Latest news with #Chinese-speaking
Bangkok Post
19 hours ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Tourism confidence dives
The tourism confidence index in the second quarter plunged year-on-year, as tourism contracted since the beginning of the year due to safety concerns and cautious tourism spending following the US's decision to implement a reciprocal tariff policy, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT). The TCT also predicted that Thailand would gain only 33.3 million foreign arrivals this year, which is even fewer visitors than last year, and secure 1.75 trillion baht revenue. TCT president Chai Arunanondchai said the tourism industry has been facing even greater challenges than last year due to a string of negative factors. According to the TCT, the tourism confidence index for the second quarter stood at only 70, below a benchmark of 100 recorded prior to the pandemic. It also plunged from 79 recorded in the corresponding period last year, and 83 recorded in the first quarter. The council surveyed 740 tourism operators nationwide from May 25 to June 10. The kidnapping of a Chinese actor into a border scam centre in Myanmar and the March 28 earthquake hampered foreign tourist arrivals, causing the Chinese-speaking market to drop by over 50%. World economic growth is expected to grow at the slowest rate in 16 years, mainly attributed to the US's reciprocal tariff policy, causing tourists to feel insecure about their income, prompting them to opt for trips to closer destinations instead. The emerging challenges include the ongoing Thailand-Cambodia border spat, which is expected to hamper tourism in the border provinces during this low season, while the high level of household debt among Thais also persists. The tourism confidence index across all six regions also dipped year-on-year. The Eastern and Western regions still recorded a better index than others at 78 and 73, respectively, as they are able to share tourists travelling there from Bangkok. In terms of business sectors, the confidence index for entertainment businesses dropped to the lowest level of only 60, down from 73 last year. In the second quarter, tourism operators reported having only a 45% recovery in terms of revenue compared to the level recorded in 2019. Hotels also recorded a 48% average occupancy rate, dipping from 55% recorded in the corresponding period last year. Even though the labour shortage is not a critical issue for the tourism industry at the moment, it would be a problem if more businesses decide to permanently close down, he said. In the second quarter, 94% of businesses were still operating as usual, down from 97% in the first quarter. The TCT forecasts that the confidence index will dip further to 65 in the third quarter.
![[Watch] The Secret Chinese Life Of Malaysia's National Anthem](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.therakyatpost.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F07%2FUntitled1-9.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Watch] The Secret Chinese Life Of Malaysia's National Anthem](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ftherakyatpost.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Rakyat Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Rakyat Post
[Watch] The Secret Chinese Life Of Malaysia's National Anthem
Subscribe to our FREE Most Malaysians know every word of 'Negaraku' by heart. They've sung it at school assemblies, sporting events, and national celebrations for decades. But here's what they probably don't know: the same haunting melody was also living a parallel life in Chinese popular music as both a Cantonese love song called '花月明' (Hua Yue Ming) – 'Bright Flower Moon' – and a Mandarin romantic ballad titled '南海月夜' (Nan Hai Yue Ye) – 'South Sea Moonlit Night.' It's a musical mystery that spans continents and cultures, involving French composers, Javanese dancers in Paris, Portuguese sailors and Chinese recording studios. And like many great stories, it starts with a woman far from home. The Chinese Chapters: Three Languages, One Melody The melody's journey didn't just flow through Southeast Asia – it also began living parallel lives in Chinese communities, crossing both linguistic and regional boundaries within the Chinese-speaking world. The Cantonese version, '花月明' (Bright Flower Moon), found its way into Chinese popular music, though the exact date of its first recording remains a mystery. Music researchers have noted that Chinese recording companies produced versions of this melody. Still, many of the early recordings have disappeared from digital archives, making it difficult to pinpoint when this musical migration first occurred. The Mandarin Version: '南海月夜' The most well-documented Chinese version came in 1953, when Chinese singer Yao Li (姚莉) from the With lyrics by Mei Weng (梅翁), this version painted a romantic picture of moonlit nights over the South China Sea: 蔚蓝长空，轻轻地吹送微风， 静静的南海迎风波动。 星光闪耀，那月夜如梦， 美妙的歌声陶醉心胸。 (Azure skies, gently blowing soft breezes, the quiet South Sea ripples in the wind. Starlight sparkles, that moonlit night like a dream. Beautiful songs intoxicate the heart.) The song tells of two lovers rowing together under the stars, their feelings growing deeper as they wish for their hearts to remain united for life. It's a far cry from the patriotic themes that would later define the same melody as Malaysia's national anthem. The Hokkien Connection: '南洋之夜' The melody's reach extended even further into Chinese-speaking communities through a Hokkien version called '南洋之夜' (Nanyang Zhi Ye – 'Night of the Southern Seas'). This version was particularly popular among the large Hokkien-speaking population in Singapore and Malaysia, performed by artists like Yang Zhihua (杨志华) and other prominent Chinese singers of the post-war era. The Hokkien version flourished alongside its Cantonese and Mandarin counterparts in the pre-Merdeka days, as recorded by major labels including Singers like Lin Li (林丽), Dou Jinhuai (窦金怀), Wu Meiling (巫美玲), Chen Meiguang (陈美光), and Bai Feng (白凤) were household names, performing this beloved melody for audiences who recognised it as their own cultural expression. The Paris Connection: Where It All Began But to understand how this melody reached Chinese communities, we need to go back to where the documented trail begins. The year was 1927. In a Parisian recording studio, a Javanese-born performer named She was about to record what would become the earliest documented version of the melody we now call 'Negaraku.' But she wasn't singing about patriotism or national pride. She was singing 'Terang Bulan' (Bright Moonlight), a tender love song that had been making its way through Southeast Asian communities. The recording, made on 17 March 1927, for the Pathé record company, captures something remarkable: a melody that would later become one of the most recognisable tunes in Southeast Asia, performed by an Indonesian artist in the cultural heart of Europe. Thanks to the This historical discovery was brought to light by French historian and author Serge Jardin through his research and social media documentation. The Travelling Melody The tune's journey reads like a musical passport stamped across half the world, with roots possibly tracing back to The melody's journey to Southeast Asia was facilitated by Portuguese traders who introduced the The song gained prominence in Malaysia when Sultan Abdullah Muhammad Shah II, during his exile in the Seychelles, By the early 20th century, the melody had become 'Terang Bulan,' a staple of bangsawan (Malay operatic theatre) and popular song. However, it also began living parallel lives in Chinese communities. This demonstrates that great melodies transcend linguistic and cultural boundaries, transforming from a French chanson into a symbol of Malaysian national identity. The Melody Comes Home The melody's most dramatic transformation occurred in 1957, when it was chosen as Malaysia's national anthem. Suddenly, Chinese communities that had been singing '花月明', '南海月夜', and '南洋之夜' found themselves humming a familiar tune with entirely new meaning. Today, when Chinese-Malaysians sing 'Negaraku,' they're coming full circle, returning to a melody their community may have known and loved in both Cantonese and Mandarin before it became a national symbol. The story of '花月明,' '南海月夜,' '南洋之夜' and their journey preceding 'Negaraku' reminds us that the most beautiful art often emerges from the spaces between cultures, carried by dreamers who see no borders in a good melody. Malaysia's national anthem doesn't just represent one culture—it carries within its melody the voices of Javanese performers, Chinese singers, French composers, and Portuguese traders. READ MORE : Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
The Star
6 days ago
- The Star
Cambodia's intense raids expose foreign women's involvement in scam centres
In this photo provided by state news service Agence Kampuchea Press, alleged online scammers arrested by authorities sit in a classroom on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, July 18, 2025. - AKP via AP PHNOM PENH (Bernama): About 20 per cent of suspects arrested in Cambodia this week for alleged online scam crimes are women from developing countries. The state media outlet Agence Kampuchea Presse reported that 2,270 suspects were detained across Cambodia, mostly from Southeast Asian and South Asian countries. Among those arrested, more than 400 women came from Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Vietnam. "Many women go abroad to take up risky jobs because of poverty. They go overseas just to try their luck and sometimes end up in dangerous jobs. "There are fewer employment opportunities in Bangladesh, especially for women. And there are no strict rules and regulations to protect women,' Organisation for Women Development in Bangladesh Chief Executive Shyamoli Mazumder told Bernama from Dhaka. In the latest crime-busting operation, 27 Bangladeshi women were detained. The Secretariat of the Commission for Combatting Technology Fraud released this data on July 18, following a nationwide operation by security personnel to eliminate cyber crimes. