Burglary rings targeting Asians dismantled in Bay Area
The U.S. is once again pulling out of the Paris Agreement, reigniting concerns about its role in global climate action.
The Rebel Yellow Issue #23: U.S. Exits Paris Agreement, Global Shifts Follow
The U.S. is once again pulling out of the Paris Agreement, reigniting concerns about its role in global climate action. As temperatures continue to break records, other nations are stepping up their efforts, with China making major moves in clean energy. Meanwhile, political shake-ups are unfolding—from Vivek Ramaswamy leaving a key government role to growing tensions in Ukraine. Closer to home, Asian American communities are being targeted by organized crime rings, and Simu Liu is calling out Trump’s new tax plan.
China poised for climate leadership as U.S. exits Paris Agreement
President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. to withdraw from the Paris Agreement for the second time, following his first move in 2017. The decision, part of his executive order “Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements,” places the U.S. — the world’s second biggest annual carbon polluting country and historically responsible for the most heat-trapping gas currently in the air — alongside only Iran, Libya and Yemen as nations outside the landmark climate pact.
Global power shift
The implications of Trump’s withdrawal extend far beyond American borders, particularly in Asia, where nations grapple with both rapid economic development and increasing climate vulnerabilities. China, currently the world’s largest annual carbon emitter, has responded with measured diplomacy while positioning itself as a leader in the green energy transition.
“Climate change is a common challenge faced by all of humanity. No country can remain unaffected or solve the problem on its own,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a news conference, emphasizing China's commitment to working with all parties to address climate challenges.
China, a solar and wind powerhouse, met its renewable energy targets in 2024, six years ahead of schedule. With Trump’s latest actions, a shift in the balance of power in the global clean energy economy is more likely.
The International Energy Agency expects the global market for key clean energy technologies to triple to more than $2 trillion by 2035. As Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation and a key architect of the Paris Agreement, notes, “The context today is very different to 2017. There is unstoppable economic momentum behind the global transition, which the U.S. has gained from and led, but now risks forfeiting.”
U.S. emissions and climate impact
The U.S. bears significant historical responsibility for climate change. According to the Global Carbon Project, the country is responsible for nearly 22% of the carbon dioxide put in the atmosphere since 1850. Even with recent reductions, it still put 4.9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in the air in 2023, down 11% from a decade earlier.
Washington's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have stalled, too. U.S. emissions, as per the Rhodium Group, dropped just 0.2% in 2024 compared to the previous year. And while Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act helped expand renewable energy capacity, a nationwide spike in electricity consumption reportedly led power plants to burn more natural gas, offsetting potential emissions reductions from the growth in solar and wind power.
Global response and temperature reality
Despite the U.S. exit, the international community has largely reaffirmed its commitment to the Paris Agreement. The European Union, through climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, emphasized that “the Paris Agreement has strong foundations and is here to stay.”
Average global temperatures have risen 2.3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.3 degrees Celsius) compared to pre-industrial levels of the mid-1800s. Most monitoring organizations reported that 2024 temperatures exceeded the 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) warming threshold, with unanimous agreement that it marked the hottest year in recorded history. An analysis by Climate Action Tracker reveals that even if nations meet all their current climate commitments, global temperatures would still climb approximately 2.6 degrees Celsius (4.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels by 2100. This projected increase significantly exceeds the Paris Agreement’s initial target of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell has reaffirmed that participation in the Paris Agreement remains open. “The door remains open to the Paris Agreement, and we welcome constructive engagement from any and all countries,” he said.
As the world adapts to a new reality, the focus turns to November’s COP30 in Brazil, where nations will announce new emissions reduction pledges — with or without U.S. participation. Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that Trump’s decisions “are the opposite of policies guided by evidence brought by science and common sense, imposed by the reality of extreme weather events, including in his own country.”
Ramaswamy exits DOGE amid Ohio governor bid, alleged tensions with Musk
Vivek Ramaswamy has left the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) amid plans to run for Ohio governor, leaving Elon Musk as the sole leader of President Donald Trump’s government cost-cutting initiative.
