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“Wicked” director Jon M. Chu reflected on how the feature film might have greater meaning in the wake of the election. “‘The Wizard of Oz’ was always sort of prophetic in a way,” Chu said. Nina Westervelt / WWD via Getty ImagesNBC News and NBCUniversal, the distributor of “Wicked,” share Comcast as a parent company. Chu said the musical adaptation, which premiered on Broadway in 2003, was also coincidentally released during a momentous time. “When ‘Wicked’ came around, it was a re-examination of that,” Chu said.

Persons: Jon M, Chu, “, Oz ’, ” Chu, ”, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Oz ”, Oz, ” Cynthia Erivo, Nina Westervelt, Elphaba, Glinda, ’, Donald Trump’s Organizations: NBC News, Getty Images NBC, Comcast Locations: America, New York

☆ Director Jon M. Chu joins ‘Wicked’ premiere from hospital as wife gives birth to daughter
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-10 | by ( Francesca Gariano | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Director Jon M. Chu and his wife, Kristin Hodge, expanded their family by one more, welcoming the birth of their daughter on Nov. 9. Chu shared several more posts on his Instagram stories, including a snap of his suit for the premiere still in its garment bag. Chu also gave fans a first glimpse of his newborn daughter, sharing a sweet video of his wife holding their baby on her chest in the hospital. “Happy Premiere Day!! You have a lot of witches on your side.”In addition to their newborn daughter, Chu and Hodge are parents to four other children: Willow, 7, Jonathan Heights, 5, Ruby, 3 and Iggy, 1.

Persons: Jon M, Chu, Kristin Hodge, ”, ” Chu, “, Ariana Grande’s, Frankie Grande, Hodge, ” Jon M, Jonathan Heights, Iggy, “ I’ve, I’m, —, glimmering, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Grande, Erivo, Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Bailey, Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh, Madame Morrible Organizations: Angeles, Universal Pictures, NBCUniversal, fam, Broadway Locations: Grande

☆ Super Typhoon Kong-rey (Leon) edges towards Taiwan, could sweep ‘almost the whole’ island
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-29 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | Eric Cheung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Authorities in Taiwan are warning residents along its eastern coast to brace for the impacts Super Typhoon Kong-rey, which has rapidly intensified as it barrels towards the island after bashing the Philippines. Kong-rey, moving northwest over the Philippine Sea, reached super-typhoon strength on Wednesday, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). More than 6,000 first responders have also been put on standby to assist in response to the typhoon, according to the Central Emergency Operations Center. Two outlying islands of Taiwan, Green Island and Orchid Island, suspended work and classes on Wednesday, according the county government. As of Wednesday morning, Kong-rey continued to skirt the island’s north as it moved towards Taiwan.

Persons: Chu Mei, ” Chu, Chu, Krathon, Trami, Kristine, rey Organizations: CNN, Authorities, Typhoon Kong, Typhoon Warning, Central Weather Administration, Ministry of National Defense, Central Emergency Operations Center Locations: Taiwan, Typhoon, Philippines, Kong, Philippine, Taitung, Taipei, Green, Luzon, Leon

☆ A 'prosecutor' vs. 'weak': The battle intensifies to define Harris
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Yamiche Alcindor | Yamiche Alcindor Is An Nbc News Washington Correspondent. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +14 min

