CULTURE AND SPORT

Top Vietnamese chess Grandmaster Le Quang Liem will participate in the 2012 Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival from January 24-February 2.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic wrecked Nicolas Mahut's birthday, losing just two games as he powered through to the last 16 of the Australian Open to join Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Vietnam will take part at the Southeast Asian Table Tennis Championship in Thailand without key member Doan Kien Quoc.

Vietnamese movie “Khat Vong Thang Long” (Thang Long Aspiration) has been removed from the nominee list for the Best Foreign film category of Oscar 2012.

Rafael Nadal reeled off another straight-sets victory to reach the Australian Open's last 16, but he insisted everything was not as easy as it appeared.

Images from the development of the Hanoi urban centre from 1873-1945 are on display at the Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Centre.

Vietnam’s national football team has remained in the lead of Southeast Asian despite dropping two notches to 101st position in the FIFA January rankings.

Barcelona came from behind to beat holders Real Madrid 2-1 in the first leg of the Spanish Cup quarter-final.

Well-known French electronic artist Alex Millan is set to perform at the French cultural centre l'Espace in Hanoi next month.

Rafael Nadal bulldozed past Tommy Haas at the Australian Open as Swiss great Roger Federer reached the 3rd round without even picking up his racquet.

Vietnam's top player Nguyen Tien Minh has risen to the seventh place in the Badminton World Federation rankings.

Novak Djokovic made a dazzling start to his Australian Open defence as his close rival Andy Murray struggled and home hope Samantha Stosur became the first big name to fall.

Vietnam did a great job in 2011 organizing many events to promote its land and people. In 2012 the country will continue to use diplomacy to foster its culture.

Vietnamese marksman Hoang Xuan Vinh has earned a place in the 2012 London Olympics.

After numerous criticisms of vietnamese stars for nude photos and "costume malfunctions", audiences continue to be dissatisfied with the apologies.

Britons including Kate Winslet were among the early winners at the Golden Globes, as British comic Ricky Gervais again took mocking aim at Hollywood.

Thu May, Truc Diem and Thuy Ngan are among the world’s top 100 beauty queens as voted by the beauty observer Globalbeauties.

Singer My Tam, who dominated the Mai Vang music award for several years, fell from this year’s top ten.

Vietnam’s top badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh was defeated 0-2 by Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat (world 9th player).