Driving the news
Sources familiar with the situation, however, point to growing tensions between the billionaire co-leaders. The split was reportedly accelerated by Ramaswamy’s controversial comments about H-1B visas in December, in which he suggested that U.S. technology companies hire foreign workers partly because American culture has “venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long.”
The 39-year-old biotech entrepreneur’s departure also coincided with DOGE’s transition from an external advisory body to an internal White House operation. Sources say Ramaswamy had advocated for DOGE to remain independent of the federal government, while Musk supported the integration.
What he’s saying
In a statement confirming his departure, Ramaswamy said: “It was my honor to help support the creation of DOGE. I’m confident that Elon and team will succeed in streamlining government. I’ll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio. Most importantly, we’re all-in to help President Trump make America great again!”
DOGE spokesperson Anna Kelly thanked Ramaswamy and acknowledged the “critical role” he played in helping create the initiative. “He intends to run for elected office soon, which requires him to remain outside of DOGE, based on the structure that we announced today,” Kelly said in a Jan. 20 statement. “We thank him immensely for his contributions over the last two months and expect him to play a vital role in making America great again.”
A starving North Korean soldier clung to a sausage upon his capture in Ukraine
Ukrainian forces revealed last week that one of the two wounded North Korean soldiers captured on Jan. 9 refused to let go of a sausage even when held at gunpoint. The North Korean troops, fighting for Russia, are the first to be taken alive by Ukraine since Pyongyang deployed 12,000 soldiers in October 2024.
The soldier, who was later identified as 25-year-old Lee Jong Nam, was found in a trench with a grenade, a knife and a sausage. “I asked him to drop everything, but he refused to drop the sausage because it was food, so we let him keep it,” a Ukrainian soldier said in a video shared by the Ukrainian 95th Air Assault Brigade.
Lee, who sustained injuries to his jaw and hand, was taken to Kyiv for interrogation with assistance from South Korea's spy agency. He later told his captors that he was in a rifle reconnaissance platoon and was one of the few survivors of an attack where all the officers in his company were killed. He claimed that he was under the impression he was being sent to Russia for training and was issued a fake Russian military ID.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed exchanging the soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia, saying more North Koreans will likely be captured.
Burglary rings targeting Asians dismantled in Bay Area
Law enforcement agencies have arrested members of two burglary rings that targeted Asian American victims across the San Francisco Bay Area, marking significant breakthroughs in the fight against organized theft groups.
Santa Rosa operation
Santa Rosa police on Tuesday announced the Dec. 19 arrest of five Colombian nationals after an investigation sparked by a residential alarm call. The suspects, tentatively identified as Martin Hernandez (29), Carlos Alberto Ousset-Orozco (34), Julio Gomez-Herrera (26), Carlos Andres Lopez-Diaz (23) and Miguel Romero-Morales (37), were found with sophisticated burglary equipment including GPS devices, trail cameras and night vision goggles. The group is believed to be connected to at least 11 residential burglaries of Asian victims in Santa Rosa over 14 months.
“We are deeply concerned by the ongoing targeting of members of the Asian community throughout the nation,” the Santa Rosa Police Department said in a statement, referencing the widespread burglaries. “We want to reassure our community that the Santa Rosa Police Department is fully committed to investigating these crimes and bringing those responsible to justice.”
San Jose operation
In a separate case, San Jose authorities on Wednesday announced the Jan. 16 arrest of three suspects — Alberto Ibarra Vallejo (25), Gonzalo Valencia Ramos (28) and Jaime Martinez Arroyo (46) — linked to approximately 78 burglaries across five South Bay cities since June 2024. The operation recovered an estimated $1 million in stolen property, including 700 pieces of jewelry, luxury watches and family heirlooms. The burglaries spanned San Jose (30 cases), Mountain View (20 cases), Cupertino and Saratoga (18 cases) and Campbell (10 cases).
