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Malawi's opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera has won the country's rerun presidential vote, officials say. He defeated incumbent Peter Mutharika with 58.57% of the vote in Tuesday's poll, the electoral commission announced late on Saturday. In February, Malawi's constitutional court annulled Mr Mutharika's victory in the May 2019 election, citing vote tampering. The country was bitterly divided in the run-up to this week's election. It is the second African nation to annul a presidential election over irregularities, after Kenya in 2017. Supporters of Mr Chakwera have been celebrating in the Malawian capital, Lilongwe, sounding car horns and letting off fireworks. Why was there a new vote? A rerun of the 2019 election was ordered after the Constitutional Court found the original ballot had been marred by widespread irregularities. That election saw President Mutharika narrowly re-elected by fewer than 159,000 votes. Mr Chakwera, who came second in that election, argued that tallying forms had been added up incorrectly and tampered with using Tipp-Ex correction fluid. Uncertainty around the result sparked months of tension, which spilled over into clashes between opposition supporters and police. February's annulment led some to celebrate, but Mr Mutharika described it as a "serious subversion of justice" which marked the death of the country's democracy. There were concerns over the logistics and safety of carrying out an election in the midst of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. Who is Lazarus Chakwera ? The opposition leader, a former cleric, heads up the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP). Born in Lilongwe to a subsistence farmer, the philosophy and theology graduate has pledged to raise the national minimum wage, among other reforms. Lazarus Chakwera Candidate for the Tonse Alliance Born5 April 1955 Studied theologyin Malawi, South Africa and USA Pastor and lecturerworked at the Assemblies of God School of Theology Authoredseveral books on religion including Reach the Nations Ran for presidentin 2014 and came second. Mr Chakwera leads a nine-party coalition, the Tonse Alliance, and had the backing of former President Joyce Banda as well as the country's vice-president, Saulos Chilima, as his running mate. Mr Chilima - who finished third in the 2019 vote - was once an ally of President Mutharika, but has since fallen out with him.

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Game Informations. Developers : Lince Works. Released : October 8, 2016. Genre : Action-adventure, stealth. Mode : Single-player, Multi-player. Platforms : Microsoft Windows - OS X - PlayStation 4 - Xbox One - Linux - Nintendo Switch. Aragami is a sight for sore eyes if you're a fan of the stealth genre. While we have incredible games integrating its conventions with Dishonored, Assassin's Creed, and even Wolfenstein: The New Order, they treat stealth gameplay as an equal alternative to action rather than the only realistic option. Seasoned game series like Metal Gear Solid and Thief are primary examples of the latter, emphasising stealth to the point of making combat a major threat. Aragami falls in line with this traditional focus on stealth gameplay, but is it worth leaving in the shadows or exposing to the light for all to see? One thing for sure is that our eponymous hero prefers the dark. He's a dark spirit made incarnate from the afterlife, summoned by Princess Yamiko because of his unfulfilled vengeance in life. He must save her from the clutches of the Kaiho clan, which is an army of light that ruthlessly took down her empress and the Nisshoku people. Now it's up to you to find talismans associated with Yamiko that the Kaiho have spread across the lands, and by gathering them where she is imprisoned, she will be rightfully freed to restore what was lost. However, this isn't your typical "princess in a castle" story, as the game humorously pokes fun at itself at one point. There's a rich history to explore with flashbacks that Aragami experiences with memories of his prior life and Yamiko's past. Exposition through dialogue and lore with collectable scrolls reference key players and events that give more context to the conflict between the Kaiho and Nisshoku. While we thought it would be uninteresting fluff, it's surprisingly deep and worth investing in. You'll be able to more easily follow and understand the campaign's extraneous details and plot twists, and with that comes a more enjoyable story. Along the way, you'll be travelling across tranquil forests and cobbled streets to reach the city of Kyuryu, where Yamiko is trapped. This affords plenty of settings where dozens of bow wielders and swordsmen patrol your surroundings, which you must carefully navigate in the shadows. However, shadows aren't just an obvious choice for your character to take advantage of – they're a necessity to fuel his dark abilities. This is indicated by a neat implementation of UI info with his cloak's design, which not only shows what ability you have equipped with cool illustrations, but also white lines that drain if you use shadow-based moves that only fade back when you're immersed in darkness. You can naturally run, crouch, and perform assassinations, but when it comes to abilities like teleporting à la Blink in Dishonored or becoming temporarily invisible, you have to be aware of your limits and environment to keep these powers up. That's why lamps, fire, and the light-endowed soldiers you come across can result in instant failure. Not only can you be exposed, but also devoid of your usual abilities. This forces you to evaluate your approaches to every area, which can be great fun whether you choose to spare or slaughter your foes in silence. It's incredibly reminiscent to how the Tenchu series works, but the addition of harnessing shadow mixes things up. There are six abilities total, and they're evenly split to cater to pacifists and murderers. By collecting those scrolls, you unlock skill points that can be put toward the ability to create a shadow facade that distracts guards or another that blinds someone for a few seconds. More violent alternatives allow you to throw a shadow kunai or summon a dragon behind someone that instantly drags their body into the nether realms. These moves and more are essential to incrementally evolving how you navigate levels and deal with foes, which prevents the gameplay from becoming too familiar over time, especially when you're able to start stringing together two to three moves to satisfying effects. You're rewarded by fully erasing or avoiding your enemies, so we switched back and forth between these two playstyles to keep things fresh. While we could tell the former was the greater and more arduous task compared to the latter on average, we never felt like either strategy was too simple. While some areas may be easier if you ignore soldiers, picking off people one by one was admittedly a better option on occasion. This shows great attention to level design and AI placement to prevent players from favouring one playstyle too much, which should be rightly commended. But that doesn't mean the game gracefully sneaks past our watchful eye. The AI did baffle us on rare occasions by instantly seeing us from the shadows and noticing our presence when they were turned around. Aiming can also be aggravating when trying to Shadow Leap to ledges or casting a brief shadow over an unlit surface, which would result in us trying to aim ever so precisely to find the right spot until we could execute either move. However, the biggest shadow looming over Aragami is intrusive performance issues. It ran around 20-25 frames-per-second most of the time, with major stutters between cutscenes and during gameplay, too. When you throw in some rough edges evident in the animation quality, we have to say that the game's appeal is slightly hindered with issues like these, which we hope are partly addressed in a future patch. Despite these grievances, Aragami still has a lot going for it. The cel-shaded art style adds to the appeal of environments and character models, even if some of the finer details and textures aren't that impressive. But that's not the case for the music. It's excellently composed by Twin Feathers and the glorious Videri String Quartet with violins, percussion, flutes, female vocals, and the occasional Hyōshigi or Shamisen. They contribute to a haunting, suspenseful soundtrack that always fits the mood. Well, excluding when electric rock guitars came in during the mediocre boss fights, which we thought were based more on circumstantial luck than skill to beat. When you do reach the end after over 10 hours of play, there's even a campaign multiplayer mode. While we weren't able to test it for ourselves, we see a lot of awesome potential in the collaboration this mode could bring forth. Having a partner allows opportunities to carry out complex tactics to eliminate multiple foes at once, and we think that the game would be even more entertaining this way. So, if you play mercifully solo, we'd highly recommend ramping up the death toll with a friend the second time around. System Requirements: MINIMUM: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows 7/8.1/10 Processor: Intel Core i5 Memory: 8 GB RAM Graphics: 2GB of Video Memory, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660, AMD Radeon HD7870 DirectX: Version 11 Storage: 6 GB available space Sound Card: Integrated audio interface Additional Notes: Required: Keyboard and Mouse with Secondary click enabled or gamepad (such as PS3 controller, Xbox 360 controller for Windows or Logitech gamepads). The patient, cunning mindset Aragami puts you in with its strictly stealth gameplay is something we long for with more titles. With simple yet smart level design and mechanics, it proves to be a focused title with heart and soul that has learned much from its old masters. But the game does lack polish in its performance and appearance, and the AI can be irritating at times. Fortunately, the release's story, visuals, and sound design ultimately help lift it out of the darkness.

