Bieber: latest child star battling (very public) fall

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><br/><br /><p><strong>Justin Bieber is the latest in a long line of troubled former child stars to veer off the rails. The question now is can those around him save the teen from a complete train wreck? And if so, how?</strong> </p><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 510px' id='attachment_1414927'><a href="http://bit.ly/LuT6Qo"><img alt="A spell in rehab? A tough-love crackdown by his management or family? It remains to be seen if the latest brushes with the law will prove a wake-up call for the 19-year-old Canadian heartthrob." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" src="http://bit.ly/LuT6Qo" width="500"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>A spell in rehab? A tough-love crackdown by his management or family? It remains to be seen if the latest brushes with the law will prove a wake-up call for the 19-year-old Canadian heartthrob.</p><br /></div><br /><p>“You have a teenager with unlimited funds, unlimited fame, and very limited mentorship/parenting,” said former prosecutor Michael Grieco, who is also a city commissioner in Miami Beach, where Bieber was arrested last week.</p><br /><p>“I have represented my share of people that live in a world with seemingly no consequences, and it is very hard to get them to deal with the world that the rest of us live in,” he told <em>AFP</em>.</p><br /><p>For those who follow Bieber’s antics closely, his arrest in Miami Beach and assault charges in Toronto — within the space of less than a week — are hardly surprising.</p><br /><p>Tabloid media have for months chronicled his repeated run-ins with police and neighbors in and around the plush mansion where he lives in Calabasas, northwest of Los Angeles.</p><br /><p>The singer has also found himself in trouble with authorities in Australia and Brazil for spraying graffiti. In Brazil, Bieber was photographed emerging under a blanket from a notorious Rio brothel.</p><br /><p>But unlike similar America hell-raisers, the Canadian could in theory be booted out of the United States, where he has made his career.</p><br /><p>On Thursday a public petition on the White House website passed 200,000 signatures, twice the threshold to merit an official response.</p><br /><p>“We would like to see the dangerous, reckless, destructive and drug-abusing Justin Bieber deported,” it said.</p><br /><p>That came after he was charged on January 23 with driving under the influence after police caught him allegedly drag racing in Miami Beach, Florida.</p><br /><p>Then on Wednesday he was charged with assaulting a limousine driver in Canada, after turning himself in at a Toronto police station with a crowd of female fans screaming their support.</p><br /><p>Bieber is following in the footsteps of the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, “Home Alone” star Macaulay Culkin, Demi Lovato and more recently “High School Musical” heartthrob Zac Efron.</p><br /><p>Michael Jackson was another child star who patently struggled to make the transition to the grown-up world.</p><br /><p>Bieber — a global star who has over 49 million Twitter followers — seemed to compare himself to Jackson last week, in an Instagram posted after he was charged in Miami.</p><br /><p>The post showed Bieber in a dark hoodie, waving outside jail, alongside an image of Jackson a decade ago when the King of Pop was fighting child molestation charges.</p><br /><p>“What more can they say,” read the caption. Media reports said Bieber’s father Jeremy — who split from the star’s mother when he was just a baby — was involved in the alleged drag racing.</p><br /><p>‘Seen this movie before’</p><br /><p>Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper said Bieber’s troubles can “be read as an indictment of modern permissive parenting; a cautionary tale about a fatherless upbringing in a single-mom home.”</p><br /><p>And while young celebrities have always behaved badly on occasion, social media means that every mis-step is played out under an unrelenting public spotlight.</p><br /><p>“If I were his manager, my temptation would be to just send Justin to his room for three months,” said Robert Thompson, a professor of pop culture at Syracuse University.</p><br /><p>“The problem is… there’s 400 paparazzi outside his room taking pictures, not to mention he’s tweeting from his room.”</p><br /><p>Grieco agreed, saying: “Twitter and other instant access social media outlets have contributed to a new type of celebrity frenzy, but the celebrities themselves are frequently large contributors to the problem.</p><br /><p>“I would try to keep my client off Twitter and Instagram for a while and lay low.”</p><br /><p>Celebrity news site TMZ reported Bieber wants to move out of his gated community — where Jackson’s family also lives — to an area where there are no “rules and regulations and nosy neighbors.”</p><br /><p>Whatever happens, the story will inevitably run and run. “You couldn’t write a better drama. There is innocence. There is pathos. There is suspense. There is tragedy,” said the Globe and Mail.</p><br /><p>Grieco said he has few doubts about how it will turn out. “Maybe Justin will surprise us, but if history has anything to say about it, I doubt it.</p><br /><p>“We have seen this movie before.”</p><br /><br/><br />Bieber: latest child star battling (very public) fall Releated Image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/LuT6Qo" width="200"/><br/></div>

Bieber: latest child star battling (very public) fall

Justin Bieber is the latest in a long line of troubled former child stars to veer off the rails. The question now is can those around him sa...

