Connect with us

NewsBeat

US names four service members killed in drone strike in Kuwait as tensions rise

Published

on

Manchester Evening News

Hundreds of people have been killed in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East which is entering its fifth day on Wednesday

The United States has named of four of the six service members who died in a drone strike in Kuwait during the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Advertisement

All four Army Reserve soldiers died on Sunday, March 1 in a drone strike on a command centre in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.

Israel and the US carried out joint strikes on several key Iranian sites on Saturday, February 28. During the strikes over the weekend, Iran’s supreme leader at the time, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed. Iran has responded with strikes across the Middle East, causing widespread panic across the region.

Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source.

The Associated Press reported that all were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, lowa.

Advertisement

Four of the six service members have been named as:

  • Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida
  • Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska
  • Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota
  • Spc. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa

Reuters news agency reported the following death tolls according to information by the involved countries as of March 3, but had not independently verified these deaths:

  • Iran: 787 people killed, according to the non-profit humanitarian group Iranian Red Crescent Society. It was unclear if the death toll included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military casualties
  • Israel: 10 civilians killed, according to Israel’s ambulance service Magen David ‌Adom. ⁠The Israel Defense Forces has reported no military casualties
  • Lebanon: 50 people killed, according to Lebanon’s health ministry
  • Bahrain: One person killed, according to the interior ministry
  • Kuwait: Three ⁠people killed, according to Kuwait’s health and foreign ministries
  • Oman: One person killed, Reuters reported
  • United Arab Emirates: Three people killed, according to UAE’s defense ministry
  • US military: Six US service members, according to U.S. Central Command

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

NewsBeat

Gordon Brown ‘helped save’ Keir Starmer after Anas Sarwar called for PM to quit

Published

on

Daily Record

EXCLUSIVE: The former Labour PM used his influence to support Starmer as he faced calls to quit.

Gordon Brown helped save Keir Starmer after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called on the Prime Minister to quit.

Advertisement

The Labour heavyweight shored up support for the ailing PM as he faced an early exit from Downing Street.

One source said: “Gordon was clear Keir should be given a chance.”

Sarwar used a dramatic press conference in Glasgow last month to urge Starmer to stand down.

He accused his one-time ally of making too many mistakes and of leading a Government that is “not good enough”.

Advertisement

The quit call sent shockwaves through Labour and was a moment of peril for the Prime Minister.

But Starmer’s position was secured by the end of the day after he received public declarations of support from Cabinet ministers.

And only two Scottish Labour MPs came out to support Sarwar – despite a number of others agreeing with him.

The Record understands Brown, who was Prime Minister between 2007 and 2010, played an important role behind the scenes.

Advertisement

READ MORE: Alba Party spent ‘£50,000 on flights’ for Alex Salmond in just two yearsREAD MORE: John Swinney “deeply concerned” over Iran conflict and questions legality of air strikes

He is said to have privately urged Labour figures to back Starmer in his time of need.

One Labour source said the rebellion, particularly in Scotland, would have been greater had Brown not got involved:

“Gordon is hugely respected in the party and people listen to him.”

Advertisement

A second insider said Brown’s pro-Starmer stance was likely influenced by some of his colleagues trying to oust him when he was PM.

Months before the 2010 general election, former Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon plotted to remove Brown, but the attempt failed.

It comes after Brown, who was also Chancellor between 1997 and 2007, helped influence Rachel Reeves’ last Budget.

He had been pushing the Government to scrap the two child benefit cap and introduce a tax on gambling profits, both of which were announced by Reeves.

Advertisement

He has also launched his own investigations into the activities of billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Brown wrote to six police forces demanding a probe into whether Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor used taxpayer-funded jets and RAF bases during his time as trade envoy to meet Epstein.

He has also been highly critical of Peter Mandelson, who served in his administration, for leaking confidential Government information to Epstein.

An SNP source said: “It’s hard not to feel a bit sorry for Anas Sarwar – he’s way out of his depth and this embarrassing episode just keeps getting more toe curling by the day.

Advertisement

“The only people backing his coup were Jackie Baillie, Davy Russell and a couple of MSPs – you could fit that rabble in the back of his swanky motor.

“Gordon Brown once said he saved the world, he could have at least tried to save Anas Sarwar some dignity.”

A Scottish Conservative spokesperson said: “Labour are too weak to stand up to the failing SNP government because of the civil war tearing their party apart.

