🍵 Chinese gymnast wins our hearts

In case you missed it:

• Hongchan Quan and Yuxi Chen of China win Gold and Silver in Women’s 10m Platform Diving while Mi Rae Kim of North Korea wins Bronze.

• Cocona Kiraki of Japan wins Silver in Women’s Park Skateboarding.

• Jie Zhao of China wins Bronze in Women’s Hammer Throw.

Olympics

US star swimmer Torri Huske to see T-Swizzle after phenomenal Olympics

The US women's relay swim team clinched the gold medal in the 4x100-meter medley relay at the Paris Games on Sunday. The quartet of Torri Huske, Regan Smith, Lilly King and Gretchen Walsh finished with a time of 3:49.63, smashing the world record set by another U.S. team in 2019 by nearly a second.

Impressive Olympics: Huske, 21, has been a standout in Paris, winning three gold and two silver medals while also setting two world records. She told People: "I think that there's a bigger movement now where people are starting to pay attention more, and I think that's so awesome. Caitlin Clark has done so much for that, and I think she's so cool. So hopefully I can also play a little part of that."

The artist she wants to see most: Before returning to Stanford University for her collegiate career, Huske plans to celebrate her Olympic success by attending Taylor Swift's concert in Vienna on Saturday. “I haven't seen her yet. I have to see her," she explained. "So it was kind of in the back of my mind for a really long time. I've been wanting to see her for literally so long."

Olympics

Filipino gymnast opens up about family tensions after Olympic golds

@carlosedriel

@kulowi ʚ(╹.╹)ɞ

Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo publicly addressed his controversial relationship with his mother, Angelica Yulo and girlfriend, Chloe Anjeleigh San Jose. The athlete, who achieved back-to-back gold medals at the Paris Olympics over the weekend, detailed financial discrepancies and his mother's disapproval of his partner in a TikTok video posted on Tuesday.

Strained relationship: Yulo alleged his mother had access to his bank accounts and misused his allowance and incentives from his 2022 World Championships win, amounting to more than 70,000 Philippine pesos (approximately $1,200). He also explained that his mother's public criticism of San Jose contributed to their strained relationship. Despite this, Yulo expressed hopes for reconciliation.

Managing finances: The gymnast is set to receive numerous rewards following his historic wins, including 10 million Philippine pesos (around $172,800) from the Philippine Sports Commission, 6 million Philippine pesos (approximately $103,700) from the House of Representatives, a house and lot from the Philippine Olympic Committee, a 35-million-peso (around $604,700) condominium unit in McKinley Hill Taguig City and 3 million Philippine pesos (approximately $51,800) in cash from Megaworld Corporation. In his video, he emphasized that his primary concern is not the amount of money involved but the lack of transparency in the handling of his finances.

Olympics

Chinese badminton star honors injured opponent at Paris Olympics

Chinese badminton player He Bing Jiao held up a miniature Spanish flag during the Olympic award ceremony after clinching the silver medal in a hard-fought women's badminton final against South Korea's An Se-young on Monday. Jiao's gesture was a tribute to Spain's Carolina Marin, who had to withdraw from their semifinal match due to a serious knee injury.

A class act: Marin, a gold medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was a favorite to win in Paris before her unfortunate injury. In her post-match interview, Jiao lamented Marin’s untimely exit, saying "I really don't want to see this kind of thing happen. Marin even cheered me on in the end, telling me to play well in the final."

Netizens react: Jiao's act of solidarity resonated deeply with fans and fellow athletes alike, with netizens hailing her as a “true Olympian.” One fan expressed their sentiment on X, saying, "That's why I was rooting for He Bing Jiao to win, she is such a sweetheart."

Olympic Bites

Suni Lee reveals her post-Olympics food craving: Sunisa “Suni” Lee revealed that she would like to enjoy a hot bowl of pho as her post-Olympics food craving after making history over the weekend. “I want, like, some pho,” Lee, 21, told Peacock. “I’ve been craving pho or some type of soup anywhere I look here, but I just, I can’t find it, but yeah. That’s so Asian of me.” Pho is reportedly being served at the Paris Olympics. Lee became the first American woman to win two Olympic medals on the uneven bars on Sunday. The recent feat, which earned her a bronze medal and brought her total Olympics medal wins to six, came days after Lee and the U.S. women’s gymnastics team won a gold medal.

Chinese gymnast mimics Italian athletes in memeable Olympics podium moment: Chinese gymnast Zhou Yaqin is winning hearts online for her adorable reaction at the Olympics podium. A video of the wholesome moment shows Zhou, a first-time Olympian at 18, surprised to see gold medal winner Alice D’Amato, 21, and bronze medal winner Manila Esposito, 17, biting their medals during the award ceremony for the women’s gymnastics balance beam on Monday. Without a second thought, Zhou takes her silver medal and charmingly places it in front of her mouth to mimic the two Italian athletes. Many X users found Zhou’s reaction priceless, with one user commenting, “Ngl (not gonna lie) this is wholesome af” and another noting that Zhou is giving “Golden retriever energy.”

Politics

Usha Vance defends husband’s “childless cat ladies” remark, calls it a “quip”

Usha Vance, the wife of Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance, defended her husband’s controversial 2021 comments in which he referred to Democratic leaders as “childless cat ladies.” The Ohio senator’s remarks resurfaced shortly after his nomination as former President Donald Trump’s running mate.

