ROVEN

PUBG's seasonal updates have now reached double digits. Season 10 is dropping next week, and with it comes more map experiments. Last season, we got Paramo, a dynamic volcano map that was only 3x3km, and this time the battle royale is going even smaller. Haven is PUBG's tiniest map so far, giving would-be survivors a mere 1x1km to play around in. What it lacks in size, however, it apparently makes up for in density. There's a lot going on in this wee industrial island, which also houses an AI faction: Pillar. The rusty American town will see you fighting across steelworks, coal yards, a residential zone and docks, full of rooftop sniper vantage points and blind corners. You'll be pushing through urban streets, apartment buildings, warehouses and factories, switching from long-range shootouts to close-quarters slogs. And it's not just other players you'll need to worry about. Pillar is PUBG's first AI faction, and apparently Haven is their turf, so they'd quite like you to piss off. Since that's not going to happen, they'll be content with filling you with bullets. A scout helicopter will patrol the skies, hunting down players, accompanied by a tactical truck that will try to murder anyone the helicopter spots. Pillar also has guards and commanders protecting various parts of the map. Guards will be decked out in basic gear, but the commanders will sport top-tier equipment. Haven also contains Pillar supply caches, which require keys to unlock. To get a key, you'll need to take out a commander. These replace care packages. You'll also be able to find emergency parachutes, letting you jump from high places without worrying about landing with a splat. They will make you a bit of a target, though, so watch out. A new season means a new survivor pass, a new season of Ranked mode, new rewards and more mastery medals. Haven will only be available during this season, so make the most of it while it lasts. You can check it out now in the test server, and it will launch on live servers on December 16. Fraser is the sole inhabitant of PC Gamer's mythical Scottish office, conveniently located in his flat. As the online editor, he's actually met The Internet in person, and he keeps a small piece of it in a jar.

The new plug-in version of Renault’s second-generation Captur has arrived in UK dealerships, giving us our first opportunity to try it with the steering wheel on the right-hand side. It’s an interesting car in its own right, of course, for reasons we’ll come to later, but doubly remarkable for the fact that it’s entering a relatively uncontested segment: that of the plug-in hybrid compact crossover. Size-wise, the Captur takes on everything from the Ford Puma to the Peugeot 2008 and Nissan Juke, but similarly electrified alternatives are limited, essentially, to just the Kia Niro PHEV and Mini Countryman S E All4. No doubt this niche-busting trio won’t have it so easy for long, given that there’s a new entry to the crossover class every 27 minutes, and that plug-in hybrids continue to play a crucial role in manufacturers’ battle to comply with stringent fleet emissions targets. But for now, the Captur seems on first glance a real no-brainer for urban-dwelling business buyers and eco-conscious families who need a car that’s at once more practical than a supermini but no harder to park. Whether it deserves that custom on the basis of anything but uniqueness alone is what we’ll seek to determine. The powertrain comprises a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol four-cylinder - unavailable as a means of propelling the non-electrified car - with a 66bhp electric motor for a combined output of 158bhp and a 0-62mph time of 10.1sec. We’ve tested it in S Edition trim, which is marked out from lower trims by its 17in diamond-cut alloy wheels, colour-coded mirrors and tinted rear windows. What's it like? Underpinnings aside, the second-generation Captur immediately cuts a rather more dashing figure than its comparatively staid forebear. Slimmer lights at both ends and more overtly muscular body lines bring it into line with its chic Clio and Mégane stablemates, and there’s little of the gratuitous stylistic quirkiness that afflicts some of its rivals - or indeed, siblings (we’re looking at you, Nissan Juke). Nor is there much to tell this electrified version apart from the standard petrol car beyond a subtle badge here and there. Automatic versions such as this get a trick new ‘floating’ centre console with a wireless phone charger underneath, and orange soft-touch trim panels (a £350 option) imbue the cabin with a real sense of quality, both perceived and actual. We would bravely suggest the large vertically aligned infotainment touchscreen felt Tesla-esque, but the retention of most of the physical controls means the cabin feels slightly more cluttered than it ought to, while the counter-intuitive control placement (the volume adjuster is hidden behind the steering wheel, and the drive mode selector next to the heated seat switch) will take some getting used to. Overall, though, it’s bright and airy and certainly brings more visual pizzazz than does a Ford Puma. The E-Tech has three confusingly named driving modes: Pure, Sport and My Sense, which you’ll know better as ‘Electric’, ‘Combustion’ and ‘Hybrid’. In the last of these, the transition between the two power sources is all but seamless, and at low revs, the petrol motor is barely more discernible than its electric team-mate. It starts to make a bit of a din when you get a hustle on, though, and remains in a low gear for some time after kickdown, making overtakes and motorway merges a noisy experience. However, it belies its unforced induction with decent mid-range grunt and sufficient shove off the line. On mixed roads, and with judicious use of the (non-variable) regenerative brakes, it’s possible to top up the traction battery quite quickly, making last-mile EV running a realistic daily proposition, should your commute take you into high-traffic areas. That’s an especially attractive proposition, given the competence of the electric element of this powertrain: pleasingly swift take-up accompanied by a faint background whirring means this doesn’t feel like a functionality that’s been baked in for the sake of compliance, more a welcome injection of future-proofing that will suit - and enhance the ownership experience for - a much wider target market. The silence of the EV motor is a bit of a double-edged sword, though, because tyre roar, wind noise and suspension clunks soon fill the silence. Not unbearably so, but enough to blemish a package that’s otherwise up there with the most refined of them. With its 7.5kWh battery mounted under the rear seat, the Captur is claimed to be capable of 30 miles of EV running, and our test suggests that’s a realistic projection. As with all PHEVs, the combined WLTP consumption figures are less easy to replicate in real life - the Captur’s is claimed at an astounding 188.3mpg - but it’s hardly a thirsty old beast, in any case. Once you’ve worked out how to treat the powertrain to maintain the optimal combination of petrol and electricity, you’ll likely find it an agreeable everyday companion, if not one that’s particularly engaging. In terms of outright dynamic verve - a characteristic that the vast majority of its buyers are unlikely to interrogate - the Captur can’t shade its conventionally fuelled counterparts. Where the Ford Puma brings poise and exploitability on a par with the lower-riding Fiesta, and the diminutive Seat Arona coasts over imperfections with almost unparalleled serenity, the Captur fails to hide the weight penalty brought about by electrification. Speed bumps are met with a harsh jolt if tackled at anything approaching the posted speed limit, and Britain’s notoriously crumbling Tarmac sends an almost persistent judder up through the steering column and through the seat bases. Rougher stretches of road verge on downright uncomfortable. Then there’s cornering performance, which - again, with the caveat that the vast majority of Capturs don’t end up in the hands of keen drivers - will hardly inspire the occasional Sunday blast. Body roll in sharper bends is fairly pronounced, which we’d be inclined to forgive had it translated into a pillowy soft ride over coarse ground, but as it is, the Captur demonstrates a paradoxical blend of what I’m going to term 'wallowy crashiness' for want of a better phrase. It’s a case of learning its quirks and adapting to them. Neither the Captur’s straight-line performance nor its dynamic character is sufficiently poor to warrant overlooking the entire car, but its Mini and Kia rivals offer a better-rounded driving experience, if one that’s more unremarkable than impressive. Should I buy one? Assuming your requirements are specific enough to genuinely narrow prospective purchases down to the Kia, the Mini and the Renault, chances are your heart would be taken by the Captur, even if your head reckons the Niro’s 36-mile EV range or the Countryman's polished dynamics make them the smarter buy. For what it’s worth, the Captur is a refreshingly tasteful take on an increasingly ubiquitous bodystyle, and one that pairs its comfortable, well-appointed interior with cheap running costs and ease of use. Just don’t expect it to deviate wildly from this formula in offering flashes of driver engagement or segment-leading rolling refinement.

