CULTURE AND SPORT

All players involved in Ninh Binh's match fixing allegations will be banned for life from football activities, Vietnam Football Federation chairman Le Hung Dung has confirmed.

The biennial Hue Festival opened on Saturday night at the citadel's Noon Gate Square with performances from 65 international art troupes from 38 countries and territories from Asia, Europe, America and Africa.

V-League side Vissai Ninh Binh have sought permission from the Vietnam Football Federation and the Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company to stay away from play this season.

Local badminton players, including No.1 Nguyen Tien Minh and young talent Vu Thi Trang, have come up short at the 2014 Singapore Open Super Series, dropping out of contention for a top 10 finish.

A four-day festival entitled ‘Spring honouring nation’s culture’ closed with a special art performance at Hanoi’s Bao Son Paradise Park on April 9.

Khanh Ly, a famous overseas Vietnamese singer will perform in Hanoi this May for the first time since she left the country in 1975.

Kelly Rowland, an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality, will join Vietnamese and foreign artists in the sixth Hennessy Artistry at the Hanoi Opera House on April 17.

U19 Lille were held to a 0-0 draw by underdogs U19 Vietnam in a friendly in France on April 10.

Spanish coach Bruno Garcia and his futsal team will begin a 19-day training camp in Spain on April 9 in preparation for the upcoming Asia Futsal Championship.

A special art performance highlighting the Dien Bien Phu victory (May 7, 1954) will be held at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi on April 26, as part of activities to celebrate the 60 th anniversary of the victory

Experts still show financial worries for the up coming Asian Games while officials race to prepare for the event.

An international exhibition at a New York museum from April 14-July 27 will feature Southeast Asian sculptural traditions from the Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms, including a variety of Vietnamese antiques.

Vietnam’s top badminton player, Nguyen Tien Minh, left Vietnam on April 6 to take part in the 2014 Singapore Open Super Series from April 8 - 13.

Nu Cuoi Phong Bi (Envelope Smile) was one of three first prize winners at the biennial Vietnam press cartoon contest, taking the Rong Tre (Bamboo Dragon) Cup at a ceremony organised on April 6 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Acclaimed American music band The Amigos will perform at a free public concert and take part in outreach events for disadvantaged people from April 12 to 14 during the Festival Hue.

Lienviet Post Bank will represent Vietnam at the coming Asian Women's Volleyball Clubs Championship in Thailand.

After several delays, the Art Performing Department began to draft plans to start granting work permits for artists starting in July, one official has said.

Nine foreign troupes and 16 local ones have registered to attend the Vietnam International Dance Festival 2014, which will be held in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue from April 14-18.

The first-ever caricature festival will be held in HCM City to bring the art closer to the public and provide a comic playground for professional caricaturists and the audience.