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Last month’s upheaval within the banking sector hasn’t pushed America off course from achieving a soft landing, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in an exclusive interview Friday.“I do think there’s a path to bring down inflation while maintaining what I think all of us would regard is a strong labor market,” Yellen said. “And the evidence that I’m seeing suggests we are on that path.”She added: “Are there risks? Of course. I don’t want to downplay the risks here, but I do think that’s possible.”Yellen cited that the factors that have pushed up inflation go well beyond the tightness seen in the US labor market, notably Russia’s war in Ukraine, which raised food and energy prices; and pandemic-era supply chain disruptions, which caused key material shortages that gummed up critical pieces of the economy, such as the auto industry.“We’re seeing those supply chain bottlenecks that boosted inflation, they’re beginning to resolve,” she said. “We had big shifts in the way people live and low interest rates, and housing prices rose a lot. Now, housing prices have essentially settled down.”Yellen said she is seeing some easing of stress in the labor market, including increases in unemployment claims, declines in job openings, and upticks in labor force participation. The labor market gaining more slack will help bring inflation down, but it doesn’t mean there needs to be a significant jump in unemployment, she said.“I think the strong labor market and bringing down inflation are compatible goals,” she said.US economic data released last week showed continued signs of cooling in areas such as inflation and consumer spending.Last month, the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank triggered a crisis in the US banking sector, roiled financial markets and fueled uncertainty about the potential for negative ripple effects to spread throughout the broader economy.Treasury, in conjunction with the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, intervened after the regional bank failures to ensure bank customers could access all their money and to stave off future bank runs.The actions taken by the Treasury, Fed and FDIC “stemmed the systemic threat that existed,” Yellen told Zakaria.“Americans should note that America has a safe, strong banking system,” she said. “Our banking system is well capitalized and liquid, and the problems that a couple of banks faced — this is not a general problem throughout the banking system. We took steps to make sure that depositors feel that their savings are safe, and the tools that we used to do that are ones that we could and would use again if difficulties in a single bank or a couple of banks were to create a risk of contagion to the system.”Banks are likely to be “somewhat more cautious” in their operations and, as a result, could lead to reining in credit availability. Fed officials have noted that credit tightening could assist in efforts to cool inflation.The bank failures, however, have fueled uncertainty about the potential for additional bank collapses as well as possible aftershocks that could tip the US economy into a recession while the Fed is nearing the tail end of a historic rate-hiking campaign to bring down inflation.That’s not the case currently, Yellen said.“I’m not seeing anything at this time that is dramatic enough or significant enough in my view to significantly change the outlook,” Yellen said. “I think the outlook remains one for moderate growth and a continued strong labor market with inflation coming down.”Yellen’s interview with Zakaria came near the tail end of a jam-packed week of meetings, public appearances and speeches for the Treasury Secretary in conjunction with the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings, where Ukraine was a key focus.In the interview with Zakaria, Yellen said that Russia should pay for the damage caused in Ukraine and talks are ongoing as to potential mechanisms to make that happen.“That’s a responsibility that I think the global community expects Russia to bear,” she said. “This is something we’re discussing with our partners, but there are legal constraints on what we can do with frozen Russian assets.” https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/15/economy/yellen-zakaria-economy-weekend/index.html

A former Indian politician convicted of kidnapping has been shot dead live on TV along with his brother. Atiq Ahmed, who was under police escort, was talking to reporters when a gun was pulled close to his head in Prayagraj, also known as Allahabad.After the shots were fired on Saturday night, three men who had been posing as journalists quickly surrendered and were taken into custody.Ahmed's teenage son was shot dead by police days earlier.Dozens of cases, including kidnapping, murder and extortion, were registered against Atiq Ahmed over the past two decades. A local court sentenced him and two others to life in jail in March this year in a kidnapping case.Ahmed had previously claimed there was a threat to his own life from the police.Video showed Ahmed and his brother, Ashraf, both in handcuffs, speaking to journalists on the way to a medical check-up at a hospital seconds before they were both shot. In the footage, shared widely on social media and TV channels, Ahmed is asked whether he attended his son's funeral.His last words to camera are: "They did not take us, so we did not go." The three suspected assailants had arrived at the site on motorcycles, the police said. A policeman and a journalist were also injured at the scene.Following Saturday night's incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a judicial probe into the killings and banned large gatherings in the districts of Uttar Pradesh state to ensure peace.Experts have raised questions on how a man could be killed in front of the media and the police. BBC Hindi correspondent Anant Zanane reported from Prayagraj that the city was in a lockdown-like situation. Who was Atiq Ahmed? He had a long stint both in politics and with the criminal world. He was first accused in a murder case in 1979. In the next 10 years, he emerged as a person who had strong influence in the western part of Allahabad city.He won his first election as an independent candidate and became a state lawmaker in 1989. He went on to win the seat for two consecutive terms and his fourth win came as a lawmaker from the regional Samajwadi party (SP).In 2004, he won a seat in the federal election as an SP candidate and became an MP. Meanwhile, cases continued to be filed against him in Allahabad and other parts of the state.Ahmed contested a few more elections in the next decade but lost all of them. In 2019, India's top court ordered that he should be moved to a jail in Gujarat state after it emerged that he planned attacks on a businessman from a prison in Uttar Pradesh where he was being held awaiting trial in another case.He was brought back to Prayagraj in March from Gujarat to appear in a local court as it announced his sentencing in a kidnapping case.Ahmed was also brought to the city to be questioned in other cases. His brother Ashraf, who was in a jail in Bareilly district, was also brought to the city to be questioned.They were both being questioned in the February murder of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 murder of Raju Pal, a lawmaker belonging to the regional Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).Raju Pal had defeated Ashraf in the 2004 assembly elections in Atiq Ahmed's political stronghold.Umesh Pal was killed in February this year when several people fired at him.Atiq Ahmed's teenage son Asad and few others were named as the main suspects in the Umesh Pal murder case. Asad and another man were killed by police earlier this week in what was described as a shootout. 'Crime has reached its peak in UP' Last month India's Supreme Court declined to hear Ahmed's petition in which he alleged there was a threat to his life from the police.Uttar Pradesh is governed by the Hindu-nationalist BJP, and opposition parties criticised the killings as a security lapse."Crime has reached its peak in UP and the morale of the criminals is high," Akhilesh Yadav, chief the opposition Samajwadi Party, tweeted in Hindi. "When someone can be killed in firing openly amidst the security cordon of the police, then what about the safety of the general public. Due to this, an atmosphere of fear is being created among the public, it seems that some people are deliberately creating such an atmosphere," he added.More than 180 people facing various charges have been killed by police in the state in the past six years. Rights activists accuse the police of carrying out extra-judicial killings, which the state's government denies.The police usually calls them "encounters" - many say these are really staged confrontations which almost invariably end with dead criminals and unscathed police.Encounters carried out by police are - at least in part - a response to India's grindingly slow and dysfunctional criminal justice system. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65290042

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt says Britain's economy is "back", and that his strategy for growth has been welcomed at the International Monetary Fund meeting in Washington. His predecessor, Kwasi Kwarteng, left the previous IMF meeting in October early, amid a barrage of criticism.Mr Hunt said the international lending body saw he was "putting the British economy back on the right track".However, the latest figures show the UK economy failed to grow in February.On Wednesday, the IMF said it expected the UK economy to shrink by 0.3% in 2023, which would make it one of the worst performing of the world's major economies.When challenged over whether the UK's current performance undermined his positive message, Mr Hunt said: "It's other finance ministers who are telling me Britain is back".Britain's economy has only just recovered to the size it was prior to the pandemic, following months of industrial action, rapidly rising prices and labour shortages.On Friday nurses in the RCN union rejected the offer of a 5% pay rise and said they planned to strike again at the start of May. Meanwhile, NHS junior doctors in England are currently staging a four-day alkout over pay, ending at 07:00 on Saturday.The wave of industrial action affecting the UK in recent months has contributed to its lack of growth, the Office of National Statistics said this week.However, Mr Hunt said it was important to avoid fuelling further inflation through pay rises. He said Britain had avoided recession this year "so far", and that he hoped to see faster growth and falling inflation in the months ahead.Measures in his March Budget to help businesses recruit more staff and to increase investment, including an increase in childcare funding, should stimulate growth, he added.Investor confidence in the UK was shaken last year during the short-lived government of prime minister Liz Truss, which saw Mr Kwarteng present an economic strategy that included major tax cuts without an explanation of how they would be funded.The outlook for the UK, which relies heavily on financial services, could be clouded by current uncertainty in the banking sector, following the collapse of three US banks and UBS's emergency takeover of Credit Suisse.However, Mr Hunt said the UK had "a very robust, resilient banking system", which was now in a much better position than it was before the 2008 financial crisis."Am I confident in the resilience of our banking system, the second largest financial services centre in the world?' Yes, I am," he said.While the government is considering reforming some of the rules governing financial services, put in place after 2008, Mr Hunt said the plan was "absolutely not to unlearn the lessons of the financial crisis"."We are looking at all of these things, but we're not going to do it in a way that rows back on any of the very important protections that we have in place," he said.But he said the growth of the UK's tech and life sciences industries meant regulations needed to adapt. "We have a lot of high growth companies in the UK, and they need to have banking services that suit their needs. And that's a difference from a decade ago," he said .https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65265231

