Olympics

Javelin throwers sharing Olympic podium make Pakistan, India proud

Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem made history by winning the men's javelin throw with an Olympic record-breaking 92.7 meters, while India's Neeraj Chopra secured silver with a season-best 88.94 meters. This is the first time India and Pakistan achieved a 1-2 finish in men's javelin, a sport historically dominated by Europeans.

Historic gold: Nadeem, the first Pakistani to win an individual Olympic gold, ended his country's 32-year Olympic medal drought and placed Pakistan ahead of India in the medal tally despite India's higher overall medal count. Speaking through an interpreter, Nadeem said: “On the 14th we’re going to celebrate Independence Day and this is a special gift to the country from my side.” 

Between friends and rivals: The historic win highlights the unique friendship and rivalry between Nadeem and Chopra, who have shared the podium multiple times, including at the 2018 Asian Games and the 2023 World Championships. Chopra, the defending Olympic champion, graciously praised Nadeem for the win, noting that they were “both making our countries proud.”

Olympics

Taekwondo star becomes Thailand's first two-time Olympic gold medalist

Taekwondo athlete Panipak "Tennis" Wongpattanakit marked her 27th birthday with a historic win, securing Thailand's first gold medal at the Paris Olympics and becoming the first Thai athlete to win two Olympic golds. Wongpattanakit's victory in the women's 49-kilogram category on Thursday follows her groundbreaking win at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, in which she brought home Thailand's first-ever gold medal in taekwondo.

Golden farewell: Following Wongpattanakit’s successful title defense, the taekwondo sensation announced her retirement from the sport, capping off her illustrious career of 20 years. "I have so much pain," she said, referencing the physical toll her sport has taken on her body. "I had a broken knee. And my ankle, my hip... Now, I have to retire."

Journey to Olympic glory: Wongpattanakit, who started training in taekwondo at age 9, won numerous international championships at the youth level. Her early success paved the way for her remarkable achievements at the Olympic stage, including a bronze medal in Rio 2016 and a historic gold in Tokyo.

Olympics

Chinese eatery is unofficial hangout spot for Asian Olympians in Paris

A small Chinese restaurant in Paris has reportedly become an unofficial go-to spot for Olympics attendees in recent weeks. Tang Zhongqiu’s restaurant, Yang Xiao Chu, which specializes in Sichuan cuisine, is located in the 15th arrondissement, near the table tennis venue – a popular sport in China.

Olympians visiting: Tang told the New York Times that his restaurant has seen crowds of Olympians, former gold medalists, team staff members, journalists and fans over the past two weeks who are eager to try dishes like suan cai yu (boiled fish and pickled cabbage soup) and shui zhu niu rou (spicy boiled beef). “I didn’t expect we would get this busy during the Olympics. I just look after them as if they were my family members,” the 50-year-old said. Some of the customers Tang welcomed include members of the Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea teams, as well as notable figures like three-time Olympic table tennis gold medalist Ding Ning and former table tennis player and popular commentator Liu Guozheng.

A busy, happy time: Tang, who bought the restaurant after the COVID-19 pandemic, faced an unforeseen problem when his only waiter took a month-long vacation, forcing him to rely on his two daughters, 11-year-old Chloe and 10-year-old Anna, to help with waiting tables and folding napkins. Despite being constantly busy with his restaurant’s newfound fame, Tang said the stress has been worth it. He told the Times, “It’s very tiring when things get busy. But I’m still happy even when I’m tired. I get to meet all kinds of different customers. I get to make many new friends.”

Olympics

Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting wins Olympic gold amid gender controversy

Lin Yu-ting secured the gold medal in women’s featherweight boxing at the Paris Olympics on Saturday. The Taiwanese athlete’s journey to the top was marked by resilience, as she fought her way through the tournament while dealing with questions about her gender.

Results: Lin dominated Poland’s Julia Szeremeta, winning a unanimous decision to claim the gold. This victory marks a triumphant return for the 28-year-old, who had been disqualified from the world championships last year and exited early at the Tokyo Olympics. Despite facing a flu during the semifinals, Lin credited her team for helping her recover in time for the gold-medal match. “I feel incredible. I want to thank everyone who has supported me and thanks to my team and everyone in Taiwan. They gave me the power,” she told reporters.

Gender controversy: Throughout Paris, Lin, alongside Algeria’s Imane Khelif, faced ongoing scrutiny and controversy regarding their gender. Both athletes were previously disqualified from the world championships due to alleged eligibility issues, but they responded by advancing to the finals in Paris. Lin, who chose to focus on her matches rather than the controversy, saw her entire career flash before her eyes following her victory. “All the difficult practices, the times that I got injured, the competitors I fought against. All these images flashed in my head. There are times of great pain. There are times of great joy. I cried because I was so touched,” she said. Khelif also unanimously won the gold medal in her category a day earlier.

News

Probe urged after NJ police fatally shoot woman amid mental health crisis

Asian American advocacy group AAPI New Jersey issued a statement calling for a probe into the killing of Victoria Lee, a 26-year-old Korean American, by a Fort Lee police officer on July 28. Lee, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2017, was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the shooting.

