Australian kids ‘see betting as part of sport’ – can banning ads help?

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Getty Images A woman walks past a betting advertisementGetty Images

Sam was raised in a place where having a kick was associated with sports, like so many in Australia.

“‘Our buddies, our household had ask ‘Oh who are you betting on this year? ’ That was the ordinary conversation that occurred, ” his girlfriend Amy- who is not using her true name- says.

Looking up, she attributes her brother’s habit and the anguish he endured before he took his own life to the normalization of gambling, the way it spread into their homes and spread itself into social interactions.

“It really destroyed him physically and emotionally, ” she explains. “We tried whatever. We were a close relatives, but we certainly did n’t know how bad it was- it destroyed him. ”

One of the dozens of people who testified in a nonpartisan political inquiry into the effects of gambling in Australia, which wagers more per capita than any other nation, is Amy.

The probe found that there were “few safeguards ” to protect those battling addiction and recommended 31 reforms to avoid “grooming ” a new generation of children to gamble, starting with a three-year phased ban on advertising.

Then that polls indicate that the majority of people support the move, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is under increasing pressure to work both within his party and on the outside.

However, the state has indicated that it may decide to place a cap on advertising. It has cited the importance of gambling advertising revenue in supporting the country’s struggling free-to-air commentators as well as instructions from wagering industry warning that a ban might send customers abroad.

According to the industry’s top body, doing so would result in significant income losses for Australian betting sites, which currently bank “vital services” ( the industry’s leading body ).

The discussion has sparked accusations that business objectives are preventing common-sense transformation.

It has also spotlighted the deep-rooted connections between game, playing, and pleasure in Australia.

Getty Images betting appsGetty Images

A betting bubble

Betting occupies a special place in American society.

It became the first nation to privatize its gambling market in the 1980s, allowing slot machines to become licensed bars and clubs after being only permitted inside casinos.

Now, Australia is home to around 0. 33 % of the country’s population, but a second of all “pokies”- the slang term used for the equipment.

In the last 20 years, there has also been a rise in the popularity of online gambling, mainly in sports. Estimates indicate that Australians are spending about A$ 25 billion ($ 16 ). 8bn; £12. 9bn ) on legal wagers each year- with 38 % of the population gambling weekly.

Experts argue that powerful promotion has aided that increase, while funding deals, partnerships, and kickbacks given to common sporting bodies, have helped legitimise the business

Getty Images A man plays a slot machine Getty Images

Sean- no his real title- has been gambling lawfully, and often intensely, for more than 18 years. He was introduced by a friend to sports betting as a student, and from there, items snowballed. Some days I could n’t sleep unless I knew what I was betting on. He told the BBC,” I was betting on activities I’d never seen in places I’d always heard of.”

He is now 36 and is looking for partners to assist him in what feels like a lifetime of losses, but he estimates A$ 2 million as the full.

He claims that if I had never gambled, I may be married with kids at the moment and that the relationship breakdowns and years of loneliness are more difficult to quantify.

One academic paper found that like Sean, 90% of Australian adults and roughly three-quarters of children aged eight to 16 years see betting as a “normal part of sport”. Advocates like Martin Thomas argue this is evidence that the practice “has seeped into every corner of society”.

He tells the BBC,” Our kids hear just as much about the odds on a sport and the multibets as their favorite people.”

In Amy’s watch, as well as making it harder for people of all ages to leave gambling, that normalisation has created a harmful subtext: that any negative impacts- quite as debt or addiction- are the fault of the individual, certainly the system.

“To come and enjoy a sporting event and see it saturated with betting marketing, you’re like, ‘ Oh, I’m the issue. Because anyone does this’, you know what I mean?

“That’s what my nephew thought. ”

Like some advocates, she wants to discover gambling reframed as a major public health issue rather than a fun pursuit, given surveys have shown that almost half of those engaging in the practice are at risk of, or already knowledge, its connected harms– such as economic hardship, family violence, depression, and suicide.

A prohibition on advertising might be the first step in achieving that goal, according to research. And advocates say there’s a well-trodden path the government could follow. Mr. Thomas points to Australia’s decision in 1992, which has been credited with significantly lowering smoking rates, as proof of what is possible.

But while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the “saturation of gambling advertising” as “untenable”, he’s yet to commit to a course of action.

He has instead cited his government’s other initiatives when asked about, such as a ban on credit card use while placing online wagers and the creation of a register to prevent people from excluding themselves from betting sites. At times, he’s also framed gambling as an age-old problem.

“[ This ] has been an issue in our society I suspect, since man and woman walked, and had a bet on who could ride the horse the fastest or who could run from rock to rock, probably before there were buildings, ” he told parliament on Wednesday.

