Latest news with #AsiaNewsNetwork
The Star
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Fifth Solomon taken to hospital after mental breakdown caused by online bullying
Photo: Fifth Solomon/Instagram Fifth Solomon (pic) was taken to an emergency room after he suffered a mental breakdown, which he said was caused by online bullying. The Filipino actor-director gave a health update through his Facebook on Monday, June 16, saying, 'I'm okay now. I'm in the ER with my sister Balitang Inaaaaa!' referring to comedian Chariz Solomon. He said he had 'a mental breakdown because [of] the online bullying. Thanks for all the people who reached out.' He added that he is set to release a statement although he did not immediately expound on the matter. In a prior post, Solomon addressed the bashing he had been receiving online, enumerating the most common remarks thrown at him. 'Retokada. Flop. Baliw (crazy). Mental hospital. DDS (Diehard Duterte Supporter). Incerun. Too fem — Call me names. Laugh all you want. I've heard worse. Survived worse,' he said. 'I grew up with no blueprint, no guidance, no safety net. So I taught myself how to fight, how to bite back. The world isn't kind. I stopped trying to be,' he added. Solomon then reflected on how some people 'play clean' but 'enjoy watching others fall.' 'But me? You can't bring me down. Only the people I love have that power. And even then, I'll still get up,' he said. 'I know who I am. I know what I'm worth. No one gets to rewrite that,' he added. Solomon appears to have been discharged from the hospital as he showed himself walking in an outdoor area. Solomon rose to fame in 2014 after he joined the reality show Pinoy Big Brother . – Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network
The Star
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Michelle Chen weeps at Stefanie Sun's 1st concert at Beijing National Stadium
Michelle Chen (right) was among the 50,000 spectators who turned up for Stefanie Sun's concert in Beijing on June 13. Photos: Handout, Michelle Chen/Weibo Taiwanese actress Michelle Chen wept during Singapore pop star Stefanie Sun's concert at Beijing's National Stadium. The 42-year-old was among the 50,000 spectators who turned up for the Beijing leg of Sun's concert tour on June 13. 'She is my favourite Chinese-language female singer and I have waited for this concert for a very long time,' Chen wrote on Chinese social media platform Weibo on the morning of June 14. 'I had a chance to watch it more than 10 years ago, but missed it due to work,' she wrote in Chinese. 'I didn't expect that it would be many years later before I got to watch her in concert.' Sun, 46, kicked off her first world tour in a decade, titled Aut Nihilo, in April with four concerts in Singapore. She also performed in Shanghai later in April and in Shenzhen in May. 'I wanted to cry the moment you appeared on stage, as you were part of my youth for many years,' Chen wrote. 'Fortunately, I cried for only half of the show as there were fast songs.' The actress, who is best known for the Taiwanese coming-of-age romance film You Are The Apple Of My Eye (2011), then quoted part of the Chinese-language title of the movie in her post. 'During those years I listened to your songs, the songs felt like they were carrying one part of innocence, two parts of stubbornness and three parts of freedom,' she wrote. 'I found myself in the songs and pursued my dreams.' The actress posted photos of her concert ticket and herself at the event, as well as two short videos of Sun performing. Sun's concert at Beijing's National Stadium, which is nicknamed the Bird's Nest, was her first at the venue since her debut in 2000. Sun will be holding a second show there on June 15. She became the fourth Chinese-language female singer to hold a concert at the stadium after Hong Kong's Karen Mok and G.E.M., as well as Taiwan's A-mei. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Taiwan extends visa-free entry for Filipinos until 2026
Photo: Philippines Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network MANILA (Bernama-PNA): Taiwan has extended its visa-free entry programme for Philippine passport holders until 2026, the Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported. Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia Lung announced the one-year extension on his social media account on Friday night, following his official remarks during the Philippine Independence Day reception hosted by the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taipei. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Manila said Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to release an official statement regarding the extension on Monday. Filipinos were first included in Taiwan's pilot visa-free scheme in November 2017, allowing them to stay in Taiwan for up to 14 days without a visa. - Bernama-PNA
