The total box office for China's 2025 Spring Festival holiday, including pre-sales, had surpassed 5.5 billion yuan (about 765.3 million U.S. dollars) as of 14:19 Saturday, according to data from a film data platform.
Leading the box office chart are three domestic films. "Nezha: Demon Child Conquers the Sea," the highly anticipated follow-up to the 2019 animated blockbuster, currently holds the top spot. It is followed by the comedy-mystery "Detective Chinatown 1900," the fourth installment of the detective franchise. The epic mythological blockbuster "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force" ranks third on the chart.
Chinese people are enjoying an eight-day Spring Festival holiday running from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4. As China's most significant traditional festival, the annual holiday also heralds a lucrative movie season as watching films has become an increasingly prominent pastime for Chinese people during this period.
Six domestic films hit China's cinema screens on Wednesday, the first day of the 2025 Chinese New Year, spanning a variety of genres including comedy, action, martial arts, science fiction and animation, catering to a wide spectrum of audiences.
China's Spring Festival box office revenue exceeds 5.5 bln yuan
China's Spring Festival box office revenue exceeds 5.5 bln yuan
China's Spring Festival box office revenue exceeds 5.5 bln yuan
China's Spring Festival box office revenue exceeds 5.5 bln yuan
A Hamas delegation that arrived in Egypt on Friday is in discussions with Cairo on initiating talks for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, according to two Hamas spokesmen.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem confirmed on Saturday that the delegation, led by Muhammad Ismail Darwish, chairman of the Hamas Shura Council, had arrived in Cairo, as reported by Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV.
The delegation is set to hold talks with Egyptian leaders on the outcomes of the emergency Arab summit, ways to implement its decisions, and the necessity of entering the second phase of the ceasefire, Qassem added.
Meanwhile, another Hamas spokesman, Abdul Latif Al-Qanou, stated that mediation efforts by Egypt and Qatar were ongoing and that there were "positive indicators" for launching negotiations over the second phase of the ceasefire.
Reiterating that the Hamas delegation is discussing how to initiate talks on the second phase of the deal and implement the outcomes of the emergency Arab summit, Al-Qanou affirmed Hamas' readiness to engage in second-phase negotiations in a manner that meets the demands of the Palestinian people.
Hamas has also called for increased aid to the Gaza Strip and the lifting of the siege on Gaza.
However, on the same day, an Israeli official told Israeli media that Israel was unaware of any progress in talks with Hamas on the second phase of the ceasefire deal.
A three-phase Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, took effect on January 19. Yet, negotiations for the second phase remain stalled after the initial 42-day phase expired on March 1.
On Tuesday, Egypt hosted an emergency Arab summit and proposed a 53 billion U.S. dollar Gaza reconstruction plan aimed at preventing displacement.
Still, the plan necessitates a permanent ceasefire in the strip to encourage financing and investment for its implementation.
Hamas delegation in Egypt for talks on second phase of Gaza ceasefire