Native American groups are planning to protest against President Donald Trump's visit to Mount Rushmore at the start of the Independence Day weekend. Activists have long taken issue with the South Dakota monument to former US presidents, which was built on land sacred to the Sioux tribe. Mr Trump will bring fighter jets and fireworks to Mount Rushmore on 3 July as his campaigning tour continues. The controversial trip comes amid heightened racial tensions nationwide. Mount Rushmore features the 60ft (18.2m) high faces of four US presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The monument was carved into the granite rock face between 1927 and 1941. But the land the memorial lies on - the Black Hills of South Dakota - was taken from the indigenous Lakota Sioux by the US government in 1800s. Its sculptor was reportedly a white supremacist with ties to the Ku Klux Klan. Some Native American activists say the land should be returned to the Sioux and the monument brought down. Others say indigenous groups should receive economic benefits from tourism to the site. Oglala Sioux President Julian Bear Runner told the Argus Leader newspaper that Mr Trump did not consult with tribal leaders about his visit. Another tribe member and local activist Nick Tilsen told the Associated Press the monument "is a symbol of white supremacy, of structural racism that's still alive and well in society today". "It's an injustice to actively steal Indigenous people's land then carve the white faces of the conquerors who committed genocide." The row over Mr Trump's visit comes as across the US, statues of leaders with ties to slavery have come down in the wake of the George Floyd protests. The president is expected soon to sign an executive order to make any vandalism or destruction of public statues and federal monuments punishable by jail time. On Thursday evening, he told a Fox News town hall in Green Bay, Wisconsin: "Every night we're going to get tougher and tougher [on statue protesters] and at some point there is going to be retribution because there has to be. "These people are vandals, but they're agitators, but they're really, they're terrorists in a sense." Monuments to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson - who both owned slaves - are among those that have been removed or torn down. A statue of Theodore Roosevelt, featuring the former president flanked by a Native American man and an African man, in New York is also to be removed - a plan Mr Trump called "ridiculous". But South Dakota's Republican Governor Kristi Noem rejected the notion that Mount Rushmore would be next, tweeting: "Not on my watch." Mr Trump's planned visit made headlines earlier this month for his decision to host the first fireworks at Mount Rushmore in over a decade, despite environmental concerns. The monument is surrounded by a national forest and some fear the display could set off wildfires in the dry brush. But park officials said they were "confident" the fireworks could be conducted safely, the Washington Post reported.

New Microsoft Teams features now available in preview. Microsoft Teams for Android and iOS is set to receive a host of new features designed to make the app more useful in non-professional scenarios. In a bid to address the need to communicate virtually with family and friends, the po[CENSORED]r collaboration platform will open up its text, chat and video conferencing facilities to non-business users - as well the ability to share photos, videos and GIFs. Once a group has been created, users will be able to organize themselves collectively using a dedicated dashboard that hosts shared to-do lists and calendar items, which can also be assigned to specific individuals. Microsoft Teams will also allow mobile users to share documents securely between individuals or within groups, and now comes with a built-in lockbox for storing private information such as passwords and account credentials. Free for all personal users, the new features are currently available in preview on Microsoft Teams for mobile, but are expected to enter general availability later this year - at which point desktop and web clients will also receive the new functionalities. Microsoft Teams update Although Microsoft Teams was originally designed specifically for business use, the coronavirus pandemic has seen millions of users turn to video conferencing platforms to keep in touch with their loved ones. The latest changes to the Teams platform are grounded in the inevitable overlap of personal and professional lives that came about with the widespread transition to working from home. “With the new features, we hope to extend the power of Teams beyond work scenarios to your personal life,” reads a blog published by the firm. “Whether you’re a busy parent managing daily family life or just trying to stay connected and in sync with those who matter most, the new features are designed to alleviate the need for disparate tools and instead offer one central hub for individuals, groups and families to collaborate and stay connected and organized.” To activate the new features in preview, users that already have a Microsoft Teams account for work can navigate to the settings pane and select ‘Add an account’. Once a personal account has been tethered to the app, the user can switch back and forth via the same settings tab. Those that have never used the service before can sign up using an existing Microsoft account, or use a phone number to create a new one.

Reuters reports that Italy has approved a three-year state-backed credit facility in the wake of the pandemic Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has secured a €6.3 billion (£5.7bn) credit line backed by the Italian government, Reuters reports. Previous reports from mid-May suggested FCA was attempting to secure a share of the government's coronavirus emergency financing scheme. Reuters says the court's approval came following an endorsement from the economy ministry, and that the loan will be issued by Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy's biggest retail bank. The firm, which has its financial headquarters in London, earlier scrapped its dividend payments to shareholders after a planned £7.4bn sale of reinsurer PartnerRe, owned by the holding firm of the Agnelli family alongside the controlling share of FCA, collapsed. The PSA Group, which has agreed a tie-up with FCA to create the world’s fourth largest car-making group, also scrapped its dividend for 2020. The decision allowed them to keep just under £1bn for day-to-day operations during the coronavirus crisis. Italian state investment into FCA has been a controversial issue because the company's holding is registered to the Netherlands. Any conditions imposed upon the loan by the Italian government remain unconfirmed. Almost every car manufacturer has suffered extensive financial setbacks or share price drops during the pandemic, which caused car registrations during April to fall by 97% in the UK alone. Europe is only now easing out of its lockdown measures and it’s expected the market will gradually return to healthier figures. A primary reason for FCA seeking the merger with PSA was to bolster its European arm, which has struggled over the years with poor sales, low margins on po[CENSORED]r cars and underfunded premium brands such as Maserati and Alfa Romeo. The French group’s expertise in the market, along with its superior progress on electrification, is hoped to help FCA recover its success in the region.

