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Game Informations. Developers : Joakim Sandberg. Released : Jan 23 , 2018. Genre : Action, platformer. Mode : Single-player Platforms : Microsoft Windows - macOS - PlayStation 4 - PlayStation Vita - Xbox One - Nintendo Switch - Linux. Iconoclasts is the brainchild of Swedish developer Joakim Sandberg. Working alone on the game for seven years, this is a real labour of love, and that’s clear from the moment you begin your pixelated adventure. Judging purely from a visual standpoint, this looks like a fairly simple platformer, and in some ways that’s correct, but dig a little deeper and you’ll uncover a title that’s more ambitious than you may expect. You play as Robin, a 17-year-old mechanic who loves to help people. The trouble is that she can’t practice her trade, as only blessed workers can operate legally. Any work she does is considered a sin, and in Iconoclasts’ world, there are very severe punishments for acting against the will and the laws of the two godlike figures, Mother and Him. Of course, Robin gets caught up in a series of events that sees her travelling far and wide, meeting a colourful cast of allies, villains, and bosses. We don’t want to delve too deeply into the story, but we were pleasantly surprised by the complexity of the narrative, which involves several strands that are deftly interwoven. Plots about Robin and her immediate family, a shortage in the supply of the planet’s main resource Ivory, and the questionable morality of the world’s religions and their followers neatly coalesce. It’s compelling stuff, and skilfully written. The story takes you on a rollercoaster of emotion, going from some pretty dark spots to moments of sudden humour via the game’s dialogue-heavy cutscenes. The other thing that surprised us was the length of Iconoclasts. We clocked about 14 hours, basically doubling our expectations. There were a couple of moments we felt went on for longer than was necessary, and some speeches could’ve easily been cut in half. Fortunately, the story did hold our interest for the duration, and the game is paced well, mixing up story segments, puzzle platforming, and a vast array of boss fights. The game is structured similarly to a Metroidvania, with certain areas and items inaccessible until you’ve acquired the right upgrade. Robin carries a stun gun and a wrench, both of which receive several enhancements throughout the adventure. They’re not just used as weapons, though – they’re also fundamental to navigating the various environments. Rocks with yellow veins can be blasted away with the stun gun’s charge shot, and certain platforms only move when subjected to an explosion from one of your gun’s bombs. The wrench can turn nuts, bolts, or gears, which will unlock doors or move platforms. You can also swing across gaps and, once unlocked, create an electric charge to zip across wires. Robin herself can be upgraded, too. Within large blue chests dotted across the maps are several elements, and these can be crafted into Tweaks. You can equip up to three Tweaks to buff Robin’s health or abilities, but losing too much health will also deactivate them, encouraging you to stay on your guard. There are a lot of ways the levels force you to use all the abilities at your disposal. Much of the game is spent navigating your way through labyrinthine areas featuring platforming puzzles that test your knowledge and skill. Another large portion of your time will be spent in combat. Smaller enemies are all susceptible in one way or another, while the various bosses will really put you through your paces. Not all the bosses are great, but there are some excellent battles to be had that pepper the game with a generous amount of action. This mix of satisfying puzzle platforming and a strong focus on the story and its characters makes for a seriously solid experience. You’ll stay engaged throughout, because the narrative drives the story, and vice versa. By the end, we felt that we’d been on a real journey with Robin and her buddies. One of the most impressive aspects of Iconoclasts, though, is just how polished everything is. The presentation, the level design, the characters, the gameplay – everything feels tight, cohesive, and finely tuned. As a whole package, the game hits a lot more than it misses, and melds together a bunch of good ideas into something that feels fresh. System Requirements: MINIMUM: OS: Windows XP SP3 or later Processor: Dual Core CPU, 2 GHz Memory: 1 GB RAM Graphics: 512 MB Video Memory DirectX: Version 9.0c Storage: 500 MB available space Iconoclasts blends a complex story with neat puzzle platforming, and does so in great style. The game’s length occasionally works against it, and the boss fights aren’t all winners, but the story is worth seeing through to the end thanks to a memorable cast of characters and plenty of variety along the way. It’s just a very robust, unique game that you’d be a tool to miss.

Aston Martin has confirmed that it plans to add more “derivatives” of its new DBX SUV in 2021, thanks to a healthy book of orders for the standard car. The announcement was made as part of the firm’s first-quarter financial report, in which new executive chairman Lawrence Stroll said the Porsche Cayenne rival’s launch plan remains on track despite shutdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Stroll said: “With St Athan reopened safely last week, I’m extremely pleased that the DBX remains on track for deliveries in the summer and has a strong order book behind it extending into 2021. “Based on these successful initial orders for the DBX, we plan to unveil future derivatives starting from 2021.” While CEO Andy Palmer has been open about plans to introduce a hybrid version of the DBX during its life cycle, this isn’t due for at least two years, and the use of the word ‘derivatives’ strongly suggests more bodystyles are coming. Sources suggest that Aston Martin is very keen to leverage the heavy investment in the DBX’s all-new platform as much as possible, intending to cover more bases than the existing model does. Earlier this year, executive vice-president and chief creative officer Marek Reichman told Australian title GoAuto that two options under investigation are a sleeker, more coupé-like DBX and a stretched, seven-seat variant. Reichman said: “We’ll never go down [in size], but maybe it’s less capacity. So the wheelbase may remain the same, but maybe the box shrinks a little bit. Because in terms of downsizing, we’re never going to be a Macan versus a Cayenne. “The Cayenne/DBX [position] is core, so downsizing [means] silhouette; upsizing is relatively simple, and that’s a potential. You could do both off that platform.” Back in March, Aston Martin detailed a new, in-house-designed V6 hybrid powertrain. Its first application will come in 2022 in the Valhalla mid-engined supercar, and it’s believed that it will gradually replace the current Mercedes-AMG V8 found in other Aston Martins, including the DBX. A “range of hybrid systems” will be developed alongside it, including regular hybrid and plug-in hybrid applications. Development continues on Aston Martin’s planned trio of mid-engined supercars: the Valkyrie, Valhalla and Vanquish. Deliveries of the Valkyrie, which uses a new hybridised V12, were due to have started by now. However, partially owing to the closure of testing facilities during the lockdown, the first examples won’t find homes until the end of the year.

The UK has been warned by the pharmaceutical industry that stockpiles of medical supplies have been "used up entirely" by the coronavirus pandemic. A memo seen by advises the government to buy and store "critical" medicines to treat the virus. Drug makers fear stockpiles cannot feasibly be built back up again, if the UK should fail to strike a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU. The government said "robust contingency plans are in place". The spokesperson added: "We want a relationship with the EU which is based on friendly cooperation between sovereign equals and centred on free trade." However, firms fear disruption to global supply chains will seriously impact the NHS. The internal pharmaceutical industry memo, which was prepared for the government in May, warns that after the pandemic ends, there will be "less or zero product available in the market to allow for stockpiling a broad range of products" than there was in 2019, when stockpiling occurred in preparation for a possible no-deal Brexit. At the time, the industry itself paid for six weeks' worth of stockpiles. "Preparations for the end of the transition period must complement plans to secure the supply of coronavirus therapeutic and supportive products," the memo says. The pandemic has led to a massive increase in demand for medicines not previously stockpiled for critical care and respiratory medicines, such as inhalers. At the same time, coronavirus lockdown measures imposed by governments have caused significant supply bottlenecks due to factory closures and export bans, as well as a drastic decline in air freight. The memo was put together by an cross section of pharmaceutical industry groups anticipating preparations for a failure to strike a trade deal with the EU, alongside a refusal to extend the negotiating period. If this happens, the UK would trade on World Trade Organization (WTO) terms, which would mean trade barriers from the start of next year. Keeping the flow of medicines going The memo goes on to remind the government that the flow of medicines has been kept going through the pandemic thanks to "international coordination and information sharing within global companies to ramp up, and where necessary, redirect manufacturing". As a result, the pharmaceutical industry writes: "We would warn against any drastic policies mandating wholesale changes to global supply chains, as this could fundamentally disrupt the supply of medicines for the NHS and patients in other countries." The pharmaceutical industry has long anticipated that a no-deal Brexit could cause congestion at the ports of Dover and Calais, which is the route that 90% of imported drugs and medicines from the EU take to get to the UK. As a result, the industry has advised that the government itself will have to buy and store a longer list of "critical products" where "supply could be challenging due to either COVID-19 or the end of the [Brexit] transition period". The need for trading stability is even more important this year, because the pattern of demand for medicines is likely to be very different to normal. That means, the memo says, that the government needs to develop a new broader list of critical products which "reflect the challenges posed by both the end of the transition period and continues response" to the coronavirus crisis. Urgent government action needed The memo also emphasises that the government needs to be storing a much broader list of medicines going forward, because of the joint challenge of the pandemic and in the event of a no-deal Brexit deal at the end of this year. But the pharmaceutical industry says that to have significant impact, the stockpiling will have to start in the next few weeks, and even after the pandemic ends, stockpiling will not be possible for every medicine required. In a normal year, Christmas would be "the worst time of year to ask companies to increase their stockpile levels", the memo says. The pharmaceutical industry is expecting the system of no-deal government-chartered freight ferries and aeroplanes to be re-established, given that border disruption is expected at the end of the Brexit transition period. It says the government needs to signal that this will be the case by next month. And it has requested "urgent clarity" on the implementation of arrangements for Irish Sea trade, under the Northern Ireland Protocol. The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), one of the organisations involved in drafting the report, says firms had "worked around the clock" during the pandemic to make sure medicine supply chains held up. "With this pressure likely to continue over the coming months, the pandemic has reinforced why it is essential that the UK and EU reach a deal on their future relationship," said ABPI's chief executive Dr Richard Torbett. In the meantime, he said its members would continue to work closely with government to put detailed plans in place. "But not everything is in the gift of industry. Stockpiling is one element - having alternative supply routes and making sure that goods can continue to flow uninterrupted across borders is also critical," he stressed.

