Politics:
-- Chilean Senate President Guido Girardin Lavin and his entourage left Hanoi yesterday, concluding their six-day official visit to Vietnam. A cooperative agreement between the Vietnamese and Chilean law making bodies was inked on the occasion.
Society:
-- Singapore-based FutureGov network has invited Hoi An authorities to submit their free WiFi project for the FutureGov Awards 2012 which honors the top level of innovation across Asia Pacific’s public sector agencies. Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam is the first city in Vietnam to provide free WiFi to locals and tourists with the fund invested by the government.
-- Around 950 Russian citizens who are working for the Russian-Vietnamese oil and gas joint venture Vietsovpetro and their relatives cast their votes yesterday in the southern coastal city of Vung Tau, according to Chairman of the Russian Presidential Election Committee in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province Yury S. Sokolov.
-- The Wildlife Rescue Centre of Cat Tien National Park last Saturday received seven rare white-chested black bears from a business based in southern Dong Nai province. The bears, which are now listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam as the most vulnerable amongst threatened species, will be released to the wild.
Business:
-- The Ministry of Finance on March 2 removed the 5 percent import tariff on gas in a move to lower retail prices. After the cut, the ministry demanded that gas prices immediately reflect the cut.
-- The Department of Commerce (DOC) of the US has announced the sixth preliminary results of administrative review (POR6) on frozen shrimp imported from Vietnam in the period from February 1, 2010 to January 31, 2011. Accordingly, the Minh Phu and Nha Trang Seafood companies will enjoy the zero percent duty while the 0.8 percent rate will be levied on Camimex alone and the 1.03 percent tax will be paid by others.
Lifestyle
-- Vietnam Television (VTV) and the BHD Company have bought from Disney Media Distribution the rights to the show The Amazing Race, in which teams of two people race around the country in competition with other teams. Participants will be recruited by the BHD Company from this month, and all Vietnamese and foreigners living in the country can join.