“Anas Sarwar is desperate to wash his hands of Keir Starmer, despite fighting tooth and nail to put the hopeless PM in Downing Street, but his attempted putsch has been ignored by colleagues and undermined by Gordon Brown.”

Advertisement

A spokesperson for Brown was approached for comment. Scottish Labour declined to comment.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Is Emirates flying to Dubai? Airline issues update

Published

on

Is Emirates flying to Dubai? Airline issues update

Air travel in the region has been severely disrupted since Saturday (February 28), with thousands of flights cancelled.

US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on Saturday morning in what the two countries described as a “pre-emptive” strike against a Tehran government intent on developing nuclear weapons.

This prompted retaliation from Iran, with missiles hitting countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Israel.

Advertisement

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Monday (March 2) there were an estimated 300,000 British citizens in Gulf countries.

Many Brits remain stranded, but a limited number of flights to the UK have been operating out of Dubai as UAE airspace has partially reopened under restricted corridors.

Advertisement

Dubai Airports said a passenger advisory on Monday: “Limited airport operations have resumed today (March 2) with a small number of flights operating from DXB and DWC.

“Passengers must not travel to the airport unless they have received a confirmed departure time directly from their airline, as schedules remain subject to change.

“If you have received a confirmed departure flight from your airline, please also check which terminal your flight is departing from.”

Is Emirates flying to Dubai?

In a statement on its travel updates page , Emirates shared that scheduled flights to and from Dubai are suspended for the moment.

Advertisement

This will remain in place until 11.59pm UAE time (7.95pm GMT) on Wednesday, March 4.

They added: “Emirates continues to operate a limited number of passenger repatriation and freighter flights on 3 and 4 March. 

Advertisement

“We are accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority on these limited flights.

“Please do not go to the airport unless you have been notified directly by Emirates, or hold a confirmed booking for these flights.”

The airline added that it will continue to monitor the situation and will update its operations schedule if need be.

If you’ve been affected by a flight cancellation, you can rebook on another flight to your intended destination for travel on or before Friday, March 20.

Advertisement

Alternatively, you can request a refund of your ticket if your booking is on or before Tuesday, March 10, by completing the refund form on the website here .


Recommended reading:


What have other airlines done for Dubai flights?

British Airways cancelled its timetabled flights to London Heathrow from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha and Dubai at the time of writing.

Passengers with bookings on certain routes up to Sunday, March 15, are being allowed to amend the date to fly on or before Sunday, March 29.

Advertisement

What is the government’s advice on flying to Dubai?

The Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Ian Huntley still ‘seriously ill’ five days after prison attack

Published

on

Cambridgeshire Live

There have been no changes in Huntley’s condition since he was attacked five days ago

The Soham murderer Ian Huntley is still “seriously ill” in hospital after being attacked in a maximum security prison five days ago. Huntley was attacked by an inmate with a metal bar in the workshop at HMP Frankland, near Durham on Thursday, February 26.

Durham Constabulary confirmed today (Tuesday, March 3) that there had been no changes in the 52-year-old’s condition. The force said: “There has been no change in the 52-year-old man’s condition overnight – he remains in hospital in a serious condition.”

After the attack, Huntley’s daughter Samantha Bryan, 27, told The Sun that “there’s a special place in hell waiting for him”. The former caretaker was given a life sentence which recommended he serve at least 40 years in prison for the murder of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman on August 4 2002, PA reports.

Advertisement

It has been reported that triple killer Anthony Russell had shouted “I’ve done it, I’ve done it” after Huntley was attacked. The force has not confirmed the identity of the suspect but has said a man in his mid-40s was detained.

Russell was given a whole-life sentence after murdering Julie Williams, 58, her son David Williams, 32, and pregnant 31-year-old Nicole McGregor. Russell had also raped Ms McGregor.

This marks the second attack on Huntley, after his neck was slashed by Damien Fowkes using a home-made weapon, which left him needing 21 stitches. After the attack, Fowkes asked a prison officer: “Is he dead? I hope so.”

He had described Huntley as a “notorious child killer, both inside prison and in society in general”.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Two men found guilty of attending Cambridgeshire hare coursing event

Published

on

Cambridgeshire Live

The men were given a Criminal Behaviour Order and had to pay compensation to the landowners.

Two men have been found guilty of attending a hare coursing event in Cambridgeshire. Roy Lee, 27, of Barrowby Vale, Grantham, and Sam Sheady, 46, of Cefn Mawr, Wrexham, Clwyd, were found guilty of attending a hare coursing event on January 25, 2025.

