World
US ends its 20-year military presence in Afghanistan
The U.S. officially concluded its 20-year presence in Afghanistan, with the departure of the last American military plane from Kabul on Tuesday.
End of America’s longest war: The head of U.S. Central Command, General Kenneth McKenzie, announced the completion of the military mission which sought to evacuate “American citizens, third-country nationals and vulnerable Afghans,” reported Bloomberg.
Mattel says skateboarder Barbie was supposed to be Asian, admits ‘falling short’ on representation
Mattel has issued a statement regarding its alleged lack of an Asian doll in its Tokyo Olympics Barbie collection.
The backlash: The latest wave of criticism started after Barbie repromoted the five-doll collection on July 28. Social media users alleged that none of the toys looked “Asian,” despite the fact that the Games were in Tokyo and that Asians had been winning medals from day one.
London restaurant slammed for ‘offensive and tone-deaf’ ad amid rise of anti-Asian hate
Social media users are not buying London restaurant The Ivy Asia’s apology over its “culturally insensitive” advertisement for its Chelsea branch that portrayed Asian stereotypes.
The controversy and apology: The commercial, released on Aug. 8, shows two women dressed as geishas hailing a rickshaw with its driver wearing a stereotypical East Asian outfit, according to My London.
Nas Academy stops operations in Philippines amid controversy with beloved 104-year-old tattoo artist
Nuseir Yassin, also known online as Nas Daily, is officially halting Nas Academy operations in the Philippines after a controversy involving the legendary tattoo artist Whang-Od Oggay.
The statement: Nas Academy addressed the issue in a statement on Sunday, saying some of their intentions were “misunderstood,” Rappler reported.
Disabled Korean who made history for climbing world’s 14 highest peaks feared dead in Himalayas
A South Korean man is feared to have been killed just after becoming the first disabled person to climb the world’s 14 highest peaks in the Himalayas.
A world record: Kim Hong-bin, who lost all his fingers to frostbite 30 years ago, reached the summit of Broad Peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram Range at 4:58 p.m. on Sunday (local time), the Korea Herald reported. At 8,047 meters (26,401 feet), Broad Peak is the last of 14 mountains he has climbed in the Himalayas above 8,000 meters (26,247 feet).
Singaporean actor Beatrice Chien who played Nick Young’s nanny in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ passes away at 81
Veteran Singaporean actor Beatrice Chien, who appeared in films such as “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Ramen Teh,” passed away from pancreatic cancer on Tuesday at the age of 81.
The details: Chien’s death was announced on her personal Facebook page, according to The Straits Times.
Alleged Drug Lord Called ‘Asia’s El Chapo’ Fighting Extradition to Australia
Alleged drug kingpin Tse Chi Lop, who the media has called the Asian “El Chapo,” is contesting extradition from the Netherlands to Australia.
Wanted in Australia: The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has accused Tse of being “the senior leader of the Sam Gor syndicate,” which allegedly imported and distributed illicit narcotics in Australia for years, reported ABC/Reuters. The AFP, which led an international counter-narcotics investigation targeting the group, issued an arrest warrant for Tse in 2019.
New York Times Describes Vietnam’s Early Success in Managing Pandemic as ‘Luck’
The New York Times is receiving backlash for a recent tweet describing Vietnam’s early success in managing the pandemic as “luck.”
About the tweet: The news company recently published an article about Vietnam’s new wave of coronavirus cases and shared it on Twitter on June 2, which garnered negative reactions from the public.
Cat Makes History After Repatriation to the Philippines Amid Myanmar Political Turmoil
A cat owned by a Filipino migrant worker in Myanmar became the first pet to be repatriated to the Philippines when it joined the fifth government-funded repatriation flight amid the COVID-19 pandemic on May 29.
Plea for help: Karen Vinalay, an art director returning home due to the ongoing crisis in Myanmar, initially failed to get permission from the Philippine Embassy in Yangon, to bring along her short-haired cat, Jon Snow White, the Manila Bulletin reported.
Kim Jong-Un Bans Skinny Jeans, Mullets For Promoting ‘Capitalistic Culture’
North Korea is cracking down on symbols of a “capitalistic lifestyle” with its recent ban on body piercings, mullets and skinny jeans.
Stopping capitalism: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un implemented the ban following a warning from the state-run newspaper, Rodong Sinmum, that “capitalistic culture” is taking over the country and must be stopped, according to Yonhap News.
Mexico’s President Apologizes for the 1911 Massacre that Killed Over 300 Chinese People
Mexico’s president made a public apology on Monday for the killing of over 300 Chinese people by the revolutionary forces of Francisco I. Madero in the city of Torreón over a century ago.
Gruesome history: President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he wants to ensure the 1911 massacre, in which Chinese nationals were mutilated or hung from telegraph poles, “never, ever happens again,” reported the Associated Press.
Chinese Students Jailed After Swindling KFC Out of $30,000
A group of students from Shanghai received prison sentences of up to two and a half years after swindling KFC out of $30,000 by using a loophole.
What happened: A 23-year-old student, identified as Xu, first learned how to outsmart KFC in April 2018. He realized he could order free food by using coupons from the KFC app and then request refunds of these coupons through another app.