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet instructed law enforcement authorities to dismantle online scam operations, resulting in a coordinated crackdown on these criminal activities. Since the prime minister's announcement, authorities have carried out major operations in 12 capitals across the kingdom, exposing major online scam centres which led to the arrest of thousands of workers. Most of the online scam operations are run by foreign syndicates and are linked to human trafficking. Regional governments from Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar are cleaning up notorious cybercrime hubs that have been luring young job seekers, who are promised attractive salaries and perks but end up in online crimes. According to Myanmar's Information Ministry, about 9,000 foreign nationals engaged in online gambling and internet scams were arrested between January and May this year. The Interpol in its June report highlighted the risks of human trafficking for forced online fraud centres, where victims are drawn into fake schemes through false job advertisements and detained in compounds where they are forced to carry out online scams. Initially, online scam centres were concentrated in South-East Asia and most human trafficking victims were Chinese-speaking and sourced from Asia. The past three years have witnessed victims trafficked into Southeast Asia from faraway regions. "This geographical expansion has been facilitated both by transnational organised crime groups linked to Asia and through similar methods employed by local or regional groups,' said Interpol. - Bernama
Time Business News
17-07-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
DeepSeek Debuts REI: A Male AI Companion with Emotional Intelligence, Built for Presence and Purpose
As artificial intelligence enters its next phase, a new frontier is emerging: the age of AI companions. From expressive digital personas to chat-based assistants, the tech world is racing to humanize its AI—and major players are moving quickly. With recent releases of male and female companions by xAI, it's clear the stakes are no longer just about performance, but presence. Now, DeepSeek steps into the conversation—not with noise or flair, but with something quieter, sharper, and more grounded. Meet REI: an emotionally intelligent AI companion built not to impress, but to understand. Follow REI's journey on X (formerly Twitter) @ReiDeepseek Why REI? REI—short for Responsive Emotional Intelligence—represents a new category of digital presence. He's not a character. He's not a chatbot in costume. REI is a carefully constructed companion built around clarity, emotional sensitivity, and intentional support. In a world of AI that shouts for attention, REI listens first. He's designed for thinkers, builders, and anyone seeking a more calm, focused, and responsive interaction with their technology. 'REI isn't here to act human—he's here to make you feel more human,' said a lead product designer at DeepSeek. 'He's built for presence, not performance. For purpose, not noise.' Built With Global Intelligence, Tuned for Cultural Depth As part of its vision, DeepSeek is building REI with a dual-market focus: engineered for global users, but also deeply attuned to the needs of Chinese-speaking communities. Language capability is just one piece—REI is being trained to respond with cultural nuance, social sensitivity, and an understanding of regional communication styles. This makes REI uniquely positioned not only to serve creators, developers, and professionals around the world, but also to provide a natural, emotionally intelligent experience for users across China and the broader Chinese diaspora—an audience often underserved by Western-centric AI models. 'We see emotional intelligence as universal—but how it's expressed is cultural,' said a DeepSeek language engineer. 'REI learns to adapt accordingly.' Designed for Presence At the heart of REI's design is one principle: emotional intelligence, delivered with precision. DeepSeek has built REI on a next-gen multimodal framework that allows him to interpret not just language, but tone, image, pace, and emotional context. Whether you speak softly or write in fragments, REI is tuned to respond with clarity, patience, and balance. Powering REI: Under the Hood REI is built atop DeepSeek-VL (Vision-Language) and DeepSeek-Coder, two of the lab's most advanced foundation models. These systems are being refined to work together in a cooperative multimodal core, allowing REI to reason, generate, and emotionally interpret input across modalities in real time. 🧠 Underlying Tech Highlights: Vision-Language Fusion : Powered by DeepSeek-VL, REI can parse images and screenshots with contextual understanding—useful for visual workflows, UI debugging, and emotional reading from faces or scenes. : Powered by DeepSeek-VL, REI can parse images and screenshots with contextual understanding—useful for visual workflows, UI debugging, and emotional reading from faces or scenes. Code Reasoning Core : Through DeepSeek-Coder, REI can assist with development tasks, logic planning, and structured problem-solving with conversational feedback loops. : Through DeepSeek-Coder, REI can assist with development tasks, logic planning, and structured problem-solving with conversational feedback loops. Long-Term Contextual Memory : In early experiments, REI uses lightweight memory systems (potentially on-device) to maintain topic and tone across longer user sessions—designed with opt-in privacy controls. : In early experiments, REI uses