A man had to return early from his first holiday in years when his emu decided it also needed a break - and went off on its own adventure. Runaway Rodney, aged one, jumped a fence at his Suffolk home on Thursday after a pet-sitter had locked him in.Owner Jon Cardy drove home to Chedburgh and spent the day reporting his pet as missing and scanning social media.His "pet dinosaur", as he calls Rodney, was spotted about a mile away and he said he was "so relieved" he was back.Mr Cardy, a former consultant in anaesthesia and critical care medicine, and his wife, Laura, a former frontline NHS nurse, and now a nursing lecturer, took in Rodney when the emu was just two weeks old."He grew up in our kitchen and he is like one of the family," Mr Cardy said.The couple have a variety of animals including a two-legged cat, a pig, a tortoise, several ducks and geese, a "lot" of rabbits - and Rodney - Mr Cardy's "favourite"."Rodney is definitely a character," he said. The energetic emu has managed to jump the fence before but has usually been swiftly found.Mr Cardy reported Rodney's disappearance to the RSPCA and RSPB, scoured social media groups and even informed the police - "in case anyone called them to say they'd found an emu"."I didn't expect the police to go and look for him."He's a big running bird and can cover a lot of ground quite quickly, so we didn't know where he might be," said Mr Cardy."I think he might have been spooked by the storm overnight, and while he's very friendly, he's also very large and inquisitive - and he has a very large beak. "Rodney is fascinated by anything shiny like rings and earrings and I was worried that if someone saw him coming towards them at high speed they might be a bit freaked out."Eventually Mr Cardy spotted a video posted in a local group, asking if anyone was missing their peacock."I thought, that's not a peacock - that's my little Rodney," he said.With the help of a friend he found the feathered fugitive and brought him home.Many of the couple's rescue pet menagerie are used as therapy animals."Rodney is adorable but not too smart," he added."But he loves to be cuddled, and when he lies down he's like a four foot-long feathered draught excluder."In our jobs, my wife Laura and I were used to mending people's bodies - now we try to help mend broken minds with our animals," he said."My own health is not that good, but Rodney? He is like my therapy." https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-65277452

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been evacuated unharmed from a public event after what appeared to be a smoke bomb was thrown at him. A man was detained at the scene in Wakayama, where Mr Kishida had been due to give a speech, local media reported.A witness said they saw a person throwing something, followed by smoke, while another said they heard a big bang. No injuries were reported.Video showed officers piling on top of a person, believed to be a suspect.He was arrested on suspicion of obstruction of business and later identified by the authorities as 24-year-old Ryuji Kimura. His motivation is still unclear.Japan's public broadcaster, NHK, quoted Mr Kishida as saying there was a "loud blast" at the venue. "Police are investigating details, but I'd like to apologise for worrying many people and causing them trouble."NHK broadcast footage in which crowds of people appear to be running away from the scene.The footage also shows people swarm around one man, hold him down, and then carry him away.Mr Kishida had just started to deliver a speech after touring the fishing harbour in Wakayama for a campaign event when the object was thrown and he took cover.After the incident, Mr Kishida addressed a crowd in another location and said the incident should not disrupt the electoral process.A woman at the scene told NHK: "I was stunned. My heart is still beating fast."A person who said they saw an object flying through the air said it gave them a "bad feeling, so we ran away unbelievably fast"."Then we heard a really loud noise. It made my daughter cry," they added.Another witness told NHK that the crowd began to disperse in panic before the blast was heard, as someone said an explosive had been thrown.Hiroshi Moriyama, a member of Mr Kishida's Liberal Democratic Party, said: "That something like this happened in the middle of an election campaign that constitutes the foundation of democracy is regrettable. It's an unforgivable atrocity."Violent attacks are extremely rare in Japan. But there is nervousness about security around politicians, after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot dead while on the campaign trail last year. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-65284306

Now that the Fall-Winter 2023 catwalks have been disassembled, it's clear one trend was more pervasive than any collective penchant for ruffles, pleated skirts or tailored coats. Across runways in New York, London, Milan and Paris, there was a notable scarcity of plus-size models. This comes at a time when there are five injectable medications which can be used as appetite suppressants currently available by prescription in the US, stirring much conversation; a sixth medication, Rybelsus, is taken as an oral pill. Two are officially approved in the UK — the largest influx of weight loss medication seen in the country in almost a decade. In recent months, injectables such as Wegovy and Ozempic — which share the same active ingredient, semaglutide — have been widely reported as Hollywood's worst-kept weight loss secret. (Ozempic is intended for use primarily to treat Type 2 diabetes.) Comedian Chelsea Handler claimed her "anti-aging doctor just hands (Ozempic) out to anybody" while appearing on a podcast in January. Even Elon Musk tweeted last year about being on Wegovy. For many fashion commentators and diversity advocates, the Fall-Winter 2023 runways were in sharp contrast to the (albeit limited) progress and heady promise of recent seasons. This rollback has been widely criticized in the style media as such. And its potential impact is being assessed more broadly: With the rise of these weight loss panaceas, the pursuit of size zero is now just a prescription away. The Fall-Winter failings In 2020, Jill Kortleve and Paloma Elsesser became the first models outside of a sample size to walk for the Italian fashion house Fendi. (Traditionally, a sample size falls between a US 0-4.) British label Erdem entered the plus-size market in 2021, extending its offering to a UK size 22 (or US size 18). And in January 2022, Valentino made headlines after its haute couture show featured a broad spectrum of body types. But this season, there was a visible lack of curve bodies on their runways — or many others. Fendi and Valentino did not respond when contacted by CNN, while Erdem declined to comment. According to fashion search engine Tagwalk, the number of mid and plus-size models dropped by 24% in comparison to Spring-Summer 2023. Similarly, a size inclusivity report conducted by Vogue Business found that 95.6% of all looks presented for Fall-Winter 2023 were in a size US 0-4. For context, industry market firm Plunkett Research estimated in 2015 that 68% of American women wear a size US 14 or above. "It was a definitive backslide," said IMG model agent Mina White, who represents plus-size and curve supermodels including Elsesser and Ashley Graham. "It was frustrating to see some of these designers not using curved bodies where they had in the past." Fendi and Valentino did not respond when contacted by CNN, while Erdem declined to comment. "Watching somebody like Ashley Graham attend the front row for so many of these major houses in full looks (provided by the designer), it was frustrating," White continued. "They wanted to utilize her image and her social following to command a certain space in the market, but they didn't want to be reflective on their runways." For others, even the term "backslide" was too generous. "Slipping back from... what? A glorious time when the average American woman (size 16) was as present on the runways as she is in everyday life? A time when fashion ads cast as many 'plus-size' and 'mid-size' women as 'straight-size' women?" fashion journalist Amy Odell wrote in her Substack newsletter of this past season's runways. "No one needed any data to understand that representing a wide array of body shapes and sizes in runway shows or in fashion imagery is not a priority for the industry." That said, a handful of — mostly smaller — brands pushed ahead this season. In London, emerging labels Di Petsa, Karoline Vitto and Sinead O'Dwyer showcased lineups of size-diverse models. Inclusivity at Christian Siriano, Coach, Kim Shui, Collina Strada and Bach Mai stood out in New York; while in Paris, Belgian brand Esther Manas — a consistent flag-bearer for size diversity — staged one of the city's most refreshing runways with an assortment of fun, sensual, feminine looks that complimented a range of bodies. https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/fashion-week-fall-winter-2023-size-diversity-skinny-wegovy/index.html

It’s watched by more than 500 million people from 140 different countries, but the Grand National remains one of the most controversial horse races in the world. Since it was first run in 1839, the spectacle has become a national institution in the United Kingdom which has transformed into the greatest steeplechase – a race run over fences with a variety of obstacles, including “plain fences, water jumps or open ditches” – on Earth.However, animal rights groups claim the race represents the “broken relationship” between humans and nature due to the potential dangers the horses face.The race, which has been modified in recent years to ease safety concerns, sees a field of up to 40 horses galloping 4.3 miles and jumping 30 fences the size of small cars.The demanding course has resulted in multiple fatalities over the years – two horses died during the 2022 edition – with many others injured and some put down as a result.“Most people would say they love animals, so why are we OK with this?” Animal Rising, previously called Animal Rebellion, said in a statement sent to CNN Sport.“Whether it is for food or for sport, our relationship with animals is beyond broken.”The animal rights group is launching its biggest ever campaign to protect animals this month and has suggested it plans to disrupt this year’s Grand National, which will take place at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, UK, on April 15. The showpiece event is part of a three-day festival which begins on Thursday.“This April we are launching the biggest campaign to protect animals and the climate this country has ever seen,” Animal Rising added.“Already over 500 people are signed up for training to take peaceful action this summer.” Last month, a reporter from the UK newspaper The Mail on Sunday went undercover to reveal the plans the group had regarding disrupting the race.The story detailed how the organization was planning to help multiple people break onto the track with the hope of preventing the race from starting.Animal Rising says the report won’t stop them from finishing their mission of raising awareness of what they claim are unethical practices.“One undercover Mail on Sunday reporter is not going to stop teachers, nurses, and more from acting for all life and really beginning the crucial conversation about our broken relationship with other animals,” the statement added.“This conversation is vital if we are to tackle the root causes of our climate and ecological crises.”The Grand National is no stranger to demonstrators looking to disrupt the race and Merseyside Police say they have a “robust policing plan” in place for this year’s edition.Local police say they have been working with the race organizer – the Jockey Club – for months in order to ensure the safety of those participating and attending the spectacle.“We respect the right to peaceful protest and expression of views, but public order or criminal offenses will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly,” a police spokesperson said, while also releasing safety advice to racegoers this week.The Jockey Club referred CNN to the Merseyside Police when asked for comment, while Aintree Racecourse said that horse welfare and safety is “the most important thing to the racecourse.”Amid the controversy, thousands of attendees are once again set to descend on Aintree on Saturday for a race which animal rights activists hope will never happen. https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/13/sport/grand-national-animals-rights-protests-spt-intl/index.html