Game Informations. Developers : Frictional Games. Released : September 22, 2015. Genre : Survival horror. Mode : Single-player Platforms : Microsoft Windows - PlayStation 4 - Xbox One - OS X - Linux. Horror games should be scary – but this is easier said than done. Sure, there have been some very successful examples such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill, but all too often the genre relies on jump scares to startle unsuspecting players rather than get inside their head. Swedish outfit Frictional Games did much better than that with the critically acclaimed Amnesia: The Dark Descent, and so its latest project SOMA comes with high expectations. But as we mentioned earlier: being scary is easier said than done. You assume the role of Simon Jarrett, whose backstory we'll dance around for the sake of spoilers. All you need to know is that the protagonist finds his way onto Pathos-II, a largely abandoned underwater base in the distant future – after humanity has been wiped from the surface of the Earth. As the star begins to acclimatise to his surroundings, he – along with the help of his companion Katherine Chun – will set out to complete a chain events that may be humanity's last hope for survival. No pressure, then, pal. The game plays out from a first-person perspective, so running and hiding are the major points of gameplay. In traditional Frictional Games fashion, mani[CENSORED]ting and examining the title's environment also plays a huge role. This results in you being forced to manually complete actions that most other games would gloss over, which understandably increases the tension when you're in a hurry. The premise is pretty much perfect for a survival horror game. The title's environments represent an amalgamation of Event Horizon, Virus, and The Abyss, and they also take heaps of inspirations from the brilliant Michael Crichton novel Sphere. The cramped, confined spaces of Pathos-II are unnerving, but the open, daunting abyss of the ocean floor is perhaps even scarier. And these areas are explored in equal measure throughout the course of the campaign, as you move your way from outpost to outpost in order to progress through the game. But while these areas are haunting and extremely disconcerting, they are also littered with creeping abominations that threaten to cut your time in Pathos-II rather short. Much like in Amnesia, it's lethal to even look at enemies for too long, as instead of an 'Insanity Meter', they give off fatal doses of electromagnetic bursts. It's a good idea, but the enemies are one of the game's few missteps. They look grotesque, but they don't ever really offer a challenge. For starters, the AI pathing is far too predictable, and this deflates the tension a little – especially after the outstanding Alien: Isolation. They're also all far too easy to avoid: a brisk jog will get you away from them easily, and subsequently there's no real sense of danger or threat. In fact, the game's at its scariest when it's simply teasing you with the unknown. The title does convey a good sense of seclusion in places, and this is when it's at its absolute scariest. An emphasis on mood, rather than stealth and evasion, may have made this a more successfully terrifying game. Of course, that's not to say what's here isn't good – far from it. As mentioned, the grotesque locations make for some eerie surroundings, and they're enhanced by the immersive audio design, which helps to increase the sense of presence. It's simply more harrowing than acutely terrifying, which when you consider the pedigree, is a bit of a letdown. That said, it can't be faulted for ambition, as many of the title's themes deal with the moral complexities of life and consciousness as they relate to AI. The game pulls at many of the same strings as Alex Garland's incredible film Ex Machina, but where that movie approached many of these issues from an analytical point of view, SOMA explores them from a more emotional stance. These topics get increasingly more impactful as you delve further into the base, as the game forces you to look at life in a different light. This is by far the most successful element of the game, as the idea of synthetic morality thrives where the pure horror flounders somewhat. There's an amazing payoff as well, as all of the ideas culminate in a pretty compelling conclusion, which is honestly one of the best that we've seen in a while. Suffice to say, it's powerful. To its credit, the moral issues are represented in the gameplay. Some of the segments – which are essentially fetch quests – revolve around you having to decide whether you want to effectively "kill" robots in order to take the parts from them that you desperately need or explore other avenues. It's not made easy for you either, as the robots will often talk to you while you do this – occasionally begging for their lives. It takes an emotional toll, and solidifies what is the strongest part of the game. But the audio design's up there, too. The score – crafted beautifully by Mikko Tarmia – offers a fascinating blend of synthetic and organic sounds, which obviously mirrors the fiction well. And the effects, which depict the strain that Pathos-II's put under, help. It's a wonderfully presented game. But it's not one without its issues, as we encountered some progress halting bugs along the way. The release has a very robust auto-save system so we never found ourselves losing much progress, but in a title that relies on immersion, they can be upsetting all the same. The problems are not helped by the fact that the game takes an absolute age to load – several minutes in some instances – while it pauses to stream in new data on regular occasions. None of these shortcomings are deal breakers by any stretch of the imagination, but they're worthy of note. System Requirements: MINIMUM: OS: 64-bit Windows Vista Processor: Core i3 / AMD A6 2.4Ghz Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 / AMD Radeon HD 5750. OpenGL 3.3 Storage: 25 GB available space Additional Notes: Integrated Intel graphics are not supported. They should work (Intel HD 4000-series or better), but with issues. SOMA's an interesting release that succeeds and stumbles in areas that we didn't expect it to. Indeed, given the developer's track record, we'd anticipated a terrifying title – but while it has its eerie moments, it's a bit of a disappointment as a horror game. Where it's more successful is in its ability to depict the moral challenges of AI, and this subject matter results in some of the tougher decisions that we've seen in a game for a while. The plot is compelling, the presentation is generally very good, and the conclusion is outstanding. But all of these achievements will be tempered if you're looking for the kind of scares that defined Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

The coronavirus pandemic is a "devastating blow" for the world economy, according to World Bank President David Malpass. Mr Malpass warned that billions of people would have their livelihoods affected by the pandemic. He said that the economic fallout could last for a decade. In May, Mr Malpass warned that 60 million people could be pushed into "extreme poverty" by the effects of coronavirus. The World Bank defines "extreme poverty" as living on less than $1.90 (£1.55) per person per day. However, in an interview on Friday Mr Malpass said that more than 60 million people could find themselves with less than £1 per day to live on. Mr Malpass told The World This Weekend: "It [coronavirus] has been a devastating blow for the economy. "The combination of the pandemic itself, and the shutdowns, has meant billions of people whose livelihoods have been disrupted. That's concerning. "Both the direct consequences, meaning lost income, but also then the health consequences, the social consequences, are really harsh." Mr Malpass warned it's been those who can least afford it who've suffered the most. "We can see that with the stock market in the US being relatively high, and yet people in the poor countries being not only unemployed, but unable to get any work even in the informal sector. And that's going to have consequences for a decade." The World Bank, along with its counterparts, has been providing support to the worst affected countries, but says much more is needed. It is calling on commercial lenders such as banks and pension funds to offer debt relief to poor countries. He would also like them to make the terms of their loans clearer, so other investors are more confident about putting money into those economies. Targeted government support and measures to shore up the private sector are also vital to rebuild economies, the World Bank argues. Investment and support would create jobs in areas like manufacturing, to replace those in the worst affected sectors, such as tourism, which may have been permanently lost. 'Tensions and inequality' Mr Malpass admits the damage to global trade, and inclinations to bring supply chains closer to home or erect trade barriers, are a challenge. "When trade is reduced, that creates its own set of tensions and inequality... I'm sure [the global economy] will be interconnected in the future, maybe less than it was pre-COVID." But ultimately, Mr Malpass said the "catastrophe" could be overcome, and that people were "flexible, they're resilient" . "I think it's possible to find paths, it's hard work for countries and governments to do that. "But we can encourage that effort... I'm an optimist, over the long run, that human nature is strong, and innovation is real. The world is moving fast and connectivity... has never been higher. And so that gives hope for the future." However, he admits the challenge is getting the right plans in place at the right time - and in the meantime, the pain could be considerable.

