Bipartisan U.S. lawmaker group ignore China’s ‘blunt message’ against visiting Taiwan amid rising tensions
Even as tensions between the U.S. and China continue to rise, five lawmakers — including Democrats and one Republican — recently traveled to Taiwan to meet with officials despite objections from Beijing.
What happened: The Taiwan trip was headed by House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-CA) along with Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), according to Reuters.
Director Paul Thomas Anderson defends ‘racist’ ‘Licorice Pizza’ scene that made viewers ‘gasp’
Director Paul Thomas Anderson has defended a controversial scene in his new coming-of-age drama-comedy “Licorice Pizza” wherein a character uses a fake Asian accent.
The controversy: Some early screening viewers of the film reportedly “gasped” when they saw the scene, according to Kyle Buchanan of The New York Times.
Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao’s brand new wax figure at Madame Tussauds is scarily accurate
Manny Pacquiao is the first Filipino man to have a wax figure at Madame Tussauds.
Fists of wax: Madame Tussauds, famous for its realistic wax replicas of celebrities, virtually unveiled the life-size waxwork of the boxing legend at its Hong Kong location on Tuesday, according to a press release.
Enes Kanter accuses ‘spineless’ Nets owner Joe Tsai of being a Chinese government ‘puppet’
Outspoken NBA player Enes Kanter continued his public fight against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the alleged use of forced Uyghur labor by calling out Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai.
“Spineless”: Kanter called out the Taiwanese-born Canadian citizen before the Nets and Celtics game on Wednesday, in which Kanter’s team lost 123-104. The Turkish American basketball player called the Nets owner “spineless” in his tweet.
Is ‘Papa Mochi’ back? James Corden addresses ARMY controversy with BTS on ‘The Late Late Show’
BTS recently reunited with James Corden on the latter’s “The Late Late Show,” where the mega-famous K-pop septet performed their single “Permission to Dance” and talked about the moment the talk show host ignited the fury of their fan group, collectively known as the ARMY.
Clearing the air: As soon as the group sat on the couch during their Nov. 24 guest appearance, BTS leader Kim Nam-joon, better known by his stage name RM, immediately asked Corden if he was OK after being on the receiving end of the ARMY’s hate.
‘We respect Chinese people’s feelings’: Dior and fashion photographer apologize for controversial photo
French luxury brand Dior and Chinese fashion photographer Chen Man have apologized for the controversial photo of a Chinese woman that has since been removed from a Shanghai exhibit.
The apology: In a post on Weibo on Tuesday, Chen, 41, said that she reflected on the backlash she received in the past weeks and that she was “immature and ignorant,” according to South China Morning Post.
Bestselling author Abigail Hing Wen on adapting ‘Loveboat, Taipei’ to the big screen
Abigail Hing Wen spoke to NextShark about the “Loveboat, Taipei” film adaptation, her forthcoming sequel and the importance of a multiplicity of representation.
Abigail Hing Wen is exceedingly busy. An author, screenwriter, producer and tech leader who graduated from Harvard University and Columbia Law School, she is used to taking on a lot at once. “I haven’t really tested the boundaries of how many [projects] I can take on,” she laughed.
Meet the viral TikTok star veganizing classic Korean dishes
In a time when identity can be divisive, Joanne Lee Molinaro has curated a space to bring people together: Korean, vegan or otherwise.
The first time I encountered Molinaro, also known as the Korean Vegan, it was through her TikTok. The app’s algorithm, always uncannily certain of the type of content I would want to watch, delivered me a video of hers. It eludes me now which one I saw first, exactly — but I remember immediately going to her profile and scrolling through dozens more.
Uyghur genocide accusations prompts calls for diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics from US lawmakers
Concerns over the safety of U.S. athletes in the Winter Olympics in Beijing are mounting as President Joe Biden mulls a “diplomatic boycott” and questions about the disappearance of tennis star Peng Shuai remain unanswered.
Driving the news: Biden confirmed last week that the U.S. is “considering” a diplomatic boycott of the event, which is scheduled to take place in the Chinese capital and nearby towns from Feb. 4-20, 2022. The move is intended to protest the government’s human rights abuses, primarily its alleged genocide of Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
Blackpink’s Lisa tests positive for COVID-19
Blackpink’s production company announced Lisa’s positive COVID-19 test results in a press release.
The statement: Lalisa Manoban, better known as Lisa, was diagnosed with coronavirus earlier this afternoon, according to YG Entertainment via Soompi.
Brave schoolchildren in China rescue pregnant teacher as she faints in class
A group of schoolchildren in China were quick to help a pregnant teacher who collapsed while teaching the class.
