Will Chinese land ownership be banned in Texas?

In case you missed it:

• Filipina American Lee Kifer wins gold for the second time in individual foil

• Chinese American Torri Huske wins gold in 100M butterfly being the first Asian American to ever win in that event

• Coco Yoshizawa and Liz Akama for Japan win gold and silver in Women’s Street Skateboarding at just 14 and 15 years old

• Sunisa Lee will compete in the Olympic all-around final on Tuesday

Politics

Harris breaks Biden’s poll record, gets Obamas’ endorsement

Vice President Kamala Harris broke President Joe Biden’s record in a new poll by Morning Consult, the first of the pollster’s daily tracking following the latter’s exit. She also received the endorsement of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, who both expressed that they are proud of her.

Poll result: The poll released Thursday shows Harris leading former President Donald Trump 46% to 45%. “Her level of support at the start of her campaign exceeds the highest level of support we gauged for Biden since tracking began in late 2022,” Morning Consult stated. Among independent voters, she also leads Trump 40% to 38%. She also unifies the Democratic Party, with nearly two in three Democrats supporting her candidacy, more than double the support from last month.

Obamas’ endorsement: Harris accepted the Obamas’ endorsement in a phone call filmed by her campaign on Friday. The former president told her, “We called to say Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office.” On the other hand, the former first lady said, “I can’t have this phone call without saying to my girl, Kamala, I am proud of you. This is going to be historic.”

News

Will Chinese land ownership be banned in Texas?

Citing national security concerns, Texas lawmakers are revisiting a stalled legislation that would restrict Chinese land ownership in the state. The proposed law generally targets entities affiliated with “hostile” nations to protect critical infrastructure.

About the bill: Senate Bill 147, authored by State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), aims to limit land ownership by “hostile foreign organizations,” specifically those tied with China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. It previously faced backlash for being discriminatory, with critics like State Rep. Gene Wu arguing it targeted Asian American communities. Despite this, Kolkhorst plans to refile the bill in 2025, citing strong voter support.

Committee deliberations: The House Select Committee on Securing Texas from Hostile Foreign Organizations heard testimonies from various experts and stakeholders on Wednesday, emphasizing the need for a more targeted approach to avoid unintended consequences. The debate centered on balancing national security with private property rights, with the Texas Farm Bureau and others stressing the importance of respecting landowners' rights. Arguments about reciprocity and legal challenges in other states — such as Florida — further highlight the complexities in differentiating between legitimate and threatening foreign land ownership.

News

Ex-CIA analyst, wife of WaPo columnist charged with espionage

Sue Mi Terry, who is married to prominent Washington Post columnist Max Boot, has been charged with acting as a foreign agent for South Korea beginning in 2013. The indictment alleges that Terry, who was born in Seoul and is a naturalized U.S. citizen, failed to register as a foreign agent and conspired to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Prosecutors claim that Terry, 54, received luxury gifts and covert funding from South Korean intelligence in exchange for promoting their policies and disclosing confidential information. Among the cited gifts are high-end handbags, a coat and expensive meals.

Boot under fire: The indictment includes allegations that Terry wrote opinion pieces for The Post at the request of South Korean officials without disclosing their involvement. The Post has since added editor's notes to several articles she co-authored with Boot, acknowledging the indictment. The controversy raised questions about Boot’s integrity, given his history of criticizing Trump over alleged foreign interference. However, The Post has stated that Boot will continue to publish with them. 

Terry’s denial: The Council on Foreign Relations, where Terry is a senior fellow, has placed her on unpaid leave pending the investigation. Despite these allegations, Terry's lawyer, Lee Wolosky, insists the charges are baseless. Wolosky stated, “These allegations are unfounded and distort the work of a scholar and news analyst known for her independence and years of service to the United States. In fact, she was a harsh critic of the South Korean government during times this indictment alleges that she was acting on its behalf. Once the facts are made clear it will be evident the government made a significant mistake.”

News

11-year-old boy teaches himself how to build a rocket

Yan Hongsen, an 11-year-old Chinese boy from Shaoxing, Zhejiang, has taught himself computer programming, physics and chemistry since kindergarten, eventually leading him to be able to build and launch his own rocket. According to his father, who works in the tourism industry, Yan's passion for rockets and astronomy began at age 4 after he witnessed the Long March-2 liftoff and his interest in building rockets began when he was 8.

