Organised jointly with Terra Sarda Wines, a local sustainable wines startup, co-founded by Sue Scott, it will feature a roster of business ladies sharing their experience and insight – with compassion for those juggling and struggling!

Drop-in sessions include a spotlight on ‘What do investors really want?’ from founders looking to raise cash, which is particularly relevant given that successful pitches for investment by all-female-led teams are consistently in the low single digits, compared to an 80% success rate among men.

‘Growing a Business Without Burn-out’ will look at the competing demands of a business and family life.

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An interactive mini workshop, ‘Challenging Limiting Beliefs’, is designed to demonstrate how listening and understanding the inner voice in business can lead to breakthroughs, and York entrepreneur Emma Lindsay will lead a fireside chat on ‘One year on…’ with contributions from those who’ve survived their first 12 months at the helm.

Claire Turner Leads Building A Business Without Burnout (Image: Pic supplied)

To round off the event, Terra Sarda Wines and Marion Owens will lead ‘Boss the Bottles’ for women who enjoy wine, but feel they just don’t know enough about it to choose with confidence.

A special collaborative project that weaves women’s stories into a large fabric art piece will run throughout to mark the event.

Wendy O’Brien Leads You Got This! Challenging Limiting Beliefs (Image: Pic supplied)

Organiser Sue Scott said: “Whatever stage they are at on their business journey – established leader, aspiring self-starter, or currently bootstrapping – this is an opportunity for everyone to share, support, chill and chat as we mark this year’s International Women’s Week.

Marion Owens leads Boss The Bottles (Image: Pic supplied)

“If you want to be supported, curious, entertained and challenged, this is for you!”

Celebrate Collaborate Connect runs from 12noon – 6pm at Patch York, The Bonding House, Terry Avenue, York, on Saturday March 7. All-day tickets, including food and wine/soft drink are £15 (two for one offer available). Go to https://CelebrateCollaborateConnect.eventbrite.co.uk

One of the most beautiful indie games of recent years gets a sequel that’s even more stunning to look at, as it tries to follow in the footsteps of Inside and Limbo.

Considering the state of the world, it’s odd how many games choose to focus on freshly synthesised horror. Even puzzle games do it. Classics like Limbo and Inside, both of which used a deliberately dark aesthetic, their protagonists mere shadows against a desolate backdrop, have been joined more recently by the Little Nightmares franchise and Reanimal, all building worlds you would never want to visit in real life.

They also feature children as their main characters, whose small size and vulnerability lends additional poignancy to the grotesque dangers they encounter. It wasn’t always like this. In the early days of video games a great many titles framed their gameplay with brightly optimistic ‘Sega blue skies’ and a cheerful primary colour palette. Perhaps today’s lurch into squalid ruination is a reaction against all that, but games like Planet Of Lana remind you that there is another way.

Released three years ago, it was a charming if mildly insipid puzzle game set in pastoral, 2D scrolling landscapes. It also had child protagonists and, like ICO before it, gave them an invented language you couldn’t understand, and then didn’t provide subtitles, letting you weave your own meaning out of its characters’ situations and tone of voice. While very little lives up to Sony’s early masterpiece, Planet Of Lana certainly delivered in terms of atmosphere.

This sequel is in almost every respect the equal of the original. There’s much to like about that, from its beautiful, painterly landscapes with towering cloud formations in the background, to its multiple layers of parallax scrolling that bring its lush green forests to life. Ethereal music and judiciously light sound effects infuse its world with bird song and deep, gloopy sub-aquatic sound effects when you’re underwater.

The set design and animation is similarly delightful, from the motion capture of its young hero, to the way your pet, Mui, moves and interacts with the world. Mui is fundamentally cat-like, in that it purrs when you pet it, has pointed ears, and hates water, but distinctly un-cat-like in that it responds accurately and consistently to your commands. For some reason it can also now release an electromagnetic pulse, juicing nearby doors or machinery with electricity.

To add to the sense of being an organic Swiss Army knife, you later discover Mui can suppress the radiation that comes from chunks of waste product, mined by the game’s new baddies. In the original your village’s bucolic idyll was interrupted by robotic alien invaders. By the end you’d already seen them off, their spidery metal carcasses used for riding, farming or housing.

Unfortunately, fellow humans are now harnessing the extraterrestrial technology to mine polluting poisons from the Earth, and when a little girl falls ill because of it, you set off looking for the ingredients for a cure, which naturally reside in four contrasting biomes. To find them you’ll need to solve the game’s undemanding 2D puzzles, quite a number of which are recycled from the previous game.

