Melody Chen JD Industrials has relaunched a bid to list in Hong Kong, aiming to raise funds to enhance its supply chain capabilities and expand its business. The industrial technology and service provider was launched in 2017 as an independent unit of its parent JD.com (9618) and was featured on the e-commerce giant homepage as a main category by 2018. As a business-to-business platform for industrial products, the company was the largest player in China's maintenance, repair, and operations procurement services market, measured by gross merchandise value last year, with a size twice that of the next largest competitor, according to China Insights Consultancy. Its GMV soared from around 17.4 billion yuan (HK$18.5 billion) in 2021 to 26.1 billion yuan in 2023, showing a compound annual growth rate of 22.5 percent. JD Industrials recorded an interim net profit of 291.2 million yuan this year from a net loss of 187.2 million yuan during the same period last year. Most of its revenue came from product sales, with the rest derived from marketplace, advertising, technology and other services. Product revenue rose to 8.1 billion yuan in the first half of the year, from 6.6 billion yuan during the same period last year, accounting for over 95 percent of total revenue. Service revenue was 550 million yuan, down from 608.5 million yuan in 2023. JD Industrials offers around 65 product categories across approximately 41.7 million stock-keeping units, topping CIC's list for the broadest variety of industrial products. Leveraging its digital supply chain advantages, the company built the broadest customer coverage and became the largest service provider in the sector, with a market share of 4.1 percent, it says. Its key accounts include around half of China's Fortune 500 companies and more than 40 percent of Global Fortune 500 companies with operations in China. However, the businesses capitalize and depend on the JD group and its associates to a large extent. The revenue generated from the group's platforms was 6.66 billion yuan in 2022, 7.52 billion yuan in 2023 and 3.66 billion yuan in the first half of 2024 respectively, making up 47.1 percent, 43.4 percent and 42.5 percent of total revenue respectively. Therefore, any negative developments in its relationship with the JD group or unfavorable publicity concerning the group could adversely impact the business and brand, the company warns. The listing plan is not new: JD.com had announced plans back in March 2023 to spin off JD Industrials and JD Property for separate listings in Hong Kong. JD Industrials was reportedly looking to raise US$1 billion (HK$7.8 billion) when it filed for an initial public offering last year but the attempt was unsuccessful due to market volatility and its financial losses at the time. If JD Industrials completes its IPO this time round, it will be JD.com's third successful spinoff after JD Logistics (2618) and JD Health International (6618). JD.com's fintech arm JD Technology had also attempted unsuccessfully to go public on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's Star market back in 2020. Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs and Haitong International Capital are the sponsors of the share sale.DETROIT – An important warning for online shoppers is to beware of bogus sales in their social media news feeds. You might see too-good-to-be-true prices on everything from tumblers to sneakers to beauty products and countless other hot holiday items. Don’t fall for it! Consumer Reports reveals how to spot the fakes so your real money isn’t wasted. Was the Grinch behind that ad for trendy holiday gifts that turned out too good to be true? In Bill Sipp’s case, it was an ad for lawn mower equipment. He needed two hard-to-find belt parts for his old Snapper mowers. He found a place that said they did have them in stock. However, after waiting a few days, his order was still pending. He tried calling them, but the phone number was no good. He then called his credit card company and was able to reverse the overseas charge. Bill is embarrassed once he realizes what he has done. But he’s not the only one with click remorse. According to a recent study by the Better Business Bureau, bogus online sales contributed to a 125 percent uptick in fraud reports. Scammers are ready to pounce on unsuspecting holiday scrollers. So, if an item is sold out everywhere else and you find it on a random website you’ve never heard of, there’s a good chance it could be fraudulent. Online shoppers might not even realize they’re buying from a third-party vendor and not directly from a reputable shopping website. This not only opens the door to fraudulent transactions but also faulty products. Unsafe products like pajamas that violate federal flammability standards and carbon monoxide detectors that don’t work have been sold by third-party sellers. The laws haven’t kept up with the emergence of online marketplaces, and, as a result, they aren’t providing legal and financial incentives for companies to keep consumers safe. That needs to change. Before you click ‘buy’, do your homework. If it’s a business you’ve never heard of, search for it on Better Business Bureau or elsewhere. If it’s a retailer you’re unfamiliar with, type in the name of the retailer with the word scam or review to see what other people are saying. Shop online with a credit card. Most offer fraud protection. If your order never arrives on your doorstep, dispute the charge. More: Consumer Reports
