Politics

Walz admits he “misspoke” about presence during Tiananmen Square massacre 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz acknowledged on Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate that he “misspoke” when previously claiming to be in Hong Kong during the infamous Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. Despite the correction, Walz maintained that he was in Hong Kong and China during the broader pro-democracy protests of that year.

What he’s saying: Walz initially claimed to have been in Hong Kong on June 4, 1989, the day of the violent Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing. When questioned by moderators at the CBS News debate, the Democratic candidate admitted to his mistake, saying “I’ve not been perfect, I’m a knucklehead at times” and attributing it to getting “caught up in the rhetoric.” While he reiterated that he had been in Hong Kong that summer, he clarified that he was not there during the massacre itself. Reports have surfaced indicating that Walz was actually in Nebraska when the violence erupted. An article from the Alliance Times-Herald dated May 16, 1989, featured a photo of Walz touring a Nebraska National Guard storeroom in Alliance, Nebraska. Additionally, an earlier April 1989 article from a Nebraska newspaper noted that he planned to travel to China in early August of that year.

About the debate and who won it: The debate between Walz and Republican nominee J.D. Vance was largely seen as a draw slightly in favor of the latter. In a post-debate survey by CBS, 42% of viewers declared Vance the winner, 41% sided with Walz and 17% called it a tie. The policy-focused debate was viewed as generally positive, with both candidates considered “reasonable” and prepared for the presidency by a majority of viewers. Vance was seen as stronger on immigration, while Walz had an edge on healthcare and abortion. Though Walz spent more time explaining his views, Vance focused more on attacking the Harris-Walz ticket.

News

Restraining order renewed for Chinese woman facing racist abuse from ex-Seattle cop

On Sept. 24, a King County Superior Court judge renewed a 10-year restraining order for Zhen Jin, a Chinese American woman who, along with her elderly uncle, has faced ongoing racist abuse from her neighbors, Agnes Miggins and former police officer Burton Hill, in their condominium complex. Jin had requested a permanent restraining order, but the court decided to extend the current order until Sept. 24, 2034.

Catch up: The conflict began over the neighbors' dog being off-leash. The couple accused Jin of trying to kill their dog by leaving chicken bones in the condo’s courtyard, escalating into verbal abuse, including sexist slurs from Hill, who called Jin a “dumb f*cking ch*nk” and a “stupid f*cking c*nt.” Hill was previously fired from the Seattle Police Department after he was found guilty of unprofessional behavior and biased policing on May 2 following his racist remarks and threats toward Jin in August 2022.

Ongoing abuse: Despite an existing restraining order, Jin and her uncle continued to endure harassment, including loud pounding on the ceiling, which caused Jin severe distress and led her to visit the ER. Jin's attorney, Joyce Shui, argued that the neighbors were trying to drive Jin out, similar to what happened with a previous tenant. The court extended the restraining order and barred Miggins from serving on the Homeowners Association Board, as her influence was believed to harm Jin further. While Miggins claimed to have changed through therapy, the court maintained the order based on evidence of continued harassment.

Crime

DC man sentenced for robbery ring targeting South Asian jewelry stores 

Timothy Conrad, a 34-year-old man from Washington D.C., was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Tuesday for his involvement in a violent robbery ring targeting South Asian-owned jewelry stores along the East Coast. 

The robbery ring: Conrad, one of 16 defendants charged, participated in a group led by Trevor Wright, a rapper known as “Taliban Glizzy.” Together, they stole large amounts of gold from January 2022 to August 2023, melting it into gold bars and selling it by weight to convert it into cash. The group committed multiple armed robberies along the eastern seaboard, including a $1 million heist in Pennsylvania and a $400,000 theft in Jersey City, New Jersey. 

Conrad’s plea: Conrad, who was arrested last year, pleaded guilty on May 30 to conspiracy and firearm possession, with federal prosecutors concluding his involvement in at least four robberies. On Tuesday, he became the first defendant in the case to reach sentencing. He was also ordered to serve four years on supervised release after completing his 14-year prison term. He apologized to the victims at his sentencing, saying, “I hope you can get ya’ll’s peace and happiness back.” At least six members of the robbery crew have now pleaded guilty in connection with the case. Wright remains in federal custody awaiting trial.

