In the Spotlight

Taiwan to shut representative offices in five countries Taiwan plans to shut its representative offices in five countries which "do not function well," and will open two new representative offices, one in Japan and another one in Turkey, an official said Saturday. The countries where Taiwan will close its representative offices are Bangladesh, Bolivia, Venezuela, South Africa and Panama, Foreign Minister Francisco Ou said.

Fishermen of Primorye caught out more than 330 thousand tons of water bio resources This is 10 percent more than last year's level.

Vladivostok will see the faces of love and beauty An exhibition devoted to St. Valentine's Day will be opened in the city.

Israel, Russia to ally on nanotech Israel and Russia will be collaborating on the cutting-edge science of nanotechnology, which is the science of controlling matter at molecular or even atomic levels.

Japanese companies to cooperate on wind farm project on Russky Island Russian hydrogenerating company RusHydro is planning to sign a memorandum on cooperation with Japan's Mitsui and J-Power on May 11-12 as part of a project to build wind plants on Russky Island off Vladivostok, acting RusHydro CEO Vasily Zubakin said.

Politics

Russia and Japan will jointly respond to North Korea's threat
During the phone talk Medvedev and Aso came to agreement that it is necessary to seriously respond to the actions of North Korea that make a challenge to the system of international security.

New presidential envoy introduced to Russia’s Far East governors
First deputy chief of the Russian presidential administration Vladislav Surkov introduced new presidential plenipotentiary representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Viktor Ishayev to the governors of Russia’s Far East. “The Far East Federal District has the biggest territory among all other Russian federal districts. The foresaid district occupies one third of Russia’s territory,” Surkov said.

Russia, Japan Sign Nuclear Deal
Russia and Japan agreed on Tuesday to expand their cooperation in the nuclear industry as part of a visit to Tokyo by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who presided over a deal that will open the way for contracts worth billions of dollars between the world’s two leading nuclear technology powers.

Economics

APEC summit in Vladivostok is aimed on Far East development
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is certain that the main aim of the preparation for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum’s summit that will be held in Vladivostok in 2012 is the development of the Russian Far East. “The aim is not only to surprise the foreign guests and create normal work conditions at the summit, but the development of Primorye, Vladivostok, so it is necessary to proceed from this,” the RF head of state said at a meeting with First Vice Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov and governor of the Primorsky Territory Sergei Darkin.

China embarked on an oil pipeline "Eastern Siberia - Pacific Ocean"
Construction of ESPO branch started in the border city Mohe.

Medvedev signs law on APEC's 2012 summit
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed into effect a law on organizing a planned 2012 summit of Asia-
Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) a forum of Pacific Rim countries.

Culture

The Fest “French cinema today” is starting out in Vladivostok
December 9-11, a Fest of the modern French cinema will take place in Vladivostok. The Embassy of France in Russia with the support of the Administration of Primorsky Krai is organizing this event.

The French Film Festival is back in Primorye
The festival “French cinema today” will run in Vladivostok in December. It is organized by the Embassy of France in Russia and the «Unifrance» company with the support of the administration of Primorye Territory.

Days of German culture will be held in Vladivostok
The German embassy in Moscow, the German-Russian forum, the far east academy of art, the Primorye regional Philharmonic are the organizers of the event, informed in the press-service of the Primorye regional Philharmonic.

Society

U.S. warship to visit Russia for Victory Day celebrations
The U.S. missile cruiser Cowpens will start a four-day visit to Russia's Far East port of Vladivostok on May 7 to take part in Victory Day celebrations, a spokesman for Russia's Pacific Fleet said Wednesday.

Vladivostok signs agreement on development of tourism with APR cities
Vladivostok has singed an agreement on development of tourism with the biggest cities of the Asia-Pacific region (APR) on Monday. Fukuoka (Japan), Honolulu (USA), Pusan (South Korea), Jakarta (Indonesia), Guangzhou (China), Ho Chi Minh and Hai Phong (Vietnam), Manila (Philippine) became its partners in tourism.

Russian Internet celebrated the 15th anniversary
The audience of users for this period has reached the amount of 31 million.

Ecology

Siberian vets fight to save rare tiger hit by car
Vets are working to save the life of a Siberian tiger hit by a car in Russia's Far East, a regional conservationist group said on Tuesday.

Primorye is fighting with poachers
More than 718 raids to curb poaching held in the Primorsky Territory from the beginning of the year.

Primorye will be clean
Preserving the unique nature of Primorye is the main objective of the program «Neat Primorye», the draft of which has received cconclusion of the state ecological examination.