Advertisement

At Peterborough Magistrates’ Court today (Tuesday, March 3), the men were issued a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBOs). The CBO prohibits them from entering or being present on any part of private or agricultural land within England and Wales, without the written permission of the owner, which can be presented to an officer upon request.

The order also prohibits them from driving any vehicle with a sighthound breed dog, whilst outside of a five mile radius of his home address, unless for a pre-arranged veterinary appointment, proof of appointment to be provided to an officer upon request and except when travelling to and from the land the defendant owns or rents and must provide written proof of ownership or rental agreement to present to any police officer if required.

Both of the men must also pay compensation to landowners in the sum of £1,000 each. Lee was also fined £200.

The conviction follows a large investigation into hare coursing and associated criminal activity that took place on Saturday, January 25 2025. The incident affected multiple communities in Cambridgeshire including Fordham, Ely, Prickwillow, Littleport, Welney, Chatteris, March, Wimblington and Doddington.

Advertisement

The investigation was supported by multiple police forces and national crime units. It resulted in 43 arrests and 25 individuals being charged with a total of 39 offences.

To get more news and top stories delivered directly to your phone, join our new WhatsApp community. Click this link to receive your daily dose of CambridgeshireLive content.

We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

SAS Blue Thunder helicopter seen over Radcliffe and Bury

Published

on

SAS Blue Thunder helicopter seen over Radcliffe and Bury

They were seen flying over Radcliffe and Bury between around 4pm and 5pm with confused onlookers speculating about why the aircraft were circling the area.

An SAS helicopter was spotted flying above Bury and Radcliffe (Image: Public)

The Bolton News understands that the helicopters are taking part in a routine training exercise.

The helicopter seen today appears to be the same model as the two seen at Salford’s MediaCity yesterday – a Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin, nicknamed “Blue Thunder”.

Two helicopters were seen landing in MediaCity (Image: mich2255)

They have gained this name from their notable colour scheme, pairing navy blue with a white underbelly.

Advertisement

On Monday night (March 2), residents at Salford Quays reported “freaking out” when two of the helicopters were seen landing in an open square.

They flew away together before returning a bit later, when residents also spotted men in black on the rooftops.

The men were seen descending from the helicopters onto the roof of a nearby hotel.

Filming on Coronation Street which was taking place outside was also seen to have stopped entirely as a result of the helicopters flying nearby.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

‘Gold plated monstrosity’: Trump’s $400M ballroom plans inundated with negative comments as public weighs in

Published

on

‘Gold plated monstrosity’: Trump’s $400M ballroom plans inundated with negative comments as public weighs in

Thousands have weighed in with nearly universal disapproval in public comments about President Donald Trump’s planned $400 million ballroom at the White House, as the project faces a key review vote on Thursday at the National Capital Planning Commission.

“The size and design of the proposed White House Ballroom are hideous,” one commenter wrote. “I object to the decision to ruin the American public’s historical legacy.”

Another, from architect Donna Wax, called the president’s plans for a gilded, 22,000-square-foot ballroom inside a newly built, columned East Wing a “fascist take on classism.”

“What Donald Trump is doing to the White House and proposing for other construction, is appalling,” Penny Jarrett, who grew outside Washington, told the commission in a February comment. “How could he just ‘do that’ without consent from you or Congress? PLEASE don’t let him get away with him building this addition, gold plated monstrosity as it will be a replica of his ‘gold plated lifestyle’ which is disgusting.”

Advertisement

More than 98 percent of the more than 10,000 pages of comments were negative, according to a New York Times analysis, and some of the criticism came from unlikely places.

Nearly all of the public comments about Donald Trump’s proposed East Wing ballroom project have been negative, according to files released by the National Capital Planning Commission ahead of a vote this Thursday

Nearly all of the public comments about Donald Trump’s proposed East Wing ballroom project have been negative, according to files released by the National Capital Planning Commission ahead of a vote this Thursday (The White House)

“I have substantial concerns regarding the action or inaction by the National Capital Planning Commission and/or the White House during the undertaking of the demolition of the East Wing of the White House,” Republican Rep. Michael Turner of Ohio, co-chair of the Congressional Historic Preservation Caucus, wrote of the plans in a newly released October letter. “The stark images of the East Wing demolished in mere days were deeply disturbing to Americans who cherish preservation of our nation’s history.”

