North Korea’s leader has warned his country could “initiate arbitrary action” and “completely destroy” South Korea if its security was threatened.
Kim Jong-un added that South Korea’s “complete collapse cannot be ruled out”.
The remarks appear to be Mr Kim’s most direct warnings against Seoul and were reported by state media KCNA on Thursday.
Image: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un acknowledges applause during the Ninth Congress. Pic: Reuters
Image: Kim Jong Un and his daughter watch a flypast during a military parade to commemorate the Ninth Congress. Pic: Reuters
Mr Kim revealed plans to expand the country’s nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missiles arsenal, ruling out discussions with South Korea and labelling them as the “most hostile enemy”.
He added that the country would focus on expanding its nuclear arsenal, and prospects for bettering relations with the US rested entirely on Washington’s attitude.
Advertisement
The comments highlight the increasingly different approaches pursued by Seoul and Pyongyang towards each other.
Image: Kim Jong Un attends a parade with his daughter in Pyongyang.
Pic: KCNA/AP
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung responded to Mr Kim’s comments on Thursday by saying the value his country needs to espouse is peace.
“A long-established sense of hostility and confrontation cannot be eliminated in an instant. We must build trust through continuous efforts,” Mr Lee said.
However, speaking at the country’s week-long Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party, Mr Kim vowed to develop stronger intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The country also wants to develop attack systems that use artificial intelligence, unmanned drones, and weapons that can hit enemy satellites, KCNA said.
The Congress is reported to have wrapped up with a military parade in the capital on Wednesday.
The presence of Mr Kim’s daughter, known as Ju Ae, will fuel further speculation over whether she is being groomed as his successor.
Advertisement
Image: Kim Ju Ae, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, attended the parade. Pic: Reuters
North Korea has assembled around 50 warheads and possesses enough fissile material to produce up to 40 more, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimated last year.
Image: Kim Jong Un gives a thumbs-up to troops during a military parade to commemorate the Ninth Congress.
Pic: KCNA/Reuters
The thinktank also believes that Pyongyang is accelerating the production of further fissile material.
The North’s leader has so far not accepted overtures by US President Donald Trump, whom he met with three times during the 79-year-old’s first term, but he has left the door open for discussions with the US.
“If the US withdraws its policy of confrontation with North Korea by respecting our country’s current status… There is no reason why we cannot get along well with the US,” he said, according to KCNA.
Image: Kim Jong Un greets attendees as his daughter Kim Ju Ae looks on.
Pic: KCNA/Reuters
Mr Trump plans to travel to China from 31 March to 2 April.
South Korea’s spy agency has speculated that the two leaders could meet around that time.
The motorway was closed in both directions at Junction 8 late on February 25 due to a concern for welfare.
Lancashire Police confirmed the incident, which caused significant disruption for motorists on Wednesday night, was ‘safely resolved’.
A spokesperson for the force said: “This was a concern for welfare which was safely resolved, and the motorway was reopened after both carriageways had been closed.”
Advertisement
The motorway had been shut in both directions while officers dealt with the situation, with police earlier warning the closure would remain in place “for some time”.
National Highways said the incident affected both the northbound and southbound carriageways at Junction 8 and classified it as an “authority operation”.
Drivers experienced heavy traffic in the area throughout the evening as diversions were put in place.
Eyewitnesses reported vehicles blocking the hard shoulder while the closure remained in force.
DP World Tour star Andrea Pavan was forced to withdraw from the South African Open after reportedly suffering serious injuries in an elevator shaft accident
16:10, 26 Feb 2026Updated 16:11, 26 Feb 2026
Two-time DP World Tour champion Andrea Pavan was forced to pull out of the South African Open after reportedly sustaining serious, but non-life-threatening, injuries in a bizarre accident. According to various sources, the Italian plummeted down an elevator shaft when the doors opened without the lift being present.
Reports suggest that the 36-year-old fell several floors and underwent hours of surgery following the incident, just days before the South African Open at Stellenbosch Golf Club, ruling him out of the tournament. Richie Ramsay stepped in to replace Pavan in the competition for the $1.5million prize pot, with the DP pro facing an extended period out as he recovers from his injuries.