Mercedes say Lewis Hamilton's health is "improving" - but still do not know whether he will be able to race in the year's final grand prix this weekend. The world champion missed the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain last weekend after contracting coronavirus. Hamilton remains in isolation and must return a negative test result before he is allowed to travel to Abu Dhabi. "His condition's improving but we won't know closer to the time if he will be driving," said team boss Toto Wolff. "We'll do everything we can to get him in the car and we know he's determined to be back as soon as possible. But his health is our main priority, so we will see what the situation is and then make the call." George Russell is in line to replace Hamilton if he cannot race. The 22-year-old Williams driver starred on his Mercedes debut in Bahrain and was prevented from winning only by a pit-stop mix-up and then a puncture. Fairytale win not to be but Russell sends powerful message to F1 and Mercedes Russell has been named as Mercedes' representative alongside Valtteri Bottas in the official FIA news conference on Thursday. The latest Mercedes could put Hamilton in the car and still race is on Saturday for qualifying. The team said it was "possible" they would make the decision as to whether Hamilton races as late as before Saturday's final practice session, which runs for an hour and starts at 10:00 GMT, three hours before qualifying. Hamilton released a video message on social media on Tuesday in which he said he was "feeling great" and had just completed his first physical training session since his positive test. "It has been one of the hardest weeks I've had for some time," he said, adding: "I hope I can get back in the car soon." Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes driver aims to return for season finale The pit-lane tyre mix-up on Sunday, which affected both cars as they were stacked one behind the other, was caused by a radio issue which led to some mechanics not getting the message to take out tyres. Wolff said it had "uncovered an underlying problem with our intercom, and we've put measures in place, both technically and in the way we operate, to make sure it doesn't happen again". He also said Mercedes will be running a "slightly different livery" on their cars in Abu Dhabi "featuring everyone's name on the car to honour the huge commitment and determination from everybody in (the team's UK bases at) Brixworth and Brackley". "Everyone has pushed hard this year, raising the bar through this massively intense season, and we hope this gesture goes some way in showing the appreciation we have for everyone involved," Wolff added.

The United Arab Emirates is the first country to rate a front-running Chinese vaccine for Covid-19, saying it was 86% effective in a phase-three trial. The vaccine, produced by China National Pharmaceutical Group, or Sinopharm, has been "officially registered", the UAE state news agency reports. The health ministry said "analysis shows no serious safety concerns". However, neither Sinopharm nor the UAE have released detailed data on the trial of 31,000 participants. The announcement did not say how many of those taking part had become ill or give numbers for those given the vaccine or a placebo. There was also no information on side effects. According to what is the first public statement on the effectiveness of the vaccine, the analysis found that it produced antibodies that attack the virus in 99% of people who took it, and nobody who took it developed moderate or severe cases of Covid-19. Experts have expressed concern at the lack of published data and questioned why the announcement had not come from Sinopharm itself. People from 125 nationalities took part in the trial, UAE state news agency Wam said. It began in July and the vaccine was given emergency authorisation for use by UAE front-line workers in September. Senior officials, including UAE Vice-President and Dubai ruler Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, were given doses in November. The Sinopharm vaccine has already been given to one million Chinese citizens under an emergency programme. What do we know about China's Covid-19 vaccines? How do the Covid vaccines compare? What you need to know about vaccine safety Sinopharm's product is one of four Chinese coronavirus inoculations in the final phases of development. These include CoronaVac, made by the Beijing-based biopharmaceutical company Sinovac. Shipments of Sinovac have arrived in Indonesia in preparation for a mass vaccination campaign. The UAE's announcement comes a day after the UK became the first country in the world to start rolling out the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine after approval from the MHRA regulator. The jab is produced by the Pfizer American pharmaceutical giant and a German biotech company. First results in November showed the vaccine is up to 95% effective. The US regulator, the FDA, is expected to give approval when it meets on Thursday. Other vaccines which could soon be approved by regulators are the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, developed by Oxford University and the UK-Swedish pharmaceutical company, and, in the US, Moderna's vaccine. Moderna says its product protects 94.5% of people. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is 70% effective, data shows. Data on Russia's Sputnik V vaccine suggest it is 92% effective. The Russian vaccine has also undergone phase-three trials in the UAE. The United Arab Emirates authorities say Covid has claimed 598 lives and there have been a total of 180,150 infections. Abu Dhabi has meanwhile announced that "all economic, tourism, cultural and entertainment activities in the emirate" will fully resume in two weeks due to the success of measures introduced to lower infection rates.

Accepted

Accepted

V5,text,effect,blur

A UK grandmother has become the first person in the world to be given the Pfizer Covid-19 jab as part of a mass vaccination programme. Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 next week, said the injection she received at 06:31 GMT was the "best early birthday present". It was the first of 800,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine that will be dispensed in the coming weeks. Up to four million more are expected by the end of the month. Hubs in the UK will vaccinate over-80s and some health and care staff - the programme aims to protect the most vulnerable and return life to normal. 'Hopefully next year we'll be living a normal life' 'Mix-and-match' Covid vaccines to be tested 'V-day' as first people have Covid jab Health Secretary Matt Hancock, dubbed Tuesday "V-day", said it was "a tribute to scientific endeavour and human ingenuity and to the hard work of so many people. "Today marks the start of the fightback against our common enemy, the coronavirus," he said. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on a visit to a London hospital to see some of the first people getting the jab, said getting vaccinated was "good for you and good for the whole country". Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "Today we should all allow ourselves a smile - but we must not drop our guard." On Tuesday, the UK government reported a further 616 people had died within 28 days of a positive test, taking the total by that measure to 62,033. A further 12,282 people tested positive for the virus. media captionSecond in line for the jab at University Hospital in Coventry was 81-year-old William Shakespeare from Warwickshire. At University Hospital, Coventry, matron May Parsons administered the very first jab to Ms Keenan. "I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19," Ms Keenan, who is originally from Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, said. "It's the best early birthday present I could wish for because it means I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the new year after being on my own for most of the year. "My advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it. If I can have it at 90, then you can have it too," she added. Scotland's toughest Covid restrictions to be eased Covid deaths 'above worst case scenario' in Wales Further Covid-19 restrictions in NI 'not ruled out' Prof Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, who witnessed the "historic moment", said: "We couldn't hug her but we could clap and everybody did so in the room." The second person vaccinated in Coventry was William Shakespeare, 81, from Warwickshire, who said he was "pleased" to be given the jab and hospital staff had been "wonderful". image captionAn emotional Sister Joanna Sloan said she had been looking forward to the vaccine for so long Throughout the day, patients and health workers at some 50 hospitals around the UK have been getting the jab: Sister Joanna Sloan, who will head up the vaccine rollout in Belfast, received the first vaccine administered in Northern Ireland, just after 08:00 GMT at the Royal Victoria Hospital In Wales, a nervous Craig Atkins, 48, from Ebbw Vale, became the first person to get the jab. It was "scary" but he could smile now, the care home worker said Consultant anaesthetist Dr Katie Stewart was among the first people in Scotland to get the jab, saying there was something to celebrate after "a very long hard year" looking after Covid patients and staying apart to protect each other The UK is the first country in the world to start using the Pfizer vaccine after regulators approved its use last week. On Tuesday, US regulators confirmed the vaccine is 95% effective, paving the way for it to be approved for emergency use. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has also been found to be "safe and effective", according to a paper published on Tuesday and assessed by independent scientists. media captionMatt Hancock says he is thrilled but warns that people must still stick to the rules Speaking in the Commons, Health Secretary Matt Hancock stressed people did not need to apply for the vaccine - the NHS would be in touch with those eligible and he urged them to "please step forward for your country". Mr Hancock went on to warn that even while we can see the route out, there was "still a long march ahead", saying there were "worrying signs" of the virus growing in Essex, London and Kent. What are the safety checks for vaccines? Who will get the Covid vaccine first? NHS staff: 'Vaccine is a game changer' More than 60,000 people in the UK have died within 28 days of a Covid-19 test, but there are signs the UK could be at the peak of the pandemic's second wave. New data released by national statisticians for the week ending 27 November showed that of the 14,106 deaths registered, nearly 3,400 involved Covid. This is 20% higher than the five-year average but is similar to the percentages seen in the past two weeks. On a visit to London's Guy's Hospital, Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to 81-year-old Lyn Wheeler, who was the first to receive the vaccine there. "It is really very moving to hear her say she is doing it for Britain, which is exactly right - she is protecting herself but also helping to protect the entire country," Mr Johnson said. Earlier, the prime minister thanked the NHS and "all of the scientists who worked so hard to develop this vaccine", the volunteers and "everyone who has been following the rules to protect others". Labour's shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth said it was "absolutely fabulous" to see people getting the vaccine and thanked everyone involved in making it happen. Some 800,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine have been secured by the government to be administered in the coming weeks - although vaccination is not compulsory. Orders have been placed for 40 million in total - enough for 20 million people, as two courses are needed. However, most of that is not expected to become available until next year, although government sources said another four million doses should arrive in the country by the end of this month. Mr Hancock said he expected it to take "several weeks" to get the first group of health workers, care staff and over-80s vaccinated. Patients over 80 attending hospital as an outpatient, or being discharged home after a hospital stay, will be among the first to receive the jab. Care home providers have been asked to book staff in for vaccinations, and GPs are expected to begin vaccinating care home residents shortly. This is a momentous day, but make no mistake the NHS faces a huge task in rolling out this vaccine. First there needs to be a smooth supply - and already there are reports of manufacturing problems which means the UK is expecting less than half of the 10 million doses of the Pfizer jab it was planning for by the end of the year. The fact it needs to be kept in ultra-cold storage and in batches of 975 units is an added complication that has meant it cannot yet be taken into care homes to vaccinate residents, who are the very highest priority group, or sent out to GPs to run vaccination clinics in the community. NHS bosses hope to receive guidance from the regulator next week on how to get around this. But these factors illustrate why the UK is still pinning its hopes on a second vaccine developed by Oxford University. That one can be kept in fridges and so is easier to distribute, is British made and - what is more - there is an ever-growing stockpile ready to use. If that vaccine gets the green light from regulators, there will be a genuine hope the first few months of 2021 will see rapid progress in offering the most vulnerable jabs so the UK can return to something closer to normality.