‘The house always wins’

A blanket ban, according to the leading body representing Australia’s wagering companies, is viewed as a “step too far” and supports the government’s proposed cap, which would restrict ads both online and during general TV programming.

By doing this, Responsible Wagering Australia’s CEO Kai Cantwell said in a statement that the community’s hopes of seeing less advertising would be met while also upholding the essential support for local broadcasters and sporting codes.

However, Dr. Andrew Hughes, a marketing lecturer at The Australian National University, has doubted how significant financial support is given that Nielsen data indicates that the majority of ad revenue is generated by other industries rather than betting platforms.

Additionally, independent senators have criticized the justification for using wagering money to boost the media, like David Pocock.

“Journalism is incredibly important, but it should n’t be dependent on flogging products we know are harmful, and which cause addiction, personal issues, family breakdowns, and in some cases, suicide, ” he told the BBC.

The government should have the capacity to consider other ways to close that void. ”

One of the senators who has publicly questioned whether betting companies and the industries they finance interfere with policy is that Mr. Pocock refers to their extensive lobbying efforts and history of large political donations.

Getty Images Anthony Albanese in parliamentGetty Images

He joined 20 political spectrum parliamentarians last week to sign an open letter calling for a free vote on the issue so that MPs in Mr. Albanese’s party can cross the floor without fear of repercussions.

A number of medical organizations have also endorsed a ban, as has an expert panel appointed by the government to examine how to lower domestic violence rates in Australia, adding to the mounting pressure Mr. Albanese is facing.

The government has already placed warnings on gambling advertisements to warn consumers about the dangers.

However, Sean claims that it does n’t do much to stop those who are addicted.

“ I know the house always wins, but every time I’m ready to have a punt that all goes out the window, ” he explains. I begin to believe that I will win everything in the end. That win that ’s going to get everything back. ”

Although nothing has been finalised and Mr Albanese’s cabinet is still weighing its options, for Amy, the debate itself has become too “insensitive” to follow.

She can’t comprehend what the hold-up is and wants answers.

Anyone who understands this subject would undoubtedly consent to a complete ban on advertising, she tells the BBC. We are dangling this dangerous product in front of everyone and normalizing it, and the worst-case scenario is what happened to us, ” the lobbyists say.

“My family – they’ll never recover. You ca n’t ever recover from it. ”

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Black Myth: Wukong and Chinese cultural confidence – Asia Times

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Last week, the Chinese video game” Black Myth: Wukong” garnered 2.3 million concurrent people in two weeks and sold 4.5 million files, ranking second among all sports possibly featured on Steam, the global video game system.

The development of such a match, developed by the Tencent-backed business GameScience over the past seven years, is not a fluke. Whether the show’s creators had any intentions or not, the show’s widespread acceptance represents a significant change in China’s society and relationship with the outside.

China is shifting from a emphasis on manufacturing to pleasure, from connecting with the earth through tangible goods to drawing in a worldwide audience with vivid, intangible tales.

Hollywood, Disney, and Pixar have been the go-to leisure for billions of people around the world for decades, and they’re probably going to be that way for a very long time.

Through these films, customers from nations that speak a variety of cultures have absorbed American aesthetics and storytelling techniques.

The funny, the harsh, the romance and the thrilling—all that define remarkable stories produced in the US—have shaped the panel culture of many across the world.

The supremacy of US screen culture may be overstated, even though criticisms of some of the toxic content have not stopped.

Storytelling that speaks

But the success of” Black Myth: Wukong” reveals a change in this dynamic. How could the 16th-century tale of a Monkey King been so powerful?

It is undoubtedly not because it is Foreign, but because people of all cultures can relate to the topics that are revealed in the myth.

The world is currently in a dangerous state, with war, economic volatility, exacerbating climate problems and growing inequality. The priest and his followers ‘ quest for Buddhist texts from India is the center of the story of Wukong, which is more important than previously.

In the same way that the writer’s search to the Pure Land to obtain Buddhist scriptures is slowed down by monsters, foes, and adversaries with several powers, the sport follows the traditional Chinese novel” Journey to the West.”

Yet the courage, wisdom, justice and teamwork of the group will eventually overcome the difficulties. The very strength the world longs for is this internal cohesion against formidable external forces.

The game’s themes—curbing uninhibited desires, battling powerful heavenly gods, fighting against unfair treatment—resonate with modern players.

Making the story more than just a game, these themes reflect what society needs at the moment, such as economic inequality, environmental degradation, and exploitation by powerful industries.

As reports link the game’s success to China’s soft power, it’s crucial to understand the content strategies behind these entertainment successes. Soft power builds on media.

Without compelling content or the right platform, it does n’t gain traction. What makes content appealing? Its content demonstrates a thorough understanding of oneself and an in-depth understanding of the audience.

