VietNamNet Bridge – The pollution of the West Lake--a beautiful landscape of Hanoi, has affected the life of urbanites and become a burning issue. What has made the lake become a rubbish dump?

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden paid a sudden visit to Iraq on Tuesday, the national al-Iraqiya TV channel reported.

VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly one month after the interruption due to the historical floods, Vietnamese travel firms have restarted the outbound tours to Thailand, because these are considered the most attractive tours in South East Asia.

The difficulties which exist in 2011 would repeat in 2012, and they would be even worse, economists have warned.

The Foreign Ministry’s National Border Committee has launched the English-language version of its website on Vietnam’s sovereign boundaries.

Amazon.com on Monday announced that this past Black Friday was the best ever for its Kindle products with consumers buying four times as many Kindle e- readers and tablets as they did last year.

VietNamNet Bridge – The coach of the Vietnamese national cycling team, Nicolai Kurkov (Kyrgyzstan), told the local media that he would never summon cyclist Bui Minh Thuy back to the team.

Although Ho Chi Minh City has a distinct advantage to attract international cruise ship visitors, this market has not developed fully because of lack of infrastructure and demand for high quality of service. 

U.S. Democratic Representative Barney Frank, a gay pioneer in Congress, will retire at the end of his current term, his 16th in Congress, Media reported on Tuesday.

VietNamNet Bridge – At birth, Thach Thi Sa Ly had several small spots which looked like moles on her back. One year later, pimples emerged on her entire body. They grew and deformed her body.

Vietnam attaches importance to relations with Belarus in various domains, especially in trade, investment, education and training, and tourism, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said.

Jan-Nov export tops $87 billion; Domestic fuel price steady despite global plunge; Central international airport lacks major features; FDI disbursement levels hold steady; Kon Tum boosts cooperation with Cambodian province

VietNamNet Bridge – After making a field trip to three big hospitals in HCM City on November 28, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien was heart-rending to see several patients lying on one bed and some had to lie down on the ground.

VietNamNet Bridge – The Central Anti-smuggling Steering Committee coded 127 has ordered its locality level units to tighten control of beer, wine and tobacco transports, trade and production before and after the upcoming Tet holiday.

The U.S. stocks soared on Monday, with the S&P 500 snapping a seven-day losing streak, as investors were encouraged by strong holiday sales and new hopes for a more radical European debt solution.

Foreign firms, with their deep pockets, cornered a lion's share of advertising on television, with their local rivals, especially small and medium-sized ones, unable to match them in the spending stakes.

Experts say the animal husbandry is trying to build a house with no foundation, because both the input materials and the sale of finished products have been relying on foreign companies.

The U.S. FBI and police in the Philippines have arrested four alleged hackers in Manila with connections to a terrorist group in Saudi Arabia, according to media reports Monday.

Work starts on Zen monastery; Next Top Model to sue contestants for US$714,000; Thrilling ox race to come back in early Dec; Chinese paintings, calligraphy on show in Hanoi; VND 1,500 billion to preserve ethnic cultures  

VietNamNet Bridge – Some people are ready to pay up to VND70 billion ($3.34 million) to own a three-room timber-made house with fine bas-relieves, pillars of dark-red color with veins in Bac Giang city.

VietNamNet Bridge – Two hundred and fifty of the best photos at the sixth International Artistic Photo Contest in Viet Nam are now on display at the Temple of Literature in Ha Noi.

Fitch Ratings on Monday lowered its outlook on U.S. credit rating to "negative", warning to slash U.S. triple-A credit rating if policy-makers failed to agree on a cut plan in 2013 to address the country's ballooning budget deficit.

VietNamNet Bridge – One week after being trounced 4-1 by Myanmar in Indonesia, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the coaching board of U23 Vietnam squad met on November 28 to analyze the failure.

VietNamNet Bridge – Mister Vietnam 2010 will participate in the beauty contest for men in Bangkok, Thailand from December 7 to 17.

Governor of the State Bank Nguyen Van Binh is a newly appointed minister, but he has to deal with old problems – high interest rates and weak banking system.