The first APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM1) and related meetings have successfully concluded with positive outcomes, laying a foundation for the next events from now to the year-end, said a high-ranking diplomat.

 President Tran Dai Quang and his wife on March 3 visited Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at their hotel to say good-bye to the Japanese royal couple before they leave Hanoi to visit Hue.

 Two Vietnamese individuals from Thua Thien Hue were awarded with the French Government’s Order of Academic Palms for their role in promoting cultural and education ties between the province and France.

Vietnam wants to strengthen its friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Spain, an important member of the EU, said President Tran Dai Quang at a reception for outgoing Spanish Ambassador to Vietnam Alfonso Tena Garcia.

 Exorbitant feeding costs account for two thirds of production expenses. Farmers’ incomes are merely enough to pay debts.

VietNamNet Bridge - The Vietnamese aviation sector has become more attractive as well as more challenging as many investors are expressing interest in the market. 

 VCCI Chairman tells conference the TPP will live on in some shape or form.

George Tanasijevich, CEO and President of Marina Bay Sands and Managing Director of Global Development at Las Vegas Sands Corp. spoke about the group's desire to develop casino projects in major cities in Vietnam.

 A string of new policies on certificates of land use rights, casino business activities for Vietnamese residents, horse and greyhound racing and international football betting, and government guarantee come into force in March.

 Saigon Hi-tech Park Training Center and Toyooka Company opened a factory automation and launched a survey on enterprises’ demand for Japanese robotics technology at the training center.

A fisherman in the central province of Ha Tinh released a giant sea turtle after he accidentally caught the giant animal in his nets on Thursday. 

 Hanoi Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung has announced that state agencies in the city will work on Saturday mornings starting from March 10.

 Hanoi authorities started providing transport subsidies to officials at eight departments and offices instead of state-owned cars from March 1.

 The central Quang Binh Province has called for investments in 70 projects in the period from 2016 to 2020. Of these, more than half are real estate projects.

 The European Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nam’s Nutritional Foods Group (NFG) recommended that the Government remove the price ceiling on milk products for children under six years.

 Members of the conservation community in Vietnam have called upon youngsters to engage in activities to protect wild animals at high risks of extinction in response to the World Wildlife Day.

Vietnam would place itself in a scenario in which human bird flu infections could has been detected so as to take drastic actions to prevent the intrusion of avian influenza viruses that are raging in next-door neighbour China.

 More than 5,000 domestic and foreign marathon athletes will join the fifth Da Nang International Marathon, the biggest of its kind central Vietnam, which is scheduled on August 6.

Established in 1989, APEC has now become the region’s largest economic cooperation mechanism with 21 economies which together account for 39 percent of the world’s population, 59 percent of the world’s GDP and 48 percent of the global trade.

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam’s use of machinery for agriculture remains low, just 1.6 horse power per cultivated hectare, much lower than Thailand’s 4HP, China’s 4HP and South Korea’s 10 HP.