US inflation at the wholesale level continued its downward slide in March with annualized price increases sinking dramatically to 2.7% from an upwardly revised 4.9%, according to the Producer Price Index released Thursday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.It’s the lowest annual level for the key inflation gauge since January 2021.On a monthly basis, producer prices slumped by 0.5%, driven by falling goods prices, specifically lower energy prices. Prices for fresh and dry vegetables also fell, as did services, while the price indexes for categories such as light motor trucks, chicken eggs and meats moved higher. Economists were expecting annual inflation, as measured by the PPI, to land at 3% for the 12 months ended in March and for no change from the month before.“It’s good news that it looks like inflation is coming off the boil here,” Chris Rupkey, chief economist at FwdBonds, told CNN. “There is a pronounced slowing in producer goods, and if I had to bet, I would say that this is going to lead to lower prices for the goods sitting on the store shelves in the coming months.”Core PPI, which excludes the more volatile components of food and energy, declined 0.1% for the month and, for the 12 months ended in March was up 3.4%, down from the upwardly revised level of 4.8%.PPI is one of several closely watched inflation gauges. Because the producer-centric index captures price shifts upstream of the consumer, it’s sometimes looked to as a potential leading indicator of how prices may eventually land at the store level.Since notching a 11.2% gain in June 2022, the PPI has seen a stark cooldown in the months since, as supply chains have got back into sync since being discombobulated by the pandemic and the sharp economic recovery that followed.Consumer prices have come down as well, but at a more moderate pace.The March Consumer Price Index, released Wednesday, was 5%, the lowest annualized rate since May of 2021, according to the BLS.Much like CPI, the annual PPI also appears to have benefited from base effects, when year-over-year comparisons are volatile. In March 2022, a time when Russia had just invaded Ukraine and food and energy prices skyocketed, the PPI shot up to a record 11.7%.Month-to-month comparisons can be volatile, but the the PPI’s 0.5% drop seen in March did follow an unchanged reading in February. Jobless claims on the rise Separately on Thursday, the Department of Labor released the latest snapshot of jobless claims.Initial weekly claims for unemployment insurance climbed to 239,000 for the week ended April 8, the highest level since January 2022. Continuing claims, which are filed by people who have received unemployment benefits for more than one week, dropped to 1.81 million for the week ended April 1, from 1.82 million the week before.Weekly jobless claims, considered a proxy for layoffs, can be volatile and frequently subject to revision. Last week, the Labor Department made a series of significant adjustments to recent years’ data to better account for pandemic-era dynamics.As of Thursday’s report, the four-week average for weekly claims was 240,000, slightly higher than what was seen before the onset of the pandemic. “The labor market is softening,” Rupkey said. “And it’s not just softening, it’s starting to look worrisome.”Unemployment is an indicator of recession, which Federal Reserve economists say became more likely following last month’s banking crisis, according to the minutes from the central bank’s March policy meeting released Wednesday.Rupkey said the latest employment picture indicates a 50-50 chance of a downturn, but trends could become more clear in the coming weeks.“When the labor market becomes unglued, it is like a runaway train: The layoffs start, and no one can stop it. It’s too late, and the Fed’s policy tightening has done too much,” he said.“So right now, we’re not quite there. … If initial claims fall back under 200,000, where they were for a couple of weeks at the start of the year, then OK, the recession is off. But if it climbs further — 250,000, 260,000 — I would be worried,” he said. https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/13/economy/ppi-inflation-march/index.html

The suspect in the leaking of highly sensitive US defence and intelligence documents is named as Jack Teixeira, US officials tell CBS News. The New York Times earlier reported that the leader of an online gaming chat group where the files leaked in recent months had the same name.The paper said he is a 21-year-old member of the intelligence wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.Its report did not identify Mr Teixeira as the alleged leaker.The New York Times cited interviews with other members of the online group, one of whom said he had known the person who leaked the files for at least three years.At least 50 but perhaps more than 100 secret documents were posted on Discord - a social media platform po[CENSORED]r with gamers.The documents contain a range of intelligence assessments about the war in Ukraine, but also sensitive intelligence about countries around the world, including US allies. On Wednesday, the Washington Post published an interview with one of the members of the chat room where the documents initially appeared.He described the leaker as a young, charismatic gun enthusiast in his early to mid-20s who works at an unnamed military base.The Post reported that the man was the leader of a Discord chat room including roughly two dozen members who swapped "memes, offensive jokes and idle chitchat" and prayed and watched movies together.The members included people from Russia and Ukraine and a number of other countries in Europe, Asia and South America, the paper reported.At first the leaks were kept inside the small chat room, but in early March members began posting them on other Discord servers, including ones dedicated to the game Minecraft and a Filipino YouTuber.From there they were posted on the fringe message board 4chan and on the Telegram chat app, particularly on pro-Russia channels. In some cases they were altered to increase Ukrainian casualty counts.Earlier, while on a trip to Ireland, US President Joe Biden said investigators were close to finding the person who leaked the documents."There's a full blown investigation going on, as you know, with the intelligence community and the Justice Department, and they're getting close," Mr Biden told reporters.The FBI has not identified a suspect in the leak. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65269975

Street Fighter is officially returning with Street Fighter 6. Ryu, Chun-Li, and new and old friends will take center stage, along with a whole new look for the classic fighting game’s graphics. It’s good timing, too, as the Street Fighter franchise just turned 35 last year, and is ready for a big comeback (Street Fighter 5 launched more than six years ago in 2016). Street Fighter 6 is set to release on June 2, 2023. Unlike Street Fighter 5, the new entry in this series will no longer be a console exclusive. Street Fighter 6 will launch on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC simultaneously, which is great news for Xbox players in particular who missed out on the last entry. Trailers Following a brief countdown in February 2022, Capcom released a teaser trailer officially announcing the upcoming Street Fighter 6 that featured a pose-off between Ryu and Luke, presumably before a battle. For longtime fans of the series, the trailer was particularly interesting for a few reasons, notably: New character Luke gets a lot of screen time in the teaser. That may be confusing since he was only added in one of the last updates made to Street Fighter 5 in late 2021. However, the DLCs have given Luke a lot of attention and were clearly setting him up to be a part of Street Fighter’s future, possibly with a major storyline moving forward. That seems even more likely now, but don’t worry — Ken and the gang will all still be there at launch. It’s unclear if the graphics used in the trailer reflect the graphics that will be in gameplay (there seemed to be slightly too much detail, but it’s possible). Either way, it indicates a shift. The models are more realistic, Ryu looks older (and bearded, a look Capcom has tried out before), and the franchise as a whole seems to be moving on from the ink-brush style that defined many previous entries. The next look at Street Fighter 6 came at Sony’s June 2022 State of Play, where we get a good vibe of the hip-hop/neon/street art style this game will have. It shows off a couple of characters, including returning fan favorites like Chun-Li and Ryu, but the big reveal was the open-world World Tour mode taking place in Metro City. There are a few clips of character intros before a match, and quick cuts of some moves, combos, and specials in combat, but with no HUD shown just yet. The 2022 Summer Game Fest followed up the State of Play with the first individual character reveal trailer for Street Fighter 6 featuring the man whose theme goes with everything, Guile. Sporting a new goatee, we see Guile go up against Luke and Ryu on his iconic airship stage. He shows off his iconic Flash Kick and Sonic Boom moves, plus a bunch of new techniques and a supe,r before closing out the match by fixing up his hair. The final core characters on the roster were given a trailer, includingZangief, Lily, and Cammy. The latter in particular struck a chord with the internet thanks to her new design and display of flexibility with her stretch. Aside from that, she also has a move taken directly from the Street Fighter II movie from 1994. Gameplay The core of Street Fighter 6 should come as no surprise — it’s a fighting game. You will engage in fights, pulling off combos, doing super moves, shooting projectiles, and all the typical things you expect. However, an interesting new feature that can help newcomers is the addition of a second control scheme. Classic controls will work in the traditional six-button layout the series has always used, with button combinations pulling off special moves, but a new modern control scheme simplifies that. Modern controls don’t require players to memorize or practice complex motions to pull off moves. Instead, special moves are mapped to a single button, and by changing what direction you’re moving or the situation you’re in when you press it, you will pull off a different special move. The new Dynamic control type allows for auto-attacks to be performed with a single button, but the actual attack used will depend on your character’s position. As detailed in a tweet from the official account, “Unleash combos at close range with one button! At mid-range, the AI could choose a jump Attack! Projectiles and dashes are performed at long range!” A short video shows off these dynamic attacks in action, such as close-range combos leading into supers, jumping over projectiles into attacks at midrange, and shooting off projectiles while at long range. It is important to note that Dynamic Controls are only available during offline play and certain Fighting Ground modes. The main new mechanic to Street Fighter 6 is something called the Drive System, which looks a bit like the Focus mechanic from Street Fighter 4, at least visually. Drive is a meter you can use to do one of five things: Drive Impact, Drive Parry, Overdrive, Drive Rush, or Drive Reversal. These all have different inputs but all draw from the same Drive meter, meaning you will need to ration it depending on whether you want to use it for defense or offense. Preorder If you want to reserve your copy of Street Fighter 6, you have four different editions to pick from on the official site. Here’s how they compare. Standard Edition ($60): A copy of the game Outfit 1 Color 10 for six characters Special Titles and Stickers Deluxe Edition ($85): Everything from the Standard Edition Year 1 Character Pass, which includes four characters, four character colors, and 4,200 Drive Tickets Ultimate Edition ($105): Everything from the previous editions four more character costumes two additional stages 7,700 Drive Tickets https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/street-fighter-6-news-release-date-trailer-gameplay-rumors/

