The year 2011 is coming to an end, but businesses still dare not set up any goals for 2012 because they anticipate big difficulties ahead.

The speaker of Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, resigned Wednesday.

HCM City earmarks VND5.6 trillion for market stabilisation; Banks Association holds fifth tenure congress; Rice exports to face tough competition in 2012; Poor infrastructure drives cruise ships away; Investment to Laos on rise

Some ministries and state agencies plan to move their headquarters to Hanoi’s suburbs to reduce the pressure of population and traffic jam for the inner area, and to form a concentrated administrative zone under the government’s policy.

The Vice President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, Nguyen Van Kien, has presented Brazilian Ambassador to Vietnam Joao Mendoca Lima Neto with an insignia for peace and friendship among peoples.

VietNamNet Bridge – Miss Vietnam 2010 Ngoc Han and Miss Vietnam 2008 Thuy Dung, were vedettes of a Vietnamese fashion show at the UK’s ancient hotel of Dorchester.

Germany's plan of nuclear exit and renewable energy boost will ultimately create more jobs than it loses, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday after French nuclear firm Areva announced job cuts in Germany.

VietNamNet Bridge – Initial inspections at around 30 per cent of over 1,500 gas shops in the capital reveal that half are in violation of fire prevention regulations, according to a municipal report.

Companies are being discouraged from paying salaries and bonuses to employees in the form of products unless they have the agreement of their workforce.

The OECD area unemployment rate rose slightly to 8.3 percent in October, compared to 8.2 percent in September, the Paris-based Orgnization for Economic Cooperation and Development said Tuesday.

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam will still not be able to float the airfares until the monopoly still exists in the market, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam CAAV has affirmed.

VietNamNet Bridge – Le Huynh Thuy Ngan, the first runner-up of the Vietnam Jewelry Queen pageant, left Vietnam to China on December 12, to compete in the Miss Tourism Queen International 2011.

The U.S. Federal Reserve said Tuesday that it has decided to keep its existing monetary policies to boost recovery but is prepared to take further steps in the future in case of worsened economic conditions.

Child injured in motorbike fire dies; Bus inspector suspended for assaulting passenger; Man shoots both neighbor and police; Agitators receive jail sentences

The design of the Suoi Re communal house in Viet Nam was ranked second among five most outstanding works in the Gold Medal category of the Italian’s Barbara Cappochin Prize that honours the most innovative work

The stock prices have decreased dramatically, while the real estate market has been frozen with very weak demand. Rescuing the real estate market would not only help revive the market, but would also help clear banks’ bad debts.

The main source of CO2 emissions in Vietnam is from coal-fired electric power plants, according to an international conference in Hanoi on December 13.

VietNamNet Bridge – National karate team members will be provided with body protection in domestic and international competitions from next year following changes to the rules by the World Karate Federation (WKF).

VietNamNet reviews the most terrifying accidents in Vietnam in 2011, which killed a dozen of people each.

VietNamNet Bridge – Scanty dress style, lip-synch of artists, violation of show organizers, etc. will be discussed at a seminar, held by the Art Performing Administration, in HCM City on December 27.