Latest news with #Anh
Tatler Asia
20-05-2025
- Business
- Tatler Asia
VPBank taps G-Dragon to reinvent its image, while Taylor Swift shows the global trend
VPBank is not alone in this strategic pursuit. VIB, another private Vietnamese bank, has experienced a notable uptick in brand recognition since backing music ventures such as The Masked Singer and the Anh Trai Say Hi concert. Figures from VPBankS reveal VIB's card spending surged at an annual rate of 56%, while its total assets climbed to VND493,000 billion by the close of 2024. Techcombank, too, saw promising returns on its sponsorship of Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai , a show that drew a warm reception from audiences. Capitalising on the momentum, the bank introduced new features and reached a broader customer base. VPBankS noted that the programme's impact helped Techcombank achieve a pre-tax profit of VND27,500 billion in 2024—marking a more than 20% increase on the previous year. Learn more: From Bvlgari, Van Cleef & Arpels to Rolex: Anh Tu Atus turns Anh Trai's 'Say Hi' concert into a high-end personal runway Sensing the appeal, several other banks have joined the fray. Techcombank has thrown its support behind the All-round Rookie series, while TPBank has taken the lead as main sponsor for Em xinh say hi. When artists help banks get closer to customers—and elevate a nation's cultural standing It's not just Vietnamese banks tapping into the power of music. Financial institutions worldwide have seen remarkable growth by aligning themselves with international entertainment, harnessing pop culture to connect with consumers and polish their public image. Specifically, when Taylor Swift announced The Eras Tour concert in Singapore for March 2024, UOB Bank—her exclusive banking partner for early ticket access—saw a 130% surge in new debit card sign-ups across Vietnam and Singapore. The offer proved irresistible, driving not only new registrations but also a remarkable spike in brand visibility. At one point, Swifties—the singer's devoted fan base—were searching for 'UOB' as frequently as the artist herself. The strategy struck a chord: with a fan demographic that is largely female and with around 40% aged between 30 and 40, it aligned seamlessly with UOB's target customer base for financial services. Notably, sponsoring high-profile concerts featuring international stars has an impact that extends well beyond banking metrics. Kevin Cheong, managing partner at tourism consultancy Syntegrate, noted that such large-scale music events can shape how global travellers perceive a destination. Singapore, in particular, emerged as an alluring and premium travel hotspot in the wake of The Eras Tour. A UOB spokesperson confirmed that the partnership with Taylor Swift did more than elevate the brand—it stimulated customer card spending and created valuable momentum across other banking services. According to The Straits Times , the tour generated an estimated US$500 million in tourism revenue for Singapore, underscoring the economic force behind musical megastars. You might be interested in: Taylor Swift and her inspirational journey after Eras Tour Meanwhile, VPBank's announcement that G-Dragon and CL would be performing in Vietnam at the K-Star Spark 2025 event had a noticeable effect on the market. On 14 May, the bank's share price jumped to VND18,900 per unit, marking its highest point in over a month. That single session added more than VND9,500 billion to VPBank's market capitalisation, bringing the total to nearly VND150,000 billion, or approximately US$5.7 billion. These figures reflect the extraordinary reach of artists like Taylor Swift and G-Dragon, whose influence cuts across customer segments with ease. Beyond that, banks' association with entertainment has begun to dismantle long-standing perceptions of the financial sector as impersonal or uninspired. Aligning with beloved celebrities allows banks to forge emotional bonds with their audiences, a rare advantage in an otherwise saturated and fiercely competitive industry. In years past, appearances by global superstars in Vietnam were few and far between. Local music events tended to be modest in scale and limited in production value. That picture is now shifting. With substantial backing from private banks, Vietnam is fast becoming a sought-after destination for international performers, while domestically produced music programmes are growing in both scale and ambition. This trend is set to continue, with financial institutions likely to remain key partners in future large-scale productions—boosting not just brand equity, but also contributing meaningfully to national economic development.