What she’s saying: Usha emphasized that J.D.’s comments were a “quip” meant to highlight the challenges parents face in the U.S. “The reality is, he made a quip in service of making a point that he wanted to make that was substantive,” she said on “Fox and Friends” on Monday. “I just wish sometimes that people would talk about those things and that we would spend a lot less time just sort of going through this three-word phrase or that three-word phrase.” She also stressed that her husband never intended to hurt those trying to start families and acknowledged the valid reasons some people choose not to have children.

What her husband is saying: J.D., for his part, has reiterated that his comments were meant to criticize Democratic policies he views as “anti-family” and “anti-child,” not individuals who are childless. “Obviously, it was a sarcastic comment. I’ve got nothing against cats. I've got nothing against dogs. … People are focusing so much on the sarcasm and not on the substance of what I actually said,” he told Megyn Kelly on her show last month.

News

Bangladesh parliament dissolved after prime minister flees to India

Bangladesh’s political landscape faces a seismic shift after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India following weeks of intense, student-led protests that reportedly resulted in over 400 deaths. The ongoing unrest, fueled by the reinstatement of the controversial job quota system, ultimately led to the dissolution of parliament and the establishment of an interim government.

Resignation and flight: Hasina resigned on Monday and escaped to India after protesters stormed her residence, marking the end of her 15-year rule. General Waker-uz-Zaman, the army chief, confirmed her resignation and announced the formation of an interim government. “Whatever demands you have we will fulfill and bring back peace to the nation,” he assured protesters while calling for an end to the violence. Protesters stormed Hasina’s residence following her departure.

Dissolution of parliament: President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved parliament on Tuesday in response to a key demand of the protesters. Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, a long-time rival of Hasina, was released from house arrest. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was proposed to lead the interim government, a suggestion he accepted. “When the students who sacrificed so much are requesting me to step in at this difficult juncture, how can I refuse?” he said.

News

China finds water in lunar soil in groundbreaking discovery

Chinese scientists discovered molecular water (H2O) in lunar soil samples brought back to Earth by the Chang’e-5 probe, marking the first time this form of water was found in physical samples from the moon. 

The discovery: The samples were retrieved at 43.1 degrees latitude, a region previously thought unsuitable for molecular water. The water was found within a new mineral, ULM-1, stabilized by ammonia. This could be a potential resource for lunar habitation, supporting China’s ambitions in space exploration, including plans to build a research base on the moon. The discovery has been celebrated in China, with many highlighting the nation's scientific advancements and its goal to become a leading space power.

Previous findings: This finding aligns with NASA's previous SOFIA telescope detection of water on the lunar surface in 2020, though it could not be confirmed with physical samples at the time. NASA and Indian spacecrafts previously detected signs of water on the moon's surface, primarily in the form of ice and water molecules, mostly located at the poles. China has also found water trapped in glass beads containing hydroxyl, which solar winds could potentially transform into water. The new findings open possible avenues for extracting water on the moon.

Final Bites

Harris chooses Minnesota gov. as running mate for 2024 Election: Vice President Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate for the 2024 election, praising his support for middle-class families and his background in the National Guard and education. Walz, who was considered a dark horse contender, gained attention after a viral interview and emerged as a safe choice with liberal credentials, avoiding scrutiny faced by other potential picks. The choice of Walz, who governed Minnesota during the George Floyd riots and holds liberal positions on issues like abortion and LGBTQ rights, is seen as strategic to counter Trump’s efforts in the Midwest. Harris and Walz will campaign in battleground states, starting in Philadelphia and continuing to key states like Wisconsin and Michigan. “We are going to build a great partnership. We are going to build a great team. We are going to win this election,” Harris wrote.

Seventeen announces U.S. dates for “Right Here” world tour: K-pop boy group Seventeen announced the dates for the U.S. leg of their “Right Here” world tour on Tuesday. There will be nine shows across five cities from October to November: Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, on Oct. 22-23; UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York, on Oct. 25 and 27; Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on Oct. 31-Nov. 1; the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California, on Nov. 5-6 and BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Nov. 9. The tour will kick off with concerts at Goyang Stadium in South Korea on Oct. 12-13, followed by performances across Asia. Presale tickets for the U.S. leg begin on Aug. 14 (from 3 p.m. local time) for Carat members, with general sales starting on Aug. 15 (from 3 p.m. local time) via Ticketmaster. The group will also release their 12th mini album sometime in October.

HBO teases Thailand-set “White Lotus” Season 3: HBO on Sunday treated fans to a glimpse of the third season of “The White Lotus,” which takes place in Thailand with a focus on Eastern spirituality and religion. The upcoming season, confirmed for 2025, will feature new characters played by Blackpink’s Lisa, Dom Hetrakul, Tayme Thapthimthong, Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey and Patrick Schwarzenegger, alongside the return of Season 1’s Natasha Rothwell as Belinda. The brief teaser reveals vacationers arriving at the resort and a glimpse of Belinda smiling. “What happens in Thailand stays in Thailand,” a character says in the teaser. Series creator Mike White has promised a “longer, bigger, crazier” season, with production delays pushing its release three years after the previous season.