Latest news with #Zeng
Washington Post
10-07-2025
- Washington Post
TSA rule change puts gnarly feet where they belong — back in shoes
For nearly 20 years, millions of bare feet have marched through security checkpoints at airports around the country, a motley parade of hairy and Roman toes, calloused soles and cracked heels, nails black from marathons or chipped red from faded manicures. These feet are best enjoyed in private. Yet since 2006, they have been on stark display. Until this week. With little warning and much fanfare, all those feet have disappeared. After a tip-toe-quiet rollout at select airports earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security announced that the shoes-off rule is now on. Since Monday, passengers no longer have to remove their footwear in standard Transportation Security Administration lanes. Feet are finally back where they belong: in shoes. 'We don't have to feel as if we're in the airport with Bigfoot anymore,' said Dani Korwin, president of Parts Models, a New York modeling agency that specializes in extremities. On Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem assured travelers that TSA's technology is advanced enough to detect contraband in shoes still attached to the wearer. Scrapping this step should speed up the line and free up space in the cramped security area. Checkpoints will no longer resemble DSW stores. Korwin was one of the rejoicers. She has a discerning eye for feet, and airports, at least before this week, were filled with untapped talent. But, she said, scouting in the security line was a horrifying prospect. 'If I want to have a pleasant trip, I try not to look at their feet, because the majority of the population is not foot-groomed,' Korwin said. 'Not having to deal with that visually is a big improvement. When traveling, New York-based foot model Branda Zeng is more curious than Korwin, her agent. Zeng, whose appendages have appeared in ads for jewelry, apparel and beauty products, said feet can be as revealing as a diary or medicine cabinet. In the short time it takes a passenger to walk through the screening machine, she can peer into their sole. 'Feet kind of show what a person's hygiene is,' Zeng said. Her assessment of travelers' upkeep is low. 'They are not taking care of their feet,' she said. 'Maybe going through TSA they don't care, because they're never going to see these people ever again.' During his nearly eight years with TSA, Caleb Harmon-Marshall was inundated with feet. They walked toward him and away from him; they stood so close to him, he could smell their special fragrance and behold their unique peculiarities. 'Sometimes you'd see people come through with all kinds of stuff on their feet,' Harmon-Marshall said. 'Maybe it was a fungus?' Harmon-Marshall, who worked at the country's busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, left the agency in 2022. Now a content creator with a weekly newsletter called Gate Access, he broke the news about the rule change, posting it on TikTok. Many commenters questioned the value of their TSA PreCheck membership, and a few reminded their fellow travelers to wear clean socks. During an interview with The Washington Post, Harmon-Marshall reflected on his time in the shoe-free-zone. 'I've always found it disgusting to see all these people walking barefoot in TSA checkpoints and going into the body scanner and putting their feet on the yellow footprint,' Harmon-Marshall said. 'It's rarely cleaned. It's very unsanitary.' The old TSA rule wasn't just ugly; it was unhealthy. Priya Parthasarathy, a podiatrist and spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association, said she has clients who suffer from 'foot anxiety.' Their self-consciousness may prevent them from participating in a variety of barefoot activities, such as dipping their 10 little piggies in a pool or a pedicure soak. 'I'm sure going through TSA at the airport is traumatizing for a lot of my patients,' she said. 'A lot of people are embarrassed about their feet.' For people with tactile sensitivities, an airport's linoleum flooring can feel like stepping on a fly strip, the sticky material clinging to the fleshy foot pads. Facilities with carpeting offer more cushion and less suction, but the fabric can act as a sponge, absorbing microorganisms picked up and passed along by millions. Parthasarathy said people who stroll around public places in their bare feet can contract athlete's foot or plantar warts. If they tread on a foreign object, they can tear the skin, an open door for infection. The best armor against the spread of bacteria and disease, she said, is shoes. As the mom of three boys, Parthasarathy enrolled her entire family in TSA PreCheck. She didn't need to add to her already heavy caseload. Tami Terzian's feet are her livelihood. After passing through security, the hand-and-foot model will use baby wipes to clean her assets. Terzian, who is based in New York, is not offended by other people's feet. Her mother, a self-professed germophobe, is less forgiving. Lynda Terzian basically quit travel because of her aversion to the microbe-riddled airport floor. On Tuesday, Terzian shared the news with her mother. She texted back, 'I can fly again!!!' Alas, the scourge of bare feet is not over. The offenders still lurk at terminal gates and on airplanes. To banish them from your sight, imagine you are back at the checkpoint, enveloped by shoes.