The Guardian
16-05-2025
- The Guardian
The difficult choice: Unpacking the rapid rise of homelessness amongst women
In Australia, the rate of homelessness among women is rising at six times the rate of homelessness among men - almost half of these cases can be attributed to domestic violence. When Linh arrived in Melbourne with her husband, far from the security of her home in Vietnam, his behaviour changed. 'He lost his temper over the smallest thing,' the 30-year-old says. 'I was scared to ask a simple question in case he yelled at me. His behaviour got worse, and the yelling turned to physical violence.' Without friends or family nearby, Linh felt increasingly isolated. The violence escalated when she became pregnant. 'My husband was careful to strike me where the bruises wouldn't show,' she says. 'He called me worthless. After a while, I came to believe it.' Two weeks after their daughter, Anh, was born, he ripped off his shoe and threw it at the baby, who lay sleeping in her cot. That was when Linh knew she had to take her daughter and leave. Linh says the following three months were the worst of her life. She and her baby were alone, sleeping in her car, and in hostels and motels. 'It was so stressful, not knowing where we were going the next day or what might happen,' Linh says. 'I felt like crying all the time. But I held back my tears until the night, so Anh wouldn't see.' Homelessness among women in Australia is a growing problem; in 2021 it was rising at six times the rate of homelessness among men, according to that year's census. Of the more than 6,000-person increase in people experiencing homelessness nationwide between 2016 and 2021, more than 80% were women. Family violence is the key driver of homelessness among women. According to a 2024 report from Homelessness Australia, 45% of all women and girls presenting to homelessness services in 2022-23 identified family and domestic violence as a reason, ahead of other factors including financial difficulties and housing affordability stress. Women are being forced to choose between a roof over their heads and the threat of violence from their male partners. 'It is a choice no one should have to make, but it is an all-too-common reality,' says Claire Henderson, who leads the family violence portfolio at Launch Housing, one of Melbourne's largest independent homelessness support and community housing providers. Launch Housing's history dates back to the 1960s, when its parent organisation was founded in the Melbourne inner-city suburb of Fitzroy. The agency was established to support young men in the local area, but today about 50% of people that Launch Housing supports are women or gender diverse people, and the organisation operates a range of innovative support services specifically for women, children and families. Henderson says family violence is not always physical. Emotional, financial and sexual abuse, and coercive control, are all forms of family violence that can strip victim survivors of their resources and support, trapping them in perpetual poverty or powerlessness. 'Homelessness is expensive,' she says. 'Moving from motel to motel, taking time off work to view rental properties, paying for storage, covering medical bills, withdrawing money early from superannuation – all these things further deplete financial resources, which are too often depleted already due to the experience of family violence. 'The victim survivors we see do not have adequate financial resources to finance a major life upheaval and this is often a direct result of financial abuse.' Women can be more vulnerable to homelessness due to multiple financial stresses, including wage disparity, the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) reported last year. Women's weekly earnings in 2022 were 14% less than men's on average and, as a result, finding and paying for rent that was no more than 30% of their income – and therefore considered 'affordable' – was more difficult for women. The barbs of family violence trauma pierce deeply, and Henderson says homelessness increases the likelihood that victim survivors will return to their violent partners, choosing one type of safety over another: housing over freedom from violence. 'Without housing, safety cannot be achieved,' she says. 'Without safety, psychological recovery is extremely difficult. Safety is the foundation on which all positive progress is built. With safe housing, victim survivors can begin the healing process. Without it, the trauma endures.' Launch Housing provides dedicated programs for pregnant women and their babies, as well as crisis housing in which women can stay for up to six months while receiving wraparound support on site, and services that prevent and intervene across the entire journey of homelessness. Viv's Place. Photo credit: Mathew Lynn. In what Launch says is an Australian-first, Viv's Place is permanent community housing for women and children escaping family violence. Modelled on a program in New York City, the integrated complex of 60 apartments, along with communal kitchens, living spaces, play areas, offices and gardens, as well as on-site support services, has become home and a community for women and children escaping family violence. 