Latest news with #Lui
HKFP
23-05-2025
- Business
- HKFP
Hong Kong anti-graft watchdog arrest 10 in suspected bribery case linked to CK Asset building project
Hong Kong's anti-graft watchdog has arrested 10 men in a suspected bribery case linked to real estate giant CK Asset's residential project in Kwun Tong, in which sub-contractors allegedly offered incentives in exchange for lax oversight of steel reinforcement works. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) said on Wednesday that the 10, aged between 29 and 52, included an employee of the main contractor, five proprietors, operators or employees of subcontractors, and four site supervisors of a consultancy firm. They were arrested on suspicion of bribery, conspiracy to defraud, and using false documents. In an emailed reply to HKFP on Thursday, CK Asset said it was 'highly concerned' about the alleged bribery at the Anderson Road project site. The company said it supported the ICAC's operation and had completed 'preliminary inspection' of the project concerned, adding that it was in touch with the Buildings Department for follow-up actions. The Anderson Road project in Kwun Tong consists of six residential buildings, offering a total of 2,926 units, of which at least 1,000 will be sold at 80 per cent of market value under the government's 'starter homes' scheme for Hong Kong residents. CK Asset won the tender with a HK$4.9 billion bid in May 2020. Matthew Chang, principal investigator at the ICAC, said at a press conference on Wednesday that the ICAC suspected that some sub-contractors were hoping to increase their profits by not following the approved building plan, thereby cutting costs. 'They dangled carrots in front of site supervisors in exchange for their lax supervision and tolerance of construction works that did not meet regulations,' Chang said in Cantonese. Cash, coupons, fine-dining Lui Kar-chung, chief investigator at the ICAC, said during the same press conference that the watchdog received a complaint about the alleged bribery last year. At first, the complaint involved only one of the six buildings under construction, Lui said. But the investigation was expanded, and the ICAC found that all six buildings had installed steel rebars that did not match the approved construction plan. The problems 'included rebars having wider gaps in between, being fewer in numbers, thinner, absent, not linked, or offset in positions,' Lui said. In some locations, rebars – a type of steel reinforcement – were 530 millimetres off their positions in the approved building plan, he said. The ICAC investigation found that the sub-contractors had offered the main contractor and site supervisors cash between thousands to tens of thousands of dollars as well as mooncake vouchers, Lui said. They also visited fine dining restaurants that 'charge thousands of dollars per head' and night clubs, he added. Bon Ko, the chief structural engineer at the Buildings Department, said in the same press conference that the department also launched its own inspections at the Anderson Road project last September following a complaint it received about suspected violations of the Buildings Ordinance last August. Following four inspections, the department ordered the developer to stop construction after finding insufficient steel rebars at some roofs of the six buildings, Ko said. She added that subsequent concrete opening-up work revealed that steel rebars in all six buildings had shown 'serious deviations' from the approved plan. But the department concluded that the buildings did not show immediate danger after considering the size of the problematic areas and surrounding structures, she said. On average, the load-bearing rebars were 10 per cent fewer in number than specified in the approved plan, Ko said. The Buildings Department is consulting the Department of Justice on potential prosecutions, she added.
