Oscars 2022: Will Smith punches Chris Rock for mocking his wife; rain expected today in the northwest, north, northeast, and southwest; Koreans interested in Pedernales airport and free trade agreement with the Dominican Republic; they propose jobs and aid among facilities for diaspora return; manufacturing activity declines slightly in February to 62.8%; the country can benefit more from Spanish investments in Latin America; the US Treasury Department is working to seize a yacht anchored in the Dominican Republic; the Presidential spokesperson denies that the border fence is paralyzed; Ito Bisonó: Free Trade Zones in Santiago and La Vega lead job creation in the Cibao region; tax crimes would be severely punished; self-employment surpasses formal employment in the country; the President of Ukraine accuses the West of cowardice and asks for more aid; war: Russia destroys a Ukrainian missile depot.
Oscars2022: Will Smith punches Chris Rock for mocking his wife
During the Oscars ceremony in Los Angeles, actor Will Smith punched fellow actor Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett . "Jada, GI Jane 2 can't wait to see you," he said, alluding to the actress's baldness, which Smith didn't appreciate. (GI Jane is a film in which the protagonist's head is shaved as part of her training.) The "King Richard" got up from his seat, walked over to the stage, and punched Rock (who was presenting an award) in the face. He then returned to his seat and yelled at Rock not to mention his wife's name. "Get my wife's name out of your mouth!" he exclaimed.
Rain is expected today in the northwest, north, northeast, and southwest
A frontal system over our territory will bring moderate downpours, thunderstorms, and gusty winds to areas in the northwest, north, northeast, southwest, the Central Mountain Range, and the border region starting in the morning. This information was released yesterday by the National Meteorological Office (Onamet), which also forecast scattered and occasional showers for Greater Santo Domingo. The maximum temperature will be between 29°C and 31°C, and the minimum between 20°C and 22°C.
Koreans are interested in the Pedernales airport and a free trade agreement with the Dominican Republic
Korean culture, with its K-dramas, K-pop, and distinctive cuisine, has become more widely known in the Dominican Republic in recent years, but Koreans still don't consider this Caribbean country among their preferred tourist destinations. An 18- to 30-hour flight separates them. However, there is one sector of South Korea that the Dominican Republic attracts special attention from: the business community. Among their objectives is the international airport that the Luis Abinader administration is pursuing in Pedernales, and, bilaterally, a free trade agreement that would allow for the sale of Hyundai and Kia vehicles at lower prices. “The Pedernales development plan is a good approach for Korean companies,” says Jaewook Yoo, general manager of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) in Santo Domingo. “If we can, we are honored to participate in these development activities.”.
They propose jobs and aid among facilities for the return of the diaspora
Contributing to obtaining jobs, facilitating housing rentals for people with disabilities or old age upon their return, having subsidized medical insurance, a Solidarity card, emergency aid, subsidies such as the Electricity Bonus and the Gas Bonus, and receiving fast or express public services are part of the benefits proposed by law and resolutions by overseas deputies to the Dominican diaspora.
Manufacturing activity falls slightly in February to 62.8
The Monthly Manufacturing Activity Index (IMAM) of the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD) fell 1.8 in February, going from 64.6 in January to 62.8, showing decreases in the variables of Raw Materials Inventory and Sales Volume.
The country can benefit more from Spanish investments in Latin America
The participation of Spanish companies in the Dominican Republic could be greater, as it is not as significant in terms of the amount that Spanish companies invest in the Ibero-American region. Spain is the second largest investor in Ibero-America, with approximately €150 billion invested in the region, almost half of which is invested in Mexico, where more than 7,000 Spanish companies operate; and second in Brazil with €45 billion.
US Treasury Department manages to seize yacht anchored in the Dominican Republic
The U.S. Treasury Department requested that Dominican authorities inspect the luxury yacht Flying Fox, as part of international cooperation between the two nations and in compliance with sanctions imposed against Russian oligarchs. During inspections carried out by the General Directorate of Customs (DGA), US$500,000 was seized from one of the passengers who managed to disembark the yacht upon its arrival at the Don Diego Port on the 21st of this month. A source informed EL DÍA that the Public Prosecutor's Office and DGA agents plan to conduct another inspection of the vessel, which was scheduled to depart last Friday, but its departure date is now unknown.
Presidential spokesperson denies that the border fence is paralyzed
The head of the Directorate of Strategy and Government Communication assured yesterday, Sunday, that the first stage of construction of the Smart Border Fence (Wall), corresponding to 53.9 kilometers, being built by the government on the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, will be completed this year. Homero Figueroa denied that the work has been halted, as has been reported, and described the information disseminated in the media to that effect as a “conceptual error.”
Ito Bisonó: Free Trade Zones in Santiago and La Vega lead job creation in the Cibao
The Minister of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs (MICM), Víctor "Ito" Bisonó, highlighted yesterday the leading role of free trade zone companies in Santiago and La Vega in generating and recovering jobs in the Cibao provinces. According to a press release, Bisonó emphasized that "not a week goes by in this country without the inauguration or announcement of a company expansion."
Tax crimes would be punished severely
The illegal dissemination of confidential information; money laundering; tax evasion; tax collusion or extortion; and extortion could be punished with prison sentences of two to five years, fines of up to three million pesos, or up to 100 times the amount of the evaded tax. If the draft bill amending Title I of the Tax Code—prepared by the Directorate General of Internal Taxes (DGII) and to be sent to the National Congress for its consideration—is approved, tax crimes will be clearly defined, with severe penalties and sanctions for these offenses.
Self-employment surpasses formal employment in the country
Low wages could be a significant factor in the number of people who choose to be self-employed rather than focus on finding formal employment. At the end of 2021, the number of self-employed workers exceeded the number of formally employed workers registered in the Central Bank's statistics. As of December 2021, the self-employed or independent workers represented 38.9% (1,773,941 people) of the total employed population (4,556,645), while the number of private sector employees reached only 36.7% (1,673,293).
Ukrainian president accuses the West of cowardice; calls for more aid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday accused the West of cowardice as his country struggles to stem a Russian invasion, in an exasperated plea for fighter jets and tanks to maintain its defenses in a conflict that has devolved into a war of attrition. After US President Joe Biden met with Ukrainian officials in Poland on Saturday, Zelenskyy lashed out at “the ping-pong about who and how should provide aircraft and other defensive weapons,” while Russian missiles kill and trap civilians.
War: Russia destroys Ukrainian missile depot
The Russian Armed Forces destroyed a Ukrainian missile depot near Kyiv with long-range weapons launched from the sea, the Defense Ministry reported yesterday. The ministry also reported the destruction of a fuel depot and a radio repair workshop in yesterday's attacks on Lviv. Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov stated in the military report that the missile depot for S-300 and Buk anti-aircraft missile systems was destroyed in the town of Plesetskoye, southwest of the capital.
Sources: El Día, Hoy, DiarioLibre , El Caribe, Listín Diario