A spokesperson for the DP World Tour confirmed that Pavan “withdrew due to injury” from the tournament but couldn’t provide further details due to medical confidentiality. Social media account Monday Q Info – managed by reporter Ryan French – posted to X: “Some horrible news from the DP event in South Africa. Andrea Pavan, 2-time DP winner, was badly injured in a freak accident at this week’s event.
“According to multiple people Pavan fell down an elevator shaft after the doors opened on the floor he was on but the car itself wasn’t there. He fell multiple floors and was badly injured.
“Although from the people I spoke with, the injuries don’t seem to be life-threatening, he was in surgery for hours. Keep Andrea and his family in your thoughts.”
Advertisement
Jaeck Pearson, a Czech commentator for Eurosport, confirmed that Pavan is in a stable condition. Various reports suggest the accident happened at Pavan’s private accommodation for the week rather than in the official tour lodgings.
Pavan was due to tee off in South Africa for his first DP event since finishing tied ninth at the Bahrain Championship. The 36-year-old missed the cut at the Qatar Masters, which was claimed by American Patrick Reid, who finished two shots ahead of Scotland’s Calum Hill.
The Italian has been a professional for 16 years after turning pro in 2010, and has secured two victories during that time, claiming his maiden Tour success at the D+D Czech Masters in 2018. He followed that up 12 months later by winning the BMW International Open.
Advertisement
Pavan had his sights set on the South African Open after missing the cut by shot in Qatar. He posted to his Instagram: “Never fun to miss the cut by 1 but it is always a pleasure to play Doha GC. The Desert swings is over early but still a positive start to the year!
“A bit of time at home before I head back out to Kenya and SA!”
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activateor add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings
England will consider bringing in leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed for the T20 World Cup Super 8s match against New Zealand in Colombo.
England, who are already through to the semi-finals, will wait for another look at the pitch on Friday before naming their XI.
The match will be played on the same surface as New Zealand beat Sri Lanka on Wednesday, when 10 of the 15 wickets fell to spin, and England are keen to cover all options.
Bowling coach Tim Southee said he expects a “pretty scrappy” wicket.
Advertisement
“We’ve seen spin play such a big part here,” Southee said.
“It’s such a big ground. That doesn’t mean seamers can’t still have an impact – like [New Zealand seamer] Matt Henry last night.”
Ahmed, 21, has been a regular around England squads but has not played a T20 since the tour of Ireland last September, nor has he featured at a World Cup.
He played in the three one-day internationals against Sri Lanka last month, also held on this ground, and twice filled in as an opener.
Advertisement
The leg-spinner would likely replace a pace bowler if he is selected – possibly Jamie Overton.
New Zealand picked only two pace bowlers in their win over Sri Lanka, in which 30 of the 40 overs were bowled by spinners.
England would still have Jofra Archer and Sam Curran as pace bowlers, plus Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson and Will Jacks.
Jacob Bethell is yet to bowl in the tournament because of a cut on his finger. His availability to bowl would also impact England’s thinking.
The professional dancer has said she and her husband ‘still don’t know’ what the future may look like for them
Amy Dowden has said she and her husband ‘still don’t know’ what the future may look like for them and starting a family after her cancer journey.
Advertisement
The Strictly Come Dancing star was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 and subsequently underwent chemotherapy and a mastectomy, and during her treatment, she faced a number of challenges, including a life-threatening battle with sepsis.
Amy was then told in February 2024 that there was “no evidence of disease” but in November, the professional dancer informed fans that she would be going into hospital for a second mastectomy, but made clear it wasn’t to treat a new disease, but the best course of action for her.
In a new social media post, Amy was reflecting on her diagnosis and that of those she’s met along the way. Mentioning one in particularly, Kelly, having paid her a visit, the professional dancer shared on her Instagram Story: “Do we mourn our old bodies?
Advertisement
“Absolutely. I would do anything in the world to have my old body back. But the reality is I’ve had a double masectomy. It saved my life. I’m grateful to be here. I certainly don’t see it as a free boob job.”
She soon turned her attention to motherhood, as she commented: “If I’m ever lucky enough… it’s something we still don’t know… to become a mum, as you all know I really want to become a mum. I don’t know if that’s possible with having a hormone third cancer still.
