IFC urges Vietnam’s listed firms to improve governance; Vietnam aims for regional top five in tax facilitation; First direct air route to Indonesia launched; Shrimp exports to hit US$2.2 billion this year; The socio-economic portrait after 11 months

 VietNamNet Bridge – Dozens of temporary garbage dumps have formed in residential areas of southern Dong Nai Province due to a shortage of landfill sites, causing serious pollution that affects local people's health.

VietNamNet Bridge – At noon on December 3, storm Bopha with the wind speed of 180-200 km per hour, formed off the coast in the Pacific, was approaching the Philippines. In the next two days, the storm will enter the East Sea.

 Leon Lieberman was in his 60s when he was diagnosed with HIV. That was nearly 15 years ago. Today, he recently celebrated his 81st birthday and lives in Chicago's North Side.

  My Tam wins Best Asian Artist at MAMA 2012; Little Mermaid becomes belly dance; Canadian food-fest opens Thursday; Korea-VN host Ha Noi gala

  Efforts made to shake off Agent Orange hangover; Laos, Vietnam celebrate 50 years of labour cooperation; Seed Fund launched to assist deserving youth; Law Committee's France tour ends

 VietNamNet Bridge – National stocks were left reeling on Friday after what analysts dubbed the "worst week of the year" for trading.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Quang Nam Province in the central Vietnam has just announced that on December 4 this year tourists will not have to pay a fee to enter the ancient town of Hoi An on occasion of the town being recognized

 VietNamNet Bridge – Traffic police found to be abusing their powers will be strictly punished, the Ministry of Public Security has ordered.

VietNamNet Bridge – India is far closer to Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries than people generally think, Indian Consul General Abhay Thakur has said.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Ha Noi authorities have decided to stage fireworks displays at 29 locations around the city to celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) which falls in the second week of February.

It is highly possible that the State Bank would slash the deposit interest rate further--by one percent, to make it easier for businesses to access bank loans. However, economists have warned that this would do more harm than good.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Sixteen-year-old piano prodigy Nguyen Viet Trung will perform with the Viet Nam National Sym-phony Orchestra this Thursday and Friday at the Ha Noi Opera House,

 The vampire-and-werewolf tale has proven to be a constant draw to teenager girls and young women in North America, who continued to swarm theaters this weekend for a close look at "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2."

 Viet Nam lose to Myanmar in Asian women's contest; Liem ranks higher in world; Ha Noi T&T win Binh Phuoc football event

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese paragliders didn't make the top three in either the men's or women's event at the first Viet Nam Paragliding Open held recently in the northern province of Hoa Binh.

The profile on the belief of worshiping the King Hungs of Vietnam will be presented to the UNESCO at the 7th conference of the Intergovernmental Commission for the Conservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

 All tracks of the Doha climate talks will produce new documents by Saturday for delegates to deliberate ahead of next week's high-level meetings, top UN climate official said here Friday.

 VietNamNet Bridge – National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung’s visits to Thailand and Japan aim to strengthen legislative ties between Vietnam and these two countries.

Domestic fertilizer producers and farmers both have shouted for help. However, the solutions expected would be able to save one of the two.

VietNamNet Bridge - While their parents were at a death anniversary, a big blast occurred on the bank of a canal, killing up to four children and injuring four others.

 There is "no possibility" for the United States to put its fiscal house in order without letting tax cuts for the rich expire, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Sunday.

  National Assembly Chairman to tour Japan, Thailand; Party leader meets voters in Hanoi; High ranking Chinese Party delegation updates leader on political developments

Ninety percent of businesses have used emails in their daily works to date, 15 years after the day the Internet was available in Vietnam. However, 46 percent of businesses don’t know why they should use emails.

 VietNamNet Bridge – State President Truong Tan Sang’s recent visits to Brunei Darussalam and Myanmar have opened up new opportunities for cooperation between Vietnam and these two countries.