CULTURE AND SPORT

The Vietnam Football Federation, representatives from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation have voiced their strong support for combating corruption in sport.

A book festival took place at the National Library of Vietnam on April 20 in Hanoi in response to Vietnam Book Day (April 21) and World Book and Copyright Day (April 23).

The biennial cultural Hue Festival bid farewell to thousands of visitors at the closing ceremony yesterday evening.

In a recent surprise announcement, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has said it will not send younger players to the U22 Asian Cup in 2015.

The For the Future of Vietnam Football programme will kick off its third season on a larger scale, bringing more opportunities for the local children during their summer vacation.

Two Vietnamese artists talked about the real lives of Vietnamese celebrities, giving an image that is completely different from what many of the artists themselves are trying to promote.

Secretary General of the Vietnam Football Federation Le Hoai Anh recently announced the final decision on hiring the next coach for the team will be made in May.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has assigned several ministries and Hanoi capital to work with the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and relevant agencies to pull the plug on the hosting of the 2019 Asian Games (ASIAD 18).

The Vietnamese national chess team, which boasts six prominent chess masters, have departed for Sharjah, UAE, to participate in the 13th Asian Continental/Individual Open and the 2014 Women’s Chess Championships taking place from April 16 to 26.

Preparations for the 2014 Ha Long Carnival, slated to take place on April 30 in the northern province of Quang Ninh, have been quickened up to ensure things go smoothly.

The HCM City-based Hong Van Drama Troupe, a leading private theatre, is offering training courses in performance skills as the number of talented actors has declined in recent years.

The US band Amigos staged a free music performance at the Hue Central Hospital in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue as part of the ongoing Hue Festival 2014.

Twenty six artists from Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines are joining in a painting exhibition, to share their sympathies and compassion for the victims of the historic typhoon Haiyan.

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.