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  • Researchers uncover how bacteria hijack tick cells to survive and spread

    Researchers uncover how bacteria hijack tick cells to survive and spread

    Washington State University researchers have discovered how the bacteria that cause anaplasmosis and Lyme disease hijack cellular processes in ticks to ensure their survival and spread to new hosts, including humans.

    Based in the College of Veterinary Medicine, the team found that the bacteria can manipulate a protein known as ATF6, which helps cells detect and respond to infection, to support its own growth and survival inside the tick. The findings, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could serve as a launching point for developing methods to eliminate the bacteria in ticks before they are transmitted to humans and other animals.

    Most research has looked at how these bacteria interact with humans and animals and not how they survive and spread in ticks. What we have found could open the door to targeting these pathogens in ticks, before they are ever a threat to people.”


    Kaylee Vosbigian, doctoral student and lead author on the study

    Vosbigian and her advisor, Dana Shaw, the corresponding author of the study and an associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, focused their research on Ixodes scapularis, also known as the blacklegged tick, which is responsible for spreading both Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agents of anaplasmosis and Lyme disease. Both diseases are becoming increasingly common and can cause serious illness in humans and animals.

    The team discovered that when ATF6 is activated in tick cells, it triggers the production of stomatin, a protein that helps move cholesterol through cells as part of a normal cellular processes. The bacteria exploit this process against their tick hosts, using the cholesterol –which they need to grow and build their own cell membranes but cannot produce themselves – to support their own survival and success.

    “Stomatin plays a variety of roles in the cell, but one of its key functions is helping shuttle cholesterol to different areas,” Vosbigian said. “The bacteria take advantage of this, essentially stealing the cholesterol they need to survive.”

    When the researchers blocked the production of stomatin, restricting the availability of cholesterol, bacterial growth is significantly reduced. The researchers believe this shows targeting the ATF6-stomatin pathway could lead to new methods for interrupting the disease cycle in ticks before transmission occurs.

    As part of the study, Vosbigian also developed a new research tool called ArthroQuest, a free, web-based platform hosted by WSU that allows scientists to search the genomes of ticks, mosquitoes, lice, sand flies, mites, fleas and other arthropod vectors for transcription factor binding sites – genetic switches like ATF6 that control gene activity.

    “There aren’t many tools out there for studying gene regulation in arthropods,” Vosbigian said. “Most are built for humans or model species like fruit flies, which are genetically very different from ticks.”

    Using ArthroQuest, the team found that ATF6-regulated control of stomatin appears to be prevalent in blood-feeding arthropods. Since the hijacking of cholesterol and other lipids is common among arthropod-borne pathogens, the researchers suspect many may also exploit ATF6.

    “We know many other vector-borne pathogens, like Borrelia burgdorferi and the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium, rely on cholesterol and other lipids from their hosts,” Shaw said. “So, the fact that this ATF6-stomatin pathway exists in other arthropods could be relevant to a wide range of disease systems.”

    The research was supported in part by a National Institutes of Health R01 grant and a College of Veterinary Medicine intramural seed grant.

    Source:

    Washington State University

    Journal reference:

    Vosbigian, K. A., et al. (2025). ATF6 enables pathogen infection in ticks by inducing stomatin and altering cholesterol dynamics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2501045122.

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  • July 1, 2004: The Cassini-Huygens mission makes it to Saturn – Astronomy Magazine

    1. July 1, 2004: The Cassini-Huygens mission makes it to Saturn  Astronomy Magazine
    2. “The Grand Finale”: The Last Thing A NASA Spacecraft Saw Before Plunging Into Saturn  IFLScience
    3. The Last Thing NASA’s Cassini Saw Before Diving Into Saturn’s Atmosphere  Orbital Today
    4. NASA’s Cassini Mission Ends with a Dramatic Plunge into Saturn’s Atmosphere  The Daily Galaxy
    5. Cassini’s Epic Plunge: Unveiling Saturn’s Secrets and Safeguarding Future Explorations  OpenTools

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  • Gordon Brown and Prince William become allies for homeless campaign

    Gordon Brown and Prince William become allies for homeless campaign

    PA Media Gordon Brown and Prince William in Sheffield at a Homewards eventPA Media

    Gordon Brown’s charity is partnering with Prince William’s homelessness campaign

    Prince William is changing public attitudes towards homelessness in the way that his mother Princess Diana changed attitudes towards people with HIV/Aids, says former Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

    The two men have formed an unexpected alliance in a campaign against homelessness, as Prince William’s Homewards project marked its second anniversary with an event in Sheffield.

