22-year-old claims her second U.S. Women's Open title

Hello and good morning! It’s Tuesday, June 4. Here’s some of what you need to know in our community today:

A purr-fect day for a hug

Throw your feline friend some extra physical affection on this day, National Hug Your Cat Day. Last year, 2023, was the Year of the Cat in the Vietnamese and Gurung zodiac. According to one legend, the cat is not one of the Chinese zodiac’s 12 animals because — you’ll never believe this — they’re lazy. 

News

Bangkok welcomes Pride Month

More than 200,000 people gathered in Bangkok to celebrate the city’s annual Pride Parade on Saturday. The event, which saw Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin in attendance, a historic first for a Thai PM, unfolded as Thailand is on track to become the first Southeast Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage.

• The parade was part of the larger Bangkok Pride Festival, which debuted Thailand’s longest Pride flag at 656.17 feet. Organizers say the city aims to host WorldPride 2030.

• Thailand’s same-sex marriage bill passed the House in March and is expected to pass the Senate on June 18. If it passes without amendments from the House, it will be sent for royal approval and become law 120 days after publication in the Royal Gazette.

Sports

22-year-old claims her second U.S. Women's Open title

Philippine-born Japanese pro golfer Yuka Saso, who won her first U.S. Open representing the Philippines in 2021, captured the 2024 U.S. Women's Open trophy and the $2.4 million top prize on Sunday. Now representing Japan, Saso carded a stellar 2-under 68 for a convincing three-shot win in the final match of the tourney. 

• She is now the youngest two-time champion in the tournament's history. Her win secures a potential spot on the Japanese Olympic golf team at the upcoming Paris Olympics.

• Saso, who dedicated her titles to her Filipina mother and Japanese father, said after her victory: “I definitely had a little doubt if I can win again. It just makes it special because after a long wait -- I wasn't expecting to win the U.S. Women's Open. Every time, last time, too, I wasn't expecting it, and this time, too, I wasn't expecting it. I think that's why it made me a bit emotional."

News

Fear of anti-Asian hate is hurting San Francisco seniors

According to a new study by the University of California, San Francisco, older Asian SF residents are isolating themselves out of fear of anti-Asian hate crimes. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, involved interviews with Asian residents over 50 and local healthcare workers. 

• Many elderly Asian San Franciscans said they are skipping essential activities like exercise and doctor visits due to fear of being targeted. The researchers have linked such isolation to poorer health outcomes, including high blood pressure, diabetes and even dementia. A similar 2022 study in New York also found that the Asian elderly are refusing to go out for fear of being attacked. 

• UCSF Division of Geriatrics fellow Lingsheng Li, who led the study, suggests screening for anti-Asian hate with questions like "Do you feel safe outside of your home?" to open a dialogue and show patients that their concerns are taken seriously.

Tech

Nvidia on track to overtake Apple

Nvidia may soon overtake Apple to become the world’s second-most valuable company as the microchip company, under the leadership of Taiwanese American CEO Jensen Huang, saw its valuation nearly triple in a year, from crossing the $1 trillion mark in May 2023 to $2.68 trillion in June 2024. The Santa Clara-headquartered company accounted for over a third of the S&P 500’s gains in 2024. Nvidia's valuation has surpassed that of Amazon ($1.84 trillion) and Google-parent Alphabet ($2.13 trillion).

• Apple was last valued at $2.97 trillion. The Cupertino company has seen weak demand for iPhones and tight competition in China this year.

• “... Nvidia has been able to catch wave upon wave of growth. Beginning with gaming demand, then crypto and now AI, they have been able to perfectly match innovation with demand and that equals explosive growth,” Brian Mulberry, client portfolio manager at Zacks Investment Management, told Reuters.

Crime

“Bad Breath Rapist” tells wealthy lover to move on

Tuen Kit Lee, whose original 2005 arrest came after his young Chinese American victim recognized him by his foul breath, was arrested last week in California after over 16 years on the run from a 2007 rape conviction in Massachusetts. His girlfriend of 10 years, multimillionaire florist Jie Su, was shocked to learn of his true identity as she knew him as “Randy Lee.” He expressed remorse and advised her to move on with her life during a brief phone call after his arrest.

• “He said, ‘I’m so sorry. Just pretend you never met me. Take care of yourself. I love you so much,’” Su told The Post. “He said he might die inside the jail [and that he was] ‘sorry I made so much chaos for you.’”

• Despite his criminal history, Su still considers him her fiance and plans to support him, saying, “I believe he made a mistake but I don’t believe he’s a bad person. Everybody likes him. He’s very gentle to a woman.” Lee was transferred back to Massachusetts, where he will face additional charges as a fugitive from justice.

Crime

Samoan novelist arrested in killing of Tulsi Gabbard’s aunt

 Papalii Sia Figiel, a 57-year-old novelist and poet from Samoa, was arrested and charged with the murder of writer Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard, the 78-year-old aunt of former Congresswoman Gabbard and sister of Hawaii State Sen. Mike Gabbard. 

