CULTURE AND SPORT

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).

"Harry Potter" cast a spell at the People's Choice awards on a night that also saw big wins for singer Katy Perry at the start of the Hollywood awards season.

In 2012, Hanoi plans to win more than 1,840 medals, including 776 golds in domestic and foreign tournaments, according to its Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Vietnam's music industry has been undergoing fast and furious change, with an emerging movement that is unique to this country.

Martial arts, promoted by 51-year-old instructor Dang Van Sung, have gained ground in France where a lot of people like to get fit.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism set up an inspection team to look into the football broadcasting contract signed by the Vietnam Football Federation and a local company.

For the first time the audience will have a chance to enjoy famous love songs by Phu Quang and Trinh Cong Son in one show in Hanoi on February 1-2.

Young tennis ace Nguyen Hoang Thien is included among the list of top 100 young players in the world, according to rankings released early this month.

Photos and objects featuring “quan ho” (love duet singing) will be displayed at an exhibition at the Vietnam Cultural Centre in France from January 22.

Hoang Thi Thuy became the winner of Vietnam's Next Top Model 2011 in the presence of the show’s creator Tyra Banks.

London marks 200 days to go until the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games on Monday.

World No.4 Andy Murray laid down a marker for the Australian Open with a 65-minute demolition of Alexandr Dolgopolov in the final of the Brisbane International.

The movie “Hot Boy Noi Loan” (Lost in Paradise) by director Vu Ngoc Dang will be sent to the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival in February 2012.