'Securing safe housing allows victim survivors space and time to recover,' Henderson says. 'It halts the cycle of trauma caused by family violence and perpetuated by homelessness. It allows the parent-child bond, which is so often ruptured intentionally by the person using violence, to repair. It allows children to resume schooling. Families can reconnect with relatives and friends they were isolated from. Support networks can grow and thrive. It can be a new beginning.' Life changed for Linh and Anh the day they approached Launch Housing for support. Linh was given clothes, nappies, formula and a bundle of stuffed animals and rattles for Anh. 'They were the first toys she ever had,' Linh says. They moved into a safe and affordable apartment, which was the turning point for Linh: 'When I saw our apartment, I had hope for the first time … it made me feel so happy, I cried.' Today, Linh and Anh have a home, Anh is in a playgroup and Linh is training to become a support worker to help other women escape violence. Viv's Place is a prototype for integrated permanent housing and support services in Australia, which Launch Housing wants to replicate, if it gets more funding and support. The rate of family violence homicides in Australia is rising, and without further investment in services such as Viv's Place, this may continue. As Henderson says: 'Safe places like Viv's are quite literally, lifesaving. We need to build more.' Your donation to Launch Housing gives women and children across Melbourne the chance to start again with a new home. If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, phone 1800 RESPECT. For counselling, advice and support for men who have anger, relationship or parenting issues, call the Men's Referral Service on 1300 766 491.
Asahi Shimbun
07-05-2025
- General
- Asahi Shimbun
Catholic Mass in Vietnamese serves as a tether for community
Many children were among attendees at the Vietnamese Mass at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in the Kojimachi district of Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on March 23. (Ari Hirayama) Soft light streaming through the ceiling blanketed over a thousand parishioners attending a recent Sunday afternoon Mass at St. Ignatius Catholic Church as strong voices sang an uplifting hymn in Vietnamese. The weekly 3 p.m. Mass at the church near JR Yotsuya Station in Tokyo's Kojimachi district is a lively one, with little children running around the space. Priest Nguyen Thanh Nha, 42, began conducting Mass eight years ago and is loved by the people who call him "Cha," Vietnamese for "father," at the church. Nha came to Japan in 2009 as a seminarian and studied at Faculty of Theology at Sophia University, whose Yotsuya campus is next to the church, and other institutions before being ordained. St. Ignatius offers Masses in six foreign languages that include English, Indonesian and Spanish. While Catholics from the United States or European countries used to make up the bulk of attendees, the parish has seen an increase in churchgoers from Southeast Asia and South America since the 1980s. For context, Japan's Vietnamese population was about 50,000 in 2012. It exceeded 600,000 in 2024. Vietnamese Mass went from being held once a month to twice a week last year, with some commuting two hours by train to attend. 'I believe it reaches deep into their hearts because it is in Vietnamese,' Nha said. A youth group consisting of 170 individuals assists with each service and includes choir members, those in charge of livestreaming the Mass and a team that cares for any attendees in need. 'My job is hard, but I look forward to coming here, singing together and eating together after a week,' said choir member Nguyen Phuong Ngoc, 25, who works at a hotel in Tokyo's Omotesando area. Many of these members get married after working on church activities together. The church has officiated around 100 weddings annually over the past few years. It is also becoming common for couples unable to return to their home countries to instead hold ceremonies in Japan with the intent of visiting family and holding celebrations in the future. LAWYERS AND PRIESTS The church also handles difficult cases, one involving Nguyen Van Anh, 32, who grew up in central Vietnam and is from an impoverished family. He borrowed 1.1 million yen ($7,700) and came to Japan as a technical intern in 2022. As a technical intern, he worked at a demolition company in Shizuoka Prefecture where he got up at 5 a.m. and earned 116,000 yen a month. Anh sent 85,000 yen home each month, but ran away after working for the company for five months because he was unable to pay off his debt. He then worked for a farm in Ibaraki Prefecture before transferring to a scrap factory in Chiba Prefecture where he sorted aluminum and other materials from piles of metal scraps. Despite poor living conditions, Anh told himself it was better than the