On the first Saturday of every month, reporters and journalists in the provincial capital city of Quang Ngai gather at the Sala Riverside Coffee Shop, Le Hong Phong Ward for a familiar activity – drinking coffee.

 The HCM City People’s Committee has proposed that the Ministry of Construction apply a high tax on second and subsequent homes, as well as when there are a high number of real estate transactions within a year.

 Conglomerate Hoang Anh Gia Lai’s chairman Doan Nguyen Duc will sell 23 million HAGL shares as guaranteed assets to help the company restructure its debts.

 The International Media Centre for the 2017 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Week officially opened on October 28 in Da Nang city, serving domestic and international reporters to cover the event. 

 Higher spending on children has boosted the sale of goods and education-related and entertainment activities.

Dau Anh Tuan from VCCI said that of every 10 dong worth of export turnover, 7.5 dong belong to the foreign direct investment (FDI) sector. The figure was five out of 10 dong some years ago.

 Despite high demand for housing, many people have refused to move into resettlement buildings in Hanoi and left thousands of apartments lying empty due to low quality.

 The Ho Chi Minh City-based Binh Dan Hospital successfully carried out robotic operations for 222 cancer patients in its first year of applying the technology for adults.

 The third Viet Vo Dao Vovinam Ambassador Championship concluded in Algiers, the capital city of Algeria on October 27, with the first prize coming to the Olympique de Bourouba club.

 The ASEAN Football Federation HDBank Futsal Championship 2017 officially kicked off in Ho Chi Minh City on October 27.

 Traffic experts have cast doubt on a monorail development proposal for reducing traffic jams around Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCMC, saying this is not a feasible solution.

 To reduce traffic during rush hours, Ho Chi Minh City authorities are considering the implementation of staggered hours as a measure to reduce traffic jams.

 Approximately 300 golfers will be competing in the Chervo Vietnam Championship 2017, taking place at the FLC Ha Long Bay course in Ha Long city, Quang Ninh province, on the morning and afternoon of November 5.

Mr. Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Chair of the APEC 2017 National Committee, spoke with VET’s Ha Nguyen about Vietnam’s preparatory works for the APEC 2017 Summit Week in early November.

 Proposals to raise certain tax rates to balance the State budget have received little in the way of support.

VietNamNet Bridge - A number of big bosses’ wives are now on the list of the richest billionaires after receiving huge stock assets transferred from their husbands. 

 Do Vietnamese smartphone brands have the strategy to compete in such a tough market?

Vietnam’s business sector seems largely uneasy about what the effects of increasing VAT rates and new SCT targets may be.

 Jack Ma, founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group will speak with more than 3,000 students from 5pm to 6:30pm at the National Convention Centre, Hanoi on November 6.

 A VND30 billion (USD1.36-million) waste treatment plant on Co To Island has yet to begin its full operation despite its construction being completed years ago.