- The Cost of Victory: Israel Overpowered Its Foes, but Deepened Its Isolation The New York Times
- Iran’s devastation has hardened hearts towards the west – even for those with no love of the state | Hossein Hamdieh The Guardian
- What Israel’s attack on Iran means for the future of war Al Jazeera
- The Israel-Iran ceasefire appears to be holding. What’s next for the Middle East? Asia News Network
- The Limits of Israel’s Degradation Strategy Against Iran’s Network State E-International Relations
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The Cost of Victory: Israel Overpowered Its Foes, but Deepened Its Isolation – The New York Times
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How has Ryanair changed its cabin baggage rule – and will other airlines do it too? | Ryanair
For all but the most seasoned travellers the metal bag sizers used by budget airlines have become an instrument of fear because of the heavy financial penalty incurred if hand baggage is too big to fit.
But as the summer holiday season gets under way there is some good news for those who struggle to travel light: Ryanair has announced it is increasing the size of the small “personal” bag you can take in the cabin for free by 20%.
This sounds unusually generous of Ryanair – is it?
Yes. But it comes as airlines fall into line behind a new EU guaranteed bag size of 40cm by 30cm by 15cm. The current dimensions of the Ryanair free carry-on limit are 40cm by 25cm by 20cm – below the EU rule. It is increasing them to 40cm by 30cm by 20cm.
Ryanair trumpets this is “bigger than the EU standard”. It says the change “will be implemented over the coming weeks, as our airport bag sizers are adjusted”.
Ryanair passengers can add a larger cabin bag to a flight booking for £6 to £36 by buying a priority package. Photograph: Wiskerke/Alamy The size change represents a 20% increase in volume and means Ryanair will be accepting free bags one-third bigger than the new EU minimum.
But that is the only aspect of Ryanair’s baggage policy that is changing. If you get it wrong and a gate check reveals the bag is oversized you will pay a fee of £60. A larger cabin bag can be added to a flight booking for £6 to £36 depending on the route but, again, if it is deemed too large at the airport it will cost £75 to stow.
Will other airlines change their luggage rules, too?
Some won’t have do anything. Rival budget airline easyJet, for example, already allows a more generous free underseat bag. Wizz Air’s current free bag policy is the same as the one that Ryanair is moving to.
The airline association Airlines for Europe (A4E) says its 28 members have started applying the bag dimensions which were agreed by EU transport ministers last month.
“This will bring more clarity to passengers across Europe,” says its managing director, Ourania Georgoutsakou. “From city-hoppers to family travellers, everyone will benefit from the same clear rule across our members’ networks.”
Standardising cabin-bag rules has been on the Brussels agenda for years with the decision to settle on a size enabling frequent travellers to buy one piece of luggage that will be accepted by multiple airlines.
All A4E airlines will be following the bag rule by the end of the 2025 summer season, it says, adding that “carriers will continue to permit larger personal items at their discretion”.
Aren’t hand baggage fees being abolished anyway?
Not yet, but they could be. European consumer groups are calling on EU lawmakers to investigate budget airlines for “exploiting consumers” by charging for hand luggage.
In May, BEUC, an umbrella group for 44 consumer organisations, called for Brussels to investigate seven airlines, including Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air for this. BEUC director general Agustín Reyna said the airlines were “ignoring the EU top court who ruled that charging [for] reasonably sized hand baggage is illegal”.
Wizz Air is following other airlines in being investigated in Spain for charging passengers for hand luggage and seat reservations. Photograph: Marek Slusarczyk/Alamy The organisation was referring to a EU court of justice ruling in 2014 that said the “carriage of hand baggage cannot be made subject to a price supplement, provided that it meets reasonable requirements in terms of its weight and dimensions”.
In the meantime, Spain has become a battleground for the issue. Last year, its consumer affairs ministry fined five carriers, including Ryanair, a total of €179m (£150m) for charging passengers for hand luggage and seat reservations. Now low-cost carrier Wizz Air is being investigated, too.
