Worldwide mobile phone market is expected to grow only 1.4 percent year over year in 2012, the lowest annual growth rate in three years, research firm International Data Corp. (IDC) predicted in a report on Tuesday.

Industry still leading tax contributor; Central growers fear damaging drought; Banks move on soft home loans; Fake goods pose economic and health risks; Rice output estimated at 43.7 mln tones in 2012; PPP likely brings in $80 billion in decade

After pounding the Philippines, powerful storm Bopha entered the East Sea on December 5 and is likely to change its course.

With their confidence in Vietnam’s business environment badly damaged, private entrepreneurs urged the Government to carry out reforms while ensuring macroeconomic stability in order to overcome the current difficult situation.

  Pot-holes appear after rush-job; Bach Mai Hospital saves Japanese; Combating corruption in Vietnam; Vietnam joins 2012 Jakarta Charity Bazaar, Gender crisis put under the spotlight

VietNamNet Bridge - According to the 2012 corruption perception index (CPI) released by the Transparency International (TI), Vietnam ranks 123 out of 176 countries and territories, dropping by 11 grades from last year. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam Fashion Week kicks off tonight at the Ha Noi Daewoo Hotel, with a taste of 19 collections (600 designs) by veteran and emerging designers to be shown during the week.

VietNamNet Bridge – HCM City police have arrested six gangs of container thieves, totaling 51 people, who made a series of thefts at the city’s ports and warehouses, worth $1.3 million.

 Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong will be able to hold on to his Olympic bronze medal from the time-trial event at the 2000 Games in Sydney for at least a little longer, the International Olympic Committee has said.

 14 clubs participate in national volleyball tournament; Thien placed 135th in world junior rankings; Vietnamese e-sports players hack away the field; VN denied berth in U19 finals despite Taipei win  

VietNamNet Bridge - Hundreds of people stampeded to escape from the fire at the Golf Discotheque in the Mekong Delta City of Can Tho on the evening of December 5.

  Photo exhibition celebrates International Volunteer Day; Designer to participate in US fashion event; Christmas Cabaret dinner concert in town; Join in outdoor excursions with VietClimb

 VietNamNet Bridge – The departments, agencies and Government officials that contributed to lower-than-expected budget revenues for HCM City this year must be identified, delegates at a city council meeting have said.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Visitors to an exhibition that opened in Ha Noi on Monday praised the way Vietnamese people had used optimism, creativity and ingenuity during hard times to transform scrap metal from weapons into objects

VietNamNet Bridge – It would be better to gather strength to develop the nine national economic zones instead of scattering money to everywhere.

Military showdown around Syria's capital Damascus continued Wednesday as the government troops are trying to push the rebels away from the surroundings of the capital at a time when fears mount about Syria's chemical weapon, 

 Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, who designed much of the country's futuristic capital Brasilia, died Wednesday, his doctors said. He was 104.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam's first official forces to specialise in overseeing operations in the country's seas will be set up early next year.

VietNamNet Bridge - On the way to Singapore to take oil, Vietnamese ship Nosco Victory has picked up 39 people adrift at sea after a ship from Bangladesh which carried more than 200 people sank.

The 52-year-old coach of the Vietnamese national football squad resigned after the meeting of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to analyze the failure of Vietnam at the AFF Cup 2012 in Hanoi yesterday, December 5.

  Vietnam treasures ties with Japan; Vietnam–Japan strategic partnership strengthened; Foreign Minister visits RoK; Cao Dai Holy See 2012 Congress opens; Vietnam voices concern over DPRK’s planned satellite launch

VietNamNet Bridge - Two Christmas concerts in accordance with European style will take place at the Goethe Institute and the French Cultural Center in Hanoi in the coming days.

A team of archaeologists has excavated Bai Coi relic in Nghi Xuan District, Ha Tinh province and found many artifacts dating back over 2,000 years, Mr. Le Ba Hanh, Deputy Director of the Museum of Ha Tinh Province said.

While parents believe that teachers should not spend time to practice handwriting for their children, educators have been insisting that this is a very important and necessary work to do.

VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Justice has finalized a report to the Prime Minister on the issuance of controversial new ID cards.