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Domestic gold prices opened the week with declines across both jewelry and bullion compared with last week’s close, as global gold prices fell after stronger-than-expected US payroll data increased expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates higher for longer. Domestic bullion and jewelry prices at 8:45 a.m. (April…
Ho Chi Minh City is expected to provide free bus service for all residents on 136 routes starting in May, under a proposal submitted by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction to the People’s Committee.
The department has proposed a resolution to waive bus fares for all passengers within the city, with implementation planned for May. To support a timely rollout in the second quarter, the department recommends streamlined procedures for immediate approval by the City People’s Council at the April session.
Under the plan, the policy would cover 136 bus routes operating within Ho Chi Minh City, including 110 subsidized routes and 26 non-subsidized routes. The fare waiver would apply only to inner-city and intra-provincial routes. Inter-provincial routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with neighboring provinces would not be included.
Based on calculations by relevant authorities, if the policy starts in May, the total subsidy for the remaining eight months of 2026 is estimated at about VND 930 billion. The funding would be drawn from the city budget.
Of the total, the city would subsidize VND 627 billion for subsidized routes and VND 303 billion for non-subsidized routes.
According to the Department of Construction, payments to transport operators would be based on an electronic fare-control system to improve transparency and accuracy, while avoiding additional administrative procedures for residents and businesses.
The department said the proposal aims not only to reduce travel costs for residents amid the current economic context, but also to encourage a shift away from private vehicle use.
The initiative to provide free bus rides for all residents was announced by Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang at the Fifth City Party Congress. The stated goals include reducing travel costs, promoting public transport use to curb congestion and pollution.
Ho Chi Minh City currently operates 1,780 buses, including 600 electric buses, and aims to build a sustainable and environmentally friendly city.
Premium gym chains are entering a “golden era” that is ending or already in decline, as rising operating costs collide with shifting consumer preferences toward more flexible, community-based ways to exercise. Long-term memberships are shrinking, margins are pressured by higher rents and facility expenses, and competition from smaller, more personalized…