China appears to have finally grasped the art of producing global-quality content. Developers in the country’s cultural industry have come to the realization that their secret toolkit lies within their own traditional culture by reexamining its own cultural heritage and acknowledging its beauty and value.

State-led cultural confidence

State policy also reflects this emphasis on traditional Chinese culture. The 14th Five-Year Plan of the nation reiterated the importance of fostering cultural confidence, with the aim of significantly strengthening China’s cultural soft power by 2035.

This policy has influenced university research, K-12 education, public knowledge, and social media platforms, among others.

Instead of the castles and cathedrals prevalent in Western video games, Wukong integrates Chinese temples, pagodas and pavilions, all based on centuries-old heritage sites, particularly in Shanxi, a place famous for ancient wooden architecture.

Numerous scenes take place in beautiful, photorealistic settings, showing misty mountains, lush forests, Buddhist sculptures, crystal-clear waters, and old pines. These landscapes, rooted in Chinese aesthetics of paintings and architecture, build atmospheric and immersive scenes in the game.

Players ‘ experiences with traditional video game battles are elevated to a cultural appreciation thanks to the poetic quality.

Video still showing misty mountains and pine trees,’ Black Myth: Wukong.’ Credit: GameScience

Other Chinese animations and games have also had a lot of international success. Li Bai, poet from the Tang dynasty, is the subject of the animated film” Chang ‘ An.”

Another animated movie from the same company,” The White Snake,” is based on the well-known tale of a romance between a human and a snake spirit who transforms into a stunning woman.

Mobile games like” Genshin Impact” and” Honkai: Star Rail“, which have garnered millions of fans in app stores, have extensively integrated traditional architecture, art, poetry, costume and even opera into the story and scenes of the games.

The development of multimedia technologies in China, in addition to increased government support and funding, has effectively promoted the success of these cultural products. To engage audiences more, China’s museums and cultural heritage sites are using the metaverse, AI, and VR to increase their engagement.

Dunhuang Caves&nbsp, Museum has launched successful e-museum and VR programs. Digital scans and a VR database have been developed in Sichuan Province for more than 83 structures dating back to the 14th to the 17th centuries.

Indeed,” soft power” still hinges on hard technologies. These well-known video games are a reflection of China’s transition and commitment to investing time and money into developing technologies that can create memorable and global stories because the game industry is infused with high-tech elements, from 3D scans and high-end CPUs to high-resolution imaging.

This emphasis on futuristic science and technology aligns with the recent rise of China’s science fiction on the global stage, from Liu Cixin’s” The Three-Body Problem”, which has been adapted into a Netflix series, to Hao Jingfang’s interstellar stories” Jumpnauts” &nbsp, and AI scientist and entrepreneur Kai-Fu Lee’s co-authored book” AI 2041” with sci-fi writer Chen Qiufan.

The issue of equity in growth

Wukong’s success, while remarkable, also raises questions about the distribution of its financial benefits.

Production costs over US$ 50 million, and the majority of the revenue will likely go to the tech giants and investors who are supporting the game developers, as opposed to the typical Chinese working class or the cultural conservators whose heritage the game references.

Game developers should allocate some funds to support small and medium-sized cultural companies, particularly those that are promoting and protecting traditional arts and crafts.

Additionally, developers should engage with community-based projects that directly benefit local artisans, educators, and cultural institutions. For instance, profits could be used to fund initiatives promoting cultural preservation, such as funding rural arts education and heritage preservation.

The Yungang Grottoes portrayed in the’ Black Myth: Wukong.’ Image: UNESCO

Additionally, it is crucial to create a more welcoming and collaborative environment within the gaming and cultural industries. The industry can diversify its output and ensure that a wider range of voices and talents are represented by opening up space for smaller studios and independent creators to collaborate with larger companies.

For China or any other nation to truly increase their soft power in the long run, it must cultivate an environment that encourages both the most technologically advanced and visually stunning stories and the most modest displays of cultural heritage.

Historical heritage will truly shine when the focus shifts from the spectacle to the richness of culture.

At Stanford University, Gerui Wang teaches about AI, the cultural industry, with a particular emphasis on technologies and East Asian culture.

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Vietnam becoming a chip-making powerhouse – Asia Times

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Vietnam is a decoupling recipient of the US-led device war against China and is a significant newcomer to the global semiconductor industry.

Vietnam’s well-educated and highly motivated professionals work for relatively lower wages, attracting several silicon presentation and layout companies from the US, Germany, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

With a technology-oriented business development plan, Vietnam is following in the footsteps of Malaysia, now the country’s sixth-largest silicon producer and with 13 % of the world assembly, tests and packaging industry, according to ISIS Malaysia, a think tank.