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Microsoft board close to naming Nadella as new CEO: source

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Microsoft board close to naming Nadella as new CEO: source<br /><p><strong>NEW YORK/SEATTLE – <a href="http://bit.ly/1iROaTS">Microsoft Corp is likely to appoint its cloud-computing head, Satya Nadella, as its next chief executive</a>, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday, as the board concludes a five-month search for a tech-savvy heavy-hitter to lead the world’s largest software company.</strong> </p><br /><p><a href="http://bit.ly/1ifsNJs"><img alt="microsoft-board-close-to-naming-nadella-as-new-ceo-source-1414888-kmvo8hje" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="265" src="http://bit.ly/1ifsNJs" width="450"/> </a> </p><br /><p>As part of the move, co-founder Bill Gates may step aside as chairman and be replaced by lead independent director John Thompson, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity because the process is private. Gates would remain a director, the source added.</p><br /><p><em>Bloomberg</em> first reported the news on Thursday.</p><br /><p>Rising star Nadella, a native of Hyderabad, India – where Microsoft has its largest non-U.S. research center – was promoted to run the company’s fast-expanding cloud, or internet-based, computing initiatives in July last year as part of current CEO Steve Ballmer’s radical re-organization of the company.</p><br /><p>The appointment of the 22-year Microsoft veteran would make him the most powerful Indian-born tech executive in the world and put him alongside PepsiCo Inc’s chief, Indra Nooyi, as the leader of a well-known, large-cap U.S. corporation.</p><br /><p>Born in 1967 and educated in India and the United States, Nadella’s tech career started at internet software pioneer Sun Microsystems. He joined Microsoft in 1992 and quickly climbed the corporate ladder with leading roles in the Office and Bing search-engine teams.</p><br /><p>He was promoted to run the company’s server and tools unit in 2011. That unit now forms the backbone of Microsoft’s cloud-computing platform, which Nadella runs under his official title of executive vice president, cloud and enterprise.</p><br /><p>“He’s a solid choice,” offering continuity of strategy and proven execution, said Sid Parakh, an analyst at fund firm McAdams Wright Ragen.</p><br /><p>Some investors had campaigned for an external CEO who might be more likely to shake up the company and reward shareholders with greater dividends and share buybacks, but Parakh said that did not mean Nadella would be unpopular with Wall Street.</p><br /><p>“Any new CEO is going to have to have the shareholders’ say in mind. But it’s not certain that will translate into actions,” said Parakh.</p><br /><p>If Nadella is named CEO, it is likely Thompson will help out on the crucial task of managing Microsoft’s relations with its powerful Wall Street investors, the source said.</p><br /><p>Nadella has little experience of that aspect of the job, and Ballmer and Gates did not prioritize it. Gates would likely focus on technical innovation in any new role, the source said.</p><br /><p>There have been calls for months for Gates to step down from investors who believe Microsoft’s co-founder is a block to radical change and investor-friendly moves.</p><br /><p>Ballmer, who plans to retire as soon as a new CEO is named, was reelected to the board in November, but it is not clear how long he will remain there after retirement, the source said.</p><br /><p>Several people briefed on the CEO search process had previously told Reuters that Microsoft was down to a handful of candidates, including Nadella and Tony Bates, executive vice-president of business development, plus at least one external candidate.</p><br /><p>The board still has not met to finalize Nadella’s offer and nothing has been signed, the source said. Microsoft declined to comment.</p><br /><p>Microsoft shares rose 0.8 percent to $37.15 after hours, after gaining slightly in regular Nasdaq trading.</p><br /><p><strong>Long search</strong> </p><br /><p>Microsoft’s CEO search has taken longer than most expected when Ballmer said last August he would retire within a year.</p><br /><p>In a blog post on the company’s website in December, Thompson emphasized the need for a CEO with “an ability to lead a highly technical organization and work with top technical talent”.</p><br /><p>Thompson, who leads the four-member CEO search committee, said at the time he expected the panel to reach a decision “in the early part of 2014″.</p><br /><p>The appointment of a company veteran like Nadella, which follows a flirtation with outsiders such as Ford Motor Co Chief Executive Alan Mulally, could disappoint some investors who want a more radical transformation at the software giant.</p><br /><p>“While many on the Street are now expecting Mr. Nadella to get the CEO spot, we believe filling this position with a core Microsoft insider will disappoint those hoping for a fresh strategic approach (e.g. potential breakup of enterprise/consumer, Xbox spin off) an outside executive could have brought to the table,” FBR analyst Daniel Ives said in a research note, adding that innovation and fresh strategies were needed.</p><br /><p>“With that said, we believe Mr. Nadella’s prior roles in the Online Services Division, Business Division and most recently as president of the Server and Tools business position him as a strong internal candidate with a broad set of knowledge around Microsoft’s massive product portfolio,” Ives wrote.</p><br /><br/><br />Microsoft board close to naming Nadella as new CEO: source Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1ifsNJs" width="200"/><br/></div>