Will charges be banned?
Ryanair’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, says no. He is dismissive of the Spanish effort, recently telling the Guardian the country has a “mad minister who’s decided that as General Franco passed some law 30 years before Spain joined the EU, passengers are free to bring as much baggage as they want.”
A Spanish court has now temporarily suspended the fines on three of the airlines (including Ryanair) while the matter is under judicial review, after a legal challenge.
To complicate matters further, last month the transport committee of the European parliament voted to give passengers the right to an extra piece of free hand luggage weighing up to 7kg.
Under the new rule, travellers could bring one cabin bag measuring up to 100cm (based on the sum of the dimensions) on board their flight, as well a personal bag, at no additional cost. (MEPs also want children under 12 years old to be seated next to their accompanying passenger free of charge.)
The proposed law requires approval from 55% of EU member states, but if adopted after the negotiations due to start this month, would extend to all flights within the EU, as well as routes to and from the EU.
The airline industry is predictably opposed, stating that the cost of the bag will be folded into overall prices, pushing up fares.
“Europe’s airline market is built on choice,” Georgoutsakou says. “Forcing a mandatory trolley bag strips passengers of that choice and obliges passengers to pay for services they may not want or need. What’s next? Mandatory popcorn and drinks as part of your cinema ticket?
“The European parliament should let travellers decide what services they want, what services they pay for and, importantly, what services they don’t,” she says.
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Family and football unite to bid Diogo Jota farewell
GONDOMAR, Portugal: Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota and his brother were laid to rest on Saturday in their hometown, just days after the pair died in a car crash that shocked the football world.
Jota, 28, and Andre Silva, 25, were killed on Thursday after their vehicle veered off a motorway in northwestern Spain and became engulfed in flames, a week after the Portugal forward had got married.
Just hours before the accident, Jota had posted a video of his June 22 wedding to partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he shared three children.
Football stars joined family and friends at the funeral in his hometown of Gondomar, near Porto and conducted by the bishop of Porto.
A number of teammates from the national side, including Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Danilo Pereira and Joao Felix, as well as coach Roberto Martinez attended, though national skipper Cristiano Ronaldo was not present.
Liverpool Virgil van Dijk bore a garlanded wreath of red flowers in the form of a Liverpool shirt bearing Jota’s number 20.
Friday evening had seen Van Dijk, several players including Liverpool’s Uruguay international Darwin Nunez and Liverpool coach Arne Slot meet with Jota’s family and attend a wake for the deceased brothers.
Among those who came to offer their condolences were a childhood friend, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, Jota’s agent Jorge Mendes and Porto club president Andre Villas-Boas.
Jota formerly played with Porto.
“Football is truly in mourning. Diogo was an icon of the talent Portuguese football represents,” said football federation chief Pedro Proenca.
Close family and friends including the parents paid their respects at Friday’s wake first, with the grandfather aided by two others to help him enter the chapel.
Friday night, British rock band Oasis played their song “Live Forever” in tribute to Jota at a concert in Cardiff marking a return to touring after 16 years.
Mourners arrived carrying wreaths of flowers, some sobbing audibly, before the wake was opened to members of the public.
The death of the Portugal international and his brother has triggered an outpouring of emotion in football, and beyond.
Liverpool opened a book of condolences and lowered flags to half-mast, with dozens of supporters laying a sea of flowers, balloons, Jota shirts, and scarves with the message “Rest in peace Diogo Jota,” outside Anfield.
At the Diogo Jota football academy, close to Gondomar SC where the ex-Porto and Atletico Madrid player took his first steps in the game, well-wishers created a memorial with flowers, scarves, candles and shirts.
“Thank you, Diogo Jota,” read a child’s handwritten message.
Pedro Neves, who was friends with Jota at school in Gondomar, said he “will remember him as someone who was very friendly, very courteous, who loved everyone, who always had a smile on his face.”