Research looking into the most pirated software in the UK has found that creative solutions are the most likely to be downloaded illegally. However, even relatively cheap tools, like WinRAR, have still proved po[CENSORED]r among pirates. IT disposal firm Computer Disposal Limited (CDL) analyzed Google search data by matching hundreds of software names to the terms “torrent” and “download free” in order to discover which applications are most commonly being pirated. CDL found that Adobe software made up the majority of the top 20 most downloaded solutions in the UK, with only two creative platforms in the top 20 not developed by Adobe. This isn’t all that surprising given that Adobe software can be expensive. Here's our list of the best file compression software The best creative software on the market Also, here's our roundup of the best laptops for photo editing A pirate's life for me What is a little unexpected is that when CDL repeated their investigation by looking at worldwide search data, WinRAR came out on top. That’s right, the humble data compression tool that comes with a 40-day free trial that seems to continue indefinitely is apparently the most pirated piece of software in the world. WinRAR taking the top spot was not the only unusual finding to come out of CDL’s research. Free tools, including Malwarebytes and Kaspersky Security Cloud, also scored highly when paired with piracy-related terms. The other irony is that many pirated versions of legitimate software may come packaged with malware, so instead of protecting your device, that illegal download may be leaving you vulnerable to future cyberattacks. Looking at the list of pirated software, it’s clear that price is often a factor. However, even cheap or free tools can’t escape the piracy treatment. Perhaps, some individuals have simply gotten used to taking the illegitimate route to acquire their favorite software, regardless of the security risk involved.

SK Hynix claims its 176-layer 4D NAND flash offers a 33 percent uptick in data transfer speeds. SK Hynix has developed what it is calling the "industry's most multi-layered" 176-layer 4D NAND flash memory, currently offered in 512 gigabit (64GB), triple-level cell (TLC) form. The move to a 176-layer design promises more capacious storage products, including SSDs, with faster speeds to boot. The numbers kind of jump around all over the place, but SK Hynix says the shift to 176-layer NAND increases bit productivity by 35 percent compared to the previous generation (96-layer), while pushing 20 percent faster read speeds of individual cells, and 33 percent faster data transfer speeds. How all that translates to the performance of actual shipping products remains to be seen. To that end, however, SK Hynix alludes to mobile products being the first recipients for 176-layer NAND, with 70 percent faster maximum read speeds and 35 percent faster writes. Those will arrive by the middle of next year, followed by both consumer and enterprise SSD products. Today's NAND flash memory products already utilize a stacked design, hence the 3D designation. But memory makers have taken things about as far as they can go, utilizing floating gates and traditional cell structures. In contrast, 176-layer designs make use of a technology called charge trap flash (CTF). "Unlike floating gate, which stores electric charges in conductors, CTF stores electric charges in insulators, which eliminates interference between cells, improving read and write performance while reducing cell area per unit compared to floating gate technology. Most 3D NAND companies are adopting CTF," SK Hynix explains. The other piece of the puzzle is the location of the control circuitry. In conventional memory designs, this layer sits next to the memory cell structure, but in 3D and what SK Hynix is calling 4D designs, it sits underneath the cell structure. Calling its design "4D" is really a marketing play. "SK hynix has named ‘4D NAND Flash’ to highlight the differentiation that achieves both performance and productivity at the same time by combining CTF cell structure and PUC technology from 96-layer NAND Flash in 2018," SK Hynix says. Incidentally, Micron beat SK Hynix to the punch with a 176-layer design, having announced last month that it had begun shipping the world's first 176-layer NAND, based on a similar overall design to that which SK Hynix is employing. Micron is still calling it 3D NAND, though. Beyond all the marketing and technobabble, the big takeaway is that bigger and faster SSDs are coming, and this is the technology that is behind them.

Preloads for Cyberpunk 2077 are now live on GOG.com, with Steam and the Epic Games Store to follow at 8 am PT/11 am ET/5pm CET today. The release date is December 10 in CD Projekt's home of Poland but, because it's a simultaneous worldwide release on PC and Stadia, some will technically get it a little early. Also, the game is nine whole pence cheaper on GOG than Steam and Epic if you're in the UK. Depending on your timezone, Cyberpunk 2077 will unlock at: 4 pm PT on December 9 / 7 pm ET on December 9 / 12 am GMT on December 10 / 8 am CST on December 10. CD Projekt has pushed Cyberpunk 2077 hard on GOG, for the blindingly simple reason that it owns store and therefore keeps 100 percent of the sale price. Regardless of what platform players purchase the game on, even linking it to GOG nets some in-game rewards. The download comes with an executable file, which got people excited that perhaps CD Projekt Red had somehow screwed-up and released the most-hyped game of recent years early. Trying to play the game this way results in the following screen, as noticed by redditor JMendo02. OK, that's pretty funny. The sense of anticipation is real, and if you want an idea of what to expect here's what we thought after 15 hours in the game. With just a few days to go, time to start preparing.

The new Audi A3 45 TFSIe has gone on sale in Germany as the most powerful plug-in hybrid version of the premium hatchback. Priced from €41,440 (£37,830), the new addition offers a power and performance hike over the existing 40 TFSIe for a premium that will translate to around £3500 when the model arrives in the UK early next year. The plug-in hybrid powertrain, as in the lower-powered A3, marries a turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine to a 107bhp electric motor in the gearbox for combined system outputs of 242bhp and 295lb ft. This is the same as in the A3 45 TFSIe's Cupra Leon e-Hybrid sibling. Boosts of 41bhp and 37lb ft enable the top-rung A3 hybrid to accelerate from 0-62mph in 6.8sec - a 0.8sec improvement over the 40 TFSIe - and achieve a top speed of 144mph. Electric-only range is a WLTP-certified 39.1 miles, but full consumption and emissions figures are yet to be released. Aside from the performance-enhancing software tweaks, the more powerful A3 hybrid is mechanically identical to its sibling. Power is still sent to the front wheels through a six-speed automatic gearbox and the 13.0kWh battery under the rear seats still accepts a maximum charging speed of 2.9kW. A full charge can be achieved from a 230V outlet in around five hours. Drive is split automatically between the electric and combustion motors in Auto Hybrid mode, while Battery Hold and Battery Charge prioritise the engine to preserve the energy in the battery. Full EV mode can be selected when the battery has adequate charge. Inside, save for the integration of EV-specific displays for the MMI touchscreen, the 45 TFSIe is unchanged from the standard A3. From outside, it's marked out by is black grille and trim elements, 17in brake discs with red callipers and standard-fit privacy glass.