    The ex-Labour PM – who now runs an anti-poverty charity – praised the prince’s involvement in tackling homelessness, saying “his passion, his dedication, his commitment shone through”.

    The warmth was reciprocated, with Prince William talking about the strengths of working together.

    Brown introduced himself at the event as someone now “too old to be a UK prime minister and too young to be a US president”.

    He said the prince’s interest in social problems such as homelessness had been influenced by his mother Princess Diana.

    She had “encouraged him to take an interest in why people were on the streets, and why people were homeless, and why people needed a better chance”, said Brown, who said he was “proud” of the prince’s engagement in such a complex problem.

    Prince William said: “The power of partnerships gives me hope.

    “I feel less hopeful when I’m doing things by myself. I think we all as human beings want to feel connected and part of something.”

    The shared project in this case is the Homewards campaign to tackle homelessness, based in six areas in the UK, which are trying out approaches that can be used elsewhere.

    The campaign brings together public and private sector organisations, with more than £50m in funding from Lloyds Bank.

    In Sheffield they are experimenting with an early intervention scheme, working with schools to identify young people at risk of being homeless. It’s based on a project in Geelong in Australia which has cut youth homelessness by 40%.

    PA Media Gordon Brown and Prince William in Sheffield at a Homewards eventPA Media

    The former prime minister praised the impact of the Homewards charity

    Prince William spoke of the importance of hope and optimism, in a street in Sheffield that seemed to be posing its own questions about whether it was time to be optimistic or pessimistic.

    Beside the event venue was a derelict building with “Faith” spray painted on to a green bin, and on the other side “Vomit” was painted on a boarded up window.

    The speeches about homelessness were also about stark choices of direction.

    Prince William talked about the feeling of success when people are moved into a home as a result of his project. It was about giving people dignity and stability, he said.

    “You envisage it, you talk about and think about it. But then you see it actually coming into fruition, and you meet parents and family in the house.

    “This has come together because of all the great people within the organisation. You start to feel OK. There’s hope, there’s traction.

    “And wherever I go I’m always asking questions like: What’s the problem? What’s not working? What we’re going to do more on?”

    He says getting into a home can give people calm after the “chaos of their life”.

    Brown’s charity, Multibank, is helping to furnish such homes, using donations from individuals and businesses.

    Since leaving public office he has been campaigning against poverty and he now says his charity is helping a younger generation which he describes as “austerity’s children”.

    He praised Prince William’s involvement in helping people who “through no fault of their own need help to get back on their feet”.

    And he welcomed the way that the prince, through Homewards, was changing perceptions about people who become homeless.

    “He’s changing people’s views, so that you’ve got to think of a homeless person as an individual who has potential, who if given the proper chance can make something of their lives, and not as someone to be discounted as a down and out.

    “It’s someone who has got potential talent, and if you can find a way of developing that talent, you can make a real difference to their lives, and they can make a real difference to the life of the community. So this is an investment in all our future,” said Brown.

    “We’re seeing something big here,” added Brown, that familiar voice now in an unexpected royal partnership.

    It was even more of a surprise for a handful of bystanders outside the low-key visit, who looked up to see a former prime minister and then a purposeful Prince of Wales, heading towards his car.

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  • Ubisoft Teams Up with Hooded Horse and Unfrozen on Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era

    Ubisoft Teams Up with Hooded Horse and Unfrozen on Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era

    Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is coming to PC via Steam Early Access later this year and will be published by Hooded Horse and Ubisoft. Developed by Unfrozen (Iratus: Lord of the Dead), this new installment in the renowned turn-based tactics series features new factions, biomes, and creatures on a mysterious new continent, Jadame, which has been referenced but never explored in the Heroes of Might and Magic series.

