Politics

-- Vietnamese State President Truong Tan Sang leads a delegation to visit Germany from November 24 to 26 to boost strategic partnership between the two nations. Now, Germany is the biggest trading partner of Vietnam in Europe. Germany has 261 projects in Vietnam with a total investment of US$1.413 billion.

-- The 50^th death anniversary of soldiers participating in the Southern Revolt to fight French colonialists was held on November 23 in Xuan Thoi Dong Commune, Hoc Mon District, Ho Chi Minh City.

-- The seventh international conference on East Vietnam Sea issues opened yesterday in the southern city of Vung Tau. Most delegates agreed that China is challenging maritime order and security in the sea.

Society

-- The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs has issued a decision to impose a ceiling fee rate on companies sending Vietnamese workers to Japan. According to the decision, the fee cannot be over US$3,600 per worker for a 3-year contract.

-- Ho Chi Minh City is planning to step up the use of public transport vehicles to limit motorbikes in the coming time.

-- BIDV Bank yesterday donated 244 patrol bicycles to police in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang.

-- Proposals were put forward at a discussion session yesterday of the National Assembly to lift the age of children from under 16 to under 18.

-- A 16-year-old teenager was hospitalized and died on November 19 after he was put in a detention house of the police department of Cu Jut District in the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong.

-- Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended a working session with the Ho Chi Minh City customs department yesterday to discuss measures to wipe out corruption in its apparatus.

-- Over 70 percent of elderly people, 65 years old or above, in Vietnam have to work to earn their living. Only 25.5 percent live on retirement pension or social allowances. The rate of people aged 65 or more reaches 6.6 percent of the total population.

Business

-- The Saigon Trade Corporation (Satra) signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday with Japan’s SBS Holdings for cooperation in logistics. The cost of logistics services offered by Satra accounts for 25 percent of the total price of a product, whereas the rate in other nations is from 15 to 18 percent.

-- The consumer price index in Ho Chi Minh City increased 0.1 percent in November, according to official figures.