This will undoubtedly appeal to the Biden administration, which has been advocating Vietnam as a viable alternative to China under the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, despite the fact that it is likely going to happen anyway.

According to market research firms, Vietnamese engineers make about US$ 8, 000 annually, which is roughly half the salary that engineers in Malaysia make. Those figures are$ 34, 000 in South Korea,$ 46, 000 in Taiwan,$ 50, 000 in Japan and$ 68, 000 in Singapore.

Semiconductor industry sources say annual salaries for design engineers with less than three years of experience range from$ 10, 000-$ 15, 000 in Vietnam versus$ 65, 000-$ 70, 000 in the US.

Even with faulty data and fluctuating exchange rates, salaries in Vietnam and Malaysia are so low that there is little chance of closing the pay gap in the near future.

This explains why Intel’s largest integrated circuit ( IC ) assembly, packaging, and test facility are both in Vietnam and in Malaysia, which has its largest advanced 3D packaging facility.

Germany’s largest semiconductor maker, Infineon, has established a product development team at its new office in Hanoi, which was opened in June of last year.

With a burgeoning and youthful population of nearly 100 million, Vietnam has quickly become a coveted destination for multinational corporations seeking to tap into a pool of exceptional technical talent, according to the CEO of Infineon Technologies Asia-Pacific, C S Chua.

The new development center in Hanoi, according to senior Infineon executive Hartmut Hiller, will make it easier for Infineon Technologies to meet the rising demand for functional testing and customized circuit designs, particularly for our leading System-on-Chip ( SoC ) solutions.

At its new factory in Malaysia, which has a skilled workforce and supportive infrastructure, Infineon began producing silicon carbide power semiconductors earlier this month. As the Vietnamese semiconductor industry expands, it is important to keep safe supply of electricity and water.

Renesas Electronics, Japan’s largest integrated semiconductor device manufacturer, has been in Vietnam since 2004, when it established a design team in Ho Chi Minh City. Renesas Design Vietnam is now the largest design studio for the business outside of Japan. Renesas has also established universities in Vietnam as a provider of semiconductor design programs.

South Korean IC design companies BOS Semiconductors, which works with Hyundai, and CoAsia, which works with Samsung, have R&amp, D centers in Vietnam.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Hana Micron Vina and Hanmi Semiconductor manufacture package substrates, printed circuit boards and semiconductor packaging equipment, respectively, in Vietnam.

While Alchip Technologies intends to establish one, Taiwanese semiconductor design firms GUC and Faraday Technology both have design centers in Vietnam. GUC and Alchip are affiliated with Taiwan’s world-leading TSMC.

FCC Partners, a Taiwanese investment bank, is collaborating with FPT Software in Vietnam to create a Vietnam Semiconductor Development Fund.

Vietnam also has its own semiconductor design firms, including VN Chip and FPT Semiconductor. With the support of universities, start-up incubators, large corporations and financial institutions, high-tech industrial parks, tax incentives and subsidies, more can be expected.

By 2030, the Vietnamese government intends to train 50 000 semiconductor engineers. According to Associate Professor Truong Viet Anh of the Hanoi University of Science, that is about ten times more than the nation currently has, according to VnEconomy.

But the largest foreign presence in the Vietnamese semiconductor industry, far and away, is American. In addition to Intel, US companies with operations in Vietnam include Microchip, Marvell, Qualcomm, Synopsis, Cadence, Savarti, Uniquify and Amkor.

Marvell, which specializes in data infrastructure semiconductor solutions, expects Vietnam to become its third-largest design center after the US and India.

Microchip, which makes microcontrollers, mixed-signal, analog and other devices, develops chips for the auto, industrial, aerospace and defense, communications, computing and consumer markets in Vietnam.

In 2003, Qualcomm established a presence in Vietnam, and it has since collaborated with network providers and the government to switch from 2G to 5G. The company runs the annual Qualcomm Vietnam Innovation Challenge&nbsp, for start-ups with the support of Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology.

Synopsis, the world’s top electronic design automation company, has more than 500 employees at several locations in Vietnam. The Da Nang People’s Committee, the Vietnam National Innovation Center ( NIC ), and the Authority of Information and Communication Technologies Industry, all signed MOUs in 2023 to support the establishment of a semiconductor research institute.

The NIC also made an announcement last year that it would collaborate with Synopsis rival Cadence to promote IC design innovation in Vietnam. Under the agreement, Cadence design tools are provided to Vietnamese universities, training centers and start-ups. Additionally, the NIC and Arizona State University have come to an agreement to create training and research programs related to semiconductors.

US semiconductor design companies Savarti and Uniquify have established R&amp, D centers in Vietnam, with Savarti specializing in analog and mixed-signal devices and Uniquify in system-on-chip ( SoC ) design.