    Ubisoft is partnering with Unfrozen and Hooded Horse on Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Hooded Horse aboard to support the next chapter of Heroes of Might and Magic,” says Alain Corre, Chief Publishing Officer at Ubisoft. “Their passion for the franchise and strong connection with strategy communities make them the perfect complement to Unfrozen’s creative talent. Together, we’ll reignite Heroes of Might and Magic and bring players to exciting, unexplored realms.”  

    “Heroes of Might and Magic is a legendary series, one that has a place in the hearts and childhoods of many gamers,” says Hooded Horse CEO Tim Bender. “We’re honored to be teaming up with Ubisoft and Unfrozen on this project.”

    “The entire Unfrozen team is very excited that Hooded Horse is joining the project. We firmly believe that their expertise, combined with Ubisoft’s legacy, will allow us to make Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era truly successful and introduce the game to even more fans of tactical turn-based strategies from all over the world,” says Denis Fedorov, CEO of Unfrozen.

    Olden Era features six factions, a single-player campaign, and several multiplayer modes, including the local multiplayer Hotseat mode. In addition, you can venture into the unknown on randomly generated maps, and access the map editor to create your own worlds or experience those created by other players.

    Wishlist Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era on Steam to be notified when it launches in Early Access later this year.

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  • First-Line Bemarituzumab Plus Chemo Hits OS End Point in FGFR2b+ Advanced Gastric Cancer

    First-Line Bemarituzumab Plus Chemo Hits OS End Point in FGFR2b+ Advanced Gastric Cancer

    Image Credit: ©

    Ashling Wahner & MJH Life Sciences Using AI

    The addition of bemarituzumab to mFOLFOX6 (modified oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and fluorouracil) led to a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival (OS) vs placebo plus chemotherapy in patients with HER2-negative, unresectable locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer harboring FGFR2b overexpression, meeting the primary end point of the phase 3 FORTITUDE-101 trial (NCT05052801).1

    Findings announced by Amgen also showed that the most common treatment-emergent adverse effects (AEs) reported in more than 25% of patients treated in the bemarituzumab arm comprised reduced visual acuity, punctate keratitis, anemia, neutropenia, nausea, corneal epithelium defect, and dry eye. Although instances of ocular AEs were consistent with prior phase 2 data and occurred in both treatment arms, they were reported at a higher rate frequency and severity in the phase 3 bemarituzumab group.

    Detailed data from the prespecified interim analysis will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting.

    “Most patients with gastric cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage, with poor prognosis, low survival rates, and limited therapeutic options,” Jay Bradner, MD, executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen, stated in a news release. “These first positive topline results of an FGFR2b-targeted monoclonal antibody from our phase 3 FORTITUDE-101 study mark a meaningful advance in the development of effective targeted therapy for gastric cancer.”

    FORTITUDE-101 Overview

    The randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled patients at least 18 years of age with histologically documented locally advanced unresectable or metastatic gastric or GEJ cancer not amenable to curative therapy.2 Patients needed to be positive for FGFR2b overexpression, defined 2+ or 3+ staining on at least 10% of tumor cells per centrally performed immunohistochemistry (IHC).

    Other key inclusion criteria included an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1; evaluable disease that could be measurable or non-measurable per RECIST 1.1 criteria; no contraindications to mFOLFOX6; and adequate organ and bone marrow function.

    Patients were excluded if they received prior treatment in the metastatic or unresectable setting; however, previous neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and perioperative therapy was permitted if completed more than 6 months prior to first dose of study treatment. Other exclusion criteria included any prior treatment with a selective FGFR inhibitor; HER2-positive disease; untreated or symptomatic central nervous system disease or brain metastases; and clinically significant cardiac disease.

    A total of 547 patients enrolled across the study at 300 sites across 37 countries.1 Patients were randomly assigned to receive bemarituzumab plus mFOLFOX6 or placebo plus mFOLFOX6.