Harris’ campaign rallies are a clear change from those held by President Joe Biden, the man she is replacing at the top of the Democratic ticket. So hear me when I say: I know Donald Trump’s type.”But the Trump campaign is rushing to define Harris differently. “She knows this is going to be a very close race,” Julie Chávez Rodríguez, Harris’ campaign manager, said in an interview. Chávez Rodríguez and Harris have been close for nearly a decade, since Chávez Rodríguez first took a job as state director for Harris’ Senate office in 2016. The Harris campaign has launched a website advertising more than five dozen jobs.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Harris ’, Joe Biden, Megan Thee, —, ”, Donald Trump, “, fraudsters, cheaters, Donald Trump’s, Trump, Harris, ” Trump, Brian Hughes, She’s, ” Julie Chávez Rodríguez, ” Chávez Rodríguez, The, Jen O’Malley Dillon, Biden, Chávez Rodríguez, Chávez, we’re, ” Ashley Etienne, ” Etienne, ” “ Joe Biden, Hughes, Biden’s, ” Harris, Trump’s, “ It’s, Howard, “ Kamala Harris, Judy Chu, Chu, ” Chu, that’s, he’d Organizations: Democratic, Democratic Party, United, Trump, Biden, The Trump, NBC, MAGA Inc, Inc, Central, Northern, Howard University, Washington , D.C, Alpha Kappa Alpha, National Association of Black Journalists, Black, Sigma Gamma Rho, Atlanta, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Locations: United States, California, Wisconsin, Harris ’, North Carolina, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Washington ,, Chicago, Houston, Monterey Park , California

☆ US government is changing how it asks about race and ethnicity and adding new category
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Nicole Chavez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The Office of Management and Budget on Thursday announced changes to how the federal government asks about people’s race and ethnicity, including in the US census. Under the previous standards, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity was measured in a question separate from the one on racial identity. “Thanks to the hard work of staff across dozens of federal agencies and input from thousands of members of the public, these updated standards will help create more useful, accurate, and up to date federal data on race and ethnicity. “The U.S. Census Bureau commends the scientific integrity and collaboration with our fellow federal statistical agencies and departments throughout this process. These efforts aim to improve federal race and ethnicity statistics and ensure data more accurately reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the U.S. population,” the agency said.

Persons: ” Karin Orvis, “ We’ve, Maya Berry, Arturo Vargas, ” Vargas, Judy Chu, CAPAC, ” Chu, CNN’s Jennifer Agiesta Organizations: CNN, Management, Budget, OMB, Census Bureau, Arab American Institute, Black, AAI, National Association of Latino, Fund, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Pacific, Democratic Locations: Indian, Alaska, Eastern, America, “, California

☆ Secretive Taiwanese power plant opens to public for the first time — as an art space
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Beigan, Taiwan CNN —In a sleepy Taiwanese island village just eight miles off the coast of mainland China, scooters whiz past an unassuming building that has stood here, largely overlooked, for decades. YI.ng Lighting DesignKnown locally as Jun Hun (or “Army Soul”), a nickname shared with the Taiwanese army division that built it, the Beigan Power Plant entered service in 1975 and became a linchpin of the local economy before closing in 2010. Art in the ‘heart’ of MatsuThe transformed Beigan Power Plant is the flagship venue of the Matsu Biennial, which runs through November 12 and features artworks exploring the outlying islands’ heritage, cultural identity and military past. “The power plant is the heart of Matsu that hasn’t stopped beating, and the generators are the essence of the power plant,” Liu said told CNN at the studio he shares with Chu. “I want to use sound to breathe new life into the deserted power plant, so that viewers can grasp what it was like when these generators were still running,” Wang told CNN at her studio.

Persons: Taiwan CNN —, —, Hun, ”, Mao Zedong’s, Matsu —, Matsu, Annie Chu, Liu Ping, hasn’t, ” Liu, Chu, Kinmen, Wang Yu, ” Wang, ” Chu Organizations: Taiwan CNN, Matsu, Taiwanese, Plant, Kuomintang, KMT, People’s Liberation Army, CNN, Visitors, Beigan, Matsu Biennial Locations: Beigan, Taiwan, China, Matsu, Taiwan’s, Taipei, Wang, Beijing

☆ Asian Americans are anxious about hate crimes. TikTok ban rhetoric isn’t helping
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

And the Chinese government’s authoritarian approach to numerous other issues clashes with important American values, said many Asian Americans interviewed for this article. Concerns about China have gone mainstream as US national security officials and lawmakers have publicly grappled with state-backed ransomware attacks and other hacking attempts. People rallied during a "Stop Asian Hate" march to protest against anti-Asian hate crimes on Foley Square in New York, on April 4, 2021. But to Chu, the incident was an example of the way politics surrounding China, technology and national security have fueled anti-Asian sentiment. “Asian American issues are American issues, and all Americans deserve to be treated with respect.

