Latest news with #Hong
The Star
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Shopping gala boosts market vitality
Chinese consumers unleashed their massive purchasing power during the midyear "618" shopping carnival, a weekslong sales event that began in mid-May and reached a crescendo on Wednesday, June 18, which experts said is pivotal to bolstering the recovery of consumption and shoring up economic growth. They noted that the buying frenzy indicates the enormous vitality and potential of the country's consumer market, with household appliances and intelligent electronic products gaining popularity among Chinese shoppers amid the country's steps to boost consumption, including the expansion of the consumer goods trade-in program. To further stimulate people's purchasing appetites, they called for more measures to increase household incomes, distribute consumption coupons, and nurture diversified purchasing scenarios and new types of consumption. Data from e-commerce giant JD, which initiated the mid-year promotional campaign, showed that as of 11:59 pm on Wednesday, the number of users placing orders more than doubled year-on-year, while the total order volume from its online and offline retail and food delivery businesses exceeded 2.2 billion. The number of new electronic gadgets that saw their sales surpass 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) surged 200 percent year-on-year during the shopping extravaganza, which officially kicked off at 8 pm on May 30, JD said. The turnover of over 2,000 brands in the home appliances and home furnishing sector increased 100 percent from a year earlier. According to Tmall, Alibaba's business-to-customer platform, the sales of 453 brands exceeded 100 million yuan from 8 pm on May 16 to midnight on Wednesday, an increase of 24 percent compared with the same period last year. The transaction volume of Apple, Midea, Xiaomi, Huawei and Nike each reached more than 1 billion yuan during the promotional gala. In addition, outdoor sporting goods, beauty and skin care products, apparel and trendy toys witnessed robust growth on online marketplaces during the shopping extravaganza that now spans around one month. Noting that consumption has become the main driving force boosting China's economic growth, Hong Yong, an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the online shopping bonanza has played a vital role in bolstering domestic demand, unleashing consumers' purchasing potential and shoring up the economy. Hong estimated that the country's consumer market is poised for steady growth this year, fueled by a series of pro-consumption policies, online shopping festivals and stable recovery of the macroeconomy despite external uncertainties. He called for more efforts to strengthen employment support, cultivate new types of consumption in the digital, green and intelligent fields, and improve the consumption environment, in order to boost people's ability and willingness to spend. In this year's Government Work Report, China listed vigorously boosting consumption and expanding domestic demand across the board as key priorities for 2025. Mo Daiqing, a senior analyst at the Internet Economy Institute, a domestic consultancy, said that e-commerce platforms have ramped up efforts to offer discounts and subsidies, increase support for small and medium-sized merchants, and simplify promotional methods to rev up sales. "The policy measures to expand the scope of the consumer goods trade-in program have not only stimulated consumers' desire to purchase, but also pushed up the sales of household appliances and electronic devices, and bolstered the popularisation of green and energy-saving products," Mo said. China's retail sales, a significant indicator of consumption strength, grew 6.4 percent year-on-year in May, marking the fastest growth since December 2023, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Online sales remained a bright spot, expanding 8.5 percent year-on-year during the first five months. Jason Yu, general manager of CTR Market Research, said that Chinese consumers have become more value-conscious and prefer to purchase premium products with high cost-effectiveness, emphasising that retailers should step up investment in technological innovation and roll out new merchandise to attract more young shoppers. - China Daily/ANN
Politico
2 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Could safety concerns sideline candidates?