EU ambassadors meet on Wednesday to plan reopening external borders on 1 July, and travellers from the US could be among those not allowed in. A number of European countries are keen to open up to tourists but others are wary of the continued spread of coronavirus. The 27-member bloc must first agree the measures that non-EU countries should meet before deciding on a safe list. The virus is spreading in the US, so it is likely Americans would be barred. Brazil, Russia and other countries with high infection rates would also be left off a safe list, according to reports from Brussels. The EU is not yet thought to have agreed how they will assess which countries meet health standards - one of the criteria for entry. Part of the problem is assessing reliable health data, reports say. Comparing infection rates with other countries Latest figures from the EU's health agency, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, highlight Brazil, Peru, Chile, Panama and Saudi Arabia as countries with the highest "case notification rate". Russia and the US have a lower rate of cases per 100,000 inhabitants but are still higher than most of Europe. The US has seen 2.3 million infections and 120,000 deaths and cases are climbing in several states. The European Commission is advising ambassadors only to consider countries that are comparable or better than the EU average when it comes to new infections, the trend in new infections, as well as testing and tracing. Reports said member states were assessing two different lists. The Politico website said one covered countries with less than 16 cases per 100,000 people and the other with up to 20 cases, which would include Canada and Turkey. The New York Times said the list would be revised every two weeks, so the US could be added later. Other criteria also being considered are reciprocity and links to the EU. France wants the EU to give access only when it is reciprocated by other countries, while Spain is said to be keen to reopen the border with neighbouring Morocco. Earlier this month the European Commission also stressed that reopening borders with non-EU states in the Western Balkans was a priority from 1 July. The US may also be a problem diplomatically, as on 14 March President Donald Trump unilaterally closed US borders to countries in the EU's Schengen border-free zone. The EU condemned the move at the time. Why this is a fraught decision for EU countries Which countries' travellers are allowed in and which not? At first this may seem a practical decision for the EU: if a country outside the EU and Schengen area has high rates of infection, its citizens won't be allowed in to the bloc. If infection rates are similar or lower than the EU average, then willkommen, bienvenue, welcome! Except it's not that simple. Producing a list of outside countries "acceptable" for EU travel is also a political - and economic - decision. Tourists bring much-needed revenue to Coid19-ravaged economies, of course. And, as is so often the case, opinion between the EU's 27 countries is divided. Some worry that barring a particular country over Covid-19 could cause political friction with allies or worsen already-existing tensions. EU relations with Washington and with Moscow are already delicate, shall we say? Then there's the issue of reciprocity. France is particularly attached to this. In other words, if a country bars entry to tourists from an EU or Schengen nation, then that country should be allowed to return the "favour", thinks Paris. Also, if a non-EU country grants access to EU visitors, should the EU be diplomatically obliged to respond in kind? This is all under discussion, so don't expect a speedy decision. The EU hopes the travel criteria will be decided by the end of play on Wednesday. The actual list of barred countries is scheduled to be published on Friday. But, you guessed it, that's far from certain. Don't forget, the list would also be constantly updated, depending on Covid-19 (and political changes) in the weeks to come. Can Europe save its tourist season? The EU is split into two groups that include those hoping to salvage something from this year's summer tourist season and those that fear for the health situation. Although the EU urged the 27 member states to reopen internal borders from 15 June, several countries have moved carefully to avoid a second spike in infections. Denmark, which was among the first European countries to start lifting its lockdown, has begun reopening its borders more slowly than others. Denmark is a Schengen state but it still has strict criteria for those visiting the country. Tourists were allowed to return from mid-June from Norway, Iceland and Germany, but not from neighbouring Sweden. Greece, meanwhile, opened its borders to a number of countries on 15 June in a bid to kick-start its tourist season. Japanese, Israeli, Australian and New Zealand travellers are allowed in while higher-risk countries such as the UK and Belgium face compulsory testing and quarantine.

Game Informations. Developers : Ninja Theory. Released : August 8, 2017. Genre : Action-adventure, hack and slash. Mode : Single-player. Platforms : Microsoft Windows - PlayStation 4 - Xbox One - Nintendo Switch. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice opens with a warning screen, which tells you all you need to know about Ninja Theory’s challenging new character action game. Developed in conjunction with physicians and mental health patients, the title tackles the taboo subject of psychosis – a disorder which causes hallucinations and delusions. As you may suspect, this makes for difficult viewing at times – but the Cambridge-based company must be praised for its dedication to depicting the disease in the right way. Senua, the title’s dreadlocked protagonist, is a Celtic warrior from north of the English border. Upon witnessing the mutilation of her lover at the hands of the invading Vikings, she succumbs to insanity, and is cast away by her family in order to live out her illusions in a nearby forest. It’s here that she embarks upon a journey into the underworld – an alternate reality conjured by the demons which haunt her mind. Much of the story is garbled – and intentionally so. You’ll need to be paying close to attention to piece together the thrust of the narrative, which can be difficult to parse given how “busy” it is. The game deliberately tries to overload you, be it through the number of voices speaking concurrently (more on that later) or the frequent use of visual effects, which fragment and distort the image on screen. This makes the title surprisingly stressful to play, but effectively helps convey Senua’s state of mind. Ultimately, it’s a challenging game to play – and not necessarily in the way we’ve become accustomed to. The camera is pulled unnervingly close – uncharacteristically so for the genre – in order to create a sense of claustrophobia, which is leveraged particularly well during combat when adversaries will spawn behind you, making them difficult to keep track of. Bouts become all about positioning and enemy management, with no user interface or heads-up display to guide you.The game instead utilises “the voices” that compose part of Senua’s illness to alert you to danger or provide hints, and it’s impressive how well this aspect has been married to the gameplay. You’ll constantly be hearing whispers throughout the six or so hour campaign, and while these do notify you to foes creeping up on you and important environmental details, they also deceive you, which creates some interesting scenarios where you won’t ever be quite sure who to believe. This is where the sound design is so important. Ninja Theory’s used binaural microphones – similar to those you may have experienced in, say, ASMR videos on YouTube – to capture the positional data of every sound, and when paired with a decent pair of cans it can feel like there are other people in the room with you. All of this put together – the fragmented visuals, the goading voices, and the close camera – help to give a small idea of what suffering with mental disease may feel like. In fact it’s only the final pillar of the psychosis depiction that falls short. Many with the disease say that they find meaning in everyday objects that others can’t see, and so a lot of Hellblade’s puzzles revolve around perspective similar to some of those found in The Witness. Unfortunately, the mechanic is overused, and scouring the environments for hidden runes soon becomes a pace-sapping hindrance that you’ll grow to loathe. Thankfully, not all of the puzzles are poor: one section finds you virtually blinded and cleverly relying on sound to navigate a labyrinth and avoid enemy encounters; another introduces torches and light sources to help you combat an unseen antagonist who only appears in the dark. The game’s really good at keeping you on the edge of your seat, as evidenced by a mechanic that sees Senua gradually overcome by the darkness with each time you fail. The threat is the most important part, as this isn’t a particularly difficult game in the traditional sense. The combat is satisfying, owing to a time-slowing mechanic and the fact that your adversaries cut and bleed the more you attack them. But you should see the campaign through without too much resistance, which may disappoint those looking for complex character action experience. Ultimately, though, that isn’t really the purpose of the game. No, a vast chunk of your time will be spent simply wandering through stunning locales. Given the pseudo-indie budget attached to this project, it’s alarming that it rivals The Order: 1886 at times for sheer photo-realism. There are parts of the game that do seem purpose designed to show off Ninja Theory’s new facial capture technology, but given how convincing it is we can forgive the developer that. The studio’s penchant for iffy FMV does continue here, too, though we’re not convinced it fits. System Requirements: MINIMUM: OS: Windows 7, 8, 10 Processor: Intel i5 3570K / AMD FX-8350 Memory: 8 GB RAM Graphics: GTX 770 with 2GB VRAM / Radeon R9 280X 3GB DirectX: Version 11 Storage: 30 GB available space Additional Notes: Minimum spec screen resolution: 1280x720 Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is not going to appeal to all tastes, and nor does it try to. As a character action game, it has decent if underdeveloped combat and a mixture of some excellent and some overplayed puzzles. But it’s the way that the title utilises the unique attributes of the medium to raise awareness of mental health that elevate this release beyond the sum of its parts.

