Kendee Yamaguchi

Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced the hiring of Kendee Yamaguchi as Director of Policy, Legislative Affairs, and External Relations on Tuesday, Feb. 5.

As the executive director of the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, Yamaguchi served as a small agency cabinet member and advised the governor, state agencies, the Legislature, and local government on policies, plans, and programs.

Yamaguchi will lead Ferguson’s governmental affairs team, advising the office on legislative issues, policy, and external relations.   Read the full story

Consul General Ota

Japanese Consul General to Seattle Kiyokazu Ota and his wife will be leaving Seattle in the month of February to receive his new diplomatic assignment in Japan. Consul Ota has served at the Seattle consulate for the past three years,  being part of a period of close cooperation of the two countries. Consul General Ota’s duties ranged from traditional diplomatic work to attending community events. Recently, he was the host of the Emperor of Japan’s birthday celebration in Seattle.

His replacement is yet to be announced. (end)

Kin On Community Health Care and the Kin On Health Care Center announced new additions to their board directors and new executive officers during their annual meeting on Dec. 4, 2012. Read the full story

Mayor McGinn at his South Seattle election rally

Mayor McGinn kicked off his re-election campaign on January 9 at an event hosted at the Filipino Community Center in South Seattle. Read the full story

By Didi Tang
The Associated Press

BEIJING, China (AP) — A truck that exploded and caused an elevated stretch of a highway to collapse in central China, killing 10 people, was loaded with holiday fireworks that were illegally produced and transported, authorities said Saturday, Feb. 2. Read the full story

By Manuel Valdes
The Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — Emboldened by the critical role minorities played in the November elections, immigrant rights advocates in Olympia want to play offense this year. Read the full story

Nguyen Quoc Quan

By Shaya Tayefe Mohajer
The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (AP) — A Vietnamese American accused of conspiring to overthrow Vietnam’s communist government smiled broadly as he reunited with his family after he was deported back to the United States.

Nguyen Quoc Quan, who had been detained for nine months, was greeted by his wife, children, and other family members, who carried balloons and placed leis around his neck after he exited a plane the night of Wednesday, Jan. 30  at Los Angeles International Airport. Read the full story

By Nirmala George
The Associated Press

NEW DELHI, India (AP) — Five men pleaded not guilty Saturday, Feb. 2 after being formally indicted in a special court on 13 charges, including rape and murder, in the fatal gang rape of a woman in a New Delhi bus, a lawyer said. Read the full story

By Jim Gomez
The Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Abu Sayyaf gunmen have freed two Filipino members of a Jordanian TV journalist’s crew who were kidnapped by the al-Qaida-linked militants last year, as they set out to interview the extremists in their jungle lairs in the southern Philippines, police said Sunday, Jan. 31. Read the full story

John Liu

By Jennifer Peltz and Larry Neumeister
The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A Chinese American mayoral hopeful’s reputation and popularity may be at stake when his former campaign treasurer and fundraiser go on trial this week on charges of conspiring to break campaign finance laws to raise more money for him.

City Comptroller John Liu has not been charged and is not expected to testify at his ex-aides’ conspiracy trial. But the prosecution, coming as the city’s most heated mayoral race in years gets into full swing, is making the case into something of a trial of his political prospects. Read the full story

By Staff
The Associated Press

HACKENSACK, N.J. (AP) — After noticing plaques at the local courthouse commemorating slavery, the Holocaust, and other atrocities, Korean American community leader Chejin Park had the idea of adding a tribute to the “comfort women” of World War II. Read the full story

By Staff
The Associated Press

Sei whale sushi

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (AP) — A now-shuttered Southern California sushi restaurant and two of its chefs were indicted on conspiracy and other charges for allegedly serving illegal and endangered whale meat, authorities said Friday, Feb. 1. Read the full story

Steven Chu

By Matthew Daly
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — Energy Secretary Steven Chu, who won a Nobel Prize in physics but came under questioning for his handling of a solar energy loan, is stepping down. Read the full story

By Jane Han
New America Media

NEW YORK ― For certain privileged Korean moms-to-be, their baby’s first gifts aren’t toys, rattles, or clothes. It’s U.S. citizenship. Read the full story

By Andrew Hamlin
Northwest Asian Weekly

Many people were curious about “The Last Stand” because it marks action superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first return to the silver screen since leaving office as governor of California. However, I was reluctant to watch another film from South Korean director Ji-woon Kim, since I gave his gore-drowned film “I Saw the Devil” zero stars and consider it to be the Very Worst Film Ever Made (that I’ve seen so far, anyway).

Still, director Kim also made a zany, sometimes-interesting Korean Western called “The Good, the Bad, the Weird,” and, bolstered by an encouraging trailer, I set off to watch his new film, which is Kim’s first movie shot in the West and the first with an English-language cast. Read the full story

By Samantha Pak
Northwest Asian Weekly

Tiger’s Destiny
By Colleen Houck
Splinter, 2012

It’s three quests down and one to go for Kelsey Hayes, Ren, and Kishan, as they continue to work to break the curse that forces the two brothers to live part of their days as tigers.

In the last three books in Houck’s Tiger Saga series, we have seen the trio battle deadly sea monkeys, a giant snake, a monstrous shark, and more. The final installment is no different. “Destiny” is filled with mythical creatures, evil beings, and even has a little bit of time travel thrown in as well. Read the full story