News

Pivotal Orange County House race between Asian candidates heats up

The race between Republican Rep. Michelle Steel and Democratic challenger Derek Tran in California’s 45th Congressional District is tightening as the 2024 midterms approach, reflecting both candidates’ emphasis on Asian American identity. With Steel trailing Tran by 1.5 points in a recent poll by USC, Cal Poly Pomona and California State University, Long Beach, the race may be decided by their competing narratives of immigration and the political future of one of the nation’s few majority-minority districts.

State of play: The battle between Steel and Tran is one of the most competitive House contests this cycle. Despite a five-point Democratic registration advantage in the 45th District, Republicans previously turned out in large numbers to support Steel. The latest data, showing Steel trailing Tran within the margin of error, indicates that the Democratic wave may unseat the two-term congresswoman, though Steel’s deep ties to the Vietnamese American community and conservative values could bolster her performance. Steel also enjoys significant financial backing, with Elon Musk’s super PAC, America PAC, reportedly spending $221,875 in support of her campaign. Steel currently holds $3.7 million in cash on hand, compared to Tran’s $1.2 million. Both campaigns have leaned heavily into their candidates’ immigrant stories, with Tran focusing on his experience as the son of Vietnamese refugees and Steel promoting her identity as one of the first Korean American women elected to Congress.

What they say on key issues: Steel, a GOP stalwart, supports lower taxes and conservative stances on social issues, including opposition to abortion except in cases of rape, incest or to save the mother’s life. Tran, a first-time candidate and workers' rights advocate, backs codifying federal abortion protections and increasing healthcare access. “Every woman has the fundamental right to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions,” he said. Steel, on the other hand, highlights her work on transparency in healthcare pricing and her opposition to communism, a key issue in the district’s Vietnamese community. “I know what it means to live in a country under the constant threat of violence,” she said. Both candidates have also faced controversies: Steel has been accused of “abusing” the South Vietnamese flag, while Tran has been criticized for representing a client who hung a noose in his office.

Crime

Asian man brutally beat in racist attack on Seattle bus

An Asian American man was viciously attacked by another passenger on a King County Metro bus in First Hill, Seattle, on Sept. 29. The victim called for King County Metro to improve passenger safety by giving drivers more discretion to deny boarding to potentially dangerous individuals. 

What happened: The attacker, described as a homeless individual, assaulted the man with body slams, punches, scratches and even bit him “to the point of bleeding.” The victim believes the attack was racially motivated due to racist language used during the assault, leaving him with physical and emotional trauma. “The racial element to this really struck a chord with me. In the 20+ years of my life, I've never heard such violent language. They started coming at me and screaming really insanely racist stuff at me,” he told KING 5 Seattle.

System failure: The victim expressed frustration over the lack of help from the bus driver and the broader public transit system, which he and his friends plan to avoid in the future. “You know the person that attacked me obviously has some blame, right, but it's really the whole system that's failed us,” he noted. King County Metro previously made efforts to address safety by increasing transit security officers and collaborating with behavioral health specialists, but investigations into this incident are ongoing and a description of the attacker has not been released. This incident is part of a larger trend, as a recent study revealed that nearly 40% of Asian residents in Seattle have experienced anti-Asian hate in the past year, with 1 in 5 adding that they had been physically attacked.

Sports

2nd fan files suit over ownership of Ohtani’s historic 50-50 ball

A second fan claiming to be the owner of Shohei Ohtani’s historic 50-50 ball has filed a lawsuit. The ball, which was Ohtani’s 50th home run in the MLB 2024 season that launched him in the one-member exclusive 50-50 club — with the other 50 being stolen bases — is now up for grabs at Goldin Auctions, with the highest bid currently at $1.5 million.

What he’s saying: Joseph Davidov named Goldin, Chris Belanski, Kelvin Ramirez and Max Matus as defendants in the suit filed in Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit Court. The suit claims that Davidov was “able to firmly and completely grab the ball in his left hand while it was on the ground,” but “an unknown fan wrongfully jumped over the railing,” jumped onto him and attacked him, causing him to lose control of the ball. As a result, it purportedly ended up in Belanski’s possession. The suit also asserts that Davidov “would have retained control and possession” of the ball if not for the “assault” of the fan who jumped onto him. He is seeking damages in excess of $50,000.

Catch up: Belanski left the stadium with Ohtani’s ball on Sept. 19. Ramirez, who attended the game with Belanski, also claimed ownership of the ball on social media, according to reports. Matus filed his own suit against Belanski, Ramirez and Goldin on Sept. 25, alleging he caught the ball first and that Belanski trapped his arm and wrangled the ball out of his left hand. A video of the incident, filmed by another fan at the stadium, captured the incident. Matus’ suit demands that the ball not be sold until Oct. 10

Sports

Naomi Osaka slams critic for calling her a “fluke”

Naomi Osaka hit back at a critic who reportedly called her a “fluke.” The comment toward the 26-year-old former WTA No. 1 player and four-time Grand Slam winner apparently came after her forced exit from a match against the U.S.’ Coco Gauff at the ongoing 2024 China Open.

What she’s saying: Without going into details, Osaka took to Threads on Thursday to accuse someone of calling her a “fluke.” In response, the Japanese tennis star, currently ranked No. 73 in the WTA, cited notable achievements she has acquired in her career, including her Grand Slam wins, lighting the Olympic torch, beating multiple top-20 opponents and being close to the top 50 the year after giving birth. “Foh, you couldn’t even touch one of my accomplishments with your fingernail,” she added. Several Threads users expressed support for Osaka standing up to her critic, with one commenting, “Don’t give any of that negativity and sentiment any oxygen or free rent in your mind. 99.99% of us know what the deal is.”