Entertainment

More Asian films vie for 2025 Oscar's best international feature

The Philippines, Vietnam, Pakistan and China have announced their official submissions for the best international feature film category at the 97th Academy Awards. The chosen films, submitted ahead of the Oct. 2 deadline, reflect the diverse narratives and cinematic styles of the region, from political documentaries to hand-drawn animation and historical war dramas.

Southeast Asian gems: The Philippines has selected Ramona S. Diaz's "And So It Begins," a political documentary following the 2022 Philippine election and Vice President Leni Robredo's campaign. This film, a companion to Diaz's "A Thousand Cuts," provides a look into the country's political landscape following President Rodrigo Duterte's term. Vietnam's entry is "Peach Blossom, Pho and Piano," a war-romance-drama set during the First Indochina War. The film, directed by Phi Tien Son, depicts a young couple's struggle to reunite amidst the chaos of war. "Peach Blossom, Pho and Piano" won the Silver Lotus Award at the 23rd Vietnam Film Festival and enjoyed commercial success in Vietnam.

East and South features: Pakistan's submission is Usman Riaz's "The Glassworker," a hand-drawn animated feature and the first of its kind from Pakistan. The film tells the story of a father and son, whose lives as glassworkers are disrupted by the onset of war. "The Glassworker" premiered at Annecy earlier this year and features a voice cast including Art Malik and Sacha Dhawan. Meanwhile, China’s choice is the World War II documentary, "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru," directed by Fang Li. The film, which marks the first time China has submitted a documentary to the Oscars, recounts the 1942 tragedy where a Japanese ship carrying British prisoners-of-war was torpedoed by the U.S. Navy and Chinese fishermen rescued survivors.

News

Nutritionist explains why you should check your restaurant’s soy sauce bottles

A Malaysian nutritionist has warned the public about the potential presence of bacteria colonies in soy sauce bottles at restaurants. In a Facebook post last month, Siin Lin Guan Liang urged diners to check the bottles before using them, citing concerns over the risk of food poisoning from contaminated condiments.

What to look out for: According to Lin, soy sauce bottles in restaurants can serve as breeding grounds for bacteria or mold. He described the presence of white spots in the bottles as bacteria colonies, stating, “There are countless bacteria in each of the small white dots.” Lin emphasized that many cases of food poisoning may not come from the food itself but from contaminated condiment bottles. Mold can be harmful when inhaled or ingested, potentially causing allergic reactions such as a stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing and skin rashes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Raising awareness: While Lin's post initially caused concern among netizens, he clarified that his intention was not to scare people away from dining out altogether. Instead, he wanted to raise awareness about the issue and encourage people to take precautions. He advised people to examine soy sauce bottles for any suspicious spots and avoid using them if they appear contaminated. To illustrate his point, Lin shared a personal anecdote of mistaking salt crystals in a soy sauce bottle for bacteria colonies. He explained that the angular shape of the salt crystals, clearly visible in another image he shared, distinguished them from potentially harmful, round bacterial growth.

News

Model Jenny Shimizu recalls relationship with Madonna in ‘90s

Japanese American model and actress Jenny Shimizu said she felt like a “high-class hooker” while dating Madonna. The 57-year-old model recounted her sexual relationship with the 66-year-old “Queen of Pop” in the finale of Hulu’s six-episode documentary series “In Vogue: The ‘90s,” which premiered last month.

What she’s saying: An openly gay model who rose to fame in the ‘90s, Shimizu, who is now married to businessperson Michelle Harper, claimed in the episode that Madonna would sometimes call her to hook up. “You’re not gonna say no to Madonna in the ‘90s,” she said. Shimizu went on to share that while she was working for Prada in Milan, she would get a call from the pop icon, who would ask her to fly to her hotel in Paris. She recalled, “I’d go over to her hotel, to the Ritz, at like 4 in the morning, have sex and then fly back to Milan.” She added that it was “great feeling like a high-class hooker — because really, it was.” In her 2023 memoir, Shimizu explained that her relationship with Madonna wasn’t “about an emotional bond” but rather “taking each other to the heights of sexual ecstasy.” Her fling with the “Material Girl” singer reportedly overlapped with her relationship with Angelina Jolie, whom she met on the set of the 1996 film “Foxfire."