☆ Tyre Nichols' parents and man who disarmed Monterey Park gunman invited to Biden's State of the Union
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Summer Concepcion | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

The parents of Tyre Nichols and the man who disarmed the suspected Monterey Park shooter have been invited to attend President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address Feb. 7. The brutal beating of Nichols by Memphis police and the mass shooting at a dance hall in Monterey Park, California, this month have renewed calls for policing and gun control measures. But only an hour after she spoke with Tsay, the president himself asked Tsay to be his guest, Chu said. TODAYThe president spoke with Nichols’ parents and Tsay in the wake of the tragedies. Biden called Tsay last week to thank him for his act of courage in disarming the Monterey Park shooter.

The removal of inbound quarantine prompted a surge in demand for plane tickets in countries like Singapore which have large communities of overseas Chinese. “China remained closed off after Singapore reopened, so to go back, people needed to do PCR tests, undergo quarantine, and prices of flight tickets skyrocketed. Chu said she had missed her parents, her 83-year-old father and 78-year-old mother, and worried about their failing health. Her biggest wish was to spend as much time with them as possible when she goes back this time. “I haven’t seen them for three years, and they both got COVID, and are quite old.

Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), said she has personally spoken to Jeffries and recommended that Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J., should be the ranking member. “The Republicans made it very clear that the committee is primarily focused on … counter intelligence and economic espionage issues which have been the focus of my own work, especially on the Intelligence Committee,” Krishnamoorthi said in an interview. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., a former CIA analyst who is eyeing a possible Senate bid in 2024, has also expressed interest in the top role on the China panel. But while CAPAC is divided, its members agree that the ranking member of the new panel should be Asian American. Think about that," said one CAPAC member.

☆ Michelle Yeoh joins cast of Jon M. Chu's 'Wicked' films
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Michelle Yeoh has joined the star-studded cast of Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” movies, Variety can exclusively reveal. The “Everything Everywhere All At Once” star will play Madame Morrible, the headmistress of Crage Hall at Shiz University. Jeff Goldblum continues to be in talks to play the Wizard, but a final deal has not been signed, according to sources. “She is funny and unbelievably talented and unbelievably sweet and truly working hard. I’m excited for both of us.”Reps for Yeoh and Universal did not comment.

☆ Why most men don’t have enough close friends
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

And those who do maintain friendships with other men say they tend to have lower levels of emotional intimacy than women report. Research has shown close friendships protect our mental and physical health, she added. Assumptions 27 years later might be different, but social pressures remain that make it difficult for men to express the vulnerability and intimacy needed for close friendships, Sileo said. Men who were more emotionally restricted, focused on power and who scored high on surveys measuring homophobia are less likely to have intimate and close friendships, he said. “If you can have a handful of friends that are quality, that’s better than having a slew of friends.”

☆ After being falsely accused of spying for China, Sherry Chen wins significant settlement
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Kimmy Yam | Kimmy Yam Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

An Asian American scientist who was wrongfully accused of spying for China is speaking out after reaching a lucrative settlement with the U.S. government last week. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, which backed Chen, the hydrologist will receive $550,000 from the Commerce Department and an annuity over 10 years valued at $1.25 million. Neither the Commerce Department nor the DOJ commented further on Chen’s ordeal. However, the Commerce Department appealed the decision and placed her on administrative leave. As part of the settlement, Chen is retiring from the NWS, her lawyers said.

☆ New RSV vaccines may soon put an end to rough seasons
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

The monoclonal antibody, Synagis, is given monthly during RSV season to protect preemies and other high-risk babies. In the failed RSV vaccine trial, the chemical the researchers used to deactivate the virus denatured its proteins – essentially flattening them. Four companies have RSV vaccines for adults in the final phases of human trials: Pfizer and GSK are testing vaccines for pregnant women as well as seniors. Janssen, Pfizer and GSK each appear effective at preventing infections in adults for the first RSV season after the vaccine. The vaccines for pregnant women are meant to get newborns through their first RSV season.

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