January 2014 News and Events

What happened in January 2014: news and events relating to Vietnamese at home and in the diaspora.

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Events

• Mark your calendar. On February 7, watch online the historic premiere of P. Q. Phan’s opera, The Tale of Lady Thị Kính.

Viet Kieu in the news

• The Vietnamese American community in Orange County voted in favor of allowing the LGBT members to participate in the coming Tet parade.

• Van-Anh Vanessa Vo performs her unique blend of music on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert. A wonderful treat!

• Gay star Peter Le wants to break some Asian stereotypes.

• Kim Nguyen sues LAPD for sexually assaulting her. Abusive Korean-American cops are apparently well-known in Koreatown. Be safe and stay out of the area.

• Vietnamese asylum seekers flee detention centre.

• Vietnamese-American social entrepreneur Nguyen Lan Vy helps provide skills and sustainable income for craftspeople in central Vietnam.

• Kim Pham dies from beating outside nightclub. [LAT]

• Vietnam’s cyber terrorist troops are targeting dissidents in the U.S. and France.

News about Vietnam

• The Lunar New Year celebration may have negative impact on Vietnam’s economy.

• The Society of Jesus is sponsoring a number of activities to mark the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first Jesuit missionaries in Vietnam.

• The Vietnamese government is changing its strategy on the disputed islands with China.

• Vietnam police arrested 10 hackers accused of running two different websites that steals credit card information.

• Vietnam may delay plans for its first nuclear plant. I guess this also delays the Ba Mắt Cá Kho Tộ that you’ve been anticipating. [Reuters]

• The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin (VAVA) has been helping AO victims since its inception on Jan 10, 2004.

• Vietnam is planning initial public offerings for some of the country’s largest state-owned enterprises.

• Vietnam boosts maritime security with Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia.

• Vietnam’s main stock index closed at a four-year high, outperforming other Southeast Asian Markets.

Other

• In the face of geopolitical developments, the Battle of the Paracel Islands in 1974 yields “some useful and enduring lessons for Hanoi.”

• A historian reflects on Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and Vietnam.

• Vietnam’s rice farmers are growing a crop that is becoming unprofitable.

• The 1967 French anti-war documentary Far From Vietnam has been released on DVD by Icarus Films.

• A PEW study finds the high level of hostilities involving religion peaked in 2012.

• XOOM announced its will launch its money transfer service to Vietnam.

Special thanks to Viet Thanh Nguyen for providing many of the news items.

Peace!
RP