Microsoft board close to naming Nadella as new CEO: source

Microsoft board close to naming Nadella as new CEO: source NEW YORK/SEATTLE – Microsoft Corp is likely to appoint its cloud-computing head, ...

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Le Mat Snake Festival

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><center><br /><p><em>Over the years, Le Mat Village in Viet Hung Ward, Long Bien District, Hanoi has been famous nationwide for not only snake catching and breeding, but also its distinctive festival.</em> </p><br /><p>The festival is annually held on March 20-24 of the lunar calendar to worship the village’s tutelary god of the Hoang Family.</p><br /><p>Legend has it that one day while the daughter of King Ly Thai Tong (1072-1127) was on a pleasant boat cruise with her maids on the Duong River, a big snake, which was considered a water monster, overturned the boat and caught the princess.</p><br /><p>The crew could do nothing to protect the unfortunate princess. But a young man in the Hoang Family from Le Mat Village dove into the water, fought against the monster and, in the end, succeeded in killing it and saving the princess.</p><br /><p>King Ly Thai Tong was deeply impressed by the young man’s feat and gave him a reward in gold and court titles. But the hero graciously rejected the reward and, instead, requested the King to allow him and a number of poor people to reclaim land in the areas west of the capital in Thang Long.</p><br /><p>As the King gave his assent, the young man led the poor to reclaim their land and established 13 prosperous and famous agricultural settlements in the neighbourhood of Thang Long. When the man passed away, the locals honoured him as the village’s tutelary god and every year organize a festival to commemorate him.</p><br /><p>Le Mat Village Festival consists of many unique rites and folk activities, such as the water offering ceremony, the snake killing dance – one of the ten ancient dances in the imperial capital of Thang Long and the rite of catching carp in the village well.</p><br /><p>With many ancient cultural features, Le Mat Village Festival is one of the most unique festivals in the country, attracting a large number of tourists.</p><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414673'><a href="http://bit.ly/1hUlQNa"><img alt="The rite of offering water to the village's tutelary god." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="370" src="http://bit.ly/1aLqWfR" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>The rite of offering water to the village's tutelary god.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414674'><a href="http://bit.ly/1hUlOVA"><img alt="Catching carp in the village well is one of the most typical rites in Le Mat Village Festival." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="340" src="http://bit.ly/1aLqWw5" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Catching carp in the village well is one of the most typical rites in Le Mat Village Festival.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 484px' id='attachment_1414675'><a href="http://bit.ly/1aLqWw7"><img alt="13 young men, representatives from 13 former agricultural settlements, are selected to catch carp in the village well to offer to the village's tutelary god." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="450" src="http://bit.ly/1aLqWw7" width="474"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>13 young men, representatives from 13 former agricultural settlements, are selected to catch carp in the village well to offer to the village's tutelary god.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414676'><a href="http://bit.ly/1aLqTQZ"><img alt="Carp are placed on a bronze tray to offer to the village's tutelary god." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="386" src="http://bit.ly/1hUlR3A" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Carp are placed on a bronze tray to offer to the village's tutelary god.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414678'><a href="http://bit.ly/1aLqTR3"><img alt="The tray of offerings is carried by the Hoang Family elders in the village." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="361" src="http://bit.ly/1hUlPbS" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>The tray of offerings is carried by the Hoang Family elders in the village.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414680'><a href="http://bit.ly/1aLqWw9"><img alt="Carp in the village well is a strange species which has a natural red stamp on its head." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="340" src="http://bit.ly/1hUlR3E" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Carp in the village well is a strange species which has a natural red stamp on its head.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414681'><a href="http://bit.ly/1aLqWwb"><img alt="On March 23 of the lunar calendar, the villagers in 13 former settlements flock to Le Mat Village's Communal House to offer incense to the village's tutelary god." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="361" src="http://bit.ly/1hUlPc2" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>On March 23 of the lunar calendar, the villagers in 13 former settlements flock to Le Mat Village's Communal House to offer incense to the village's tutelary god.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 329px' id='attachment_1414682'><a href="http://bit.ly/1hUlPc4"><img alt="Hoang Van Dau, the village elder, has participated in the festival for 80 times." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="450" src="http://bit.ly/1hUlPc4" width="319"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Hoang Van Dau, the village elder, has participated in the festival for 80 times.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414683'><a href="http://bit.ly/1hUlRk4"><img alt="Enjoying traditional dances in the festival." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="304" src="http://bit.ly/1aLqTRd" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Enjoying traditional dances in the festival.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414684'><a href="http://bit.ly/1hUlRk6"><img alt="Enjoying the performance of the young man killing the snake and saving the princess as in the legend. It is one of the ten ancient dances of the imperial capital of Thang Long." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="362" src="http://bit.ly/1aLqU7r" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Enjoying the performance of the young man killing the snake and saving the princess as in the legend. It is one of the ten ancient dances of the imperial capital of Thang Long.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414686'><a href="http://bit.ly/1hUlRka"><img alt="Source: VNP" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="340" src="http://bit.ly/1aLqU7t" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Source: VNP</p><br /></div><br /></center><br /><br/><br />Le Mat Snake Festival Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1aLqWfR" width="200"/><br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1aLqWfR" width="200"/><br/></div>

