Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted receptions for Mike Spanos, CEO of the Asia, Middle East, and North Africa unit of the US-based PepsiCo, Inc.; and Sarath Ratanavadi, founder and CEO of Thailand’s Gulf Energy Development, in Hanoi on August 14.

Freelance translator Nguyen Nhat Anh, director of Nha Nam Culture and Communications JSC, will be awarded the Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature by the French Embassy on August 16 for his contributions

 The Vietnamese delegation to the upcoming 2018 Asian Games (ASIAD 18) arrived at Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on August 14 to the warm welcome of Indonesian sport officials and volunteers.

 The forest protection department of the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang released two reticulated pythons back to nature at the Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve in Phung Hiep district on August 14.

 The People’s Court of the southwestern province of Tay Ninh sentenced two people to life imprisonment for trafficking over 2.9 kg of Methamphetamine from Cambodia to Vietnam at their first instance trial on August 14.

 Hanoi launched 'hop-on hop-off' bus service for the first time in May, aiming to boost tourism.

 The Vietnamese Government plans to reduce the cash payment proportion to less than 10 percent by 2020 and 8 percent by 2025, which can be done by expanding the network of automatic teller machines (ATMs) and points of sale (POS) nationwide.

 Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh has issued a directive on enhancing State management of scrap imports in order to implement the Prime Minister’s guidelines on strengthening the management of the import and use of scrap. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Untold stories about the life and career of Vietnam’s top female swimmer, Nguyen Thi Anh Vien, are revealed to public in her autobiography which has recently been released.

 The 42nd Pacific Armies Management Seminar (PAMS-42) is scheduled to take place in the capital city of Hanoi on August 19-24.

Biogas is a vast energy source, worth VND30 trillion a year, but it is being wasted in Vietnam, Bui Xuan An from the Vietnam Biogas Association (VBA), said. 

Every year natural calamities cause serious damage to northern mountainous provinces, including Lai Chau, Son La, Yen Bai, Dien Bien and Lao Cai. 

A policy for ordering training and scientific research for autonomous universities, plus a government decree on university autonomy, is expected to help promote training quality.

Foreign invested enterprises (FIEs) complain that regulations related to the use of laborers are creating difficulties for their operations.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Monks and Buddhist followers were among the volunteer donors at an event held at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in HCM City’s District 3 on Sunday (August 12).

 Organic produce does not meet rising demand: experts, VN consumers yet to warm to chilled meat, Vietnam Airlines includes fresh longan on flights, PVN plans stake cut to 36% in PVD, Foreign investment into Ba Ria-Vung Tau soars 30%          

 Rise in number of kids suspected of having measles, Bình Phước Province to inspect cashew farm support, HCM City eyes making District 2 a central district, Soc Trang province upgrades schools in Khmer communities

Le Tan Dung, deputy minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, tells Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam newspaper that the Government will take tough measures against those who abuse the country’s humanitarian law on war invalids.

 Vietnam’s Olympic men’s football team beat their Pakistani rivals 3-0 in the first group match in men’s football of the Asian Games 2018 (ASIAD 18), which took place in Indonesia on August 14.

Storm Bebinca, the fourth of its kind hitting the country this year, will result in downpours in northern and north central regions from the night of August 15 to August 17.