Latest news with #MandarinChinese
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Newsweek
The 'World's Biggest City' You've Probably Never Heard Of
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Chongqing, China—a city of nearly 18.2 million people—remains virtually unknown to many travelers outside Asia, despite being one of the most-distinctive urban landscapes in the world. That was the central message from YouTuber and polyglot Arieh Smith (@xiaomanyc), during a panel discussion at Newsweek's inaugural New Destinations Travel & Tourism Summit earlier this month. "The story of Chongqing is a great, great story. It's the world's biggest city that you haven't heard of," said Smith, who developed near-native fluency in Mandarin Chinese while living and studying in China. His experiences exploring the city left a lasting impression, particularly its unusual geography and sci-fi aesthetic. Stock image: The Dongshuimen Bridge in Chongqing is lit up at night. Stock image: The Dongshuimen Bridge in Chongqing is lit up at night. Getty "It's built on mountains, so it has the most-crazy geography," Smith said. He added that visitors are often "shocked to see a city nearly three times the size of New York," which has a population of around 8.8 million. Many are left wondering "how does this exist in the middle of China" and how they've "never heard about this crazy cyberpunk, sci-fi destination … that young people can get really excited about and interested in." As an online creator who shares multilingual content and global travel experiences with millions of viewers, Smith emphasized the role of digital platforms in spotlighting lesser-known destinations. "I think that social media can really be a force for exploration of these unknown destinations," he said. Stock image: The exterior of Hongya Cave is seen. Stock image: The exterior of Hongya Cave is seen. Getty Chongqing, which the Lonely Planet travel guide says is "the most important city in western China and the economic engine of the upper Yangzi [Yangtze]," is increasingly recognized for its dramatic vertical layout and rugged topography. The guide praises its "fantastic food and charismatic geography," noting its position at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers as a gateway to the scenic Three Gorges region. Chongqing's built environment defies standard urban planning. The Western China International Communication Organization describes it as "internationally renowned as the '8D Magic City'," citing its blend of steep terrain, suspended bridges, transit systems that slice through buildings, and rooftop playgrounds. "This city, uniquely perched on mountains and divided by rivers, defies traditional urban planning with its awe-inspiring infrastructure and innovative transportation solutions," the group says. Stock image: A monorail train goes through a high-rise residential building in Chongqing, China. Stock image: A monorail train goes through a high-rise residential building in Chongqing, China. Getty Among its most-photographed landmarks is the Hongya Cave, a cliffside commercial and cultural complex that fuses traditional Chinese architecture with modern retail. Other signature features include football fields built above traffic arteries and skybridges and monorails linking dense clusters of towers—an architectural response to the city's spatial constraints. Stock image: People gather on a street in Jiefangbei, Chongqing, China. Stock image: People gather on a street in Jiefangbei, Chongqing, China. Getty A May 2022 study in Urban Studies contextualized these features within the framework of "extreme vertical density," describing Chongqing as a standout case of post-socialist urban transformation. The city, the study adds, has "become 'spectacles' in themselves, widely photographed and discussed on social media," and exemplifies "verticality as an everyday, historically grounded and contested environment." For Smith, Chongqing's appeal lies in both its physical form and its capacity to surprise. As travelers increasingly seek novel experiences, Chongqing's blend of scale, innovation, and visual drama could turn this lesser-known megacity into a top-tier global destination. Stock image: A night view of buildings in Chaotianmen Square and cruise ships is seen in Chongqing, China. Stock image: A night view of buildings in Chaotianmen Square and cruise ships is seen in Chongqing, China. Getty Do you have a travel-related story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Korea Herald
6 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
LingoAce Expands Blended Learning as Its Fifth Ace Academy Learning Center Opened
SINGAPORE and NEW YORK, July 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LingoAce, the global leader in online education for children with award-winning learning programs in Mandarin Chinese, English, and math, announced today that its in-person learning brand, Ace Academy by LingoAce (Ace Academy), is now up and running in five locations around the world—including Singapore, San Jose and New York (2 centers) in the U.S., and Melbourne in Australia. With the official operation of its fifth center, LingoAce is accelerating the rollout of its blended learning model, combining high-quality online instruction with localized, in-person learning experiences for students ages 4 to 15. Designed for Global Families, Built for Local Communities Since 2017, LingoAce has served over 400,000 families across 100+ countries and regions with high-quality Mandarin Chinese, English, and Math programs. In cities with high concentrations of multilingual and multicultural families, such as New York and Melbourne, the company identified growing demand for structured, immersive in-person learning options. Ace Academy was created in direct response. Designed for learners ages 4–15, each center offers immersive, small-group instruction in Mandarin Chinese, Math, and English Language Arts (ELA). The curriculum blends global academic standards with local cultural context, helping students thrive in multilingual environments while feeling seen, supported, and connected. Each center is more than a classroom, it's a trusted, family-first learning community that provides real social interaction, emotional support, and personalized attention beyond the lesson itself. Through a seamless online-to-offline experience, students benefit from consistent pacing, cohesive content, and a nurturing environment that supports long-term growth. Launched in 2021, Ace Academy has swiftly gained traction among families across multiple cities, earning a reputation as the leading choice for blended learning —powered by a strong curriculum, custom teaching systems, and a committed teaching staff. "Ace Academy is a key pillar of our blended learning strategy," said Hugh Yao, founder and CEO of LingoAce. "What we're building goes far beyond physical classrooms, we're creating