Politics

Usha Vance hit with racist comments by MAGA figures

Usha Vance, the wife of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, has been subjected to racist comments following Donald Trump’s announcement of her husband as his running mate for November’s election. The attacks appear to have erupted shortly after Usha, who is Indian American, took the stage at the Republican National Convention to introduce J.D. on Wednesday.

What critics are saying: Known figures in Trump’s Make America Great Again movement — including  Jan. 6 attendee Vincent James Foxx, white nationalist  Nick Fuentes, activist Jaden McNeil and Christian nationalist Stew Peters — all made racist and/or xenophobic remarks directed at Usha and her family, questioning her husband’s stance on immigration. “Do we really expect that the guy who has an Indian wife and named their kid Vivek is going to support white identity?” Fuentes said in his podcast while making his case for a supposed ongoing “white genocide.”

What others are saying: Despite the racist attacks, Usha has also received praise from some conservative figures. Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, for one, highlighted her educational and professional background, calling her “EXTREMELY impressive.” Vivek Ramaswamy, who also ran for the GOP nomination, revealed that Usha is a family friend in an interview with NBC News. “I think she could be a big attribute in this campaign in reaching non-traditional voters,” he said.

Politics

Trump suggests Taiwan pay for U.S. protection

Former President Donald Trump said that Taiwan should pay the U.S. for protection from China, casting doubt about continued U.S. support if he wins the upcoming presidential election. In an interview with Bloomberg published Tuesday, Trump compared the U.S. to an insurance company and criticized Taiwan for insufficient contributions. He also accused Taiwan of taking U.S. semiconductor business despite its significant investments in American manufacturing facilities. 

Taiwan’s response: Premier Cho Jung-tai responded by emphasizing Taiwan's strong relationship with the U.S. and efforts to bolster its self-defense capabilities. “Taiwan and the US share a common responsibility for the Indo-Pacific region of the Taiwan Strait, and we are willing to do more to defend ourselves and protect our security,” he said. Cho also reiterated Taiwan’s commitment to maintaining its semiconductor R&D domestically. 

Unpredictable U.S. stance: Trump's remarks indicate a potentially unpredictable U.S. stance on China and Taiwan under his leadership. His comments come amid increased U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan and rising tensions with China, which claims Taiwan as a province. However, Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, stressed the need to focus on China as the primary security threat. While official U.S. policy is one of "strategic ambiguity," President Joe Biden has explicitly stated he would defend Taiwan.

Crime

Man pleads not guilty to assaulting restaurant cook in New York

Lucas Healey, 42, appeared in Albany County court on Wednesday, pleading not guilty to robbery and assault charges. He is accused of attacking Su Wen, a 49-year-old restaurant cook, after attempting to leave Shogun Sushi in Albany without paying a $400 bill on May 29. Healey allegedly punched Wen multiple times, leaving him in a coma for nearly two weeks.

Healey’s status: Healey remains in Albany County jail, awaiting a bail application hearing, with a court date set for Aug. 16. The initial charges against Healey included first-degree robbery as a hate crime due to his alleged use of racial slurs while attempting to flee the restaurant. However, prosecutors did not provide an explanation for why the indictment no longer classifies the robbery as a hate crime. 

Wen’s condition: Wen is currently at New York University rehabilitation center with severe brain damage, memory loss and motor skill impairments. He has since regained consciousness but remains mostly bedridden and unable to speak or move independently. A GoFundMe campaign has raised $60,000 of its $75,000 goal to support Wen's recovery. “I feel uncomfortable and angry, if someone like Lucas Healey would get something less than a life sentence because that is what me and my mom think he deserves,” Wen’s daughter Nicole told News 10.

News

South Korea grants rights to same-sex couple in landmark ruling

South Korea’s Supreme Court on Thursday granted a same-sex couple spousal coverage under the state health insurance program. The historic ruling marks a significant step toward recognizing the legal rights of same-sex couples in the country, which continues to outlaw same-sex marriage.

About the case: So Seong-wook filed an administrative lawsuit against the National Health Insurance Service in 2021 after the agency reversed its initial decision to grant him coverage under the employer-based health insurance program of his partner, Kim Yong-min. The Supreme Court ruled that his exclusion constitutes discrimination based on sexual orientation. It also stated that denying spousal coverage to same-sex couples infringes on human dignity, the right to pursue happiness, privacy and equality before the law. Moreover, it emphasized that same-sex partners should be recognized as dependents if they rely on their employed partner for livelihood and are unable to pay insurance fees themselves.

Reactions: The decision drew cheers and tears of joy from LGBTQ+ activists, who expressed hopes that it will pave the way for broader recognition of same-sex marriage in South Korea. Amnesty International hailed the ruling as a “historic victory” for equality and human rights. On the other hand, anti-LGBTQ+ Christian groups lashed out at the decision, with activists reportedly disrupting a press conference by speaking in tongues and screaming “Homosexuality is a sin!”

