Latest news with #Ji
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
South Korean father kills family amid overwhelming debt crisis
Struggling with mounting debts, a married father of two drove his car into the sea off South Korea' s southern island of Jindo, resulting in the tragic deaths of his wife and teenage sons. The 49-year-old, who was only identified by the surname Ji, told authorities on Tuesday that his financial burdens had pushed him to such a desperate measure. The man, who was employed as a rebar supervisor, found himself in a challenging financial situation, amassing around 160 million won (US$116,000) in debt due to missed payments to his workers and difficulties in managing contracts with construction companies. During police interrogation, Ji confessed to having administered his wife's prescribed sleeping pills to both her and their two sons, aged 18 and 16. He did this by disguising the pills as dietary supplements before intentionally driving their car into the sea at around 1.12am on Sunday. He managed to escape by crawling out of the driver's side window and drove away in a car supplied by a 49-year-old acquaintance named Kim. Both were arrested on Monday evening. Earlier that same day, a local high school had reported that the younger son was mysteriously absent from class, which led police to initiate an investigation. Authorities traced the family's cellphones to Jindo Port and accessed CCTV footage showing the moment Ji's vehicle entered the water. Before the incident, Ji had taken his family on a trip on Friday. The family had checked out of their accommodation the following evening, according to police reports.
New York Post
6 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
‘Exciting' new non-opioid painkiller shows promising results — and doesn't build up tolerance
A real ache-ievement! Duke University researchers have devised a promising, potent pain reliever — seemingly without the harmful side effects and addictive highs of opioids. While opioids interact with numerous cellular pathways, the experimental drug is more selective. SBI-810 targets a receptor in the brain and spinal cord, activating a single pain-relief signal while steering clear of other signals that could trigger troublesome consequences. Advertisement 3 Ru-Rong Ji, an anesthesiology and neurobiology researcher who directs the Duke Anesthesiology Center for Translational Pain Medicine, led the team in developing the painkiller SBI-810. Duke University School of Medicine 'What makes this compound exciting is that it is both analgesic and non-opioid,' said senior study author Ru-Rong Ji, an anesthesiology and neurobiology researcher who directs the Duke Anesthesiology Center for Translational Pain Medicine. '[The receptor] is a promising target for treating acute and chronic pain,' Ji added. Advertisement Chronic pain is a persistent problem in the US. Nearly a quarter of adults, about 62 million, experienced it in 2023. Chronic pain has helped fuel the opioid crisis. About 8.6 million Americans 12 years and older reported misusing prescription opioids in 2023. And almost 70% of the 107,000-plus US drug overdose deaths that year were attributed to opioids such as fentanyl. 3 Chronic pain is a persistent problem in the US, with about 62 million adults experiencing it in 2023. AS/ – Advertisement The good news is that there has been recent progress on this front, with more treatment options and fewer opioid-related deaths. It's too early to tell if SBI-810 can help the cause. The drug has not been thoroughly tested in humans, but the results in mice have been encouraging. Opioids like morphine often lead to tolerance with repeated use, requiring higher or more frequent doses to maintain the same level of pain control. Advertisement SBI-810 relieved pain from surgical incisions, bone fractures and nerve injuries without a buildup of tolerance or constipation, another common opioid side effect. 3 The experimental drug SBI-810 targets a receptor in the brain and spinal cord, activating a single pain-relief signal. mybox – When coupled with small doses of opioids, SBI-810 made them more effective at lower doses. And it's said to work better than the painkillers oliceridine and gabapentin in certain situations. The findings were published recently in the journal Cell. Ji's team has secured several patents for SBI-810 and hopes to start human trials soon.