a connected global network that brings immersive local learning together with the scale and flexibility of our online programs while cultivating warm, belonging–centered learning communities. This is not just part of our global business expansion, it's a continuation of our long-term commitment to global families." "Each Ace Academy will serve not only local learners, but also become a vital support hub for our online students, offering meaningful in-person engagement and a growing range of value-added experiences," Yao added. A Hybrid Learning Brand Rooted in Culture and Community Ace Academy emphasizes both academic excellence and cultural depth, supporting student development across languages, logic, and critical thinking. The Mandarin Chinese program is rooted in cultural heritage, helping students confidently speak, use, and express the language in cross-cultural contexts. Math and English Language Arts (ELA) courses further strengthen logic and communication skills, all delivered through an integrated, single-platform approach that reduces the burden of juggling multiple providers. Each lesson is crafted 200+ hours by LingoAce's global research teams, backed by a $60 million+ investment in curriculum development. The integrated design across linguistic, cultural, and cognitive dimensions guarantees a cohesive experience between online and offline formats, delivering seamless learning continuity. The results are already resonating with local families: "Ace Academy is the highlight of my daughter's week," said the parent of a student at the Great Neck, New York center. "She found a warm and immersive space where she feels understood, and with the teacher's support, she's made a real breakthrough in expressing herself and building confidence." "Having both online and in-person lessons really helped my son build his math learning momentum," said a parent from the Melbourne center. "He's more engaged in math, more eager to ask questions, and has made close friends, he absolutely loves coming to Ace Academy." Scaling Blended Learning, Center by Center Following the achievement of profitability and positive cash flow in 2024, LingoAce is entering its next growth phase. Over the past six months, several Ace Academy centers have established operations through aggressive site selection, opening, and enrollment, while drawing strong engagement from local communities. With each new location, LingoAce deepens its commitment to building an inclusive, scalable education ecosystem for the future of global learning. The company also plans to introduce a range of value-added, in-person services to complement its online offerings, including academic boot camps, cultural workshops, in-person assessments, and family events, further enriching the student experience. Learn more about Ace Academy: About LingoAce LingoAce is a global education technology company on a mission to make learning for kids more engaging, effective, and accessible through technology. Founded in 2017, the company is headquartered in Singapore and has global operations throughout the United States, Southeast Asia, Europe, and China. Backed by the world's top investors, including Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia India & Southeast Asia), Owl Ventures, Tiger Global, and Shunwei Capital, LingoAce has a roster of more than 5,000 professionally certified teachers and has taught more than 20 million classes to PreK-12 learners in more than 100 countries. In 2023, LingoAce was named to Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies list and the GSV EdTech 150 list of the world's most transformative edtech companies for the second year in a row. In 2025, LingoAce won the EdTechX Asia Pacific Award. Learn more about LingoAce:
Indianapolis Star
11-07-2025
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
Meet IndyStar photojournalism intern HG Biggs
IndyStar's newsroom internships are an important tradition that benefits readers, the news industry and aspiring journalists. We have nine summer interns for 2025 — students who have shown a passion for local journalism and have prior internship or student media experience. Their presence provides a bridge from student journalism to the professional ranks and helps the Star fill the gaps as our full-time staff take well-earned vacation time. Similarly, we're taking a break from our "Meet the Staff" feature for the summer to give you a chance to, yes, meet the interns. We also call them Pulliam fellows — in recognition of the family that used to own the newspaper and has continued to support journalism in Indianapolis — and past participants have gone on to rich careers at the Star and elsewhere in journalism. Up this week is 2025 IndyStar intern HG Biggs. As a photojournalist, I have the opportunity to help cover anything and everything happening around Indianapolis. While I don't have a specific beat, I will always have a soft spot for baseball because photographing Little League and tournament team games in Jackson, Mississippi, was my introduction to this job. I also enjoy covering stories that localize national and international issues. I graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor's in Mandarin Chinese in May 2024. I am currently a master's student at Ohio University studying visual communication in the Scripps College of Communication. I'm at a point in life where I enjoy knowing my daily schedule is going to be unpredictable. I get to meet some of the most interesting people, and it's always an honor to be trusted with documenting their stories. Getting the occasional front-row seat to sporting events isn't half bad, either. My good friend and colleague Brett Phelps was the IndyStar's photojournalism intern last summer, and he spoke highly of his time here. Hearing Brett talk about his experiences, the atmosphere between coworkers, and everything he learned from the editors and photojournalists at the Star encouraged me to apply. I'm excited to have the opportunity to learn from such a robust visuals team. In a time when visuals staff around the country are being cut, IndyStar is a newsroom challenging that trend and proving the value of investing in photojournalists. Reading: "All We Can Save" Watching: "The X-Files" "Insufficient facts always invite danger." — Mr. Spock, "Star Trek: The Original Series" "Dancin' in the Ruins" by Blue Oyster Cult and anything by Rage Against the Machine I see myself as a documentary photographer. I have no idea what that will look like, whether I'll be working in a newsroom, freelancing, or working a different job and documenting visual stories on my personal time. The world is always changing, and we have to be open to any opportunities. No matter where I go, two things will always be true: I'll always be a Mississippian, and I'll always be a photographer. Hiking the Appalachian trail, although that's a much longer undertaking than just a vacation.