Hamilton Spectator
04-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Work on new Lincoln Lodge expected to begin next year
Final planning details are being are being completed to clear the way for construction of a new Lincoln Lodge and apartment building for seniors in Vineland. 'Right now, we're focusing on getting the site plan application complete,' said Nan Zeng, principal architect at Markham-based Z Square Group , which is overseeing the project. Zeng said the application is expected to be filed with Town of Lincoln in the next couple of months. The project received a required zoning change last year. 'If everything goes smoothly, we're looking at ideally in the middle of next year to start groundbreaking,' Zeng said. Two houses on the 0.36-hectare (nearly one-acre) site on Rittenhouse Road will be torn down to make way for the new four-storey Lincoln Lodge. Zeng said the residents will be relocated. Lincoln Lodge is a group home for adults with special needs. A rendering of the new Lincoln Lodge, right, and accompanying seniors' apartment building. Zeng said once the new lodge is completed, probably sometime in 2027, the old lodge building will be demolished and construction will begin on a 1,860-square-metre (20,000-square-foot), 26-unit seniors' apartment building, with completion forecast for 2030 or 2031. It has not been determined if the apartments will be rental units or condominiums. 'I believe it will be rental units,' said Zeng, who added the lodge and the apartment building will share 42 parking spaces. Lodge co-owner Cui Zhang said previously the 70-year-old lodge building needed many upgrades and that the new facility will improve the quality of life for her residents and the community. 'It will be very nice (for) the neighbourhood,' Zhang said. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Korea Herald
27-06-2025
- Korea Herald
Years of experience, refining skills put head of new restaurant in China in Michelin's spotlight
BEIJING (China Daily/ANN) -- Chef Zeng Donghai is no stranger to receiving accolades from such as Michelin, Black Pearl and Forbes Travel Guide. For 14 years, he participated in building Jin Sha restaurant in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, and helped it grow into a mainstay in the fine dining scene. But stepping into the spotlight as executive chef of the Song Chinese restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel, Hangzhou Center, and receiving his own Michelin star was a novel experience for the 38-year-old. At last month's Michelin award ceremony in Hangzhou, Zeng found himself in the limelight for the first time. Zeng joined the Song restaurant team last year to prepare for its opening. In less than a year, the restaurant earned Michelin recognition. "To receive a Michelin star so soon was a surprise. The starting point of this new restaurant is incredibly high," he says. "But the honor belongs to the whole team." Achieving a Michelin star serves as both validation and motivation for Zeng and his team. While the accolade brings a surge of new guests eager to try the restaurant, it also accelerates its development pace. "We hoped to take things slowly, one step at a time," Zeng reflects. "But now, after winning this award, we can't pause but must move forward." The star is a testament to his years of hard work. Born in Xinyang, Henan province, Zeng spent his summer vacations in Hangzhou as a child, where he helped his parents run a breakfast stall. Later, when he decided to become a chef, he settled in Hangzhou, where he has lived for over 20 years. In 2010, during Jin Sha's preparation phase, he joined the team and met Head Chef Wang Yong. Over the next 14 years, he grew alongside Wang, rising from kitchen supervisor to second-in-command chef, becoming Wang's trusted right-hand man. Leading a team of 40, he helped maintain the restaurant's reputation through innovative dishes, consistent quality, and impeccable service. "Fine dining in Hangzhou is fiercely competitive," Zeng says. "The restaurant's success comes from innovating its signature dishes and delivering them at the perfect temperature." Last year, the preparations for the new restaurant officially began, presenting him with the opportunity to manage a brand-new restaurant. After consulting with Wang, Zeng chose to dedicate the new restaurant to Ningbo (Zhejiang province) cuisine. With extensive experience in broader Jiangsu province and Zhejiang styles, he narrowed his focus and deepened his expertise by exploring Ningbo's distinctive