    Along with the primary end point of OS, secondary end points included progression-free survival, objective response rate, duration of response, disease control rate, quality of life, and safety.2

    Bemarituzumab is also being investigated in the phase 3 FORTITUDE-102 study (NCT05111626), where patients with previously untreated gastric cancer are being randomly assigned to receive bemarituzumab in combination with chemotherapy and nivolumab (Opdivo) or placebo plus chemotherapy and nivolumab. Data from this study are expected to read out in the second half of 2025.1

    After the safety and tolerability of the combination of bemarituzumab, chemotherapy, and nivolumab were evaluated in the first nonrandomized part of the study, patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic, histologically documented gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma are being randomly assigned between the 2 arms in the second part of the study. Notably, patients being enrolled to the randomized portion are required to have centrally confirmed FGFR2b overexpression per IHC.

    References

    1. Amgen announces positive topline phase 3 results for bemarituzumab in fibroblast growth factor receptor 2b (FGFR2b) positive first-line gastric cancer. News release. Amgen. June 30, 2025. Accessed June 30, 2025. https://www.amgen.com/newsroom/press-releases/2025/06/amgen-announces-positive-topline-phase-3-results-for-bemarituzumab-in-fibroblast-growth-factor-receptor-2b-fgfr2b-positive-firstline-gastric-cancer
    2. Bemarituzumab or placebo plus chemotherapy in gastric cancers with fibroblast growth factor receptor 2b (FGFR2b) overexpression (FORTITUDE-101). ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated February 7, 2025. Accessed June 30, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05052801
    3. Bemarituzumab plus chemotherapy and nivolumab versus chemotherapy and nivolumab for FGFR2b overexpressed untreated advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer. (FORTITUDE-102). ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated June 12, 2025. Accessed June 30, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05111626

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  • Cartoonists held in Turkey for depicting Mohammed and ‘Musa’ – JNS.org

    1. Cartoonists held in Turkey for depicting Mohammed and ‘Musa’  JNS.org
    2. Clashes and arrests in Turkey over magazine cartoon allegedly depicting prophet Muhammad  The Guardian
    3. Turkish authorities investigate links to prophet cartoon controversy | Daily Sabah  Daily Sabah
    4. Türkiye: RSF, with Cartooning for Peace and Cartoonists Rights, denounces the attack on the staff of the satirical magazine LeMan  Reporters sans frontières
    5. ‘Remember Charlie Hebdo!’ Protesters Seethe At Istanbul Magazine  NDTV

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  • Premier League and Microsoft join forces to create fan-friendly digital platforms – Source EMEA – Microsoft

    1. Premier League and Microsoft join forces to create fan-friendly digital platforms – Source EMEA  Microsoft
    2. Premier League launches fan-facing platforms as part of digital transformation  Premier League
    3. “…Transform How Football is Experienced”: Microsoft Stock (NASDAQ:MSFT) Slips Despite New English Premier League Football Partnership  TipRanks
    4. Microsoft’s Premier League Play: How AI Locks in 1.8 Billion Fans and Dominates Sports Tech  AInvest
    5. Premier League and Microsoft announce partnership using AI to improve fan experience  The Washington Post

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  • Premier League and Microsoft join forces to create fan-friendly digital platforms – Microsoft

    1. Premier League and Microsoft join forces to create fan-friendly digital platforms  Microsoft
    2. Microsoft Signs Deal to Power Premier League’s AI Tools  Bloomberg.com
    3. Premier League and Microsoft announce five-year strategic partnership to personalize the fan experience with AI for 1.8 billion people  Yahoo Finance
    4. Microsoft teaming with Premier League to enhance soccer fans’ digital experience using AI  GeekWire
    5. English Premier League integrates Microsoft AI into fan app in new 5-year deal  CNBC

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  • Weight-Loss Drug Maridebart Cafraglutide Shows Efficacy in Phase 2 Trial

    Weight-Loss Drug Maridebart Cafraglutide Shows Efficacy in Phase 2 Trial

    Patients with obesity who received maridebart cafraglutide (MariTide; Amgen), a once-monthly obesity medication, demonstrated weight loss of up to 19.9% in a phase 2 trial (NCT05669599).1 Those with obesity and type 2 diabetes showed weight loss of up to 17%.