PROGRAMMING NOTE: We'll be off Thursday, but will be back in your inbox on Friday. FEAR FACTOR — Massachusetts has some of the least competitive legislative elections in the country. Could an uptick in political violence — and high-profile incidents like the shootings in Minnesota over the weekend – make the problem even worse? 'It's horrific what happened and disappointing, and I think it's also discouraging to quality people looking to run for office at any level,' said former Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, who opted out of running for reelection last year after more than two decades in the House. 'When quality people decide not to run for office, the JV team runs. And sometimes the JV team wins.' The shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses at their homes over the weekend prompted swift condemnation from Massachusetts pols. But safety concerns are still top of mind. Physical safety 'now is a risk that comes with the job,' Democratic state Sen. Michael Barrett told Playbook. He and Democratic state Rep. Tara Hong both said they heard the news as they were headed to separate 'No Kings' protests over the weekend. 'To be honest, I did get a little bit nervous about what might happen there,' Hong said. The tragedy prompted Democratic state Sen. Becca Rausch to file an amendment to the supplemental surtax spending bill that the House and Senate are set to vote on today that would — among a handful of changes — replace candidates' home addresses on their nomination papers with just the city or town where they live. 'Absolutely, this is going to have a chilling effect on candidates considering running for office,' she told Playbook. 'And it's going to have, I would anticipate, an even more significant chilling effect on people with marginalized identities,' she added, pointing to both the rise in political violence and a reported increase in antisemitic incidents in the state. Other lawmakers expect to see a different trend, however. In the overwhelmingly Democratic state, people could be motivated to give public office a go to express their opposition to policies from the Republican-controlled White House and Congress. 'I don't believe that what's going on right now from the federal government is scaring people away,' Hong said. 'I think it's just encouraging them to want to be a part of the fight, in the position of power to push for change.' In Somerville, there's already a flurry of interest in running locally, State Sen. Pat Jehlen told Playbook. People 'they want action. They want somebody to do something,' Jehlen said. 'And some of those people are gonna want to do the things themselves.' Similarly, Barrett expected more interest in upcoming elections. 'I hope that people aren't discouraged. I hope they're motivated,' he said. 'This adds a dark underlining, though, to what I had assumed would be an increase in candidacies and an increase in activism.' GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. There is some competition already emerging for legislative seats that won't be on the ballot for at least another 14 months. Michael Lachenmeyer of Wilbraham launched a primary challenge to Demoratic state Rep. Angelo Puppolo Tuesday. Western Mass Politics & Insight's Matt Szafranski has more on that. And Republican Manny Silva kicked off his campaign earlier this week for the First Bristol and Plymouth state Senate seat held by Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey has no public events. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus's Juneteenth flag raising at 11 a.m., chairs a Governor's Council meeting at noon and speaks at speak at Embrace Boston's Juneteenth event at 7 p.m. in Boston. Rep. Stephen Lynch hosts a Congressional Public Housing Caucus forum on federal affordable and public housing at 9:30 a.m. Rep. Jake Auchincloss takes part in a fireside chat hosted by the New England Council 9 a.m. in Boston and speaks on a panel at the MIT's Koch Institute in Cambridge. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosts a coffee hour at 10 a.m. in Dorchester, receives an award at the Community Labor United's 20th annual 'Salt of the Earth Awards' at 6 p.m. downtown and speaks at a Juneteenth celebration at 8 p.m. in Dorchester. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@ DATELINE BEACON HILL — Critics of Legislature eye possible ballot campaign by Sam Drysdale, State House News Service: 'Looking to keep pressure on what they deem an untransparent and ineffective Legislature, a coalition of unlikely allies is considering whether to bring two 'good governance' measures straight to voters via the ballot. The coalition of former lawmakers, activists, and civic groups gathered Tuesday at Church on the Hill, across from the State House, for a 'people's hearing' to spotlight reform bills they say state legislators have ignored.' — Lawmakers urged to pass child sex abuse prevention bills by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: 'Lawmakers and advocates for sexual assault victims are renewing a push on Beacon Hill to close 'loopholes' in state laws they say have made Massachusetts an outlier by allowing child predators to go unpunished. A pair of legislative committees heard testimony Tuesday on a raft of bills that would criminalize sexual assault by adults in positions of authority, regardless of the age of consent, require schools to adopt sex abuse prevention policies, and improve training and screening of employees to identify past sexual misconduct.' — Cellphones in schools compared to 'electronic cocaine' by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service: ''Electronic cocaine.' 