“He left us too young, it’s not fair. But that’s how life is sometimes,” Neves, 31, told AFP.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who brought Jota to the Reds in 2020, has said he was “heartbroken” while the club spoke of an “unimaginable loss.”
Slot, who succeeded Klopp last year at Anfield, said everyone associated with the club owed it to Jota to “stand together and be there for one another.”
Jota was remembered at the Club World Cup in the United States on Friday, with a one-minute silence held at the quarter-final between Brazil’s Fluminense and Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in Orlando.
A minute’s silence was similarly held at women’s Euro 25 matches.
Portuguese and UK media reported Jota was driving to the northern Spanish port of Santander to take a ferry to England where Liverpool were due to start training on Friday, avoiding a flight on medical advice after a recent lung operation.
Liverpool’s Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah said the death of his teammate had left him “frightened” to return to the club as the Premier League champions postponed the return of some players for pre-season training.
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Are Deals Back? IPOs, M&A Recover After ‘Liberation Day’ Blip
Key Takeaways
- Deal activity appears to be picking up as investors ride the AI wave and markets hit record highs, helping 2025 look like a strong year for IPOs and M&A.
- U.S. IPO and M&A volumes in the first half of 2025 have hit the highest levels since 2021, which was itself a record year for deals, according to Dealogic.
- Read on for the prevailing trends in deals this year—and lists of the top IPOs and M&A of 2025 so far.
For a while, it looked like the boom in deal activity that was expected after President Donald Trump retook the White House wouldn’t happen. Companies pulled IPOs as the Liberation Day tariffs hit sentiment, while others put acquisition plans on hold.
Deals, in short, dried up. But that seems to be changing.
Deal activity is picking up for a host of reasons, experts say, among them Trump’s retreat from some of his harsher tariff plans and increasing investor expectations that trade deals will be struck or tariffs at least kept at their baseline levels. Add to that a relatively resilient U.S. economy and record-high stock markets and you get a recipe for rising deal volume.
IPO and M&A volumes are at their highest levels in years, according to Dealogic data, after years when high interest rates put a damper on things. In the first half of 2025, 174 companies raised more than $31 billion from U.S. IPOs, the most since 2021, when a record $200 billion of funds were raised in the same year-to-date period.
U.S. M&A volume so far this year has already topped $989 billion, the highest level since 2021’s record year, when there were $1.56 trillion in deals in the same period.
Investors Regain Taste for IPOs
Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs hit stock markets and led companies like Swedish fintech Klarna to pause plans for IPOs. That’s changing as investors are piling into tech and fintech firms, and investors are eyeing the possibility of interest-rate cuts in the second half that could keep stocks rising.
CoreWeave (CRWV), a cloud computing company backed by Nvidia (NVDA), has since seen its shares more than triple since its March listing. USDC stable coin issuer Circle Internet Group (CRCL) was among June’s IPO stars, benefiting from the increasing popularity of crytocurrencies and bitcoin; Israel-based retail trading platform eToro (ETOR) and space and defense tech firm Voyager Technologies (VOYG) were also among June’s star listings.
Circle and CoreWeave “in particular have been outstanding performers and a big driver of investor interest,” said Dealogic’s Global ECM Head Samuel Kerr said.
The pipeline of new deals is now building up again: In early July, design software maker Figma filed for an IPO.
Here are 2025’s top five US IPOs ranked by funds raised, according to Dealogic.
1. Venture Global
LNG exporter Venture Global (VG) raised $1.75 billion from its January IPO, the most by a listing so far this year in the U.S. and the most since Lineage’s $5.1 billion listing in July last year. Unlike some more recent tech IPOs, its shares have lagged below their listing price.
2. CoreWeave
CoreWeave (CRWV), a cloud computing company backed by Nvidia (NVDA), raised $1.57 billion from its listing on the Nasdaq in March. It had a tepid debut, but has since become one of this year’s stars, trading more than three times above its $40 IPO price.
