VN30 shares rise above domestic market growth; FDI wood exporters outstrip lagging domestic companies; Import tariff lines enjoy duty cuts; HCM City banks' bad debts still high

A former insurance advisor at Prudential branch in Quang Ninh Province was sentenced to life in prison yesterday along with 16 accomplices for operating a $10m fraud operation.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The rising Vietnamese stars Thach Kim Tuan and Tran Le Quoc Toan are expected to perform strongly at Poland's forthcoming World Weighlifting Championships, despite facing some ominous opposition.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Van Duoc, Chairman of the Vietnam War Veterans Association, has asked the Vietnam Father Front for approval for turning Late General Vo Nguyen Giap’s private house into a museum bearing his name.

 VietNamNet Bridge – People who are studying and researching atomic energy will receive full support and incentives from the Government following the Prime Minister's Decree 124/2013 dated October 14.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam enjoyed a trade surplus of US$12 million in the first nine months of this year, with export turnover of over $96.27 billion and import value of $96.26 billion.

VietNamNet Bridge – Representatives of international donors have appreciated Vietnam’s effective use of official development assistance, and pledged to continue to cooperate with and support the country in its future development.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Truong The Linh’s "Blinking” defeated nearly 300 entries to win the top prize, worth VND120 million ($6,000) of the annual self-portrait painting competition named Dogma.

 VietNamNet Bridge - On October 17, the Department of Food Safety announced the test results of Aptamil milk originating from England, which showed aluminum levels ranging from 3 to 3.44 mg per kilo.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Three days after the campaign "I Do" supporting same-sex marriage was launched, the fanpage “I Do” attracted more than 8,500 likes and thousands of photos and clip with the contents "I do."

 VietNamNet Bridge - The Government has nominated two candidates for the post of Deputy Prime Minister - Head of the Government Office Vu Duc Dam and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

 VietNamNet Bridge – In the last two days, the Hoai River’s water level rose highly, causing severe flooding in many streets of Hoi An ancient town in Quang Nam province.

 VietNamNet Bridge - After three days in hospital, two female workers of the Z121 firework factory in Thanh Ba district, Phu Tho province, died of the severe burns, bringing the death toll in the explosion to 26.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Total fatalities from tropical storm Nari and following floods in the central region have climbed to 10, according to the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control on October 17.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Solutions have been found in the issues relating to the Vietnamese state owned enterprises (SOEs), one of the toughest topics in the negotiations for TPP.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Top Vietnamese Grandmaster (GM) Le Quang Liem won the third round match of this year Spice Cup Chess Tournament in the US.

 Viet Nam will compete in an Asian football tournament for under-17 students in Thailand from November 6 to 16.

 U.S. stocks finished mixed Thursday, with the Standard & Poor's 500-stock Index ending at its all-time high, after a last-minute deal was struck to reopen the U. S. government and raise the debt ceiling.

The Vietnamese embassy in Laos has pledged to cooperate with the Lao side to support families of plane crash victims.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday (Oct 17) affirmed the Government's gratitude and sound management of official development assistance (ODA) from the international community.