The commission, chaired by a White House staffer and former personal lawyer for the president, will vote on Thursday on whether to move forward with the project.

Advertisement

A staff report ahead of the meeting noted the “substantial” number of public comments, “the majority in opposition” to the project, but still recommended moving forward with the renovation.

Last month, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, another review board filled with Trump allies, approved the project, despite not seeing the final design and similarly being deluged with almost entirely negative public comments.

Past donors to Trump-related efforts are funding the ballroom project

Past donors to Trump-related efforts are funding the ballroom project (AFP via Getty Images)

Last week, a federal judge rejected a preservation group’s request for an injunction to block the project.

Advertisement

The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed an amended lawsuit over the weekend. It alleged the Trump administration violated multiple federal laws by embarking on the construction project unilaterally last fall without prior approval from the two planning commissions and Congress.

“No president is legally allowed to tear down portions of the White House without any review whatsoever — not President Trump, no President Biden, and not anyone else,” the suit reads.

Outside of the planning process, the project has generated controversy because of its private funding from past donors to the Trump campaign and inauguration, including numerous large tech companies.

The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Attract more birds and fewer pests to your garden by moving bird feeder to 1 simple area

Published

on

Daily Mirror

As spring approaches and nesting season begins in March, wildlife experts recommend positioning bird feeders in key garden location to keep birds safe from predators.

With spring approaching and nesting season kicking off in March, plenty of nature enthusiasts will be getting ready to support their neighbourhood birds. One effective method of helping birds during this period is by installing bird feeders.

Advertisement

At this time of year, natural food supplies become scarce, so offering treats like nuts, seeds and suet can give birds a crucial energy lift.

Once you’ve bought a bird feeder, working out the ideal spot to position it can be tricky. Where you site them determines not just whether garden birds will use them, but also which species you’ll attract.

To ensure birds remain safe whilst feeding, specialists at retailer Really Wild Bird Food suggest positioning your feeder close to natural cover, such as trees or bushes, within reasonable view of a window. They explained: “This will keep them hidden from predators and sheltered from direct sunlight and harsh weather conditions.”

However, avoid placing your feeders right beside trees. This makes it far too simple for squirrels and other local creatures to pinch your bird food.

You might think that putting your bird feeder near a window is ill-advised; naturally, you’d want to prevent birds from accidentally colliding with the glass and harming themselves.

Yet, it can actually be more dangerous to position bird feeders at a distance from your windows, as this allows the birds to build up momentum before striking the glass. The experts advised: “For this reason, we recommend positioning your bird feeder a couple of feet away from the window at most.

That way, if a bird takes off in the direction of your windows or glass doors, it won’t be flying fast enough to cause serious injury. Better still, place your feeder directly on the window or windowsill.”

Advertisement

It’s suggested you position your bird feeder roughly five feet off the ground. This height makes it convenient for you to refill and maintain the feeder whilst also preventing pets and other creatures from pinching your bird food.

If you find that particular birds aren’t turning up at your feeder, you may want to consider adjusting the height or adding extra feeders at various heights from the ground.

For instance, woodpeckers prefer feeding high up in trees, so suspending a feeder at six to 10 feet above ground level might help to entice them. Other species, including blackbirds, robins and chaffinches, favour eating from ground feeders.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Plans for over 50 new homes refused over ‘environmental harm’ concerns

Published

on

Cambridgeshire Live

The developers proposed a mixed of “high quality” one, two, three and four-bedded homes

Plans to build over 50 new homes in a Cambridgeshire village have been refused over environmental concerns. In December 2024, Bellway Homes proposed to build 52 homes, as well as access and an open space on land at West Newlands on St Ives Road, Somersham.

Advertisement

The developers proposed for there to be a mix of “high quality” one-bed to four-bed homes, offering both private and affordable housing. The applicants said it was an “opportunity to provide 52 new homes in an appropriate and sustainable location”.

Each property was designed to have parking, and an open space was planned for the north and south of the site. Huntingdonshire District Council has refused these plans after it raises concerns over the applicant’s waste water management.

In its decision document, a HDC planning officer said: “The application fails to demonstrate that the proposed development can be accommodated within the existing wastewater treatment infrastructure without resulting in deterioration of water quality or environmental harm to designated habitat sites.”

In its design, Bellway Homes said it had an agreement with the Environment Agency and Anglian Water that “waste water flows from the proposal can be accommodated”. In making its decision, HDC said Anglian Water told the council that Somersham Water Recycling Centre was “operating above its permitted dry weather flow limit”.