What happened: Lee was shot after her brother called 911 for medical assistance, reporting she had a knife. The family later clarified that Lee had a small pocket knife but was only holding a plastic water bottle at the time of the shooting. Officers forced entry into the apartment at The Pinnacle complex on Main Street when Lee and another woman didn't comply with their request to open the door. As Lee approached them in the hallway, Officer Tony Pickens fired a single shot into her chest, resulting in her death. The family argued that Lee was not a threat and that the police's “unnecessarily aggressive approach” led to her death. 

Police and mental health responses: Recent incidents, including the tragic case of Yong Yang in Los Angeles and the death of a Bangladeshi teenager in Queens, also underscore the urgent need for reform and greater sensitivity in police interactions with communities of color during mental health crises. In a statement posted on X, AAPI NJ wrote, “These killings, like too many others, make it all too clear how vulnerable people of color are during confrontations with law enforcement.”

News

Girl, 9, is latest Asian victim of violence in Auckland

A 9-year-old girl of Chinese descent was left bruised, bleeding and traumatized after falling victim to a brutal attack inside a toilet cubicle at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Auckland, New Zealand, at around 5 p.m. on Aug. 7. The incident follows a recent string of violent attacks against Asians in the city, particularly on its buses.

What happened: The girl had been dining with her mother at a Japanese restaurant on the hotel’s ground floor when she went to use the toilet across the lobby. While in the cubicle, a teenage girl, estimated to be around 14 or 15 years old, allegedly entered, locked the door, covered her mouth, repeatedly punched her in the face and head and grabbed her neck. The young girl, who was born in New Zealand, has since suffered nightmares and fears someone would break into their home to take her away. “If we don’t find out the motivation of these people, don’t put them to justice, this may happen again to other kids,” the victim’s mother told the New Zealand Herald.

The big picture: Police are investigating the incident, which took place less than a week after an Asian woman was assaulted while being robbed on an Auckland bus. The victim said she was repeatedly kicked in the abdomen. Asians were also targeted in two prior bus incidents on June 28 and July 22. The suspects in those cases have been arrested.

Entertainment

YouTuber opens fake 5-star restaurant serving instant ramen

 Australian YouTuber Stanley Chen pulled a fast one on dozens of restaurant-goers and influencers by opening a fake ramen omakase. “Omakase” is a Japanese term meaning “I leave it up to you” and involves chefs selecting the diners' meals. Chen uploaded the prank to his YouTube channel on Aug. 1.

The video: In the video, Chen shares how he and his friends, including real chef Gabe, started the fake ramen restaurant by creating a fake website, promoting it on TikTok, acquiring a huge supply of instant ramen and naming it Nise Jangara Ramen – “nise” means “fake” in English. Chen’s restaurant was packed on opening day, with dozens of people still lined up later that night. Some of the diners even gave Chen positive reviews, with one woman saying, “Chef needs to make me another bowl.”

His inspiration: Speaking to News.com.au, Chen said he was inspired by his bad experience working at a restaurant for his prank, which he set up in Sydney’s Surry Hills. He said the restaurant he had worked for claimed that their meals were fresh despite being prepared a week earlier. “They were charging like $30 to $40 per plate of food, and what they were essentially doing was just microwave meals,” he said. Chen said he still received positive feedback over his prank and that many people enjoyed it, thinking it was a “pretty funny experience.”

Final Bites

Giant pandas from China debut in San Diego: The San Diego Zoo's newest giant pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, debuted in the zoo's expanded Panda Ridge habitat, which mimics China's landscapes, on Thursday. The pandas arrived in San Diego in late June and spent weeks acclimating to their new environment. These are the first giant pandas to enter the U.S. in 21 years, symbolizing ongoing international conservation efforts. In celebration of their debut, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared Aug. 8, 2024, as California Panda Day. Visitors can view the pandas through timed tickets, a standby line or an early morning walking tour. Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, on loan from China as "envoys of friendship," represent a renewed phase in "panda diplomacy" amid evolving U.S.-China relations.

Korean noodles return to Danish shelves after being banned for being too spicy: Two variants of the fiery South Korean Samyang Buldak instant ramen noodles are back on Danish supermarket shelves after being recalled in June due to concerns about their high capsaicin levels. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration lifted the ban on two of the three variants after further testing confirmed that their capsaicin levels were within acceptable limits. Samyang Foods celebrated the return of their popular noodles with a festive event in Copenhagen, where influencers and fans enjoyed sampling the spicy ramen.

TikToker’s “egg flights” trend: "Egg flight," a meal consisting of hard-boiled eggs cut in half and topped with garnishes such as bacon, chicken and condiments, is taking TikTok by storm. The dish’s name was coined by content creator Alice Choi. "Egg flight" has garnered significant attention on TikTok, with users receiving hundreds of thousands to millions of views for their videos. Speaking to People, Choi, who first came up with the customizable dish in 2022, believes that people are “gravitating towards this because it's like a deviled egg, but it's so much less complicated,” adding that it’s also a good post-workout snack.