As tributes pour in mourning the death of former President Jimmy Carter and praising his service, the nation will turn to memorializing his presidency over the course of this coming week. Statements from former U.S. presidents and world leaders flooded the news Sunday afternoon after Carter, age 100, died in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, marking the end of the longest life of any former U.S. president. President-elect Donald Trump, President Joe Biden, and former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton all sent messages of gratitude for the 39th president's career in government, and Washington, D.C., is now poised for an even busier month with memorial services for Carter coming ahead of Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20. Those services have a long history and will include a state funeral for Carter in Washington, flags flown at half-staff, and the closing of federal buildings for a national day of mourning, among others. Here's what one can expect from the memorial services for Jimmy Carter. State funeral After a former U.S. president dies, a state funeral is held, which is a longer period of observance separated into three stages . Stage one consists of a ceremony where the former president resided, which in Carter's case is Georgia. The Carter Center announced in a statement that there will be a public observance in Atlanta first, but a date for it remains "pending." A New York Times report said that Carter will be taken by motorcade to Atlanta before stops at the Georgia State Capitol and the Carter Center, where he will lie in repose for 36 hours. Stage two is the ceremony in Washington, D.C., where Carter will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol for a day and a half. This typically includes traditions such as the three volley salute, the 21-gun salute where 21 rounds are fired from a cannon over five-second intervals, a military flyover, the playing of "Taps," and the carrying of a casket using a horse-drawn wagon. The third and final stage is where the former president has decided to be buried, which for Carter will be in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Only two presidents are buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia: John F. Kennedy and William Howard Taft. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Day of mourning As president, Biden will issue an executive order for a national day of mourning, the date of which has not been announced yet. On that day, the federal government will shut down and the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq will be closed for trading. Flags will also be flown at half-staff for 30 days. The American flag at the White House was at half-staff Sunday night.
Congress takes on AAP: Veteran Farhad Suri to challenge Sisodia in JangpuraPlans for a huge new truck showroom and workshop have been given the green light. The 38,000-square-foot commercial facility is being built on the "iconic" site of a former Scottish steelworks. The new Motus Commercials facility, work on which is expected to start on the Ravenscraig site in January, will provide purpose-built space for the sales, service and parts support of DAF Trucks. Motus Commercials is the largest dealer group in the UK for DAF Trucks, a leading brand on the market. Read Scott Wright's analysis here Scottish economy decline revealed as UK impact flagged Kate Forbes (Image: PA) The Scottish economy contracted in October ahead of Labour’s Autumn Budget. Publishing the data this week, the Scottish Government’s chief economist directorate flagged a dampening impact as businesses anticipated the October 30 Budget from Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Scotland’s onshore gross domestic product fell by 0.2% month-on-month in October, a slightly greater decline than one of 0.1% in the UK as a whole revealed in figures published by the Office for National Statistics. Onshore GDP in Scotland had risen by 0.3% in September. This was in contrast to a 0.1% decline in GDP in September in the UK as a whole. Read Ian McConnell's story here Scottish builder and manufacturer opens new £6m window and door factory The factory has been unveiled (Image: CCG) A Scottish builder and manufacturer has unveiled a new window and door manufacturing facility. The 25,000-square-foot facility forms part of a wider £6 million investment into the expansion of CCG’s manufacturing subsidiary. The business makes a range of enhanced window and door sets, and directly employs 60 skilled trade and technical staff at the Cambuslang manufacturing site. CCG has been mainstream in the fabrication of window and door products since 1995. Its precision-engineered products cater to CCG’s construction projects and large-scale housing improvement programmes in collaboration with housing associations and local authorities across Scotland. Read Brian Donnelly's story here AROUND THE GREENS Golf's answer to Wonka's chocolate factory Some of Scotland's busiest ranges use the Trackman technology (Image: Trackman) This article appears as part of Kristy Dorsey's Around the Greens series Trackman's iconic orange box is a familiar sight on tour ranges and fitting bays and is helping to drive the proliferation of tech-laden facilities offering players the opportunity to improve their game. The system was developed over several years and initially demonstrated to golf equipment manufacturers in the US. The first unit launched in 2004 and is said to be the first to track a golf ball's entire flight. In October the company released Virtual Golf 3, the latest evolution of its graphics engine for Trackman simulators. Steven Carmichael, director of strategic alliances, says there's plenty more yet to come.
NEW YORK -- President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that's he's preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect's threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park." Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn't a trolling-free zone for Trump's adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A." In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden's spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump's taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” ___ Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.