Amkor, the world’s second-largest provider of outsourced semiconductor assembly and test ( OSAT ) services, opened its first factory in Vietnam in October 2023. Located in the Yen Phong Industrial Park in the province of Bac Ninh, near Hanoi, it is a” state of the art” factory, according to Amkor CEO Giel Rutten. ” The kind of secure and reliable supply chain our customers need—in communications, automotive, &nbsp, high-performance computing, and other key industries”, he added.

On July 26 of this year, the US Department of Commerce signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms with Amkor to help with the construction of the company’s first OSAT factory in the US with up to$ 400 million in direct funding, loans, and tax credits under the CHIPS Act. The US Department of Commerce had a secure supply chain in mind. A$ 2 billion investment in advanced packaging capability, it is expected to create about 2, 000 jobs in Arizona.

” Accordingly”, writes the US Commerce Department,” companies such as TSMC, Apple, and GlobalFoundries–which power the world’s most advanced technologies–will be able to package and test their essential chips domestically, enabling the full end-to-end cycle of the chip manufacturing process to occur in the United States”.

However, the$ 500 million International Technology Security and Innovation ( ITSI) Fund provides financial support for the semiconductor industry in Vietnam and other countries overseas.

As such, Amkor’s new factory in Bac Ninh may eventually employ about 10, 000 workers when it reaches full capacity, according to a Vietnam report.

Gina Raimondo, the US Secretary of Commerce, was without a doubt correct when she claimed that” this proposed funding would enhance our supply chain security.” However, it appears that it will result in a lot more employment for Vietnam than for the US.

Follow this writer on&nbsp, X: @ScottFo83517667

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Elevate Programme graduates see capital market as viable fundraising channels to catalyse growth

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  • Graduating firms ‘ goals are to promote growth and expand their markets.
  • Aims to help SMEs, MTCs build capabilities for cash business funding

In the centre: Azalina Adham, managing director of Securities Commission Malaysia, Navina Balasingam, general manager of Capital Markets Malaysia and Bikesh Lakhmichand, founding partner & CEO of 1337 Ventures with the executive leadership of the companies that participated in the Elevate Programme.

The first cohort of Capital Markets Malaysia ( CMM), an affiliate of the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), has completed its 2024 Elevate Program. This program aims to help the executive leadership of high-performing small and medium enterprises ( SMEs ) and mid-tier companies ( MTCs ) who want to accelerate growth. It teaches them how to effectively navigate and use fundraising options via the capital market.

CMM created the 10-day Elevate Programme to assist SMEs and MTCs in developing the skills and competencies necessary to meet the specific nuances of investment sector fundraising, whether through an Offering list or private equity investment, with the SC and Bursa Malaysia serving as strategic partners. In particular, the program’s goal is to help senior leaders describe their development vision by fostering investor confidence in their capability for scaling up.

SME and MTCs are essential to our business, and Navina Balasingam, General Manager of CMM, said it is important for us to facilitate available ways to raise funds that are necessary for these companies to grow. The Elevate Programme at CMM was created specifically for this purpose. Through this program, we hoped to help businesses that are prepared for the upcoming growth stage.

She continued, saying that if done correctly, this program will be crucial in developing a vibrant and dynamic network of businesses seeking to list or invest in private capital, while positioning Malaysia’s capital market as a top choice for both fundraising and investing.

This effort supports the nation’s ambitions, as underscored by the SC’s recently unveiled’ Catalysing MSME and MTC Access to the Capital Market: 5-Year Roadmap ( 2024–2028 )’, which sets out a goal of increasing MSME and MTC capital market fundraising by more than five-fold, from US$ 1.4 billion ( RM6.3 billion ) in 2023 to US$ 9.2 billion ( RM40 billion ) by 2028.

SNS Network Technologies, which listed on the ACE Market in September 2022 and completed its move to the Main Market in June this year, are significant graduates from previous Elevate groups, as well as YX Precious Metals Bhd, which listed on the ACE Market in 2022 and has begun the process of transferring to the Main Market.

The most recent Elevate Programme group graduated from the” Demo Day,” where participants presented their equity reports to potential investors and investment bank, putting the lessons learned from the four-month program into exercise. Apart from engaging with buyers, the companies obtained market-relevant, meaningful comments, enabling them to further enhance their plans and strategies to better status their businesses as beautiful investments. The college companies represent a diverse range of industries, including manufacturing, medical, financial, systems, and services, among others, all of which aim to amplify their growth direction and business reach.

