Vibrant ice and snow themed events have been held across the colder northern parts of China, as temperature drops brought snowfall to multiple regions over the past few days. Cities have combined winter sports with the offering of local delicacies and folk customs activities, contributing to injecting new driving forces into regional economic growth.
The 2026 Freeride World Tour (FWT) qualifier is underway in Hemu Village of Altay Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from December 11 to 16, bringing together more than 100 elite players from China, Russia, Japan, Norway, and other countries and regions.
The premier freeride skiing and snowboarding competition, as part of the 2025 Xinjiang Funskiing Festival, has further fueled the winter excitement in Altay, which is recognized as the origin of human skiing and a renowned "Snow Capital" in China.
"This is my first time in Hemu, China. It has been an incredible experience so far," said British freerider Melissa Brand.
A series of activities to mark the 12th national public ice and snow season were launched in Hohhot City of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Sunday, with the event featuring an invitational skiing tournament involving 3,000 enthusiasts and tourists from across the country.
Alongside the professional sporting event, various other interesting activities were on offer, including snowfield football and horse riding, allowing the public to fully enjoy the fun of snow-themed sports.
The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwest China also initiated a winter tourism season to boost consumption on Sunday, with the opening ceremony held in Jingyan County. At the region's largest ski resort, an open-air market of over 30 stalls are offering extreme sports fans an opportunity to sample distinctive local cuisine and purchase high-quality agricultural products.
"I highly recommend that people from other places come and taste the local delicacies of Jingyuan County," said Yu Yanfei, a local resident.
Vibrant ice-snow events held across colder northern parts of China
Analysts have warned of more significant economic pain for Lebanon after its conflict with Israel reignited this month amid wider Middle East tensions, with many expecting the new flare up to have a devastating impact on the country's economy.
Joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran starting on Feb 28 have since spiraled into a wider conflict as Iran fired back with retaliatory strikes on numerous targets across the region, with fears growing over mounting casualties, continued disruption, and far-reaching political and security repercussions.
Lebanon became directly involved in the conflict after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel last week, prompting Israeli airstrikes and the capture of several positions in southern Lebanon.
The death toll from Israeli attacks in Lebanon since March 2 has risen to 486, with more than 1,300 others injured, Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health said on Monday.
Israel is increasing its deployment of troops and tanks near its border with Lebanon as it intensifies its battle against Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has pledged that it will not back down, despite the Lebanese government's declaration that its military activities are illegal.
The ongoing fighting has already displaced over half a million people, and analysts are now concerned that the Israeli airstrikes and the resulting exodus will severely impact the Lebanese economy.
"The conflict has erupted, and no one knows its full impact for now because we don't know how long it will last. If it continues for a long time, our economy can fall to figures below zero because we will lose all activity we have recovered. This means someone holding the Lira currency will hesitate to spend it because no one knows how this conflict will end," said Mohamed Shams Eldin, an author and researcher for Information International, an independent regional research and consultancy firm based in Beirut.
"All companies and traders prefer cash payments for their goods and services on the spot. The cash economy has deepened amid the current crisis, and the country is in a standstill. Foreign investors are avoiding Lebanon. I think they stay away because of the lack of trust. They fear they will lose their money, and if we face a crisis every year or year and a half, investors will prefer to put their money into other countries," said economic analyst Nadim Al Sabeh.
Lebanon has been grappling with numerous challenges in recent years, beginning with a wide-ranging financial crisis which plunged the country into severe debt. This was then exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic and a catastrophic explosion at Beirut's port in 2020, before a series of conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel starting in 2023 brought more misery.
The current conflict with Israel has disrupted many economic operations, leading to widespread displacement and putting pressure on the government to cover the costs. For a services-oriented economy like Lebanon's, this now threatens an economic collapse.
"Given the current circumstances, Lebanon doesn't have millions of tourists like Egypt or Türkiye. Therefore, remittances are the foundation of our economy. One million Lebanese citizens, or 250,000 families rely on these remittances. It's why the U.S. dollar cash flow in the market here surpasses that of any other country -- people have lost trust in banks," said Eldin.
Renewed fighting with Israel threatens to collapse Lebanese economy: analysts
