Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and President of the European Commission (EC) Manuel Barroso have issued a statement detailing their orientations to conclude negotiations on the European Union – Vietnam free trade agreement.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Thai Binh is a province in the Red River Delta where the terrain is flat, with many lakes, rivers, a cool climate, many traditional handicraft villages, historical - cultural relic sites and unique folk festivals.

Taylor Swift has been named Billboard's Woman of the Year 2014, making her the first artist to receive the award twice.

VietNamNet Bridge – Pharmaceutical, consumer goods and chemicals have become the top industries in terms of wage increases in Vietnam this year,

VietNamNet Bridge – The Danang International Fireworks Contest slated for next April will have the participation of five local and foreign teams.

Vietnam moves closer to 148 bln USD export goal; Nestle sets up 37 mln USD production facility in Dong Nai; Vietnamese goods hold sway in domestic market; Vehicle sales keep up growth momentum in September

 Events for the week from October 13 to 18.

 VietNamNet Bridge – National Assembly (NA) chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung on October 9 urged ministers to solve problems in connection to budget collections and spending to secure budget safety in 2014 and 2015.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Sixty photos of 60 beautiful moments of Hanoi in the past 60 years were displayed on the sidewalk of Le Thai To Road in Hanoi from October 8 to 12.

The chair of the National Assembly’s Economics Committee expressed doubts about the government-reported GDP growth rate at a socio-economic appraisal session on October 9. However, the government’s representative said the report was factual.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The construction of the Nhat Tan cable-stayed bridge started in 2009 and is one of the key transportation projects in Hanoi.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vu Thi Trang moved up 14 places to 60th in the latest BWF World Rankings announced on October 9, making herself a female player with second best world ranking in Vietnam’s badminton history.

VietNamNet Bridge – Fifteen collectors showcased their antique items and paintings at the exhibition ‘Antiques Culture & Contemporary Fine Art Paintings – the National Pride’, opened from October 12-19

 VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City Department of Interior Affairs refused to accept TOEIC and TOEFL certificates for civil service examination registration, and would only take national B-level English certificates.

VietNamnet Bridge – While scientists have expressed concerns about the Tan Rai bauxite plant in Lam Dong province, the investor has said that the red mud discharged from the mining area is not toxic sludge but just red-colored mud and water.

VietNamNet Bridge – A flicker of hope has appeared among Vietnamese fishermen after Binh Dinh province’s fishermen sold tuna to Japan at a price five times higher than the domestic price.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Are you looking for a peaceful, non-touristy beach free of pesky vendors, and a decent, affordable hotel near the sea?

 Turkey has agreed to let the US use its military bases in the campaign against Islamic State militants, US National Security Adviser Susan Rice says.

 VietNamNet Bridge - The average height of Vietnamese men is 164 cm, 8 cm less than that of men in Japan and 10 cm less than men in South Korea.

 VietNamNet Bridge – While SMS and voice communication services have experienced a few setbacks, data services such as 3G are becoming more and more popular.