3. SailPoint
SailPoint, a Texas-based cybersecurity company that private equity firm Thoma Bravo took private in 2022, made its return to public markets in February, raising $1.38 billion from its listing. Its shares continue to lag its $23 IPO price.
4. Circle Internet Group
Crypto firm Circle Internet Group (CRCL) has been one of this year’s IPO stars, raising $1.21 billion from its IPO priced at $31 a share in June; the stablecoin issuer’s stock is now around $189.
5. Chime Financial
The fifth-biggest IPO this year was the $994 million June offer by fintech firm Chime Financial. Its shares remain above their $27 IPO price.
M&A Rides the AI Wave
M&A volumes, which like IPOs took a hit this year, have been helped by enthusiasm for companies linked to artificial intelligence.
“Although March brought a burst of large-cap deals, optimism faded in April after ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs sent shockwaves through the market,” Mergermarket Head Lucinda Guthrie said. “Still, the opportunities presented by the volatility in the public markets drew attention from private capital. A key deal driver in 1H25 has been M&A to fuel the evolving AI landscape. ”
Here are the top M&A deals so far this year in the U.S, according to Dealogic, ranked by deal size, with No. 1, the funding round into ChatGPT maker OpenAI— illustrating the allure of AI investments. (All the deal volumes are excluding debt.)
1. SoftBank, Others Buy OpenAI Stake
The ChatGPT maker raised $40 billion in new funding from a group of investors who took a 13.3% stake in a round led by SoftBank Group. Other investors included its biggest backer, Microsoft (MSFT).
2. Google Offers $32B for Wiz
Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL) struck a $32 billion cash deal for cybersecurity startup Wiz in March that would be the tech giant’s largest acquisition ever. The deal hasn’t closed yet.
3. Amrize Gets Spun Out
In June, Swiss building-materials company Holcim spun off its North American operations in a $28.7 billion deal. The Chicago-based cement and roofing provider started trading under the stock symbol (AMRZ).
4. Charter Communications Buys Cox
Charter Communications (CHTR) announced a $24.1 billion deal in May to buy privately held rival Cox Communications in a deal that would combine two of the U.S.’s largest cable providers. The deal has yet to close.
5. Constellation Energy Takes on Calpine
Nuclear power producer Constellation Energy (CEG) agreed to buy private energy company Calpine for $17 billion excluding debt, a transaction that would create the largest clean energy provider in the U.S. The combined company would serve the AI boom, feeding the growing power needs of data centers.
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Dr García-Carbonero on Outcomes With Fruquintinib in R/R mCRC by Metastatic Sites
“We see that fruquintinib improved overall survival in all [metastatic] subgroups. Survival [outcomes] with fruquintinib are much better in [patients with] lung [metastases] than in [those with] liver or bone [metastases], and the worst [outcomes] were in [patients with] peritoneal disease. However, these are more prognostic rather than predictive factors, because within each subgroup, fruquintinib improves survival vs placebo.”
Rocío García-Carbonero, MD, of Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, discussed updated findings from a prespecified subgroup analysis of the phase 3 FRESCO-2 trial (NCT04322539), which evaluated fruquintinib (Fruzaqla) vs placebo in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The subgroup analysis focused on outcomes by site of baseline metastases.
Data presented at the 2025 ESMO Gastrointestinal Cancers Congress included outcomes stratified by liver, lung, bone, and peritoneal metastatic involvement. In this analysis, fruquintinib demonstrated improved overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease control rate (DCR) across all metastatic subgroups when compared with placebo. The OS benefit was observed in patients with liver-only metastases (HR, 0.256; 95% CI, 0.079-0.824; P = .0760); those with bone metastases with or without other metastatic sites (HR, 0.399; 95% CI, 0.215-0.741; P = .0065); and those with peritoneal metastases with or without other metastatic sites (HR, 0.669; 95% CI, 0.395-1.134; P = .2453). An OS benefit was not observed within the lung-only metastases subgroup (HR, 0.998; 95% CI, 0.208-4.792; P = .9561); however, García-Carbonero explained that data for this subgroup were immature. The median OS in the lung-only subgroup was 14.1 months for fruquintinib vs not evaluable for placebo.