Oculus will stop selling the Go at the end of this year. The Oculus Go will soon be no more. Oculus announced today that it will no longer ship the Oculus Go -- what has been the best VR headset for budget shoppers since it debuted two years ago -- after this year. Instead, Oculus will focus on the Oculus Quest as its standalone headset of choice. Both the Go and Quest are operable without being tethered to a gaming PC or smartphone and without the need for external base stations for tracking. However, the Quest allows for 6-degrees of freedom (6DOF) tracking, compared to the Go’s 3DOF. That means the Go doesn’t track when you’re walking around, which, admittedly, is a hindrance to the whole ‘immerse yourself in an alternate reality’ play. “The community response has been overwhelmingly positive, and you’ve told us loud and clear that 6DOF feels like the future of VR,” Oculus said in a blog post today. “That’s why we’re going all-in, and we won’t be shipping any more 3DOF VR products.” Those who already have the Go will still be able to enjoy Oculus security patches and bug fixes until 2022; however, the headset won’t see any new features or apps as of December 4. It’s not surprising to see Oculus buckle down on the Quest. It’s the VR HMD we recommend most due to its balance of price and performance. From a business perspective, it’s already garnered Oculus over $100 million through content alone. Gaming in particular is doing well, with 10 games driving more than $2 million in revenue via the HMD. However, it’s still sad to see a budget option leave VR. Many enthusiasts still aren’t willing or able to spend a lot on another tech platform, especially one that’s still in its earlier stages. The Quest is a good option for VR newcomers as it doesn’t require a powerful PC. But the Quest’s currently selling for $399, while the Go starts at $149. However, with Oculus soon to be focusing on one standalone headset instead of two, maybe we’ll see more consistent stock of the Quest. Speaking of more readily available offerings, Oculus also announced changes for developers as of “early 2021” that should help with Quest app availability. ‘This will enable developers to share their apps to anyone with a Quest, without having to be accepted into the Oculus Store, and without the need for sideloading,” the blog explained. The vendor didn’t get into further details but claimed this would help make the Quest accessible to more developers and give Go developers time to switch gears in favor of the Quest.

The city of Celaya in the Mexican state of Guanajuato was the scene of violent clashes over the weekend between members of the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel and Mexican security forces. Twenty-six people were arrested, including the mother, sister and a cousin of the cartel's leader, José Yépez, known as "El Marro" (Stingy). The gang had earlier torched more than 20 cars and set alight six shops. The cartel has so far mainly dedicated itself to fuel theft. What's the background ? Celaya in central Mexico has seen a spike in violence as the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel has tried to defend its criminal enterprise in the central state of Guanajuato, which include extortion rackets and fuel theft. The group has not only been involved in a deadly feud with its rivals, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, but has also seen heavy bloody infighting with José Yépez and his former sidekick, Noe Lara Belman, better known as Puma, both claiming leadership of the gang. More than 1,000 people have been killed in gang-related violence in the state in the three months from March to June, according to a tally by consulting firm Lantia Consultores. What happened over the weekend? Security forces said the gang set alight more than 20 vehicles and a number of businesses across Celaya on Saturday as police moved in to detain key suspected members of the group. A total of 26 people were arrested and weapons and vehicles seized. Following the arrests, cartel leader José Yépez recorded a video shared on social media threatening "to blow up" the government in retaliation for the arrests. Appearing to be close to tears, he thanks his gang members for their support and says he will fight "until I die" even if he's "left alone like a dog". It is not the first time José Yépez has issued threats via video. In 2017, he appeared in a recording surrounded by armed men telling the much bigger and more powerful Jalisco New Generation cartel to stay out of Guanajuato. The illegal siphoning off of fuel from pipelines belonging to state-oil company Pemex is big business in Mexico. The government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador made the dismantling of the fuel theft gangs such as the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel one his main priorities in 2019. But attempts to detain José Yépez have so far failed, with the gang leader reportedly escaping through a network of tunnels when the security forces moved in on him in 2019 in the town his cartel is named after.

Game Informations. Developers : Zoink. Released : February 16, 2018. Genre : Action-adventure, metroidvania. Mode : Single-player. MSRP : $19.99 Platforms : Microsoft Windows - PlayStation 4 - Xbox One - Nintendo Switch. Fe is the latest project from the Swedish studio Zoink! Games, and is a wide departure from its previous work. Swapping out quirky, comical adventure games like Stick it to the Man for something more straight faced, the developer's experiment is a decent effort, but unfortunately falls short of greatness. You play as the titular creature, a small, agile thing that can sing and climb trees. Your primary task is to learn the languages of all the animals of the land, which means exploring woodlands, marshes, caves, and more besides. However, standing in your path are the Silent Ones, a mysterious group of faceless baddies who appear to be wrecking the environment for some sort of sinister purpose. At the start of the game, you can only sing in one language, but this is enough to befriend a couple of critters, and it's not long before you learn more. Each song helps you traverse the environment in new ways; learning the bird song, for example, allows you to ask giant owls for a ride on their back, while the deer song enables the use of fan-like flowers, which boost you to new heights. It's all very pleasant, although you'll find you use some songs far more than others throughout your journey. Alongside this harmonious system, you'll also want to keep an eye out for pink gemstones, collectibles that, once you find enough, enable new abilities for your Fe. Once you can clamber up trees and glide around, you're able to explore most of the game's world, which feels somewhere between a generous sized sandbox and a more linear series of rooms and corridors. These abilities, combined with the traversal options that emerge from your singing, give you plenty of freedom. Unfortunately, the world doesn't offer a huge amount for you to see. Exploration is rewarded; you'll find dozens of the aforementioned gems, but you'll also come across old Silent One helmets that offer a glimpse of story from their perspective, or giant tablets adorned by symbolic murals. The problem is that these storytelling elements don't ever feel like they amount to much. They left us puzzled, when it feels like they're supposed to entice you. The story in general seems to be shooting for something profound and impactful, but we were left wanting as the credits began to roll. Another problem lies in some of the basics. While the controls are mostly fine, the camera and platforming can be extremely fiddly. It's not always clear which platforms you can clamber up and which ones you can't, and making big leaps or more precise jumps is much more difficult than it needs to be, thanks to some finicky mid-air manoeuvrability. You'll also need some patience when attempting to "speak" with another creature, as the volume is analogous with the amount of pressure you apply to R2, which is a nice idea, but it can be tricky finding the right tone. Encounters with the Silent Ones are bothersome, too; you need to stealth your way through, but it's all a bit trivial. You can hide in spiky bushes and, regardless of whether you've been spotted or not, you'll be safe, as long as you stay put. There are plenty of opportunities to navigate above their heads, but if you miss a jump, they make very quick work of you, which can become frustrating. There are also some performance issues as the game loads in new areas. It's not the end of the world, but there are noticeable frame rate dips throughout. Aside from this, Fe looks rather lovely. The angular, low poly look is like a gloomier version of Grow Home's aesthetic, and it works. The soundtrack is good, too, dynamically shifting from pretty, peaceful tones to more sinister music when the Silent Ones are around. System Requirements: OS: Windows 7 64-bit, 8.1 64-bit or Windows 10 64-bit Processor: Intel core i3-2100T @ 2.5GHz / AMD Phenom II X3 B73 Memory: 4096MB RAM HDD: 3GB Video Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 460, or AMD Radeon 5870 or better; 1Gb RAM Direct X: DirectX 11 Input: Mouse and Keyboard, controllers recommended Fe is a decent puzzle platformer with some nice ideas, but it all rings a bit hollow in the end. The various songs are a fun way to interact with the world, but some are barely used at all, while you'll rely on others almost constantly. It can also be surprisingly difficult to control, with a camera that isn't always cooperative and platforming that isn't as tight as it needs to be, especially in an environment as vertical as this. The story, which strives to be poignant, fails to leave an impact, and while the world is a nice place to explore, there isn't a whole lot in it. Ultimately, it's a fine game, but it struggles to leave a lasting impression.