Cision Canada
27-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Experience as the New Destination: Trip.com Aims to Empower Global Partners in Attractions & Tours
SHANGHAI, May 26, 2025 /CNW/ -- a leading one-stop travel service provider, unveiled the latest industry and sector trends, evolving traveller patterns, and future plans at its Attractions & Tours Global Partners Forum. The event is part of Group's annual global partner conference, Envision.2025, and was held on 26 May at the Shanghai Museum East – a cutting-edge landmark and cultural exchange hub, known for its wave-inspired architecture and immersive technology. Empowering Global Partners through Innovative Technology and Marketing Setting the stage, Mr. Jim Ji, Vice President of Group, CEO of Attractions & Tours, shared that the travel industry has been recovering steadily, with international tourist arrivals expected to bounce back fully and exceed pre-pandemic levels this year based on industry forecasts. This is largely due to the relaxation of visa requirements and increasing flight capacity across the globe. In his keynote speech titled 'Empowering Global Partners', Mr Ji emphasised how is meeting this demand growth by building a global tourism industry ecosystem consisting of a wide distribution network including: 22 international offices 2900+ affiliates & resellers, covering 150+ countries & regions, 300k+ products worldwide 170+ marketing resources 24 languages supported and 24/7 customer service 33 currency options Sharing strategies that will empower partners to reach international travellers more directly and effectively, Mr Ji explained how ticket machines, onsite ticket operations and customisable online booking sites are helping partners to reduce manpower and improve operational efficiency. Measures to prevent fraudulent transactions as well as large-scale ticket bot activities have also been set up to enable partners to guard against such risks. He further highlighted the importance of engaging travellers through innovative marketing with partners. For example, to provide a more comfortable waiting experience for travellers at the Sanur Harbour in Bali, Indonesia, Attractions & Tours worked with a local partner to build a VIP lounge. This attracted nearly 200,000 customers and increased ferry ticket sales significantly. Creating Deeper Travel Experiences A key trend spotlighted during the forum was how travellers are increasingly making decisions based on the type of experiences they can enjoy during their trip. Forum speakers noted that the growth rate for experience-related searches on is six times than that of destination or attraction-related searches. Keywords such as "food" and "spa" were among the top-searched keywords relating to experiences that international travellers were interested in. "Travellers today are overwhelmed with options and increasingly seek experiences that resonate on a deeper level. Through collaboration with our global partners and the smart use of AI and consumer insights, we are curating personalised journeys that go beyond the expected and meet the evolving needs of international travellers," said Mr Ji. One way is responding to this shift is through an in-app collection of curated travel rankings based on user reviews, bookings and AI algorithms, inspiring travel through its destination guides and best-ranking lists. Users can easily find the most popular travel attractions across the world with global "Best Things to Do" rankings, including theme parks, museums, experiential activities and more. In recognition of the efforts by global partners to create a better experience for travellers, awards were also presented at the Envision forum to the best of the industry, such as top ranked attractions on as well as the Excellent Partner Awards and the Most Promising Partner Awards.
Hospitality Net
20-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
H World Group Accelerates Hotel Expansion and Brand Upgrades in Q1 2025, Strengthens Position as Hospitality Leader
SINGAPORE and SHANGHAI, China - H World Group Limited (NASDAQ: HTHT) (HK: 01179), one of the world's leading hospitality groups, began 2025 with continued momentum in growth, asset-light transformation and brand loyalty, according to its first-quarter results released. A Scalable Model for Mass-Market Hospitality H World Group achieved 538 net hotel openings in the first quarter ended March 31, taking the total number of hotels in operation to 11,685. The number of rooms worldwide totaled 1,142,158, a 20% increase over last year. The company now covers 1,394 cities across China, with plans to reach 2,000 cities in the future – from major hubs to the most remote and underserved of March 31, H World had a total of 2,888 hotels in its pipeline. Advancing the Asset-Light Transformation H World continued to advance its asset-light strategy in this quarter, with revenue from manachised and franchised hotels rising 21% year-over-year to RMB 2.5 billion (US$344 million). The company's distinct manachise model — combining the scalability of franchising with the operational control of management — remains a key enabler of efficient, brand-consistent growth. Loyalty Growth & Direct Booking Strength As of the end of Q1, H Rewards membership reached 277 million, making it one of the largest loyalty platforms in the global hospitality industry. Direct booking from members accounted