NZ Herald
22-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
On The Up: Aaron Tau, Lawrence Lui begin Road To UFC quest for contracts with promotion
Tau and City Kickboxing (CKB) teammate Lawrence Lui will both be fighting for UFC contracts over the coming month in the promotion's Road To UFC series at flyweight – a bracket-style tournament pitting the best prospects in the Asia-Pacific region against each other – at flyweight and bantamweight, respectively. While some may call it a shot at redemption for Tau, he's looking at it from a different direction. 'In Māori, you call it utu; the cost. The cost of me losing, to myself, to my family, to my coaches, to my supporters, to Aotearoa, is I have to do this tournament,' he told the Herald. 'I'm happy to pay that cost because I think this redirection was a part of the bigger picture and what was actually meant for me, and how I'm meant to proceed in this sport. I wouldn't say it's so much redemption, it's just alignment. 'I was realigned with what actually is for me, and I think my direction of travel now is going to be a lot quicker because the flyweight roster is not as big as the bantamweight roster, so if I get a few good wins in a row, Uncle Dana [White] is going to be my best friend real quick.' The tournament offers the athletes the potential for three bouts over a six-month period, the first of which takes place this week at the UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai, China. Tau (9-1) will meet undefeated Indonesian prospect Rio Tirto (8-0); a bout that had some heat sprinkled over it after Tau caught Tirto and his team appearing to take video of the Kiwi during a training session. For Lui, it's an opportunity that he wasn't initially certain would eventuate. Former CKB fighter and now striking coach at the UFC PI in Shanghai Mark Timms suggested him for the tournament, and Lui was originally listed as the alternate. 'Euge [Bareman] and Brogan [Anderson] told me that there was a high chance that someone was going to pull out, and, three weeks later, someone did, and here I am,' he said. Had it been an opportunity with less on the line, Lui said he might have approached it differently. But upon hearing he would be the alternate, he began training as if he had a fight. Lui (5-1 and champion with local promotion Shuriken Fight Series) will meet experienced Chinese athlete Qinghe Zhang (16-7-1) in Shanghai and although he admits the opportunity came earlier than he might have anticipated, he was ready for it. 'I did think I would have a few more fights before [getting] here, but honestly, I will take this opportunity or any opportunity that comes my way and make the most out of it. 'Give me an inch, I'll take a mile.' Road To UFC quarter-finals Aaron Tau v Rio Tirto (flyweight) – episode two, from 1am Friday Lawrence Lui v Qinghe Zhang (bantamweight) – episode four, from 1am Saturday All episodes are broadcast live on UFC Fight Pass, the promotion's subscription platform, and ESPN.
South China Morning Post
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Chinese ink painter Lui Shou-kwan and 4 artists he taught who developed their own styles
Fifty years after the Chinese ink painter Lui Shou-kwan died in Hong Kong at the relatively young age of 56, he is still regarded as one of the most influential artists the city has produced – one whose groundbreaking approach to art and pedagogy have influenced many artists who came after him. Advertisement After he retired from his job as an inspector for the Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry Company in 1966, he taught Chinese ink painting at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong. As a teacher, Lui challenged the prevailing orthodoxies of Chinese art education, which emphasised the importance of copying classical masters. Lui Shou-kwan as a teacher taught his students not to copy old masters or his work, as was the traditional way to learn Chinese paintings. Instead he told them to innovate. Thus you could see that most of his students have their own unique style,' says Daphne King-yao, director of Hong Kong art gallery Alisan Fine Arts, which has represented the late artist's estate since 1984. An undated photo of Lui Shou-kwan at work. Photo: Handout We consider the careers of four of Lui's students who became celebrated artists in their own right, each developing their own style that stand out from that of their teacher. 1. Wucius Wong
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Minnesota Frost receive inaugural PWHL Walter Cup championship rings
Back in May, the Minnesota Frost became the first team to win the PWHL's Walter Cup. On Sunday, they received the league's first-ever championship rings. Each ring is made of sterling silver with 18 purple amethyst gemstones and 74 genuine diamonds. They were designed in collaboration with Paris Jewellers as part of the league's new multi-year partnership with the Canadian jewelry brand. Advertisement The 26 players from the 2024 championship team, plus franchise staff, were given their rings in a private ceremony held on Sunday night after Minnesota's 2-0 loss against the New York Sirens. 'This group will always carry the honor of being the first team in PWHL history to win the Walter Cup,' said Minnesota captain Kendall Coyne Schofield. 'And now we will forever have these special championship rings that encapsulate the journey to the top.' The design process took place over several months, with many calls between the company and PWHL to 'make sure that it was really, really perfect' and 'honored the story of the season,' said Chau Lui, co-owner of Paris Jewellers. The top of the ring features the Walter Cup — the league's trophy, designed and crafted by luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co. — in the center, surrounded by 18 amethysts, which represent the number of wins Minnesota had en route to winning the inaugural championship. Purple is Minnesota's primary jersey color, but the significance goes deeper. Advertisement 'Amethyst is said to be the stone of resilience, strength and evolution,' said Lui. 