    Maridebart cafraglutide is a long-acting peptide–antibody conjugate that combines glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonism and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor antagonism. The 2 identical GLP-1 peptide analogs conjugated to a single monoclonal antibody antagonist to the GIP receptor result in a 21-day half-life, 3 times longer than the FDA approved longest-acting once-weekly anti-obesity medication, semaglutide. The extended half-life can potentially lead to increased access and adherence for those whose health and access to health care are disproportionately affected by socioeconomic status.2 

    The mean percent change in body weight from the obesity cohort from baseline to 52 weeks ranged from −12.3% to −16.2% to −16.2%. | Image Credit: ricka_kinamoto – stock.adobe.com

    “[Maridebart cafraglutide]’s monthly or less frequent dosing has the potential to improve adherence and long-term weight control, providing the opportunity to optimize health outcomes for people living with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related conditions,” Jay Bradner, MD, executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen, said in a press release.3 “[Maridebart cafraglutide] delivered strong efficacy, including sustained weight loss without a plateau in the 52-week phase 2 study and meaningful improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors, representing a defining advance for the obesity field.”

    Phase 2 of the trial tested the efficacy, adverse event profile, and safety of maridebart cafraglutide at various doses with and without escalation.1 The study enrolled 592 participants—465 in the obesity cohort and 127 in the obesity-diabetes cohort. The obesity cohort was randomly assigned in a 3:3:3:2:2:2:3 ratio to receive either 52 weeks of maridebart cafraglutide subcutaneously at 140, 280, or 420 mg every 4 weeks without dose escalation; 420 mg every 8 weeks without dose escalation; 420 mg every 4 weeks with either a 4- or 12-week dose escalation; or a placebo. Participants in the obesity-diabetes cohort were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1:1 ratio to receive maridebart cafraglutide over 52 weeks at a dosage of 140, 280, or 420 mg every 4 weeks or a placebo.

    The mean percent change in body weight from the obesity cohort from baseline to 52 weeks ranged from −12.3% to −16.2% (95% CI, −15.0 to −9.7) to −16.2% (95% CI, −18.9 to −13.5). The obesity-diabetes cohort mean percent change in body weight ranged from −8.46% (95% CI, −11.0 to −5.7) to −12.3% (95% CI, −15.3 to −9.2).

    Those in both cohorts who received maridebart cafraglutide also showed a significant difference in the percentage points of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels when analyzed using the treatment policy estimand. The obesity cohort had a mean difference of –0.32 (95% CI, –0.5 to –0.2) percentage points measuring glycated hemoglobin levels. Similarly, the obesity-diabetes cohort showed a mean difference of –1.43 (95% CI, –1.9 to –0.7) percentage points in glycated hemoglobin. When analyzed using the efficacy demand, the obesity cohort did not show a significant difference in weight loss; however, the obesity-diabetes cohort did, with –2.03 (95% CI, –2.4 to –1.6) percentage points.

    Participants in both cohorts experienced improvement in additional secondary end points, including differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and select lipid variables. Furthermore, those receiving a dose escalation over 4 or 12 weeks did not show significant differences in primary or secondary end points when compared with those that did not receive dose escalation.

    Adverse events occurred in an average of 93.5% of participants across both cohorts. The most common adverse events (AEs) were gastrointestinal, which included mild to moderate nausea, vomiting, constipation, retching, and diarrhea. There was a lower incidence of adverse events in the groups with dose escalation and those starting at a lower dose across both cohorts.

    Of the 592 participants in the obesity cohort, 8% in the dose escalation group discontinued the trial due to GI AEs, as opposed to the 12% to 17% in the no–dose escalation groups. Similarly, 6% to 16% of participants in the obesity-diabetes cohort discontinued due to GI-related adverse events. Other predefined adverse events varied in severity, ranging from mild to moderate, and included injection-site rash, reactions, and/or urticaria.

