Latest news with #BrianWong
HKFP
08-07-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
Hong Kong NGO defends ecotourism research after ‘soft resistance' accusation from Beijing-backed paper
Policy think tank Liber Research Community has defended its research after Beijing-backed newspaper Wen Wei Po accused the NGO of 'soft resistance' through its policy recommendations for Hong Kong's ecotourism initiatives. The paper ran a full-page report on Tuesday, accusing the NGO of using 'pseudo-science' to challenge the bottom line of national security. The report also named Greenpeace Hong Kong, which co-hosted a seminar event on ecotourism with Liber and other environmental groups online last month after a local university cancelled their venue booking. According to the Wen Wei Po report, Liber 'has been using pseudo-science as 'camouflage' to spread untruthful comments to vilify the government.' Brian Wong, a researcher at Liber, said he was confident that the think tank's research was well-founded. 'Our last report was solid, with methodologies, data, and case studies,' Wong told HKFP on Tuesday, adding that the NGO would continue its work. 'If they think what we're putting out is pseudoscience, more information is needed to substantiate their claim,' he said. Addressing the 'soft resistance' accusation, Wong said: 'We are just conducting research and making suggestions for the benefit of Hong Kong's people and environment.' 'Done well' According to Wen Wei Po, Liber's research is based on the 'false premise' that development will always have environmental impacts. But Wong maintained that Liber was not opposed to the government's ecotourism initiatives. 'We just want it to be done well. There are always details from which we can derive insights by conducting research,' he said. 'The government has itself said that recommendations are welcomed as long as they are based on fact.' Last month, Liber and Greenpeace published a joint report urging the authorities to set a clear framework for eco-tourism development after discovering that existing arrangements may grant developers more flexibility to build private housing on ecologically sensitive land. In early July, 10 green groups, including Greenpeace, separately called on the authorities to align ecotourism policies with international standards. They warned that such eco-projects would otherwise endanger local communities and ecosystems if they skewed in favour of property developers' interests. On both occasions, the NGOs did not state that they opposed the plan or called for it to be shelved. Wong also said that the Wen Wei Po report contained inaccuracies. Contrary to the report's claims, he said Liber did not attend the press conference held by the Society for Protection of the Harbour, an environmental NGO, which the Development Bureau accused of making 'misleading remarks' about a legislative amendment streamlining approval for harbour reclamation works. Liber also did not draft a template for representation letters regarding the San Tin Technopole, a planned tech park development in the New Territories that has been green-lit despite a 90 per cent opposition rate in a consultation exercise. The Wen Wei Po report also said that one of Liber's events, which one of the paper's reporters attended without revealing their identity, had the makings of an 'underground assembly,' quoting a host's remark that 'what's said here, stays here.'
Daily Express
05-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
MCCC warns against politicising court cases
Published on: Saturday, July 05, 2025 Published on: Sat, Jul 05, 2025 By: Noor Zafira Zayn Text Size: KOTA kINABALU: The Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) Sabah has warned that politicising court cases risks undermining investor confidence and damaging Sabah's economic reputation. Its Deputy Director of Trade Affairs, Brian Wong (pic), urged political leaders, the media and the public to exercise restraint and avoid speculation on judicial matters, especially cases still pending in court. Advertisement He said in a statement on Saturday that public discourse must respect the independence of enforcement authorities and the judiciary to ensure continued trust in Sabah's governance. Wong stressed that politically charged narratives have real-world consequences, potentially deterring investors and weakening confidence in the state's economic environment. He also highlighted the seriousness of the ongoing case involving key institutions, calling for calm and respect for due process to safeguard Sabah's stability and reputation. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Metro
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
I don't want to see David Walliams on TV again after Nazi salutes
I can't believe I'm having to say this, but Nazi salutes are not funny. This week, David Walliams, the comedian once renowned for Little Britain and as a ubiquitous judge on Britain's Got Talent, made two Nazi salutes while filming a comedy show, a Christmas special of Would I Lie To You for the BBC. The story, revealed by The Times, was a wholly humiliating and thoroughly embarrassing act. Call the Midwife actress and Walliams' teammate on the show, Helen George, was telling a tale about spraining her wrist after waving too much on the Strictly Come Dancing tour, before demonstrating the wave. That's when Walliams 'joined in with increasingly vigorous waves, culminating in him holding his arm out in a Nazi salute'. He then repeated it, with a 'sexual twist', essentially mocking its brutal origins. Audience members reportedly gasped, fellow panellists looked uncomfortable, and the host, Rob Brydon, was forced to reprimand him. The BBC has since confirmed the footage will never air, calling the gesture 'completely unacceptable,' and the production company quickly repeated those sentiments. To put it simply: I believe he has crossed a line. So he must be shunned from our screens. Walliams has been treading a tightrope of controversy for decades, with a pattern of behaviour that must ultimately be held to account. His comedy – particularly Little Britain – has been