Happy birthday dude ??.

Game Informations. Developers : Dan Smith Studios. Released : July 10, 2018. Genre : puzzle. Platforms : Microsoft Windows - PlayStation 4 - Xbox One - Nintendo Switch. Here's one for you: two years ago, 20-year-old game designer Dan Smith won a BAFTA in the Young Game Designers category for his prototype of what would become The Spectrum Retreat. What's more, publisher Ripstone has stepped in to help turn the game into a fully fledged commercial product. It's quite an achievement for the up and coming game maker, and more to the point, his game stacks up fairly well against other first-person puzzlers on PS4. It sets itself apart with an interesting blend of environments, storytelling, and explorative puzzle solving. You wake up in the Penrose hotel - a near-future simulated resort that changes to suit its guests - with no knowledge of why you're there. A woman reaches out via your phone in order to help you figure out what's going on and, ultimately, escape. Your time is roughly split in half between navigating the art deco halls of the hotel and solving colour-based puzzles in clinical, Portal-esque rooms. Throughout both of these areas of The Spectrum Retreat, the narrative gradually unfolds as your character begins to recall past events that lead up to his stay at the Penrose. Whether it's the corner of his old kitchen glitching into the middle of a puzzle or a speaker in the hotel's restaurant relaying an old conversation, the sombre tale is doled out piece by piece as you progress. There are flaws in the story, and the acting can get a bit hammy, but it successfully adds a layer to the game that makes it more than a straightforward puzzle game. However, for many, the puzzles will offer the meat of the experience, and these are both numerous and well designed. On each floor of the Penrose is a door that requires a code, and behind them lie a number of chambers you'll need to get through to return to the hotel and unlock the next floor. The device you hold acts as a phone, but it also has the ability to absorb the colour from glowing cubes dotted around each environment. All you need to do is reach the exit, and to do so, you'll need to move colours between these cubes in order to get through and over various obstacles. Like all the best puzzle games, the core is very simple, but the mechanic is built upon and subverted regularly to keep you on your toes. While the difficulty curve is largely well judged, there are definitely one or two spikes that had us stumped far longer than later puzzles. At least on a par with the puzzles, though, is the Penrose itself. It's a fascinating setting to explore as you work your way up each floor. You're finding and solving the puzzle rooms in order to escape, but to remain inconspicuous, you must conform to a predetermined routine; each morning, the Manager of the Penrose will knock on your door, greet you and invite you to the restaurant, and you must then sit at your reserved table to have your breakfast. This aspect of the setting is played with to create a surprisingly eerie atmosphere, and though The Spectrum Retreat isn't a horror game, it still managed to make us jump a couple of times, in part thanks to the slightly unsettling mannequin-like staff. The hotel is a well crafted environment, but beyond searching it for codes in order to progress, very little is done with the various areas. In addition to the protagonist's story, you'll find snippets of the Penrose's history hidden throughout the hotel, making each room worth exploring fully, but there's usually little to no reason to return. The art style at least means each location is pleasant to look at, and the contrast between the ornate Penrose and the sterile, minimalist puzzle rooms is pretty striking. Graphically the game generally looks good, but there are one or two occasions where the game will freeze for a split second, which is a little jarring. Fortunately, these small performance hiccups are few and far between, and you'll likely be too engrossed to really notice. System Requirements: MINIMUM: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows 10 Processor: AMD FX 6300 @ 3.5 GHz or Intel Core i3 or higher Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 550 or Nvidia Geforce GTX 750 Ti or higher DirectX: Version 11 Storage: 8 GB available space The Spectrum Retreat is a pleasant surprise. The colour coded puzzles are intelligently designed and present a decent challenge, while the Penrose hotel is an absorbing backdrop that creates an unsettling atmosphere. While it's a shame more isn't made of this setting, the game's storytelling, design, and puzzle solving is a compelling mix, and for less than a tenner, provides a unique experience across its six-hour runtime.

AstraZeneca said it will be able to supply two billion doses of a potential virus vaccine following two new deals. Last month, AstraZeneca said it could manufacture one billion doses, that it is developing with scientists at Oxford University. On Thursday, it signed two deals, including one backed by Bill Gates, allowing it to double production. The British drug maker has agreed to supply half of the doses to low and middle-income countries. One of the new partnerships is with the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest manufacturer of vaccines by volume. The other is a $750m (£595m) deal with two health organisations backed by Bill and Melinda Gates. The two charities, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and GAVI vaccines alliance, will help find production facilities to produce and distribute 300 million doses of the vaccine. Delivery is expected to start by the end of the year. AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot said he expects to know by August if the AZD1222 vaccine is effective, while CEPI chief executive Richard Hatchett said there is still a possibility the vaccine may not work. AstraZeneca's licensing agreement with India's SII is to supply one billion doses for low and middle-income countries, with a commitment to provide 400 million before the end of 2020. Mr Soirot said the company is building a number of supply chains across the world "to support global access at no profit during the pandemic and has so far secured manufacturing capacity for two billion doses of the vaccine". He has described the coronavirus pandemic as "a global tragedy" and "a challenge for all of humanity". AstraZeneca has already agreed to supply 300 million doses of the potential vaccine to the US and a further 100 million to the UK, with the first deliveries expected in September. Governments around the world have pledged billions of dollars for a Covid-19 vaccine and a number of pharmaceutical firms are in a race to develop and test potential drugs. "A vaccine must be seen as a global public good - a people's vaccine, which a growing number of world leaders are calling for," United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a video message on Thursday. Related Topics

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte offered a hopeful message as the country moved to its final stage in easing lockdown restrictions. "We deserve to smile, to be cheerful, after weeks of great sacrifice," he said on Wednesday. He added that now was the time for the country to enact economic reforms. With more than 33,600 fatalities and almost 234,000 cases since the coronavirus outbreak began, Italy has been one of the hardest-hit countries. Only the US and the UK have recorded higher death tolls. Mr Conte's comments came the same day as the country entered its final phase in easing lockdown restrictions, allowing domestic travel between regions and opening its international borders. "This crisis must be an opportunity to overcome structural problems and redesign the country," Mr Conte said. "We have to deal with the economic and social emergency." The prime minister said the government was working to speed up social payments and pledged "a serious tax reform". But he also continued to urge caution amid the pandemic, noting that "the only effective measures [against the virus] are physical distancing and the use, if necessary, of masks. Abandoning these precautions is seriously thoughtless." On the eve of the lifting of restrictions, Italy's President Sergio Mattarella had also warned that the threat posed by coronavirus had not ended. "The crisis is not over and institutions and citizens alike will still have to face its consequences and trauma," he said. What can Italians do now? Domestic travel was banned when Italy's lockdown came into effect in early March, with only a small number of exceptions allowed. Tourism was also prohibited and those entering Italy faced a 14-day quarantine. But with Wednesday's changes, Italians are now able to move between regions. Travel to and from other European countries is also permitted - depending on the rules in the destination country - but non-European travel remains off-limits. Shops, cafes and restaurants had already opened their doors again, and tourist sites including the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Colosseum have begun welcoming tourists in recent days. What's happening elsewhere in Europe? While Italy has now opened its international borders, not all of its neighbours have reciprocated. Austria will reopen its borders to all of its neighbours from Thursday - with the sole exception of Italy. Switzerland, meanwhile, has agreed to lift restrictions with Germany, Austria and France from 15 June, but the government says it is "too early" to introduce similar changes on its border with Italy. They are not the only European countries exercising caution. Last week, Norway and Denmark announced they would allow travel between the two countries, but excluded Swedes from the deal. Sweden, which did not impose a strict lockdown, has suffered a far higher mortality rate than its Nordic neighbours, and the man behind the policy now says the decision led to too many deaths. A similar "bubble" has been introduced between three Baltic states - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - which became the first countries in Europe to allow free movement again, but only with each other. Other countries - including the UK and Spain - have introduced a quarantine period for travellers entering the country.

