Government statistics1 show that driver fatigue is recorded as a contributory factor in around four per cent of reported collisions.

In this instalment of Drive Time, John discovers GEM Motoring Assist is urging people not to drive while tired and reveals Subaru has tasty offer for motorists when trading in their vehicle – and it doesn’t need to be a Subaru.

Road safety and breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist is urging drivers to prioritise rest before setting off, as evidence continues to highlight the serious dangers of driving while tired.

Government statistics1 show that driver fatigue is recorded as a contributory factor in around four per cent of reported collisions.

However, safety experts believe the true figure is much higher, with fatigue potentially playing a role in up to one-in-five crashes and around a quarter of fatal and serious incidents.

Fatigue-related collisions are also more likely to result in death or serious injury, as drivers who fall asleep at the wheel are unable to brake or take evasive action.

Hot weather can significantly increase the risk of fatigue, especially on long motorway or dual carriageway journeys.

Higher temperatures, bright sunshine and stuffy cabins all contribute to drowsiness, dehydration and reduced concentration, particularly for drivers who are already tired or have not rested properly.

GEM is reminding motorists that on hot days it is vital to stay hydrated, keep the vehicle well ventilated and build in extra breaks to avoid the added strain that heat can place on the body.

Fatigue-related collisions are also more likely to result in death or serious injury, as drivers who fall asleep at the wheel are unable to brake or take evasive action.

Common early warning signs of fatigue include frequent yawning, difficulty concentrating, drifting within a lane and missing road signs.

As tiredness worsens, drivers may experience ‘microsleeps’ – brief, uncontrollable episodes of sleep lasting a few seconds.

At 70mph, a vehicle is travel more than 100m in just three seconds, meaning even a momentary lapse in attention can have serious consequences.

James Luckhurst, GEM’s head of road safety, said: “A fatigue-related crash is one of the most dangerous scenarios on our roads because the driver may have no opportunity to react at all.

“These collisions are often high-speed and high-impact, with devastating consequences.

“Fatigue isn’t something that suddenly takes over – it builds gradually, and your body gives clear warning signs. Ignoring those signs can cost lives.

“The key message is simple: if you are tired, you should not be driving.

“No journey is so important that it’s worth risking lives. Planning ahead, recognising the signs of fatigue and taking timely breaks can make all the difference.”

Plan journeys and stay alert GEM offers five simple tips to reduce the risk of a fatigue-related collision:

• Get a good night’s sleep before setting out on a long journey.
• Avoid driving at times when you would normally be asleep.
• Steer clear of heavy meals before or during a journey, especially at lunchtime.
• Stay hydrated. Take a break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours or 100 miles of driving; get out, stretch and refresh yourself.
• If you feel tired, stop as soon as it is safe. A short nap and caffeine can help temporarily, but proper rest is essential.

Meanwhile, Subaru UK has launched a new ‘Trade In, Trade Up’ offer, giving drivers a contribution of £1000 towards a new Subaru when they trade in their current vehicle.

The offer is applicable to customers trading in any type of vehicle – not just those with a Subaru.

The offer is applicable to models across the entire Subaru UK model range, including Crosstrek, Forester and Outback.

The £1000 contribution will be added on top of the customer’s trade-in value.

Jonny Miller, sales director for Subaru UK, said: “We’re pleased to launch our ‘Trade In, Trade Up’ offer, which gives drivers a straightforward route into a new Subaru.

“Whether a customer is already part of the Subaru family or looking to make the switch from another brand, they can trade in their existing vehicle and receive an additional £1000 contribution towards a new Subaru.

“With the entire Subaru range included in the offer, customers can find a new model that perfectly suits their needs.

“We’d encourage anyone considering a change to speak to their local dealer before the end of June.”

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Translink are saying the Castle Street closure is slowing up traffic elsewhere in the city

A Stormont department is proposing the potential reopening of lower Castle Street in Belfast city centre to public transport.

Lower Castle Street has been essentially pedestrianised since the Primark building fire in 2018. To some this has been welcome, and has addressed the problem of car dominance in the city centre, while to others it has blocked some business and has presented new antisocial behaviour issues, including those involving scramblers. Translink have argued that it has caused congestion and delays for public buses in other parts of the city.

Officials at Belfast City Council have revealed the Department for Infrastructure have submitted a request to present to the August 2026 meeting of the council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee to provide elected members with an update on their potential plan to reopen lower Castle Street to public transport.

READ MORE: Human remains could be found at £8.6million luxury flat project in former Magdalene Laundry

READ MORE: Belfast could have “silent” fireworks at future big events

Councillors at the June meeting of the committee agreed to receive the presentation from DfI later in the summer, and also agreed to request that the Department provides an update on the Eastern Transport Plan – a strategy by DfI guiding transport policy and investments across the Belfast Metropolitan region up to 2035.