The first Planet Of Lana was criticised for its simplicity, with puzzles that never quite felt taxing enough, even though some took a while to work your way through because of fiddly controls. That was partly thanks to a perceptible lag between control inputs and your character’s motion, a bit like the original 1980s Prince Of Persia, whose pre-canned rotoscoped animation meant every action he undertook had to complete before he could do anything else.

Planet Of Lana 2’s hero is similarly afflicted. The game also shares a tendency to repeat puzzle mechanics without layering them or adding complexity. For example, in one of its underwater sections featuring an elegantly designed mini-submarine, you need to nudge open a heavy metal door by barging into it. That exact same interaction is needed four more times in the ensuing minutes, none of which adds a twist, disguises itself, or does anything differently.

There are other parts of the game that play almost like a 2D walking simulator, leaving you to gambol through the gloriously realised landscapes without the need to stop, think, or fool around with the controls. The problem is that when even the puzzles don’t detain you for long, everything can start to feel a little too insubstantial, your enjoyment marred not by distractions, but by the lack of them.

Unlike films, games often improve radically in their sequels. That’s to be expected in a more nascent medium, and one underpinned by the steady march of technology, but it’s also more noticeable when it’s absent. If you loved Planet Of Lana, its follow up offers precisely the same mix of hand-drawn charm and lacklustre puzzle design. But it’s a great shame that it doesn’t offer anything at all new or different.

Formats: PlayStation 5 (reviewed), PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC
Price: £16.99
Publisher: Thunderful
Developer: Wishfully
Release Date: 5th March 2026
Age Rating: 12

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Pete Hegseth said the strike is ‘the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War Two

An Iranian warship has been sunk by a US submarine in the Indian Ocean, Pete Hegseth has confirmed.

The US Secretary of Defence said the strike is ‘the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War Two’. It comes after Sri Lanka’s navy and air force on Wednesday launched a joint rescue operation after the Iris Dena, ran aground off the southern coast of the island nation near the city of Galle.

More than 140 people are thought to be missing, with 32 so far rescued, Sri Lanka said.

The sinking was confirmed by Mr Hegseth during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, UK time. Speaking to reporters at The Pentagon, he said: “An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters.

“Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo.”

The Iris Dena is a Moudge-class frigate serving in the Southern Fleet of the Iranian Navy. It is thought to be one of Iran’s newest warships.

The US military said previously it had already destroyed 17 Iranian vessels, and that its goal was sinking “the entire navy”.

It comes after US and Israeli strikes on Iran continued on Wednesday. Retaliatory missile and drone attacks from Iran are also being launched at countries across the Middle East – with Dubai, Oman and Kuwait among those targeted.

During Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday lunchtime, Sir Keir Starmer said the crisis in the Middle East required a “cool head” as he defended his response to the situation.

He had come under fire from US President Donald Trump over his initial refusal to allow British bases to be used in the attack on Iran, while the Government has been criticised for failing to protect RAF Akrotiri from a drone attack.

At PMQs, Sir Keir insisted he was focused on protecting British lives and helping to get people stranded in the Middle East back home.

And he said a range of military assets including F-35 jets were already in the region.

Sir Keir said: “This Government will be resolute in our focus, protecting British lives, bringing our people home, and safeguarding our national interest.”

He told MPs “the whole country is worried about the potential for escalation” in the Middle East, and “we need to act, therefore, with clarity, with purpose, and with a cool head”.

The UK’s airbases, including Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, were initially denied to the US for their strikes against the Iranian regime.

BEIJING (AP) — China’s ceremonial legislature is set to meet Thursday, where it will unveil the country’s policy direction and economic goals for the coming years.

The meeting is held in Beijing, where the National People’s Congress and its advisory body gather. The National People’s Congress will ratify new laws decided by China’s Communist Party leadership. While the near-3,000-member body technically votes, the vote is always almost unanimous.

Also meeting is the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, an advisory body composed of elite members of Chinese society, from business people to athletes. They also include representatives from China’s minority groups, but the body has little power on issues of public policy.

The gathering is called the Two Sessions. The political meetings have changed under President Xi Jinping, with tighter scripts and less scope for debate.

“A long, long time ago, it was a venue for policy deliberation,” and even controversial things, said Alfred Wu, a professor of public policy at the National University of Singapore. “Now it’s very much become a showcase, propaganda.”

Economy is front and center

The National People’s Congress is when the Chinese premier announces the country’s GDP target and other economic targets for the year.

This year, observers are also waiting for details for the 15th five-year plan, of which the government had revealed a draft in October. It is expected to be focused on building tech prowess and self-sufficiency.

China issues five-year plans to direct its economy, a legacy of its historical approach when it had a planned economy.

The Chinese economy remains sluggish, with high youth unemployment, weak housing prices and sagging domestic consumption. It also faces a trade war with the U.S., which has leveraged tariffs on all Chinese goods.