“Has chemo destroyed everything? We still don’t know. We’re keeping our options open. “But I will never have the option to breastfeed. And sometimes people online are ready to attack you.” She added: “I will never judge anybody on how they are dealing with their diagnosis. Never.”
The post on Wednesday (February 25) came as Amy announced that she’d had a room at a breast cancer centre in Kent named after her. The Amy Dowden Room has been opening at The Primrose Centre and the team expressed their delight at Amy allowing them to make the emotional move.
They shared in a social media post: “We are so incredibly grateful to Amy for her time & generosity today. Thank you for allowing us to name The Amy Dowden Room after you – your positivity is a beacon of hope to so many. We were thrilled to be able to show you around our very special support centre. Our volunteers, staff and visitors were so pleased to see you and chat! Thank you and we can’t wait to see you again! Your visit has had a big impact on our small charity!”
Sharing a look into her day officially opening the room named in her honour, Amy shared alongside a video on Instagram: “There are no words to describe how honoured and proud I am. Creating a safe , supportive, loving and understanding space for those who are affected by breast cancer!
“Thank you PRIMROSE CENTRE, you’re incredible! Forever honoured and grateful and will do all I can to help! I’m on a mission now to get more centres like this around the UK! This centre is open to all breast cancer patients #breastcancer #breastcancersupport #primrosecentre #honoured #safespace.”
Motorola has long made some of the most dependable budget smartphones on the market, but recent years have seen it showing signs of greater ambition. The Motorola Signature isn’t so much a new flagship phone as it is a rebranding of the Motorola Edge Ultra line, with a slimmed-down body.
It offers broadly high-end specifications in a distinctively styled, slim body, but with a slightly lower price tag than many rivals. Its starting price of £899.99 undercuts the iPhone Air by £100 – more if you factor in the 512GB of storage that comes as standard.
If Apple’s skinny phone appeals to you for its combination of a svelte form factor and flagship performance, but it feels a little pricey, the Motorola Signature is a worthwhile alternative.
I used the Motorola Signature every day for a week, making calls, sending messages, watching videos, taking pictures and playing games. I check things like performance and battery life. I also ran some popular benchmark tests, which placed definitive numbers on the phone’s CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit) output to compare with rivals.
Advertisement
I captured more than 100 photographs across its four cameras, from night time street photography to day time urban shots and close-up portraits.
I have used most of the Motorola Signature’s key rivals, so I was able to make like-for-like comparisons. I previously tested the phone’s predecessor, the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra, so was able to judge how much Motorola had managed to refine its flagship formula in the two years (give or take) since the latter phone was released.
Two people have been arrested outside an animal rights protest camp in Cambridgeshire. A man and a woman were arrested on Tuesday, February 24, at Camp Beagle for allegedly stopping vehicles entering a site.
Advertisement
The woman, 22, and man, 29, both of no address, were arrested just after 2pm on Tuesday on suspicion of interference with the use of public infrastructure. Both have been released on bail until May 24 pending further enquiries.
A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “A 22-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man, both of no known address, were arrested at just after 2pm on 24 February on suspicion of interference with the use of public infrastructure (stopping vehicles entering the site). Both have been released on bail until 24 May pending further enquiries.”
Demon Tides – Fabraz does what Nintendon’t (Fabraz)
The makers of Demon Turf return with a full sequel that has some of the best 3D platforming action outside of a Super Mario game.
It’s 2026 and it doesn’t look like 3D platformers are ever going to be a big deal again. Genres go in and out of fashion all the time but except for a brief spell in the late 90s and early 2000s 3D platformers have had very little time in the sun. Even Nintendo won’t announce a new 3D Mario at the moment, and there’s still no new Astro Bot, and so it is that, as usual, indie developers have to pick up the slack.
Fabraz has already emerged as a champion of the genre, with 2021’s Demon Turf and its pint-sized follow-up Neon Splash. They’re currently working on a revival of Bubsy, which seems something of a poisoned chalice, but in the meantime they have this, a larger scale sequel to Demon Turf.
In Demon Turf, protagonist Beebz – a demon girl who wanted to unite all the turfs in Demon World to dethrone the Demon King – was just a 2D sprite but this time round everyone is a proper 3D character, in a game with considerably larger scope and ambitions.