Some elected members in Belfast Council have said that the plan to reopen Castle Street in the city centre contradicts the Eastern Transport Plan – which aims to reduce unnecessary private car journeys, boost public transport, and improve walking and cycling infrastructure. DfI is planning to bring forward a consultation on the ETP in the near future.

In the aftermath of the Bank Buildings/Primark fire in 2018, Castle Street was closed between Fountain Street and Castle Place through a road closure order to facilitate a cordon surrounding the building for reconstruction. The reconstructed Primark store at the historic buildings officially reopened to the public on November 1, 2022.

The officer’s report for the council committee states: “Following the construction works, the section of Castle Street remained closed, effectively pedestrianising the lower part of Castle Street, with the potential to create a people-focused space, safe pedestrian movement and wider placemaking.

“However, pending the development and recommendations of the Eastern Transport Plan, it has not been feasible to develop a proposition for the area, and in the interim scenario there have been occasions of antisocial behaviour issues, for example, lack of definition, and use of the space and access/escape of e-motorbikes.”

It adds: “Road closure notices on Union Street and Brunswick Street were also brought forward at that time. They enabled the delivery of additional public realm and spill-out space for hospitality that were successfully delivered through the Primark Revitalisation Fund, reanimating and activating these streets into popular destinations in their own right.”

In the current draft of the Eastern Transport Plan, lower Castle St remains closed to all traffic and Royal Avenue is designated as a two-way Glider only route, although this is subject to consultation and finalisation.

Earlier this year councillors approved the final “A Bolder Vision” strategy, which supports only two-way glider movement on Royal Avenue, thereby blocking full public transport movement. Reopening lower Castle St to public transport will almost certainly compromise this position.

The council report states: “In advance of the finalisation of the ETP, the Department has been considering re-opening Castle Street to address issues highlighted by Translink.

“Specifically, these include congestion at bus stops on Chichester Street, additional journey time, and poor bus-stop provision on North Street that they advise have affected the North Belfast Services in the period from 2018 to present.

“DfI held a meeting with traders and elected representatives in September 2025 to gauge support for reopening lower Castle St to public transport. At this meeting some traders were in favour of the proposal to reopen Castle Street supporting the additional benefits of having additional halts in the area, while some were against the proposal citing additional traffic, a negligible impact on trade and loss of a potential better use of the space.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

A federal judge has blocked an attempt by the Trump administration to subpoena Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and other state officials, accusing the Justice Department of using its investigatory powers to retaliate against state officials for not cooperating with federal efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.

In a ruling unsealed Monday, U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz found the “dominant purpose” of the subpoenas was to “coerce Minnesota officials into assisting the federal government with enforcing civil immigration law and to harass and retaliate against them for failing to do so.”

Tensions between the Trump administration and Minnesota’s Democratic leaders escalated in January as federal immigration officers clashed with protesters in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, especially after officers’ fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

President Donald Trump even threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to quell protests and accused Walz, who was Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024, and others of encouraging protesters to disrupt Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.

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The subpoenas seeking records were served in January as part of an investigation into whether Walz and other officials obstructed or impeded law enforcement actions. They were sent to the offices of Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties.

The ruling is the latest rebuke by the federal judiciary of Justice Department efforts to aggressively implement the Trump administration agenda in courts and target the president’s political adversaries through subpoenas and similar demands.

The judge ruled that there appeared to be “extremely weak to nonexistent” connections between the information sought in the subpoenas and any possible criminal violation. The subpoenas seek materials “that largely if not entirely relate to constitutionally protected conduct,” the judge wrote, noting that Minnesota has the legal right not to devote its resources to enforcing federal immigration law.

The Justice Department “is not conducting a criminal investigation,” the judge wrote, “but is instead using the grand jury process for other (unlawful) purposes.”

Over the last year, judges have dismissed indictments against two prominent Trump foes, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, and grand juries have repeatedly refused to return indictments sought by the Justice Department.

The moves reflect mounting public concerns that the Justice Department, an institution meant to make investigative and prosecution decisions independent of the White House, is being politicized under the current Trump administration.

Vice President JD Vance has separately called on the Justice Department to investigate Walz and Ellison over allegations they failed to stop widespread social services fraud, though the department has not said whether it will open an investigation. Walz and Ellison have described those allegations as politically motivated and defended their efforts to combat fraud in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, other legal battles related to the immigration surge continue. The federal government has suggested Minnesota prosecutors don’t have jurisdiction to investigate federal officers.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty in March sued the administration for access to evidence in the Good and Pretti killings, accusing the administration of withholding evidence from state investigators. Moriarty also has pursued criminal charges against ICE officers in two other incidents, including the nonfatal shooting of a Venezuelan man, and suggests her office is investigating several other cases as well.

