Dear

• The Chaoshan-dialect film "Dear You" has expanded its overseas release, premiering in Thailand on August 6 and Indonesia on August 7. • The expansion follows the movie's previous box-office success in China and earlier screenings in Singapore and Malaysia. • The film is gaining significant traction and receiving warm responses from audiences across Southeast Asia.

• The Chaoshan-dialect film "Dear You" has expanded its overseas release, premiering in Thailand on August 6 and Indonesia on August 7, 2026. • This international rollout follows the movie's initial box-office success in China and previous screenings in Singapore and Malaysia. • The film is gaining significant traction and receiving warm responses from Southeast Asian audiences, highlighting the cross-border appeal of its cultural themes.

• The Chinese film industry is experiencing a period of growth and success, highlighted by the popularity of the film "Dear You." • The film's success is attributed to its organic feel and the fact that it does not appear to be a state-directed propaganda piece. • This trend raises critical questions about whether the Beijing government can resist the urge to intervene in creative processes to maintain artistic authenticity.

• A new report warns that the Trump administration's strategic emboldening of Pakistan may lead to long-term negative consequences for the United States. • The analysis suggests that providing Pakistan with excessive strategic importance has reduced external pressure on the country to address its internal governance failures. • This dynamic is critical because it allows the Pakistani government to avoid necessary domestic reforms while continuing to leverage its relationship with the U.S.

• An analyst warns that Donald Trump's potential strategic outreach to Pakistan could lead to costly errors by repeating historical geopolitical mistakes. • The report suggests that Pakistan's renewed strategic importance may allow the country to avoid international scrutiny regarding its human rights record and domestic governance. • This development matters as it highlights the tension between pursuing short-term security goals and maintaining long-term diplomatic standards for democratic accountability.

• Director Lan Hongchun has released "Dear You," a touching drama centered on the themes of female solidarity and the memories of the diaspora. • The film is described as a tender and genuinely moving piece, though critics note that some implausible narrative leaps occasionally disrupt the emotional consistency of the script. • The movie matters as an exploration of lost memory and the complex emotional bonds shared between women within displaced communities.

• The 1.69 billion RMB blockbuster film "Dear You" is being analyzed as a subtle propaganda tool designed to target the global Chinese diaspora. • United Front departments and federations of returned overseas Chinese in cities like Shantou, Fuzhou, and Ma’anshan have designated the movie a key cultural project. • The film is being used to organize collective screenings for United Front members and overseas Chinese families to influence their sense of ancestry and allegiance.

• Singapore's IMDA and MDDI have approved 50 additional screenings of the film *Dear You* in the Teochew dialect to celebrate the language as a valued part of the nation's cultural heritage. • The screenings will run from July 3 to 26 at Golden Village outlets in Vivocity, Yishun, Bishan, Tampines, and Jurong Point, with tickets available starting June 29. • Directed by Lan Hongchun, the film explores two timelines: a grandson's search for his grandfather in present-day Thailand and a man's migration from China to Southeast Asia in the 1940s.

• SPH Media's Chinese Media Group is offering free screenings of the popular film *Dear You* for a limited time. • The event will take place from July 2 to July 5, specifically targeting eligible readers and listeners of the group's publications. • This initiative serves as a promotional reward for the media group's loyal audience, enhancing reader engagement through exclusive cinematic access.

• NTU linguistics professor Luke Lu argues that Singapore should rethink its long-standing ban on dialects in public media. • The proposal suggests that localized forms of Hokkien and Teochew, which are unique products of regional multiculturalism, should no longer require special approval for broadcast. • This shift is not intended to introduce dialects into the formal education system or actively promote them, but rather to remove restrictive barriers.

• The Chinese box office hit "Dear You" has sparked a wider conversation among Singaporeans regarding cultural identity and the preservation of heritage. • The film's themes of family and hardship have resonated with viewers, highlighting the decline of traditional coming-of-age rituals, such as the Teochew "leaving the garden" celebration. • This trend reflects a growing movement among young Singaporeans to reconnect with their roots by learning dwindling dialects and visiting ancestral hometowns in China.

Travellers warned to beware of debit card cons after one was charged £1,500 for a kebab and another £3,000 for corn on the cobWhen Lisa Selby* used her debit card to pay for two slices of barbecued cheese from a beach vendor in Rio de Janeiro, she expected to pay 40 reais (£5.90) for the snack.But shortly after the payment had gone through, she realised that she had been charged 4,000 reais (£590) after the vendor added two extra zeros to the card reader. Continue reading...

Former talent agency boss had closer relationship with sex offender than thought, and supported him after 2009 arrestA female executive at the top of the modelling industry had a close friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and introduced him to women on the agency’s books, a Guardian investigation has found.Until last November, Faith Kates ran Next Management modelling and talent agency, which has represented the likes of Alexa Chung, Milla Jovovich and Billie Eilish, a position she held for decades as the founder of the business. She stepped down quietly just weeks before the first major Epstein files were released, saying she intended to focus on charity work.18 July 2009 10.18amI am and will always be your friend...Unconditionally...will always be there for you.5 September 2009 7.47pmThinking of you a lot and hoping you are finally enjoying some please [sic] and quiet..know you are always in my thoughts and prayers. You are a good friend my dear friend..5 September 2009 7.54pmthanks,, lets get back to work. Continue reading...

In 2023, what were thought to be Nazar Daletskyi’s remains were buried in his home village and his mother, Nataliia, visited the grave every week. Three years later, he spoke to her on the phoneNazar Daletskyi was declared dead in May 2023. The DNA match left no room for doubt, officials told his mother, Nataliia. A Ukrainian soldier who volunteered for the front in the early weeks of the war, Nazar had become one more casualty of Russia’s invasion.Nazar’s remains were laid to rest in the cemetery of his home village. In the months after the funeral, Nataliia visited the grave at least once a week, at first to cry and later to stand in quiet contemplation, remembering her only son. Continue reading...