technical internship since he was earning about 170,000 yen a month. Anh lost two fingers on his left hand and injured three on his right at work last April. His employer, fearing the repercussions of hiring illegal labor, did not call an ambulance and instead had an acquaintance drive Anh to the hospital five hours later. He was arrested for not having a passport after the hospital called police. After a 20-day detention, Anh was reassigned to an immigration facility where he was taken in by a priest and a lawyer. After completing an interview part of the examination of his work-related accident, he returned to Vietnam in March. COUNSEL, NOT CONDEMNATION The number of consultations from technical intern trainees continues to grow. At the end of last year, a man in his 20s shared with the church that he had been fired for dating a fellow intern trainee despite the workplace prohibiting relationships. Following Nha's advice, he told the supervisory organization that he would consult with a lawyer, and was able to transfer to another company. In a more somber incident from two years ago, the priest picked up the cremated remains of a 27-year-old man who had committed suicide. The man wasn't able to speak Japanese, and was troubled by not being able to repay the debts he owed when he came to Japan. "It must have been difficult for him, not being able to confide in anyone," said Nha. Six months later, the remains were returned to his family. Many intern trainees are unable to find work after returning to Vietnam. 'They only let them work when they can, and then they treat them like disposable tools,' Nha said, who hopes that he can help young people who find themselves being pushed into a corner. 'I thought that because I'm a priest, people would call me 'Father,' but I hope to become everyone's true father,' he said.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Antelope High senior earns admission to prestigious MIT for fall semester
( ANTELOPE, Calif. – It's an exciting time of year for thousands of high school seniors across our area. High school graduation is just around the corner, and the start of college is only a few months away. During this college acceptance cycle, one Antelope High School senior has a lot to celebrate, including her acceptance to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MIT's acceptance rate is around 4.5 percent, meaning for every one hundred applicants, just four will be accepted. Senior Anh Tam Truong's hard work paid off, securing her a spot at the university for the Class of 2029. Now, the next four years will take her about 3,000 miles across the country to MIT. 'When I was scrolling through my email and I saw that email from MIT, and then I saw the congratulations, I was really shocked and really surprised,' she said. Anh was so surprised that she checked her email and portal multiple times just to be sure. While Anh is smart, her admission to MIT represents much more than that including grit and leadership. 'I'm in Key Club, I'm in Math Club, I'm in UNICEF, I'm in the National Honor Society, Link Crew. I have more, I kind of just forgot it,' she said. Extra-curricular activities quickly became part of Anh's routine and helped her break out of her shell throughout high school. 'It helped me grow as a person because I really got to connect with many people from different cultures and personalities,' Tam Truong said. Anh is the youngest of three and moved to the United States from Vietnam when she was just 5 years old. Adjusting to a new environment, culture and language was far from easy. 'For me, I remembered it feeling like I was isolated,' she said. 'I didn't understand Vietnamese. I mean, I did kind of understand it, but I couldn't communicate with Vietnamese properly and I also had trouble with English.' Over the years, though, Anh found her groove by working hard in school and learning to lean on those around her, especially her family. Anh and her older sisters are the first in their family to attend university in the U.S. Her sisters are eight and 10 years older than her and are not only UC graduates but mentors to Anh. 'They mostly had to experience the most hurdles,' Tam Truong said. Hurdles like translating for her parents and integrating into American culture and schools as teens. 'From their experience, they actually pushed me based on the shortcomings that they overcame. That's why I was involved in a lot of extracurriculars,' she said. For those who know her well, like guidance counselor Brian Hewitt, Anh's story is one of persistence and one that rightfully earned her a spot at MIT. 'At the same time, with all the stress that's involved in being a high-functioning, high-end student getting into a school like MIT, she's found the work-life balance. 'She works really hard at her mental health, she works really hard to take care of herself,' Hewitt said. Several teachers and programs at Antelope High School were also instrumental on the road to college admissions. Anh is a QuestBridge Scholar, which is a program geared toward high-achieving high school students from low-income backgrounds. It's a unique program that her guidance counselor got to see her thrive in. 