Spain has lifted its state of emergency, reopening its borders to visitors from most of Europe and allowing British tourists in without having to quarantine. For three months Spain has been under one of Europe's toughest lockdowns to stop the spread of coronavirus. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned that hygiene controls must be observed strictly, despite the easing. Spain's Covid-19 death toll stands at 28,322 - the third-highest in the EU. The state of emergency was decreed on 14 March, and for several weeks people could not go out to exercise and children were not allowed to leave their homes for any reason. Spain normally attracts 80 million tourists a year, with tourism providing more than 12% of the country's GDP. Opening up the holiday market again before the summer season is over is seen as crucial to the Spanish economy. Arrivals will have their temperature taken at the airport, state if they have had the virus and provide contact details. Spain is opening up again to the rest of the EU and Schengen zone countries outside the EU. And now Spaniards can once again enjoy unrestricted travel in their own country. But social distancing rules remain in place: people have to stay 1.5m (5ft) apart in public, wear masks in shops and on public transport, where that rule cannot always be kept, and clean their hands frequently. "We must remain on our guard and strictly follow hygiene and protection measures," said Mr Sánchez. He warned of the risk of a second coronavirus wave, "which must be avoided at all costs". Spain's land border with Portugal remains shut until 1 July, at Portugal's request. As Spain lifted its travel restrictions for many foreigners, Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport was still relatively quiet. Only Terminal 4 was operating, with a limited roster of flights. But many of those who came through the arrivals lounge were happy to be in Spain. "It's very special, it's three and a half months since I've been here!" said Martina, a Swiss woman who lives in Madrid who had travelled on a flight from Zurich. Spain has been easing restrictions for its own citizens for several weeks and the country's three-month lockdown has now ended with the lifting of the national state of emergency. In central Madrid there was little noticeable difference in the atmosphere. Many bars and restaurants have been open for some weeks and in and around the city's famous Plaza Mayor, a number of them were busy with customers ordering tapas and wine. However, many hotels in Madrid and other tourist-oriented cities remain closed as they await the return of international tourists in larger numbers.

Game Informations. Developers : Toadman Interactive. Released : September 7, 2018. Genre : Action role-playing. Mode : Single-player. Platforms : Microsoft Windows - PlayStation 4 - Xbox One. It feels like every other month or so now that a game will come along with the latest spin on the Souls formula. Immortal: Unchained, from developer Toadman Interactive, is the latest title to offer its own take on what made Dark Souls so special back in 2011, but does it rise to the task of successfully emulating past experiences? Much like so many games that have come before it, and are almost certain to come after, unfortunately not. To say that Immortal: Unchained’s plot is convoluted would be an understatement. In its most basic form, the universe is on the brink of collapse with the source of a catastrophic event threatening to end life as we know it, and it’s up to you, a “living weapon”, to stop it. That’s only the tip of the iceberg however. The game’s introduction throws a mammoth amount of information at you, to the point where you’re still struggling to comprehend something that was said a minute ago while the cutscene keeps on trucking along. It doesn’t let up either, with lengthy scenes that constantly reference backstory you haven’t the foggiest idea about. Some may see this as extremely informative, but it’s the complete opposite of what made the mystery of the Souls universe so intriguing, and it simply doesn’t work on any sort of level. Seriously, there are narrative threads here that wouldn’t look out of place in the Destiny universe. This isn’t the sort of thing you overload a newcomer with at the start of your game, because we were lost before even pressing a button as a result. When we did get to control the action though, things got somewhat brighter. The title’s defining mechanic is that instead of a more traditional focus on melee combat, gunplay takes centre stage. There are melee weapons to find and use, but using them exclusively would be a recipe for failure. Instead, guns play host to the primary weapon slot, with a varied range to choose from. No matter which one you select though, the gameplay loop remains largely the same. Due to the lack of a shield, there’s no reliable way of defending yourself. There is a dodge which allows you to avoid incoming fire for a split second, but thanks to being attached to a stamina gauge, you can only use it so much. As a result, much of the action revolves around taking potshots at enemies from behind cover and retreating when a melee focused combatant charges your position. Because of this, everything feels very formulaic. The game doesn’t allow for very much experimentation outside of the aforementioned tactics, and so combat becomes monotonous far too quickly. An unreliable lock-on mechanic allows you to set up your shots from a short distance, and a charged up assault of bullets via the R1 button will stop most enemies in their tracks. Every engagement feels the same, and the game does little to warrant any deviation from the tried and true strategies. In theory, boss fights should give you a break from this repetitive nature, but they too suffer from attack patterns that are all too easy to learn and mechanics that can be exploited. Dodging the incoming attacks and circling around until you can hit the boss’ weak point settles most matters, and once again you’re almost encouraged to stick to what you know rather than experimenting. Immortal: Unchained’s focus on gunplay does change the gameplay loop associated with the genre, but not in a meaningful manner. Rather than hiding behind a shield, you’re putting a piece of cover in-between you and the enemy, waiting for them to stop firing off shots and then placing some yourself. It’s far too similar and actually inferior when compared to what has come before, and so the entire experience is accompanied with the baggage of been there, done that. There’s still potential to be realised in this genre off-shoot, but these aren’t the foundations to be building off of. In complete contrast however, level design is the one area where the game truly shines. With a Demon's Souls-like hub world that branches off into different regions by way of magical doors, you’ll explore the likes of icy castles and overgrown forests, with every environment twisting and turning on itself to create handy shortcuts to different areas. It’s the one area where Immortal: Unchained does make some ground on its inspirations. Obelisks take the form of bonfires, and interacting with these re-fills your health bar, replenishes your healing items, and respawns most enemies within the vicinity. Bits are the currency that you’ll use to upgrade your stats and equipment, and you’ll accrue them through slaughtering the enemies you encounter on your path to victory. The typical player stats are on offer, with strength, toughness, and endurance all having an impact on the weapons you can wield and the extent to which your life and stamina gauges stretch. It’s nothing you haven’t already seen before. While one or two of our complaints could have been excused if we’d had an enjoyable experience on the whole, what can’t be forgiven is the technical and presentational issues that plague the game from beginning to end. Multiple hard crashes to the PS4 dashboard and constant hitching freezes the action on a regular basis, with our screen halted in place from anywhere under a second to up to five whole seconds. This usually happens within areas that contain an obelisk, and since you’re going to be dying a whole lot, this hitching is something you’re going to have to put up with fairly regularly. It’s completely unacceptable, to the point where we’re surprised the game was allowed to release in this state. System Requirements: MINIMUM: OS: Windows 7 64-bit, Windows 8/8.1 64-bit, Windows 10 64-bit* Processor: Intel Core2 Quad Q9500 @ 2.83GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 940 Memory: 6 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon HD 5770 /w 2GB VRAM DirectX: Version 11 Storage: 25 GB available space Additional Notes: *WARNING: 32-bit OS is NOT officially supported at this time Immortal: Unchained isn’t inherently an awful game, but it has very little going in its favour. Its level design is one shining beacon among a sea of bang average gameplay, unacceptable technical flaws, and a combat system that does little to distinguish itself from its inspirations. Those enamoured with the Souls formula may discover something to like, but they’ll have to sort through a mountain of mediocrity to find it.