Nvidia announced that part of its free RTX Remix open source modding platform is available for download starting today. RTX Remix runtime will let modders quickly dive into their favorite classic DirectX 8 and DirectX 9 PC games and easily add modern lighting and textures to existing game assets in a way that saves a lot of time and effort. The RTX Remix runtime lets a modder capture a game scene and then replace assets in real-time while "injecting RTX technology," like path tracing, DLSS 3, Nvidia Reflex, and AI-enhanced textures into a game. The remastered assets can then be exported to various developer apps like Unreal Engine, Blender, and Nvidia's Omniverse apps. The complete capabilities of the Remix runtime feature are listed here(opens in new tab). Some other things you'll be able to do: add VR support, change camera positions to make a first-person game into an isometric game, or "modernize the fluid simulation to render smoke and fire with realistic volumetrics." Which is dev speak for 'cooler fire and smoke effects.' This open source release of the RTX Remix runtime isn't the full package, however, as the current release only allows for making tweaks to the existing assets within a gameworld. Soon, Nvidia will release the RTX Remix Creator Toolkit, and that's the part of the modding package that will allow you to bring whole new assets into a game and use AI to upscale any existing assets, too. The RTX Remix Creator Toolkit, according to Nvidia, "allows modders to assign new assets and lights within their remastered scene and use AI tools to rebuild the look of any asset." The toolkit isn't out yet, but releasing soon. The video above shows you how it works in a game like The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind. The results are impressive and almost make it look like a new game. At the press of a button, RTX Remix could pull in all the assets from this dining room area, where pristine lighting and AI-enhanced textures were then added back in. All of the enhancements in the recently released Portal With RTX were done using the full RTX Remix package, giving the 15-year-old game a fresh facelift. Nvidia said that these tools would make modding more accessible to the average gamer. But it's the RTX Remix runtime pulled from Portal that modders have been using to drop ray tracing into a host of other games(opens in new tab), from Roblox to World of Warcraft(opens in new tab). Nvidia is now making that runtime more freely available to make it more easily added to other games, and more easily tweaked to make it play nicely with older titles. The RTX Remix runtime source code can be downloaded on GitHub starting today, with Creator Toolkit following soon. For more information about getting your RTX Remix mod project started, Nvidia set up a Discord server where you can talk to Remix engineers for tips. https://www.pcgamer.com/modders-rejoice-adding-ray-tracing-classic-pc-games-is-going-to-get-a-whole-easier/

What just happened? As Microsoft finalizes a significant expansion of PC Game Pass, a recent tweet from the head of the Xbox division has sparked speculation that PC games might come to the company's cloud gaming service. The move could be an effort to match Nvidia's service and assuage the concerns of international regulators over its Activision Blizzard acquisition. In a Tuesday tweet, Xbox head Phil Spencer announced that if Microsoft's $69 billion deal to acquire Activision Blizzard closes, it will bring the publisher's PC games to UK mobile service EE. The words are significant because EE offers customers access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Microsoft currently doesn't include PC-exclusive games on its cloud service. Thus far, Xbox Cloud Gaming only has titles with Xbox versions. Users play all cloud games with either a controller or a touch screen. Mouse and keyboard support is still in testing for games like Microsoft Flight Simulator. Were Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard, it's a given that all Game Pass options would quickly include titles like Call of Duty and Diablo while PC Game Pass could gain StarCraft and WarCraft. The latter two PC exclusives wouldn't usually come to Xbox Cloud Gaming, but the EE deal makes it seem possible. Theoretically, the shift could impact current PC-only Game Pass content like Europa Universalis IV, Dune: Spice Wars, Total War, or the original Fallout. The EE agreement follows Microsoft's February announcement to bring its games to Nvidia's GeForce Now cloud service, including Activision Blizzard titles. The deal follows Sony's repeated claims that Microsoft would restrict games like Call of Duty to Xbox and Game Pass were it to finalize the acquisition. Microsoft adding PC games to the cloud would further counter Sony's argument and put the Redmond, Washington company in more direct competition with GeForce Now. On the same day as Spencer's tweet, Microsoft announced that PC Game Pass is now open to everyone in 40 additional countries throughout Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. These countries gained entry into an Xbox Insider program in February, which was successful enough to progress to public release. Microsoft doesn't appear to officially sell Xbox consoles in any of the new PC Game Pass regions, which include Egypt, Ukraine, Peru, El Salvador, Cyprus, Iceland, and many more. Thus, these countries are likely receiving Xbox services for the first time. The announcement didn't mention cloud gaming, but the new territories could include it if Microsoft brings PC titles to the cloud. https://www.techspot.com/news/98277-pc-games-headed-xbox-cloud-gaming.html

Publisher Koei Tecmo and developer Kou Shibusawa have announced Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening for PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC (Steam). It will launch digitally on July 20 worldwide. In Japan, Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening is titled Nobunaga’s Ambition: Shinsei with Power-Up Kit and will be available both physically and digitally. It is an updated version of the title Gematsu has previously referred to as Nobunaga’s Ambition: Rebirth. Here is an overview of the game, via Koei Tecmo: Initially launched in 1983, the Nobunaga’s Ambition series has cumulatively shipped over 10 million units worldwide, fast becoming a favorite among virtual military strategists throughout the globe.In Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening, players will experience the life of a daimyo, a powerful Japanese leader, in the troubled times of the Warring States Period, 16th century Japan. As the head of their own clan, players will have to make the best decisions in in key areas ranching from the economy, to diplomacy, and military might in hopes of eventually unifying the country. To do so, they will be supported by retainers, AI officers who think and act on their own judgement. Retainers will provide submissions to the players to help them plan their battle strategy.Players will issue policies which will impact the entire clan, and appoint land holders who will develop domains by themselves. In addition, they will also be able to appoint conservators, who can change the overall trend of the clan, as well as council officials to guide them when issuing policies. Players can even have direct talks with their officers to strengthen their allegiance and stop them from absconding, and these direct talks have the potential to open up new strategies as players deepen bonds with their retainers. One of the series’ most po[CENSORED]r features, siege, also makes its comeback in Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening, but in an entirely new form. For the first time in the series, sieges will take place on a single map with different types of terrain and totally different castles or castle towns, allowing players to enjoy dynamic sieges and a new level of strategy. When attacking, players will need to decide where to break through and which route to take while, when defending, they will need to decide where to deploy defensive equipment and how to intercept the attacking force. In addition, Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening will include various features that befit the 40th Anniversary of the series, including landmarks and achievements that will affect the strategy. Players will also enjoy a large variety of scenarios, events, policies, and more, as well as elements from the previous titles such as an editing function that will allows them to change officer status, background music and scenarios, or create new clans. https://www.gematsu.com/2023/03/nobunagas-ambition-awakening-announced-for-ps4-switch-and-pc

The Scottish and UK governments are set for a courtroom showdown over Holyrood's gender reform legislation after Scottish ministers announced a legal challenge. UK ministers used veto powers for the first time ever to block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. But that decision will now be examined by judges at Scotland's Court of Session - and it could end up in the Supreme Court. What are the proposed changes? The legislation passed by MSPs in December streamlines the process for obtaining a gender recognition certificate - the avenue for changing one's legally-recognised sex. The reforms will see applications for a certificate handled by Scottish registrars, rather than a UK panel, and will remove the need to obtain medical reports with a formal diagnosis of gender dysphoria. The plans also cut the amount of time applicants need to have lived in their acquired gender from two years to a matter of months, and cut the age at which people can apply to 16. After a lengthy debate the reforms were agreed by MSPs by a margin of 86 to 39, with members of all parties voting in favour. But every one of those changes have been highllighted by the UK government as removing "important safeguards". How was it blocked? The UK government used section 35 of the Scotland Act to prevent the bill receiving royal assent - essentially being signed off by the King and becoming law. This is a power which was written into the Scotland Act to give the sovereign parliament at Westminster a veto in certain circumstances. But it was a highly controversial move, given both the sensitivities of the legislation involved and the enmity between the administrations in Edinburgh and London. This row is an unprecedented one, because previous disputes have been about whether certain topics are within Holyrood's remit or not. Here, it's broadly accepted that MSPs were acting within their powers when they passed the bill. What's in question is how the law interacts with UK legislation, and whether it could have consequences which would echo out across the rest of the UK. That means the Scottish government's main route of challenge is a judicial review at the Court of Session. What are the UK government's arguments? Broadly, the issue here is the way that the 2004 Gender Recognition Act - which set up the recognition process which is being reformed - is intertwined with the 2010 Equality Act, which MSPs are not allowed to change. The 2010 Act applies in Scotland, England and Wales, setting out different "protected characteristics" including those of sex and gender reassignment, and underpins the rights and protections afforded to these groups. The UK government argues that the 2010 Act was "carefully drafted" to work alongside the 2004 one, and that it is "highly problematic" to have two different gender recognition systems within the UK. An example would be a single-sex association or club, which is allowed to have exclusive membership rules under the protections of the Equality Act - for example a support group for women who have been victims of sexual violence. In the UK government argument, such groups might have to have different membership rules north and south of the border; the new rules would "significantly change the profile and number of individuals that associations will be unable to exclude". It also argues that groups could be at "greater risk of being found to be operating unlawfully", and could end up closing down due to perceived risks. A range of other potential issues have also been listed by the UK government - in these cases, law officers tend to chuck in every possible argument in the hope that one of them will stick. These range from the ability of single-sex schools to exclude 16 and 17-year-olds who would now be eligible to change their legal sex, to the administration of UK-wide tax, benefit and pension systems. They also say that making the process easier could "significantly" increase the risk of fraudulent applications from those with "malicious intent", which could lead to people "no longer feeling safe in any sex-segregated setting and self-excluding from such settings even though they could significantly benefit from them". How has the Scottish government responded? The Scottish government's response from the start was "see you in court" - first under Nicola Sturgeon, and now under Humza Yousaf. There has been a fairly robust line of political argument too, along the lines that this is an outrageous move which flies in the face of the democratic will of the Scottish Parliament. This has toned down a little in the most recent statement; talk is now about "clarity on the interpretation and scope" of the veto power, rather than a tub-thumping defence of the policy itself. In terms of a specific rebuttal to the legal arguments, ministers have previously insisted that their legislation changes the process for getting a gender recognition certificate, not the effect of the certificate. Beyond that, a section was actually inserted into the bill stating that "for the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Act modifies the Equality Act 2010". The trouble is that just saying that doesn't necessarily make it the case - it is a position which will need to be defended in court. Another recent case at the Court of Session actually focused in on the interaction between the Equality Act and the Gender Recognition Act, via a challenge to another Holyrood bill about gender balance on public boards. It has already been cited in the UK government's statement of reasons - despite the fact the Scottish government won the case - and is sure to be at the heart of much of the coming legal debate too. What will happen next? The case will start at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, with a judicial review into whether Scottish Secretary Alister Jack was entitled to block the bill. Judges will be tasked with deciding whether the order laid at Westminster has satisfied the strict conditions set out in the Scotland Act. Those are that the Holyrood legislation "contains provisions which would make modifications of the law as it applies to reserved matters" and that Mr Jack had "reasonable grounds" to believe it would have an "adverse effect" on the operation of that law. The Scottish government now says that UK ministers did not "provide sufficient justification" for the decision. It is hard to judge exactly how the arguments will play out, because we are in completely uncharted territory. There is no precedent to lean on in terms of which parts of that two-part test are more important, or how easy it might be to satisfy judges as to what "reasonable grounds" or an "adverse effect" really are. But judges will no doubt be picking over the reasons set out in the order and the accompanying statement in great detail. For all of the political rhetoric around this row, it is those points of law which will ultimately decide the fate of these reforms. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-64302496