'I feel very lucky. Over the years, here at Antelope, we've had a number of students. I like to call them old souls, and she's certainly at the top of that list. Yeah, she's just kind of got it,' Hewitt said. As the final days of high school begin to tick by, Anh is trying to take it all in. 'I want to appreciate everything because there were a lot of factors that pushed me to where I am today,' she said. While Anh said there's more to learn and experience in the years ahead, she'll keep looking at the bigger picture. 'I just focused on moving forward and looking to the future and at the same time focusing on the present and just becoming the best version of myself,' she said. Graduation day is just around the corner at Antelope High School, and it will be a big day for Anh, who is also co-salutatorian in her senior class and will be speaking at the graduation ceremony. As for what's next, Anh plans to live on campus at MIT, preferably a dorm with a kitchen, because she loves cooking. She will be studying chemical engineering. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Express Tribune
07-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Binance faces backlash over Pi Network listing decision
Listen to article Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, is facing significant backlash after Pi Network supporters flooded the app with one-star reviews on both Google Play and the Apple App Store. The reviews stem from frustration over Binance's failure to list Pi coins on its platform despite earlier polls that suggested strong support for the listing. A post in a Pi Network Facebook group, which has more than 135,000 members, urged users to 'rate Binance one star for disrespecting the Pi Network project.' Similar calls to action circulated on Facebook and X, with many users claiming they followed through. However, some critics argued against the move. Between February 17 and February 27, Binance conducted a poll via its Binance Square Official account to assess interest in listing Pi. While over 85% of respondents supported the listing, Binance clarified that the poll results were for reference only and would not determine any official action. On March 1, Binance updated the poll results but stopped short of committing to a Pi listing, emphasising that the exchange's listing process involves comprehensive due diligence, which includes evaluating project quality, team, market demand, use case, technological innovation, and compliance. Hoang Anh, an administrator of another large Pi Network Facebook group, suggested that many Pi supporters mistakenly believed the poll results would lead to a listing. This misunderstanding, he said, led to frustration among users who had completed identity verification and deposited at least $5 to participate in the poll. 'Feeling deceived, the only way for them to express their anger was through one-star ratings,' Anh explained. Binance's Google Play rating had dropped from 4.9/5 to 3.8/5, with 2.86 million reviews. On the App Store, the rating fell from 4.8/5 to 4.2/5, with around 12,400 ratings. Many one-star reviews accuse Binance of "tricking users into depositing money to vote for Pi," and "disrespecting the Pi Network project." This is not the first time Pi Network supporters have targeted a cryptocurrency exchange over the project's listing. ByBit, a rival exchange, faced a similar backlash, with its Google Play rating falling from 4.7/5 to 2.8/5 after its CEO, Ben Zhou, issued warnings about Pi Network being a potential scam. Despite the pressure, analysts suggest Binance may have legitimate reasons for withholding Pi from its platform. Blockchain expert Anh Bang noted that, despite launching its mainnet after six years, Pi Network has yet to release essential elements like smart contracts and open-source code, which are vital for a legitimate cryptocurrency project. Furthermore, the project's decentralized structure has been questioned, as all active mainnet nodes are controlled by the Pi Network team, not a distributed network of independent validators. Pi Network, launched in 2019, has faced its share of controversy. The project initially gained attention for allowing users to mine Pi through its mobile app, with no need for heavy computational power. However, the network's slow pace in launching its mainnet, which finally occurred in February 2025, has raised doubts about the project's long-term viability. The ongoing dispute over Pi's listing has raised concerns that further alienation of exchanges could hurt the project's future. 'Not only Binance, but other exchanges may also hesitate to engage with the Pi Network community if they fear backlash for not meeting expectations,' warned Hoang Anh. 'Missing out on Binance could ultimately hurt the Pi project more than it benefits it.' Founded in 2017, Binance became the largest cryptocurrency exchange globally by 2018, with daily trading volumes nearing $22 billion, according to CoinMarketCap.