First launch: Yan launched his first rocket, named "Sen Xing" or "Moving Forward," in June 2023. Unfortunately, the rocket sustained damage and crashed after its parachute failed to deploy during separation. Despite this setback, Yan remained composed and undeterred, an attitude his father commended. “For me, although it crashed, the rocket’s first flight was still a success. I was extremely excited and thrilled, while my son remained very calm,” he told the South China Morning Post. 

His preparation: To ensure that his next launch goes smoothly, Yan reportedly taught himself programming and wrote 600 lines of code for his new rocket’s flight control system, a step toward his dream of building a rocket for China. Yan’s family have supported his mission by turning their living room into a rocket research area. They also share videos of Yan’s progress on the boy’s Douyin channel, which has over 448,000 followers.

News

This Asian city has been named safest in the world for travelers in 2024

Singapore has been named the safest city in the world for 2024, receiving a zero-out-of-100 score on Forbes Advisor’s recent travel insurance study, with zero being the safest score possible. Forbes Advisor determined a city's safety or risk score based on multiple factors, including travel safety rating data from the United States Department of State, crime risk, personal security risk and health security risk.

The report: Singapore received the "best travel safety rating" from the U.S. State Department in 2024 and was noted for having the lowest natural disaster risk, according to the study. Additionally, Singapore ranked second lowest in health security risk, infrastructure security risk and digital security risk.

Other cities: Joining Singapore in the top 10 are other Asian cities such as Tokyo, which received a score of 10.72 and ranked No. 2; Seoul, with a score of 25 at No. 7; and Osaka, Japan, with a score of 25.22 at No. 8.

Featured Post

Oscar-nominated, Taiwanese-American film director Sean Wang and lead actor Izaac Wang sat down with NextShark to discuss their new film, 'Dìdi (弟弟)' a heartwarming story about a boy learning important life lessons as a 13-year-old in 2008.

Final Bites

RNC’s repost of Kamala Harris’ f-word drop backfires: The Republican National Committee’s X repost of Kamala Harris saying the f-word at a leadership summit has seemingly backfired. “This is part of what’s involved is that we have to know that sometimes people will open the door for you and leave it open. Sometimes they won’t. And then you need to kick that f*cking door down. Excuse my language,” Harris said during a moderated conversation with Jimmy O. Yang at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies Legislative Leadership Summit on May 13. Several X users voiced their support for Harris under RNC’s post, with one user writing, “All this video did is make me love her more i can’t wait to vote for her,” while another user commented, “You’re making me like her more. Thanks!”

Jimin delivers electrifying performance on “The Tonight Show”: Jimin performed his latest solo single “Who” on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on Monday night. The captivating number was filmed prior to his enlistment in South Korea’s mandatory military service last December. Set in a staged abandoned building, the high-energy performance showcased the BTS star’s emotive vocals and intricate choreography. “Who,” from his sophomore album “Muse,” was released on July 19. “Muse” topped last week’s Billboard poll featuring new music from artists across all genres. He and fellow member Jungkook will star in Disney Plus’ “Are You Sure?!,” a travel reality series premiering Aug. 8.

Japanese company creates “for-gamers” pouch ramen with caffeine kick: Japanese company Nippon Ham has released a ready-to-eat ramen designed specifically for gamers. “Boost Noodle” requires no heating and can be consumed directly from a “spout pouch.” It contains 35 milligrams of caffeine and includes chashu pork, menma (fermented bamboo shoots), a mix of tonkotsu (pork broth) and seafood broth and noodles made from konnyaku – a yam gelatin that remains firm and doesn't become soggy. Released on Friday, the “Boost Noodle” ramen is available on Japan’s e-commerce sites for 660 yen ($4.30).

Blackswan, Cravity and Jessi to star in Apple K-pop doc: K-pop girl group Blackswan, boy group Cravity and soloist Jessi are set to star in Apple TV Plus’ “K-Pop Idols,” a new documentary premiering on Aug. 30. The six-episode series, which will offer a behind-the-scenes look into the highly competitive industry, will follow the artists “through trials and triumphs as they break down cultural and musical barriers in K-pop with passion, creativity and determination while they chase their dreams.” Blackswan (“Karma,” “Cat & Mouse”) has four members of mixed races; Cravity (“My Turn,” “Love or Die”) consists of nine members; Jessi is known for hit singles such as “Nunu Nana” and “Zoom.”