The names American Labrador Retriever and English Labrador Retriever must have appeared at some point if you’ve read anything at all about Labrador Retrievers. These terms are often used to describe the two main types of Labrador dogs. What do these phrases signify, though? How did these words come to be used so frequently? Do they differ from one another in ways other than just where the dogs were born or bred? In this article, we’ll take a look at the differences and similarities between an English Labrador Retriever and an American Labrador Retriever. To help you in choosing the ideal breed of Labrador for you, we’ll also analyze and explore each of these magnificent dog breeds and highlight their strengths. The History of the Labrador Retriever It’s a little unclear where Labradors actually came from. They were initially discovered in the northeastern Canadian province of Newfoundland. The exact time when these water-loving canines first appeared is not well known. Early Labs were devoted to cooperating and residing with fishermen and explorers involved in the trade routes between Europe and Canada. The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom has claimed that they were in the region as early as the 1500s. These active puppies assisted in the retrieval of nets in the ocean and of wildlife on land. When touring Canada, English noblemen found the Labrador Retriever’s recovery abilities to be quite useful. They came home with dedicated dogs they believed would excel in the field. In particular, during the mid-1800s, Colonel Peter Hawker and the Earl of Malmesbury attempted to breed Labradors into gun dogs. Later, in 1903, the Labrador Retriever was approved as an official breed by the Kennel Club. American Labrador Retrievers The American Labrador is a quick-thinking, quick-moving dog that often has a highly sensitive soul and a desire to please. Extreme sensitivity can occasionally cause anxiety, although temperament is generally good throughout the breed. Training the hardworking American Labrador Retriever is a bit easier than training its English cousin. For instance, it will likely be easier for novice owners to train them to walk well on a leash. American Labradors may have extremely strong hunting instincts and be more prone to seek out local animals when they are out in the open. For people who live in rural regions or walk their dogs in locations where there are rabbits or squirrels, this may be an issue. Some American Labs, though not all, will have so much drive that a novice owner may find it difficult to maintain control when they go on their regular walks together. This is especially so if they don’t give the dog adequate attention throughout the day. If you enjoy relaxing and catching up with friends while out walking, you might want to consider the English Labrador instead. English Labrador Retrievers All Labradors are quite active when they’re young, but some show-bred English Labradors mature into dogs who are a little calmer, more reserved, and more relaxed. That being said, some of their field-bred counterparts tend to enjoy long, high-energy lives. If you exercise your English Lab in crowded dog parks where they will be mingling with many other dogs, it might be difficult because some English Labradors can be quite lively and easily distracted as puppies. Some show-type English Labs are more challenging to train because of their fun silliness. Compared to American Labs, show-bred English Labs may be more loud or prone to whining. However, this trait has been largely bred out of show dogs in the last few years. What is the Difference Between an American Labrador and an English Labrador? Although there isn’t a formal distinction between English and American-type Labrador Retrievers, the variations between them are obvious and the two types are now generally recognized. The two phrases are commonly used, well-known, and approved nicknames for Labradors with lineage from the relevant nations as well as those that have been bred for various purposes. So, are there actually two different types of Labrador dogs? Not quite, as all contemporary dogs are thought to be descended from the same Newfoundland breed line, and the majority of Labrador breeders adhere to the official breed standard accepted by both the American Kennel Club and The UK Kennel Club. There is some ambiguity over the varieties of Labrador Retrievers that are available and how they appear since some breeders adhere to the Federation Cynologique Internationale standard, which is somewhat different from the US and UK versions. Nevertheless, these two varieties of Labradors differ in a few key ways. How Are English Labradors and American Labradors Similar? When it comes down to it, the English Lab and the American Lab are the same breed of dog. They are simply two different varieties of the same breed. The major coat colors of Labrador Retrievers are recognized by both breed standards as being black, chocolate, and yellow in hue. Additionally, they both have swimming adaptations like webbed feet, multiple layers of fur insulation, and strong tails that serve as rudders to help these swimmers navigate the water. They also have blocky skulls that are similar, though the English variety tends to be a bit blockier. Both of these dogs are quite brilliant and learn effectively through positive reinforcement. Additionally, the overall attitude is the same. The ideal temperament of the Labrador Retriever is one of sweetness, sociability, and tractability. Both types should also be eager to please and non-aggressive toward people or animals. People are drawn to the Labrador for a variety of reasons, including its sweet nature, intellect, and adaptability. How Are English Labradors and American Labradors Different? The English Labradors and American Labradors can be classified as either hunting dogs or display dogs. These types of Labrador dogs are often sociable, trustworthy, good-natured, and lively, and they enjoy being around people. They are liked as service and companion animals. Due to their prevalence in the UK and the fact that they were developed for show and conformation, English Labradors have gained widespread recognition. Given that they are far more prevalent in the USA, Labradors bred for field trials and hunting have come to be recognized as American Labradors. However, confusingly, there are American Labs that compete in dog shows and English Labs that are used for hunting and field trials. The labels “English Labradors” and “American Labradors” are more of a helpful reference to the sort of Labrador Retriever being discussed in conversation than they are absolute and rigorous terminology. Numerous exceptions exist. Significant Differences in the English Labrador’s Appearance Comparing a Lab with an American type and an English type reveals some jarring contrasts. The English type seems heavier and more solid when compared to an American Lab. They have barrel chests that are notably broader and more solid-looking, and are blockier and bulkier overall. The English Lab appears to be more firmly built due to its broader head, more obvious and well-defined stop, fuller face, and shorter muzzle. Compared to their American counterparts, English Labradors have a larger, thicker, and typically straighter tail as well as a bigger, more powerful-appearing neck and coat. Because of its shorter torso and legs, the English Lab doesn’t stand as tall as the American type. Due to the fact that English Labs are developed for conformation, they often resemble the industry breed standard much more than the American Lab. https://a-z-animals.com/blog/2-type-of-labrador-dogs-that-make-the-best-pets/

