The Eight Immortals (Ba Xian) are a group of legendary xian, or immortals, in Chinese mythology, revered by Taoists and also a popular part of secular Chinese culture. They are said to live on a group of five islands in the Bohai Sea that includes Mount Penglai, and each one's power can be passed into a vessel that can bestow life or destroy evil. They are He Xiangu, often shown holding a lotus flower; Cao Guojiu, related to a Song dynasty emperor; Li Tieguai, with his iron crutch and calabash, associated with medicine and easing the suffering of the sick; Lan Caihe, patron of florists and gardeners; Lü Dongbin, a scholar and poet seen as their leader; Han Xiangzi, a flute player; Zhang Guolao, a symbol of longevity; and Zhongli Quan, often shown with a fan. Tellings differ on details: Lan Caihe was originally pictured as female and later became ambiguous. In the Ming dynasty work The Eight Immortals Cross the Sea, on their way to the Conference of the Magical Peach, Lü Dongbin suggests that instead of riding their clouds, each should cross the Bohai Sea using their own unique power.

Israeli reports also say the cabinet directed the military to prepare for a possible new attack on Iran.

Angkor, near Siem Reap in northern Cambodia, was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which ruled much of mainland Southeast Asia between roughly the 9th and 15th centuries. At its height the city spread across about 3,000 square kilometres, making it the largest pre-industrial city on Earth by area. Its growth depended on water: huge reservoirs called barays, along with canals and embankments, stored monsoon rain and carried it to rice fields. That system let farmers harvest more than once a year and fed a very large population through the dry season. The temple complex of Angkor Wat, built in the early 12th century, is the best-known monument and still stands at the heart of the park.