Le Mat Snake Festival

Over the years, Le Mat Village in Viet Hung Ward, Long Bien District, Hanoi has been famous nationwide for not only snake catching and breed...

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In photos: Thu Hong bamboo and rattan craft village

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>In photos: Thu Hong bamboo and rattan craft village<br /><p><em>Many years ago, when talking about furniture, the residents in the old imperial capital of Thang Long (present-day Hanoi) had a saying “Wooden houses by the Khmer and bamboo houses by Hong Village’s artisans” to praise the traditional craft of making bamboo and rattan products that has existed for 300 years in Thu Hong Village in the commune of Xuan Thu, Soc Son District, Hanoi.</em> </p><br /><p>According to history books, the people in Thu Hong Village (present-day Thu Thuy), located near the Ca Lo River, have practiced the traditional craft of making bamboo furniture since the reign of King Le Canh Hung (1740-1786).</p><br /><p>At that time, over 30% of the village’s households engaged in building houses and making tables, chairs, beds and other interior decorations from bamboo.</p><br /><p>According to Nguyen Van Ky, the owner of a bamboo furniture workshop in the village whose family has, for many generations, been creators of the traditional crafts, the villagers often buy the bamboo materials in the provinces of Bac Can, Hai Duong and Cao Bang.</p><br /><p>Sometimes, they even travel to villages to select each cluster of bamboo to ensure the quality of the materials.</p><br /><p>The bamboo trunk is used to make the beds’ legs and chairs while bamboo twigs are used to make bamboo splints and fine art articles.</p><br /><p>With secret techniques on chiseling handed down by their ancestors, the villagers have made different beautiful and durable products which are the favourites of customers from Germany, Russia and the US.</p><br /><p>Over the years, the traditional craft has strongly developed in the village and many small workshops have now become large enterprises specializing in bamboo and rattan products for export.</p><br /><p>One of them is Bong Mai Bamboo and Rattan Co. Ltd. Phan Van Mao, Director of the company, said that the company has provided the market with diverse categories of bamboo and rattan products, such as settees, tables and chairs, which are made in both modern and traditional style, meeting the requirements for quality, durability and colour.</p><br /><p>Besides traditional products, the village is famous nationwide for bamboo paintings which bring the locals a considerable source of income.</p><br /><p>With a desire to preserve and develop the traditional craft, the local authorities have created favourable conditions for the villagers to make high-quality products for export and encouraged the establishment of large-scale private enterprises to help the trademark of Thu Hong bamboo products affirm its position in the market.</p><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/1iRtbRg"><img class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="366" src="http://bit.ly/1kgA3oX" width="512"/> </a><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414588'><a href="http://bit.ly/1iRtc7u"><img alt="Thu Hong Village's artisans make unique houses from bamboo." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="383" src="http://bit.ly/1kgA5xf" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Thu Hong Village's artisans make unique houses from bamboo.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414589'><a href="http://bit.ly/1iRtc7z"><img alt="Thu Hong Village's artisans are well-known for making houses from bamboo." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="326" src="http://bit.ly/1iRtafS" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Thu Hong Village's artisans are well-known for making houses from bamboo.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414590'><a href="http://bit.ly/1kgA3p8"><img alt="Making bamboo furniture." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="328" src="http://bit.ly/1iRtafV" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Making bamboo furniture.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414591'><a href="http://bit.ly/1kgA3pa"><img alt="Many housholds invest hundreds of million dong in machines for producing." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="330" src="http://bit.ly/1iRtc7C" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Many housholds invest hundreds of million dong in machines for producing.