“These crimes have deeply impacted our communities, instilling fear and preying on many vulnerable families,” San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph said at a news conference.
Community impact
The targeted burglaries have deeply affected local Asian American communities. One victim, identified only as Shruti, described losing irreplaceable family heirlooms during a Diwali celebration, which was “supposed to be the happiest day of the year.”
“It's not just the value of the stuff. It was more stuff from my grandmother, who is no more, and that was definitely mental stress to us. ... We were not able to live happily in our own house,” Shruti told The Mercury News.
What's next
All eight suspects are being held without bail due to flight risk concerns. The Santa Rosa group faces charges including burglary, conspiracy, possession of stolen property and new charges under California’s Prop 36 law. The San Jose suspects, on the other hand, face 72 felony counts of burglary, with prosecutors seeking hate crime enhancements.
The investigations into the burglaries continue, with authorities seeking connections to other unsolved cases and potential additional suspects.
Simu Liu is not a fan of Trump’s new tax plan
Simu Liu has spoken out against President Donald Trump’s newly proposed U.S. tax plan, which seeks to extend the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and introduce new measures that primarily benefit high-income earners and corporations.
“I’m happy to pay taxes”
While not a U.S. citizen, the 35-year-old Canadian actor explained in a TikTok post Thursday that he owns property and pays taxes in the country, making him directly affected by the policy. "I read the new administration’s new tax plan, and it looks like I get a tax cut," Liu said. "And I guess I just wanted to say that I don’t need a tax cut. I’m happy to pay taxes, I believe I should pay taxes and I actually believe that people like me should probably pay more tax."
Concerns over middle-class impact
Liu expressed concern that the proposed changes would primarily benefit the wealthiest Americans while raising taxes for "95% of Americans — basically Americans that make less than $360,000 a year," echoing an analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. He pointed out that this shift would lead to a higher cost of living and reduced income for the majority of taxpayers.
Capitalism, politics and influence
Liu also criticized the broader economic and political landscape, arguing that systemic issues are being overlooked. "Instead of attacking the root causes of whatever is contributing to this massive wealth disparity, [the administration] is instead... scapegoating women, people of color, queer people and trans people," he said.
He went on to link tax policies to corporate and political influence, warning that “capitalism is running rampant and there’s massive deregulation” enabling billionaires to control media and influence elections. "I guess it’s all just a little bit scary to me,” he concluded. “I don’t need tax cuts and I guess just making a verbal promise to myself that any money that I save from these tax cuts in this administration, I will be donating instead.”
President Trump's tax cut proposals include:
Extending the 2017 TCJA: Making permanent the lower individual income tax rates, higher standard deduction and various business tax breaks.
Eliminating the SALT deduction cap: Removing the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions, primarily benefiting high earners in high-tax states.
Cutting the corporate tax rate: Reducing the corporate tax rate from 21% to 15% for U.S. manufacturers.
Exempting certain income from taxes: Excluding overtime pay, tips and Social Security benefits from taxation.
Repealing green energy tax credits: Eliminating tax incentives for renewable energy projects introduced under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
Positive parenting practices linked to well-being in Asian American children: A new study published in JAMA Network this month found that young Asian American children whose parents frequently read to them and told them stories exhibited greater overall well-being.
About the study: Researchers from the Northwestern University in Chicago analyzed data from the National Survey of Children's Health, using a nationally representative sample of 42,846 children aged 6 months to 5 years. The study also explored whether these associations differed between Asian American children and non-Hispanic white children.
About the findings: The research team found that the children exposed to stories from their parents exhibited higher levels of flourishing, better social-emotional development and improved self-regulation skills. However, the study revealed that only 49.6% of second-generation Asian American children were read to regularly, compared to 66% of third- or later-generation Asian American children. Compared to non-Hispanic White children, Asian American children, in general, were less likely to flourish and have regular bedtimes, suggesting potential cultural influences on parenting approaches and child development expectations .