Advertisement

It added that it was “unable to accommodate additional flows” that would come from the development. The council added: “The Environment Agency and Natural England have not been able to confirm that the development would avoid compromising the requirements of the water framework directive or the habitats regulations.”

The developers can appeal the decision within six months of the decision notice being published.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

World’s biggest astronomy camera seeks to answer pressing questions about the universe

Published

on

World’s biggest astronomy camera seeks to answer pressing questions about the universe

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has started releasing its first discoveries: including supernovae, variable stars and asteroids, which will from now on be discovered at an astonishing rate as it begins its Legacy Survey of Space and Time, a ten-year survey probing the deepest reaches of the universe.

During the course of this survey, astronomers around the globe will seek to answer some of the most pressing questions about the nature of our world.

To the naked eye, the night sky seems like a static and unchanging firmament, with the occasional planet or comet or shooting star visible.

But with a larger, more sophisticated telescope or camera we are able to discover hundreds of new phenomena every night, from dying stars to near-Earth asteroids.

Advertisement

The camera that allows this exploration – attached to a telescope over eight metres wide atop Cerro Pachón in Chile – is the largest in the world, weighing almost three tonnes and built over ten years.

The Rubin Observatory’s giant camera can probe the faintest reaches of our existence, capturing light emitted as much as 12 billion years ago. But the Rubin camera will capture new events much closer to our Solar System.

By taking multiple photographs of the sky every night – and tracking any differences between them, scientists will be able to capture objects moving through space such as the tens of millions of asteroids and comets hurtling through the Solar System.

Outer reaches

Increasing the number of known asteroids in the belt between Mars and Jupiter can help us to understand the formation history of the Solar System.

Advertisement

Beyond Neptune in the faint and distant Kuiper Belt – a population of icy objects in the outer reaches of the Solar System – astronomers will be able to study an environment similar to our Solar System in its infancy, to better understand how we came to be.

It has been theorised before that disturbances to the orbits of Kuiper Belt objects indicates the existence of a hypothesised “planet nine” – Rubin may even be able to build more evidence for this as-yet undiscovered world.

Beyond the solar system, astronomers seek to identify stellar streams of stars leftover from smaller galaxies merging with our own, which help us understand the history of the Milky Way.

What Rubin will capture more than any previous telescope are optical transients – stars brightening and dimming, and those that eventually explode as a supernova.

Advertisement

These explosions produce elements essential to life, from oxygen to iron, and scatter across the universe the materials required for forming stars and planets.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory will carry out a ten-year survey of the Universe.
Rubin Observatory

Capturing more of these supernovae and understanding how they happen is vital for understanding the evolution of the universe. While these are some of the more common “flashes” Rubin will find in its game of spot-the-difference, other rarer objects such as black holes will also be detected and studied to improve our understanding of cosmology.

Some supernovae can be used to determine how far away the galaxy they inhabit is, letting us discover new environments from the earliest years of the universe.
Why is it important to capture data about these ancient galaxies?

Scientists believe that the universe after the Big Bang was uniform in all directions. How then did galaxies form? Astronomers believe the answer lies in small clumps of dark matter, which gas and dust gravitated around until galaxies could be born.

Advertisement

The issue with dark matter is that we cannot observe it directly, though it makes up 80% of matter in the universe. The dark matter is responsible for galaxies – and everything within them – developing, but it also forms even larger-scale filaments of galaxies.

How these structures form is dependent on what dark matter is – which requires us to know how it influenced the formation of galaxies big and small, old and young.

Understanding existence

The Legacy Survey of Space and Time seeks to answer one question – what is the universe? It also prompts another – why does it matter? By understanding where our existence comes from, we can predict the nature and eventual evolution of the universe: a complete picture of cosmic evolution from start to finish.

Humanity has turned to a number of answers for its own existence over the course of its existence, with Rubin another step in the direction of finally getting the full picture.

Advertisement

Understanding the fundamental forces at work in our universe is a path to answering many of the spiritual questions of society (what are we here for?) but also the practical ones (what steps do we take now?).

The Legacy Survey of Space and Time has inspired collaboration from scientists across the world based in countries such as Chile, the US, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Brazil and the UK.

Techniques in machine learning and AI to analyse the huge amounts of
data generated by Rubin will have uses in industries such as finance, medicine and engineering.

