Race in America

In the last newsletter, there was talk about the bill to establish an AAPI museum. The bill has since been passed by the House on Tuesday and is awaiting approval from the Senate.

If approved, the bill would create a commission to research the best ways to approach, create and sustain an AAPI museum.

Representative Grace Meng (D- NY) shared her excitement yesterday as we “step closer to this bill becoming law, and one step closer to a national museum filled with our Asian Pacific American history being established."

In Other Asian News

As the lockdown in Shanghai continues, citizens across China are worried about their cities being next. As Beijing moves to test 20 million residents for COVID-19, residents are stocking up on food, resources, and other necessities in preparation for a potential lockdown. 

On Tuesday, the local government began to close down gyms, theaters, and other tourist sites after positive cases were found in its most populated district, Chaoyang. As Beijing is the capital, residents were not surprised that there was swift action to mass test the majority of the city’s population.

In Indonesia, the ban on palm oil exports is hiking cooking oil prices astronomically. 

Due to disappointing harvests, export disruptions from the war in Ukraine, and overall economic disruption from COVID-19, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced an export ban on palm oil, which raised its price by more than 6% this past Monday. 

Trinh Nguyen, a senior economist for emerging Asia at Natixis, explains that such bans not only exacerbate labor shortages in Malaysia but put a supply shock on vegetable oil which will also raise prices, putting more pressure on food insecure communities.

Entertainment 

BTS’ Suga is collaborating with another K-pop icon. This time, it's Psy, the artist who shot to fame from his hit song “Gangnam Style” and has since gone on to become a producer and owner of the music label, P Nation.

Suga will be featured on the song “That That” of  Psy’s ninth full-length album, conveniently titled “Psy 9th.” Suga admitted to feeling nervous prior to his collaboration with Psy, but after working together, the two became friends.

The album will be released on Friday.

What else is on our minds?

Women asked to quit after getting pregnant?
In Japan, women are often asked to quit their jobs, internships, and other professional career-based projects should they become pregnant. Gender discrimination continues to be a problem and abuse of power in gender dynamics and regulation.

Measles cases are surging?
WIth COVID-19 vaccinations taking significant precedence in the past couple years, disruptions in other vital vaccination campaigns for measles created the “perfect storm.” According to UNICEF and WHO measles cases, which surged by 80% this year, will put significant risk on millions of children’s lives. 

No Chinese bases allowed on The Solomon Islands?
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that on Tuesday, Prime Minister Mannaseh Sogavare told a visiting Japanese delegation that he had no plans of allowing China to build military bases on the islands, despite the bilateral security pacts signed earlier this month.