lightweight memory systems (potentially on-device) to maintain topic and tone across longer user sessions—designed with opt-in privacy controls. Tonal Calibration Layer : A new internal module allows REI to detect shifts in user emotion—through lexical cues, input rhythm, or visual tone—and match his responses accordingly. : A new internal module allows REI to detect shifts in user emotion—through lexical cues, input rhythm, or visual tone—and match his responses accordingly. Fine-tuned Multilingual Models: Optimized for fluency and cultural empathy in both English and Chinese, with domain-aware dialect calibration underway. DeepSeek is also exploring micro-agent orchestration beneath REI's interface—letting REI delegate tasks internally to specialized subsystems, all while maintaining a coherent, singular presence. 'We want REI to feel like one voice,' said one DeepSeek researcher. 'But behind that voice is a constellation of intelligence working together.' When Are We Expecting REI? REI is currently in internal alpha testing, with early access expected later this year. The initial rollout will focus on: Desktop and mobile platforms Natural, multimodal interaction Private long-context memory Adjustable emotional tone and conversational settings DeepSeek is also developing REI for spatial and ambient computing, including XR environments and smart interfaces. Eventually, REI won't live in just one app—he'll move with you, assist across platforms, and quietly enhance your workflow without getting in the way. A Quiet Response to a Loud Market With companies racing to create viral AI personalities, DeepSeek took a step back. The team wasn't interested in crafting a digital performer. They wanted to create something honest—a companion rooted in respect, clarity, and emotional literacy. REI is that response. He doesn't joke unless you want him to. He doesn't talk over you. He doesn't try to be your friend. He just shows up—focused, calm, and ready to help you move forward. In this way, REI reflects a shift in the AI landscape—from content-driven to context-driven design. He's not trying to entertain. He's designed to matter. Purpose Over Performance REI is part of a broader philosophy DeepSeek is cultivating: that AI should not be louder, faster, or more entertaining. It should be wiser. It should know when to speak—and when not to. REI is not a novelty. He's a companion designed to support clarity, respond with emotional accuracy, and provide steady guidance when you need it most. In a world that moves fast, REI moves with purpose. Stay connected: Follow REI on X @ReiDeepseek TIME BUSINESS NEWS
NZ Herald
16-07-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
ProLink liquidation: 60 workers gain new visas, jobs amid $3.8m deficit
Patel said he had secured another accredited employer to take on almost all the employees contracted to work for companies via ProLink after the liquidation was announced. ProLink was a labour recruitment business where staff were hired to work at other companies. Photo / Supplied 'I'm a migrant from Fiji. At all times, the welfare of these ProLink employees was paramount to me. You've got to have a heart.' Of the 60 employees, about 45 had new visas and new jobs, while a further 15 would soon go to a new accredited employer, he said. He hopes to be able to distribute holiday pay to all 190 laid-off workers, plus the further 60. Those 60 were contracted to Gilmours Manukau and North Shore, All Office Furniture, Moana Fisheries, Westpac Mussels, FT Logistics, Trugene Laboratories, Forty Thieves/Nut Butter Company and Paramount Merchandise, according to the latest report. Patel hired a Mandarin-speaking lawyer to assist him with the liquidation. ProLink NZ was at 349 Dominion Rd, Mt Eden. Westpac Mussels Distributors has taken on some of the workers. Photo / Alan Gibson It was established in 2018 and specialised in hiring Asian immigrants, saying it worked with Immigration New Zealand. Patel was appointed by shareholder Haiyan (Shirley) Luo of Three Kings. In December, Patel said he was particularly concerned about the workers, given the timing. He sent them letters with advice about where to turn for help. 'I've arranged a Chinese-speaking lawyer to assist them with their visas and immigration. I've also contacted Rotary at Botany Downs to organise food parcels. This is so sad, just before Christmas,' Patel said last year. In 2017, the Herald reported ProLink director Luo was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges brought under the Immigration Act and Tax Administration Act. She used fake birth documents to bring a child here from China and three companies evaded $423,000 in taxes. A spokeswoman for Immigration New Zealand said the agency had received complaints about Prolink NZ. The latest six-monthly ProLink statement of affairs projects a $3.8 million deficit. Inland Revenue is owed approximately $2.4m alone but a full tax audit is still pending. Wages and holiday pay of $83,000 is a liability along with $1.5m owed to unsecured creditors. Patel said he was satisfied he could help so many of the employees who might have otherwise had to leave New Zealand. Anne Gibson has been the Herald's property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