Importantly, the findings were derived from a post hoc analysis with small patient numbers, precluding definitive conclusions. Nonetheless, García-Carbonero emphasized that the data support the broad applicability of fruquintinib in the refractory mCRC setting, even in patients with metastases associated with poorer prognosis.
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Do we really need a mountain bike-specific cycling computer? Garmin’s Edge MTB + more from Sendhit, Renthal, Time and PNW Components
So after a quick break trawling Eurobike’s halls filled with 32in wheels and DJI’s clear e-MTB domination, we’re back with another five cool things. This week, we’re going to take a closer look at Garmin’s MTB-specific cycling computer, PNW’s shiny new (literally) dropper post, and Renthal’s refreshed handlebars. On top of that, we’ve got Time’s latest pedals and Sendhit’s third crack at handguards. But first, let’s take a look at what happened over the past couple of weeks.
As Eurobike has come and gone for another year, tonnes of brands brought new products to show off, including Hope and its revamped EVO brake range, as well as Fox’s inverted Podium fork and Commencal’s prototype DJI-equipped Meta SX. Shimano also brought Di2 to gravel with its GRX Di2 release, and Mondraker claims to have made ‘the most enduro’ bike of them all.
These bars are bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S
As for gravel, Canyon has proven that it’s not quite finished with mental handlebars as the new Grizl features the brand’s Full Mounty bar. Tailfin also announced its latest event, but interestingly, it has opened up a limited number of cheaper tickets in a bid to make bikepacking accessible for all.
Moving on and we caught up with Tracy Moseley to discuss what happened to eMTB racing and whether or not it can be fixed. We also highlighted how proper training and nutrition prove that the best bike upgrade isn’t the bike, it’s the rider, and Steve discusses why he rides bikes and what motivates him to do it more.
Wrapping up with reviews, and we deliver our verdicts on Pivot’s Trailcat LT, NS Bikes’ Synonym, and Boardman’s budget-friendly TRVL 8.9 DB. Matt puts Hope’s Carbon Crankset through the wringer while Fox’s DHX2 coil shock gets the very same treatment.
Garmin Edge MTB
£340
Although mountain bikers have been using cycling computers regardless of what kind of riding they’re actually built for, Garmin reckons that there’s space and a desire for a mountain bike-specific unit. With that, the brand has leaned right into what it reckons mountain bikers want from their computers, so the Edge MTB is built to be super rugged with a Corning Gorilla Glass screen.
It’s then loaded with loads of features that should appeal to MTBers, including specific downhill and enduro ride modes with the former only tracking descents and the latter allowing users to flick between ascend and descend modes at the press of a button. The computer is also hooked up to Trailforks, which should help users find new trails. That’s with a hand from 5Hz HPS recording in these profiles, for greater accuracy.
A feature we’re looking forward to playing with is the virtual timing gate feature, where riders can plot timing gates and automatically record split times on a chosen descent. Garmin then says that the Edge MTB’s battery can last up to 14 hours or up to 26 hours in battery saver mode.
PNW Components Loam Dropper Gen 2
£229
PNW’s Gen 1 Loam Dropper made a name for itself in the market for being affordable but super reliable, but that wasn’t enough for the brand. Having brought its Loam Dropper back to the drawing board, the Gen 2 version brings a host of revisions that have resulted in a lower stack, more travel, and, according to PNW, even greater durability. But importantly, it now comes in silver, which is promised to be just as resilient as the black anodised version (which is still available).