Regardless of how Rubin furthers our understanding of the universe, it will still enable technological innovations and international collaboration.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Games Inbox: Is it worth buying a PS5 in 2026?

Published

on

Games Inbox: Is it worth buying a PS5 in 2026?
Still worth getting or should you wait till the next one? (Sony)

The Wednesday letters page defends Nintendo’s first party record on Switch 2, as one reader offers their opinion on the Marathon Sever Slam.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Hardware options
I’ve been watching all the news about memory prices rising and the PlayStation 6 being pushed back to who knows when and it’s left me unsure as to what to do, because I currently only have a PlayStation 4. Naturally, I don’t want to buy a PlayStation 5 just as it’s replaced by a new machine. But at the same time I don’t, as you can tell, care about getting the latest hardware just as it comes out.

Curious to know if anyone else is in the same boat, as I’ve kind of got three options: skip the generation entirely, get a Switch 2 instead, or get a PlayStation 5 and just end up late to the PlayStation 6 as well.

Advertisement

I previously didn’t give much thought to the Switch 2 option but given how well things like Resident Evil Requiem have apparently turned out I’m thinking that might be the best bet. I’ve only had a Wii before, so it’d be kind of interesting to take a break from Sony while the bigger picture sorts itself out.
Gambon

Opposites attract
Really looking forward to playing Pokémon Pokopia tomorrow. It wasn’t on my radar at all until I saw all the positive reviews and now I’m really excited to spend the weekend with it, especially as it’s something my wife will almost certainly enjoy as well.

Expert, exclusive gaming analysis

Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.

Advertisement

I got Resident Evil Requiem last week and loved that but at the end of the day it’s only 14 hours or so long and while I do want to replay it, it’s not something I want to do immediately. But a game that is apparently very long and involved, but also laid-back and ‘cosy’, sounds like the perfect follow-up.

Reminds me of the time Doom Eternal and Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out on the same day. Sometimes it’s nice to have a contrast, where the only similarity is that both games are good.
Carson

Not a sprint
Just passing on my thoughts about Marathon, I hope the full game sells well to keep Bungie alive, but I’m on the fence whether to buy it or not.

Advertisement

I played about six hours of the Marathon Server Slam. The base gameplay and shooting mechanics are great. I for one loved the graphic style too. However, I’m not sure I will bother with the full game due to it being an extraction shooter. For me, I just find it a bit too tedious; the missions are mundane. Each round you play is ~20 minutess and you only meet one or two teams of real players. I find it overly repetitive, similar to how Helldivers 2 was.

Now I don’t know if the full game will have deathmatch mode or something similar added, but if it does I would buy it nearly half to relive the old Halo 3 Slayer days.
Carlos

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Ooo, that’s a good one
I really enjoyed the new Indie World Direct. I’m delighted by Heave Ho getting a sequel, the first is probably one of the funniest games for multiplayer.

Advertisement

Getting a shadow drop for Blue Prince is very welcome too, I did a lot in that game through Game Pass but will double dip on Switch 2.

That wood game looked adorable and I’m keen for anything from the Guacamelee developers.

Unbelievably though, I’m most excited by a game that was only in the Japanese version of the Direct. Öoo got an unexpected release and wasn’t featured in the Western stream. I’ve had my eye out for this since it came out on PC, so an unexpected shadow drop on Switch is brilliant news and may sway me away from Resident Evil Requiem, even though I want to finish that before Pokopia.

I know everyone wants to hear from Nintendo about their first party plans, but it’s nice to have such an overwhelming selection of brilliant third party indie and AAA games to enjoy in the meantime.
Euclidian Boxes

Advertisement

GC: Thanks for mentioning that, we had no idea. It’s on the UK Nintendo eShop right now, so we’ll see if we can get a review done.

Something to look forward to
The behaviour of FromSoftware towards Bloodborne truly is bizarre. They keep saying the game is special to them and everything, but they won’t even release a PlayStation 5 patch?! How does that make any sense whatsoever?

Mind you, I don’t understand why anyone is pushing for a remake either. The game’s a PlayStation 4 title, how much better do you expect it to look? Especially as From won’t do the remake themselves, so it’ll be missing lots of little details and secrets that only they know about.

Advertisement

What we need is a sequel, and soon. For all we know that’s what they’re working on but the way he talks about it I don’t think there’s any chance the director would be anyone other than Hidetaka Miyazaki. But he’s doing The Duskbloods at the moment, which implies no serious work has started on Bloodborne 2 yet.