Advertisement
The setting for Demon Tides is an implausibly diverse archipelago called Ragnar’s Rock, with Beebz on a visit to see her estranged father, before she and her friends get mixed up in a what is essentially a civil war between the ruling class, led by her dad, and the downtrodden proletariat. Beebz decides to side against her father, which leads to… a lot of platforming across an impressively large area.
Ragnar’s Rock is made up of dozens of different locations, divided up into three different sections of ocean, which you’re able to visit in any order you like. The game’s whole ethos is based on player choice and customisation, as while Beebz has a wide range of typical platforming moves she also has a number of demonic transformations, from a drill to the more obviously useful bat and sea snake.
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
You can only transform once, before hitting the ground again (unless you have special crystals to negate that) which means you’re constantly trying to plan out your movements ahead of time, sizing up the obstacles ahead of you in terms of which transformation will be most useful and when.
Almost all paths through a level have multiple ways you can tackle them, when it comes to both the route you take and the moves you use, which lends the game a great air of experimentation. It also creates a sort of organic difficulty system, since most platform layouts allow you to take them piecemeal or all in one combo style leap.
Advertisement
Your skillset is expanded further by collecting special talismans, which allow you to modify existing abilities, like adding a double jump for the snake form or tweaking how the drill works. There’re also special areas where you’re given specific abilities and power boosts just for that section.
Other talismans imbue Beebz with entirely new abilities, such as a Zelda style hand-glider or a pair of roller-skates. The range of options, and the fact that few of them are mandatory at any point, is hugely freeing and it’s very impressive that the game’s level design can accommodate everything.
There’s also quite a bit of influence from Zelda (Fabraz)
This is all building on elements from the earlier games but while Demon Turf could be pretty tough for those unfamiliar with the genre, Demon Tides is a notably more forgiving experience – not least because you’re able to set-up your own checkpoints wherever you want. There are still plenty of difficult sections, especially off the beaten path, but the majority of the game is navigable by anyone.
That said, if you prefer a structured experience, and find more open-ended games too unfocused, Demon Tides’ charms may be less appealing. There are still some linear levels, and the game will always tell you where the nearest collectible is, but while it’s clearly taking a lot of notes from Super Mario Odyssey, it’s so loosely tied together it can feel rather random and empty, even if you do appreciate the freedom.
Some unremarkable boss battles and a lack of set pieces mean there’s less palette cleansing available, beyond just platforming. Combat is simplified from the original, to the point where most normal enemies succumb after just one hit, which makes that side of things feel very perfunctory. It’s so incidental that melee attacks end up using the same button as the dash move, but that only means you end up triggering the wrong one by mistake.
Advertisement
Demon Tides has some issues, but the core platforming is excellent and the freedom it allows is invigorating. What’s especially encouraging is that Fabraz is getting better with every game. Although that creates the seemingly impossible scenario where the next Bubsy game could end up being the best non-Nintendo 3D platformer of the generation. That would be quite the evolution but if Fabraz can pull it off then more power to them.
Demon Tides review summary
In Short: An excellent 3D platformer that rather than just trying to copy Nintendo has plenty of ideas of its own, with some thrilling freeform action.
Pros: Great platforming mechanics, with plenty of different abilities and lots of ways to customise and evolve them. Clever level design with multiple levels of difficulty. Humour is very self-referential but can still be funny.
Cons: The lack of direction and structure can be confusing and even paralysing at times. There’s not much of interest to do outside platforming, especially with the simplified melee combat.
Advertisement
Score: 8/10
Formats: PC (reviewed) and Nintendo Switch Price: £20.99 Publisher: Fabraz Developer: Fabraz Release Date: 19th February 2026 (Switch TBA) Age Rating: N/A
A poorly-timed tweet has caught the attention of PlayStation fans.
Bungie, the developer of the original Halo games and Destiny 2, is set to release its latest shooter project ‘Marathon’ into the world next week – but it looks like it might be in for a rough ride with PlayStation fans turning against it ahead of this weekend’s server slam.
Advertisement
Last Thursday, Sony made the decision to close down Bluepoint Games, the studio known for bringing remakes of classic titles such as Demon’s Souls and Shadow of the Colossus to PlayStation consoles.
Around the same time as the announcement, a poorly timed tweet from the official PlayStation X account promoted Marathon’s upcoming release date and server slam – and fans didn’t hold back on letting the publisher know how they feel.