There are few football experiences capable of stirring the emotions more than listening to 'You'll Never Walk Alone' being sung by Anfield's Kop. Sunday evening at approximately 19:13 GMT provided one of those lump-in-the-throat moments. This wasn't the first match in England to welcome fans back to stadiums. It was only number 27 on a list that - pilots excepted - began at Carlisle United on Wednesday. But as the first bars of the Gerry and the Pacemakers hit that is forever entwined with Liverpool Football Club were heard over the public address system, it felt symbolic. Two-hundred-and-seventy-one days since it was last sung in this stadium, at a Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid at the start of the pandemic, 2,000 Liverpool fans belted it out with gusto before the match with Wolves. Liverpool ease to victory over Wolves Kane & Son goals see off Arsenal Six supporters' stories as crowds return Wolves players wear T-shirts in support of Jimenez Fans are back and Spurs are on top "I had goosebumps," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after the 4-0 victory. "I had no idea what to expect from the warm-up or when they started 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. Having all that without a football match would have been great. After 10 months it was very emotional." There were 50,000 more people here on that night on March 11, when Atletico knocked Klopp's team out of Europe, but it didn't feel like there was such a difference in sheer numbers. Those lucky enough to get a ticket for the visit of Wolves in a ballot that was inevitably massively oversubscribed made as much noise as they could, their arms raised holding aloft those familiar red and white scarves as they sang. "I wanted to cry with joy when I found out I had been successful," said Amanda, a key worker from Liverpool who got to the ground early and waited patiently for her slot to enter. "It felt like the first match I have ever been to." She was not alone. A few fans I spoke to beforehand said the same thing. Klopp, who has an intimate relationship with Liverpool supporters and went to them after the final whistle to do his customary fist pumps of celebration following the win, agreed. "I get it, 100%," he said. 'We feared it might be void' Such a lot has happened in the period between fans being inside Anfield. Liverpool ended their 30-year wait for the title for a start. "That was so hard," said Amanda. "I had a seat in the second row in the Kop for what would have been the last game. It was horrible. We thought the season might be voided so we accepted not being there, but it was hard." Klopp has promised a bus parade "when the time is right". In the meantime, little things are reminding fans of Liverpool's epic 2019-20 season as well as hinting that more 'normal' times are returning. It was the first game Liverpool fans had seen their side play as champions, complete with appropriate merchandise At a beer kiosk in the Main Stand, which was closed even though a small percentage of the fans with tickets were sat in that section, a drawing that shows off Liverpool's 44 major trophies has evidently been updated since June. It now has the old Football League Championship trophy next to the Premier League equivalent, with the number 19 under them both. As the teams prepared to come out of the tunnel 'Bring on the champions' was sung. That new refrain - able to now be sung by Liverpool fans for the first time in three decades - mixed with familiar chants of 'Liverpool, Liverpool' and 'Ole, Ole, Ole' as the game settled in to an equally familiar pattern. Mo Salah scoring the opening goal also surely felt to all present like it was a case of business returning to usual and so was the sound of Wolves skipper Conor Coady - despite being a former Liverpool player and with a strong accent to boot - being on the receiving end of some vitriol for a 'dive' that earned a penalty that was eventually overturned. I would have watched Everton tonight…..actually, maybe Tranmere Providing no injuries come to light in the post-match debrief, Klopp labelled it "a perfect night". It was easy to understand why he felt that. Georginio Wijnaldum's fine strike made it 2-0, a header by Joel Matip added a third and Nelson Semedo's own goal emphatically took care of a Wolves side badly missing Raul Jimenez. Klopp became visibly emotional when he talked about the return of fans after Sunday's game Jordan Henderson, the man who has lifted the Champions League and Premier League in the past two seasons, was able to acknowledge the appreciation of fans when he was substituted nine minutes from the end of Liverpool's biggest win over Wolves since 1968. Stadium announcer George Sephton - who has seen and heard it all at Anfield down the decades - said at half time "I have never heard as much row from 2,000 people in my life, well done" and at full-time signed off with "keep safe - we will see you back here very soon". "Hopefully we can build on this," said Klopp. "It's like the people who invented the vaccine. It is not ready for everyone yet but it is something to look forward to." Amid the elation about being back at Anfield, there was also some reflection. All those I spoke to were here that night against Atletico. They all mentioned conversations that took place before the game with friends or colleagues who wondered if being there was wise. "I had a pint with a few lads beforehand," said John Edge, another local fan. "It didn't cross my mind at the time but in hindsight, it was crazy to let so many people come over from Madrid when it was at its peak over there." Liverpool's players were able to applaud fans at the final whistle for the first time in nine months Graham Stewart concurred: "I was with four Liverpool fans who came from Spain. It didn't feel right in any sense." Stewart was in Finland for Liverpool's return to European competition in 1991 after their six-year ban. "That was a weird experience," he said. "It felt a bit like tonight, a landmark game for Liverpool." Those lucky to be here won't be back for a bit. Even though the ballot was only opened to fans living in the Liverpool region, there are a few lots of 2,000 to get through before anyone will get a second chance. But after six months without football, that didn't really matter. Anything would have been acceptable on Sunday night. Almost anything. "I would have watched Everton tonight," said Amanda, before a quick rethink. "Well, maybe Tranmere."

A satellite-controlled machine-gun with "artificial intelligence" was used to kill Iran's top nuclear scientist, a Revolutionary Guards commander says. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was shot dead in a convoy outside Tehran on 27 November. Brig-Gen Ali Fadavi told local media that the weapon, mounted in a pick-up truck, was able to fire at Fakhrizadeh without hitting his wife beside him. The claim could not be verified. Iran has blamed Israel and an exiled opposition group for the attack. How will Iran respond to nuclear scientist's killing? What were the motives behind the killing? After Trump, what will Biden do about Iran? Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility. How was Fakhrizadeh killed? The Iranian authorities have put out conflicting accounts of how the scientist was gunned down as he travelled in a car through the town of Absard. On the day of the attack, the defence ministry said there was a gunfight between Fakhrizadeh's bodyguards and several gunmen. One Iranian report quoted witnesses as saying that "three to four individuals, who are said to have been terrorists, were killed". A Nissan pick-up was also said to have exploded at the scene. In a speech at Fakhrizadeh's funeral, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council said it was actually a remote attack, using "special methods" and "electronic equipment". But he provided no further details. Gen Fadavi, the deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards, told a ceremony in Tehran on Sunday that a machine-gun mounted on the Nissan pick-up was "equipped with an intelligent satellite system which zoomed in on martyr Fakhrizadeh" and "was using artificial intelligence". image captionA remote-controlled machine-gun fired 13 bullets at Mohsen Fakhrizadeh's car, according to Brig-Gen Ali Fadavi The machine-gun "focused only on martyr Fakhrizadeh's face in a way that his wife, despite being only 25cm [10 inches] away, was not shot", he said. The general reiterated that no human assailants had been present at the scene, saying that "in total 13 bullets were fired and all of them were shot from the [weapon] in the Nissan". Four bullets struck Fakhrizadeh's head of security "as he threw himself" on the scientist, he added. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has vowed to avenge the assassination, demanding the "definitive punishment" of those behind it. media captionMohsen Fakhrizadeh was buried in Tehran following his assassination on Friday On Friday, Israeli public radio reported that Israeli security officials had warned some former nuclear scientists to be cautious. The experts used to work at the reactor in Dimona, a top secret nuclear site deep in the Negev desert. The Israeli government did not comment on the report, which came a day after the Israeli foreign ministry told Israeli citizens travelling in the Middle East and Africa to be vigilant in light of what it called threats from "Iranian elements". The claims made about the attack being carried out using such a sophisticated high-tech weapon are as alarming as they are dystopian. It's worth stressing that they have not been verified by anybody. The use of AI in conflict is a concept that has worried many scientists for some time. In 2015, the late Professor Stephen Hawking was one of 1,000 scientists who signed an open letter calling for a ban on the development of artificial intelligence for military use. However, on this occasion, Iran's claims have been greeted with scepticism. Analyst Tom Withington, who specialises in electronic warfare, said the reports should be treated with "a healthy pinch of salt", and added that Iran's description appeared to be little more than a collection of "cool buzzwords" designed to suggest that only a supremely mighty force could possibly have succeeded in this mission. Professor Noel Sharkey, a member of the Campaign Against Killer Robots, said the consequences of military forces having access to such weapons would have "unimaginable consequences". "If such devices were autonomous, using face-recognition to pinpoint and kill people, we would be on a downhill roll that would entirely disrupt global security," he said. Why was the scientist a target? Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was head of Iran's Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research, known by its Persian acronym SPND. Israeli and Western security sources say he was instrumental in Iran's nuclear programme. They believe the physics professor led "Project Amad", a covert programme that Iran allegedly established in 1989 to carry out research on a potential nuclear bomb. The project was shut down in 2003, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. media captionIn 2018, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled what he claimed to be Iran's secret atomic archive However, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said in 2018 that documents obtained by his country showed Fakhrizadeh led a programme that was secretly continuing Project Amad's work. Iran insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful and that it has never sought a nuclear weapon. Analysts have speculated that assassination of Fakhrizadeh was not meant to cripple the Iranian nuclear programme but rather to put an end to the prospect of the US rejoining the 2015 Iran nuclear deal when President-elect Joe Biden takes office next year.

