News

Harvard's Asian American enrollment unchanged after SCOTUS affirmative action ruling

The percentage of Asian American student enrollment at Harvard remained unchanged at 37% for the Class of 2028, the same as last year, following the Supreme Court's ruling barring race-conscious admissions. Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander enrollment also stayed the same at 1%.

Class of 2028: While Asian American and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander enrollment stagnated, white enrollment increased from 29% to 32%, and Hispanic enrollment rose by 2% to 16%. Meanwhile, African American enrollment dropped by 4% to 14%. Other Ivy League schools, such as Yale and Princeton, saw declines in Asian American enrollment, with Yale dropping from 30% to 24%, and Princeton seeing a 2% drop to 24%.

Harvard’s process: In response to the Supreme Court ruling, Harvard barred admissions staff from accessing demographic information. The university adjusted its application essay prompts and enhanced outreach, including forming the STORY (Small Town Outreach, Recruitment, and Yield) consortium to engage rural communities. Financial aid initiatives include a $2,000 launch grant for students on full aid and raising the income threshold for full financial support to $85,000 annually. Nearly 25% of the class pays no parental contribution, and 55% of students receive aid, with an average parent contribution of $15,000, ensuring debt-free graduation.

News

Ex-White House chef who cooked for 5 presidents reflects on her service, philosophy

Cristeta “Cris” Comerford, the first woman and person of color to serve as the White House executive chef, recently retired after nearly 30 years of cooking for five U.S. presidents. In a new interview with NPR’s Ari Shapiro, 61-year-old Filipino American reflected on her groundbreaking career, unique culinary contributions, and the special moments that stood out during her time in the White House kitchen.

Obama’s love for Filipino-style skewers: One of the interview’s standout moments came in Comerford sharing how former President Barack Obama, who lived in Hawaii and was familiar with Filipino food, enjoyed her Filipino-style skewered pork. “Every now and then I’m, like, on the grill, and he’s like, ‘Hey, is that smelling good right there?’” she recalled, adding that she also prepared beef and chicken versions. For Comerford, it was particularly meaningful to share her Filipino roots and the flavors of her childhood with the president.

Philosophy of American food: Comerford also delved into her culinary philosophy, comparing American cuisine to jazz. “In America, we play jazz,” she explained, likening the fluid and creative nature of American food to the improvisation seen in the genre. To Comerford, American cuisine is shaped by the country’s immigrant communities, creating a melting pot of flavors and techniques. “Every community, every minority group — we’re a land of immigrants, so we share everything we have. By the time a food is made, it’s a totally different one than it was intended to be,” she said, emphasizing the dynamic and evolving nature of American food.

News

Super Typhoon Yagi continues deadly path across Asia as it hits Thailand

Thailand deployed military special forces to Chiang Rai province after severe flooding, caused by Typhoon Yagi, left thousands stranded. The storm has killed at least nine people in the past week, bringing fatalities from rain-related incidents including landslides across the nation to 33 since mid-August.

What’s being done: Authorities have issued flash flood warnings for 36 provinces, including Bangkok. Rescue operations using boats and helicopters, supported by Thai Navy SEALs, are underway to reach those trapped in flood-hit areas. Floodwaters have begun receding in some parts, but many riverside settlements remain submerged. Over 3,000 people are stranded in the Ban Kwai Wua Dam area, and flights have been canceled due to impassable roads. 

The big picture: Yagi, the strongest storm to hit Asia this year, previously struck Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, China and the Philippines, triggering landslides and flooding. Vietnam has been the hardest hit, with 197 fatalities. In Myanmar, 17 people have died, and over 50,000 have been displaced. Yagi also claimed at least 20 lives in the Philippines and four in southern China, where millions have been displaced. While Southeast Asia experiences heavy monsoon rains annually, experts warn that human-driven climate change is intensifying weather patterns and typhoons, heightening the risk of destructive floods.

Entertainment

Lisa, Seventeen, Le Sserafim win big at 2024 VMAs

Blackpink's Lisa, boy band Seventeen and girl group Le Sserafim secured major wins at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) held in New York on Wednesday. Lisa clinched the best K-pop award for her solo single "Rockstar," beating out nominated hits from NewJeans, Jungkook and Latto, Stray Kids, NCT Dream and Tomorrow x Together, and making history as the first K-pop solo act to win the award twice.

Lisa is back: Lisa performed her hits “New Woman” and “Rockstar” at the ceremony before accepting her award. In her acceptance speech, the 27-year-old idol acknowledged the song's importance, stating, "’Rockstar’ was a meaningful comeback for me after 'Lalisa,' so this is very, very special to me.Thank you to RCA family and Team LLoud and Blinks (Blackpink fans) and Lilies (Lisa fans) all around the world.”

More K-pop wins: Seventeen snagged the best group award, a category previously dominated by BTS and Blackpink. Although unable to attend the ceremony, the group expressed their gratitude to their fans through their agency, Pledis Entertainment. Le Sserafim secured the push performance of the year award for their song "Easy." The group also made their U.S. awards show debut with a powerful performance during the pre-show.

News

Hawaii named the happiest state in America

Hawaii claimed the top spot in personal finance company WalletHub's annual "Happiest States in America" rankings, followed by Maryland, New Jersey, Utah and Delaware in the top five. Meanwhile, California, with the largest Asian American population at an estimated 6.4 million as of July 2023, ranked 13th, while New York and Texas, with Asian populations estimated at 1.9 million and 1.8 million as of July 2023, placed 23rd and 38th, respectively.