Now available in up to 225mm of travel, the post is still adjustable, offering 25mm of adjustment in 5mm increments. Offering the rider to pack more drop into their bikes, PNW has shaved the chamfer off of the post’s collar, allowing it to be inserted deeper into the frame, and similarly to what we’ve seen on the OneUp Components V3 dropper, its saddle clamp is dropped slightly. There’s a whole bunch of stuff going on internally too, with the aim of upping durability, but we’ll dive right into that in the upcoming review.
Renthal Fatbar35
£85
Over the past year or so, the Renthal Fatbar has been going through a bit of change to keep up with current trends, so notably, it’s now available in a wider range of rises, with the Fatbar35 going up to a whopping 70mm. However, a notable change for the bar is that Renthal has updated its graphics. Now, the classic logos are simply black. They’re more subdued and far less flashy, which will certainly appeal to those who prefer a subtle look, myself included.
As for the bar itself, apart from the range of rises, it’s still the Fatbar we all know and love. It’s built from 7 Series aluminium with a shot-peened finish, which claims to increase the bar’s fatigue life. Then, the AluGold or Black colourways are anodised for abrasion resistance.
The geometry is the same, too, with its seven-degree backsweep, five-degree upsweep, and 800mm width.
Sendhit Nock V3 hand guards
£70
After seeing quite the rise in popularity amongst enduro riders, and notably seen on the bar of Sam Hill, the whole handguard subject has simmered down a little. That is, until recently, when Crankbrothers jumped onto the bandwagon and now, Sendhit has brought revisions to its Nock hand guards, which were a real favourite of ours to start with.
Now in their third iteration, the Nock V3 hand guards get a complete redesign, and they introduce a fresh clamp feature that allows the mounts to integrate with a grip’s locking collar for a more seamless look. Additionally, they’re cut with a new shape, but they still carry one feature that sets the Nock guards apart from any other – the foam pad placed inside the guard for a bit of protection for when the inevitable happens.
If you’re up for a bit of matchy-matchy bike bling, these can be picked up with either black or silver mounting brackets, which’ll make a perfect combination with PNW’s shiny dropper.
Time Xysto clipless pedals
£195
Time ATAC mechanism has been around for yonks now, and it’s loved by many and while the brand does have a platform pedal, the Speciale 12, the brand has brought a larger platform to the mix with the Xysto (pronounced ‘She-stoh’). Although the platform is certainly bigger and is designed for downhill and enduro riding, it carries all of the hallmarks expected of a Time pedal.
Those include the ATAC mechanism that provides five degrees of ‘angular freedom’ but also an array of adjustable pins. That mechanism is adjustable, and it sits within a 6106-T6 aluminium platform. As always, these pedals can provide a 10-degree release angle with the brand’s Easy cleats as well as a 13 or 17-degree release angle with the regular ATAC cleats.
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OpenAI announces week‑long shutdown to combat burnout and talent poaching
CHENNAI: OpenAI has initiated an unusual, company-wide shutdown for one full week beginning early July, citing severe employee burnout as the primary reason. According to several reports, teams have been averaging 80-hour workweeks, pushing leadership to mandate this break for staff wellbeing However, the timing of the shutdown has sparked speculation. Some experts argue that it serves a dual purpose — not only as a wellness break but also as a strategic buffer in the escalating AI talent war with Meta.
Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, has launched an aggressive recruitment campaign targeting OpenAI researchers. Although there are varying reports, but signing bonuses have been described as reaching up to $100 million, with Meta successfully courting at least seven to eight OpenAI scientists.
OpenAI’s Chief Research Officer, Mark Chen, sent a candid internal memo describing the exodus as feeling “like someone has broken into our home and stolen something.” He warned employees that Meta would likely step up outreach efforts during the shutdown, urging them not to make hasty, isolated decisions..
In response, OpenAI leadership—including Chen and CEO Sam Altman—have pledged comprehensive countermeasures. These include recalibrating compensation packages and exploring some ‘creative recognition strategies’.
OpenAI is also personally reaching out to employees who have received external offers, and reinforcing company mission and values in communications.