The participating companies include Fipper Marketing Sdn Bhd, Gourmet Ingredients Sdn Bhd, Great Pyramid Sdn Bhd, i-Chem Solutions Sdn Bhd, Kasut U Sdn Bhd, Imetal ( M ) Sdn Bhd, and Tera Va Sdn Bhd, to name a few.

A equally diverse group of leaders of high-performing SMEs and MTCs is convened for the next Elevate Programme group, which is scheduled to begin in September 2024. Organizations seeking to meet potential groups may attend https ://www.capitalmarketsmalaysia.com/elevate-programme/ for more information on the project.

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China ‘strongly dissatisfied’ with fresh US sanctions

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The restrictions specific individuals and businesses both domestically and internationally, according to a declaration from the US Treasury Department. China’s business department said on Sunday that the action was “typical punitive sanctions” that “disrupt international industry order and rules, impede regular global economic and trade exchanges, and threaten the securityContinue Reading

Why is this Chinese video game causing such a stir?

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Getty Images The face of an anthropomorphic monkey video game character on a computer screenGetty Images

Following the release of the most effective Chinese name of all time, an human monkey and a strategy against “feminist advertising” set the video gaming scene on fire this week.

Many people were angry after the firm behind Black Myth: Wukong sent them a list of issues to avoid while livestreaming the game, including “feminist advertising, fetishisation, and other information that incites bad discourse”.

However, within 24 hours of its launch on Tuesday, it became the next most-played game always on streaming platform Steam, garnering more than 2. 1 million parallel people and more than 4 sales 5 million files.

The game, which is based on the traditional 16th-century Chinese fiction Journey to the West, is being viewed as a rare instance of mainstream media broadcasting Chinese reports on an global level.

What is Black Myth about?

A single-player action game called Black Myth: Wukong lets you play the role of an anthropomorphic monkey with supernatural abilities known as” the Destined One.”

The Monkey King, a crucial figure in Journey to the West, is the figure of Sun Wukong, or the figure in The Destined One.

That book, considered one of the classics of Chinese literature, draws heavily from Chinese myth as well as Confucianism, Taoist and Buddhist tradition.

It has served as inspiration for hundreds of foreign motion pictures, TV shows, and pictures, including the well-known Japanese manga series Dragon Ball Z and the Chinese-American fantasy film The Forbidden Kingdom from 2008.

Getty Images A shot of a video game with a character wielding a staff surrounded by flamesGetty Images

Why has Black Myth received such a great response?

After four years of suspense, Black Myth debuted on Tuesday, first made known via a wildly popular teaser truck in August 2020.

It is the first AAA release in the Chinese video game industry, a title that is normally given to big-budget games from big businesses.

High-end graphics, advanced game pattern and hot-blooded publicity have all contributed to its success- as well as the dimension of China’s gaming community, which is the largest in the world.

“It’s not just a Chinese game targeting the Chinese market or the Chinese-speaking world, ” Haiqing Yu, a professor at Australia’s RMIT University, whose research specialises in the sociopolitical and economic impact of China ’s digital media, told the BBC.

“Players all over the world [are playing ] a game that has a Chinese cultural factor. ”

This has caused the nation a great deal of national pride.

The Shanxi Province Department of Culture and Tourism released a video on Tuesday that showed the real-world attractions, causing a boom in tourism known as the “Wukong Travel, ” which includes many locations and set pieces featured in the game.

In what one X user described as a “successful example of cultural rediscovery, ” videos posted on TikTok in the wake of Black Myth’s release show tourists flooding temples and shrines featured in the game.

Niko Partners, a company that researches and analyses video games markets and consumers in Asia, similarly pointed out that Black Myth “helps showcase Chinese mythology, traditions, culture and real-life locations in China to the world”.

Why has it sparked controversy?

Some content creators and streamers made it known before Black Myth’s release that a company associated with the game developer had sent them a list of topics to avoid discussing while live-streaming the game, including “feminist propaganda, fetishization, and other content that instigates negative discourse”.

Getty Images A long queue snakes around a promotional partition in a large warehouseGetty Images

A widely circulated report by video game publication IGN in November revealed a history of sexist and inappropriate behavior from employees of Game Science, the studio behind Black Myth, though it is unclear what exactly was meant by “feminist propaganda.”

Other topics designated as “Don’ts ” in the document, which has been widely shared on social media and YouTube, included politics, Covid-19, and China ’s video game industry policies.

The directive, which was sent out by co-publisher Hero Games, has stoked controversy outside China.

Numerous creators of content objected to the game’s review, claiming that the game’s creators were attempting to censor discussion and stifle free speech.

Others chose to directly defy the warnings.

One creator with the username Moonmoon launched a Twitch stream of Black Myth titled” Covid-19 Isolation Taiwan ( Is a Real Country ) Feminism Propaganda”. Another streamer, Rui Zhong, discussed China ’s one-child policy on camera while playing the game.

Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, banned 138 users on Thursday who allegedly violated its guidelines when discussing Black Myth.

A number of the banned Weibo users were, according to an article on the state-run Global Times news site, “deviating to the game itself by using it as a platform to spread ‘gender opposition, ’ personal attacks, and other irrational comments. ”

Has this affected the game’s success?

Although the controversy has attracted a lot of attention in the international press and online, it has not really diminished or diminished Black Myth’s overwhelmingly positive response.

The game made$ 53m in presales alone, with another 4. 5 million copies sold within 24 hours of its release. Within the same time frame, it broke the record for the most popular single-player game ever on Steam.

On platforms like Weibo, Reddit and YouTube, and elsewhere, reams of comments are celebrating the game’s success. Many people believe that the controversy surrounding the game’s release was overblown.

Ms Yu agreed, describing Black Myth as an “industry and overall market success”.

“ When it comes to Chinese digital media and communication platforms, of course people cannot avoid talking about censorship, ” she said. Black Myth is an illustration of how to effectively tell the Chinese story and how to spread Chinese cultural influence globally. I do n’t see any censorship there. ”

She also made note of the fact that it is unlikely that any apparent attempts to steer or censor what reviewers claimed were to be from Chinese officials themselves. More likely, Ms Yu suggested, is that the list of” Dos” and” Don’ts” came from a company that was trying to keep itself out of trouble.

The company issues a notification to the company so that if anyone from the central government contacts them to talk, the company can say, ‘Look, I already told them. I am unable to stop people from saying what they want to. ’

“They have basically, to use the colloquial term, covered their own ass, ” she concluded. Instead of being a real directive coming from the top down, I see it as a politically correct gesture to the Chinese censors. ”

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Police to identify all plane crash victims by Monday

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PUBLISHED: 25 Aug 2024 at 06: 46

Rescue workers search the wreckage of a small aircraft a day after it crashed as five tourists from China and four Thais, including the two pilots, all presumed dead, in Bang Pakong, Chachoengsao province, Thailand, August 23, 2024. (Reuters photo)
Rescue workers research the wreckage of a small airplane a day after it crashed as five travellers from China and four Thais, including the two aircraft, all presumed dead, in Bang Pakong, Chachoengsao state, Thailand, August 23, 2024. ( Reuters photo )

On Monday, the Police Forensic Science Office will finish the recognition of the nine people who died when their little plane crashed in Chachoengsao state.

Normally, the information may be released after it is full.

Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiwpan, a director of the Police Forensic Science Office, on Saturday said four Thai victims– the captain, co-pilot and two travellers– had already been identified, but more labor needed to be done.

Aircraft TFT209, operated by Thai Flying Service Company, crashed in Chachoengsao’s Bang Pakong area on Thursday, about 10 days after taking off from Suvarnabhumi Airport. The Trat state of Koh Mai Si was the destination.

Police Lt. Gen. Trairong reported that target identification was over 50 % full, with the remainder expected to be completed on Monday.

DNA testing were being conducted on the subjects ‘ remains at the Police General Hospital’s Institute of Forensic Medicine, he said.

He said his company was trying to contact the people of five other subjects, who were Foreign, to ensure their personalities.

He claimed that the company had a list of the people onboard the plane, but it was having trouble finding the victims because many of the remains had been severely damaged.

Meanwhile, Thai Flying Service Co Ltd, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand ( CAAT ), announced on Saturday that it had contacted Thai Flying Service Co Ltd to inquire about its plans to pay compensation to the victims ‘ families.

The business is negotiating the settlement with healthcare companies. According to information media reports, coverage covers the plane’s people, aircraft, their possessions and third parties. The agreement may come into effect on March 31 of that year.

The CAAT claimed to have sent its officers to check the investigation’s investigation into the discovery of the crash’s cause.

Moreover, Pisit Prasertsri, the deputy executive at Khao Din tambon operational company in Chachoengsao, said recovery operations ended Friday as firefighters struggled amid landscape problems.

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  • Tourplus CEO embodies leader hurry, with keen gaze for chance
  • Owners have the highest duty, may convey optimism &amp, hope

The partnership with Tourism Selangor will earn Rickson Goh revenue, expand his supply of products and give him market inroad.

Some Malaysian startup founders have acquitted themselves as well as Rickson Goh, the gentle said founder of travel tech company Tourplus Technology Sdn Bhd, if you want to see how well they have handled the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the midst of a terrible halt in Malaysia’s tourism industry, he never merely raised eyebrows in the ecosystem with a powerful US$ 1 million seed capital fund raise, but he also went on to form some partnerships that will place his travel tech startup quite well when the tourism rebound occurs. Plus, he has also started talking to buyers on raising his second large as he projects profits for 2021 to reach US$ 1.65 million ( RM7 million )– almost none of it coming from vacation.