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414592'><a href="http://bit.ly/1iRtafX"><img alt="Bamboo paintings made by Thu Hong villagers." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="685" src="http://bit.ly/1kgA5ND" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Bamboo paintings made by Thu Hong villagers.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 522px' id='attachment_1414593'><a href="http://bit.ly/1iRtc7H"><img alt="Source: VNP" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="352" src="http://bit.ly/1kgA5NK" width="512"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Source: VNP</p><br /></div><br /><br/><br />In photos: Thu Hong bamboo and rattan craft village Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1kgA3oX" width="200"/><br/></div>

In photos: Thu Hong bamboo and rattan craft village

In photos: Thu Hong bamboo and rattan craft village Many years ago, when talking about furniture, the residents in the old imperial capital ...

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Vietnamese female footballers’ World Cup dreams

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Vietnamese female footballers’ World Cup dreams<br /><p>(VOV) – Female Vietnamese footballers are full of hope for competing the world’s largest international sporting event in Canada in 2015.</p><br /><ul><br /><li><a href="http://bit.ly/1bE9ZhT">SEA Games: Women footballers cruise into semi-finals</a> </li><br /><li><a href="http://bit.ly/1nsE6RJ">Vietnam enters SEA women football champs’ semi-finals</a> </li><br /></ul><br /><p>Their dreams were made a reality when the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) increased the Asian region’s World Cup representatives to five and banned the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea from competing.</p><br /><p><a href="http://bit.ly/1bE9Zya"><img alt="vietnamese-female-footballers-world-cup-dreams-1414545-bongdanu260911" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="253" src="http://bit.ly/1bE9Zya" width="450"/> </a> </p><br /><p><strong>A lifelong dream</strong> </p><br /><p>FIFA regulations stipulate the five teams competing at the 2015 World Cup in Canada will be selected after the May 2014 conclusion of Asian Cup finals.</p><br /><p>Australia, Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea, are expected to qualify. Two third-placed teams will play off for the final spot.</p><br /><p>Vietnam is in Group A of the finals, alongside Japan, Australia, and Jordan. If Vietnam can beat Jordan, qualification could come down to a match against Thailand or Myanmar from Group B.</p><br /><p><strong>Recent motivation from the 27th SEA Games</strong> </p><br /><p>In the final round of the 27th SEA Games, the Vietnamese women’s team lost 1-2 to strong Thai rivals. But the squad was not dispirited. Although Thailand remain favourites, hosting duties will give Vietnam an advantage during May’s Asia Cup finals. Myanmar is also a contender.</p><br /><p>Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Chairman Le Hung Dung said the Vietnamese women’s football team has a chance to prove itself.</p><br /><p><a href="http://bit.ly/1nsEa3S"><img alt="vietnamese-female-footballers-world-cup-dreams-1414545-ganh-nang-de-len-vai-doi-u-23-viet-nam-chaobuoisang-net-1349350216-bdjpg-094601" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="263" src="http://bit.ly/1nsEa3S" width="430"/> </a> </p><br /><p><strong>Major support for women’s football</strong> </p><br /><p>The team’s SEA Games silver-medal-winning performance earned VND1.5 billion in prize money, an additional VND1.5 billion diverted from the U23 men’s team, and VND300 million from the main sponsors – the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV).</p><br /><p>The promising showing inspired new two-year sponsorship contracts. Nutifood will set aside VND6 billion to support Vietnam’s national female football team through its World Cup qualification bid. A number of other organisations have followed suit.</p><br /><p>Acting VFF Chairman Le Hung Dung used a recent press conference to confirm the federation’s financial commitments to the national women’s football team. Their Thai and Myanmar rivals have also earned comparable corporate backing.</p><br /><p>Hung said he believes the relatively equal funding only increases the importance of professionalism and expert human resources.</p><br /><br/><br />Vietnamese female footballers’ World Cup dreams Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1bE9Zya" width="200"/><br/></div>

