标签： Asia

The historic Three Lanes and Seven Alleys district in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province, has become the site of an extraordinary cultural exhibition that continues to draw substantial public attention. At the heart of this display lies an astonishing collection of over 160 meticulously sculpted dishes, all crafted entirely from Shoushan stone—a material renowned for its diverse colors and textures.

This remarkable stone feast represents a modern interpretation of the legendary Manchu Han Imperial Feast, historically known as one of China’s most elaborate culinary traditions. The exhibition showcases an impressive range of items, from regional specialties like the iconic Fujian seafood dish “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall” to contemporary Western favorites including burgers and french fries. Each piece demonstrates exceptional artistry and attention to detail, with no two items appearing identical in their stone composition.

The creative master behind this ambitious project is Sun Zhaoyong, an officially recognized provincial inheritor of intangible cultural heritage. Born into a family with generations of carving expertise, Sun has dedicated decades to perfecting his craft. His inspiration for this comprehensive stone banquet emerged during the 1990s when he created an exceptionally lifelike blood clam sculpture for his wife. This initial experiment revealed the remarkable potential of Shoushan stone, which offers approximately 200 distinct color variations and textural qualities ideally suited for replicating the visual characteristics of various foods.

The exhibition not only highlights traditional Chinese carving techniques but also demonstrates how ancient art forms can creatively interpret both historical and modern culinary culture. Visitors to the historic district can experience this unique blend of gastronomy and sculpture, which serves as both an artistic achievement and cultural preservation effort.

In a significant move to safeguard young people from digital harm, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced Tuesday that Spain will implement a nationwide ban on social media access for children under 16. The declaration came during Sánchez’s address at a Dubai summit where he criticized major technology corporations for permitting the proliferation of illegal content including child sexual abuse materials and nonconsensual sexualized deepfakes.

“Contemporary children are navigating digital territories they were never equipped to traverse independently,” Sánchez stated. “This era of willful ignorance must conclude.”

Spain now aligns with several nations implementing similar protective measures. France recently legislated to prohibit social media access for those under 15, with enforcement scheduled for the upcoming September academic term. Australia has pioneered the world’s first comprehensive social media prohibition for under-16s, making platforms legally accountable for minor users. Denmark has established comparable restrictions for users under 15, while the United Kingdom is considering analogous protective measures.

The Spanish initiative will mandate social media companies to implement robust age verification mechanisms—moving beyond self-declaration systems to establish effective digital barriers. Current platform policies typically set minimum age requirements at 13, though enforcement remains inconsistent across the industry.

Spain’s prohibition will integrate into existing digital protection legislation for minors currently under parliamentary consideration. Government officials indicate the measure could receive approval as early as next week, though the minority left-wing coalition faces legislative challenges. While the far-right Vox party criticized the proposal as potentially limiting criticism of the government, the center-right Popular Party indicated support, having proposed similar restrictions previously.

Concurrently, Spain has joined five European nations in forming what Sánchez termed a “coalition of the digitally willing” to coordinate multinational social media regulation. Additional measures include criminalizing algorithmic manipulation that amplifies illegal content and establishing executive liability for failure to remove criminal materials from digital platforms.

“The myth of technological neutrality must be dispelled,” Sánchez emphasized during his summit address. Both regulatory enhancements will require parliamentary ratification to modify Spanish law.

In a vibrant cultural exchange initiative, nearly 100 international students from Shanghai’s universities gathered at Siping Cinema in Yangpu district on February 2nd for an immersive Lunar New Year experience. The event, strategically timed before the Spring Festival celebrations, offered foreign scholars a deep dive into traditional Chinese customs through interactive activities.

The celebration featured two distinctive cultural showcases: the launch of six specially designed blind boxes containing traditional artifacts and a hands-on calligraphy workshop. Under expert guidance, participants crafted personalized Spring Festival couplets and practiced writing the symbolic Chinese character “fu” (福), representing good fortune and happiness.

The cultural program culminated with the premiere screening of “The Moon is Yours,” a documentary directed by Fudan University alumna Wu Bei. This cinematic project represents a three-year ethnographic study initiated in September 2022 by Fudan University’s School of Journalism. The film tracks the academic and personal journeys of six international students from diverse national backgrounds and academic disciplines during their time in China.

Elijah Knowles, a 24-year-old Wushu scholar from the United States studying at Shanghai University of Sport, characterized the event as emblematic of Shanghai’s multicultural richness. “This celebration perfectly encapsulates the ‘plenty of everything’ experience that Shanghai offers international students,” Knowles remarked, highlighting the city’s capacity for cultural integration and educational hospitality.

The event demonstrates Shanghai’s ongoing commitment to promoting cultural understanding and creating meaningful connections between international students and traditional Chinese festivals through experiential learning opportunities.

The UAE’s premier national lottery platform has successfully restored its digital services after experiencing a significant technical interruption that lasted approximately two hours on Tuesday morning. The outage, which commenced in the early hours of February 3, 2026, temporarily prevented certain users from accessing the official lottery website and related services.

Company representatives swiftly addressed the situation through their social media channels, confirming that technical specialists were conducting comprehensive investigations into the system malfunction. During the disruption period, prospective players encountering access difficulties received official guidance to either attempt reconnection at a later time or utilize alternative internet service providers.

For users requiring immediate assistance, the organization maintained accessible support channels including a dedicated helpline (800 2365) and email support (support@theuaelottery.ae). The lottery administration expressed gratitude toward its user base for their patience and understanding throughout the resolution process.

Established in late 2024 under the regulatory supervision of the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), the UAE Lottery represents the nation’s first and exclusively licensed national lottery program. Operated by The Game LLC, the platform features diverse gaming options including the flagship Lucky Day weekly draw alongside various instant-win scratch cards and rapid-play formats, offering participants the opportunity to win substantial monetary prizes.

The organization has implemented robust responsible gaming protocols in collaboration with Takalam, an artificial intelligence-driven mental health support platform. These measures include continuous monitoring of participant behavior and proactive intervention mechanisms to ensure ethical gaming practices among eligible residents aged 18 and above.

A devastating fire at a residential care facility in Qiqihar City has resulted in five fatalities, according to official statements from Heilongjiang provincial authorities. The tragedy occurred on Monday afternoon at approximately 3:00 PM local time.

Emergency response teams swiftly contained and extinguished the blaze, though the rapid spread of flames proved fatal for several elderly residents. The nursing home, which provided specialized care for senior citizens, became the scene of one of the region’s most severe safety incidents in recent memory.

Local fire departments and medical personnel responded immediately to emergency calls, undertaking rescue operations under challenging conditions. The exact circumstances surrounding the ignition of the fire remain under investigation by specialized forensic teams and safety inspectors.

Provincial government officials have expressed profound condolences to the families of the victims and pledged a comprehensive review of safety protocols across all senior care facilities in the region. This incident has prompted urgent discussions about fire prevention measures and emergency response capabilities in China’s aging care infrastructure.

The Qiqihar Municipal Government has established a special task force to coordinate victim identification, family support services, and the ongoing investigation. Psychological counseling services have been made available to both survivors and staff members affected by the traumatic event.