'A youth behavioral health crisis on steroids.' 'Nothing's more aggravating to me as a parent.' When it comes to cellphones in classrooms, lawmakers are not shy about just how dire they believe the circumstances have become. A steady stream of elected officials on Tuesday pitched the Education Committee on action to rein in the use of phones and other electronic devices in K-12 schools, warning in sometimes-colorful language that the near-constant access some students have is undermining their education and fueling mental health problems.' FROM THE HUB — BPS leaders weigh significant changes to exam school admissions policy by Christopher Huffaker and John Hilliard, The Boston Globe: 'Boston Public Schools leaders are exploring significant changes to the admissions policies for the district's three prestigious exam schools, such as eliminating the bonus points to applications students receive for attending high-poverty schools. Other possible changes presented at Tuesday night's School Committee meeting include redesigning the socioeconomic 'tiers' that students compete within so that each tier has the same admission rate, and adding a set of seats that students compete for citywide.' — U.S. representatives, union workers warn 'critical' Boston Ship Repair vanishing without investment, work by Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald: 'U.S. representatives and Boston Ship Repair workers gathered at one of the country's few remaining large dry docks in the Seaport on Monday, calling for investment and support for U.S. ship building and repair as the facilities struggle to survive overseas competition.' — Boston rivers are cleaner. But sewage, climate change threaten progress by Vivian La, WBUR: 'School's out, and grades are in for Boston's three major rivers. The Mystic, Neponset and Charles Rivers continue to get cleaner, according to an annual report card from a coalition of watershed groups. But the organizations' leaders warned that progress has slowed due to the worsening effects of climate change.' MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS — With migrants' legal status revoked, Marshfield employer faces loss of 100-plus workers by Katie Johnston, The Boston Globe: ' — After the ICE arrests, what happens to the families? by Kevin G. Andrade, The New Bedford Light. THE RACE FOR CITY HALL ENDORSEMENT ALERT — Boston's Ward 4 Democratic Committee voted Tuesday night to endorse Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for another term, and City Councilors Ruthzee Louijeune, Julia Mejia and Henry Santana for reelection in the crowded at-large race. — Wu says Kraft's $172 million White Stadium figure 'not the real cost' by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: 'Boston Mayor Michelle Wu Tuesday defended the decision to revamp White Stadium and dismissed Josh Kraft's assertion that the project will cost the city $172 million as 'not the real cost' of the project. Kraft, a Democrat running for mayor of Boston, claimed Monday that city taxpayers would fork over $172 million — about $80 million more than Wu's office estimated late last year — to fund Boston's portion of the controversial White Stadium project. … Speaking on GBH's Boston Public Radio Tuesday, Wu said the $172 million figure was taken from one of several internal contingency planning documents designed to estimate the project's cost and scope in progressively worst-case scenarios.' — Weymouth Mayor Bob Hedlund is resigning by Jessica Trufant, The Patriot Ledger: 'Weymouth Mayor Robert Hedlund will resign from his position effective July 15 after nine and a half years in the role. The Republican mayor cited family and health considerations as his reasons for stepping down. Hedlund, 63, announced his departure to town staff on Tuesday afternoon. Hedlund is currently a year and a half into his third four-year term as mayor. Before he was elected mayor the first time in 2015, Hedlund spent more than two decades as a state senator. He is Weymouth's third mayor.' FROM THE DELEGATION — New England pols move to block Trump from attacking Iran without permission from Congress by John L. Micek, MassLive: 'With Israel and Iran seemingly tumbling toward war, Democratic politicians on Capitol Hill, including several from New England, are trying to keep President Donald Trump from dragging the United States into the conflict. On Tuesday, U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, both Massachusetts Democrats, joined with several colleagues to back legislation that would keep the Republican White House from spending taxpayer money on military force against Iran without congressional approval.' FROM THE 413 — Commission OK's more casino mitigation money, but the well may be running dry by Jim Kinney, The Springfield Republican: 'The Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved $3.1 million in new Community Mitigation Fund grants for Western Massachusetts Tuesday. The awards followed $3.2 million in community mitigation funds it approved May 27. But this might be the last time the commission distributes this much funding to the region.' — Walter Gunn resigns from Longmeadow Planning Board amid town tensions by Namu Sampath, The Springfield Republican: 'After he was recently accused of making racist remarks to Longmeadow residents and trespassing in their backyard, Walter Gunn resigned from his Planning Board position. Gunn notified the town's Select Board of his immediate resignation on Tuesday, according to a Facebook post from Vineeth Hemavathi, the chair of the Select Board.' THE LOCAL ANGLE — Taunton, Easton elections officials: