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Israel warns of more Lebanon strikes if Hezbollah not disarmed
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Ukraine war 'existential', Russia says, launching revenge strikes
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US job market resilient in May despite Trump tariffs
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Musk 'very welcome' in Europe after Trump bust-up, official says
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Sinner faces Djokovic as reigning champion Alcaraz eyes French Open final
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Slain UK journalist's book on saving the Amazon published
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Beckham to be awarded knighthood by King Charles: reports
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Eurozone GDP growth revised up to 0.6% in first quarter
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Dutch election set for Oct 29 after government falls
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Russia cuts interest rates from two-decade high as economy slows
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Stocks steady, dollar up before US jobs data
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Ukraine war 'existential,' Kremlin says, launching revenge strikes
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Hong Kong charges jailed activist for 'collusion with foreign forces'
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Germany faces two more years of recession if US trade war escalates: central bank
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India's Modi opens strategic railway in contested 'crown jewel' Kashmir
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Crusaders thump Reds to book Super Rugby semifinal spot
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Russia pummels Kyiv in deadly attack after Putin retaliation vow
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Uzbekistan coach says historic World Cup spot for 'our entire people'
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Canada, US, Mexico brace for World Cup extravaganza
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Amazon agrees to tackle fake reviews in UK: regulator
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Markets wobble as Trump-Xi talks offset by Musk row
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Venezuelan family feels full force of Trump's crackdown
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India's Modi arrives in Kashmir to open strategic railway
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Bacteria cancels water shows at Japan's World Expo
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New Europe push to curb children's social media use
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Muslim pilgrims 'stone the devil' as hajj nears end in Saudi Arabia
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India's central bank cuts rates more than expected to boost growth
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Vietnam exports up as US tariff threat lingers
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Indian police arrest two after deadly cricket stampede: reports
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China fans savage team again after latest World Cup flop
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Studio Ghibli marks 40 years, but future looks uncertain
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SGA says Thunder have what it takes to rebound from game one heartbreaker
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South Korea turn focus to 2026 after sealing World Cup spot
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Taliban hang up Kalashnikovs to pen memoirs of Afghan war
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India police arrest two after deadly cricket stampede: reports
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Japanese company aborts Moon mission after assumed crash-landing
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Court blocks Trump's new ban on foreign students at Harvard
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Haliburton's last-second shot lifts Pacers over Thunder in NBA Finals
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'No doubt' Canadian firm will be first to extract deep sea minerals: CEO
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'Backs to the Wall' for surfing's cancer survivor Flores
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Stade Francais eye Top 14 survival after 'rubbish' season
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Midak bids to deliver poignant victory in 'Aga Khan's' Derby
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Asian markets wobble as Trump-Xi talks offset by Musk row
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Trump trade, immigration policies clouding World Cup preparations
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School's out: climate change keeps Pakistan students home
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Four-time NFL MVP Rodgers agrees Steelers deal: club
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Australia struggle to fill gaping opener hole left by Warner
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Brazil held in Ancelotti debut, Paraguay move closer to qualifying
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NBA 'should explore' league expansion: Silver
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AI-generated Pope sermons flood YouTube, TikTok

Four giants: The major players in video game industry
The global video game industry has undergone a series of blockbuster takeovers, most recently Sony's acquisition of Bungie and Microsoft's move for Activision.
The consolidation has left four major players still standing in an industry estimated to be worth $300 billion.
- Tencent: Global number one -
China-based Tencent is the biggest player left in the market in terms of revenue.
It is a huge player in the Asia market and has been investing in game studios outside its home country.
The firm owns Riot Games, maker of battle royale hit "League of Legends", and has stakes in French game star Ubisoft and Activision.
It also acquired the Finnish studio Supercell ("Clash of Clans", "Clash Royale", "Brawl Stars") in 2016 for $8.6 billion -- a record at the time.
- Sony: PlayStation supremo -
Japanese consumer electronics colossus Sony has sold more than 500 million copies of its PlayStation since 1994.
Through a subsidiary it controls a host of studios -- including Insomniac and Housemarque -- that have developed exclusive titles for its machines such as the "Spider-Man" saga.
The acquisition announced on Monday of Bungie for $3.6 billion will strengthen its games portfolio, adding "Halo" and Destiny" to the list.
Sony also has invested in Epic Games, the company behind "Fortnite".
- Microsoft: New big spender -
The American behemoth was behind the biggest acquisition in the history of the sector last month with the purchase of Activision Blizzard for $69 billion.
The deal puts into its hands on major titles such as "Call of Duty", "World of Warcraft" and "Diablo".
The group behind the Xbox consoles already has control of major games titles like "Minecraft", "Elder Scrolls" and "Fallout" thanks to earlier acquisitions.
And it is now setting its sights on becoming the "Netflix of video games" with its Game Pass online platform that allows users to download games or play them via the cloud.
- Nintendo: In-house games -
With its reliance on self-made sagas such as "Mario", "Zelda" or "Pokemon", Nintendo stands out from its competitors by staying away from the frenzy of acquisitions in the sector.
The March 2020 release of its game "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" became a social phenomenon, as the Covid-19 pandemic sparked a worldwide shift to indoor lifestyles.
It sold a record 28.8 million Switch gaming units in its last financial year.
- The independents -
Several leading publishers have so far stayed out of the hands of the giants, but could become targets in the near future.
American maker Take-Two is a heavyweight in its own right, its stable filled with popular games including "Grand Theft Auto", "NBA 2K" and "Red Dead Redemption".
And it has itself played the acquisition game, spending $12.7 billion to acquire mobile game developer Zynga, creator of the farming simulation "FarmVille".
North Carolina-based Epic Games saw its valuation rise to nearly $29 billion last year after a round of funding from investors including Sony.
Electronic Arts had a turnover of $5.6 billion last year and also has a portfolio of very popular licences such as "FIFA", "Battlefield" and "The Sims".
French firm Ubisoft ("Assassin's Creed", "Far Cry") is valued at roughly six billion euros and is also a major player in the sector.
S.F.Warren--AMWN