Lou Qinjian, the spokesperson for this year’s National People’s Congress, said Wednesday that the government would maintain its efforts to improve living standards and boost consumption. Those would include raising incomes and improving the education, child care, elderly care and health care systems so “consumers will feel freer to spend,” he said at press conference.

Experts have said China will have to strike a tough balance between its goals of boosting its tech manufacturing, such as in robotics, renewable energy and AI, and boosting domestic consumption as many ordinary people are feeling the pinch. Tech supply chains are narrow and the trickle-down effect is less pronounced.

China is likely to drop its headline growth target to a record low, predicted Neil Thomas and Lobsang Tsering, policy experts at the Asia Society. It will be significant as a step in a “shift from high-speed to high-quality growth,” they wrote.

A push for ethnic assimilation

The National People’s Congress is also expected to ratify a new law governing China’s ethnic minorities. While a final draft has not been released, experts say the latest public draft focused on assimilation, reducing autonomy for the country’s minority groups.

Lou said the legislation fosters “a stronger sense of community among all ethnic groups in the Chinese nation” and outlines steps to promote interaction, exchange and integration.

“Once enacted, we will work to implement it thoroughly and advance Chinese-style modernization through the great unity of the Chinese nation,” he said.

Lou highlighted the Communist Party’s push for unity several times during the press conference and credited past five-year plans with delivering not only rapid economic growth but also long-term stability, a major concern of party leaders.

Personnel movements are not expected

China’s legislature dismissed 19 members last week, after a highly publicized removal of two of the country’s most senior generals in January.

Now, only one member remains of the powerful Central Military Commission, which controls the military, but policy experts say they do not expect any personnel announcements in the upcoming Two Sessions. Observers like to closely watch attendance for any signs of possible purges, however.

Xi Jinping has removed possibly up to 100 senior officials in the People’s Liberation Army in the past four years, according to the Center for Strategic Studies, with the most prominent being General Zhang Youxia in January.

Yet, there is likely no great rush from the leadership to find a replacement.

“I don’t think they’re particularly worried about this,” said Wu of National University Singapore. For example, he said, Wang Yi became foreign minister again after stepping down from the job initially because of the high-profile removal of Qin Gang, previously his replacement.

___

Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu contributed to this report.

Some lenders have already reconsidered planned rate reductions

Some lenders have pushed pause on planned mortgage rate cuts, according to a financial information website, amid wider economic and global uncertainties as the conflict in the Middle East unfolds. Moneyfacts said swap rates, which are used by lenders to price mortgages, have been rising in recent days.

The website said it was aware that some lenders, which it did not name, had already reconsidered planned rate reductions. Despite some lenders pausing plans to reduce rates further, figures from Moneyfacts indicated some mortgage rates were still heading in a general downward direction on Wednesday.

The average two-year fixed-rate homeowner mortgage rate on the market on Wednesday morning was 4.82%, down from 4.83% on Tuesday. The average five-year fixed-rate homeowner mortgage rate on the market on Wednesday morning was 4.94%, falling slightly from 4.95% on Tuesday.

In the buy-to-let mortgage market, some average rates edged up. The average two-year buy-to-let residential mortgage rate on Wednesday was 4.65%, up from 4.64% on Tuesday.

The average five-year buy-to-let residential mortgage rate on Wednesday was 5.05%, up from 5.04% on Tuesday. Adam French, head of consumer finance at Moneyfacts, said: “Swap rates have been rising sharply as conflict with Iran spreads across the Middle East, driving oil and gas prices higher and reigniting inflation concerns.

“The immediate consequence has been higher gilt yields and a rapid shift in interest rate expectations, with the prospect of a Bank of England base rate cut later this month now looking far less certain. For the mortgage market, the impact is almost instantaneous. Some lenders have already paused or reconsidered planned rate reductions.

“Because fixed mortgage pricing is closely linked to swap rates, this sudden market movement risks halting the recent momentum towards lower mortgage rates just as borrower confidence had begun to build ahead of an anticipated rate cut. It serves as a stark reminder that mortgage costs are not driven solely by domestic policy decisions.

“Global geopolitical events move markets, markets move swap rates, and swap rates ultimately shape the deals available to borrowers – all while the world watches deeply troubling events unfold.”

Martin Temple, an economist at Leeds Building Society, said financial markets “have significantly reassessed” the likelihood of a quarter point cut to the Bank of England’s base rate at its next meeting. He said the upward movement in swap rates “suggests that rates for customers either re-mortgaging or purchasing a new home are likely to increase in the near-term”.

Mr Temple added: “For savers, however, the current environment may present opportunities, with the potential for more attractive rates as we approach the start of Isa season.”