There are no 'missing' mail-in ballots for state rep by Emma Rindlisbacher, Taunton Daily Gazette: 'The Republican candidate for state representative in the 3rd Bristol District said he questions 'many things' about the election results and is calling for a recount. According to official election results, Democrat Lisa Field has beaten Republican Larry Quintal for the race for state representative in Taunton and Easton by 17 votes. Quintal has indicated he will be seeking a recount. Field declared victory on election night, Tuesday, June 10.' — Taunton Mayor Shaunna O'Connell completes probation, domestic violence charge dismissed by Emma Rindlisbacher, Taunton Daily Gazette: 'Taunton Mayor Shaunna O'Connell's six month probation has ended and her domestic violence charge has been dismissed. O'Connell was sentenced to six months of administrative probation in Attleboro District Court on Dec. 12, 2024 when her misdemeanor assault and battery on a family member or household member charge was continued without a finding. Her probation sentence ran until Thursday, June 12, 2025, and the domestic violence charge was dismissed on Friday, June 13, after she'd successfully completed the probation, according to court documents.' HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Steph Evans, Rick Cappellazzo, Sarah Anders, Samantha Perlman and Ravi Simon. Happy early birthday to Ann Scales, Sen. Ed Markey campaign alum Liz Vlock, Galen Clark, Seth Stevenson and Katie Burke, who celebrate Thursday.
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New Straits Times
6 days ago
- General
- New Straits Times
NGO duo guide fathers toward more engaged parenting [WATCH]
KUALA LUMPUR: Fatherhood can be a daunting journey, especially without guidance. But two men are working to change that by providing crucial support for struggling fathers, helping them thrive in their roles. Jason Leong and Joshua Hong, chairmen and co-founders of Better Dads Malaysia, a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering fathers, described their mission not as a "men's club", but as a national movement. "It's a national movement because we want to shift the narrative of men becoming more responsible fathers in our society. "And since many don't know where to begin, we provide modules and workshops to help guide them," Leong said. As fathers themselves, Leong and Hong realised the glaring lack of resources available for men navigating the responsibilities of fatherhood. "I started working with Jason after uncovering data about paternal absence while I was a youth worker. "I believe most fathers love their families. But many don't realise how important their presence truly is," Hong said. Since launching Better Dads Malaysia six years ago on International Men's Day (Nov 19), the duo had identified deep-rooted stereotypes in Asian culture that view fathers primarily as breadwinners and disciplinarians. "Many fathers can be physically present but emotionally absent at home. "Which is why a father's presence is equally important as well in a household," Leong said. To combat this, they aimed to dismantle these outdated beliefs by promoting a more emotionally engaged, communicative and supportive version of fatherhood through their organisation. "For example, we teach dads to say three simple things to their kids every day: 'I love you', 'You're good at what you do' and 'I'm proud of you'. "These small affirmations can have a powerful impact on a child's self-worth and development," said Leong. Beyond direct support, Better Dads Malaysia has also been a key player in advocating policy changes for Malaysian fathers. The organisation played a central role in pushing for the country's paternity leave policy — securing a seven-day leave despite initial proposals for 30 days. They are currently lobbying for tax incentives to be given to companies that support certified fathering programmes. But of all their work, the initiative that had resonated most deeply was their engagement with prison inmates. In February, they finally received the green light from authorities to begin conducting fatherhood workshops in prisons nationwide. It was there that they discovered that many inmates, often neglected by their fathers, yearned for emotional validation. "When we started the workshop, I would often tell them we're all good men who made some bad choices, which establishes a sense of equality among us, and we are all the same. "These affirmations are important as we don't judge and condemn them, and instead accept them as they are," Leong said. After completing the workshop, certificates of achievement were given to the inmates, and their reaction to this small gesture caught Leong and Hong by surprise. "Some cried when receiving their first certificate of achievement, saying they had never been recognised before. A standout moment for Leong came when a simple hug offered during a prison workshop sparked a chain reaction. "Everyone lined up for a hug after I hugged one of the inmates. "They told us they had never received a hug from their fathers. That kind of human connection — acceptance without judgment — is what they've been missing," he said. The duo plan to compile data from the workshops with inmates, with plans to publish research that could guide future policy and programme development of their organisation. "To all the fathers out there — you are not alone. We are part of a movement. "There are many other fathers who can be your support system, your community. "Come and join us. Be part of this larger community of fathers — learning, growing, and striving to become better every day," Leong said.