An Iranian scientist detained in the United States has left the country and is on his way back to Iran, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said. Sirous Asgari, a materials science professor from Tehran, was charged in 2016 with trying to trade secrets research from an American university. He was acquitted by a federal court in November. It was reported last month that Mr Asgari would be deported once he had recovered from a Covid-19 infection. The US and Iran have denied that he is part of a prisoner swap. In a post on Instagram on Tuesday morning, Mr Zarif welcomed what he described as the "good news" of Mr Asgari's return on a flight to Iran, but accused the US of holding "hostage" several other Iranian scientists. The 59-year-old professor at Sharif University of Technology was accused by US prosecutors of stealing trade secrets from a research project being carried out by Case Western Reserve University in Ohio for the US Navy. He denied the charge and a judge eventually threw out the prosecution's case. His return to Iran led to speculation that he could be part of another prisoner swap. At least six US citizens are currently imprisoned in Iran or out on bail. They include US Navy veteran Michael White, who was temporarily released from prison in March on medical grounds and is in the care of the Swiss embassy in Tehran. In response to Mr Zarif's Instagram post, Acting US Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli tweeted that Mr Asgari and Mr White's cases had "never been related". "We have been trying to deport Asghari since last year, being stalled every step of the way by the Iranian government. We wish Iran was so enthusiastic to get its illegal nationals back as they would have us all believe..." He added: "... so how about the Iranians take the other 10 currently in custody with removal orders? You haven't heard much about that, have you? If #Zarif wasn't blowing smoke, they would've already made arrangements for these other 10. But instead, they stall." Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi also said talk of a swap was "groundless", noting that Mr Asgari was "released on the basis of being acquitted". In December, the US and Iran conducted a prisoner swap in a rare sign of co-operation. Chinese-American researcher Xiyue Wang and Iranian scientist Massoud Soleimani were freed. Relations between the US and Iran have become increasingly hostile since 2018, when President Donald Trump abandoned the Iran nuclear deal. Earlier this year, the US assassinated top Iranian commander Gen Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in Iraq. Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles at Iraqi military bases hosting US forces.

Game Informations. Developers : Tose,Square Enix Business Division 3. Released : November 21, 2017. Genre : Role-playing. Mode : Single-player. Platforms : Microsoft Windows - PlayStation 4 - PlayStation Vita - Xbox One - Nintendo Switch. Square Enix celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Final Fantasy franchise way back in 2016 with the release of World of Final Fantasy. The game reconciled the spanning generations of the illustrious and wildly loved RPG series in this celebratory title that flaunted a Poké-esque twist on its typical battle mechanics. The cutesy FF game is now sporting the Maxima upgrade which accommodates new content for both existing fans and newcomers to enjoy across all consoles. The breaching of its initial PlayStation exclusivity and subsequent hop to Nintendo Switch and Xbox One consoles has served as the epicentre of hype surrounding World of Final Fantasy Maxima. However, for the purposes of this review we’ll stay firmly rooted on the PlayStation 4 and delve into the content brought with the Maxima upgrade. To recap, World of Final Fantasy depicts the story of twin siblings Lann and Reynn who fight to recover their memories lost to amnesia. The duo wield the power to capture and battle with classic FF creatures known as Mirages that inhabit the world of Grymoire. On their quest to become reacquainted with their former selves, the pair fight to resolve conflict within the world and ward off the impending doom wrought by the Bahamutian army. Even in the absence of an upgrade teeming with new goods, World of Final Fantasy remains to be a stellar addition to the library of FF titles. Every part of the game exudes oodles of charm from its cutesy visuals to its endearing character line-up that stand at the forefront of its stirring story. This allure endures throughout the game in all aspects including its quintessential yet nuanced approach to combat. As players explore the vibrant, spirited world of Grymoire they’ll encounter a vast bestiary of creatures from every corner of the FF universe. Using a mechanic similar to the Pokémon franchise, you may “inprism” Mirages you stumble across to level and use in battle as you please. The stack mechanic is a further twist on the typicalities of the franchise, allowing you to sit your adorable little party members on top of each other for added power and expanded movesets. This makes for immeasurable replayability as you mix up your stacks and try your luck with new creatures, as well as invoking an obvious appeal to younger audiences. Fortunately, World of Final Fantasy Maxima only builds upon the success that oozes from the base game. It was initially intended to rally the best parts of the franchise and this has only been accentuated in its upgrade. Making an appearance as new additions to the list of Champions you may summon in the heat of battle are Lightning (Final Fantasy XIII), Noctis (Final Fantasy XV) and Serah (Final Fantasy XIII-2). Accompanying these are a flurry of new Mirages that further embrace the encompassing of the many generations of FF. With new Mirages come new boss battles and even more ways to configure your party and stacks in turn, really dragging the replayability of the game into the spotlight once more. Upon loading up the enhanced version of the game, you’re prompted to create a new save to harbour the fresh content. However, as much as it may pay off to start anew and uncover all the new FF goodness from the beginning, have no fear for your prior saves are not lost. As to not jeopardize previous adventures, a transfer save mechanic is well intact. This allows you to salvage saves from both PS4 and Vita should you prefer to pick apart the DLC from where you left off last. System Requirements: OS: Windows 7 64-bit Processor: Intel Core i3 2.0GHz or above Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 1GB or higher, Radeon HD 5770 1GB or higher DirectX: Version 11 Storage: 15 GB available space Sound Card: Sound device that supports DirectX 11 World of Final Fantasy Maxima simply continues to promote the celebratory vibe of the original game. New additions to the catalogue of both characters and Mirages truly encourage replayability, offering incentive to make return trips to Grymoire to tackle the many new endeavours they’ve brought with them. More classic Final Fantasy characters revived in a loveable art style not only act as a lure for younger eyes but also capture the essence of the franchise as a whole, no doubt provoking an appeal to FF aficionados too.

People have been warned against the dangers of tombstoning after three were seriously hurt jumping 70ft (21m) from a cliff on Dorset's Jurassic Coast. The casualties were taken to hospital following the incident at Durdle Door at about 16:00 BST on Saturday. Lulworth Coastguard Rescue Team said four people jumped from the arch into the sea at the famous beauty spot, egged on by crowds. "We couldn't discourage it enough", the coastguard said. People have been urged to stay away from Dorset's beaches and roads around the area have been closed for safety reasons, the council said. One of the casualties had to be pulled from the sea bed. Another jumped from the arch but managed to stagger back to friends before falling "very unwell". Both were airlifted to the major trauma centre in Southampton. A third person had serious injuries to their body and was taken by ambulance to Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester. The ages and gender of those involved has not been disclosed. Lulworth Coastguard Rescue Team said: "We understand that four individuals jumped from Durdle Door (some 70ft) yesterday, encouraged by the crowds on the beach. "Upsetting scenes like we and many others witnessed yesterday illustrate how very dangerous tombstoning is." On Sunday Dorset Council said it had closed the roads to Lulworth and Durdle Door on safety grounds. The road to West Bexington in West Dorset had also been closed due to "health and safety issues". Dorset Council's corporate director, Jonathan Mair, said: "We would ask people to please think twice before visiting Dorset's beaches as they are becoming overcrowded, and maintaining social distancing is becoming difficult." The area has seen large numbers of visitors during the recent hot weather after lockdown restrictions were eased.