    “These results, alongside the phase 1 pharmacokinetics low-dose initiation data, have shaped our phase 3 MARITIME program,” Bradner said.3

    References

    1. Jastreboff AM, Ryan DH, Bays HE, et al. Once-monthly maridebartcafraglutide for the treatment of obesity — a phase 2 trial. New England Journal of Medicine. Published online June 23, 2025. doi:10.1056/nejmoa2504214
    2. Eberly LA, Yang L, Essien UR, et al. Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities in glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist use among patients with diabetes in the US. JAMA Health Forum. 2021;2(12): e214182. doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.4182
    3. Results from Amgen’s phase 2 obesity study of monthly maritide presented at the American Diabetes Association 85th Scientific Sessions. Amgen. June 23, 2025. Accessed June 25, 2025. https://www.amgen.com/newsroom/press-releases/2025/06/results-from-amgens-phase-2-obesity-study-of-monthly-maritide-presented-at-the-american-diabetes-association-85th-scientific-sessions

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  • Esports World Cup Foundation and Lenovo Partner to Power the Next Generation of Esports Champions

    Esports World Cup Foundation and Lenovo Partner to Power the Next Generation of Esports Champions

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – June 26, 2025 – The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and Lenovo, today announced a partnership to make Lenovo’s Legion brand of gaming devices the Official PC & Gaming Hardware partner of the Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC). Lenovo Legion is the one of the world’s leading gaming ecosystem brands, and will be bring its relentless commitment to innovation and performance to the global stage, empowering EWC athletes to compete at their highest level.

    From training rooms to tournament zones, EWC athletes will be equipped with Lenovo Legion Towers, Lenovo Legion laptops, and peripherals – built for elite esports play with advanced thermal systems, high-performance silicon, high refresh-rate displays and low latency keyboards and mice that meet the demands of top-level competition.

    Key models such as the Legion Tower 7i and Legion Tower 5i will feature across the event’s player infrastructure, delivering the reliability and power needed to perform under the intense pressure of elite competition. Designed for esports, both towers offer expansive I/O for a complete gaming setup and Legion Coldfront: Liquid cooling thermal solutions. The Legion Tower 7i boasts advanced cooling and an NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5080 Desktop GPU for the extreme performance that top-tier esports athletes rely on, while the Legion Tower 5i pairs intelligent cooling with the RTX 5070 Ti Desktop GPU to deliver focused, winning gameplay.

    EWC will also feature Legion Pro 7i laptops to give attendees the full Lenovo Legion experience. Legion laptops untether elite-level gaming experiences from the desk, allowing gamers to win anywhere they find themselves in competition for the top spot with up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPUs and Legion Coldfront: Vapor thermal systems, allowing the laptop to deliver up to 250W TDP that brings the most demanding games to life on the 16” PureSight OLED display.

    “We’re building the Esports World Cup to set a new global standard — in both competition and the technology behind it,” said Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Commercial Officer at Esports World Cup Foundation. “Lenovo’s Legion brand understands what elite players need: speed, efficiency, and reliability under pressure. These machines deliver the competitive edge required on the world’s biggest stage, and together we’re pushing the limits of performance — while delivering an experience that meets the expectations of athletes, fans, and the future of global esports.”

    “Lenovo Legion equips gamers around the world with outstanding devices to help them achieve their goals and reach their impossible,” said Volker Düring, VP, PC Gaming Business, Lenovo. “The Esports World Cup is the ultimate forum for the world’s best gamers to showcase their mettle and emerge at the top of the world leaderboards, and when the best gamers compete on Lenovo Legion devices, anything is possible.”

    As part of the partnership, Lenovo’s Legion branding will appear across EWC’s global broadcast, digital content, and onsite experiences, including fully equipped festival zones with PCs, gear, and laptops available for attendees to play on-site, helping drive deeper engagement with fans while highlighting the ecosystem that supports world-class gaming.

    Fans can expect exclusive content, player-focused storytelling, and digital activations across Lenovo Legion’s social channels, offering an inside look at the road to victory – and the technology that powers it.

    Returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24, 2025, the Esports World Cup will unite global gaming communities for a celebration of esports culture. With 25 tournaments across 24 games, 2,000 elite players, and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, the EWC will feature the largest prize pool in esports history, over $70 million. Fans can expect exclusive experiences, from high-stakes competition to live music, anime cafes, retro arcades, cosplay, and more, drawing millions of fans online and in person.

    To learn more about EWC, visit esportsworldcup.com and follow Esports World Cup Foundation on LinkedIn.

    Explore Lenovo Legion’s full lineup at www.lenovo.com/legion.

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