Nvidia CEO reveals life-changing lesson he learned from a Japanese gardener

Hello and good morning! It’s Friday, June 21. Here is some of the news in our community you need to know today.

“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self”

Today marks the 10th International Day of Yoga, a celebration proclaimed by the UN in 2014 recognizing the universal appeal and benefits of the ancient Indian practice. Originating from northern India over 5,000 years ago, yoga involves physical postures, breathing exercises and meditation to promote harmony between mind and body. One form of yoga, yoga nidra or "yogic sleep," involves deep relaxation and conscious awareness, offering benefits such as reduced anxiety and stress.

Tech

Nvidia CEO reveals life-changing lesson he learned from a Japanese gardener

Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang said that a Japanese gardener from Kyoto once gave him “one of the most profound learnings in my life.” The 61-year-old Taiwanese American entrepreneur, whose estimated net worth rose to $119 billion on Tuesday after Nvidia became the most valuable company in the world, shared the story while speaking at Caltech’s 130th commencement ceremony in Pasadena, California, on June 14.

• Huang often spends one month every summer at Nvidia’s overseas office. He recalled visiting the Silver Pavilion and moss garden in Kyoto with his family during one of these trips, where he met the gardener. “I walked up to him, and I said: ‘What are you doing?’ He said: ‘I’m picking dead moss. I’m taking care of my garden.’ And I said: ‘But your garden is so big?’ He responded: ‘I have cared for my garden for 25 years, I have plenty of time.’”

• What the gardener told him stuck with Huang through the years. He said: “I begin each morning – and do every single morning – by doing my highest priority work first. Before I even get to work my day is already a success. I’ve already completed my most important work and can dedicate my day to helping others. When people apologize for interrupting me I always say: ‘I have plenty of time.’”

News

Filipino hero gives legendary response after saving a child’s life

A quick-thinking Filipino man is being hailed as a hero in Japan after rescuing a young boy who fell into the ocean on Sunday. The unnamed 26-year-old, working in Fukuoka under a technical trainee program, saw the boy slip and fall into the water while the family was fishing at Hakozaki Wharf.

• The man jumped in and kept the boy afloat until others lowered fishing nets to help them both back to shore. Though the boy received treatment for hypothermia, neither was seriously injured.

• When asked to share his name by the grateful family, the man politely declined and left the scene after simply stating in Japanese: "I'm not important enough for people to need to be concerned about my name." His act of selflessness sparked widespread praise online, with many online calling him a "true hero" and "superhero."

Education

Asia shines in ranking of best cities for students

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released its latest annual Best Student Cities ranking on Tuesday. The global higher education analysts evaluated 150 premier study destinations in cities with a minimum population of 250,000 based on student feedback, universities, affordability, livability, employment and diversity. London was named the world's best student city for the sixth consecutive year, followed by Tokyo in second and Seoul in third. 

• The rankings, influenced by feedback from 100,000 prospective, current and former students, showed Tokyo excelling in employer activity and desirability indicators, while Seoul dominated the QS World University Rankings indicator with 23 ranked universities. Japan’s Keihanshin region (Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe) placed in the top 12, and Singapore ranked 15th overall but placed 125th in affordability.

• The top North American city on the list, Montreal, was ranked 10th, followed by Toronto at 11th. Boston (home to many students of QS’ top-ranked university the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and New York, the only U.S. cities to make the top 20, were ranked No. 16 and No. 18, respectively.

Politics

Texas Democrat accused of faking racism against himself

Taral Patel, a 30-year-old candidate for Fort Bend County Commission Precinct 3, faces accusations of creating fake social media accounts to fabricate racist and xenophobic posts directed at himself and others. The discriminatory posts, which included anti-Asian, anti-Pakistani and anti-Hindu sentiments, were allegedly intended to garner sympathy and attention for his campaign.

• Patel purportedly committed the deception to highlight the perceived extremism among his opponent's supporters and within the Republican Party. The incumbent, Andy Meyers, initiated an investigation last year after noticing inconsistencies in the identities behind the offensive posts. 