Replying to the tweet, one response reads: “Could you disband the Marathon team and rehire Bluepoint to make a Bloodborne remake? Thanks.”
Another adds: “Close this studio down instead. Sacrificing bluepoint for live service trash is a bad look.”
Meanwhile, a third writes: “Refunded! I’m not going to support any GaaS from PlayStation after closing down BluePoint Games.”
The boycott response appears to be in response to Sony seemingly prioritizing live service games over single player experiences. It was widely hoped that Bluepoint would eventually work on a remake of Bloodborne for the PlayStation 5 following its excellent work on Demon’s Souls in 2020.
However, it appears that Bluepoint was actually working on a live service God of War game shortly before its closure, although this ended up getting scrapped.
Meanwhile, Marathon is set to be an extraction shooter with a slightly reduced price tag, but with the expectation that players will purchase seasonal battle passes for ongoing content updates.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Marathon’s server slam weekend will be available to play for free across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC this weekend, starting from February 26 and running until March 2.
Advertisement
Bizarrely, Sony will also be hosting a free playtest weekend for Horizon Hunters Gathering at the same time. That’s another new live service game based in the world of Guerilla Games’ Horizon series.
Despite a bountiful number of live service games coming to PlayStation this month, single player experiences do still remain a big pillar of the console’s upcoming catalogue.
Insomniac’s Wolverine game just got a release date of September 15, 2026, while Saros is set to land at the end of April.
We’ll have to see how Marathon’s server slam goes this weekend, but it does appear to have an uphill battle against it. With most extraction shooter fans quite happy playing ARC Raiders and gamers particularly skeptical of new live service titles – see Concord and Highguard – it will need to do a lot to break through to the masses.
Advertisement
Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source.Click here to activateor add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
The title card read: “In loving memory of Tony Cooper” and viewers have been eager to discover more about his involvement in the show. Tony served as a cast driver on Bridgerton, as well as its prequel Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
Advertisement
He has some remarkable credits to his name, having transported the stars around on set for films like Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, Atlas and Downton Abbey: A New Era. He also contributed to the sets of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Damsel and The Batman.
Tony collaborated closely with Netflix for many years, with one of his earlier credits being the historical drama, The Crown. Some of his earliest contributions were on the final three Harry Potter films. He fulfilled a vital role in some enormous franchises over the years, from Marvel to Disney.
Tony was not the sole crew member to have been acknowledged in season four of Bridgerton, as the final episode also paid tribute to Nicholas Braimbridge. Nicholas served as a set decorator for the series, as well as its prequel.
Advertisement
A fundraising page was established in his honour, explaining that he was an “expert faux finisher well known for his exquisite marbling and wood grain finishes, the knowledge of which was built up over years working with very top end interior designers and latterly within the film and TV industries”.
He predominantly worked in the fine decorative painting of large residential properties in London and overseas, before transferring his talents to the film and television industry, working across the art department, set decoration and set design. Title cards serve as a poignant means of acknowledging those who have played a vital role in the production of a film or series, yet have not necessarily appeared on screen.
Bridgerton has paid tribute to many of its cherished crew members throughout the years. Bridgerton’s second series was dedicated to Carole Prentice and Marc Pilcher, with Marc having served as a hair and makeup designer on the show. Carole worked as Covid production manager, ensuring regulations were followed so that filming could proceed safely.
Advertisement
Title card tributes are typically on-screen text graphics that honour actors, crew members, or producers at the beginning or end of a film or television episode. They act as an enduring and respectful acknowledgement of an individual’s contribution to the project. The title cards are especially fitting given the themes explored in the latter half of the season.
Title cards can also be employed to honour individuals not directly connected with production, as was illustrated in Bridgerton’s prequel, Queen Charlotte. The opening episode of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story was dedicated to the memory of Jacqueline Avant, who was shot and killed in December 2021.
She was the mother-in-law of Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who had a keen interest in Queen Charlotte. Her fascination is what inspired Sarandos to initially approach creator and showrunner Shonda Rhimes about the Bridgerton prequel.
Bridgerton has been renewed for season five as each of the Bridgerton siblings are set to have their love stories told on-screen. There may well be more title cards to come in upcoming seasons.
