45-year-old Pacquiao eyes comeback title match

Hello and good morning! It’s Tuesday, June 11. Here’s some of what you need to know in our community today:

Entertainment

The 1st Asian American and trans Miss Maryland USA

Bailey Anne Kennedy, 31, made history on June 1 by becoming the first transgender woman to win the title of Miss Maryland USA. Kennedy, who is of Cambodian descent, also broke barriers as the first Asian American and military wife to hold the title, achieving this with her first pageant. She will compete for Miss USA in Los Angeles on August 4, aiming to become the oldest and first trans Miss USA.

• Kennedy hopes her win inspires LGBTQ+ youth to embrace their identities and fosters greater acceptance and understanding of the community. “I knew it was bigger than me. I knew that it was going to mean a lot for all the LGBTQ kids out there who might feel like they don’t belong in a box – like me growing up,” she told DC News Now.

• Kennedy, whose husband is a U.S. Marine, advocates for military spouses and the United Service Organizations, which provides support to the U.S. Armed Forces members and their families. She also champions for "Beauty Without an Expiration Date," having surpassed the previous age limit of 28 for Miss Universe participants.

Sports

45-year-old Pacquiao eyes comeback title match

Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao revealed on Monday that negotiations are currently underway for a potential bout against Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight world title. The eight-division world champion, who was recently deemed too old for the 2024 Paris Games, is also set to face Japanese MMA fighter Chihiro Suzuki in a three-round exhibition on July 28.

• Pacquiao retired from professional boxing in 2021 to run for the Philippine presidency, but lost. He has since returned to the boxing ring for exhibition matches, including a victory against South Korea's DK Yoo via unanimous decision in 2022.

• During the promotion of his match against Suzuki, Pacquiao emphasized that the possible Barrios fight is for the title: “I just want to say to everybody. This is not an exhibition. This is a fight, a three-round fight. We will be looking for a knockout for this fight. So you better watch, and there's going to be a lot of action in the ring. And, of course, I’ll do my best to win by knockout.”

Crime

Man gets five years for attacking Connecticut’s first Muslim state rep

Andrey Desmond, 31, was sentenced to five years in prison for assaulting Connecticut State Rep. Maryam Khan after an Eid al-Adha service at the XL Center in Hartford in June 2023. 

• He previously pleaded guilty to felony charges of third-degree sexual assault, attempted first-degree strangulation and risk of injury to a minor. After prison, he must serve nearly 16 years of special parole, register as a sex offender and receive mental health treatment. 

• While she welcomed the sentence, Khan acknowledged that the case underscores issues in the mental health system, saying she’s “glad to be in a position to have the ability to be able to do some stuff about that.”

Crime

Asian American pleads guilty to shooting Jews in LA hate crimes

Jaime Tran, 29, pleaded guilty last week to federal hate crimes and firearm offenses for shooting two Jewish men in Los Angeles’ Pico-Robertson neighborhood last year. Tran, previously of Riverside, admitted to two counts of hate crimes with intent to kill and two counts of firearm use in relation to a crime of violence. 

• Tran had a history of antisemitic beliefs and threats, including leaving dental school in 2018 after making hate-filled statements. His violent rhetoric escalated in late 2022, targeting a former classmate and sending antisemitic propaganda to others. 

• Despite being barred from purchasing firearms due to mental health holds, Tran acquired guns through a third party in January 2023. In February, Tran shot two Jewish men on consecutive days as they left synagogues. Both victims survived. Tran has been in custody since his arrest on Feb. 17, 2023, and faces a 35 to 40-year prison term, with sentencing set for Aug. 5.

Education

Cal State LA receives grant to boost AANHPI student success

California State University, Los Angeles has been awarded a $370,000 state grant to create an AANHPI student achievement program. The funding is part of an $8 million appropriation under Assembly Bill 190 aimed at increasing culturally responsive support for underserved students across Cal State  campuses.

• This initiative will aid AANHPI transfer students in graduating within a two-year timeframe and improve retention rates for first-year AANHPI students. It also seeks to address declining enrollment trends and strengthen outreach and recruitment efforts. 

• The grant will go toward creating cross-campus collaborations, faculty professional development and student learning communities. Additionally, it will enhance support for AANHPI-focused campus entities such as the Asian Pacific Islander Student Resource Center and the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies.

News

Vietnam arrests journalist over Facebook posts

Prominent author and journalist Truong Huy San, known by his pen name Huy Duc, was reportedly detained on June 1 and is now facing charges of "abusing democratic freedoms" for social media posts.

• San recently published posts on social media criticizing the concentration of power under the police and the party's anti-corruption campaign. The state news media reported about the Ministry of Public Security’s ongoing investigation but provided no details on the content of San’s post.

• The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) both issued statements calling for San’s release. CPJ, which noted that San has not been heard from since his arrest, said the Vietnamese government must “stop treating journalists like criminals and release all members of the press wrongfully held behind bars.” Meanwhile, HRW appealed to the international community to “denounce Huy Duc’s arrest as a blatant assault on free expression and urge his immediate release.”

News

Missing mother found dead inside python’s belly in Indonesia

A 45-year-old mom of four was found dead inside the belly of a 16-foot reticulated python in Kalempang village in South Sulawesi province, Indonesia, on Friday. Farida's husband, Noni, and other villagers organized a search party after she failed to return home on Thursday night.

• A graphic video shared by TMZ shows the villagers dissecting the python with a bulging belly. After seeing Farida’s head, they confirmed that the mother, who was still clothed, had been eaten alive. They believe the reptile sank its teeth into her leg while she was walking, then wrapped its body around her, strangling her to death before swallowing her whole. The last time such an incident reportedly happened in Indonesia was in 2022.

• “I am forever sorry that I let my wife go out alone. If I had been with her that day, the snake would not have dared to touch her,” Noni said. “I feel sorry for the suffering she went through. I am sorry for our family.”

More News

• “Tokyo Vice” ends after two seasons on Max: Crime drama "Tokyo Vice" won't be returning for a third season on HBO Max, executive producers J.T. Rogers and Alan Poul confirmed at a Los Angeles conference on Saturday. The hit show, which holds the distinction of being the first major U.S. TV show to film entirely in Japan, stars Ansel Elgort, Jake Adelstein, Ken Watanabe and Shô Kasamatsu, among others. While the show was intended to have a clear two-season arc at Max, the producers hinted at continuing the story elsewhere.

  

• Utah welcomes its first H Mart: On June 7, the popular Korean American grocery chain opened its first store in West Jordan, Utah, drawing a crowd eager for products from various Asian cultures. H Mart, founded in 1982, has grown to become the largest Asian supermarket chain in America, known for its diverse food selection and innovative food halls. The West Jordan location is expected to be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

• Rihanna makes traditional Chinese pancakes in Shanghai: Music superstar Rihanna won the hearts of Chinese social media users after she was filmed making the traditional 2,000-year-old Chinese pancake, jianbing, while promoting her cosmetic brand Fenty in Shanghai last month. Rihanna’s livestream in China also became a trending topic on Weibo, with the hashtag #RihannasfirstlivestreaminChina attracting over 81 million views.

  

• “Shenmue” fans show undying loyalty: A group of die-hard "Shenmue" fans at Shenmue Dojo purchased a 15-second ad in New York City's Times Square last week to help a new sequel after 2019’s “Shenmue III” gain traction. Franchise creator Yu Suzuki told the group of gamers in a May interview that he is willing to continue the action-adventure RPG franchise if his independent studio, YSNET, finds a partner for it. 

Featured Posts

Until Tomorrow,

Alan Van