AMD's Ryzen 7 5800X slots into AMD's Zen 3-powered product stack with eight cores and sixteen threads, serving as the mainstream workhorse of the Ryzen 5000 series processors that have taken our list of Best CPUs by storm. Powered by the Zen 3 architecture that delivers a ~19% increase in instruction per cycle (IPC) throughput, the Ryzen 7 5800X delivers the impressive gains over the previous-gen models that we've come to expect, resetting our performance expectations for an eight-core processor. However, balancing a product stack is all about selecting the right price point for any given chip, and the Ryzen 7 5800X's relatively high price point ($50 more than the previous-gen model) puts it into contention with bruising competition from within AMD's own product stack and also allows Intel's $374 Core i7-10700K to slot in as a value alternative. The $449 Ryzen 7 5800X is the next step up the ladder from the $299 six-core 12-thread Ryzen 5 5600X, the best gaming CPU for the money, but the 5800X provides roughly the same gaming performance for $150 more. AMD also stopped bundling air coolers with its chips with a TDP rating that exceeds 65W, so the 105W Ryzen 7 5800X comes without what used to be one of AMD's most prized value-adds for the Ryzen 7 series – the Wraith Prism RGB cooler. AMD's cooler-less Ryzen 5000 series models require a 280mm AIO cooler (or equivalent air cooler), adding plenty of cost into the equation. That will likely dissuade gaming-focused enthusiasts from dropping the extra cash for the 5800X's two additional cores that don't deliver meaningful gaming performance gains over the Ryzen 5 5600X. Conversely, the $549 Ryzen 9 5900X is an alluring chip for the productivity-minded. The 5900X comes armed with 12 cores and 24 threads for $100 more than the 5600X, and the extra four cores and eight threads equate to ~37% more performance in threaded workloads for 22% more cash. The Ryzen 9 5900X is also the fastest gaming chip in the Zen-3 powered stack, so there aren't any tradeoffs from moving up to the competitively-priced 12-core model. AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Processor Competition Zen 3 Ryzen 5000 Series Processors RCP (MSRP) Cores/Threads Base/Boost Freq. TDP L3 Cache Ryzen 9 5950X $799 16 / 32 3.4 / 4.9 105W 64MB (2x32) Core i9-10980XE $815 (retail) 18 / 36 3.0 / 4.8 165W 24.75MB Ryzen 9 3950X $749 16 / 32 3.5 / 4.7 105W 64MB (4x16) Ryzen 9 5900X $549 12 / 24 3.7 / 4.8 105W 64MB (2x32) Core i9-10900K / F $488 - $472 10 / 20 3.7 / 5.3 125W 20MB Ryzen 9 3900XT $499 12 / 24 3.9 / 4.7 105W 64MB (4x16) Ryzen 7 5800X $449 8 / 16 3.8 / 4.7 105W 32MB (2x16) Core i9-10850K $453 10 / 20 3.6 / 5.2 95W 20MB Core i7-10700K / F $374 - $349 8 / 16 3.8 / 5.1 125W 16MB Ryzen 7 3800XT $399 8 / 16 3.9 / 4.7 105W 32MB (2x16) Ryzen 5 5600X $299 6 / 12 3.7 / 4.6 65W 32MB (1x32) Core i5-10600K / F $262 - $237 6 / 12 4.1 / 4.8 125W 12MB Ryzen 5 3600XT $249 6 / 12 3.8 / 4.5 95W 32MB (1x32) Intel's $440 Core i9-10850K comes into the picture with ten cores and 20 threads. This chip serves as the gaming equivalent to the $490 Core i9-10900K and is $10 cheaper than the Ryzen 7 5800X. The aging Skylake microarchitecture doesn't have enough gas left in the tank to match the Ryzen 7 5800X's stellar performance in gaming or lightly-threaded work, but it does offer roughly 3% more performance in threaded performance. Given its other deficiencies, we don't see Core i9's extra threaded horsepower wooing away many Ryzen 7 5800X shoppers. AMD's Zen 3 suffers from a noticeable gap in its product stack: Based upon product naming alone, it appears there is a missing Ryzen 7 5700X to plug the $150 hole in the stack, but we aren't sure if AMD will actually bring a 5700X to market. For now, that gap allows the $374 Core i7-10700K to weigh in as a cheaper alternative to the 5800X, but you'll make plenty of tradeoffs for the lower price point. Given the 10700K's low price point, it makes a solid value alternative - just be aware that you'll sacrifice performance for the lower price point. AMD's premium pricing could be a disadvantage if Intel becomes more aggressive on pricing, but AMD's suggested selling prices rarely manifest at retail, and continuing shortages have found Ryzen 5000 chips selling far over recommended pricing. History indicates that, given sufficient supply, AMD's processors typically retail for far less than the official price points. That makes it hard to predict how pricing will shake out over the next months as supply normalizes. Meanwhile, Intel's response won't come until the first quarter of 2021 when its Rocket Lake chips blast off. These new chips bring a back-ported Cypress Cove architecture that grants a “double-digit” IPC increase paired with Intel's never-ending line of 14nm chips. Early indicators point to these chips flaunting their own impressive gains in per-core performance. Intel's Rocket Lake tops out at eight cores, so while those chips won't be able to challenge AMD's core-heavy Ryzen 9 processors, they could be worthy rivals for AMD's Ryzen 7 and 5 models. For now, Zen 3 has caught Intel flat-footed with its Comet Lake chips, so you should only consider them as alternatives if they're retailing below the official MSRPs. Ryzen 7 5800X Specifications and Pricing The Ryzen 5000 series processors come as four models that span from six cores and twelve threads up to 16 cores and 32 threads. With the exception of the Ryzen 7 5800X, AMD increased its Precision Boost clock rates across the board. However, the Ryzen 7 5800X has the same 4.7 GHz boost clock as its predecessor, the Ryzen 7 3800XT. As before, AMD only guarantees its boost frequencies on a single core, and all-core boosts will vary based on the cooling solution, power delivery, and motherboard firmware. Given sufficient accommodations, the chips could exceed their specified boost clocks - our Ryzen 7 5800X sample frequently boosted to 4.85 GHz on a single core, which is well above the rated 4.7 GHz boost. It's clear that AMD has spec'd the Ryzen 5000 processors conservatively. AMD also reduced Zen 3's base frequencies compared to the previous-gen processors. For instance, the Ryzen 7 5800X comes with a 3.8 GHz base frequency compared to the previous-gen 3800XT's 3.9 GHz, but that isn't a meaningful distinction in practice. AMD says that if you top the chip with an adequate cooler, it will rarely (if ever) drop to the base frequency. We recorded many cases of a 4.5 GHz all-core boost with the Ryzen 7 5800X, which certainly wasn't possible with the previous-gen chips. We'll cover that more in-depth below. AMD Ryzen 5000 Series CPUs Zen 3 Ryzen 5000 Series Processors RCP (MSRP) Cores/Threads Base/Boost Freq. TDP L3 Cache Ryzen 9 5950X $799 16 / 32 3.4 / 4.9 GHz 105W 64MB (2x32) Ryzen 9 5900X $549 12 / 24 3.7 / 4.8 GHz 105W 64MB (2x32) Ryzen 7 5800X $449 8 / 16 3.8 / 4.7 GHz 105W 32MB (1x32) Ryzen 5 5600X $299 6 / 12 3.7 / 4.6 GHz 65W 32MB (1x32) The Ryzen chips continue to expose 20 lanes of PCIe 4.0 to the user and stick with DDR4-3200 memory as the base spec. However, if the silicon lottery shines upon you, we found that the chips offer much better memory overclocking due to improved fabric overclocking capabilities. We achieved DDR4-3800 with a 1:1 memory/fabric clock ratio, which wasn't possible with the previous-gen Ryzen 7 3800XT, but still short of the DDR4-4000 we achieved with the Ryzen 9 5900X. Overall the 500-series motherboard firmwares are mature, but there is continuing development on the memory and fabric overclocking front. That means we could see further improvements here with newer BIOS updates. The Ryzen 5000 chips drop into existing AM4 motherboards with 500-series chipsets, like X570, B550, and A520 models. AMD is adding support for 400-series motherboards starting in Q1, 2021, but that comes with a few restrictions. Regardless, some motherboard vendors have jumped ahead and already offer support on 400-series motherboards, so that initiative is well underway. Just remember that you'll lose support for the PCIe 4.0 interface on those older motherboards. We've covered AMD's Zen 3 microarchitecture more in-depth in our Ryzen 9 5950X and 5900X review. The highlight reel is that AMD has unified its L3 cache into one 32MB contiguous cluster, which vastly reduces memory latency, thus boosting performance in latency-sensitive workloads, like gaming. AMD also made a number of fine-grained optimizations to the microarchitecture. Advertisement AMD leverages its existing Ryzen SoC for the 5000 series chips. Zen 3 uses the same 12nm I/O Die (IOD) paired with either one or two 8-core chiplets (CCD) in an MCM (Multi-Chip Module) configuration. For the Ryzen 7 5800X, the chip comes with one CCD with all eight cores enabled, while CPUs with 12 or 16 cores come with two chiplets. The IOD still contains the same memory controllers, PCIe, and other interfaces that connect the SoC to the outside world. Just like with the Matisse chips, the IOD measures ~125mm^2 and has 2.09 billion transistors. The chiplets have been redesigned, however, and now measure ~80.7mm^2 and have 4.15 billion transistors. That's slightly larger than Zen 2's CCDs with ~74mm^2 of silicon and 3.9 billion transistors. For more details of the magic behind the 19% increase in IPC, head here. Test Setup and Ryzen 7 5800X Overclocking We've included our test system breakdown at the end of the article, and we also have the frequency, boost, and thermal testing following the gaming and application testing below. Much like their previous-gen counterparts, the Ryzen 5000 series processors rarely achieve all-core overclocks that exceed the single-core boost frequency, so manual all-core overclocking results in less performance in lightly-threaded tasks. As such, we stuck with AMD's Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO), which boosts performance in multi-core workloads while maintaining the high single-core boost clocks. AMD has also announced its new Precision Boost Overdrive 2, which confers a slight performance boost in single-threaded work while also improving multi-threaded performance. Final BIOS revisions with the new feature roll out later this month, so be aware that our testing below leverages the standard Precision Boost Overdrive feature. We've had great results with memory overclocking with the Ryzen 5000 series. However, while motherboard firmware is solid for stock and general overclocking use, it is still very much a work in progress for fabric overclocking. That impacts the peak memory frequencies you can attain while still using the 1:1:1 fclk/uclk/mclk ratio that provides the best results. We've reached DDR4-4000 with a 2000 MHz fabric with other Ryzen 5000 processors, but we're limited to a 1900 MHz fabric speed for the Ryzen 7 5800X. As such, we dialed in DDR4-3800 at 16-16-16-36 timings for our 5800X PBO configuration. We had to dial the CCD and IOD voltage to 1.15V to stabilize the fabric frequency. We conducted our testing with Windows 10 Pro (2004 build 19041.450) with the newest versions of each benchmark - with the exception of Cinebench R23 and v-ray 5, both of which recently launched. We'll add those tests in future reviews.

Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age was the first mainline game in the Dragon Quest series to arrive on Steam—part of a move intended to broaden its appeal in the west. It's a traditional JRPG with, as our reviewer noted at the time, a "slightly tinny MIDI soundtrack", though a mod that replaced it with orchestral versions of the same tracks soon appeared. That version, the "Digital Edition of Light", is no longer available for sale. Owners can still download it, and its Steam page still exists, though it notes, "At the request of the publisher, DRAGON QUEST® XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age™ - Digital Edition of Light is unlisted on the Steam store and will not appear in search." Instead, customers are directed toward the page for the newly released Dragon Quest 11 S: Definitive Edition. It adds more companion-related quests, a photo mode, and a host of other changes including the option to choose Japanese voice acting, play in 16-bit 2D rather than 3D, speed up battles, and hear a full orchestral version of the soundtrack. It's also a port of the Switch version, which means it's a bit of a graphical downgrade. It'll run at a higher resolution than the Switch version, and at a higher framerate, so it comes down to how much it bothers you that things like water don't look as nice. The real kicker is that there's no way for owners of the original version to upgrade to the new one, with no discount for them on its $US40 price. As a result, Steam user reviews for the original PC version have dropped from Very Positive to Mixed, with comments like, "Fantastic game, but offering no upgrade path for people who bought this version is absolutely ridiculous" and "I think that the developer should be ashamed of this tactic". Dragon Quest 11 S is also available on Humble, Epic, and Game Pass for PC.

The Blades looked set to secure only their second point of the season when Oli McBurnie scored his first of the campaign after Ayoze Perez had given the visitors the lead. However, the Foxes never looked like wanting to settle for a point in their pursuit of a Champions League spot. With moments of the match remaining, James Maddison fed in Vardy, who scampered clear of the home defence and slotted his shot past Aaron Ramsdale. The 33-year-old boyhood fan of Blades' rivals Sheffield Wednesday celebrated by running to the corner flag and snapping it with his boot. Earlier, Vardy and Maddison both came close with fierce efforts that struck the Blades' right-hand upright. Oliver Burke had United's only other chance of note when he slipped with just Kasper Schmeichel to beat. Reaction to Sheff Utd v Leicester City, plus the rest of Sunday's Premier League action Lawro's predictions v Sister Bliss from Faithless Blades' situation becoming critical Last season must have seemed like a dream to some Blades supporters. Chris Wilder's men were among the European places for much of their first campaign back in the top flight before falling away in the home straight. However, few would have thought those tail-end results would be the first symptoms of 'second-season syndrome'. United still remain difficult to beat, having only twice lost by more than one goal in the league this season but it is at the other end where they have suffered - it was only four goals in 10 games with a conversion rate of 4.2% before Sunday's game. So when Burke fluffed his lines with just Schmeichel to beat midway through the first half, it seemed like Groundhog Day for the home side; the feeling exacerbated when Perez thrashed in the Foxes' opener. Spirits were lifted when McBurnie equalised soon after from a corner for his first in the competition in 15 appearances and after 20 efforts on goal. However, instead of building on that, the Blades reverted to type by focusing on soaking up pressure from their opponents. Just when they thought Brendan Rodgers' cavalier side had thrown everything at them, they were undone by the flashing blade that is Vardy. It is now one point from a possible 33. Wilder has produced near miracles at the clubs he has managed, but surely this situation is impossible to turn around.