Catch up: Osaka faced Gauff for a spot in the quarterfinal of the China Open on Tuesday. She took the first set 6-3 before Gauff clinched the second set with a 6-4 win. Unfortunately, Osaka was forced to retire in the deciding match due to a lower back injury. Gauff was later filmed helping carry Osaka’s bag as she left the court. She also sent a heartfelt message to Osaka on Instagram, writing, “Wishing you a speedy recovery, [Naomi Osaka]."

Entertainment

World’s first Nintendo museum offers gamers a nostalgic journey

Nintendo officially opened its first museum in Uji, Japan, on Oct. 2, providing a unique opportunity for video game fans to explore the company's 135-year history. The museum, housed in the company’s former factory complex, features rare gaming consoles, prototypes and interactive experiences.

Video gaming memory lane: The museum’s main attraction is its “Discover” area, where nearly every product the company has ever released is displayed. Nintendo enthusiasts can enjoy eight special interactive games that celebrate Nintendo's legacy, from its classic consoles to innovative prototypes. Visitors can also dive into the company’s early beginnings as a playing card manufacturer through exhibits such as “Craft and Play,” which showcases the traditional hanafuda card game. 

How to get there: To visit the museum, fans must register online for a lottery system to secure tickets months in advance. Those unable to sign up early can also check the museum’s website for forfeited or added tickets. Tickets cost 3,300 yen ($22) for adults and 2,200 yen ($15) for children, with additional fees for certain exhibits.

Final Bites

🛍️Barbie unveils Diwali Doll celebrating modern Indian culture: Barbie launched a special Diwali doll in collaboration with renowned Indian fashion designer Anita Dongre, just in time for the Hindu Festival of Lights. This marks the first time Barbie has teamed up with an Indian designer to honor a culturally significant event. Dongre, who drew inspiration from her home city of Jaipur, created a doll dressed in a Moonlight Bloom set featuring a choli top, floral Koti vest and lehenga skirt adorned with symbolic Indian flowers. “She's this quintessentially modern Indian girl. I wanted the doll to represent what India is today, because I think the world sometimes has a very different idea of what India is. And today the young Indian woman is intelligent, empowered and modern. She wears India with pride,” Dongre told GMA. 

📺“Mean Girls” actor says his character “secretly wanted” Aaron Samuels: Rajiv Surendra, who played Kevin Gnapoor (“Kevin G”) in the 2004 “Mean Girls,” recently reflected on the film’s lasting impact, suggesting that his character — who ended up with Janis Ian (Lizzy Caplan) actually liked Aaron Samuels (Jonathan Bennett) but could not express it at the time. “I think Kevin secretly wanted Aaron Samuels, but he wasn't allowed to say. And today, he would be allowed to reveal his feelings to Aaron Samuels, and then Aaron Samuels was also secretly gay,” Surendra, who came out as gay in 2018, told People. The Canadian actor also noted how he, Bennett and Daniel Franzese (Damian) now joke about their shared experience, saying, “We’re all gay.” Bennett came out as gay in 2017, while Franzese came out as gay in 2014. Born to Tamil immigrant parents, Surendra credits Kevin’s popularity to how “he makes people happy” and recalls fond memories from set, including receiving guidance from Tina Fey and Amy Poehler for his iconic rap scene, which only took two takes to film.

📰“Top Chef” star Shirley Chung gets feeding tube amid tongue cancer treatment: Chinese American chef Shirley Chung revealed on Thursday that she has acquired a gastrostomy tube (G Tube) due to the unbearable mouth pain she experiences in the course of her tongue cancer treatment. In an Instagram post, the 48-year-old “Top Chef” Season 11 finalist and “Tournament of Champions” contestant recalled how her mouth, tongue and throat began to peel in the first week of radiation therapy. She said the pain was so intense that even drinking water felt like "pouring salt on raw flesh." “It was a hard decision [to make], but I felt so blessed that my doctor pushed me to do it,” she said about getting her G tube. Chung, who just completed two weeks of radiation and chemotherapy, also suffered rapid weight loss of 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) in 10 days. However, she reported “feeling much stronger” and being able to maintain her weight after getting the G tube. Chung first revealed to her fans that she has stage 4 tongue cancer on July 26.

💜Olivia Rodrigo celebrates first trip to the Philippines with halo-halo: Olivia Rodrigo shared her excitement about visiting the Philippines for the first time on Instagram, posting a photo of the traditional Filipino dessert halo-halo with the caption, “Halo-halo secured!!!!” The 21-year-old Filipino American artist arrived in the country on Thursday for her sold out "Guts" concert, set to take place on Saturday at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan. The concert, which received a record-breaking 745,000 fans joining the virtual queue, had generated excitement due to its remarkably affordable ticket price of 1,500 Philippine pesos ($27), with all net proceeds going to Rodrigo’s Fund 4 Good organization that aims to promote equity for women. Additionally, Rodrigo recently announced her concert film for the Guts World Tour will premiere on Netflix starting Oct. 29.

🍿Can this heartwarming hit bring Thailand its first Oscar? Thailand has chosen "How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies" as its entry for the best international feature film at the 97th Academy Awards. The blockbuster film, directed by Pat Boonnitipat and starring singer Putthipong Assaratanakul (Billkin), tells the story of a young man who quits his job to care for his dying grandmother, hoping to inherit her fortune. "How to Make Millions," which earned nearly $50 million globally, will face stiff competition from other Asian entries including  "Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In" (Hong Kong), "Old Fox" (Taiwan), "12.12.: The Day" (South Korea), "The Cloud" (Japan), "Meeting with Pol Pot" (Cambodia), "Women From Rote Island" (Indonesia), "Laapataa Ladies" (India),  "And So It Begins" (Philippines), "Peach Blossom, Pho and Piano" (Vietnam), "The Glassworker" (Pakistan) and "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru" (China).