What you need to know today in Vietnam:

Politics

-- During his visit to Armenia on Thursday and Friday, Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man met with the host country’s President and Parliament Speaker, where President Vahagn Khachaturyan praised Vietnam as a heroic nation and a model for economic and social development, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

-- Vietnam has declared a two-day national mourning period on Friday and Saturday to honor former Lao leader Khamtay Siphandone and recognize the special ties between the two nations, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

-- King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium toured the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City and met with victims of Agent Orange on Thursday as part of their official visit to Vietnam. 

Society

-- A representative from the PC07 division of the Ho Chi Minh City police department reported on Thursday that 1,046 rental properties still violate fire safety regulations, affecting 9,570 rental units and 15,549 tenants.

-- Scorching heat is forecast to grip southern Vietnam on Friday, while the north will experience morning fog and the central region will see light showers.

-- Le Xuan Hien, director of the Kien Giang Hydrometeorological Station, warned on Thursday that due to a recent tidal surge, saltwater intrusion is expected to reach further inland in the province.

Business

-- Vietnam's Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has formally requested the U.S. to postpone its tariff decision to allow time for discussions and a mutually beneficial solution, in the wake of President Donald Trump's announcement of a 46-percent tariff on Vietnamese imports on Thursday.

-- The U.S.'s unexpected decision to impose a 46-percent tariff on Vietnamese goods will have a significant impact on Vietnam's economy, including negative effects on the real estate market if the tariff takes effect on April 9.

-- After the U.S. announced its tariff decision on Thursday, the VN-Index dropped nearly seven percent on April 3, with broad selling across the market. Investors need more time and information to assess the true impact of this policy on the economy and corporate profits.

Michael Kokalari, director of macroeconomic analysis at VinaCapital, said the firm is evaluating the tariff’s impact on different investment portfolios and looking for buying opportunities as stock prices decline in the short term.

World News

-- "South Korea's Constitutional Court will rule on Friday whether to remove or reinstate impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law declaration that sparked a crisis in a country seen as a democratic success story," Reuters reported.

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