flavors and ingredient-driven approach. Ningbo cuisine is renowned for highlighting the natural tastes of high-quality seafood and local produce, giving the dishes a subtle balance between simplicity and sophistication, according to Zeng. Standing in Song's unfinished kitchen in May last year, his mindset had evolved from when he first walked into the still-under-renovation Jin Sha kitchen 14 years earlier. He felt a greater sense of responsibility. "I thought, this might be my battlefield from now on," he recalls. Trial operations began in August. From that moment until the Michelin star announcement, Zeng never took an extended break, maintaining a constant state of tension and determination to present his best at the new restaurant — and he succeeded. The menu is constantly evolving. Almost every month, he travels to Ningbo to learn about the freshest seasonal ingredients and authentic cooking methods. Then, he reinterprets them to create refined dishes that are true to Ningbo's flavors but with modern flair. Freshly caught fish arrive in Hangzhou within two hours by car. He strives to bring the freshest ingredients to his table while applying years of culinary experience and cooking techniques from across the country to bring out the best flavors. Eighteen Cuts is a traditional Ningbo dish that showcases the region's freshest red crab roe. Zeng makes it a standout by precisely cutting female mitten crabs into 18 pieces, carefully removing the gills, heart and stomach, and slicing each leg into eight segments, ensuring each bite carries the rich crab roe. Marinated in a secret sauce and served chilled, the dish delivers a fresh, fragrant and silky sweetness. Zeng explains, "I made some adjustments to the sauce to enhance the pepper flavor" — his way of adding a twist to a classic. Another signature dish that captures attention is Da Hong Pao Crispy Pigeon Leg. Named after the famous Sichuan peppercorn da hong pao, this dish reinvents the familiar pigeon by deboning half the bird, with the exception of the breast, wrapping the meat in its leg skin, and meticulously sewing it back together. Fried to golden perfection, the leg becomes plump, revealing tender, juicy meat inside. Paired with handpicked da hong pao, the dish bursts with intense aroma and a tingling spiciness that excites the palate. The contrast between the crisp skin and succulent meat exemplifies Zeng's mastery of balancing flavors and textures. A foodie influencer, under the username Peter Pan on social media platform Xiaohongshu, praises Eighteen Cuts: "The sauce is not as salty as the traditional Ningbo version, but it carries a gentle sweetness typical of Jiangnan cuisine. The fleeting spice and wine notes are the soul of the dish." Jiangnan refers to the area south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. He also highly recommends the pigeon leg: "The skin is as smooth and glossy as hot maltose candy shaped into a bulb and solidified. The moment your teeth touch the skin, it cracks in a chorus while chewing. Every step, from oil drizzling, deboning, marinating, and unsewing to serving it at the perfect temperature so the juices don't burn your mouth, is strictly controlled. "This leg is not unlike undergoing orthopedic surgery followed by cosmetic surgery. It is worth a Michelin star on its own," he adds. Achieving a Michelin star has fueled the entire kitchen and service team's passion at Song. Manager Wang Yani, 35, who has worked in Shanghai, Beijing, and Chiang Mai in Thailand, joined the restaurant during its construction phase. "Over the past year, the team and I have been continuously learning about Ningbo cuisine from Chef Zeng to better introduce the cuisine and his cooking philosophy to our guests," Wang Yani says. "Zeng is a perfectionist and talented head chef. We often don't need to use words because he understands immediately. His longtime kitchen experience shows," she adds. "He rarely takes breaks. Even when he does, he's still working — looking for ingredients, checking utensils, seeing what might suit the restaurant. He treats it like his treasure and always wants to present the best to our guests," she says. Before joining Song restaurant, Zeng enjoyed riding motorcycles and exploring mountains with friends. But since becoming head chef, he sold his bike and fully devoted himself to his craft. This new role brings pressure but also great rewards as Zeng moves among diners and asks for their feedback. Watching the restaurant steadily find its rhythm and grow brings him deep satisfaction.