Game Informations. Developers : SCE Japan Studio. Released : August 1, 2017. Genre : Action, Music and Rhythm, Real-Time Strategy. Mode : Single-player. Platforms : PlayStation 4. Patapon Remastered shares some of its DNA with two other re-released, obscure Japanese games from Sony. Like PaRappa the Rapper, its gameplay boils down to following the beat of the catchy music, and its cutesy vector art style is similar to LocoRoco. It does plenty to set itself apart, however, with a rhythm/strategy combination that’s just as unique today as it was back on the PlayStation Portable. You are established as the Almighty, a god to the titular Patapons. Using the face buttons as your four drums, you must lead your black and white army to victory with a chain of rhythmic commands. There are many orders you can issue to your loyal Patapon crew: they can be told to advance, attack, defend, or help invoke a miracle (essentially a powerful magic ability), among others. Executing all of this is very straightforward, as it’s simply a case of hitting the right drums on the beat. As an example, square-square-square-circle will tell the Patapons to move forward. There is definitely a knack to staying on the beat, but the tricky part is when you need to start mixing up your strategy on the fly. If you can anticipate that a boss is about to attack, you’ll want to issue a defend command to minimise damage, but you need to be able to do this without stopping the flow. Any botched commands will just confuse the Patapons and they’ll do nothing. Luckily, the margin of error for timing is relatively forgiving, so as long as you can keep roughly in sync with the rhythm, you’ll avoid any major mess-ups. It’s a smart way to keep you engaged in the action, as it truly demands your attention. As long as you can keep time with the music, you’ll also build up a combo meter which eventually initiates Fever. While in Fever, your Patapons are much more effective: more damage is dealt, archers perform triple shots, and more. You want to stay in Fever mode for as much of each stage as you can to maximise your chances of success. It also encourages you to be more precise with your timing, as perfectly executed commands can start it much earlier than normal. Stages come in various guises. You can go out to hunt if you need more food, you can take on the large boss creatures who dish out useful new weaponry and armour, and of course, there are the main missions that generally revolve around fending off the bad guys as you march to Earthend. It’s worth playing through any of these, as they all reward you in one way or another. Food, as well as wood, stones, and Ka-ching (money, basically) are all required to create brand new units for your army, which you’ll need to do every now and again if you lose a Patapon in battle and don’t recover his cap. These items also come in different rarities, too, and you can experiment when creating new Patapons by using rarer versions of the required resources. Various unlockable minigames can provide you with more items if you need a little boost. These are more reliable than hunts or other missions, but do cost an item to play. As an example, you need to hand over one piece of leather meat to play the first minigame, but you’ll earn some wood as a result. The item management is a nice change of pace, and it’s simple enough that it doesn’t bog down the game outside of the main stages. In terms of the remaster itself, it’s somewhat a success. The bright colours and smooth lines look great on the big screen, and the framerate is steady throughout. Similarly to the LocoRoco remaster, the opening cut scenes don’t appear to have been touched, as they’re noticeably blurry compared to the rest of the game. The audio sounds okay, but sometimes you can lose the beat in amongst all the other sounds going on, which can easily throw you off. There is a visual aid in the form of a pulsating outline that keeps in time with the beat, which somewhat mitigates this, but the audio mix could’ve been handled better. While we’re speaking of negatives, there are some severe difficulty spikes, even early on, and there are useful items and areas only uncovered if you can follow some cryptic hints. Progress can grind to a halt if you don’t get what’s being asked of you. Take the Tailwind miracle, which creates a gust from behind that carries arrows and spears much further across the screen. It’s extremely useful, but unlocking it involves killing one specific animal type in one area, and this isn’t adequately signposted. It’s a shame that some of the game’s problems weren’t remedied for the remaster, but none of the issues are deal breakers, and you’ll forgive it any design missteps once you get into it and fall in love with those singing, dancing eyeballs. Patapon Remastered is a decent port of the madcap PSP title. It’s a unique, challenging game with real personality that fans of rhythm and/or strategy will have fun with over its ten hour campaign. Difficulty spikes and some well hidden key items can put a dampener on things, while the audio mix isn’t quite up to scratch. Fortunately, the fun, simplistic gameplay is compelling enough that you won’t be too worried about its flaws. Fans will love the trip down memory lane, but we also hope newcomers will drum up the enthusiasm to give this a go.

(Reuters) - People are hitting the beach as coronavirus restrictions start to ease and summer begins in the northern hemisphere, but access might be limited and public health officials still urge caution, including continued physical distancing. While rules vary across the world, here is what you would find at Los Angeles County beaches like Santa Monica and Malibu: * Check local restrictions before heading to a beach. * No lounging around on the sand. Use of the beach is limited to activities such as swimming, surfing, and biking. * Vendors are not allowed, so bring everything you need. * Both in and out of the water, stay at least six feet (1.8 meters) from others who are not members of your household. * No gatherings - including athletic competitions or youth camps. * Wear a face covering while out of the water if there are other people nearby. THE BEACH IS GENERALLY LOW RISK... Spending time outdoors is a low-risk activity in the era of the coronavirus. It has many benefits - as long as you keep your distance. “People have been cooped up for several weeks now,” said Dr. Timothy Brewer, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles. “Going to visit beaches or mountains are relatively lower-risk activities compared to being around people in an enclosed indoor space like a store or a theater.” Brewer said there is very little risk of the virus being transmitted through ocean water. “The advantage of being outside is that if someone does have COVID-19 and they are releasing respiratory droplets, the droplets will be rapidly dispersed.” ...BUT DITCH THE BARBECUE The real change, experts advise, is to plan a beach outing around specific activities for a limited period of time during the day, rather than settling in for hours of food, socializing, or naps by the shore. In some place, picnicking and sunbathing may be prohibited. Orange County, California has banned the building of sandcastles. “The important thing to remember is that the COVID-19 pandemic has not gone away,” said Brewer. Even where more leisurely activities are permitted, avoid large gatherings or crowded areas of the beachfront, they say. “If it is a nuclear family having a picnic that is perfectly fine, but don’t have a birthday bash,” said Dr. Neha Nanda, medical director of infection prevention with Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

SUV-styled Jazz will open the door for more rugged Hondas The new Jazz Crosstar will pave the way for other Honda models to receive ruggedly styled derivatives as the Japanese maker hones in on the demand for SUVs. Jazz project boss Takeki Tanaka said: “The demand for compact, multi-purpose vehicles is a new trend, and in future we will have some derivatives in that direction. “Jazz customers are wide-ranging in age, and we particularly wanted to appeal to customers interested in advanced technology and an active lifestyle. That was our motivation for developing the Crosstar.” UK buyers of the Jazz are predominantly older, but the model is po[CENSORED]r with twenty-something buyers in Asia. Outlining why Honda will launch more Crosstar models, Tanaka explained: “Some customers don’t see the need for an SUV, because of the size or drawbacks in fuel efficiency. “These are the customers who don’t want a hatchback or saloon but want to differentiate in order to showcase their lifestyle, and it’s those customers for whom we believe Crosstar is a perfect match.” A number of manufacturers are launching rugged variants to play to SUV demand. Ford offers the Fiesta and Focus Active, while Audi revealed the A1 Citycarver last year. The Crosstar has increased ride height over the standard Jazz, a unique front grille, integrated roof rails and two-tone paint schemes. The Crosstar is the range-topper in the UK, being priced at £23,580 – £4690 more than the entry-level Jazz.

Letters written by the Queen before the 1975 dismissal of then Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam can be made public, an Australian court has ruled. Mr Whitlam's government was removed by her representative at the time, Governor-General Sir John Kerr, and replaced with an opposition party. The dismissal is often described as the most controversial episode in Australian political history. It is not known what the letters between the Queen and Sir John contain. Historians have long questioned what Buckingham Palace knew about the removal of Mr Whitlam, a progressive whose reforms divided Australia after two decades of conservative rule. More than 200 letters have been kept sealed in the National Archives since 1978, but on Friday the High Court of Australia ruled they could be accessed in the national interest. It follows a challenge by historian Prof Jenny Hocking to have them released as state records - documents which are disclosed after a 31-year embargo. What happened to Gough Whitlam? Mr Whitlam and his Labor Party came to power in 1972, implementing policies which many celebrated, but he grew less po[CENSORED]r amid a troubled economy and a fierce political opposition. On 11 November 1975, he was sacked on the justification that he had failed to get parliament to approve a national budget and then subsequently declined to resign or call an election. As Australia is a constitutional monarchy with the Queen as head of state, the governor-general had the authority to do this. But it was an unprecedented action which shocked the country and prompted questions about Australia's political independence. Some viewed it as a "constitutional coup", sparking strikes and violent demonstrations as well as discussion about the country becoming a republic. But others celebrated his departure. In a general election held a few months later, voters overwhelmingly elected Malcolm Fraser's centre-right Liberal Party - which had been acting as a caretaker government. What are the letters? The collection of letters, dating from before and after the dismissal, are between Sir John, the Queen, and her personal secretary. On Friday, Prof Hocking welcomed the court's 6-1 majority ruling as an "important decision" for all Australians. Prof Hocking has previously told the BBC she believes the letters will reveal whether there was influence on Sir John's decision. She plans to travel from Melbourne to Canberra to access the letters once coronavirus-related travel restrictions are lifted, local media reported. Her legal challenge, which initially failed in a lower court last year, had been crowdfunded by a "Release the Palace Letters" campaign.