A former aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's eldest son has been arrested as part of an investigation into alleged corruption. Fabrício Queiroz is suspected of being part of a scheme to embezzle the salaries of phantom employees in the Rio de Janeiro assembly when Flávio Bolsonaro was a state lawmaker. He had been on the run but was arrested at a property of a personal lawyer to the Bolsonaro family near São Paulo. Flávio Bolsonaro denies any wrongdoing. The case could be embarrassing for the far-right president, who came to office in January 2019 after running on an anti-corruption campaign and promising to be tough on crime. Jair Bolsonaro is already facing an investigation into an alleged attempt to interfere with the police, and has seen some allies being targeted by a separate inquiry over an alleged fake news scheme. The political crisis has deepened as the coronavirus continues to spread across Brazil, which has now the world's second-highest number of cases - over 955,000 - and deaths, more than 46,500. Mr Bolsonaro, who initially described the virus as a "little flu", has been heavily criticised for his handling of the outbreak. What's the case about? Brazilian authorities identified 1.2m reais (£180,000; $220,000 in current figures) in bank transactions in an account belonging to Mr Queiroz between 2016 and 2017, when Flávio Bolsonaro was a Rio state lawmaker. State prosecutors say 54-year-old Mr Queiroz - a former policeman and ex-driver to Flávio - ran a scheme involving phantom employees in Flávio's office. They allege that part of the salaries was diverted, with the proceeds being laundered through a chocolate shop franchise and two flats. Mr Queiroz was arrested in a raid on a property that belongs to Frederick Wassef, a lawyer to the Bolsonaro family, in the city of Atibaia, in São Paulo state. Jair Bolsonaro once said Mr Queiroz had been his friend since the 1980s. Flávio served as a state legislator for 16 years. Now a federal senator, he has called the investigation a political attack on his family, writing on Twitter: "I face today's events with tranquillity. The truth will prevail! Another piece on the playing board was moved to attack [Jair] Bolsonaro... It's a brutal game!" The president, his son and Mr Wassef had denied in several occasions having any knowledge of Mr Queiroz's whereabouts. Mr Queiroz's lawyer and Mr Wassef have not commented, and the president is yet to react. What are the other cases against President Bolsonaro and his allies? The Supreme Court is already investigating allegations that President Bolsonaro tried to interfere in the work of the federal police for political motives, following accusations made by former Justice Minister Sergio Moro. Mr Moro, a former judge who oversaw Brazil's biggest anti-corruption investigation known as Operation Car Wash, resigned in April saying Mr Bolsonaro had pressed him to change the chief of the federal police. He also accused the president of seeking to interfere in investigations that involved family members, and even requested intelligence reports. Mr Bolsonaro has denied the allegations. A number of Bolsonaro allies including business leaders, bloggers and lawmakers are being investigated in a case that involves an alleged scheme to spread defamatory fake news and threats against Supreme Court members. A report by Folha de S.Paulo newspaper in April said the federal police had identified another of Mr Bolsonaro's sons, Carlos, as a key member of the scheme. It said the finding was at the centre of the president's attempt to change the police chief. Carlos Bolsonaro has rejected the allegations. Mr Bolsonaro has urged the Supreme Court to suspend this investigation, saying the justices are politically biased and target his supporters. And there is a separate investigation into anti-democratic rallies organised by Bolsonaro supporters calling for military intervention in politics and the closure of the Supreme Court and Congress. The president has endorsed some of the protests, and critics say he has sent ambiguous messages about his commitment to the democratic institutions. Earlier this week, six far-right militants were arrested, including the alleged leader of the group, Sara Giromini, known as Sara Winter. The homes and offices of alleged organisers were also raided.

Game Informations. Developers : Gears for Breakfast. Released : October 5, 2017. Genre : Platform, action-adventure. Mode : Single-player, multiplayer. Platforms : Microsoft Windows - macOS - PlayStation 4 - Xbox One - Nintendo Switch. One aspect of collectathon 3D platformers that has remained consistent over time is their unfettered imagination. Whether we’re talking about Spyro the Dragon or Ratchet & Clank, these games have crazy, colourful worlds that fill you with childlike wonder. Serious plots and realism go out the window because fun and “gameyness” are prioritised above all else, and that’s exactly what A Hat in Time aims to establish from the get-go. It’s characterized by a humorous whimsy that’s bound to put a smile on your face, but the game’s appeal doesn’t make up for lacking level design. The journey begins with Hat Kid being stopped above a strange world by a spacefaring mafia goon, who has come to collect a toll. When our little hero refuses, the moustached grunt punches a hole through her vessel, sending the girl and all her collected Time Pieces careening toward the planet below. Now she must recover the hourglass treasures to fuel her ship so she can go home, which entails meeting more oddballs and their bizarre dwellings along the way. As we said, A Hat in Time purposefully combines incongruent, weird influences to structure its four main worlds. One moment you’ll find yourself posing as an actress in a movie-making competition between two birds, and then you’ll be forced into contractual obligations (such as delivering mail to ghosts or defeating a toilet boss) with a demonic ghoul to get your soul back. The story has little rhyme or reason to its own detriment at times, but it possesses a good amount of witty dialogue and humorous descriptions while examining objects. The dialogue in particular isn’t always this way, which frequently dips into drawn-out monologues and exchanges that don’t stick their intended landings. At least the upbeat music and cutesy sound effects do their job consistently well to uplift the game’s undyingly joyful innocence. Hats off to composer Pascal Stiefel for tracks with some clever building transitions and key changes. Our conflicted thoughts extend to the visual direction. It’s not until the last two worlds where the cel-shaded game starts to carve out a cohesive, attractive style for itself, which is most evident in the gorgeous, Himalayan-inspired world of Alpine Skyline. On the other hand, Mafia Town and Dead Bird Studio feel more like collections of random assets with the level design reflecting a similarly haphazard approach. Excluding a couple noteworthy bosses, nearly everything’s an absolute breeze with scatter-brained objectives that feel more like fluff and busywork halfway through the game. This is how the missions pad out their poor diversity in the way of platforming and objectives, which we could easily cheese our way through with little setbacks. Despite these issues, we’d be remiss to not admit that some of the game's randomness pleasantly surprised us. There’s a stealth-oriented horror mission that’s unexpectedly tense, a mini-boss fight that adequately tests your mettle, and so forth. If anything, A Hat in Time isn’t afraid to push boundaries with experimentation, even if it isn’t consistently good at it. That’s not to say the gameplay in itself is bad. Indeed, the core controls are tuned to a tee. You’ll be doing lots of double jumping, wall climbing, and diving to get around, and these three moves alone can be strung together in satisfying ways that exhibit an attention to polish that doesn’t disappoint. Abilities like the Hookshot or Dweller’s Mask flesh out platforming in exciting ways by (respectively) allowing you to swing across chasms or temporarily concretize ethereal objects. Features like these poke at promising implementation, but much of their potential use is limited in moment-to-moment application, leaving us wishing there were more Hats and Badges that meaningfully expand Hat Girl’s moveset. Besides acquiring Time Pieces with story chapters, you’re given reason to scavenge worlds by finding relics or balls of yarn scattered about to craft new hats. You’ll also come across Time Rifts hidden in obscure locations that bring you to otherworldly obstacle courses, but all these optional assignments lack depth to uncover. Most of the collectables have obnoxiously massive, glowing auras around them that require little effort to spot and obtain. Time Rifts offer somewhat greater platforming challenges, but any incentive to do them dissipates since you’ll have most of the Time Pieces you need by sticking to the main objectives. That is, unless you want to acquire different colour schemes and hat variants to keep Hat Girl fashionable. System Requirements: MINIMUM: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows XP SP3 / Windows Vista / Windows 7 / Windows 8 / Windows 10 64-bit only Processor: 3.0 GHz processor Memory: 4 GB RAM DirectX: Version 9.0c Storage: 8 GB available space A Hat in Time excels with an overwhelming charm in its writing and art direction that overcomes any missteps in these areas. Its core, smooth mechanics also benefit from promising ideas, but none of them prevent the game from being pulled into a wormhole of mediocre level design and objectives. The potential for phenomenal platforming and exploration is here, but for every positive, there seems to be a negative in A Hat in Time.