But what exactly is he smoking and what exactly is he spitting in his te sir? Turns out it is nothing more than leader rush and a strong desire for success. &nbsp,

Cuts win-win cope with Tourism Selangor

Tourplus, which had no mobile application before this, announced in a simple press release that it had worked with Tourism Selangor to create a wireless application for the state agency.

The true story is that Tourplus and Tourism Selangor have a 50:50 revenue share contract under the name Get Selangor for any income made through the game. Better yet, the state agency will start promoting Tourplus to those interested in the state agency’s database by encouraging all manufacturers of travel-related products to start digitizing their operations ( though this is not an exclusive agreement ).

As Rickson points out, the majority of these vacation players are small businesses, which would have been nearly impossible for Tourplus to enter. Instead, then it gets a reputable position company to make the introduction.

” We expect the game does go sit in Oct 2021″, says Rickson. Tourplus did examine business arrangements and installation in the app, operate and make the payout, etc., he states.

As Selangor intensifies efforts to prepare the journey ecosystem for the post-pandemic go rebound, Go Selangor may serve as the state government’s official travel app.

A crucial part of the efforts to find habitat players, most of whom are SMEs, available, is to encourage them to digitalise so that their vacation packages, services and inventory may be added to Get Selangor.

Rickson, who first proposed the idea in March and was given approval by the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corp. in July, believes that this partnership will benefit more rural operators or “hidden gem providers” that are not in the main stream platforms like Klook.

It is also a sweet deal for Rickson, who is preparing himself for the post-pandemic rebound by adding new inventory to his database. The latest of his recent cutbacks to his fundraising efforts in October, 2017.

Rickson Goh shows how you deal with a pandemicHis back was against the wall by that point, so the timing could n’t have been better. It was not an easy time, he admits. There was little to no money being made, and the statement” We were running out of money then” was true.

Even Rickson ( pic ) struggled to see any light, and the team had lost hope. It was very difficult for me. Day and night, I was trying to figure out a way to survive. We founders have the highest responsibility. No matter how we feel inside, and sometimes I felt helpless, but we have to exude hope and optimism for the team”, he says.

A quick foray into providing frozen food to consumers was unsuccessful. The key moment, however, came when he made the decision to forgo any international travel for at least for 24 months. A startup that had built its future off of inbound travel to Malaysia made a chilling realization.

Hanging out in Parliament, getting TSP status, convincing investors

Rickson swung into action. In the early stages of the pandemic lockdowns, webinars rose in popularity, and Rickson started taking classes there to learn from other business owners. He also became aware of the benefits of local players going digital and learned about the various government initiatives that are being implemented to help businesses. This would serve as Rickson’s lifeline as domestic tourism was awaiting a return to life.

” I was able to persuade my investors that domestic tourism was the best course of action and that the various government Covid aid recovery programs offered short-term opportunities.”

One of his biggest advantages was the stable government relations he established over a short period of time. He claims that it was not from funding any projects but rather from supporting the government in digitizing brick and mortar businesses, particularly those in the travel industry. He had to travel to the Malaysian Parliament to meet with relevant ministers in order to make his pitch, which helped Tourplus become recognized as a TSP ( Technology Service Provider ).

With this recognition Tourplus was able to assist businesses in requesting the Digital Marketing Grant, which is a component of the Malaysian Government’s efforts to assist businesses in recovering from the effects of the pandemic. They were qualified for up to a RM5,000 grant, and we have already received 200 companies ‘ approval from an overall 800 applications for the grant.

This work not only keeps his 20-strong team ( 30 % are part-time ) busy but has helped with cash flow as well.

Rickson Goh

Key collaborations in China, instant access to 200k hotel rooms globally

One important collaboration between Rickson and the Chinese travel agency ChongQing China Youth Travel Service started in April of this year.

Even though we raised money, traveling is still our main business, according to Rickson, adding that income and cash flow must be closely monitored.

” We need to keep innovating as well and I need to hire tech people, UI/UX designers, product people which will also help us scale”.

Another exciting development, one that he has kept under wraps is a partnership he has struck with China’s largest OTA ( Online Travel Agency ), the Nasdaq listed Ctrip. Users of the Tourplus app can now now directly book 200, 000 hotel rooms from all over the world where Ctrip has hotel partners thanks to an API integration.

” It is a very exclusive priviledge to be given the trust of API integration with a business like Ctrip,” Rickson asserts. That likely cuts both ways because Ctrip, which was founded in 1999, likely sees a little of itself in the ferocious startup from Kuala Lumpur and its gritty founder.

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