi Medical University said this was only a rare accident.

Heath ministry urges investigation into false rumour of natural birth deathThe Ministry of Health has called for an urgent investigation into an apparently false rumour about the death of a mother and her child in HCM City while having a natural birth at home. The Ministry of Health has asked for the co-operation of the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ministry of Public Security and the Central Propaganda and Education Commission for the investigation. According to Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Viet Tien, the natural birth trend has become more popular. The mother was said to have attended a training workshop on giving birth naturally at the cost of VND15 million (USD659). Right after that the health ministry immediately requested HCM City’s Health Department and Tu Du Hospital authorities verify the information, however, no such a case was found.