24-06-2025
Lululemon theft ring revealed: Organized crew suspected behind wave of shoplifted gear
Court documents obtained by CBC detail the inner workings of a multi-level organized ring of stolen goods traffickers allegedly directing prolific shoplifters who have stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of clothes from Lululemon stores across the Lower Mainland. Search warrant and civil forfeiture materials claim a Burnaby man charged last year in a high-profile investigation into stolen gear was in contact with a Surrey woman whose home was raided by police this March — yielding $175,000 worth of stolen goods and cosmetics. And even as he was beginning to defend himself against criminal charges of trafficking in stolen property, Surrey RCMP investigators claim the man was still placing orders with a street-level shoplifter on what to steal. 'Knowledge of worldwide retail pricing' The web of people allegedly behind the thefts is described in a warrant RCMP obtained in March to search the home and vehicle of a Surrey woman named Yawen Zeng who is accused of operating in an organizing role in a trafficking ring. Zeng has not been charged criminally, but B.C.'s director of civil forfeiture filed a B.C. Supreme Court lawsuit against her last month, citing the numerous items of stolen clothing found in her garage as evidence her home was bought, in part, through the proceeds of crime. Lululemon in Vancouver, B.C, on Monday, June 23, 2025. The company's athletic gear has allegedly been targeted by a multi-level organized theft ring. (Ben Nelms/CBC) Photo: (Ben Nelms/CBC) The search warrant details WhatsApp conversations where Zeng allegedly discussed prices and demand for specific Lululemon gear — including one asking for skin creams because of worldwide competition in which Canadian price is higher than Asian or Europe. I believe this was a significant message because it showed Zeng's knowledge of worldwide retail pricing and that she likely shipped and sold products in various international markets, wrote Const. Chris Tessarolo, the RCMP officer who obtained the warrant. [This suggests] that she would be capable of being in a co-ordinating role for organized retail crime. According to the search warrant, the RCMP's investigation began last November when police began following Minh Ngoc Ta — a Lethbridge man who is currently facing multiple charges relating to theft from Lululemon stores across the Lower Mainland. Police mounted surveillance and watched as Ta allegedly took thousands of dollars worth of merchandise in grab-and-run thefts in the days before Christmas — hitting the Lululemon store in Surrey's Morgan Crossing mall five times in the space of a week. Beyond physical surveillance, RCMP also obtained data for Ta's phone conversations — which allegedly showed him in communication immediately before and after the thefts with Manishkumar Sureshbhai Patel, one of two men charged last year with fencing Lululemon gear. And so RCMP began reviewing the police files on that investigation. The suspects used SkyTrain as a 'getaway vehicle' The agency to first alert the public to the existence of a large-scale, organized Lululemon theft operation was Transit Police; they got involved because people selling stolen merchandise through Facebook Marketplace had used SkyTrain as a getaway vehicle. At a news conference last August, investigators said they had seized 800 items of Lululemon gear and arrested two men, but no charges had been filed. Transit Police investigated because the people selling stolen Lululemon merchandise through Facebook Marketplace had used SkyTrain as a 'getaway vehicle.' (Ben Nelms/CBC) Photo: (Ben Nelms/CBC) That changed in October, when Patel and Manan Chandreshkumar Shah were charged with two counts each of possession for the purpose of trafficking and trafficking in stolen Lululemon property. A lawyer for both men — who are cousins — declined comment, but said her clients are pleading not guilty. A preliminary inquiry in the case is set for next month. As part of the RCMP investigation, Tessarolo reviewed Transit Police logs of Patel's communications with prolific Lululemon thieves — including Amber Cristina Rolston and Aaron Knight, a Surrey couple with his-and-hers bans from entering any Lululemon store in British Columbia. I reviewed messages that showed Knight negotiating percentages that he wanted on items that Patel had requested he steal from Lululemon. In some cases, Knight and Patel would haggle to get the percentage they desired, Tessarolo writes. Multiple photographs were sent by Patel to Knight, which were taken from the Lululemon website depicting images of leggings, jackets and other various Lululemon products accompanied by directions and requests as if orders were being placed by Patel to Knight for what to steal. The Transit Police file also included messages in which Zeng allegedly told Patel, The Lululemon pants she was receiving from him had not sold yet, and she could not take any more. Zeng and Patel discussed prices, the search warrant says. And Zeng told Patel that she believed she could get better prices elsewhere. Tessarolo noted that Zeng did not have a criminal record or any history of low-level retail theft. This made me believe that Zeng was disconnected from the thefts in more of an organizing role where she may be fencing stolen products that Patel would send her from low-level retail thieves, the RCMP officer wrote. 