Miami Herald
02-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Family being ‘violently' stalked finds knife, note on doorstep in CA, feds say
A family receiving threatening calls from a person warning them about a large debt found a menacing note and a knife outside their Southern California home, according to the FBI. The knife had been stabbed into the family's doormat and was left 'upright' on their doorstep, an affidavit written by an FBI special agent investigating the threats says. One family member, described as 'victim 1,' was the first to find the knife and letter outside her Yorba Linda residence in Orange County in March 2024, about a week after the FBI said the threatening calls began. The handwritten letter taped to her front door was in Mandarin Chinese, according to the filing, and had the 'same message' the mysterious caller had relayed to the family over the phone. The message translated by the FBI was included in affidavit and said: 'Your man has owed us a 150,000 debt for a long time. Now I am informing you that if you still don't pay the money, your family will not be safe.' The family continued to receive more menacing calls and text messages about this supposed debt, according to the FBI. 'Both victims reported they could not think of anyone to whom they owed money,' the affidavit says. Then, on April 4, 2024, someone with a gun shot at their home six times, when one of the family members was in the residence. Now, two San Bernardino County men are accused of 'violently' stalking the family, the FBI said in a June 30 news release. Men arrested on stalking charges According to the affidavit, the FBI found 'significant' evidence linking Xiang Li, 42, of Chino Hills and Bowen Zhou, 33, of Upland, to what the agency is calling a targeted 'intimidation campaign' against the family. Attorney information for Li and Zhou was not immediately available. Li, also known as 'Lilinbo,' and Zhou, who also goes by 'Roger Zhou,' were arrested in mid-June on federal stalking charges, the FBI said. The evidence against them includes footage captured by the family's home security cameras, cell phone data and witness interviews, according to the FBI agent who investigated them. The agent, who specializes in cases involving counterintelligence as well as aircraft and aerospace technology transfers, wrote in the affidavit that evidence ties Zhou to the phone used to call the family and that Li was tied to a phone used to text them. During one of the calls answered by a family member described as 'victim 2' — one day after the knife and letter was left at the family's home — the caller refused to reveal his identity when the man asked who he was, according to the affidavit. The man told the caller that if 'he owed money, he needed to know how to pay it,' the filing says. In response, the caller said, according to the affidavit, that: 'You should know. I know where your family lives, and we have a lot of gangsters in the L.A area.' After the April 2024 shooting at the family's home, 'victim 2' reported to investigators that a business associate wanted to hurt his family, according to the filing. The associate, identified only as 'L.B.,' 'was going to spend $20,000 to take care of Victim 2,' the man said, according to the FBI agent. Following this tip, on April 15, 2024, Li was paid $20,000, his bank records revealed, according to the affidavit. The payment was unusually large compared to prior payments in Li's account, the FBI agent wrote in the filing. FBI executes search warrants When the FBI carried out search warrants at Li and Zhou's homes on June 3, the agency said ammunition matching the 'caliber of the ammunition used during' the April 2024 shooting at the family's home were seized from Li's residence. A firearm magazine with 16 rounds of such ammo was found in a bookshelf in Li's bedroom, according to the affidavit supporting a criminal complaint filed in federal court on June 17. The complaint was shared with McClatchy News by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. At Zhou's home, the FBI said a 'phone that was used to make the threatening calls and to contact Li around the time of the stalking incidents' was seized. Agents also found a 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol in his bathroom, inside the tank of his toilet, according to the affidavit, which suggests the weapon was possibly used during the shooting incident. The affidavit says that during an FBI interview, 'Zhou admitted he placed the pistol in the toilet earlier that morning' and accused Li of asking him to store it. Li denied stalking the family in his interview, according to the filing. But Zhou said Li had visited the family's home two times and as Zhou waited at a nearby plaza for 'Li to return' during both occasions, the affidavit says. He also revealed 'his job was to take the cover off the license plate of the car Li was driving' and that 'he believed that Li was trying to recover money from someone who owed Li money,' according to the FBI agent. Li and Zhou are in federal custody after they had their initial court appearances, the FBI said in the release. If both men are convicted of stalking, they would face up to five years in prison.
