CULTURE AND SPORT

The Vietnam Football Federation signed a$1.65 million contract with Japan’s Dentsu Company to sponsor Vietnam’s national football teams for one year from 2012-2013.

Vietnamese music fans welcomed 10 well-known foreign singers and bands this year.

Vietnam surprisingly defeated stronger Georgia 3-1 in the third round of the 2011 Women’s World Chess Team Championship in Turkey.

Vietnam’s national football team has jumped from the 134th to the 99th this December among the FIFA rankings.

Asteroids Galaxy Tour, a fairly well-known music team of Denmark, will visit Hanoi and attend a count-down event on New Year's Eve at Hanoi Opera House.

Vietnam finished the 6th ASEAN ParaGames whose closing ceremony was held yesterday night in Solo, Indonesia at the 4th place with 44 gold medals.

Yamaha Christmas Concert presenting popular Christmas carols will take place at the Hanoi Opera House on December 21-22.

Kim Tae Hee and Song Seung Hun will be in Vietnam next month when their TV series entitled “My Princess” is to be aired on a local channel.

Mister Vietnam 2010 Le Khoi Nguyen beat out several contestants to finish fourth at Mister International 2011 pageant in Thailand.

The Vietnamese team bagged 31 gold medals on the fourth day of the 6th ASEAN Para Games in Indonesia on December 18.

Lionel Messi grabbed a classy brace as Barcelona out-classed the Brazilians Santos 4-0 to lift the Club World Cup.

Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, 32, crowned third place title at the Mrs World 2011 beauty pageant.

Film artists of different generations were honoured at the opening of the 17th Vietnam Film Festival in Tuy Hoa City.

Ngo Lan Huong secured a second place finish, ahead of the final round in the women's category at the SportAccord World Mind Games 2011 in China.

French-directed silent film "The Artist" has won six Golden Globe nominations to lead the field as Hollywood gears up for its annual awards season.

The badminton team have won the first medal for Vietnam at the ongoing ASEAN Para Games in Indonesia.

Vietnam’s top badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh will start the new year by competing in the 2012 Korea Open Super Series Premier in Seoul from January 3-8.

The 17th National Film Festival kicks off tonight in the central province of Phu Yen, promising a tough competition with many productions from non-state studios participating.

Vietnam’s 3D animated TV series “Under the shade of the trees” has won a Golden Heart award at the Yxine Film Festival 2011.