A Vietnamese student will sue San Jose police officers for using excessive force when arresting him on suspicion of assaulting his roommate, his attorney said in a telephone interview with Tuoi Tre. Ho Quang Phuong, a 20-year-old San Jose State University math major, last week caused a stir among the US public when the San Jose Mercury News posted a cell phone video taken by another roommate showing four local police officers repeatedly beating him with a baton and shocking him with a Taser as he lay on the ground, posing no physical threat to them.

“I will represent Phuong to sue the police and San Jose City for their wrongdoing,” lawyer Nguyen Hoang Duyen said, noting many local parliamentarians had expressed their support for the Vietnamese student.

However, Duyen said his immediate concern was defending Phuong against police charges that the student resisted their orders as they tempted to handcuff him after he had a fight with his roommate.

On October 19, Phuong appeared in court, but denied all the charges, Duyen said.

According to the local Mercury News, on September 3, Phuong and his roommate Jeremy Suftin got into a fight after Suftin slopped soap on Phuong’s dinner steak.

Phuong then picked up a steak knife and told Suftin, “In Vietnam, I would kill you for this!”

While Phuong’s threat merely elicited a laugh from the others present, Suftin took it seriously and called the police, the paper said.

By the time the cops arrived, Phuong had dropped the knife and was not armed, eyewitnesses told the newspaper.

However, the police report said Phuong ignored their command and kicked then violently, which prompted them to push him into the hallway, force him to the floor and attempt to handcuff him, it said.

“I know the police was wrong and they themselves know it, so they are trying to accuse Phuong of resisting their order for arrest and that he fought with his friend,” Duyen said.

The lawyer also noted that although the copy of the video posted by Mercury News is grainy which, according to some experts, makes it difficult to come to a conclusion, the original one is very clear, showing that the police used excessive force towards Phuong while he put up no resistance.

Besides, Phuong was known as a student with a good academic performance who had gained the respect of his university’s professors, showing he was not a violent person, Duyen added.

Asked about the charge that Phuong threatened his roommate with a knife, Duyen said “in fact Phuong then used the knife to cut his steak,” and the video also showed that six other roommates then laughed at Phuong’s act as “the knife never posed a threat to anyone.”

Suftin took it seriously, because he and Phuong had previously had a tense conversation, according to Duyen.

Under US laws, Phuong’s statement threatening Suftin during his altercation with the roommate, if found true, are minor offences, he added.

If the police don’t drop their charges, they will take the case to the next higher court on November 16, the lawyer said.

On the other hand, veteran officer Kenneth Siegel – one of the four officers - has said through his attorney that Phuong was "responsible" for the violent confrontation because he combatively resisted his orders, the Mercury News reported on Monday.

This is the first time the officers’ side of the case was being made public, it said.

Despite its poor quality, the video has prompted several local experts to voice their concern. Police chief Rob Davis, the city’s mayor and a city councilman have promised a fair and thorough review of the case, according to the newspaper.

The incident has become a flashpoint in the Vietnamese community, discussed on radio stations, in cafes, and in conversations among community leaders who sought to mobilize an effective response.

Chief Rob Davis sent one of his top-ranked officers, Captain Phan Ngo, to assure members of the Vietnamese community that "we really are digging into their concerns," the paper said.

Source: Tuoi Tre

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Thursday awarded the Kalinga prize to a Vietnamese American professor for his contribution to popularizing science. A famous astronomer with many publications in French that have been translated into English and now a professor at the US University of Virginia, Trinh Xuan Thuan shared the Kalinga Prize with Indian Professor Yashpal.

The award was given during the three-day World Science Forum that kicked off on Thursday in Budapest, capital of Hungary.

Founded in 1952, the prize aims to honor individuals who make great contributions to the interpretation of science and technology to the public during their career as writers, editors and lecturers among others. It is administered by UNESCO’s Science Analysis and Policies Division.

Reported by Giao Huong

Tuần vừa rồi KD nhận lời làm một show gây quỹ ở Virginia vào ngày 6, tháng 12, cho hội thiện nguyện Viet Nam Dreams for Success - "VDS" (http://www.vietnamdreamforsuccess.org) của Soeur Thúy.

KD có dịp làm quen với Soeur Thúy cách đây khoảng một năm ở nhà người chị bạn ở Virginia. Hôm đó chị QH tổ chức văn nghệ, hợp mặt ăn uống rất vui. KD gặp Soeur mà không biết Soeur là nữ tu vì lần đó Soeur ăn mặc theo kiểu "giả dạng thường dân" với quần tây và áo len mầu hồng...cánh sen.