Why this matters: By highlighting the impact of positive parenting practices to the healthy development of Asian American children, the authors hope they could provide valuable insights for parents, educators and healthcare providers. “Although generational status is not amenable to interventions, programs to educate Asian immigrant parents about positive parenting practices could help reduce the gap in these practices across Asian American generations and racial and ethnic groups,” the authors noted. “Promotion of [reading, storytelling, or singing parenting] practices among Asian immigrant parents may help improve the psychological well-being and health behaviors of their young Asian American children.”
Michelle Yeoh recalled how Jackie Chan saved her life on set of “Police Story 3”
Michelle Yeoh recently opened up about a death-defying car stunt from the 1992 action film “Police Story 3: Supercop” on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” revealing how her co-star Jackie Chan literally saved her life during the dangerous scene.
Yeoh recalled a harrowing moment when she was supposed to land on Chan's car while filming, but things went terribly wrong. "In Hong Kong, we used to just shoot. We don't rehearse," the 62-year-old star explained. "The windshield didn’t break, Jackie couldn’t reach forward, and I was falling headfirst." Chan instantly reached out and grabbed her by the shirt, preventing what could have been a deadly fall.
The actress admitted to not fully understanding the danger of the stunt at first, recalling how she misjudged the height of the jump. "I thought it was only six or seven feet, but the van was moving wildly," Yeoh said. "You stand there and you go like, 'What the hell?'" She shared that thanks to Chan's quick reflexes, she managed to land safely. "Poor Jackie was panicking, but he saved me," she noted, further describing the outtake where she slid off the car and onto the street, only to be rushed by the film crew to ensure her safety.
Yeoh also shared her excitement about her latest project, “Star Trek: Section 31,” which premiered on Paramount+ on Jan. 24. "I always wanted to be Spock," she said. "When they invited me to play a captain, I said yes without hesitation. It’s about time we had an Asian captain."
Org launches free multilingual app aimed at empowering immigrants in need of help
The National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) has launched a free mobile app, "Know Your Rights 4 Immigrants," designed to empower and protect individuals facing growing challenges in the current political climate. With the Trump administration vowing to overturn recent immigration policies, including ending the use of the CBP One app for asylum appointments and reinstating harsher enforcement measures, this resource arrives at a critical time.
How the app works
The “Know Your Rights 4 Immigrants" app is available in 16 primarily-Asian languages and is currently available for iOS users, with an Android version coming soon. The app provides:
Audio recitation of rights: The app can read your rights aloud to ICE or law enforcement agents.
Emergency contact notifications: Users can send an alert to predetermined contacts in case of an emergency.
Know your rights information: The app provides general information about your rights.
Family preparedness plan: Includes a sample plan to help families prepare for potential emergencies.
Consulate information: Provides contact information for relevant consulates.
NAKASEC is also planning future updates based on community feedback. "Along with input from our community on additional languages to include, we are working on creating a feedback section that will allow users to suggest additional changes, a share button so users can share the app to friends and family, and translation of the Family Preparedness Plan into other languages," a NAKASEC representative told The Rebel Yellow.
Hotline offers immediate support
Recognizing that individuals may need immediate support, NAKASEC has also launched a free, confidential 24/7 hotline for immigration emergencies. Staffed with English- and Korean-speaking volunteers, the hotline provides guidance and assistance to those facing difficult situations. "It is terrifying and often confusing when ICE is at your door or a loved one has been detained," said NAKASEC Co-Director Jung Woo Kim. "Our hotline volunteers can provide critical support ... by helping the individual remain calm, providing information about one's rights and locating a detained loved one."
Addressing a hostile climate
NAKASEC emphasizes that this initiative is a direct response to increasing hostility towards immigrant communities. “From the Trump administration’s slew of executive orders and rescinding of Biden-era protections to the refusal of Congress members to act in solidarity with immigrants, the breadth and depth of attacks on our communities is compounding,” said NAKASEC Co-Director Becky Belcore. "We created this app because an individual knowing and asserting their constitutionally-protected rights is one of the best ways they can protect themselves and their loved ones.”