Jinesh Vohra, chief executive of the app Sprive, said: “Markets have been expecting the Bank of England to cut rates further this year, but renewed geopolitical instability risks may make that path less straightforward. If disruption to energy supplies or global supply chains feeds into higher inflation, policymakers may have to be more cautious about how quickly and how far interest rates come down.

“That matters for homeowners, because expectations of falling rates have already been helping mortgage pricing improve. Anything that pushes inflation higher could slow that progress, meaning rates may not fall as much – or as quickly – as borrowers hope.

“For homeowners who feel like they’re financially able, this uncertainty reinforces that making small, optional overpayments when you can is one of the few levers you can control, helping reduce the balance and the impact of future rate moves.”

Ryan Rudd, 28, failed to return home or to his barracks in Catterick Garrison when expected.

He was last seen at the New Inn in Selby in the early hours of Sunday, February 15, after going on a night out with two friends on Valentine’s night.

Since then, he has been out of contact with family, friends and colleagues, who are “very concerned” for his safety.

Ryan is described as white, around 5ft 8in tall, of slim build with dark brown hair.

Ryan Rudd (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE)

Ryan Rudd (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE)

When he was last seen, he was wearing a black t-shirt, a blue hooded top and black trousers.

Ryan Rudd (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE)

Ryan Rudd (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE)

A spokesperson from North Yorkshire Police said: “We are appealing to anyone who may have seen him in Selby on February 14/15, or has seen him since then, to contact us as a matter of urgency.

“Thank you to everyone who has shared our appeal so far. 

“Extensive enquiries are ongoing to find Ryan, if you have any information that could help, please call us on 101.  

“If you have seen Ryan or know where he is now, please call us on 999.”

The Metropolitan Police said the suspects – aged 39, 43 and 68 – were arrested by counter-terrorism officers

Three men including two from Wales have been arrested on suspicion of spying for China. The Metropolitan Police said the suspects – aged 39, 43 and 68 – were arrested by counter-terrorism officers in Wales and London after being accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service.

The force said the 43-year-old man was arrested in Pontyclun and the 68-year-old was arrested in Powys while the 39-year-old suspect was arrested in London.

All three remain in custody and searches have been carried out at the addresses where they were arrested, the force added. They are being detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said on Wednesday.

She said: “Today’s arrests are part of a proactive investigation and while these are serious matters we do not believe there to be any imminent or direct threat to the public relating to this. Our investigation continues and we thank the public for their ongoing support.

“We have seen a significant increase in our casework relating to national security in recent years and we continue to work extremely closely with our partners to help keep the country safe and take action to disrupt malign activity where we suspect it.”

In addition to the addresses where the suspects were arrested, the Met said three other properties in London, east Kilbride in Scotland, and Cardiff have also been searched.

Keir Starmer has told Donald Trump the US bombing of Iran is illegal as he hit back at the president’s criticisms of his actions during the crisis.

The prime minister also claimed America and Israel have no plan for what happens after the war ends.

His comments at prime minister’s questions came a day after Trump said Starmer was “not Winston Churchill” in the latest escalation of the war of words between the pair.

Trump is furious that Starmer initially refused to let the US use British bases to launch their attacks.

Asked by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch why he had done so, the PM said: “What I was not prepared to do on Saturday was for the UK to join a war, unless I was satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable thought through plan. That remains my position.”

Starmer eventually changed his mind and allowed US jets to use British bases to target Iranian missile launchers to protect around 300,000 UK nationals in the Middle East.

British planes are also taking part in “defensive” operations in the region.

The prime minister said: “The family and friends of those who are caught in the region will be worried sick about them. And of course, we’ve got civilians and military personnel, at risk in the region. We need to act therefore, with clarity, with purpose, and with a cool head.

“The protection of UK nationals is our number one priority, and we’re taking action to reduce the threat, with planes in the sky and the region intercepting incoming strikes, deploying more capability to Cyprus and allowing US planes to use UK bases to take out Iran’s capability to strike.”

The Metropolitan Police carried out searches in Scotland as part of an investigation into national security.

Counter-terrorism police searched a home in East Kilbride amid a probe into spying for Chinese intelligence services.

The address was one of a number of properties including London and Cardiff that were searched on Wednesday.

Officers from Metropolitan Police arrested three men on suspicion of spying for China. The suspects – aged 39, 43 and 68 – were all cuffed south of the border in London and Wales.

They were detained on suspicion of offences under section three of the National Security Act 2023.

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: “We have seen a significant increase in our casework relating to national security in recent years and we continue to work extremely closely with our partners to help keep the country safe and take action to disrupt malign activity where we suspect it.

“Today’s arrests are part of a proactive investigation and while these are serious matters, we do not believe there to be any imminent or direct threat to the public relating to this. Our investigation continues and we thank the public for their ongoing support.”