Heroes: The students were in class in southern China when their pregnant teacher suddenly fainted in front of them.
‘Ip Man’ star vs Ip Man student: Donnie Yen faces off against Bruce Lee in resurfaced animated short
Action movie star Donnie Yen battles against iconic martial artist and actor Bruce Lee in a three-minute animated video going viral over eight years after its original debut.
Donnie Yen vs. Bruce Lee: The 2013 3D animated short film “A Warrior’s Dream” recently went viral when Yen shared it on his official Instagram account on Nov. 19.
‘Korean culture is dominating the world’: South Korean President Moon congratulates BTS on AMA win
South Korean President Moon Jae-in tweeted a congratulatory message for BTS after they won the 2021 “Artist of the Year” award at the American Music Awards (AMAs).
Korea’s soft power: President Moon celebrated the K-pop band’s historical AMAs win by congratulating and thanking BTS on his official Twitter account on Nov. 22.
Texas AAPI communities in Houston counties split into different districts, lessening voting bloc power
The Asian communities in Texas’ Harris County and Fort Bend County have been split up into new districts.
Diversity in Texas: Gov. Greg Abbott approved Texas’ redrawn congressional districts in late October, spreading out higher concentrations of Asian votes across more districts
Gay AAPI lawmaker reportedly removed as committee chair as ‘revenge,’ replaced with straight white male
In an alleged act of “revenge,” California Assemblymember Evan Low, an openly gay Democrat representing Silicon Valley, was removed as chair of a key legislative committee and subsequently replaced by a straight white male colleague.
What happened: Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon removed Low as chair of the Committee on Business and Professions, a post the Campbell native had held in the last five years. Rendon has not released an official explanation, but a source reportedly claimed that the decision was made out of spite.
‘I had to send him back to China’: UFC fighter faces heat for comment aimed at Mongolian opponent
A comment made by UFC flyweight fighter Cody Durden following his victory over opponent Qileng “the Mongolian Murderer” Aori drew immediate backlash, prompting Durden to apologize.
Racist remark: After claiming his first victory as a UFC fighter in a close decision on Saturday, Durden exclaimed that he sent Aori “back to China where he came from,” MMAmania reported.
FBI offering $10,000 reward to help find a Vietnamese Massachusetts man missing since 2005
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is offering a $10,000 reward for information about the whereabouts of John Bui Tran.
Missing person case: Tran, born in Saigon, Vietnam, has been missing for over 16 years, according to an FBI press release.
Pyi Mai the Asian elephant warms hearts in viral video of her first birthday celebration
A baby Asian elephant in Thailand is warming hearts as a video of her first birthday celebration has recently gone viral.
Pyi Mai: On Nov. 22, animal rights activist and world traveler Brittany Vacca uploaded a TikTok of a baby elephant named Pyi Mai celebrating her birthday at the Elephant Nature Park (ENP) in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Chinese government bans celebrities from flaunting wealth in new entertainment crackdown rules
The Chinese government has put forward a new set of rules that prevents celebrities from “showing off” their wealth and “extravagant pleasure” online as President Xi Jinping continues to push his effort to reform social values in China.
The new rules: The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) criticized the “supremacy of [internet] traffic” and “abnormal aesthetics” during an announcement on Tuesday, according to Financial Times.
Burberry built a gleaming mountain of mirrors in the middle of South Korea’s Jeju Island
British luxury brand Burberry has installed an eye-catching mirrored mountain structure on South Korea’s volcanic Jeju Island, the first of a planned series of global pop-ups from the fashion house.
Shining bright: The structure, which was designed to evoke how the digital and physical worlds collide, will house an art installation and a café until Dec. 12.
Latest Stories
- Bipartisan U.S. lawmaker group ignore China’s ‘blunt message’ against visiting Taiwan amid rising tensions
- Director Paul Thomas Anderson defends ‘racist’ ‘Licorice Pizza’ scene that made viewers ‘gasp’
- Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao’s brand new wax figure at Madame Tussauds is scarily accurate
- Enes Kanter accuses ‘spineless’ Nets owner Joe Tsai of being a Chinese government ‘puppet’
- Is ‘Papa Mochi’ back? James Corden addresses ARMY controversy with BTS on ‘The Late Late Show’
- ‘We respect Chinese people’s feelings’: Dior and fashion photographer apologize for controversial photo
- Bestselling author Abigail Hing Wen on adapting ‘Loveboat, Taipei’ to the big screen
- Meet the viral TikTok star veganizing classic Korean dishes
- Uyghur genocide accusations prompts calls for diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics from US lawmakers
- Blackpink’s Lisa tests positive for COVID-19
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