'Recent instances of obtaining stolen property' Patel and Shah made their first appearances in Vancouver provincial court in mid-October. Starting two months later, between December 12, 2024 and January 5, 2025, RCMP allegedly recorded 558 events — phone calls or messages — between Patel and Minh Ngoc Ta, the accused Lululemon thief. These patterns showed that Patel was placing orders with Ta on what to steal, Tessarolo wrote. From this, I believed that Patel had recent instances of obtaining stolen property and would likely still be communicating with Zeng to fence the stolen property. As a result, Surrey RCMP shifted its investigation to Zeng, combing through her garbage and enlisting the help of a Lululemon Asset Protection Specialist who provided them with a scanning device capable of reading wireless tags stores place inside the clothes. According to the warrant, the scanners work from a distance of 30 metres, and can read the sales history associated with the tags to tell investigators whether an item has ever legitimately cleared the shop floor. Officers conducted a scan of Zeng's home from a public roadway and private property, allegedly locating 18 Lululemon items listed as having been stolen from various stores in the Greater Vancouver area. In paperwork filed with the court after the execution of the search warrant, police claim to have found hundreds of Lululemon items, bulk gift cards and reams of Chanel cosmetics in Zeng's house. They also seized a baggie containing $5,000 from the glove box of her Honda. 'I don't see myself continuing honestly' Zeng has not responded to the lawsuit and could not be reached for comment. The CBC has obtained copies of court documents and recordings of criminal proceedings involving the prolific shoplifters named in the search warrant. Enlarge image (new window) Aaron Knight, left, and Amber Cristina Rolston are banned from entering any Lululemon store in British Columbia. According to court records, they are both prolific shoplifters suspected of involvement in a theft ring. (Facebook/Amber Cristina Rolston) Photo: (Facebook/Amber Cristina Rolston) The court record speaks to public concerns about a so-called 'revolving door' bail system that sees repeat offenders released from custody almost as soon as they are caught for new offences. Minh Ngoc Ta, the 33-year-old who sparked the investigation, appeared in Surrey provincial court Monday after being taken into custody in recent days following five releases in the last six months while awaiting trial on a growing list of theft charges. In April — the last time Ta was let out of custody — he was in a reverse onus position to prove he shouldn't stay in jail while the proceedings play out, but a judge released him into the care of a recovery program on a promise not to attend any Lululemon store in B.C. Arrest warrants were issued when he failed to show up for a routine appearance in May, and Ta now faces 24 theft charges in Vancouver, West Vancouver, Langley, Burnaby, Coquitlam and Surrey. His next appearance is set for Thursday. After Aaron Knight failed three times to comply with bail conditions that saw him barred from Bass Pro Shop, Marshalls, Winners and Lululemon, he was ordered into custody in May to await a pre-sentencing report next month on a raft of theft convictions. Knight's partner — Amber Cristina Rolston — is also in custody on charges that include breaching the conditions imposed in September 2024, the last time she pleaded guilty to stealing from Lululemon. At that hearing, a prosecutor read from a list of crimes. Rolston stole from a Burnaby Lululemon twice in once day. She and Knight took $16,000 worth of leggings from an Abbotsford Lululemon. And the pair took $4,222 of men's clothing from a Lululemon downtown. What we see here is basically, she's rapidly escalating. She's stealing high-value items. She's in breach of her undertaking not to be in Lululemon, the prosecutor said. There's really high frequency here. And there's a high value. Rolston was 32 at the time. The prosecutor described her as pleasant. Her lawyer said she has struggled with heroin addiction and was living on income assistance. I'm very remorseful and embarrassed, Rolston told Judge Patricia Stark. I don't see myself continuing, honestly. I don't like this revolving door of the system I've put myself in. Stark appeared shocked by the situation. You walked out the door and basically within four days were stealing again, she told Rolston. These are not victimless crimes. You may think when you go to these stores that nobody suffers. But people do suffer. People own those stores. People work at those stores. People buy from those stores. Rolston was ordered to spend another 30 days in jail — and to stay away from Lululemon. Jason Proctor (new window) · CBC ·