• Law enforcement traced the accounts back to Patel through subpoenas to Facebook and Google. Patel was arrested on June 12 on charges of online impersonation and misrepresentation of identity, marking a first for election-related misdemeanors in Fort Bend County. The case remains under legal scrutiny, with Patel set to appear in court on July 22.

Politics

U.S. approves $360 million weapons sale to Taiwan

The U.S. State Department on Tuesday approved the possible sale of drones, missiles and support equipment to Taiwan for an estimated $360 million. The package reportedly includes 291 warhead-equipped Altius-600M drones and 720 Switchblade drones — known as “extended-range loitering munitions” — aimed at bolstering Taiwan’s defense capabilities.

• The State Department said the arms sale supports U.S. national, economic and security interests by helping Taiwan “modernize its armed forces” and “maintain a credible defensive capability,” thereby contributing to regional stability. With ongoing tensions in the Taiwan Strait, the move is expected to draw condemnation from China, which has long vowed to take Taiwan by force if necessary.

• Taiwan’s defense ministry highlighted the importance of the sale, citing the need for real-time detection and rapid response capabilities against “enemy threats.” The ministry also called for China’s People’s Liberation Army to cease its aggressive maneuvers around Taiwan to foster regional peace.

Crime

Harassment continues for family of deceased victim of Johnny Kitagawa

 The family of a man who died in an apparent suicide after alleging he had been sexually abused by late J-pop boy band talent manager Johnny Kitagawa has reportedly remained on the receiving end of online harassment. “I’ve already lost my husband, so why do I have to endure such ongoing misery?” his wife told the Yomiuri Shimbun in a recent interview.

• The victim, who was in his 40s, was found dead in the mountains of Minoh, Osaka Prefecture, last October. After coming forward with allegations against Kitagawa, who died of a stroke in July 2019, he became a target of slanderous comments, with some claiming that he was making false accusations for money.

• As of late May, a total of 993 individuals claimed to be victims of Kitagawa, according to Smile-Up Inc., the rebranded form of his founded entertainment agency. Of this number, 423 received compensation, while 126 were denied as their allegations and connection with the company could not be verified.

More News

• Asian American candidates win in Virginia primaries: State Sen. Suhas Subramanyam won the Democratic primary on Tuesday to succeed retiring Rep. Jennifer Wexton in Virginia's 10th Congressional District. With 30.4% of the vote, the Indian American candidate defeated 11 other competitors in the race, supported by Wexton's endorsement and more than $1 million fundraising. Hung Cao, a Vietnamese refugee and retired Navy captain, also secured victory in the statewide Republican primary and will challenge Democratic incumbent Tim Kaine in November. Cao, who claimed victory with 61% of the vote, emphasized his commitment to issues like border security and Social Security, pledging to “save America.”

  

• Malaysian scores historic win at US Women's Open of bowling: On Tuesday, 32-year-old Li Jane became the first Malaysian and Southeast Asian to win the U.S. Women’s Open championship title in bowling after defeating Latvia’s Dania Zavjalova 226-214 at the Royal Pin Woodland in Indianapolis, taking home the grand prize of $60,000. Li is the second Asian U.S. Women’s Open titleholder, following Japan’s Shinobu Saitoh in 1982. Li also surpassed Malaysian Datuk Shalin Zulkifli, who finished in third place in 2008.

  

• "Train to Busan" director teams up with Alfonso Cuarón for new film: Yeon Sang-ho, director of the 2016 global hit "Train to Busan," is set to direct a new Netflix film, with Academy Award-winning director Alfonso Cuarón ("Gravity") signed up as executive producer and consultant. The film, titled "Revelations," adapts Yeon's popular Korean webtoon of the same name that follows a pastor and detective investigating a missing person's case. This marks Yeon's return to Netflix after directing hit series "Hellbound" and "Parasyte: The Grey."

• The pope prays for “noble, courageous” Chinese: Pope Francis called Chinese people “noble” and “courageous” in an unscripted remark during a prayer in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday. “This also makes me think about the beloved Chinese people: let us always pray for these noble and very courageous people who have such a beautiful culture,” he said. There are an estimated 6-12 million Catholics living in China.