Lagging low-altitude economy 'can catch up by learning from the mainland'
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Central Regional finished with two title winners and three finalists to take the top spot in the team race of the Rumble in the Pines, hosted by Lakewood. JayAnna Hahn took the 132-pound title with a 9-2 decision win over Clayton’s Sophia Holmdes and Jade Hahn outlasted Gateway’s Shaelie Young for a 1-0 decision win in 185-pound final. Liliana Alicea took the runner-up spot at 165, falling to Ridgewood’s Kamila Castro in the final. 12/29 - 9:30 AM Girls Wrestling Final Becton 36 Lakewood 105 Ridgewood got another first place finish out of Francesca Gusfa, who earned an 11-1 major over Emely Diaz Santos (Morris Hills) in the 100-pound final. Trenton’s Princessstorm Woody (107), Bordentown’s Madison Blumenthal (114), Paramus Catholic’s Abby Naddeo (120), Garfield’s Faustyna Przedworski (126), Ocean City’s Danna Ramirez (138), North Brunswick’s Gabrielle Roberts (145), Clayton’s Alexus Paden (152) and Palmyra’s Samantha Domask (235) also won titles. The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)
Donald Trump is returning to the world stage. So is his trollingJimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100 ATLANTA (AP) — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent roughly 22 months in hospice care. The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy. He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis. He and his wife Rosalynn then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most internationally engaged of former presidents. The Carter Center said he died peacefully Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’ PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — The 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, James Earl Carter Jr., died Sunday at the age of 100. His life ended where it began, in Plains, Georgia. He left and returned to the tiny town many times as he climbed to the nation’s highest office and lost it after four tumultuous years. Carter spent the next 40 years setting new standards for what a former president can do. Carter wrote nearly a decade ago that he found all the phases of his life challenging but also successful and enjoyable. The Democrat's principled but pragmatic approach defied American political labels, especially the idea that one-term presidents are failures. Jet crash disaster in South Korea marks another setback for Boeing WASHINGTON (AP) — A machinists strike. Another safety problem involving its troubled top-selling airliner. A plunging stock price. 2024 was already a dispiriting year for Boeing, the American aviation giant. But when one of the company’s jets crash-landed in South Korea on Sunday, killing all but two of the 181 people on board, it brought to a close an especially unfortunate year for Boeing. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and aviation experts were quick to distinguish Sunday’s incident from the company’s earlier safety problems. Alan Price, an airline consultant, said it would be inappropriate to link the incident Sunday to two fatal crashes involving Boeing’s troubled 737 Max jetliner in 2018 and 2019. South Korean authorities seek warrant to detain impeached President Yoon in martial law probe SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean law enforcement officials have requested a court warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol as they investigate whether his short-lived martial law decree this month amounted to rebellion. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities into the power grab that lasted only a few hours, confirmed it requested the warrant on Monday. Investigators plan to question Yoon on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion. Tornadoes in Texas and Mississippi kill 2 and injure 6 as severe weather system moves east HOUSTON (AP) — A strong storm system is threatening to whip up tornadoes in parts of the U.S. Southeast, a day after severe weather claimed at least two lives as twisters touched down in Texas and Mississippi. Strong storms moving eastward Sunday are expected to continue producing gusty, damaging winds, hail and tornadoes through Sunday. That is according to National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira. So far, the line of severe weather has led to about 40 tornado reports from southeastern Texas to Alabama, Pereira said, but those reports remain unconfirmed until surveys of damage are completed. Israeli hospital says Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hospital says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery. Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center said his prostate was removed late Sunday and that he was recovering. Netanyahu’s office had said Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, would serve as acting prime minister during the procedure. Doctors ordered the operation after detecting an infection last week. Netanyahu is expected to remain hospitalized for several days. With so much at stake, Netanyahu’s health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world. Azerbaijan's president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev says the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally. Aliyev told Azerbaijani state television on Sunday that the aircraft was hit by fire from the ground over Russia and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare. He accused Russia of trying to “hush up” the issue for several days. The crash on Wednesday killed 38 of 67 people on board. Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Aliyev on Saturday for what he called a “tragic incident” but stopped short of acknowledging Moscow’s responsibility. Croatia's incumbent president gains most votes for re-election, but not enough to avoid a runoff ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia’s incumbent President Zoran Milanovic has swept most votes in the first round of a presidential election, but will have to face a runoff against a ruling party candidate to secure another five-year term. With 99% percent of the vote counted Sunday, Milanovic won 49% while his main challenger Dragan Primorac, a candidate of the ruling HDZ party, trailed far behind with 19%. Pre-election polls had predicted that the two would face off in the second round on Jan. 12, as none of the eight presidential election contenders were projected to get more than 50% of the vote. A fourth infant dies of the winter cold in Gaza as families share blankets in seaside tents DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A fourth infant has died of hypothermia in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by nearly 15 months of war are huddled in tents along the rainy, windswept coast as winter arrives. The baby's father says the 20-day-old child was found with his head as “cold as ice” Sunday morning in their tent. The baby’s twin brother was moved to the intensive care unit of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Their father says the twins were born one month premature and spent just a day in hospital, which like other Gaza health centers has been overwhelmed and only partially functions. Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold elections BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s de facto leader has said it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans on dissolving his Islamist group that led the country’s insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview Sunday. That's according to the Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad’s decades-long rule, ending the country’s uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011.