The UK and EU have restarted talks on post-Brexit trade, with a minister telling the BBC there is "still a deal to be done" despite time running short. But Environment Secretary George Eustice said "sticking points" on fishing and business rules remained. UK chief negotiator Lord Frost is taking part in discussions with EU counterpart Michel Barnier in Brussels. Ireland's foreign minister has said it is "in everybody's interest" to reach an agreement soon. Border checks and taxes will be introduced for goods travelling between the UK and the EU if a trade deal is not reached and ratified by the end of the year. But the two sides still disagree over access to UK waters by the EU's fishing fleets - an issue which erupted last week, with the UK accusing the EU of making extra "last-minute" demands. They are also in dispute over what measures there should be to ensure a "level playing field" for businesses on both sides. What are the sticking points in Brexit trade talks? Brexit: What is a level playing field? Vaccine rollout 'ready' for any Brexit outcome Mr Eustice told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "There's still a deal to be done, but there's no denying that the end of last week was quite a setback." He added: "The sticking points remain - quite fundamental ones. We've been clear all along that we can only do an agreement if it respects our sovereignty." Mr Eustice also said: "I think we probably are now in the final few days in terms of deciding whether there can be an agreement." The EU wants this deal. A no-deal scenario would be costly for EU businesses - a nightmare for European fishing communities, largely dependent on access to UK waters. So the German car industry and others must be lobbying EU governments hard to use these two extra days of talks to finally seal the deal, right? Wrong. The UK government isn't the only one briefing that no deal "is better than a bad deal". EU countries that do most trade with the UK, like France, the Netherlands and Belgium, say that too. This week they piled the pressure on those representing them in negotiations not to give "too much" away. France threatens to use its veto, while Germany speaks softly of red lines and compromise. The tone is different; the message the same. The EU priority is to protect its single market in a deal with the UK. It insists the government must sign up to "fair competition rules" and an agreed method to enforce them, before it gets better access to the single market than any other non-EU country not closely aligned to the bloc. During this last-minute negotiating push, EU governments say they're mindful not to sign up to a deal in a panicked rush. If push comes to shove, they say, they prefer the short-term pain of no deal, in order to protect their longer-term interests: not exposing their businesses to what they view as unfair competition in their own single market. But EU fingers are tightly crossed a compromise can still be found. Arriving in Brussels, Lord Frost said: "We're working very hard to try and get a deal. We're going to see what happens in negotiations today." Sunday's meeting follows talks between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday. In a joint statement afterwards they said fishing rights, competition rules and how any deal would be enforced were still causing problems, and that "no agreement is feasible if these issues are not resolved". They have agreed to talk again on Monday evening. Brexit - The basics Brexit happened but rules didn't change at once: The UK left the European Union on 31 January but leaders needed time to negotiate a deal for life afterwards - they got 11 months Talks are on again: The UK and the EU have until 31 December to agree a trade deal as well as other things, such as fishing rights If there is no deal: Border checks and taxes will be introduced for goods travelling between the UK and the EU. But deal or no deal, we will still see changes What happens next with Brexit? Speaking to Ireland's Sunday Independent newspaper, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said: "We are more likely to get a deal than not because I think it's in everybody's interest." He added that reports the EU had hardened its negotiating stance at France's behest were inaccurate. But Mr Eustice said revised demands from the bloc on fishing rights last week meant talks had "gone backwards". He added the UK was "asking for a normal type of trade agreement such as the one [the EU] put together with Canada" and that this was "really not too much to ask". It's not over, not yet. The two sides in this complicated and drawn out process have agreed that it is worth trying one last time to find a way through their profound differences. But the statements from the prime minister and the EU chief, Ursula von der Leyen, signal clearly that a trade deal is out of reach right now - spelling out that if no-one budges in the next few days, it's simply not going to happen. A feature of Brexit negotiations has often been the last-minute stand-off, the political emergency, before suddenly, lo and behold, a deal emerges from the wreckage. By Monday night, that tradition may have been proven again. Yet it seems there is a lot more to be done than ironing out a few last minute glitches. Read more from Laura here. Mr Barnier tweeted after Saturday's statement was published, saying: "We will see if there is a way forward." But, even if the two sides agree a deal, there are still obstacles to overcome. Any agreement will need to be turned into legal text and translated into all EU languages, then ratified by the European Parliament. The UK government is likely to introduce legislation implementing parts of any deal reached, which MPs will be able to vote on. For Labour, shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves told the Andrew Marr Show the government "has to deliver" a deal but her party would "have to see the content" before backing or rejecting it. The 27 EU national parliaments could also need to ratify an agreement - depending on the actual contents of the deal. The week to come And on Monday, the UK Internal Market Bill will return to the House of Commons. Certain clauses could allow the government to break international law, by overriding elements of the original treaty with the EU for Brexit - the withdrawal agreement. The EU is unhappy with it, as is the House of Lords, which voted to scrap those clauses of the bill. But the government is still backing its measures, which could cause tensions in the trade talks, and it is expected to push them through the Commons on Monday night. The Taxation (Post-Transition Period) Bill - which contains more powers to break the legal requirements of the withdrawal agreement - will also return to the Commons this week.

v1,text,blur

Pro for gfx helper

We look ahead to 2021 manufacturer-by-manufacturer as a raft of all-new models, nip and tucks and range overhaul await us... first up, YAMAHA As 2020 draws to a conclusion, most can perhaps agree that 2021 cannot come soon enough for reasons that inevitably don’t need too much explaining here. However, as with every turn of year, in a motorcycle sense it means there are myriad new models on their way imminently as previewed in a flurry of recent launches in lieu of the cancelled 2020 EICMA showpiece. From sportsbikes, to tourers, to mid-capacity roadsters, to urban runarounds - you’re not short of brand new options for 2021 regardless of what you’re in the market for. Indeed, it was a bumper crop this year with a number of models requiring updates in order to meet new Euro5 emissions regulations, prompting most manufacturers to use it as an opportunity to provide a mid-cycle nip and tuck. Here we’ll group them together by manufacturer, just hit the links for more details of each new model. First up today is YAMAHA Naked Having only just gotten round to rolling out the erstwhile design language its many models in the MT naked range, Yamaha has nonetheless dived straight into a new one to mark the arrival of the MT-09, one of its most important models in terms of sales. More importantly though, the MT-09 gets a new three-cylinder 889cc engine, upgraded tech and a tweaked chassis in an effort to maintain its strong following around the world, while the more honed SP flagship has also been updated. Not to be outdone, the MT-07 gets a lighter update but receives its own new face as it bids to contend with a new rival in the Triumph Trident. While you can expect to see Yamaha roll out the new look across the MT range at some stage, the top of the range MT-10, plus the recently launched MT-03 and MT-125 continue on into 2021 as they are, while Yamaha is still advertising the current MT-07 and MT-09 so expect some sizeable end-of-line discounts to be had. Adventure & Touring Following on from the launch of the new Yamaha Tracer 700 last year, the larger ‘900’ version - now to be known as the Yamaha Tracer 9 - has taken centre stage for 2020. Joining the aforementioned MT-09 in making use of a new three-cylinder 890cc engine, the Tracer 9 with come in standard and GT guise, promising even greater versatility from one of the market's most accomplished all round performers. Meanwhile, the Yamaha Tracer 700 (now the ‘7’) has also added a GT variant for greater practicality. Further up the range, the big and bold FJR tourer ranges remain intact heading into 2021, while the opinion dividing Niken remains Yamaha’s oddity option if you are so inclined. Meanwhile, the Adventure line-up continues on as it was into 2021, led by the po[CENSORED]r Tenere 700, which now comes with a smart Dakar Rally retro-inspired livery.

Pep Guardiola's side recorded their now annual 5-0 home win over Burnley last weekend and were similarly dominant, albeit a bit wasteful against the Cottagers to move three points behind league-leaders Tottenham. Raheem Sterling and Kevin de Bruyne laid the platform for the win, with the latter setting up the former to slot in the opening goal. The roles were then reversed with the England winger tripped in the box by Joachim Andersen to allow the Belgian midfielder to score from the penalty spot. The pair could easily have had another four goals between them but Fulham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola made a string of good saves, while De Bruyne also struck the bar with a shot. It is the first time this campaign that City have won back-to-back league matches and it lifts them to a spot in the table more in keeping of a side with title aspirations. Fulham spent most of the game repelling attacks, but at least tried to ask questions of the home side, as they did to far greater effect at Leicester on Monday. An eighth defeat of the season means the Cottagers remain 17th in the table, one point better off than West Brom and Burnley, both of whom have played a game less. Live text commentary of Man City v Fulham, plus the rest of Saturday's Premier League action Lawro's predictions v Sister Bliss from Faithless Pep reaches 700 as City make their move This was City boss Pep Guardiola's 700th game as a manager, during which he has won 29 major trophies in 11 seasons, including two Premier League titles with City. Their inconsistent form in the early stages of this campaign has prompted some to question whether they are capable of reclaiming the English top-flight crown, which they relinquished to Liverpool last season. The critics may not be entirely won over by successive victories over such vastly inferior opposition as Burnley and Fulham, but they cannot deny the ease with which they were dispatched. Nor can they ignore the small signs of that confident swagger returning to City's play nor the ominous stamping of authority on both games by De Bruyne, who scored his first league goal since the opening day win over Wolves and made it 14 assists in 2020 - more than any other Premier League player. City weren't perfect - this should have at least matched the scoreline against Burnley - and there are bigger challenges to come, not least of all at Manchester United in their next league fixture, but with some stars rediscovering their form and Sergio Aguero reportedly soon to return from injury, another title challenge from Guardiola's side is well under way. As for Fulham, you could forgive them for viewing this as something of a free hit, especially after having claimed a morale-boosting second win of the season earlier in the week. Their season was never going to be defined by a fixture against an opponent who have now beaten them 10 times in a row by an aggregate of 29-3. They failed to produce a meaningful effort at goal bar a couple of speculative Ivan Cavaleiro shots, but will be pleased at the determination and discipline they showed in not crumbling after Sterling's early opener. Things don't get any easier for Scott Parker's side, though. Up next: champions Liverpool. Guardiola with a 72% win percentage This was Man City boss Pep Guardiola's 700th match in charge in his managerial career (W507 D111 L82), while it was his 250th in all competitions with the Citizens (W179 D34 L37). Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 16 meetings with Fulham in all competitions (W13 D3), winning the last 10 in a row by an aggregate score of 29-3. Fulham have conceded more goals than any other Premier League side this season (21), with no side conceding in more different games than the Cottagers (10). Manchester City have scored as many goals over their last two Premier League games as they had in their previous seven in the competition (7). This was the first time Manchester City didn't make a single substitute in a Premier League match since April 2005, in a 2-2 draw with Charlton Athletic. Since joining Manchester City in 2015, Kevin De Bruyne has both scored and assisted a goal in 16 different Premier League games - no player has done so more in that time (level with Mohamed Salah). Man City's Raheem Sterling has won 20 penalties in the Premier League, more than any other player in the competition's history. Man City's Kevin de Bruyne has been involved in more shots than any other Premier League player this season (62 - 34 shots, 28 chances created), with the Belgian involved in eight against Fulham this afternoon (6 shots, 2 chances created).

Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen are to speak later as they try to break the post-Brexit trade deal stalemate. The leaders were called in after negotiators for the two sides said "significant divergences" remained following a week of intensive talks. "If there is still a way, we will see," EU negotiator Michel Barnier said. Sticking points include fishing rights, rules on state subsidies for business and arrangements for policing any deal. The UK left the EU on 31 January but remains under EU trading rules until a transition period ends on 31 December. One source close to the negotiations on the UK side suggested there had been a more optimistic outlook earlier in the week but pointed to demands for EU fishing boats to have 10-year access to UK waters as one issue that derailed progress - as had been reported in the Telegraph. BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the pattern of recent UK negotiations with the EU was for victory to be snatched from the verge of defeat at the very last moment - but that one member of the government was now putting the chances of a deal at around 50-50. She said it would be complacent to think it would all automatically fall into place after a last bit of political scrapping. Speaking to reporters in London as he prepared to return to Brussels, Mr Barnier said: "We keep calm, as always, and if there is still a way, we will see." Brexit - The basics Brexit happened but rules didn't change at once: The UK left the European Union on 31 January but leaders needed time to negotiate a deal for life afterwards - they got 11 months. Talks are happening: The UK and the EU have until 31 December to agree a trade deal as well as other things, such as fishing rights. If there is no deal: Border checks and taxes will be introduced for goods travelling between the UK and the EU. But deal or no deal, we will still see changes. What happens next with Brexit? France's Europe minister suggested his country could veto a deal if it was not satisfied. French President Emmanuel Macron has been keen to ensure the fishing industry will not lose too much access to British waters. But Belgian MEP Philippe Lamberts said the fishing issue had been "overdone" by both the UK and France, adding: "We should cut it down to size. It should not be allowed to derail a good deal." Mr Lamberts said the main issues that remain were competition and governance. He said: "These are much more important and this is a very tough nut to crack, and it will really depend on whether Boris Johnson wants to limit the economic damage caused by Brexit." Meanwhile, the spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there was "always room for compromise". And Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said he "fervently hoped" a trade deal can be agreed. Former UK Brexit Secretary David Davis told BBC Breakfast the probability of a deal was "still high" but there would be compromise on both sides and the "big decisions won't be this afternoon between the prime minister and president of the commission but in wires running hot between Berlin and Paris and other capitals". He said: "My suspicion is when it gets to the end of the month there is no time to ratify... so they will have to do some sort of freeze in place of current customs arrangements to take us through the few months until everybody from the European Parliament to the Walloon parliament actually give their opinion." Positive-minded readers might consider that, even if the EU-UK deal were almost agreed, the European Commission president and arguably, especially Boris Johnson, who has aligned himself so personally to "getting Brexit done", would want to put their personal stamp on things. Confirmation that they will call each other on Saturday afternoon could therefore be seen as a "good" sign. Although sources in the EU and UK warn not to expect news of the conclusive Big Breakthrough following their chat. Cynics might nod their heads too when I say that - considering the uncomfortable political compromises both sides have to make to reach a deal - one more "crisis", aka the current stop in talks, is quite useful to demonstrate to the public back home that you're hanging on in there, fighting for their interests. That's certainly the way to interpret France's threat to use its veto if a deal is agreed, and it doesn't like it. Emmanuel Macron has enjoyed the role of Brexit bad cop throughout. It plays well domestically. And "France the frenemy" is an easy headline in the UK too. But reality is more nuanced. Paris trumpets more brashly what is the belief in all EU capitals, and in the UK government: Yes to this deal but not at any cost. Read more from Katya here. Releasing identical statements on Friday evening, Mr Barnier and his UK counterpart, Lord Frost, said: "After one week of intense negotiation in London, the two chief negotiators agreed today that the conditions for an agreement are not met, due to significant divergences on level playing field, governance and fisheries. How Brexit will change your holidays in 2021 Brexit: What is a level playing field? Brexit: Will the borders be ready? "On this basis, they agreed to pause the talks in order to brief their principals on the state of play of the negotiations." If an agreement is reached it will need to be turned into legal text and translated into all EU languages and ratified by the European Parliament. The UK government is likely to introduce legislation implementing parts of any deal reached which MPs will be able to vote on. And the 27 EU national parliaments could also need to ratify an agreement - depending on the actual contents of the deal.

Accepted

MSI is bringing Re-Size BAR support to Z490, B460, and H410 motherboards by the end of the year. MSI is preparing a new BIOS update to enable Re-Size BAR across all of its 400-series Intel motherboards. That now makes three major motherboard manufacturers, MSI and Asus, that are confirmed to be working on available beta BIOS updates to enable the functionality at the heart of AMD Smart Access Memory on Intel Z490, B460, and H410 motherboards. Re-Size BAR isn't actually anything new, in theory. It's a part of the standard PCIe specification, although it was never really put to good use on a wide scale until AMD announced Smart Access Memory (SAM)—a new feature than allows Ryzen 5000 CPUs to access the complete VRAM of RX 6000-series graphics cards across 500-series motherboards. And while the hot new feature on the block, in our testing of SAM we only experienced a marginal performance uplift across most games. It's great to switch on, if you have the option, but hardly something to go searching for as a must-have feature—especially as it might soon be available on a wider basis. Shortly after SAM was announced, Nvidia claimed it had managed to get a similar functionality operating in the labs with its graphics cards. That's actually the pretty big caveat to today's motherboard support announcement—you'll still need an RX 6000-series graphics card to put it to good use right now, as no other GPUs currently support it, though Nvidia is expected to release an update early in the new year. And good luck getting hold of one of those if you haven't already. The AMD RX 6800 XT and RX 6800 launched last month and sold out immediately. Your best bet will be to look out for stock of the RX 6900 XT on December 8, but we suspect this enthusiast-grade GPU to be even more sparsely found than the others. Regardless, MSI aims to release Z490 motherboard BIOS support for Re-Size BAR this week and the complete B460 and H410 support by the end of the month. Similarly, AGESA updates have effectively enabled the functionality on older X470 and B450 AM4 motherboards too, pending a BIOS update, although you'll still need to have other compatible hardware—CPU and GPU—in order to switch it on. It's currently suggest that most recent Intel processors will be able to support the feature, while older AMD processors, pre-Ryzen 5000, may not have the prerequisite native instruction support (via CapFrameX). We cannot confirm or deny this at this time, however, so take that with a pinch of salt. It's also worth noting that AMD is so far the only company to extensively test all motherboards, GPUs, and CPUs of its latest generations with the function, and therefore we don't yet know how competitors' products will operate with Re-Size BAR enabled or the performance gain it will offer. So there's still very little practical use to any of this, with so little hardware available, and very little to be gained in the end anyways. Still, free performance is free performance, however slight it might be. There's no 'Silicon Valley' where Jacob grew up, but part of his home country is known as 'The Valleys' and can therefore it be easily confused for a happening place in the tech world. From there he graduated to professionally break things and then write about it for cash in the city of Bath, UK.