How they did it: The study ranks all 50 states, excluding the District of Columbia, from happiest to unhappiest. WalletHub evaluated each state based on three key dimensions: 1) emotional and physical well-being, 2) work environment and 3) community and environment. These dimensions were measured using 30 relevant metrics, each assigned a point value and graded on a 100-point scale. Some of these metrics include career well-being, prevalence of adult depression, life expectancy, suicide rate, work hours, job security, economic security, volunteer rate and average leisure time spent per day.

Their findings: The report noted that Hawaii, which rose from last year’s No. 2 spot, has the highest levels of life satisfaction in the U.S. and the lowest depression rate, according to its residents. Around 82% of adults reported being in good or better health, the second-highest percentage in the country, while nearly 72% of adults said they were active and productive daily. The state’s strong economy, including a low unemployment rate — the seventh lowest in the nation — also contributed to residents' happiness. In addition to being the happiest state, Hawaii ranked No. 1 in WalletHub’s emotional and physical well-being category.

News

Japan named the 2nd best country in the world

Japan has climbed from sixth place last year to the second spot in the 2024 Best Countries index due to its sweeping reforms following the COVID-19 pandemic. The index, compiled by the U.S. News & World Report in collaboration with the Wharton School, evaluates countries across a range of categories including openness for business, power, adventure, social purpose and cultural influence. 

Behind Japan’s rise: The index, currently in its ninth year, ranked Japan behind Switzerland, which retained its top spot, and ahead of the U.S., which secured third place. The report attributed Japan’s rise to its impressive performance in the "entrepreneurship" category, which assesses factors such as innovation, infrastructure and legal framework. The nation's post-pandemic tourism boom and its attractiveness for international investment further contributed to its improved standing.

How other countries fared: Canada notably secured fourth place due to its vast natural resources and welcoming immigration policies, while Australia ranked fifth for its high quality of life and economic stability. While no other Asian country made the top 10, Singapore landed at the 14th position for its high GDP per capita and low unemployment rate. China, the world's second-largest economy, claimed the 16th spot, while South Korea’s thriving economy secured its 18th place on the list.

Final Bites

Korean Australian actor Yerin Ha will lead Season 4 of “Bridgerton”: Netflix confirmed on Wednesday that Korean Australian actor Yerin Ha will star as Sophie Baek in the fourth season of “Bridgerton.” The streaming platform also released a first look of her character, who is set to be the new season’s leading lady. A maid with a mysterious past, Sophie becomes the love interest of Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) after meeting him at a masquerade ball. Based on Sophie Beckett in Julia Quinn’s books, the character’s surname was changed to reflect Ha’s Korean heritage. “To make Sophie’s name fit someone who looks like me is really empowering,” Ha tells Tudum, crediting showrunner Jess Brownell for the change.

Simu Liu to become first guest “dragon” on “Dragons’ Den” Canada: “Shang-Chi” star Simu Liu will become the first-ever guest investor, or "dragon," on CBC's "Dragons' Den" this fall. Liu, who has already established himself in the investment world through his venture capital fund and angel investments, is set to join the show's panel alongside Arlene Dickinson and Brian Scudamore. The 35-year-old actor is excited for the show’s Season 19 premiere on Sept. 26, stating, "I hope that I get to sample things, I hope that I get up on my feet, and I get to experience products that would genuinely make my life and the lives of people around me better."

“Uzumaki” team believe the show was “cursed by the spiral”: Adult Swim’s Senior Vice President of Anime and Action Series Jason DeMarco claims that his team’s anime adaptation of Junji Ito’s “Uzumaki” was cursed after the project faced multiple delays. The first delay occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, which DeMarco, the show’s executive producer, described to Vulture as the “single biggest impact” on the production. Noting that their crew for the show was small, DeMarco said, “having even a few members and their families getting deathly ill was a huge blow to both the production and our morale. It was very challenging to bring the show back from the dead.” DeMarco shared that they even had the project blessed at a shrine to uplift the curse, but it still did not work. He said, “Without the slightest hyperbole, all of us on the staff truly believe our project was cursed by the spiral. It’s a miracle it got made and we all survived it.” The four-episode series, set to premiere on Adult Swim’s Toonami block on Sept. 28, took five years and three delays to complete.

Sailor Jupiter voice actor dead at 61: Japanese voice actor Emi Shinohara has died at the age of 61, her agency, 81 Produce, announced on its website on Tuesday. Shinohara, whose real name was Emiko Watanabe, died on Sunday “while undergoing medical treatment” for an unspecified illness, according to her agency. Born in Nagano Prefecture on Aug. 8, 1963, Shinohara was best known for voicing the characters Sailor Jupiter in the anime series “Sailor Moon” and Kushina Uzumaki in the anime “Naruto Shippuden.” She also provided the Japanese dub for Matilda, played by Natalie Portman, in the 1994 film “Leon: The Professional.”

Absence of Bronx Zoo’s Asian elephant from public view fuels debate over captivity: Happy, a 50-year-old Asian elephant at the Bronx Zoo, has been absent from public view since July, sparking concerns from animal rights activists and zoo visitors. Despite assurances from the zoo that Happy is healthy and choosing to stay in her barn, activists argue her isolation highlights the issue of keeping such a highly social animal in captivity. Happy has lived alone since 2006 after a companion's death and legal battles over her confinement have failed to free her. A recent health inspection by the USDA found no issues, but activists remain skeptical, demanding more transparency. Experts continue to debate the ethics of keeping elephants in zoos, while the Bronx Zoo defends its care practices. “We have learned how to care for them better, how to meet their needs and how to manage them from a physical standpoint, and from a psychological and a social standpoint,” Dan Ashe, the president and chief executive of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, told The New York Times.