So… I look forward to playing it in 2031, I guess? Or maybe 2035 for the 20th anniversary? Let’s at least hope they can make it by then.
Gavin

User approval
Congratulations to Capcom for scoring the highest rated user score on Resident Evil Requiem. I’ve only played a bit of it and I’ve so far played through the introduction, dispatched some zombies as Leon, and woke up in a very creepy medical centre.

I have to also commend Capcom for changing up the behaviours of zombies. A zombie that sings creepily, a maid zombie cleaning the floor, and a chef zombie with a chainsaw. Very unique and it’s very well deserved to see Requiem dethrone Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Which is the better game is a topic that will divide fans and gamers, but that’s a topic for another day.

Advertisement

Crimson Desert is set to release in over two weeks, and I honestly can say I have no idea where the reviews will land, especially with the embargo lifting one day before release and by then my pre-order will be all but ready to be dispatched. I truly hope this is the next Elden Ring and Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, rather than the next Forspoken. It looks insane and if the execution is right it could be the perfect title to hold us off until GTA 6 releases.

I’ve also heard some rumblings of Cory Barlog’s next game. Starring Faye as the lead character and utilising a Devil May Cry style of combat gameplay. It’s certainly what I didn’t expect and didn’t ask for. But it’s unconfirmed for now, so I’ll wait until Cory clears the rumours up. But it seems quite a disappointment to me. I would have preferred something fresh instead. Not a live service title per se, but maybe an original story and a new set of characters.

Faye is only in God Of War Ragnarök for 10 minutes and considering I only saw her once in the game, when I came to her section, I don’t see a full title warranted. Freya would have been a better choice. Perhaps a prequel and her journey up to the events of the 2018 game. She’s one of my favourite characters, so I would have loved to see her have her own game. No one asked for Faye. But we’ll see and wait for confirmation.

On a final note, I’m absolutely stoked for the Fatal Frame 2 demo that drops in two days. I really hope this works as well as Silent Hill 2 and Resident Evil Requiem has. Then we can get the first and third games remade and on PC. Fingers crossed.
Shahzaib Sadiq

Advertisement

Regular event
The Indie World was fine and all but I can’t believe they couldn’t have found a fair few more games to promote. 15 minutes seems kind of pointless. If you’re going to try and make people sit down and watch a showcase at least make a proper go of it. 15 minutes is okay if it’s just one game but either this needed longer or they should do it on a more regular basis, like once every month.

I would be happy with that. I buy most indie games on Switch because it’s more convenient to play them like that, but while Nintendo does more to promote them than Sony it still doesn’t do much.
Tosh

Don’t miss Gaming news! Add us as a Preferred Source

As a loyal GameCentral reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for gaming stories. We have all the latest video games news, reviews, previews, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.

Click here and tick Metro.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.

Advertisement
GameCentral collage of Mario Kart, Ghost of Yotei, and Halo
GameCentral has been delivering unique games news and reviews for over a decade

What’s the big secret?
Whilst I understand some of the frustration towards Nintendo I do feel it is somewhat overblown. I know people are keen for news on their big franchises such as Zelda and Mario. I’m in the same boat, myself. However, since the Switch 2 launched there’s many Nintendo exclusives that have released or are due soon, Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, Drag x Drive, Kirby Air Riders, Fast Fusion, two Pokémon games, Metroid Prime 4, Yoshi And The Mysterious Book, and Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment.

Granted, some of these are cross-generation and not all have been a hit. I get that the quality of certain games hasn’t been up the usual standard of what Nintendo usually produce and that gamers want to know what they are planning next. However, Nintendo have always seemed to keep things close to their chest and announce games only a short time from their launch date.

It’s still early days in the Switch 2 lifecycle and I’d argue they have been far more active in releasing new exclusives than Sony or Microsoft have been this generation.
matc7884

Advertisement

GC: You’re right but at the same time Nintendo has never been quite this secretive before, without an obvious reason. It’s not even clear whether they’re consciously doing things differently or if they’re just letting the chips fall where they may.

Inbox also-rans
It’s so weird to me that NieR:Automata is getting an Overwatch crossover and we still haven’t heard a peep about any kind of sequel. That game will be 10 years old next year!
Focus

Would just like to see I got Minishoot’ Adventures a year or so ago and really loved it. Would definitely recommend it to others now it’s on console.
Skimboat

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Advertisement

The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025