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New report reveals dark truth behind popular fashion brands' profits: 'Let's not pretend they're not making money'
Fast fashion is known for being bad for the environment, generating a huge amount of textile waste. However, it's also bad for the workers creating the garments, who are underpaid laborers working long hours in factories overseas. A prime example is Bangladesh, a country getting the short end of the stick in clothing manufacturing deals, the Asia News Network reported. According to ANN, Bangladeshi companies receive much less than the global average for the garments their workers produce — often just a few dollars per item. Their Asian competitors may earn twice as much, and even the two types of items that net them the best results — women's cotton pants and men's cotton T-shirts — are only sold for about 23% above the international average, a quarter of what Turkey and Peru charge for the same items. Companies then turn around and sell these items for a huge markup, listing them for $30 or $40, sometimes more. While costs like shipping and storage account for some of the difference, a large chunk of it is pure profit. "There are overheads, of course, but let's not pretend they're not making money," said Fazle Shamim Ehsan, proprietor of Fatullah Apparels, per ANN. "Especially in the mid to high-end market, many brands earn huge profits from goods made in Bangladesh." Not only are Bangladesh's products chronically undervalued, but the prices for some items have actually gone down in recent years, while they've gone up for other manufacturing countries. Not only that, but according to a 2020 study by the European non-profit Fair Wear Foundation, nearly 39% of Malaysian manufacturers have sold their clothing at a loss. The amount of money Malaysian manufacturers receive for their products determines how much they can pay their workers. Given that these are the people actually making the clothes, it seems fair that some of the sky-high profits from those products should ensure these people receive decent wages. However, too often, these workers are pushed to work harder and longer hours, just to be paid a wage too low to live on. Khondaker Golam Moazzem, research director at CPD, suggested improving the materials and techniques being used by Bangladeshi factories to make them more competitive, ANN reported. "Bringing in more foreign investment could be a viable solution, as foreign investors usually have access to upmarket buyers and advanced technologies," he individuals can also help by doing their research and buying from brands that ensure fair pay for their workers. Alternatively, you can buy your clothing secondhand to save and avoid supporting fast fashion brands with your money. What should be done to make home solar panels cheaper? More tax incentives Lower installation costs Better loan options They're cheap enough already Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
The Star
08-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Philippine and Singapore expand cooperation in prioritised areas
PM Lawrence Wong (right) and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (left) reviewing an honour guard at Malacanang Palace in Manila on June 4. -- Photo: Vietnam News/Asia News Network MANILA/SINGAPORE (Vietnam News/ANN): Singapore and the Philippines are set to deepen their collaboration in several areas, including renewable energy, sustainability, healthcare and civil service development. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr announced this at a joint press conference on June 4, the first day of an introductory visit to Manila by PM Wong, reported by The Straits Times. On renewable energy, the two countries agreed to deepen both bilateral and regional cooperation, and to accelerate efforts towards realising the Asean power grid, a plan to connect the electricity networks of the group's 10 member countries to enable cross-border power trading by 2045. Marcos said Singapore will continue to be a major partner in the Philippines' aspiration to diversify its energy sources, while Wong said Singapore companies are interested in renewable energy in the Philippines, including solar and wind projects. The two countries are also working to finalise a legally binding implementation agreement for cross-border carbon credit transfers that is aligned with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. An implementation agreement will facilitate commercial participation in carbon credit projects, which can spur technology transfer and green investment and create good jobs, said Wong. The two leaders also said their respective health ministries are exploring ways to deepen health cooperation, such as in upskilling and the reintegration of returning Filipinos into the Philippine healthcare system. Last year, the Philippines was Singapore's fifth-largest trading partner in Asean, with bilateral trade reaching 19.1 billion SGD (US$14.8 billion). - Vietnam News/ANN
