Italy's Senate gave final approval Thursday to Prime Minister Mario Monti's emergency austerity plan that he said will "save Italy" from a dramatic debt crisis.

Hoang Thi Diep, deputy head of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, revealed that Vietnam received more than 6 million international visitors during 2011. 

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung hosted a reception for Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, in Hanoi on Thursday.

Experts say Vietnam has every reason to believe that it may replace Thailand as the biggest rice exporter in the world in 2012.

A number of foreign airlines are commencing and operating more flights to HCMC and Hanoi in winter schedule, which is usually a busy period for air travel to and from Vietnam.

New research suggests that, in people who don't currently have memory problems, those with smaller regions of the brain's cortex may be more likely to develop symptoms consistent with very early Alzheimer's disease.

The use of forged and stolen international payment cards has increased sharply in Viet Nam, bankers admit.

The number of Americans initially applying for unemployment aid continued to decline last week after hitting the lowest level since May 2008 a week earlier, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs will be honored posthumously with a Grammy award for his contributions to music technology, The Recording Academy announced on Wednesday.

NASA's Dawn spacecraft has sent around 10,000 pictures of the giant asteroid Vesta back to Earth for the first time since its launch in 2007, the U.S. space agency announced Wednesday.

VietNamNet Bridge – The State Bank of Vietnam has applied a series of measures to stabilize the gold prices. However, to date, the domestic price is still higher by 3 million dong per tael than the world’s price.

Nation urged to boost hi-tech investment; Vietnam’s industrial competitiveness sees a high jump; Commodities demand to grow; Seafood exports to reel in $10 billion by 2020; New rules on consular certification 

A national financial supervisory system with sanctioning authority would minimise risks in the nation's banking and financial industry, said National Financial Supervisory Committee chairman Vu Viet Ngoan.

VietNamNet Bridge – Some members of the Hanoi Motor Club on December 21 disguised themselves as Santa Clauses, rode on big bikes to deliver gifts to kids.

National flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines will continue to sell 112,000 additional tickets on the Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City routes for the coming Tet holiday season before January 1, 2012.

With downside risks in advanced economies increasing and policy environment uncertain, the world economy may see worse conditions in the coming year, warned chief economist Olivier Blanchard of the International Monetary Fund

Asteroids Galaxy Tour to perform in Hanoi for New Year; HCM City launches new tourism programme; National Television Festival concludes; Celebrities pull stunts with scanty clothes; Italian artist to feature mouth harp in Hanoi  

Veteran British midfielder David Beckham will join soon French top league soccer club Pari Saint-Germain (PSG) for 18 months, a local daily reported Wednesday.

Have you planned to make any special things for Christmas? Here are some destinations suggested as ideal venues in town.

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam surprisingly defeated stronger Georgia 3-1 in the third round of the 2011 Women’s World Chess Team Championship (WWCT2011) in Mardin, Turkey, on December 21.