Three Indian soldiers have been killed in a clash with Chinese forces in Ladakh in the disputed Kashmir region. The Indian army said "senior military officials of the two sides are meeting to defuse the situation", adding that both sides suffered casualties. China responded by calling on India not to take unilateral actions or stir up trouble, the Reuters agency reported. China has also accused India of crossing the border and attacking Chinese soldiers, the AFP agency said. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian was quoted as saying that India had crossed the border, "provoking and attacking Chinese personnel, resulting in serious physical confrontation between border forces on the two sides". Beijing has not announced any Chinese casualties. The country's Global Times newspaper reported that "solemn representations" had been made with India over the incident. The clash comes amid rising tensions between the two countries. India has accused China of sending thousands of troops into Ladakh's Galwan valley. The deaths are believed to be the first in decades in a confrontation between the two powers. They have fought only one war so far, in 1962, when India suffered a humiliating defeat. India accuses China of occupying 38,000 sq km of its territory. Several rounds of talks in the last three decades have failed to resolve the boundary disputes. In May, dozens of Indian and Chinese soldiers exchanged physical blows in a clash on the border in the northeastern state of Sikkim. And in 2017, the two countries clashed in the region after China tried to extend a border road through a disputed plateau. Their armies - two of the world's largest - come face to face at many points. The two sides are separated by the poorly demarcated Line of Actual Control (LAC). Rivers, lakes, and snowcaps mean the line can shift, provoking confrontation. Both sides insist no bullet has been fired in four decades, and the Indian army insisted again on Tuesday that "no shots were fired". Local media outlets reported that the Indian soldiers were "beaten to death" but there was no confirmation from the military. There are several reasons why tensions are rising now - but competing strategic goals lie at the root, and both sides blame each other. India has built a new road in what experts say is the most remote and vulnerable area along the LAC in Ladakh. And India's decision to ramp up infrastructure seems to have infuriated Beijing. The road could boost Delhi's capability to move men and material rapidly in case of a conflict.

Game Informations. Developers : Sega, Media.Vision. Released : March 21, 2018. Genre : Tactical role-playing. Mode : Single-player Platforms : Microsoft Windows - PlayStation 4 - Xbox One - Nintendo Switch. The Valkyria Chronicles series is set during a low fantasy re-imagining of World War II, here called the Second Europan War. The topography of the Europan continent is only marginally different to our Europe, and the role of the Nazi regime is played here by an entity known as The Empire, hell bent on conquering their neighbouring countries in order to secure what remains of a depleting power source known as ragnite. Back in 2008, the first game in the series released on PlayStation 3 and was met with critical acclaim and secured a cult following thanks to engaging combat and a cast of likeable characters - ordinary folk forced into putting up arms to defend their country from an invading evil. It's been ten years since the original Valkyria Chronicles, and after the immediate sequel shifted to PSP, and the third game never made it outside of Japan, fans have been clamouring for a home console follow-up in the West. After last year's disastrous spin-off Valkyria Revolution, the future for the series has looked somewhat bleak, but not only is Valkyria Chronicles 4 a successful return to form, it's the best game in the series to date and one of the best role-playing games on PS4. If you've played Valkyria Chronicles Remastered - and you should - then this game will at once look familiar. The campaign is presented to you in the form of a book on Europan history, and each event in the tome - be it a battle, an important story beat, or just some lighthearted banter between comrades - is brought to life in vibrant watercolours. It's the sort of timeless art style that ages gracefully, as opposed to attempts at photo-realism that look dated within a couple of years. You'll progress through the game by working through the pages of the book, watching the story scenes - of which there are many - and taking part in the numerous battles. The main questline sees you take on the role of Claude Wallace, the commander of Squad E of the Federation Army, in a storyline that runs parallel to the events of the original release. Claude and his squad are on a dangerous mission into the heartland of the Empire to try and end the war by taking out the enemy Capital, and their journey is engaging from first to last. Valkyria Chronicles 4 does a wonderful job of balancing the realities of war with its more fantastical elements, and never veers too far in either direction. The pretty boys and helium voiced girls in your squad might initially come off as little more than anime stereotypes, but most characters do have layers to their personalities that are explored as time goes on. Similarly, while the story does go into some surprisingly dark territory on occasions, you probably shouldn't go into this expecting hard-hitting commentary on the horrors of warfare - each tragedy is balanced out by an amusing side story, and vice versa. Combat in Valkyria Chronicles 4 is a refined, updated version of the system seen in the original PS3 game. It's turn-based, and each turn you're given a set number of Command Points which allow you to issue orders to your troops. Selecting a unit uses up one Command Point, and once selected the view transitions to that of a third-person shooter, allowing you to move your soldier or vehicle a set distance dictated by how many Action Points they have. Tapping R1 at any time opens up an aiming reticule, and from there you can try to kill an enemy - headshots do the most damage but are hard to hit, particularly over long distances, while a body shot is safer but may leave you prone to a counterattack if you don't finish the job. Once you're out of CP the enemy has their turn, so it's wise to make sure your troops are in strong defensive positions before the transition. If any of your soldiers run out of health they'll lay injured on the battlefield for a few turns until you can get a medic to them - fail to do so and they'll perish, and they won't be coming back. There's numerous different classes in play to spice up the proceedings, each offering different offensive and defensive capabilities. You can't rely on any one class to win battles for you, and choosing the right mix is all part of the strategy. Shocktroopers can't travel long distances but can obliterate troops with their machine guns, Engineers are a support unit that can repair tanks or diffuse landmines, and Snipers can take out enemies from afar. Grenadiers are a new class to the series that while weak in close quarters combat, can bombard enemy soldiers with explosives in either offensive or defensive turns. Most maps - particularly in later missions - feature enemy grenadiers placed strategically to cause you trouble, and so sending your rank and file out marching without due care will likely see you quickly routed. Missions and maps are varied, and many are much larger than seen in previous Chronicles games. Some will see you having to take over an enemy base or wipe out an entire battalion, but there are also ones that require you to survive a set number of turns against overwhelming odds, or to escape from enemies hunting you down. During winter missions there'll be occasional snowstorms that hamper movement and visibility, and the deathly cold means that allies who've fallen in battle will more quickly succumb to their injuries. The campaign is full of tense, well-structured battles that will keep you on your toes, and the changing objectives and combat conditions means that missions don't feel stale or rote, even towards the end of the 40 hour-plus story. There are also numerous optional side stories for many of the supporting characters that offer more insight into their backgrounds, as well as the opportunity to take part in some unique battles. System Requirements: MINIMUM: OS: Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit Processor: Intel Core i3 6100 or equivalent AMD Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 650Ti 2GB DirectX: Version 9.0c Storage: 36 GB available space Valkyria Chronicles 4 has the unenviable task of reinvigorating a series that hasn't seen a mainline home console entry in over a decade, as well as washing away the bad taste left in players mouths after the dreadful Valkyria Revolution. That it succeeds so comfortably on both fronts is at once a surprise and a delight. The storyline is thoughtful and engrossing, the cast is varied and likeable, and the combat is challenging and rewarding throughout. This is the game Valkyria Chronicles fans have been waiting for, and one that newcomers to the series should be equally excited for.