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) has forecast overseas remittance – money sent by overseas Vietnamese - would reach $6.8 billion this year, with the majority of the sum arriving in the final months of the year.

The sum of $6.8 billion estimated by the ministry, showed a slighter decrease in overseas remittance this year than in previous forecasts.

In 2008, overseas remittance was $7.2 billion, or 8 percent of Vietnam’s GDP.

Overseas remittances, or kieu hoi, is understood as the money sent by overseas Vietnamese (Viet kieu) to relatives in Vietnam to support lives and business plans. Statistics regarding overseas remittances are closely watched by government agencies responsible for managing foreign exchange flows and the national budget.

Statistics show that in the first six months of the year, Vietnam received $2.83 billion of overseas remittance. Meanwhile, overseas remittance service providers have all confirmed they have not seen sharp decreases in overseas remittance in the last months as previously worried.

Vietnam ranked 10th among the countries which received most overseas remittance in 2008, according to a report of the World Bank released in July 2009.

However, in early 2009, international institutions all gave warning that the overseas remittance would decrease due to the global economic crisis.

The number of Vietnamese overseas workers has been decreasing considerably. The Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs in early September reported that only 45,000 Vietnamese workers went working abroad in the first eight months of the year. Meanwhile, Vietnam strives to take 90,000 workers abroad this year.

Prior to that, local newspapers reported that Vietnamese workers had to return home because of fewer jobs in Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, Czech and Slovakia.

The World Bank warns the total overseas remittance in the world would decrease by 7-10 percent this year.

Meanwhile, the State Bank of Vietnam earlier this year predicted remittance would decrease by 20 percent from the previous year. Reuteurs quoted Nguyen Quang Huy, director of the Forex Management Department under the State Bank of Vietnam as saying Vietnam would have $5.8-6 billion of overseas remittance only in 2009.

Currently, Vietnam has been relying on several sources to earn foreign currencies, including foreign direct investment (FDI), official development assistance capital (ODA), exports, and overseas remittance.

Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Van Giau has also expressed concerns about difficulties in gaining foreign currency. Giau said that the export revenue is forecast to decrease by 9.9 percent due to the export market narrowing. The registered FDI capital has decreased due to investors’ financial difficulties, while the number of foreign tourists, who can bring foreign currencies to Vietnam, has dramatically decreased.

Vietnam is seeking $2 billion loans from foreign sources, including the $500 million loan from Asia Development Bank, $500 million loan from Japan and one billion dollar from the World Bank.

Phuoc Ha

Four San Jose police officers have been placed on leave following the arrest of Phung Ho, a Vietnamese student studying at San Jose University. The police department is reviewing whether excessive force was used during the arrest.

The police were called when Ho allegedly threatened a roommate, Jeremy Suftin, with a kitchen knife after the Suftin put soap on Ho's steak. Witnesses maintain that Ho was not armed when police arrived.

Fast Facts

Student: Phung Ho, age 20, math major from Vietnam

Police officers: Kenneth Siegel, Steven Payne Jr, Jerome Smith, Gabriel Reyes

Officers placed on internal leave pending review

Incident occurred: September 3, 2009

Both batons and tasers used

Model Tran Thi Huong Giang will represent Vietnam at the Miss World 2009 Beauty Pageant to be held in South Africa from November 11 to December 12.

The Performing Arts Department said Friday that Giang will leave on November 6 for charity events in the UK before heading to South Africa’s Johannesburg city along with beauty queens from other countries.

Giang told Thanh Nien that she would “talk about the 1,000th year anniversary of Hanoi at the contest. I think this is a unique event as not many countries have a capital with such historical and cultural background.”

Standing 180 centimeters tall and measuring 86-61-92, the 22-year-old model won the Miss Hai Duong crown 2006 and was the second runner-up at the Miss Vietnam Global 2009.

Reported by Do Tuan

Remittances from the overseas Vietnamese community are down somewhat this year, but have not fallen as far as was feared. Overseas remittances (or kieu hoi) is understood as the money that is sent by overseas Vietnamese (Viet-kieu) to their relatives in Vietnam to support their life and business plans. Statistics about overseas remittances are closely watched by government agencies responsible for managing foreign exchange flows and the national budget.

President Nguyen Minh Triet and his delegation arrived in New York on September 24 to attend the UN Security Council’s Summit and the general debate of the 64th UN General Assembly.

Year by year since the Vietnam War remains have been trickling in. As of today MIA's are still being uncovered as the Vietnam is opening up more and more.

Bonnie and Jon Nguyen Cam kiss after their wedding in 99 cents store.