Running Twitter has been "quite painful" and "a rollercoaster", Elon Musk has said, in a hastily arranged live interview with the BBC. The multi-billionaire entrepreneur also said he would sell the company if the right person came along.Mr Musk, who also runs car maker Tesla and rocket firm SpaceX, bought Twitter for $44bn (£35.4bn) in October.The interview from the firm's HQ in San Francisco covered the mass lay-offs, misinformation and his work habits.But he admitted he only went through with the takeover because a judge was about to force him to make the purchase.And he confirmed Twitter will change its newly added label for the BBC's account from "government funded media" to say it is "publicly funded" instead.During the conversation - in which Mr Musk tried to do the interviewing as much as the other way around - he defended his running of the company.Asked whether he had any regrets about buying Twitter, the world's second richest man said the "pain level has been extremely high, this hasn't been some kind of party".Talking about his time at the helm so far, Mr Musk said: "It's not been boring. It's been quite a rollercoaster."It has been "really quite a stressful situation over the last several months", he added, but said he still felt that buying the company was the right thing to do.After building a stake in Twitter at the start of 2022, Mr Musk made a takeover offer. But Twitter later sued him after he tried to back out of the deal.Things are going "reasonably well", Mr Musk told the BBC, stating that usage of the site is up and "the site works".The workload means that "I sometimes sleep in the office", he said, adding that he has a spot on a couch in a library "that nobody goes to".And he also addressed his sometimes controversial tweets saying: "Have I shot myself in the foot with tweets multiple times? Yes.""I think I should not tweet after 3am," he added.Asked about the decision to add a label to the BBC's main Twitter account describing it as "government funded media", Mr Musk said: "I know the BBC is generally not thrilled about being labelled state media."Earlier this week, the corporation contacted the social media giant over the designation on the @BBC account to resolve the issue "as soon as possible"."The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee," it said.Mr Musk said Twitter was adjusting the label for the BBC to "publicly-funded". The change was made several hours later, but the new label was still linking through to a page with information about government and state-affiliated media."We're trying to be accurate," he said."I actually do have a lot of respect for the BBC," he added, stating that the interview was "a good opportunity to ask some questions" and "to get some feedback on what we should be doing different".The BBC is the UK's national broadcaster and operates through a Royal Charter agreed with the government. It is funded by a licence fee paid by UK households - accounting for £3.8bn ($4.7bn) in 2022, about 71% of the BBC's total income of £5.3bn.The rest of the funding comes from its commercial and other activities like grants, royalties and rental income. The BBC also receives more than £90m per year from the government to support the BBC World Service, which predominantly serves non-UK audiences.Discussing Twitter's finances, Mr Musk said the company is now "roughly breaking even", as most of its advertisers have returned.He also said that cutting the workforce from just under 8,000 at the time he bought the firm to about 1,500 had not been easy.He admitted he did not fire everybody in person, saying: "It's not possible to talk with that many people face to face."The exit of many of Twitter's engineers since Mr Musk bought the company has raised concerns about the stability of the platform.He acknowledged some glitches, including outages on the site but he said the outages have not been for very long and the site was currently working fine. Five key quotes On buying Twitter: "It's not been boring. It has been quite a rollercoaster... It's been really quite a stressful situation." On laying off staff: "I wouldn't say it was uncaring... If the whole ship sinks, then nobody's got a job." On profits: "We could be profitable, or to be more precise, cash flow positive this quarter if things keep going well. I think almost all advertisers have come back or said they are going to come back." On his controversial tweets: "Have I shot myself in the foot with tweets multiple times? Yes." On labelling the BBC as "Government-funded media": "We're adjusting the label to... publicly funded... If we use the same words that the BBC uses to describes itself, then presumably that would be OK." In the interview - which was broadcast live via the Twitter Spaces service - Mr Musk was also challenged over misinformation and hate speech on the platform.He claimed that there was less misinformation on Twitter since the takeover, and that his efforts to delete bots - automated accounts - will decrease fake news.But many outside experts disagree. One study - and there are quite a few others along the same lines - found engagement with po[CENSORED]r misinformation-spreading accounts spiked after Mr Musk's takeover.He repeatedly questioned whether journalists were fair arbiters of truth and said he had more trust in "ordinary people".On the issue of legacy-verified blue ticks on the platform, Mr Musk said they would be removed from accounts by the end of next week.Former Twitter executive Bruce Daisley - who ran the business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa for eight years - said the interview "gave us some insight into the strange life of this billionaire"."He confessed today that the only reason he went through with buying Twitter was because he believed a judge would force him to go through with the transaction. He's never admitted that till now, so it was a very whimsical interview."Mr Daisley also suggested the interview showed Mr Musk was not always consistent in what he says.Elon Musk has an estimated personal fortune of almost $190bn, making him the world's second richest person, according to the Forbes billionaires list. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65248196

2K and the LEGO Group will release the adventure game LEGO 2K Drive will be available on May 19 worldwide. Developed by Visual Concepts, LEGO 2K Drive evolves the iconic LEGO play experience with a vast, open world where players can build any vehicle, drive anywhere and become a LEGO racing legend.LEGO 2K Drive will be the first release in a multi-title partnership between 2K and the LEGO Group to develop AAA LEGO games. LEGO 2K Drive will combine the best elements of open-world driving and fast-paced competitive racing while introducing a diverse vehicle customization system.A collaboration with supercar and hypercar company McLaren Automotive will bring the McLaren Solus GT and McLaren F1 LM to the world of Bricklandia. New features Players will journey across Bricklandia’s multiple unique biome regions as they compete against a series of charismatic rivals with hopes of one day winning the coveted Sky Cup Trophy. In LEGO 2K Drive, players choose how they want to play, with a wide-open world to explore full of racing, minigames, challenges, collectibles, things to destroy, and well-known vehicles from LEGO themes like City, Creator, Speed Champions, and more.Racing in LEGO 2K Drive is a fast-paced, off-the-wall experience as players battle across a broad range of tracks while taking advantage of unique power-up abilities that can transform a player’s standing in the race with the touch of a button.LEGO 2K Drive introduces a diverse customization system that allows players to build their own vehicles to suit their tastes, with over 1,000 unique LEGO pieces available over the course of their adventure, in addition to a wealth of color designs, stickers, flairs, and more.LEGO 2K Drive offers robust co-op and thrilling competitive multiplayer to enjoy with others. Play with family and friends via local, 2-person split-screen or match online with other intrepid racers of similar skill levels. Three editions of LEGO 2K Drive will be available: The Standard Edition will be available on PlayStation 4 (PS4), Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch and on PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Xbox Series X|S in both physical and digital formats. The Awesome Edition will include a new vehicle, vehicle flair, and an in-game LEGO minifigure. Players will also receive the Year 1 Drive Pass, introducing an all-new biome and four individual post-launch seasons of Drive Pass content, each with new vehicles and themes. The Awesome Rivals Edition will include multiple new vehicles, a vehicle flair, and in-game LEGO minifigures. Players will also receive the Year 1 Drive Pass, introducing an all-new biome and four individual post-launch seasons of Drive Pass content, each with new vehicles and themes. https://backendnews.net/lego-2k-drive-coming-this-may-19/

Microsoft is launching its PC Game Pass service in 40 new countries today, including many European markets. After previewing the service in these countries over the past two months, PC Game Pass is officially available in countries across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, including Croatia, Iceland, Libya, Qatar, and Ukraine. This expansion means that 86 countries will now have access to Game Pass as Microsoft seeks to grow its subscription service beyond console. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer warned of growth slowing down on the console side of Xbox Game Pass last year,] but noted that the company was “seeing incredible growth on PC.” Microsoft said in October that PC Game Pass subscriptions had increased by 159 percent year over year. PC Game Pass includes access to Microsoft’s Xbox PC games, hundreds of PC games, Bethesda titles, and even an EA Play membership where you get to try out new releases for up to 10 hours. Anyone who helped Microsoft test PC Game Pass in these new markets will get two free months of membership as a thank-you for participating in the preview program. “This will be available directly in member’s accounts in the coming days,” says Jerret West, CVP of Xbox gaming marketing. Microsoft also has a “special welcome offer” for the first three months of PC Game Pass in these new markets, and pricing will vary per country. The PC Game Pass expansion comes just hours after Microsoft announced a new cloud gaming partnership with UK mobile operator EE. The deal involves Xbox PC games coming to EE customers and may hint that Microsoft is getting ready to bring full PC games to its Xbox Cloud Gaming service. Here’s the full list of 40 new countries where PC Game Pass is now available: Albania Algeria Bahrain Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Costa Rica Croatia Cyprus Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Estonia Georgia Guatemala Honduras Iceland Kuwait Latvia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Moldova Montenegro Morocco Nicaragua North Macedonia Oman Panama Paraguay Peru Qatar Romania Serbia Slovenia Tunisia Ukraine Uruguay https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/11/23678689/microsoft-pc-game-pass-40-new-countries-launch

A leaked Pentagon document seen by the BBC reveals a sensitive conversation between high-level South Korean officials on whether to sell weapons that could be used in Ukraine. The intercept targeted two of President Yoon Suk Yeol's senior advisors.They are torn between US pressure to send ammunition to Ukraine and their policy not to arm countries at war.One of the advisers suggests sending the shells to Poland instead, to avoid appearing to have given in to the US.Washington has been scrambling to trace the source of the leaks, which the Pentagon says are a serious risk to national security.Last year, South Korea agreed it would sell artillery shells to the US to replenish its stocks, but insisted the US had to keep the shells for itself and not send them on to Kyiv.In their conversation on 1 March, President Yoon's foreign affairs secretary Yi Mun-hui reportedly told the then National Security Advisor Kim Sung-han that the government was "mired in concerns that the US would not be the end user" of the ammunition.They also worried that President Biden could call President Yoon directly about the issue, and that if South Korea were to change its policy on providing weapons to Ukraine, it could look as if it had been pressured by the US.According to the document, South Korea's national security advisor, Mr Kim, then suggested they could sell shells to Poland instead, given that "getting the ammunition to Ukraine quickly was the ultimate goal of the United States".South Korea says it is investigating the leak but has insisted that it is impossible to intercept private conversations inside its presidential office, and that this discussion could not have taken place in its private underground bunker.The US has made no secret of the fact that it wants Seoul to arm Ukraine. It believes South Korea, with its ability to build advanced weapons at a breakneck speed, could make a significant contribution to the outcome of the war.But Seoul has been reluctant to do so, repeatedly citing its policy of not sending weapons to countries at war, while privately worrying about burning bridges with Russia.This leak suggests that the South Koreans not only understood that their shells could end up in Ukraine, but that they were open to this happening. This could strain its relationship with Moscow."South Korea always plays this delicate balancing act, with the US on one side, and Russia and China on the other," said Jenny Town, a Korea analyst from the think tank 38 North. "This leak shows it is the optics they are most concerned about. They're trying to balance what they're willing to do to support Ukraine with how it will be perceived." This report, seemingly based on signals intelligence, also has the potential to upset US-South Korea relations, as it suggests the US has been spying on its decades-long ally.Although not a surprise that the US spies on its friends and enemies alike, the timing of this disclosure is unfortunate.In a fortnight President Yoon will travel to the White House on a state visit to celebrate 70 years of the alliance between the two countries - an alliance the US is at pains to point out is still "iron-clad".The report has triggered security concerns in Seoul, with the opposition party questioning how the US was able to intercept such a high-level conversation. "This is a clear violation of our sovereignty by the United States and a super-scale security breach on the South Korean part," it said in a statement on Monday.Kim Jong-dae, an advisor for the former liberal government, describes this as an "intelligence disaster" for the South Koreans. "This is the tip of the iceberg. There is no way in hell this is it," he said.South Korea's government is trying to downplay the leak. It says it agrees with a US assessment that some of the documents may have been distorted.Meanwhile a government source warned that any attempt to "exaggerate or distort this incident, to shake the alliance ahead of the summit, will be resisted".The US was expected to use the upcoming summit to further press Mr Yoon to send weapons to Ukraine. That matter is suddenly more delicate. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-65236991