Korea Herald
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- Korea Herald
CATL Chairman and CEO Robin Zeng Outlines Vision for Global Zero-Carbon Transition and Deeper Collaboration at Major Conference
CHENGDU, China, June 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Dr. Robin Zeng, Chairman and CEO of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL), delivered a speech at the second Belt and Road Conference on Science and Technology Exchange. During the speech, Dr. Zeng detailed CATL's commitment to open collaboration and mutually beneficial development global wise, with a significant focus on empowering emerging economies. In his address, Dr. Zeng emphasized CATL's readiness to foster deep industrial cooperation and share its advanced technologies to accelerate the global energy transition. "There are many ways we can cooperate," Dr. Zeng stated. "CATL is willing to co-build factories, form joint ventures, and engage in commercial agreements on technology licensing." This collaborative spirit is central to CATL's strategy of building localized ecosystems and supporting partners worldwide in their journey towards carbon neutrality. Highlighting the significant opportunities in transport electrification, CATL noted the rapid pace of EV market growth in countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. CATL is actively pursuing partnerships in the region, such as its collaboration with Arun Plus in Thailand to supply batteries and support the nation's ambition to become Southeast Asia's EV hub; and its co-development of a full industrial value chain—from mining to recycling—to localize Indonesia's EV ecosystem. Beyond transportation, CATL's comprehensive "Zero-Carbon Tech" solutions encompass innovative energy storage systems that are crucial for unlocking the full potential of renewable energy. Its grid-forming storage systems enable independent microgrids, which are essential for remote regions and industrial sites. One notable example is the 19GWh battery energy storage system powering Masdar's "AI + Zero-Carbon" green data center in the UAE. To promote battery circularity across society, CATL plans to roll out 1,000 Choco-Swap stations by 2025. The footprint is expanding into Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR, with construction officially underway on Hong Kong's first Choco-Swap station. In the medium term, CATL aims to establish 10,000 stations in collaboration with automotive partners. Furthermore, CATL's advanced battery recycling technology—which processed 130,000 tons of waste batteries last year—underscores its strong commitment to the circular economy. Dr. Zeng also touched upon the concept of "industrial decarbonization," explaining it as the transformation of traditional high-energy-consumption industries with new energy solutions, such as using hydrometallurgy to reduce carbon emissions. This approach, combined with "new energy industrialization," aims to create new economic growth engines and green transformation pathways, particularly relevant for nations seeking industrial upgrading and sustainable development. CATL's strategy involves fostering a global production network to ensure market supply and development worldwide, exemplified by its major investments in European manufacturing, including Europe's largest battery base in Hungary and a new factory in Spain with Stellantis. These initiatives are designed to deeply integrate CATL into regional new energy industry chains, enhancing local value and technological advancement. With over 43,000 patents and nearly 20 billion yuan invested annually in battery R&D, CATL continues to innovate in battery materials, chemical systems, and beyond. In 2024, CATL ranked second among all Chinese companies in overseas patent applications. "As a global leader in innovation and technology, CATL is willing to collaborate with business and scientific communities across all international partner countries," Dr. Zeng concluded. "We are eager to contribute - for humanity's new energy's sake, for humanity's sustainable development, and for building a community with a shared future for mankind!" CATL's recent listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange further demonstrates its deeper integration into global capital markets, providing a vital platform to support its expanding production capacity, supplier network, and talent pool, enabling more diverse cooperation with international partners towards a zero-carbon future. The company aims for its factories to be carbon-neutral this year and is committed to achieving carbon neutrality across its battery supply chain by 2035.