New Straits Times
6 days ago
- General
- New Straits Times
NGO duo guide fathers toward more engaged parenting
KUALA LUMPUR: Fatherhood can be a daunting journey, especially without guidance. But two men are working to change that by providing crucial support for struggling fathers, helping them thrive in their roles. Jason Leong and Joshua Hong, chairmen and co-founders of Better Dads Malaysia, a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering fathers, described their mission not as a "men's club", but as a national movement. "It's a national movement because we want to shift the narrative of men becoming more responsible fathers in our society. "And since many don't know where to begin, we provide modules and workshops to help guide them," Leong said. As fathers themselves, Leong and Hong realised the glaring lack of resources available for men navigating the responsibilities of fatherhood. "I started working with Jason after uncovering data about paternal absence while I was a youth worker. "I believe most fathers love their families. But many don't realise how important their presence truly is," Hong said. Since launching Better Dads Malaysia six years ago on International Men's Day (Nov 19), the duo had identified deep-rooted stereotypes in Asian culture that view fathers primarily as breadwinners and disciplinarians. "Many fathers can be physically present but emotionally absent at home. "Which is why a father's presence is equally important as well in a household," Leong said. To combat this, they aimed to dismantle these outdated beliefs by promoting a more emotionally engaged, communicative and supportive version of fatherhood through their organisation. "For example, we teach dads to say three simple things to their kids every day: 'I love you', 'You're good at what you do' and 'I'm proud of you'. "These small affirmations can have a powerful impact on a child's self-worth and development," said Leong. Beyond direct support, Better Dads Malaysia has also been a key player in advocating policy changes for Malaysian fathers. The organisation played a central role in pushing for the country's paternity leave policy — securing a seven-day leave despite initial proposals for 30 days. They are currently lobbying for tax incentives to be given to companies that support certified fathering programmes. But of all their work, the initiative that had resonated most deeply was their engagement with prison inmates. In February, they finally received the green light from authorities to begin conducting fatherhood workshops in prisons nationwide. It was there that they discovered that many inmates, often neglected by their fathers, yearned for emotional validation. "When we started the workshop, I would often tell them we're all good men who made some bad choices, which establishes a sense of equality among us, and we are all the same. "These affirmations are important as we don't judge and condemn them, and instead accept them as they are," Leong said. After completing the workshop, certificates of achievement were given to the inmates, and their reaction to this small gesture caught Leong and Hong by surprise. "Some cried when receiving their first certificate of achievement, saying they had never been recognised before. A standout moment for Leong came when a simple hug offered during a prison workshop sparked a chain reaction. "Everyone lined up for a hug after I hugged one of the inmates. "They told us they had never received a hug from their fathers. That kind of human connection — acceptance without judgment — is what they've been missing," he said. The duo plan to compile data from the workshops with inmates, with plans to publish research that could guide future policy and programme development of their organisation. "To all the fathers out there — you are not alone. We are part of a movement. "There are many other fathers who can be your support system, your community. "Come and join us. Be part of this larger community of fathers — learning, growing, and striving to become better every day," Leong said.