About Shimizu: A former car mechanic, Shimizu modeled for Calvin Klein and Banana Republic and was reportedly the first Asian model to walk for Prada in 1993. She also starred in Calvin Klein’s CK One ad, which was touted as one of the first openly marketed unisex perfumes. Outside modeling, Shimizu was credited in a few acting roles, including “Foxfire” (1996), “Itty Bitty Titty Committee” (2007) and five episodes of the 2007 series “Dante’s Cove.” She also served as a judge on the second season of Bravo TV’s “Make Me a Supermodel” in 2009.

Final Bites

📰China gets no formal message from U.S. on its National Day: In a departure from tradition, the U.S. State Department did not release a formal congratulatory message for China’s National Day, which marked the 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China on Oct. 1. This contrasts with messages sent to Cyprus and Nigeria, which both celebrate their independence on Oct. 1. Despite the absence of an official message, U.S. officials reportedly attended a National Day reception at China’s embassy in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping, at a state banquet, reaffirmed his commitment to China’s “complete reunification” with Taiwan, calling it “an irreversible trend” and part of the “march of history.” Tensions remain high between Beijing and Taipei as the latter reports increased Chinese military activities near the island. Xi’s rhetoric also comes amid growing U.S. military support for Taiwan, with President Joe Biden recently approving a $567 million aid for the island’s defense.

📺Gong Yoo returns as the mysterious salesman in thrilling “Squid Game” Season 2 teaser: South Korean actor Gong Yoo is back to entice viewers in the chilling teaser for “Squid Game” Season 2 released Tuesday. The new footage shows him preparing for his day before heading to the subway, the very place where the deadly games began. With a chilling smile, he offers a potential player a dalgona card and asks, "Would you like to play a game with me?"  Returning and new players alike will compete for the 45.6 billion Korean won prize, but with main protagonist Gi-hun back to uncover the truth, the stakes are higher than ever. The highly anticipated second season is set to premiere on Netflix on Dec. 26. 

📱Blackpink’s Jennie fans accuse Margaret Qualley of racism for touching idol’s hair: U.S. actress Margaret Qualley is facing accusations of racism after an interaction with Blackpink’s Jennie at the Chanel show during Paris Fashion Week on Oct. 1. In a now-viral video, Qualley is seen touching Jennie's newly blonde hair and asking, “Is your hair real?” Jennie responds that it was not, prompting Qualley to remark, “It looks real.” The exchange has drawn backlash from Jennie’s fans, who are calling Qualley’s comments ignorant and racially insensitive. “This is racism AF,” one X user wrote in part, while another noted, “White ppl really just f*cking reach & touch like POC aren’t human it’s weird.” Others also took notice of Qualley’s supposed avoidance of a kiss from Jennie while feeling comfortable enough to touch her hair. Qualley has not issued a statement in response to the uproar.

🎤Filipino singer’s “The Voice” audition earns “salamat” from Michael Buble: On the 26th season premiere of the reality show “The Voice” on Sept. 23, Filipino singer Sofronio Vasquez, 31, wowed the coaches on during the blind auditions, earning an instant four-chair turn before even reaching the chorus of Mary J. Blige’s “I’m Goin’ Down.” Vasquez, who was a former contestant on the Philippines’ singing competition “Tawag ng Tanghalan,” received standing ovations for his performance. “Your voice is like butter. It is so easy on the ears, but your soulfulness touches my heart. You got the whole package,” Reba McEntire said, while Gwen Stefani described his audition as a “Grammy performance.” Michael Bublé, who ultimately secured Vasquez for his team, tearfully expressed, “I want to start by saying salamat because the relationship I’ve had with the Philippines for so many years makes me love you even more. I can’t imagine how proud you’re going to make them. There is something that is so inherently beautiful about music for you. I got goosebumps.” 

🏀Grizzlies rookies Zach Edey and Yuki Kawamura recreate iconic NBA photo: Memphis Grizzlies rookies Zach Edey and Yuki Kawamura playfully recreated the iconic photo of NBA legends Manute Bol and Muggsy Bogues during the team’s Media Day on Monday at FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee. Edey, standing at 7'4", towers over his 5'8" teammate Kawamura with a 20-inch difference. This mirrors the famous 1987 image of 7'7" Bol and 5'3" Bogues, who had an even more dramatic 28-inch gap. To further emphasize the contrast, Edey and Kawamura even included the three basketballs featured in the original photo. The image quickly went viral, delighting fans and catching the attention of Bogues himself, who reacted on X with a laughing emoji and the comment, “Looks familiar.”