Supportive messages from senior research managers to the broader engineering teams also emphasised caution against “ridiculous exploding offers” and encouraged staff to remain in dialogue with internal leadership.
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Gaming connects Gen Z with traditional culture through digital innovation-Xinhua
BEIJING, July 5 (Xinhua) — Chinese video games are increasingly connecting ancient culture with younger generations. Through immersive digital design and real-world collaborations, homegrown titles are inspiring young players to rediscover traditional arts, driving tourism and reinforcing cultural confidence.
One prime example, “Ashes of Kingdom,” immediately captured players’ imaginations after its domestic launch last September, attracting fans with its richly detailed late Han Dynasty (202 B.C. – 220 A.D.) and the Three Kingdoms period (220-280) world.
In Yangzhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province, young gamers flocked to the city’s historic landmarks, including Slender West Lake, Ge Garden, and He Garden, as they were transformed into immersive in-game quest hubs.
From mid-May to late June, the collaboration project drew thousands of visitors eager to trace the lacquerware motifs featured in the game.
“The game has drawn many Gen Z travelers to Yangzhou to discover its beauty through its landscapes, cuisine and traditions,” said Dai Bin, deputy director of the city’s culture and tourism bureau.
During the three-day Dragon Boat Festival, the Yangzhou Intangible Cultural Heritage Treasure Museum welcomed approximately 20,000 visitors daily, a significant portion of whom were gaming enthusiasts. Under the guidance of master artisans, visitors sketched, inlaid and polished Luodian — also known as mother-of-pearl inlay — on wooden panels, transforming digital motifs into tangible artworks.
This “game-plus-heritage” model turns cultural landmarks into living classrooms, Dai added.
Cultural tourism-related online searches of the city surged by 300 percent during the month-long project as Gen Z travelers flooded in to experience Han culture firsthand, according to data.
Behind these successful activities stand young development teams who weave authentic history into modern gameplay. “We chose a few representative cultural fragments — lacquerware, guqin music and traditional attire — to spark curiosity,” said Xiao Meng, the producer of “Ashes of Kingdom.”
“It’s a two-way journey: We invite players in and they, in turn, bring new perspectives to our shared heritage,” she said.
National policies and education initiatives are fueling this cultural craze further. In April, the Ministry of Commerce rolled out a game export plan that calls for the development of overseas gaming operations, the expansion of application scenarios, and the establishment of an industrial chain spanning IP development, game production, publishing and international operations.
Industry data underscores this momentum. According to the 2024 China game export report, Chinese-developed games achieved overseas sales of 18.56 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, representing a 13.39 percent increase from the previous year.
In April this year, the Ministry of Education approved game art design as an undergraduate major at three institutions, including the Communication University of China and the Beijing Film Academy, with courses covering player psychology and the digital preservation of traditional aesthetics.
“A systematic design theory is needed in the gaming industry in China, and through education, we aim to instill more professional design principles and drive the sector’s healthy development,” said Liang Qiwei, a guest professor at the Communication University of China’s School of Animation and Digital Arts and the founder of Beijing’s S-GAME.
Thanks to the gaming boom, the revival of China’s traditional culture has moved beyond a mere trend, coming alive through a rich array of vivid cultural symbols and platforms.
Take “Black Myth: Wukong” as an example. The game was inspired by classic Chinese tale “Journey to the West,” which features the Monkey King, and became an instant global sensation, selling over 10 million copies across all platforms within three days of its launch.
The game’s global acclaim has marked significant progress in China’s endeavors to promote its culture overseas, demonstrating its increasing ability to break through barriers and overcome obstacles on the global stage, said Zhang Yiwu, a professor at Peking University.
Video games have become one of the most important media forms for cultural exchange, but developers must first ensure gameplay remains entertaining and cultural elements enrich rather than overshadow the overall experience.