Saudi Gazette
12-06-2025
- Saudi Gazette
Taiwan jails China captain for undersea cable sabotage in landmark case
SINGAPORE — A Chinese national has been sentenced to three years in prison for damaging an undersea cable connecting Taiwan's main island and the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait. The man, identified by his surname Wang, was the captain of the Togolese-registered vessel Hong Tai 58. The Tainan District Court's verdict on Thursday marks the first sentencing after reports in recent years of undersea cables around Taiwan being severed. Taipei has accused Beijing of sabotaging its cables, describing it as a "grey zone" tactic to pressure the self-ruled island, which China claims as its territory. But China has denied its involvement, calling the incidents "common maritime accidents" that have been "exaggerated" by Taiwanese authorities. Undersea cables - insulated wires laid on the seabed - carry nearly all of the world's internet traffic. An estimated 150 to 200 faults occur across the world's undersea cable systems every year, according to the International Cable Protection Committee. Taiwan has 10 domestic and 14 international undersea cables. The damage to cables linking Taiwan to the Penghu islands "seriously interferes with the government and society's operations", the court said in a statement about Thursday's sentencing. "The impact is enormous, and the defendant's actions should be severely condemned." In February, Taiwan's coast guard spotted Hong Tai 58 anchored off the island's southern coast for several days and broadcasted warnings asking it to leave. Minutes after Hong Tai 58 departed the waters in the early hours of 25 February, the coast guard learned that an undersea cable in the area had been severed. Hong Tai 58 was escorted back to Taiwan for investigation, and its crew of eight Chinese nationals were detained. Mr Wang is the only one to face charges, and the remaining crew members have reportedly been sent back to China. While Mr Wang initially denied damaging the undersea cables, he said during his trial that he "might have broken the cable". Mr Wang, who did not appoint a lawyer, told the court that the rough waters had made navigation tricky, and he instructed the crew to drop the anchor without knowing that the area contained undersea cables. However, prosecutors argued that he had intentionally damaged the cable, pointing to electronic charts on the ship clearly showing the cable's location. Hsu Shu Han, a prosecutor in the case, told BBC Chinese in May that the vessel was "highly suspicious". It had only one cargo record in the past year and was in poor condition, "but they were still sailing that ship around the Taiwan Strait", he said. Mr Hsu also said the ship had gone by multiple names, and that Mr Wang had deliberately concealed information about the vessel's owner, who has yet to be identified. The Coast Guard told the court that ships typically move in a circular motion around the anchor, but the Hong Tai 58 had dragged its anchor straight across the seabed. Prosecutors said the ship had sailed in a zigzag pattern around the cable. The damaged section of the cable also matched the ship's anchoring location and showed signs of being snagged by an external force. Between 2019 and 2023, there were 36 cases of undersea cables being damaged by external forces, according to Taiwan authorities. Taiwan has been increasingly wary of potential sabotage, especially from China. In January, it accused a Chinese-owned ship of damaging an undersea cable near its northern coast - claims that have been denied by the ship's owner, Reuters reported. Kuan Bi-ling, Taiwan's ocean affairs council minister, said that Hong Tai 58 was among the 52 vessels that Taiwan had been monitoring for suspicious activities. Such suspicions are not just surfacing in Taiwan: Last November, a Chinese carrier was accused of severing two fibre-optic undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. But a Swedish probe earlier this year said it found no conclusive evidence to suggest this - though a separate investigation remains under way, said Reuters. "Some scholars have said that World War III could begin with the cutting of undersea cables. I think that's quite realistic," Herming Chiueh, deputy minister of Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs, told BBC Chinese. "From the Ministry's perspective, our job is to ensure timely reporting and response for these critical infrastructures." Mr Hsu said that Mr Wang's phone records showed no links to Chinese authorities, and there was no direct evidence proving that the crew had been acting under Chinese government orders. Tensions have ratcheted between Taiwan and China over the past year. Taiwanese President William Lai has adopted a tough stance against Beijing, calling it a "foreign hostile force". Meanwhile, China has held regular drills around Taiwan to simulate a blockade of the island. — BBC