Private Division and developer Piccolo Studios have announced that After Us, an adventure game set is “a surrealistic post-human world” will be coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on May 23, 2023. In After Us, players control Gaia, the Spirit of Life, searching for life remaining in a world ravaged by environmental disaster. Gaia will journey across Earth to find the souls of extinct animals and learn of the final fate. Gaia will also need to avoid the “oil-covered Devourers that roam the wasteland in search of remaining life.” According to Private Division and Piccolo Studios, key features are; Gaia’s journey: the last animals have died, and Mother has used all of her Life Force to save their souls, now trapped in their vessels. Gaia’s quest is to rescue each of their souls and bring them back to Mother’s Ark. Gaia’s traversal abilities will allow you to glide, jump, and dash to explore new areas and evade deadly traps, while her special gifts will grant you the power to clear the oil that consumes the world, face hungry Devourers, and break souls free. A vast, surrealistic world: see through Gaia’s eyes the desolated landscapes that depict the destructive relationships between humans and nature in a beautiful demonstration of abstract artistry. From dying forests to the heart of crumbling cities, through the dry seabed and polluted skies, each environment will offer new challenges for Gaia to face and will present her different versions of the Devourers’ wake of destruction as she spreads life and beauty on her path. A story of contrasts: After Us offers a somber look at a world decimated by human impact. As you guide Gaia’s light through it and discover the causes behind the destruction, you will learn the fate of the Devourers as agents of extinction, but also agents of progress, love, and hope. https://powerup-gaming.com/2023/04/04/after-us-is-launching-this-may/

A fan-made ‘demake’ of Dead Space is available to download for free. Dead Space Demake was developed by Fraser Brumley to help him learn Unreal Engine and let him experiment with “the PS1 aesthetic”.The demake attempts to show what the game could have looked like had it been released on the original PlayStation rather than PS3 and Xbox 360.“You’ve played Dead Space (2008) and you’ve played Dead Space (2023), it’s time to soak in the horrid vibes of Dead Space (1998),” the game’s description reads.Dead Space Demake was developed by Fraser Brumley to help him learn Unreal Engine and let him experiment with “the PS1 aesthetic”.The demake attempts to show what the game could have looked like had it been released on the original PlayStation rather than PS3 and Xbox 360.“You’ve played Dead Space (2008) and you’ve played Dead Space (2023), it’s time to soak in the horrid vibes of Dead Space (1998),” the game’s description reads.EA’s remake of Dead Space was released on January 27 to critical acclaim, and ranked at number 2 in the US monthly software chart based on just two days of availability (NPD’s reporting period covered January 1-28).EA reportedly started polling fans the following month on whether they would like to see remakes of Dead Space 2 and 3.Dead Space remake developer Motive announced last year that it will be working on a Marvel Iron Man game. VGC asked Dead Space’s creative director Roman Campos-Oriola what that meant for the potential of future remakes.“For me, what I like is that it gives us a lot of traction moving forwards, in terms of finishing that game,” he replied. “Personally, I’m a big fan of Dead Space, but as for the future, I don’t know.“I cannot speak for the other project, but what I can say is that it’s not uncommon to have studios with multiple projects. Especially in big companies like EA.“The thing in terms of recruitment, and again I’m speaking only about Dead Space, is that I joined to work on this game and we have a lot of people here like that. That brand, as a developer, has a lot of appeal.” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/a-fan-made-ps1-style-demake-of-dead-space-is-now-playable/

A British-Israeli woman who was wounded in a suspected Palestinian gun attack on Friday in which two of her daughters were killed has died. Lucy Dee, 45, had been in a coma since the attack in the occupied West Bank. Her daughters Rina, 15, and Maia, 20, were buried on Sunday in the settlement of Kfar Etzion, with their father and three surviving siblings present. The family moved to Israel nine years ago from the UK, where Lucy's husband, Leo, had served as a rabbi. Thousands of mourners attended the emotionally charged funeral of the sisters, where Rabbi Dee eulogised them. Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem announced that Lucy (who was also known by her Hebrew name, Leah) Dee had died on Monday morning "despite great and constant efforts". Speaking hours after his wife's death, Rabbi Dee said: "My beautiful wife, Lucy, and myself tried to raise our children with good values and to do good and bring more good into the world," calling the attack "pure evil". Lucy, Rina and Maia were shot at as they were driving in the Jordan Valley in the northern West Bank on their way to a family holiday. Their vehicle crashed and the gunmen went up to the car and opened fire on the women at close range, Israeli media quoted investigators as saying. Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that 22 bullet casings were found, apparently from a Kalashnikov assault rifle. Rabbi Dee had been further ahead in a separate car when his sister called him with news of the attack. He said he tried to call his wife and daughters but they did not answer. He then saw a missed call from Maia from the time of the attack. He said another daughter who was with him saw a photo posted on Instagram by the driver of a car which passed the attacked car and they recognised one of their suitcases on the back seat of the vehicle. The emergency services were already at the scene of the attack, near the settlement of Hamra, when he got there. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted that he sent his "heartfelt condolences to the Dee family, on the death of the mother of the family, Leah (Lucy), who was murdered in the severe terror attack in the [Jordan] valley". Radlett United Synagogue in Hertfordshire, to which the Dees had belonged, said the community was "devastated at the terrible news" of Lucy and her daughters' deaths. "We and the world have been robbed of their presence, but their light can never be extinguished," it said in a statement. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a hunt for the perpetrators following the attack, which came at a time of spiralling tensions between Israel and the Palestinians. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-65227638