for over 65% of total reservations – a 5.4 percentage point increase year-on-year, reflecting growing digital engagement, improved margins, and greater customer lifetime value. Ongoing Experience Upgrade H World continued to advance its product upgrade initiatives to enhance consumer experience across core brands including Hanting, JI, and Orange. As of Q1: 40% of Hanting Hotels had reached version 3.5 or above 78% of Ji Hotels had reached Ji 4.0+ 70% of Orange Hotels met the Orange 2.0 standard The first quarter also marked rapid growth in the upper-midscale segment, which includes brands such as Intercity Hotel, Crystal Orange Hotel, MAXX by Steigenberger, and CitiGo Hotel, with a 36% year-on-year increase in operating hotels and a 22% expansion of the development pipeline. Looking Ahead We are confident we will achieve our full-year network expansion target of approximately 2,300 gross hotel openings. To achieve sustainable long-term growth, we will continue advancing our asset-light strategy, focusing on high-quality network expansion, enhancing brand positioning and 'service excellence', and strengthening sales capabilities centred around our H Rewards membership program. H World CEO Jin Hui For the full release please visit here. 1. The conversion of Renminbi ("RMB") into United States dollars ("US$") is based on the exchange rate of US$1.00=RMB7.2567 on March 31, 2025, as set forth in H.10 statistical release of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board and available at
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
H World Group Accelerates Hotel Expansion and Brand Upgrades in Q1 2025, Strengthens Position as Hospitality Leader
SINGAPORE and SHANGHAI, China, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- H World Group Limited (NASDAQ: HTHT) (HK: 01179), one of the world's leading hospitality groups, began 2025 with continued momentum in growth, asset-light transformation and brand loyalty, according to its first-quarter results released today. A Scalable Model for Mass-Market HospitalityH World Group achieved 538 net hotel openings in the first quarter ended March 31, taking the total number of hotels in operation to 11,685. The number of rooms worldwide totaled 1,142,158, a 20% increase over last year. The company now covers 1,394 cities across China, with plans to reach 2,000 cities in the future – from major hubs to the most remote and underserved of March 31, H World had a total of 2,888 hotels in its pipeline. Advancing the Asset-Light TransformationH World continued to advance its asset-light strategy in this quarter, with revenue from manachised and franchised hotels rising 21% year-over-year to RMB 2.5 billion (US$344 million). The company's distinct manachise model — combining the scalability of franchising with the operational control of management — remains a key enabler of efficient, brand-consistent growth. Loyalty Growth & Direct Booking StrengthAs of the end of Q1, H Rewards membership reached 277 million, making it one of the largest loyalty platforms in the global hospitality industry. Direct booking from members accounted for over 65% of total reservations – a 5.4 percentage point increase year-on-year, reflecting growing digital engagement, improved margins, and greater customer lifetime value. Ongoing Experience UpgradeH World continued to advance its product upgrade initiatives to enhance consumer experience across core brands including Hanting, JI, and Orange. As of Q1: 40% of Hanting Hotels had reached version 3.5 or above 78% of Ji Hotels had reached Ji 4.0+ 70% of Orange Hotels met the Orange 2.0 standard The first quarter also marked rapid growth in the upper-midscale segment, which includes brands such as Intercity Hotel, Crystal Orange Hotel, MAXX by Steigenberger, and CitiGo Hotel, with a 36% year-on-year increase in operating hotels and a 22% expansion of the development pipeline. Looking Ahead"We are confident we will achieve our full-year network expansion target of approximately 2,300 gross hotel openings," said H World CEO Jin Hui. "To achieve sustainable long-term growth, we will continue advancing our asset-light strategy, focusing on high-quality network expansion, enhancing brand positioning and 'service excellence', and strengthening sales capabilities centred around our H Rewards membership program." For the full release please visit: 1. The conversion of Renminbi ("RMB") into United States dollars ("US$") is based on the exchange rate of US$1.00=RMB7.2567 on March 31, 2025, as set forth in H.10 statistical release of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board and available at About H World Group Limited Originated in China, H World Group Limited (NASDAQ:HTHT; HK:01179) is a key player in the global hotel industry. H World's brands include HanTing Hotel, JI Hotel, Crystal Orange Hotel, Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts, MAXX, Jaz in the City, IntercityHotel, Zleep Hotels and Steigenberger Icons. In addition, H World also has the rights as master franchisee for Mercure, Ibis and Ibis Styles, and co-development rights for Grand Mercure and Novotel, in the pan-China region. For more information, please visit H World's website: H World undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law. For media inquiry, please contact: Lihuan Wang media@ Xing zheming@ Lang View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE H World Group
