CULTURE AND SPORT

Top Vietnamese badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh on March 28 handily defeated Indonesian Jonatan Christieat 2-0 in the quarter-finals of the 5th Ciputra Hanoi Yonex Sunrise Vietnam Challenge 2014.

Eighty local singers, together with English singer Shayne Ward and international DJ Scott Kirby will perform in the first picnic music festival in Vietnam, called YAN Beatfest, to be held at Phu Tho Stadium in HCM City on April 12.

Vietnamese model Nguyen Huu Vi was named third runner-up at the Mister Global 2014 pageant. He also received the Mister Photogenic award.

Martial arts fantasy "The Grandmaster" dominated the Asian Film Awards on Thursday with seven wins including best movie, as its emotional director mourned the film's stuntman who was on the missing Malaysian jetliner.

Spanish coach, Bruno Garcia, chosen by Chairman of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Le Hung Dung on March 27 to officially train the national futsal team.

Music researchers are worried about the profusion of new tai tu (amateur) music clubs in HCM City and southern provinces after the music was recognised by UNESCO as an intangible world heritage.

Top Vietnamese badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh has dropped to 10th in the world badminton rankings, the sport's governing body has announced.

Twelve Russian painters and three Vietnamese painters are showcasing 110 paintings at a joint exhibition called Handshake Again, at the HCM City Fine Arts Museum.

Cultural heritage with integration and development will lie at the heart of the 2014 Hue Festival, which is slated to take place in the former imperial city from April 12-20.

The former head of the Elite Sport Department of the National Sports Administration, shared in an interview about the financial problems of hosting the coming 18th Asian Games.

Dozens of singers and musicians will perform the works of late songwriter Trinh Cong Son at a free outdoor concert in praise of love and friendship in HCM City on April 5.

Vietnam lost 2-4 to Birmingham in their last friendly match in the UK as part of their European tour on March 20.

Master pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy and his son Vovka Ashkenazy will play at a concert tonight at the Hanoi Opera House.

U19 Vietnam admitted their first bitter defeat during their European tour after losing 9-0 to U10 Tottenham Hotspur in a friendly on March 18.

Vietnam's first Book Day will be organised throughout the country on April 21.

HCM City hosts Asia U14 tennis champsAs many as 78 athletes from 16 countries and territories around the globe are competing at the Asia U14 Tennis Championships 2014, which got underway in HCM City on March 17.

Many Vietnamese celebrities have recently incurred large debts or fallen on hard times due to financial difficulties.

Four Vietnamese kids have been selected to visit English Premier League Chelsea FC and meet their three football stars in May.

The Hue Festival, a biannual cultural event to be held next month, will feature contemporary pop, rock and flamenco music in order to attract young audiences.