rightly criticised for racist stand-up and blackface. Something once celebrated as being edgy or irreverent now just exists as an embarrassing reminder of how the entertainment business once had so much less to answer for in terms of its power. Both Walliams and Lucas have since apologised for these portrayals, stating they regretted playing 'characters of other races', adding: 'we want to make it clear that it was wrong and we are very sorry.' In more recent times, Walliams stepped down from being a judge on Britain's Got Talent after tapes were released in which he made 'disrespectful comments' about contestants on the show. He apologised at the time, explaining they were private conversations that were 'never intended to be shared' but that he was 'sorry' nevertheless. And who can forget, HarperCollins – the publisher of his book, The World's Worst Children – removed a short story about a Chinese character called Brian Wong after accusations of 'casual racism'. As far as I can see, Walliams didn't apologise for this, but the publisher said: 'In consultation with our author and illustrator [Tony Ross] we can confirm that a new story will be written to replace 'Brian Wong'.' Quite a list. So when Walliams does a Nazi salute, even when it was an attempt at humour – a symbol of hate, genocide, and oppression – it isn't just a bad taste and off-colour remark. In my view, it's the record of someone who has repeatedly failed to listen or to know boundaries, after facing repercussions previously. And as far as I can see, he hasn't apologised or even addressed this latest controversy yet. It's not 'cancel culture' – as Walliams himself contended last year, calling it 'exhausting' – no, it's a matter of responsibility. It's about the obligation that comes with having a public voice and the very real consequences of downplaying serious wrongdoings. Bigger picture counts too. Globally, populism on the far-right is increasing, while fascist imagery and language are slowly reasserting themselves in popular culture. So a celebrity performing an offhand Nazi salute – even in what looks like a lighthearted setting and from someone who is not racist – is not an innocent nostalgic gesture or a misguided effort at humour. In my view, it's hate normalisation. In my opinion, Walliams' faux pas are a sure sign that he must be blacklisted on TV. It is not a matter of censoring comedy or stifling free speech, but more of not giving a forum to one who has violated the social line of decency and decorum. The BBC refusing to air the video was right, but not far enough. Walliams must not have access to the same forums that made him famous until he shows genuine accountability and respect to marginalised communities in Britain. It's not a witch hunt or social media outrage-driven over response. It's a call for standards – ones that I believe Walliams has repeatedly fallen short of. By continuing to grant him airtime, broadcasters send the message that his behaviour is acceptable as long as the perpetrator is a big enough name. More Trending Blacklisting David Walliams would be an absolute, necessary step towards sending the message that this kind of behavior is not going to be tolerated. It's about protecting the cultural topography from people who would belittle and hate others. If the BBC and other broadcasters who work with Walliams can commit – if they haven't already – to not including him on TV, radio, or any other media appearances in the future, the world would be much better off. It's about standing together with people who are targeted by these kinds of words and actions. And it's about getting the record straight that being 'funny' is no excuse for causing hurt or being hateful. View More » The time for excuses is over. The show has come to a close. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: The Ballymena riots are nothing to do with protecting women MORE: Brat summer is back: From tennis to the Euros to the Rugby World Cup, just watch as sporting queens go centre stage MORE: Doctor Who fans are convinced the show is dying – but they're wrong
CNBC
05-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
China's pain threshold is 'psychologically and economically high', says professor
Brian Wong, Fellow at the Centre on Contemporary China and the World at the University of Hong Kong, talks about what a potential phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could mean for the U.S.'s trade deals with the rest of the world.
Edmunds
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Edmunds
2025 Honda Civic Hybrid: What's It Like to Live With?
All that said, we love the way our Civic hybrid drives. The Civic Hybrid is spacious, comfy and zippy," says executive director of written content Jodi Tourkow. "I was able to move around on the highway with ease, and acceleration wasn't a problem." Our fuel economy's been great right off the bat, too. The EPA rates our car at 50 mpg city, 45 mpg highway and 48 mpg combined — numbers that are super easy to hit. We're also looking forward to putting the EPA's bladder-busting 595-mile range figure to the test on long trips. What do we think so far? "This is such a pleasant car," vehicle test editor Reese Counts writes in our logbook. "It's not fancy or luxurious, but it's such a nice vehicle to drive every day. It's comfortable, quiet, and easy to see out of. The powertrain is smooth and reasonably powerful for a hybrid, and you don't have to work hard to get great fuel economy. The hatch makes it super practical too. It's hard to fault the Civic Hybrid as a daily driver." Exactly how practical is the hatch, though? Senior reviews editor Brian Wong says, "The hatchback doesn't offer as much extra storage as you might think. On paper there's a giant disparity between it and the sedan (24.5 cubic feet vs 14.8 cubic feet) in terms of trunk space, but in practice I was only able to fit one more small carry-on bag into the hatchback because it's kind of oddly shaped. The advantage it offers is the ability to fold the seats down, and the hatch's giant opening allows you to load larger items that won't fit in the sedan (like an office chair)."