Oscar-winning Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón has backed calls to ensure domestic workers laid off during the Covid-19 pandemic continue to be paid. "It is our responsibility as employers to pay their wages in this time of uncertainty," Cuarón said. He won the best director Oscar in 2019 for Roma, a film casting a spotlight on Latin America's housekeepers. Many of Mexico's 2.3 million domestic workers have been left without wages because of the outbreak. Their employees have asked them to stay away to protect their families' health, but have not committed to continue paying them, trade unions say. "The objective of this campaign is to remember how important it is to take care of those who care for us and the respect that the workers deserve," said 58-year-old Cuarón. Mexico, with a po[CENSORED]tion of nearly 130 million, has more than 74,000 confirmed infections and more than 8,000 virus-related deaths Earlier this month, local health officials warned that the country had reached "the peak moment" of the outbreak. And while in many countries doctors and nurses are being praised for their work on the coronavirus front line, in Mexico dozens have been attacked. By the end of April, there have been at least 47 attacks against health workers, particularly nurses, in the country, the Mexican government says. And the authorities recognise the true figure may be higher - reports on social media of discrimination range from nurses stopped from getting on buses to doctors assaulted by relatives of Covid-19 patients. Some of the attacks appear to have been motivated by a misguided attempt to disinfect health workers.

Game Informations. Developers : Spike Chunsoft, tri-Ace. Released : December 17, 2015. Genre : Role-playing. Mode : Single-player. Platforms : PlayStation 4 - PlayStation Vita. Dying has been a part of playing video games since the early days of the arcade, but few games in that time have killed you off right at the beginning of the story. By the time the opening credits for Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky finish rolling, our avatar – a teenage boy named Kanata – has been caught in a terrible accident with his friends and has been transported from modern Tokyo to what appears to be a magical afterlife. Goodnight, sweet prince. While the opening gambit of the game is novel – Kanata has barely had chance to say hello before he's unceremoniously bumped off – seconds later things start to get a little more formulaic when our hero meets up with an enchanting amnesiac girl who is compelled to accompany him on his journey to explore his strange new reality. This dichotomy of interesting ideas and adhering to genre stereotypes pervades the game throughout the entire playing time, and that left us wishing that there'd been a greater emphasis on innovation rather than succumbing to the norm. There are some philosophical quandaries at the heart of Exist Archive that warrant further elaboration, but they're sadly lost amidst a sea of genre tropes and frivolous vignettes. Exist Archive is, essentially, a hybrid of 2D platforming and a turn based Japanese role-playing game. You'll control Kanata in a bare-bones two dimensional platformer, and when you happen across an enemy the game will transition into a turn-based battle. The platforming sections offer little in the way of challenge and are ostensibly only there to give you something to do between fights. There's some bonuses within each level, such as items or weapons you'll find in treasure chests, but the disappointing lack of variety in the locales you'll visit means that exploration will probably seem like more of a chore than something you'll feel compelled to undertake. As you progress you'll gain abilities that will allow you to traverse previously unreachable areas of the map, but there's nothing you'll find there that will inspire awe or wonder. The battle system is intriguing in concept, but collapses into a grind before it ever has a chance to truly impress. As your party grows, each character in your group will be assigned a face button. During the attack phases of battle you're given a set number of action points, and each action taken by one of your party members will deplete the total number of action points by a certain amount. Using recovery items or deploying a magical attack will use a lot of action points, while a quick attack with a sword will use only a small number. Tapping the face buttons dedicated to each character will command them to act in the order that you press them, allowing you to chain attacks together in an impressive number of combinations. While defending, pressing the face button tied to a character will cause them to guard, and timing your blocking helps to reduce damage taken and preserve all important action points for the next round of attack. The early going of the game is incredibly forgiving, and gives you an opportunity to play around with creating combinations of attacks that will prove invaluable later on. Certain characters have attacks which lend themselves naturally to being the first wave of your assault, such as launching an enemy into the air to be juggled, while others, such as those that wield magic, will be suited primarily to dealing massive damage to enemies that might shrug off gunfire or melee attacks. The fast paced, combo based battle system initially seems like it will lead to some tense, tactical encounters later in the game but unfortunately the combat never lives up to that potential. Enemies throughout the game rarely behave in ways that are unique or surprising, and so the battles become an exercise in repetition with few memorable moments throughout the forty hour campaign. The battles are essentially the same routine over and over again, with the difficulty curve not being tied to increasingly complex enemy tactics, but simply more hit-points and more damaging attacks to deal with. This problem is exacerbated by some absurd difficulty spikes that force you to replay missions in order to grind up a few levels so you can defeat the previously unbeatable enemy in exactly the same way as every other monster you've faced. Repetition is, unfortunately, a constant problem with Exist Archive. The game is broken up into bite-sized missions that require you to make your way through a dungeon and defeat the boss. Sadly, there's a startling lack of variety in the level design, so much so that you'd be forgiven for not even knowing if you'd already played a mission before or if it was a new one. This would be an issue in itself, but then when you consider the necessity for grinding through missions you've already done in order to raise your strength for future challenges, and the copy-pasted enemies you'll come across during battle, everything that you're doing will quickly start to feel like busy work in order to pad out the time between story updates. Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky is an advertisement for the mantra that less is more. There's an enjoyable ten hour game here, but it's buried in a repetitive and frustrating forty hour experience in which the majority of the content not only feels superfluous, but actually detrimental to the whole. The story it tells might be good enough to justify grinding through the uninspired battles and platforming sections were the game dramatically shorter, but as it is the sporadic narrative can't save what is a largely tedious affair.

Stanley Ho, the Hong Kong tycoon credited with turning Macau into the world's gambling capital, has died at the age of 98. Ho, one of Asia's richest men, was known as the "king of gambling". He was the head of one of the world's most lucrative gaming businesses, SJM Holdings, valued at about $6bn (£4.9bn). But the flamboyant billionaire, who loved to dance, famously always advised friends and family to shun gambling. "My father has passed away peacefully just now at around 1 pm at Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital," Ho's daughter Pansy told reporters. "As Stanley Ho's family member, we are really sad to inform you of this," she added. Ho dominated the casino business in the former Portuguese colony of Macau after winning a government monopoly license in the 1960s. As his fortune grew, he expanded beyond Macau, building residential and office buildings in Hong Kong as well as operating casinos in other countries including Portugal and North Korea. His personal fortune was estimated at $6.4bn when he retired in 2018 just months before his 97th birthday. SJM Holdings flourished as the opening up of China's economy created a flood of new wealth in a country with a love of gambling. SJM now controls 20 casinos on Macau. Ho had four wives and 17 known children. He was forced to restructure his business after a legal battle erupted within the family in 2012 over his fortune. Death of a legend It's impossible to overestimate the influence Stanley Ho had in Macau and Hong Kong. He had a say in choosing the leadership of both territories, and China's state media has mourned him today as "a patriotic entrepreneur". Ho's fortunes were tightly linked the growth of Macau from a small fishing town to a wealth gambling centre. As he developed his gambling business there, he even built the enclave's connection with the outside world. His high speed ferries or helicopters were the quickest way to travel between Macau and Hong Kong in the early days, until the arrival of the Las Vegas giants, and later the opening of the mega Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. Ho leaves behind many biographies, some of them filled with sensational stories of how he built his Macau casino empire by outbidding some old tycoons. Others recount how he became a property developer famous - though not as big - as Li Ka-shing, how he dated and married four wives, and how his family grew to hold such influence across the Pearl River Delta. His life was not without controversies, but to many ordinary people, it was more about the inspiration of dreaming big, and getting rich. The "King of Gambling" has now passed, but many in the business world will still seek his wisdom from the poker table as they chase their own success.

