VietNamNet Bridge - To capture these stunning pictures of snow and ice in Sapa town and on the O Quy Ho Pass, the photographer had to walk 20km because the snow was too thick and every vehicle could not move.

VietNamNet Bridge – The US State Department on December 16 issued a fact sheet on the US-Vietnam comprehensive partnership, describing it as “an overarching framework for advancing the bilateral relationship”. Following are excerpts of the document:

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese star swimmers Nguyen Thi Anh Vien and Hoang Quy Phuoc set a new record for Vietnamese swimming at the Southeast Asian Games both earning gold medals to help Vietnam clock five gold medals

 VietNamNet Bridge – The rice exports to the US now only account for 10 percent of Vietnam’s total rice exports. However, the figure is believed to increase sharply once the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) is inked.

 Edward Snowden, the former contractor for the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), has offered to help Brazil investigate the extent of NSA's spying against the South American country in an open letter published Tuesday.

Vietnamese athletes had a successful competition day at the on-going 27th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Myanmar on December 17 as they brought home a total of six gold medals.

 Asian Records recognises 10 more Vietnamese dishes; America’s Next Top Model’s judge joins VNTM finale; Photos of Evita lure Hanoi visitors; Argentine Film Week in Vietnam; Writing campaign to promote children’s literature

 VietNamNet Bridge - Thousands of tourists have flocked to Sapa to see the snow-covered landscape while local people are in dismay.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese goods have been exported to many countries, but they still find it easy to enter overseas supermarkets.

 Deputy PM: VN prizes ties with Laos; VN, Poland cement legislative ties; HCM City to further ties with northern Laos; Catholic committee meets ahead of Christmas

 VietNamNet Bridge – The father used a homemade gun to shoot birds. The gun went off by accident, 10 bullets were shot into the intestine of his 9-year-old son.

 VietNamNet Bridge – In the afternoon of December 17, after a day taking testimony, Police of Thu Duc District, HCM City prosecuted and jailed two baby-sitters who brutally beat kids.

Nearly 2,600 fire and explosion cases occurred in Vietnam, claiming the lives of 124 people and injuring 349 others, 10 percent more than 2012, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

VietNamNet Bridge – Hue is offering a variety of promotions for visitors during the year's third Golden Tourism Week at Hue Heritage Site, which last from December 24 to 31.

 The US space agency has ordered a series of emergency spacewalks to carry out repairs on a broken cooling line at the International Space Station.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged the diplomatic sector to work harder to expand the market for the country’s exports.

 Hundreds of people are believed to have died in clashes between rival South Sudan army factions, the UN says, quoting unconfirmed reports.

 Doctors from Hanoi-based Vietnam-Germany and Vietnam-France hospitals have saved an American woman from acute pulmonary embolism – a fatal disease – during her recent tour of Vietnam.

 VietNamNet Bridge – There are three outstanding problems in biodiversity management in Vietnam – the legal framework, budget for biodiversity conversation and the wildlife trafficking.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam has abrogated the regulation on prohibiting the domain name trade and transfer. However, domain name trade activities still cannot be carried out because of the lack of a legal framework.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Foreign investors seem to make an enigmatic decision when selling stakes in large quantities and discreetly withdrawing capital from leading Vietnamese companies.

The Ministry of Education and Training has turned the green light on, allowing universities to enroll students in their own ways, instead of following the ministry’s plan. However, schools still keep hesitant about this.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The government’s strategy to regulate and control the gold market towards healthy development in the coming time is coming into sharp focus.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Cambodia has recently become a popular destination for many Vietnamese artists, following high demand from Vietnamese expats there.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Long-distance runner Nguyen Van Lai won a gold medal in the men's 5,000m event this morning, on the seventh day of competition at the 27th Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar.