Thailand passes historic marriage equality bill

Hello and good morning! It’s Wednesday, June 19. Here is some of the news you need to know in our community today.

“It’s freedom for everybody or freedom for nobody”

Juneteenth marks this date in 1865, when enslaved people in Texas finally learned of their freedom. Though the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, news didn't reach slaves in Texas, the furthest Confederate state, until Union troops arrived in Galveston two and a half years later. Celebrated for over a century by Black Americans, Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021.

Thailand

Thailand passes historic marriage equality bill

Thailand’s same-sex marriage bill passed through the Senate on Tuesday, receiving 130 votes in favor, four against and 18 abstentions. This latest development puts Thailand on track to become Southeast Asia’s first country, and the third in Asia after Taiwan and Nepal, to legalize same-sex marriage.

• The bill will amend gender-specific words in the country’s civil and commercial code, such as “husband” and “wife,” to “spouse,” and grant LGBTQ+ couples the same legal rights as heterosexual couples, including rights related to inheritance and adoption. After passing the Senate, the bill will head to the Constitutional Court for review. LGBTQ+ couples can get married 120 days after the bill becomes law through royal approval and is published in the Royal Gazette.

• "Today we celebrate another significant milestone in the journey of our Equal Marriage Bill," Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin wrote in a post on X. "I am proud of the collective effort of all stakeholders which reiterates the power of ‘unity in diversity’ of the Thai society. We will continue our fight for social rights for all people regardless of their status."

News

SF park where Asian grandmother was killed is now a site of “abundant love”

A park in San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley has been renamed Yik Oi Huang Peace and Friendship Park in honor of Yik Oi Huang, an 88-year-old great-grandmother who died a year after being attacked at the park in 2019. The renaming ceremony on Saturday, attended by city leaders, neighbors and Huang’s family, aimed to turn the tragedy into a symbol of healing and unity. 

• "It's symbol of hope, resilience for communities come together in times of challenge," said Mayor London Breed, according to ABC7. At the ceremony, Huang's granddaughter, Sasanna Yee, led chants of “Yik Oi,” meaning “abundant love” in Chinese. Diana Yee, another granddaughter, noted that the attack had frightened many Asian seniors from visiting the park, but with the renaming and cultural festivities, such as lion dancing, she says it now feels “like a whole new park.”

• Huang was attacked during her usual morning walk in the park on Jan. 8, 2019, suffering severe injuries, including a broken skull, arms and neck. She received long-term care at a hospital but died in January 2020. The attack, followed by a burglary at her home, deeply impacted the city's Asian community. The alleged attacker, 24-year-old Keonte Gathron, was arrested shortly after and remains in jail awaiting trial for murder and other charges.

Crime

Video shows 20 robbers in smash-and-grab of Bay Area jewelry store

Approximately 20 individuals ransacked Indian jewelry store PNG Jewelers in Sunnyvale, California, during a three-minute robbery, using hammers to break in and raiding jewelry displays. The heist took place on June 12 just before 12:30 p.m.

• Surveillance footage captured the armed robbers wearing hoods and masks as they systematically smashed display cases, grabbed jewelry and fled, leaving the store in disarray with shattered glass. They escaped in multiple vehicles before police arrived and located two suspect vehicles. No injuries were reported.  

• Police arrested five suspects after a pursuit on Highway 101, recovering some stolen items discarded during the chase. The suspects, identified as Tonga Latu, Tavake Esafe, Ofa Ahomana, Kilifi Leaaetoa and Afuhia Lavakeiaho, were booked into Santa Clara County Jail. They face charges including armed robbery, burglary and felony evasion. The incident remains under investigation, and authorities are currently searching for other suspects.

News

Indian national pleads not guilty in alleged plot to murder US activist

Nikhil Gupta, 52, pleaded not guilty to charges of (1) murder for hire and (2) conspiracy to commit murder for hire in connection with a failed 2023 plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual U.S.-Canada citizen who leads a Sikh separatist group in New York, last year. Defense lawyer Jeff Chabrowe entered the plea on Gupta’s behalf in Manhattan federal court on Monday.

• Gupta is accused of conspiring with an Indian government official to kill Pannun. However, the plot was thwarted by a Drug Enforcement Administration-led sting operation. Gupta was extradited from the Czech Republic to the U.S. on Friday after his arrest in Prague a year ago. He will appear before a district judge on June 28.

• The Indian government has long viewed Sikh separatist groups as security threats. Pannun has been a prominent advocate for an independent Sikh state in northern India. U.S. authorities continue to press India for accountability in the alleged plots. Similar accusations arose in Canada, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleging Indian government links to the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another Sikh separatist.

Health

Japan sees record spike in “flesh-eating disease”

Japan is experiencing a record spike in cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), a rapidly developing and potentially fatal bacterial infection. Cases reached 977 as of June 2 — the highest share from Tokyo at 145 — surpassing last year’s 941, which was the highest number since mandatory reporting began in 1999.

• Primarily caused by group A streptococcus bacteria, STSS, also known as “flesh-eating disease,” can lead to necrosis of limbs and multiple organ failure. Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain and vomiting, but the condition can escalate to life-threatening levels with low blood pressure and severe swelling.

• Prof. Ken Kikuchi of Tokyo Women's Medical University suggests that weakened immune systems post-COVID-19 may be contributing to the rise in cases. “We can boost immunity if we are constantly exposed to bacteria. But that mechanism was absent during the coronavirus pandemic,” Kikuchi told NHK. “So, more people are now susceptible to infection, and that may be one reason for the sharp rise in cases.”

More News

• Nintendo reveals “Animal Crossing” tour of U.S. aquariums: Nintendo America is taking “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” on an aquarium tour across the U.S. following its collaboration with the Seattle Aquarium. The tour will have seven stopovers, including Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach in South Carolina and the Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans, and will run from June 2024 to February 28, 2025. As part of the event, fans can also meet “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” characters Isabelle, Tom Nook or K.K. Slider on select days and locations.

  

• Blackpink’s Rosé has new management: Rosé has signed a management contract with The Black Label, the agency announced on Tuesday. The company, led by Teddy Park — producer of many of Blackpink’s hits — is an associate label of YG Entertainment, Blackpink’s agency. The Black Label is currently home to artists such as soloist Somi, Bigbang’s Taeyang and actor Park Bo-gum, among others. All four members of Blackpink renewed their group contract with YG Entertainment but opted out of individual contracts in December 2023.

• South Korea launches visa for foreign K-pop trainees: South Korea will begin issuing a “K-culture training visa” for foreigners looking to become trainees under major K-pop labels. A trial run will commence in the second half of the year. The initiative, announced by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, is part of broader measures to boost the country's tourism. The government also plans to expand a digital nomad visa, install more unmanned immigration checkpoints and offer public transportation passes exclusive to tourists, among other measures.

• Filipino American teen wins national art contest: Amber Sevilla, a 17-year-old 11th grader from Elmhurst, Queens, won this year’s "An Artistic Discovery," an annual art competition House of Representatives spearheaded by U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY). Sevilla’s winning piece, titled "2:25 PM," is an acrylic painting depicting a heartwarming moment with her father. Meng announced on Tuesday that Sevilla's artwork will be displayed for a year in the U.S. Capitol alongside winning entries from other congressional districts. 

  

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