Songmi Park dug her toes into the edge of the riverbank as she prepared to cross. She knew she was supposed to be afraid. The river was deep, and the current looked strong. If she was caught she would certainly be punished, perhaps even shot. But she felt a pull far stronger than her fear. She was leaving North Korea to find her mother, who had left her behind as a child.As Songmi waded through the icy water at dusk, she felt as if she was flying. It was 31 May 2019. "How can I forget the best and worst day of my life?" she says.Escaping North Korea is a dangerous and difficult feat. In recent years Kim Jong Un has clamped down harder on those trying to flee. Then, at the outset of the pandemic, he sealed the country's borders, making Songmi, then 17, one of the last known people to make it out.This was the second time Songmi had crossed the Yalu River, which separates North Korea from China, providing escapees with their easiest route out.The first time she left she was strapped to her mother's back as a child. Those memories are still as piercing as if they were yesterday .She remembers hiding at a relative's pig farm in China, when the state police came looking for them. She remembers her mother and father pleading not to be sent back. "Send me instead," the relative had cried. The police beat him until his face bled.Back in North Korea, she remembers her father with his hands cuffed behind his back. And she remembers standing on the train station platform, watching both her parents be transported to one of North Korea's infamous prison camps. She was four years old.Songmi was sent to live with her father's parents on their farm in Musan, a North Korean town half-an-hour from the Chinese border. Going to school was not an option, they told her. Education is free in Communist North Korea, but families are often expected to bribe teachers, and Songmi's grandparents could not afford to.Instead she spent her childhood roaming the countryside, hunting for clovers to feed the rabbits on the farm. She was often sick, even during summer. "I didn't eat much and so my immunity was low," she says. "But when I woke up from my sickness my grandmother would always have left me a snack on the windowsill." One evening, five years after the train rolled out of the station bound for the prison camp, her father slipped softly into bed behind her, wrapping her in his arms. She buzzed with excitement. Life could begin again. But three days later, he died. His time in prison had chipped away at his health.When Songmi's mother, Myung-hui, arrived home the following week to find her husband dead, she was distraught. She made an unthinkable decision. She would try to escape North Korea again. Alone.On the morning her mother left, Songmi says she could sense something was different. Her mother had dressed strangely, in her grandmother's clothes. "I didn't know what she was planning but I knew that if she left, I wouldn't see her for a long time," she says. As her mother walked out of the house, Songmi curled under her bedsheet and cried.The next 10 years were to be her toughest.Within two years her grandfather had died. Now she was alone at the age of 10, caring for her bed-ridden grandmother, with no source of income: "One by one my family were disappearing. It was so scary."In times of desperation, if you know what to look for, the dense mountains of North Korea can provide meagre sustenance. Every morning Songmi began the two-hour walk up into the mountains, hunting for plants to eat and sell. Certain herbs could be sold as medicine at her local market, but first they needed to be washed, trimmed, and dried by hand, meaning she worked late into the night. "I couldn't work or plan for tomorrow. Every day I was trying not to starve, to survive the day."Just 300 miles away, as the crow flies, Myung-hui had arrived in South Korea.Having journeyed for a year through China and then into neighbouring Laos, then Thailand, she reached a South Korean embassy.The South Korean government, which has an agreement to resettle North Korean escapees, flew her to Seoul. She settled in the industrial town of Ulsan on the south coast. Desperate to earn money that could pay for her daughter's escape, she cleaned the inside of ships at a ship-building factory every day without rest. Escaping from North Korea is expensive. It requires a middleman who can help to navigate the hurdles, and money to bribe anyone who gets in the way. At night Myung-hui would sit alone in the dark and think about her daughter, about what she was doing, and what she looked like. Songmi's birthdays were the hardest. She would take a doll from the cupboard and talk to it, pretending it was her daughter, looking for some way to keep their connection alive.As Songmi's mother recounts their time apart, from the safety of her kitchen table, she starts to cry. Her daughter strokes her arm. "Stop crying, all your pretty make-up is getting ruined," she says.After paying a broker £17,000 ($20,400), Myung-hui was finally able to arrange her daughter's escape. Suddenly, Songmi's decade of waiting, with dwindling hope, was over.After crossing the Yalu River into China, she kept herself hidden, stealthily moving between locations at night, afraid of being caught once more. She rode a bus over the mountains and into Laos, where she took shelter in a church, before making it to the South Korean embassy. She slept at the embassy for another three months, before being flown to South Korea. When she arrived, she spent months in a resettlement facility, which is typical for North Korean escapees. The whole journey took one year but, to Songmi, it felt like 10.Finally reunited, she and her mother sit eating bowls of Myung-hui's homemade noodles in a spicy, cold broth.The classic North Korean dish is Songmi's favourite. In contrast to her mother's guilt, Songmi radiates an infectious energy. She laughs and jokes as she comforts her mother, concealing any sign of her childhood trauma. "The day before I was released from the resettlement centre, I was so nervous. I wasn't sure what I would say to my mother," she says. "I wanted to look pretty in front of her, but I'd gained so much weight during my defection and my hair was a mess." "I was really nervous too," Myung-hui admits. In fact Myung-hui didn't recognise her daughter, whom she had last seen when she was eight. Now she was meeting an 18-year-old. "Here she was in front of me, so I just accepted this must be her," Myung-hui says. "There was so much I wanted to say, but the words wouldn't come out. I just hugged her and said, 'Well done, you've gone through so much to get here'". Songmi says her mind went blank. "We just cried and hugged for 15 minutes. The whole process felt like a dream". As Songmi and her mother work to build their relationship from scratch, there is one question Songmi has never mustered the courage to ask. It is a question she has asked herself every day since she was eight years old. Now, as they slurp the remainders of their lunch, she cautiously allows the words to escape. "Why did you leave me?" Nervously, Myung-hui starts to explain. Their first escape had been her idea. How could she then return home from prison to live with her in-laws, reminding them every day that she had survived, when their son had died? She had no money, and could not see a way for her and Songmi to survive alone. "I wanted to bring you, but the broker said no children," she says. "And, if we got caught again, we would both suffer. So I asked your grandmother to watch you for a year." "I see," Songmi says, her eyes cast down. "Only one year became 10." "Yes," her mother nods. "That morning I left, my feet wouldn't move, but your grandfather hurried me along. He told me to get out. I want you to know, I didn't abandon you. I wanted to provide you with a better life. This seemed like the right choice." This choice might seem unthinkable to anyone living outside North Korea. But these are the gut-wrenching decisions and risks people must take in order to escape - and it is getting tougher. The government, under the leadership of Kim Jong Un, has increased security along the border and imposed harsher punishments on those who are caught trying to escape. Before 2020 more than 1,000 North Koreans would make it to South Korea every year. In 2020, the year Songmi arrived, the number had fallen to 229.When the pandemic broke out early that year, North Korea sealed its borders and banned people from travelling around the country. Soldiers along the border were ordered to shoot and kill anyone they spotted trying to escape. Last year just 67 North Koreans arrived in the South, most of whom had left the North before the pandemic..Songmi was one of the last to make it out before the borders closed. Her memories are therefore valuable, as they offer a recent and an increasingly rare insight into life inside the world's most secretive state.She recalls how the summers were getting hotter. By 2017, the crops started to dry out and die, leaving nothing to eat between autumn and spring. But farmers were still expected to hand over the same crop yield to the government each year, which meant being left with less, sometimes nothing, to eat. They began to forage in the mountains for food. Some eventually chose to give up farming.Those who worked in the mine, the other main source of employment in her hometown of Musan, fared worse, she says. The international sanctions imposed on North Korea in 2017, after it tested nuclear weapons, meant no-one could buy the mine's iron ore. The mine almost ceased to operate, and workers stopped receiving their wages. They would sneak into the mine at night, she says, to steal parts, which they could flog. They didn't know how to find food in the wild, like those working the land did. But by 2019, the biggest fear, other than finding enough food to survive was being caught watching foreign films and TV programmes. These have long been smuggled into the North, and provide citizens with a glimpse of the enticing world that exists beyond their borders. Images of glamourous modern-day South Korea, portrayed in K-dramas, pose the biggest threat to the government."Watching a South Korean film would have got you a fine or perhaps sent to a regular prison for two or three years, but by 2019 watching the same movie would get you sent to a political prison camp," Songmi says.She was found with an Indian film on a USB stick, but managed to convince the security officer that she hadn't known the film was on there, and escaped with a fine. Her friend was not so fortunate. One day, in June 2022, after arriving in South Korea, Songmi received a call from her friend's mother."She told me my friend had been caught with a copy of Squid Game, and because she was the one who had been distributing it, she had been executed," Songmi says.Songmi's account tallies with recent reports from North Korea of people being executed for distributing foreign shows."It seems the situation is even scarier than when I was there. People are being shot or sent to camps for having South Korean media, regardless of their age," she says.Adjusting to life in capitalist, free-wheeling South Korea is often a struggle for North Koreans. It is alienatingly different to anything they have experienced. But Songmi is taking it remarkably in her stride.She misses her friends, who she could not tell she was leaving. She misses dancing with them, and the games they used to play with rocks in the dirt."When you meet friends in South Korea you just go shopping or drink coffee," she says, a little disparagingly.What has helped Songmi to integrate is her steadfast belief that she is no different to her South Korean peers."After travelling for months through China and Laos, I felt as though I was an orphan, being sent off to live in a foreign country," she says. But when she landed at the airport in Seoul the ground staff greeted her with a familiar "an-nyeong-ha-say-yo". The word for hello, used in both North and South Korea, blew her away: "I realised we are the same people in the same land. I hadn't come to a different country. I had just travelled south."She sat in the airport and cried for 10 minutes.Songmi says she has now found her purpose - to advocate for the two Koreas to be reunited. This is the future that South Koreans are told to dream of, but many do not buy into the dream. The more time passes since the country was divided, the fewer people, particularly the young, see the need for it to come back together.Songmi visits schools to teach students about the North. She asks who among them has thought about reunification, and typically only a few hands go up. But when she asks them to draw a map of Korea, most sketch the outline of the entire peninsula, including the North and South. This gives her hope.As Songmi settles into her relationship with her mother, there are only small glimpses of strain. The pair frequently laugh and hug, and Songmi dries her mother's tears as they explore the painful details of each other's past.Her mother's choice was the right one, Songmi says, because they are both now living happily in South Korea.Myung-hui may not have been able to recognise her daughter initially, but the pair look strikingly alike. Now she can see her 19-year-old self in her daughter.Their relationship is more like a friendship or one of sisters. Songmi enjoys telling Myung-hui all the details of her dates. It is only when they argue that it hits her."Then I'm like, wow, I really am living with my mother," she says, laughing.Additional reporting, filming and editing by Hosu Lee. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-64820529

Farm Slider is coming to consoles on April 14th Farm Slider is easy to play, challenging to finish and impossible to put down puzzle game. Coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox on April 14th. Pre-orders are now live! The Netherlands – [April 7th 2023] – 2Awesome Studio (2AS) announces the launch of Farm Slider. The game is releasing April 14th on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox. The game will have a retail price of 4,99 (eur/gbp/usd), with a pre-order and launch discount of 20%. With colorful and minimalistic sliding puzzles, Farm Slider is easy to play, challenging to finish and impossible to put down! Challenge your brain and enjoy several hours of puzzling fun, suited for all ages. Featuring lots of levels with different farm towns pictures but there's an issue: they are all out of place! Slide your way through and rearrange the pictures until they match the original in order to complete the level. Key features: "Easy to learn, hard to master" sliding puzzle gameplay Colorful minimalistic farm settings 48 brain stimulating levels suited for all ages https://www.gamespress.com/tr/Farm-Slider-is-coming-to-consoles-on-April-14th

A Steam game that is normally $40 is now available to download for free, but only for a limited time. While Valve has yet to rival Epic Games Store's free games offer, developers and publishers routinely make their games free on Steam themselves. You don't get as notable games made free as you do with Epic Games Store, but you do get plenty. The latest comes the way of publisher Slitherine and developer Black Lab Games. That said, the offer they have extended to Steam users is only available until April 9, or, in other words, until Easter. As for what the game is, it's 2017's Battlestar Galactica Deadlock, a sci-fi strategy game. According to Steam User Reviews, the game is pretty good, as it boasts a "Very Positive" User Review score, with 85 percent of over 2,500 user reviews rating the game positive. "Four years of war and a steep price in human lives have not been enough to unlock a deadly stalemate," reads an official story description of the game. "The Colonials have countered all of the Cylon's offensives so far, but no decisive victory was achieved. The deadlock is suddenly broken by a surprise attack from the Cylons and the brutal annihilation of the Colonial Fleet High Command on Picon. The fate of mankind is now resting on the shoulders of Rear-Admiral Lucinda Cain. The secret, cunning plan she has conceived could turn the tide of the war forever..." As for whether your PC can run the game, the good news is it's not technically demanding. The minimum requirements include a processor of 2.0GHz or higher, 4 GB of RAM, a 1GB NVIDIA Geforce 460/ATI Radeon HD 5770 or better, 8739 MB of availavle storage space, and a DirectX compatiaible sound card. These are just the minimum requirements though. For more coverage on all things gaming -- including all of the latest news, rumors, and deals as all of it pertains to PC gaming specifically -- click here. Meanwhile, and as always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think. Will you be checking this PC game out now that it is free? https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/steam-free-pc-game-download/