News

Cooking oil scandal stirs outrage in China

Recent Chinese media reports revealing that state-owned Sinograin and private conglomerate Hopefull Grain and Oil Group have been transporting cooking oil in fuel tankers without proper cleaning has ignited public outrage, with many Chinese netizens expressing their anger and calling for harsher punishments for the companies involved. Both companies acknowledged the allegations and pledged to cooperate with the investigations

Investigation underway: In response to the public outcry, authorities have launched investigations into the matter and began inspection of other companies in the food transportation industry. China's State Council has promised that those involved "will be severely punished."

Recurring issue: Similar incidents of transporting cooking oil in fuel tankers were reported in 2005 and 2015. The scandal raises serious concerns about food contamination, especially given the already prevalent issue of "gutter oil," which is recycled cooking oil often sourced from drains and grease traps and then illegally sold to unsuspecting consumers. President Xi Jinping warned in a 2013 speech that the Communist Party's legitimacy would be questioned if it "cannot even do a good job in food safety."

Entertainment

“Shogun” makes TV history with 25 Emmy nominations

FX’s “Shogun,” a historical drama based on James Clavell’s novel, set a record with its Emmy nominations on Wednesday and became the second non-English language series nominated for outstanding drama, following "Squid Game" in 2022. The 76th Emmy Awards will air live on Sept. 15 from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with the Creative Arts ceremonies taking place on Sept. 7 to 8. 

“Shogun” nominations:The series earned 25 nominations, including for actors Hiroyuki Sanada (outstanding lead actor in a Drama Series), Anna Sawai (outstanding lead actress), Tadanobu Asano and Takehiro Hira (outstanding supporting actor in a drama series). 

Other Asian nominees: D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, of Chinese-Guyanese descent, earned his first nomination as outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for "Reservation Dogs." Chinese American Bowen Yang was nominated a fourth time for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for "Saturday Night Live.” Korean American Kristen Kish was nominated for outstanding reality host for "Top Chef." Japanese American talents, including actress Maya Erskine was nominated for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," while Rachel Kondo received her first Emmy nominations for outstanding writing for a drama series for two episodes of "Shogun." Lastly, Japanese American filmmaker Hiro Murai earned his seventh nomination for outstanding directing for a drama series for "Mr. & Mrs. Smith.”

News

Indian teen deported after admitting to faking dad’s death for scholarship on Reddit

A 19-year-old Indian student, Aryan Anand, was deported from the U.S. after he confessed on Reddit to a fraudulent scheme to secure a full scholarship at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. In a post titled “I have built my life and career on lies and fraud - Long,” Anand confessed to fabricating academic records and even faking his father's death to qualify for financial aid.

Admitting to lies: Anand claimed that high tuition costs of Ivy League colleges led him to resort to fraud. He said he aspired to attend prestigious American universities but admitted that he hadn't prepared well for his Class 12 board exams, a crucial determinant for university admissions in India. Despite being rejected by most of the universities he applied to, Lehigh accepted him and offered full financial support. “I created a completely fake death certificate of my father, but I did and sent that to my college, saying my dad got cancer and is dead, so my mother would receive his pension and that would be almost half of his actual income, so I won't be able to pay for these 5k also," he wrote in the now-deleted post. 

Fraudster unmasked: A Reddit moderator investigated Anand's claims and successfully unmasked his identity. This led to Anand's arrest and subsequent guilty plea to forgery on June 12. Although he faced a potential jail sentence of 10 to 20 years, a plea deal resulted in his admission to Lehigh being revoked, his expulsion from the institution and his deportation back to India.

NextShark Exclusive

The army that recreated authentic feudal Japan in “Shogun”

FX’s historical drama “Shogun,” which takes place in early 17th century feudal Japan, set a record with its 25 Emmy nominations and became the second non-English language series nominated for outstanding drama. In an interview with NextShark, co-creators and casts emphasized the extensive efforts and necessity of on-the-ground expertise, such as historians, Japanese kimono experts and theater actors, to accurately bring the complex story to life. Anna Sawai, who earned an outstanding lead actress for her role as Lady Mariko, said, “A lot of times I would feel a little bit like we were misportrayed. It was really important to me that if we were telling a Japanese story that as a Japanese person, I could proudly say that we were doing it authentically and accurately.” “Shogun” is available to stream on FX and Hulu.

Final Bites

Andrew Yang says Dems should replace Biden as nominee: Andrew Yang, former Democratic presidential candidate and co-founder of the Forward Party, is reportedly predicting a “historic loss” for Joe Biden in November’s presidential election. To defeat Donald Trump, he believes the Democratic Party should replace their nominee with a stronger candidate. Biden’s support for a second term has weakened following his poor debate performance, with even some lawmakers from his own party calling for him to step aside. Yang believes Trump could win not only the presidency, but the House and Senate as well. He calls on others to sign a petition for Biden to “step aside.”

Chinese woman demands justice after secret surgery video goes viral: A woman in China discovered she was secretly filmed during a breast enlargement surgery when she saw herself in a widely circulated video on Douyin. The video, which garnered thousands of likes and shares, shows Gao heavily bandaged and under anesthesia after she underwent the procedure in January at a Henan province hospital. She demanded the hospital to identify the person who filmed her, remove the video and compensate her, but they initially refused, claiming the recording was posted externally. After public outcry, the hospital stated the filmer had left and their contact information was deleted. Gao plans to sue, arguing the hospital is accountable for patient privacy violations.