Boris Johnson has commissioned a review into the 2m (6ft) social distancing rule, following calls to scrap it. Businesses and some of Mr Johnson's own MPs have warned that large parts of the hospitality industry will not be viable with the 2m coronavirus rule in place. The review will aim to be completed by 4 July, when pubs and restaurants could open at the earliest in England. But former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith questioned the need for a review, saying "the evidence is already there". "Whether there is a review or not, it will come down to a political judgment for the prime minister to make," said Sir Iain, who has previously said the 2m rule will delay the economy recovering. "He needs to make the decision now for the good of the economy. If there is to be a review, it should be swift." The review, which was first reported in the Mail on Sunday, will take evidence from scientists as well as economists. Currently, the UK government advises people to stay 2m apart from others to avoid spreading the coronavirus. This is further than the World Health Organization's recommendation of at least 1m (just over 3ft), and some other countries like France and Denmark. But the UK government's scientific advisers say that being 1m apart carries up to 10 times the risk of being 2m apart. However, there are widespread concerns about the impact of the rule on the UK economy, which is already suffering from the pandemic. Some bars, restaurants and pubs say they will be unable to make a profit if the 2m guidance is still in place when they reopen. Tourism firms have also warned of tens of thousands of job losses unless the distance is shortened. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of the industry body UK Hospitality, says that with a 2m rule, outlets would be only able to make about 30% of normal revenues, whereas 1m would increase that to 60-75%. Richard Caring, chairman of Caprice Holdings which runs the Ivy, told the Mail on Sunday the government was "killing the country". "There are estimates saying we could have up to five million unemployed," he said. "It's not going to be five million - it's going to be more. I don't think we've seen anything yet." Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 committee made up of backbench Conservative MPs, welcomed the review and said a move to 1m would be "essential". It comes as the number of people who have died with coronavirus in the UK increased by 181 taking the official total to 41,662, latest government figures on Saturday showed. The 2m distance has been implemented by all nations of the UK, which have their own powers over restrictions. But so far, political leaders have rejected calls to relax the 2m rule. Earlier this week, Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith said the evidence was "incontrovertible" that the risk of transmitting the virus increased the closer you got to someone. He said it was a "balanced and sensible precaution" to ensure transmission is reduced. And Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster said the medical advice suggested 2m apart was the "safest place to be". While pubs, bars and restaurants could open in England from 4 July, no date has been given in Scotland, Wales or NI. On Saturday, millions of people in England and Northern Ireland were able to break the 2m distance with some loved ones after the government allowed people who live alone and single parents in England to form social bubbles with one other household. Meanwhile, from Monday, all non-essential shops in England will be allowed to reopen - as long as they enforce the 2m guidance among shoppers and staff. In Northern Ireland, all shops were allowed to open from Friday. No dates have been set for the reopening of non-essential shops in Scotland and Wales, although each country has set out its planned stages for lifting lockdown. The UK government has repeatedly said it is constantly reviewing its coronavirus lockdown guidance.

Game Informations. Developers : Tequila Works. Released : May 26, 2017. Genre : Puzzle. Mode : Single-player Platforms : Microsoft Windows - PlayStation 4 - Xbox One - Nintendo Switch. The release of RiME is a huge relief: Tequila Works will be pleased it's finally got the game out the door, and players will be glad they can at last get their hands on this elusive title. Crucially, however, it will come as a relief to hear that all the waiting, and the rollercoaster development, has been worth it. The final product is here, and for the most part, it’s wonderful. The good thing about the sparsity of information surrounding RiME is that it sits well with the type of game it is. The story, which of course won’t be spoiled here, stars a young boy who wakes up on the beach of a mysterious island, and you embark on a journey together to find out what’s going on. It’s as vague an opening as you might expect, and the narrative stubbornly upholds this level of ambiguity, showing through environmental storytelling in much the same way as games like Journey. Another title that has clearly inspired RiME is ICO, which informs much of the way the game plays. As a melancholic puzzle platformer with a small boy for a protagonist, similarities to Fumito Ueda’s classic are unmistakeable. The platforming is particularly evocative, perhaps to its detriment; occasionally the controls are imprecise and the camera inflexible, which can lead to some unnecessary falls. The puzzles are where RiME starts to come into its own. Built around ancient white architecture, they start with simple door and key fare and gently introduce new ideas along the way. It’s nothing revolutionary, but the puzzles are imaginative and evolve just enough each time to keep things interesting. We found the difficulty curve to be pitched nicely down the middle: the puzzles aren’t so easy that you grow tired of them, nor are they so hard that they stump you and kill your momentum. If you do find yourself stuck, though, your fox companion will point you vaguely in the right direction. He will also sit patiently at key areas while you wander through each stage, either searching for the next puzzle or simply exploring. There are only a handful of environments, but they’re all generously sized and full of secrets. There is a wide variety in the levels, cleverly all tied together by the imposing stature of the great tower at the heart of it all, nearly always in view. Exploration is not only an option but is absolutely encouraged thanks to a selection of collectibles, some of which are very well hidden. Wooden toys, emblems, new outfits, and more give you a good reason to go off the beaten path and see as much of Tequila Works’ excellent level design as possible. It helps that it all looks rather lovely. RiME is a great looking game, sporting gorgeous colours and a surprising level of detail. It even boasts a full day-night cycle, the sky gradually turning from beautiful blue to star-filled twilight and back again. It also maintains a healthy frame rate most of the time, although does see some slowdown in specific areas. Tonally, too, the game excels, shifting moods effortlessly between areas, thanks in no small part to the soundtrack. The music is outstanding throughout, reinforcing the presentation and really driving home a melancholic vibe. All this combined makes for an engrossing experience, and those expecting a Team ICO-esque adventure won’t be disappointed. However, in reproducing the feel of those titles, right down to the slightly iffy platforming, RiME can come across as derivative, and as though Tequila Works was afraid to push the envelope. It does feature some great moments and there is good variety in the environments and puzzles, but sometimes the feeling that you’ve played the game before may wash over you. Come the game’s ending, we also felt that it lacked a certain something, an X factor found in Ueda’s games that isn’t present here. That’s not to say it’s soulless, but there is a je ne sais quoi that made, for example, The Last Guardian an emotionally charged and memorable experience, and RiME struggles to capture that. Having said that, the game plays host to some fantastic moments, as we’ve mentioned. The third main area is one of our favourites, as it not only introduces new narrative points, but also contains some of the best puzzles. We don’t want to talk about specific elements too much, as RiME is definitely a game to be played as fresh as you can, but rest assured that as much as it can lean on its influences, it does enough to stand on its own. System Requirements: MINIMUM: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows 7 64-bit Processor: Intel Core i5 2310 2.9 GHz / AMD FX-6300 Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: GTX 550 Ti 1GB/ Radeon 6950 1GB or better Storage: 7700 MB available space Tequila Works’ long-awaited title takes you on a heartfelt adventure through large, open areas full of personality and imaginative puzzles. Comparisons to the likes of Journey or ICO were inevitable, and while it can imitate a little too closely, it has just enough fresh ideas to set it apart. Its clean and colourful presentation is backed up by a truly excellent soundtrack, and the story conjures up some wonderful moments along its fairly brief duration. Those looking for a fun, cohesive, and original puzzle platformer could do far worse than investing some time in RiME.