Vietnamese female footballers’ World Cup dreams

Vietnamese female footballers’ World Cup dreams (VOV) – Female Vietnamese footballers are full of hope for competing the world’s largest int...

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Viet Nam welcomes Year of the Horse

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Viet Nam welcomes Year of the Horse<br /><p>Thousands of Vietnamese people have flocked to the main centres in the cities to bid goodbye to the Year of the Snake and welcome the Year of the Horse.</p><br /><p>When the clock strikes 12, a fireworks display lighted up the Hoan Kiem lake, which is likely to attract scores of visitors. There are several celebrations across the cities as people joyfully welcome the new year.</p><br /><p>In Viet Nam, Tet (Lunar New Year) is an important time for people to come together after a year of hard work. Most workers, who live far away from their hometowns, will be heading home for the Tet holiday.</p><br /><p>Photographer Truong Van Vi captures the lively atmosphere in the run-up to the Lunar New Year in Ha Noi.</p><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1414117'><a href="http://bit.ly/1nrJSDf"><img alt="A policeman instruct people to follow the traffic route by the Hoan Kiem Lake on the New Year Eve." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="300" src="http://bit.ly/1nrJSDf" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>A policeman instruct people to follow the traffic route by the Hoan Kiem Lake on the New Year Eve.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1414118'><a href="http://bit.ly/1kff8mh"><img alt="Capturing the moment of beauty." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="300" src="http://bit.ly/1kff8mh" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Capturing the moment of beauty.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1414119'><a href="http://bit.ly/1nrJSTv"><img alt="Foreign tourists enjoy the Tet atmosphere in Ha Noi." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="300" src="http://bit.ly/1nrJSTv" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Foreign tourists enjoy the Tet atmosphere in Ha Noi.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1414120'><a href="http://bit.ly/1kffbhR"><img alt="Balloons always attract the children's attention." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="300" src="http://bit.ly/1kffbhR" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Balloons always attract the children's attention.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1414121'><a href="http://bit.ly/1nrJQuQ"><img alt="A woman prepares for an out-door worshipping offering of the New Year Eve in Cha Ca Street." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="300" src="http://bit.ly/1nrJQuQ" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>A woman prepares for an out-door worshipping offering of the New Year Eve in Cha Ca Street.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1414122'><a href="http://bit.ly/1kff8CE"><img alt="Father and son, both enjoy fireworks." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="300" src="http://bit.ly/1kff8CE" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Father and son, both enjoy fireworks.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1414123'><a href="http://bit.ly/1nrJQuU"><img alt="People flock to the centre of the city" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="300" src="http://bit.ly/1nrJQuU" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>People flock to the centre of the city</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1414124'><a href="http://bit.ly/1kffbi0"><img alt=".When the clock strikes 12, a fireworks display lighted up the Hoan Kiem lake." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="300" src="http://bit.ly/1kffbi0" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>.When the clock strikes 12, a fireworks display lighted up the Hoan Kiem lake.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1414125'><a href="http://bit.ly/1nrJSTA"><img alt="Happy New Year, Viet Nam." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="300" src="http://bit.ly/1nrJSTA" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Happy New Year, Viet Nam.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1414126'><a href="http://bit.ly/1kff8CT"><img alt="Offering lucky money is a tradition of Vietnamese culture on the Lunar New Year." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="300" src="http://bit.ly/1kff8CT" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Offering lucky money is a tradition of Vietnamese culture on the Lunar New Year.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1414127'><a href="http://bit.ly/1nrJSTE"><img alt="lLocal people buy sprig of bud and salt to pray for a prosperous New Year." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="314" src="http://bit.ly/1nrJSTE" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>lLocal people buy sprig of bud and salt to pray for a prosperous New Year.</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1414128'><a href="http://bit.ly/1kffbyo"><img alt="Visiting pagodas in the first moments of the New Year is a tradition of Vietnamese people." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="300" src="http://bit.ly/1kffbyo" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Visiting pagodas in the first moments of the New Year is a tradition of Vietnamese people.</p><br /></div><br /><br/><br />Viet Nam welcomes Year of the Horse Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1nrJSDf" width="200"/><br/></div>