Game Informations. Developers : Omega Force. Released : February 8, 2018. Genre : hack and slash. Mode : Single-player, multiplayer. Platforms : Microsoft Windows - PlayStation 4 - Xbox One. Dynasty Warriors as a series hasn't changed much over the years. Sure it's had its playable character roster expanded significantly, and it's had the odd combat system overhaul here and there, but the core concept has always remained the same: it's one super overpowered Chinese warrior (you) versus entire armies that flood the screen. To be fair, it's a formula that's given Dynasty Warriors a unique identity – a formula that fans have come to love and a formula that, for the most part, works well. In a lot of ways, Dynasty Warriors 9 feels like a reboot. It's easily the most altered mainline entry in the series' history, thrusting the hack and slash action into an open world setting. It's ultimately a risk. Why fix what isn't broken? Is it to try and attract a new audience? Or is it an attempt to simply refresh a series that's often been criticised for growing stale and repetitive? In truth it's probably a bit of both, and the resulting game is the most ambitious Dynasty Warriors title to date – but also one of the most disappointing. By going open world, Dynasty Warriors 9 abandons much of the series' established structure. Instead of choosing a story mode or a stage before jumping into the chaos with your favourite character, you're now diving head-first into a gigantic map of ancient China, seeking out the next critical mission that moves the story along. The new formula takes time to click. At first, we really struggled to understand what good an open world is to a game that's all about getting lost in over-the-top battles, but it does start to make sense as you delve deeper into the experience. Unfortunately, the release doesn't make a great initial impression, whether you're a fan of the series or not. The opening story chapters of the game are dull and monotonous, with little more than small skirmishes dotted about the map. It's not until later on that it truly feels like you're part of a vast army going up against an equally impressive legion of enemies. It's here that the open world starts to make sense, allowing for some colossal clashes across huge swathes of Chinese countryside. Dynasty Warriors has never felt so organic. It's this same open world that also contributes to many of the game's failings, however. When it's not covered in thousands upon thousands of soldiers, the map's shockingly barren – even cities and towns feel lifeless when they're supposed to be bustling hubs of culture and trade. There are side activities that you can try your hand at – fishing, hunting, material collecting – but none of them are entertaining or even worthwhile. And of course there's an unnecessarily convoluted crafting system in place, demanding that you gather laundry lists of items so that you can create weapons and accessories – equipment that's quickly made redundant by the nearest shopkeeper's stock. With nothing else going on, you'll find yourself just travelling from one mission to the next, capturing the same bases over and over again as you go. While it is satisfying to carve out a path for your army to follow, there's no denying that proceedings start to drag when an objective is way off in the distance. Fast travel is an option, taking you straight to the nearest mission starting point, but without a road that's free of enemies, you'll usually find that your allies frequently stop their march to deal with even the lowliest foe. If you're not prepared to take it slow, things can get tedious very quickly. The new open world structure also impacts how the classic Three Kingdoms story is told. In essence, each big historical battle has been stretched out over individual story chapters, with dialogue and cutscenes occurring at set points. Each of the warring kingdoms has its own storyline, but you follow the plot as your chosen character, meaning that, at times, you'll see things from their perspective. Strangely enough, this allows Dynasty Warriors 9 to explore events in greater detail. Without the need to quickly jump from one scenario to the next, it's free to illustrate the finer points of each conflict, and we're sure more dedicated fans will appreciate that. Some characters get a lot more time in the spotlight than others, though. No matter how well you perform within the story, proceedings don't deviate from history, so it's possible that your chosen character will be killed off just a couple of chapters in. The warlord Cao Cao, for example, lives through six or seven acts before he finally snuffs it, while stoic warrior Pang De only hangs around for two before he's taken out. The thing is, unless you know your Chinese history, you might end up selecting a character who only gets you through a small chunk of the story – and that can be a bit frustrating when you're just trying to unlock later chapters. Meanwhile, much like the open world, the overhauled combat system also has its ups and downs. Mashing square gives you access to 'flow' combos, which are basically your bread and butter attacks. On top of them, you've got specific techniques shared by each and every character: a launching move, which knocks your opponent into the air; a stunning attack, which opens your foe up to further damage; and a knockdown blow, which forces your enemy to the ground for a few seconds. They may be three different techniques, but these moves all serve the same purpose in that you'll use them to extend your combos. Couple them with the new lock-on mechanic, which allows you to – gasp – actually lock on to key opponents, and you've got a more combo-focused system. It's fun enough, but it feels like a lot of individuality has been removed from the character roster as a result. Everyone has the same basic suite of attacks barring a unique special move that can only be used once every 30 seconds or so. This issue is amplified by the fact that many characters have had their signature weapons taken away. Where Dynasty Warriors 8 ensured that every officer got their own unique moveset, Dynasty Warriors 9 brings back the clones, with some characters sharing weapon types and fighting styles. It's a real shame, because the varied movesets of games past really helped each hero stand out, and gave you more reason to take them for a spin. Whether it was budget or time that stopped Omega Force from fully fleshing out the playable cast, the unfortunate truth is that Dynasty Warriors 9 feels rushed across the board. Despite being in development for at least a few years, the game's bogged down by bugs and graphical glitches. The open world doesn't have any load screens, but noticeable pop-in is a regular annoyance, with whole squads of soldiers just blinking into existence at times. The kicker is that aside from some nice lighting and weather effects, the title looks seriously dated. Worst of all, however, is that the game struggles to maintain a consistent framerate – even on PS4 Pro. There are two graphical settings to choose from: one prioritises resolution at 30 frames-per-second, while the other opts for a “stable” framerate. The reality is that neither works very well. The former tanks the framerate to unforgivable levels during bigger battles, while the latter gives you that “stable” framerate, which seems to jump between 10fps and 60fps depending on how much action there is on screen. It's just not good enough. Speaking of not good enough, the English dub is abysmal. Dynasty Warriors is well known for its sometimes hilariously camp English voice acting, but recent instalments have featured decent work. Sadly, this isn't the case with Dynasty Warriors 9, which has thrown all the old voices out the window. Now, it sounds like over 100 characters have been voiced by three different people. Many of the new voices barely fit the characters that they're assigned to, and the delivery is often painful. It's so bad that it goes beyond being a joke and simply cheapens the entire experience. Thankfully, Japanese and even Chinese dubs are included. System requirements: OS: Windows 7/8.1/10 64bit. Processor: Core i5 2400 or over. Memory: 6 GB RAM. Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 or over. DirectX: Version 11. Network: Broadband Internet connection. Storage: 50 GB available space. Sound Card: 16 bit stereo, 48KHz WAVE file can be played. Dynasty Warriors has been on a steady run since it fumbled with the divisive Dynasty Warriors 6, and now it's in danger of fumbling all over again. Dynasty Warriors 9 goes open world and the result is a game of extreme ups and downs. For every gloriously huge battle there's a boring stint of traversal across a dreadfully barren map. For every interesting story moment or interaction, there's a horribly ugly graphical glitch. Factor in an unconvincing combat system overhaul, and you've got a Dynasty Warriors title that may disappoint even the most dedicated of fans. There's still some good historical hack and slash fun to be had here, but we expected much more from the return of this flagship series.

Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen has apologised after he broke a coronavirus-related curfew. He stayed at a restaurant in the capital, Vienna, beyond the closing time mandated under the country's lockdown measures. Mr Van der Bellen, 76, said he had lost track of the time while speaking with friends at the Italian restaurant in the centre of the city. "I'm sincerely sorry. It was a mistake," he said. "I went out for the first time since the lockdown with two friends and my wife," he wrote on Twitter. "We then lost track of the time while chatting." The president was spotted by police on the outside dining area of the restaurant shortly after midnight on Sunday, local media report. But the government's latest rules say restaurants and cafes, which were allowed to reopen last week, must close no later than 23:00. The restaurant could be fined for a breach, but Mr Van der Bellen said he would "take responsibility" if the owner suffers any losses as result of the incident. "We closed after a last round of drinks on time at 23:00, as required by law," the owner told the Krone newspaper. He said he had thought that customers were allowed to stay on the terrace beyond that time if they wished. Austria was one of the first countries in Europe to follow Italy in imposing a strict lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It was also one of the first to begin easing its restrictions. Gatherings of up to 10 people have been allowed since the start of May, and public parks, small shops, DIY stores and garden centres have been open since last month.