'It really just signified that entire journey.' The 74 diamonds around the sides of the ring represent each goal scored over the course of the season. 'Win one game,' a motto that was important to the team, is engraved inside the ring, along with the championship game's date (May 29, 2024) and the final score (3-0). Minnesota entered the playoffs last year as the lowest seed (4) after a five-game losing skid to end the regular season. The team was on the brink of elimination against Toronto, which got out to a 2-0 series lead, but Minnesota won three straight games to advance to the Final and upset Boston, the top-ranked team in the league, 3-2 with a Game 5 win at the Tsongas Center. 'A lot of people counted us out,' Coyne Schofield said after Game 5. 'As soon as we got in, we never looked back.' Advertisement The left side of the ring features each player's name and their number. The right side says 'INAUGURAL SEASON' below the league's logo. 'Paris Jewellers Canada did an outstanding job capturing the spirit and significance of the league's inaugural champions by designing a ring that is distinctive to the PWHL and Minnesota, and that our players and staff will cherish,' said Amy Scheer, the PWHL's executive vice president of business operations. 'Winning a championship is the pinnacle in sports and these rings not only celebrate a landmark moment but are the culmination of a long journey and the beginning of a new era in women's sports.' Lui, who has two daughters who play hockey, said working with the PWHL on this project was one of the biggest honors of her career. 'It was beyond an honor to be trusted with the design of these rings,' she said. 'And it means so much to our company. We're a 90 percent female workforce, so for us to be partnered with the PWHL just means so much to the people in our organization.' Advertisement After Sunday's loss to New York, Minnesota remains four points out of a playoff spot with only two games left in the season. According to a league release, the 2024-25 PWHL Playoffs will start the week of May 5. The ring design process will begin again — with Lui and her company — once a new champion is crowned. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. NHL, Women's Hockey 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
28-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Minnesota Frost receive inaugural PWHL Walter Cup championship rings
Back in May, the Minnesota Frost became the first team to win the PWHL's Walter Cup. On Sunday, they received the league's first-ever championship rings. Each ring is made of sterling silver with 18 purple amethyst gemstones and 74 genuine diamonds. They were designed in collaboration with Paris Jewellers as part of the league's new multi-year partnership with the Canadian jewelry brand. Advertisement The 26 players from the 2024 championship team, plus franchise staff, were given their rings in a private ceremony held on Sunday night after Minnesota's 2-0 loss against the New York Sirens. 'This group will always carry the honor of being the first team in PWHL history to win the Walter Cup,' said Minnesota captain Kendall Coyne Schofield. 'And now we will forever have these special championship rings that encapsulate the journey to the top.' The design process took place over several months, with many calls between the company and PWHL to 'make sure that it was really, really perfect' and 'honored the story of the season,' said Chau Lui, co-owner of Paris Jewellers. The top of the ring features the Walter Cup — the league's trophy, designed and crafted by luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co. — in the center, surrounded by 18 amethysts, which represent the number of wins Minnesota had en route to winning the inaugural championship. Purple is Minnesota's primary jersey color, but the significance goes deeper. 'Amethyst is said to be the stone of resilience, strength and evolution,' said Lui. 'It really just signified that entire journey.' The 74 diamonds around the sides of the ring represent each goal scored over the course of the season. 'Win one game,' a motto that was important to the team, is engraved inside the ring, along with the championship game's date (May 29, 2024) and the final score (3-0). Minnesota entered the playoffs last year as the lowest seed (4) after a five-game losing skid to end the regular season. The team was on the brink of elimination against Toronto, which got out to a 2-0 series lead, but Minnesota won three straight games to advance to the Final and upset Boston, the top-ranked team in the league, 3-2 with a Game 5 win at the Tsongas Center. Advertisement 'A lot of people counted us out,' Coyne Schofield said after Game 5. 'As soon as we got in, we never looked back.' The left side of the ring features each player's name and their number. The right side says 'INAUGURAL SEASON' below the league's logo. 'Paris Jewellers Canada did an outstanding job capturing the spirit and significance of the league's inaugural champions by designing a ring that is distinctive to the PWHL and Minnesota, and that our players and staff will cherish,' said Amy Scheer, the PWHL's executive vice president of business operations. 'Winning a championship is the pinnacle in sports and these rings not only celebrate a landmark moment but are the culmination of a long journey and the beginning of a new era in women's sports.' Lui, who has two daughters who play hockey, said working with the PWHL on this project was one of the biggest honors of her career. 'It was beyond an honor to be trusted with the design of these rings,' she said. 'And it means so much to our company. We're a 90 percent female workforce, so for us to be partnered with the PWHL just means so much to the people in our organization.' After Sunday's loss to New York, Minnesota remains four points out of a playoff spot with only two games left in the season. According to a league release, the 2024-25 PWHL Playoffs will start the week of May 5. The ring design process will begin again — with Lui and her company — once a new champion is crowned. (Top photo of Kendall Coyne Schofield and championship ring: Troy Parla / Getty Images and Paris Jewellers Canada)