The key to tapping into China’s cultural resources is to present them through innovative contemporary expression, Liang said. Enditem
(Xiao Yihan, Xiong Run, and Zhang Jiaxuan also contributed to the story.)
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Neanderthals were not dumb: Ancient health factory, used by prehistoric humans, found in Germany
Stone Age humans living near a lake in present-day Germany ran a “fat factory” to extract nutrients from animal bones, a new study shows. Archaeologists found about 1.2 lakh bone pieces and 16,000 flint tools at a site called Neumark-Nord.
Neanderthals crushed bones to get marrow, boiled them for hours and collected fat from the surface. This process needed planning: hunting, storing and setting up a special area. Fire use was also found at the site.
Scientists say this proves Neanderthals were smart and well-organised. They were not primitive, as often believed. Their skills helped them survive tough conditions with well-thought-out strategies.
“This attitude that Neanderthals were dumb — this is another data point that proves otherwise,” CNN quoted study coauthor Wil Roebroeks as saying.
Neanderthals lived in Eurasia and vanished 40,000 years ago. Earlier studies found they made yarn, glue, jewellery and cave art. New research reveals they also had a clever way of managing nutrition.
At the site in Germany, they boiled bones to get fat, which helped balance their diet. Experts say they likely knew that eating only lean meat without fat could be harmful.
This condition is now called protein poisoning. It causes weakness and can even be fatal. Early explorers called it “rabbit poisoning” when they faced similar problems from fatless meat.
Neanderthals, who weighed between 50 to 80 kg, could only eat a limited amount of protein daily. They ate protein around 300 grams without health problems.
This gave them just 1,200 calories, which was not enough for survival. So, they needed extra energy from fat or carbs. Since animal meat has little fat, they relied on bones for marrow.
Researchers found most bone remains at the German site came from large animals like horses, deer and extinct aurochs. Neanderthals mainly picked long bones with more marrow. It shows they smartly chose fatty parts to meet their energy needs for survival.
Smart survival strategies
Researchers are not fully sure how Neanderthals boiled bones. However, they likely used natural containers like birch bark, animal skin or stomach linings to hold water over the fire.
They might have made a fatty soup or broth, adding plants like hazelnuts, acorns, or wild fruits for taste and nutrition. These findings show that Neanderthals were not just basic hunter-gatherers. They planned well, did complex tasks and made full use of their resources.
Their smart survival strategies helped them get the most energy from their environment. Archaeologists have called these discoveries “exciting”. They believe it’s a big step in understanding early human intelligence and planning.
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Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom’s diverging paths after breakup
Katy Perry is pouring her heart into her music, while Orlando Bloom is living it up on his “freedom tour.”
The couple recently confirmed their breakup after nearly a decade together, citing a desire to focus on co-parenting their four-year-old daughter, Daisy.
According to DailyMail, Perry is “sad and disappointed” about the split, especially given their young daughter. She was even brought to tears backstage during a recent show in Sydney.
“She wishes him well, but she’s not pretending this doesn’t hurt,” a friend revealed.
Meanwhile, Bloom has been partying hard in Europe, celebrating Jeff Bezos’ lavish wedding in Italy with A-listers like Naomi Campbell and Kendall Jenner. He was also spotted cozying up to model Vittoria Ceretti during a water taxi ride.
Perry’s friends are frustrated by Bloom’s public displays, with one source saying, “He’s acting like an overgrown adolescent… It’s frustrating for her to watch.”
While Bloom shares reflective quotes from Carl Jung and Buddha on Instagram, his party antics seem to contradict his philosophical musings. “Posting about loneliness while partying on yachts just feels tone-deaf,” an insider noted.
Despite the hurt, Perry is trying to move forward with grace. Friends say the breakup was “amicable,” and she’s focusing on her music and daughter. “Katy and Orlando have split but are amicable,” a source revealed.
“It’s not contentious at the moment. Katy is, of course, upset but is relieved to not have to go through another divorce.”
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