• Figiel allegedly stabbed Sinavaiana-Gabbard multiple times and beat her with a hammer following an argument at Figiel’s GaluMoana Theater in Vaivase-Uta on May 25. Figiel then reportedly fled to a friend's house and later confessed to the crime. The exact motive for the killing remains unclear. 

• Both women were renowned for their literary and academic accomplishments. Figiel’s works have won significant awards, including from the Polynesian Literary Competition, while Sinavaiana-Gabbard was a retired professor and the first Samoan to become a full professor in the U.S.​, with widely published writings and awards for her teaching.

South Korea

Suicide remains No. 1 cause of death among young South Koreans

Suicide accounted for 10.8% of deaths among those aged 9 to 24 in 2022, according to a Ministry of Gender Equality and Family report released on May 29. Accidents and cancer followed at 3.9% and 2.5%, respectively.

• This marks the 12th consecutive year that suicide led the cause of death in the age group, which currently makes up 15.1% of the country’s total population. The suicide rate reportedly peaked at 10.3% in 2009 before dropping to 7.7% in 2017, but is apparently rising again.

• The report also cited a 2023 survey which found that 26% of middle and high school students experienced depression over the past year. This figure, however, is an improvement from the 28.7% reported in 2022.

If you or anyone you know is at risk of self-harm, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24-hour support at 1-800-273-8255.

Japan

Japanese elementary gets its only first-grader in 3 years

Yanagidani Elementary School, located in the Yanagidani district of the town of Kumakogencho, Ehime Prefecture, held a welcoming ceremony in April for 6-year-old Nozomi Fujioka, the school’s only first-grader since 2021.

• Nozomi is the youngest of the four new students who enrolled at Yanagidani Elementary School school this year. The school had to shut down last year due to the low number of elementary school-age children in the district, which only has about 540 residents.

• Japan has been experiencing a demographic crisis in recent years, with government data revealing in September that more than 10% of the country’s population is aged 80 and older. Additionally, about 29.1% of Japan’s citizens are aged 65 and up. This aging crisis has also led to a doubling in the number of seniors looking for jobs over the past decade, according to a report in January.

News

Malaysian family holds marriage for ghosts

The parents of a Malaysian couple who died in a car accident in Teluk Intan, Perak, Malaysia, fulfilled their children’s wish by arranging a ghost marriage for the deceased couple on May 27. Ghost marriage is a 3,000-year-old Chinese tradition in which an officiant marries two single deceased people to unite them in the afterlife.

• Yong Keng Shan, 31, and his fiancee, Lee Xueying, 33, who had been in a three-year relationship, died on May 24. Yong had planned to propose to Lee during a trip to celebrate his birthday in Bangkok on Sunday, June 2.

• At the ceremony, the families decorated the funeral home with colorful ornaments and placed an altar displaying an edited picture of the couple as their wedding photo. Yong and Lee’s ghost marriage was reportedly the first ceremony held in Teluk Intan, also known as Anson Town (or Anshun), in recent years.

More News

• Japanese billionaire cancels moon mission: Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa has canceled his ambitious, celebrity-studded “dearMoon” mission, initially planned to be the first private flight around the moon aboard SpaceX’s Starship in late 2023. He apologized for the decision, announced on the project’s website and which cited feasibility issues and lack of a clear schedule “in the near-term.”

• No more poop… for now: North Korean Vice Defense Minister Kim Kang Il announced on Sunday that they will temporarily stop sending poop-filled balloons to South Korea. The South Korean military discovered over 150 balloons carrying garbage waste and manure on May 28. Pyongyang’s announcement came hours after South Korea vowed "unbearable" punitive measures.

• Lights, dim sum, action! TCL Chinese Theatre serves Chinese food for 1st time: Breaking ground in its 97-year legacy, the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theater unveiled Hollywood Dim Sum, an authentic Cantonese-style eatery crafted by renowned dim sum master Chef Tony. Served from the theater's pagoda, guests can now indulge in dishes like shrimp and pork dumplings, sesame balls, egg rolls, pork buns and fried wontons, while watching a movie.

• Japan is testing world’s first drug that can regrow teeth: Yes, you read that right. In September, clinical trials of a “tooth regrowth medicine” will kick off at Kyoto University Hospital. Toregem Biopharma, the startup behind the antibody, aims to offer it for 1.5 million yen ($9,800) — and have it covered by health insurance — by 2030.

• Did you know? Jackie Chan and Jet Li have collectively portrayed the real-life martial arts master Wong Fei-hung a total of seven times! Chan brought a comedic flair to the role twice in the "Drunken Master" film series (1978, 1994), while Li offered a more serious take in all five films of the "Once Upon a Time in China" series (1991-1997).

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Until Tomorrow,

Alan Van