Viet Nam welcomes Year of the Horse

Viet Nam welcomes Year of the Horse Thousands of Vietnamese people have flocked to the main centres in the cities to bid goodbye to the Year...

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Nation in festive mood

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Nation in festive mood<br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 410px' id='attachment_1413939'><a href="http://bit.ly/1iQl73b"><img alt="President Truong Tan Sang sends Tet greetings to all Vietnamese in the country and overseas. - VNA photo Nguyen Khang" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="271" src="http://bit.ly/1iQl73b" width="400"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>President Truong Tan Sang sends Tet greetings to all Vietnamese in the country and overseas. - VNA photo Nguyen Khang</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 410px' id='attachment_1413940'><a href="http://bit.ly/1iQl73d"><img alt="Fireworks welcome the new year in Ha Noi," class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="265" src="http://bit.ly/1iQl73d" width="400"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Fireworks welcome the new year in Ha Noi,</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 410px' id='attachment_1413941'><a href="http://bit.ly/1ieddxB"><img alt="with people enjoying the special moment by Hoan Kiem Lake," class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="267" src="http://bit.ly/1ieddxB" width="400"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>with people enjoying the special moment by Hoan Kiem Lake,</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 336px' id='attachment_1413942'><a href="http://bit.ly/1iQl6vT"><img alt="in Da Nang," class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="400" src="http://bit.ly/1iQl6vT" width="326"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>in Da Nang,</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 410px' id='attachment_1413943'><a href="http://bit.ly/1iedgtf"><img alt="and HCM City -VNA photos Minh Duc, Pham Kien, Tran Le Lam, and Trang Duong" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="302" src="http://bit.ly/1iedgtf" width="400"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>and HCM City -VNA photos Minh Duc, Pham Kien, Tran Le Lam, and Trang Duong</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 410px' id='attachment_1413944'><a href="http://bit.ly/1iQl7jt"><img alt="A grand art show was held on the eve of the Lunar New Year at the Thang Long Royal Citadel," class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="269" src="http://bit.ly/1iQl7jt" width="400"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>A grand art show was held on the eve of the Lunar New Year at the Thang Long Royal Citadel,</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 410px' id='attachment_1413945'><a href="http://bit.ly/1iedgtk"><img alt="and in central Quang Tri Province to welcome spring and celebrate the 84th anniversary of the foundation of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (February 3).- VNA photos Minh Duc, Ho Cau" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="254" src="http://bit.ly/1iedgtk" width="400"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>and in central Quang Tri Province to welcome spring and celebrate the 84th anniversary of the foundation of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (February 3).- VNA photos Minh Duc, Ho Cau</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 410px' id='attachment_1413946'><a href="http://bit.ly/1iQl7jv"><img alt="General Tran Dai Quang, Minister of Public Security, pays a Tet visit to police on night duty at central Hanoi's Trang Tien ward. - Ảnh: VNA photo Doan Tan" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="267" src="http://bit.ly/1iQl7jv" width="400"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>General Tran Dai Quang, Minister of Public Security, pays a Tet visit to police on night duty at central Hanoi's Trang Tien ward. - Ảnh: VNA photo Doan Tan</p><br /></div><br /><br/><br />Nation in festive mood Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1iQl73b" width="200"/><br/></div>

Nation in festive mood

Nation in festive mood President Truong Tan Sang sends Tet greetings to all Vietnamese in the country and overseas. - VNA photo Nguyen Khan...

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