Many Vietnamese food producers have reported breaches and misuse of their brand images, with not only domestic firms but also foreign firms violating Vietnamese producers’ intellectual property (IP) rights.

 Fifteen firms won bids at the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s second auction of sugar import quotas in Ha Noi on Wednesday.

VietNamNet Bridge - Pegfilgrastim, a chemotherapy drug made in Vietnam, is expected to hit the market in 2018.

VietNamNet Bridge - China ranks first with 20.09 percent, while Vietnam is 27th in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, with 0.72 percent of total global emissions.

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam’s economic growth is still heavily dependent on foreign invested enterprises (FIEs), especially conglomerates. 

The Ministry of Education & Training (MOET) has vowed to improve the quality of teachers by setting up a minimum admission mark for pedagogical schools, but education experts do not think the measure will help. 

 Police in Quang Ninh Province on Wednesday fined seven Chinese nationals VNĐ7 million each (US$300) for crossing the border and entering Viet Nam without following proper immigration procedures.

 Lao Cai is the first northern province to claim damages caused by strong winds and heavy rains due to typhoon Hato, after it made landfall China on Wednesday noon and kept moving north-westward.

Runner Nguyen Thi Oanh won a gold medal in the women's 1,500m event for Vietnam at the ongoing SEA Games 29 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on late August 24. 

The first-instance hearing for Ha Van Tham, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ocean Bank, and his accomplices will be reopened on August 28.

 Increasing the regional minimum wage has raised concerns over a potential trade-off with social allowances that would block the new wages from increasing employees' real income.

 The Ministry of Finance is proposing the levy of a special consumption tax of 10-20 per cent on sugary drinks to combat obesity rates, though a similar proposal was rejected by the government three years ago.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong arrived in Nay Pyi Taw International Airport on August 24, starting his three-day State visit to Myanmar at the invitation of President Htin Kyaw.

VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Finance (MOF) is seeking approval to raise the VAT in 2019, raising concern among economists. 

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang has voiced Vietnam’s strong opposition to Taiwan’s live-fire drill on Ba Binh (Itu Aba) Island, and asked the Chinese territory not to repeat similar actions.

 Vietnamese shooter Le Thi Linh bagged a silver medal in the women’s 10 metre air pistol on August 24, the fifth official competition day of the ongoing 29th SEA Games in Malaysia.

 Vietnam’s first astronomical observatory will be put into operation in September in the central province of Khanh Hoa.

As of 12:00 on August 24, Vietnam moved to second placeon the medal tally with 28 gold medals at the ongoing 29th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Malaysia.

 More than 750 foreigners have received certificates of home ownership in Vietnam since the Housing Law 2014 took effect, according to the Ministry of Construction. 

Officials from APEC member economies expressed their special interest in Vietnam’s rice production and export during their fact-finding trip to the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute on August 24.