Game Informations. Developers : Omega Force. Released : March 15, 2018. Genre : ‏Action, hack and slash. Mode : Single-player, multiplayer Platforms : Microsoft Windows - PlayStation 4 - PlayStation Vita - Xbox One - Nintendo Switch. For those who have been living under a rock, Attack on Titan is one of the biggest anime and manga properties of recent years, and tells the story of humanity's struggle against a group of man-eating Titans who are threatening to destroy their world. The first Attack on Titan game came out in 2016, and now Koei Tecmo is back with a follow-up, the imaginatively titled Attack on Titan 2. Those who played the first game may be initially disappointed with this offering as it starts off retelling the plot of the first season of the anime. Where the first game lets players experience things as characters from the series, Attack on Titan 2 presents a brand new character for you to customise and control, so there's a different experience on offer. The character customisation is basic; you can only pick from hairstyles the other characters have, but you can change the colour. Other features give you a bit more choice with sliding adjusters, for example height, nose size, and eye shape, but it’s very limited as a whole package. Attack on Titan 2 has a very similar feel to the first game, but there are a lot of improvements. The omni-directional gear feels a lot more fluid and it’s easier to nail more precise movements - there’s something really fun about zipping through towns and forests on your ODM. It’s an integral part of the Attack on Titan universe, and it’s executed really well throughout the game. Controlling characters is intuitive, and while the mechanics of fighting Titans takes some getting used to, once you’ve nailed the timing it almost becomes second nature. It’s great that what could have potentially been quite a complex system is actually very simple, making you really feel like a part of the world. It’s the closest we’ll ever get to using a real ODM, after all! While battles start off relatively simple, as things progress they inevitably become harder. Titans have been adjusted since the first game to be more difficult to beat, and so they act more in tune with the anime versions. Facing off against large, abnormal Titans, you’ll be forced to think tactically to bring down your enemy by targeting its weak spots and completing special moves. Some of these moves are easier to pull off than others, but getting some practice in helps; if you don’t want to do this during missions, there’s always the scouting missions in Daily Life, or in Another Mode. The main game splits between embarking on missions to progress the plot and the Daily Life section, where you’ll be given the opportunity to build relationships, complete training exercises and go on scouting missions to deepen relationships and procure materials. Interacting with other characters gives you the opportunity to build relationships with them; the more you build your relationship, the more lines on their notebook entry are filled in, unlocking new skills along the way. This gives fans of the series the opportunity to hang out with their favourite characters and learn more about their personalities. It does come with its flaws; while you can build the relationships during missions, you can only level up during the Daily Life sections of the game, meaning you can max out a characters relationship bar without reaping the benefits until later. This is slightly frustrating, as missions can run into each other without a Daily Life break, providing no opportunity for new skills to be learnt There are some localisation issues throughout, which admittedly aren’t ruinous, but are initially quite jarring. Character names are frequently spelt incorrectly, and during the first chapter, other characters referred to our character with male pronouns even though we’d chosen a female character. It’s explained in early scenes that the story is being recounted by someone reading your notebook, and they say they'll refer to you as a male as they don’t know your gender which makes sense contextually for them, but not for other characters who are having a face-to-face conversation with you in other scenes. It’s a small point, but one that makes a difference to the cohesion of the whole game. There’s also the fact that characters all refer to each other by their first names, except when it comes to you - you get called by the surname that you input. It’s very strange, and feels like things haven’t been quite thought through properly. Similar to cel-shading, the art style is fairly basic but effective, reminding players of the anime and manga roots the game is drawing from. There’s also an option to turn gore off, but what’s Attack on Titan without blood everywhere? Progressing through the main story of the game unlocks characters that you can play as in the game’s Another Mode which has online and offline components. In online mode you can host or join other players’ scouting missions, or tend to the SOS calls of other players. You can also battle other players, vying for points as teams try to kill as many Titans as possible. You can also enter development agreements with other players, asking them to contribute to the development of your gear. Offline is much the same, without the competitive element, and you can elect to go on solo missions to level up your character’s Another Mode rank. System Requirements: OS: Win 7/8.1/10 64bit Processor: Core I5 2400 or over Memory: 6 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 VRAM 1GB or over DirectX: Version 11 Network: Broadband Internet connection Storage: 30 GB available space Sound Card: 16bit Stereo 48kHzWAVE Attack on Titan 2 is a much improved sequel and such a vast game - you can spend hours playing and it feels like there’s still so much to do. Alongside some really solid gameplay, fans of the series will enjoy interacting with beloved characters, and while the storyline isn't going to offer anything new, you'll feel like a valued part of the fight against the giant menace.

One of the survivors of Friday's plane crash in the Pakistani city of Karachi has described his ordeal, saying all he could see "was fire". Passenger Muhammad Zubair was one of at least two passengers who survived after the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Airbus A320 came down in a residential area. Health authorities in Sindh province said 97 deaths had been confirmed. The cause of the crash is not yet known. But one civil aviation official told Reuters the plane may have been unable to lower its undercarriage. Images posted on social media appeared to show scorch marks under both engines, with no undercarriage visible on approach. The crash came days after Pakistan allowed commercial flights to resume after the country's coronavirus lockdown was eased. How did Muhammad Zubair escape? Flight PK8303, an Airbus A320 carrying 91 passengers and eight crew - including many families travelling ahead of Sunday's Eid holiday - had travelled from Lahore. It was attempting to land at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport at about 14:30 local time (09:30 GMT) when it came down. Mr Zubair, who suffered only minor injuries, said the plane attempted one landing and then crashed 10-15 minutes later. "No-one was aware that the plane was about to crash; they were flying the plane in a smooth manner," he said. He lost consciousness following the crash. When he came to, he said, "I could hear screams from all directions. Kids and adults. All I could see was fire. I couldn't see any people - just hear their screams". "I opened my seatbelt and saw some light - I went towards the light. I had to jump down about 10ft (3m) to get to safety," he added. Why did the aircraft crash? The plane was only just short of the runway perimeter when it struck houses in the Model Colony residential area. TV footage showed rescue crews combing through debris strewn across the streets of the densely po[CENSORED]ted zone. A number of cars were set on fire. Eyewitness Mohammed Uzair Khan told the BBC he had heard a massive sound and went outside his home. "Almost four houses were completely collapsed, there was so much fire and smoke," he said. "They are almost my neighbours, I can't tell you what a horrible thing it was." Purported audio of the conversation between air traffic control and a pilot was published by Pakistani media. The pilot is heard saying the plane had "lost engines". An air traffic controller asks whether it is going to carry out a "belly landing", to which the pilot replies "mayday, mayday, mayday". Investigators will try to retrieve the so-called black box recorders to help determine the cause. A committee of investigation has already been set up. PIA said the plane had joined the fleet in 2014 and passed its annual airworthiness inspection last November. What do we know about the casualties? According to local authorities, 97 deaths have been confirmed, although it is unclear how many of the dead were passengers and how many residents on the ground. Nineteen of the dead have been identified. Zafar Masud, president of the Bank of Punjab, was the other passenger who survived the crash, a provincial government spokesman said. Both were at the front of the plane. There are reports of other survivors but these have not been confirmed. A senior journalist at TV channel 24 News, Ansar Naqvi, and an ex-head of the Punjab Disaster Management Authority, Khalid Sherdil, were also listed on the passenger manifest. Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was "shocked and saddened" by the crash, promising an immediate investigation. What is Pakistan's safety record like? Pakistan has a chequered aviation safety record, including a number of airliner crashes. In 2010, an aircraft operated by private airline Airblue crashed near Islamabad, killing all 152 people on board - the deadliest air disaster in Pakistani history. In 2012, a Boeing 737-200 operated by Pakistan's Bhoja Air crashed in bad weather on its approach to land in Rawalpindi, killing all 121 passengers and six crew. And in 2016, a Pakistan International Airlines plane burst into flames while travelling from northern Pakistan to Islamabad, killing 47 people.