Time Business News
20-06-2025
- Time Business News
Learn Mandarin Easily: Your Complete Guide to Studying Chinese Online
Mandarin Chinese is one of the most spoken languages in the world. It can help you in school, work, travel, and even when watching movies or reading books. The best part is — you don't need to go to a class or hire a tutor. Today, you can học tiếng Trung online from home using your computer or phone. With fun tools like videos, apps, and flashcard tiếng Trung, learning Chinese is now easy and exciting for beginners of all ages. There are many good reasons to learn Mandarin Chinese: Over 1 billion people speak it worldwide. It can help you get better jobs or do business in China. Chinese culture, history, and art are amazing to explore. It trains your brain and improves memory. You can talk to new people and make new friends. Learning Chinese also helps you think differently because the language is very unique! Pinyin is the way Chinese words are written using the Roman alphabet. It helps you pronounce Chinese sounds correctly. For example: nǐ hǎo = hello xièxiè = thank you mā = mom (be careful! Changing the tone changes the meaning) Before jumping into characters, get used to how words sound. Many online lessons start with Pinyin and tones. Apps like HelloChinese or Duolingo are great for this. One of the fastest ways to learn new Chinese words is by using flashcard tiếng Trung . Flashcards help you remember Chinese characters, meanings, and pronunciation. You can make paper flashcards or use apps like Anki, Quizlet, or Brainscape. Benefits of flashcards: Easy to carry or access anytime Help you repeat and remember words You can learn 5–10 new words every day Try to study your flashcard tiếng Trung at least once or twice a day. Chinese characters may look hard, but don't worry. Start slow. Learn the most common 100 characters first. These are used in many words and sentences. Tips to learn characters: Break each character into smaller parts (called radicals) Practice writing them by hand Use stroke order apps that show you how to draw them You don't need to rush. Learning just 1–2 characters a day adds up over time. It's important to listen to Chinese every day to get used to how it sounds. This helps with both speaking and understanding. Ways to practice: Watch Chinese cartoons or YouTube videos with subtitles Listen to simple Chinese songs Repeat phrases you hear in videos Record yourself speaking and compare it with native speakers Many học tiếng Trung online platforms have speaking tools or chatbots to help you talk in Chinese. Learning Chinese takes time, so a good routine helps you stay on track. Here's a simple daily plan: 10 minutes: review flashcard tiếng Trung 15 minutes: listen to or watch a Chinese video 10 minutes: learn 5 new words 10 minutes: write or say sentences using new words This 45-minute plan is short but powerful. The more consistent you are, the faster you'll improve. There are many great websites and apps for học tiếng Trung online . Some are free, and others cost a little. Top tools to try: HelloChinese : Great for beginners with lessons, games, and voice tools : Great for beginners with lessons, games, and voice tools Duolingo : A fun app with easy daily practice : A fun app with easy daily practice LingoDeer : Focuses on grammar and sentence building : Focuses on grammar and sentence building Pleco : A Chinese dictionary app you can use while reading or watching videos : A Chinese dictionary app you can use while reading or watching videos YouTube: Search 'learn Mandarin Chinese' and watch beginner lessons Try different apps to see what works best for you. The more you use Chinese in real life, the faster you will learn. Even if you're shy, try to use Mandarin in small ways: Greet your friends in Chinese Label things around your house with Chinese words Write a diary using simple Chinese sentences Join Facebook or Reddit groups for Chinese learners Using the words in real situations helps you remember them better. Learning a language is like running a long race. It's easier if you break it into smaller steps. Here are some mini-goals you can try: 'I will learn 10 new words this week.' 'I will watch 3 Chinese videos this weekend.' 'I will use 5 new words in sentences.' When you reach your goal, reward yourself! Maybe with a Chinese snack or by watching your favorite drama episode. Everyone makes mistakes when learning a new language. It's part of the process. Don't let fear stop you. The more you practice, the better you get. If you're using an app or talking with someone, just try your best. People will be happy that you're learning their language. Mistakes are a sign that you are learning something new. Learning Mandarin Chinese from home is now simple and fun. With the help of technology, you can học tiếng Trung online using videos, games, lessons, and tools like flashcard tiếng Trung . Even if you're a total beginner, you can start today — right from your couch! TIME BUSINESS NEWS