___

Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.

___

This story has been corrected to show the federal judge’s name is Patrick Schiltz, not Schlitz.

Donald Trump has been scathing in his criticism of outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, saying the British public “did not like” his refusal to be drawn into the war against Iran

Donald Trump has declared that the British public “did not like” Sir Keir Starmer’s refusal to be drawn into the war against Iran, once again dismissing the outgoing Prime Minister as “not Winston Churchill”.

The president also reiterated his claim that Sir Keir had “hurt himself very, very badly” over his position on immigration and energy, while describing him as “a very nice man” and “sort of a friend of mine”.

Mr Trump made his remarks at the White House following Sir Keir’s resignation as Labour leader, after the former premier conceded he had lost the backing of his MPs, with ex-Greater Manchester mayor and newly elected MP Andy Burnham poised to step into the spotlight.

The president has been openly scathing of the Prime Minister ever since he refused to grant the US access to British military bases for its bombing campaign against Iran, though limited authorisation was later given for defensive strikes.

Tensions were further inflamed by the subsequent standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, with Washington lambasting the response of the UK and its allies to the Gulf crisis, insisting that other nations depended on the vital waterway far more than America did. The White House has shown little enthusiasm for UK and France-led proposals for a defensive mission to guarantee safe passage for vessels through the channel once the fighting ceased.

The conflict has only deepened existing friction over Nato, with Mr Trump insisting that America has been bearing the burden of defending other nations. Just last week, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth announced a review of American military forces in Europe at a meeting of the alliance, hitting out at members who “have yet to show a credible path” towards fulfilling their spending commitments.

He told his counterparts that “some of Nato’s largest economies” still appear “to think the era of free-riding is here”.

A row over UK military spending prompted John Healey to recently resign as defence secretary, heaping further pressure on the already beleaguered Prime Minister.

Speaking in the Oval Office, Mr Trump, who is due to meet Nato chief Mark Rutte this week, said: “So we have been a great member of Nato. In many ways certainly the predominant member. We paid trillions of dollars over the years, not billions, trillions over the years to protect Europe.”

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Turning to the Iran conflict, the president added: “We didn’t need any help at all. I was more curious than anything else, so I said to Pete (Hegseth) ‘Let’s see if they’d actually come’. So we asked him to come, and they weren’t there for us.

“By the way Starmer wasn’t there, and you know what, the people of the UK did not like it that he wasn’t there. Starmer said no. Starmer said worse than no. He said ‘We’ll be there as soon as you win’. I said ‘We don’t need you as soon as we win’.”

Mr Trump continued: “This was not Winston Churchill we’re dealing with. As soon as we win, they’re going to come and help us.” He also branded Germany and Italy as “very bad” over the Iran war, and has clashed publicly with the leaders of both nations. Mr Trump said: “The numbers that we spend are so crazy for Nato and they weren’t there for us.”

Suggesting the US was spending “hundreds of millions of dollars to protect them (members) from Russia mostly”, he dropped a hint that America might not come to the aid of its allies in the future.

The president said: “We spend all of this money, and then when we want to maybe have help on small stuff – this is small time, this is not the big one, this is small potatoes – they say ‘No, we’d rather not help’. Stupid thing to say, because we can say that to them if we want, and we might.”

Mr Trump also took another dig at Sir Keir over his immigration and energy policies. He has repeatedly pushed for the UK to exploit the North Sea for oil rather than depending on “windmills”.

While acknowledging his criticism of Mr Starmer, Mr Trump said: “I think he’s a lovely man, but I said ‘You’re really messing up energy. You have windmills all over the place’. In the meantime, you have the North Sea oil, and they won’t let anybody drill.

“It’s one of the great fields in the world. You know that the UK buys much of its energy, you know where? Norway. You know where they get their oil? The North Sea. The UK has a much better portion of the North Sea, they don’t want to do it for environmental purposes.”

The president continued: “He’s a very nice man, I mean, sort of a friend of mine, I mean he was not good to us with Nato, Pete (Hegseth), right?”.

Turning to Sir Keir’s initial reluctance to allow the US access to British military bases, Mr Trump remarked: “That was a bad move that hurt him badly. I wish him well, but he’s got two problems – energy and immigration – and crime. But energy and immigration. He’s really hurt himself very, very badly.”

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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Scoring goals and breaking records is what Lionel Messi does, and he is already doing that again in his sixth World Cup.

The Argentina captain now has the World Cup scoring record all to himself after another standout performance, one that began with frustration after missing a penalty kick and ended in pure elation with another victory.

Messi, who many consider the greatest player of all time, scored both goals in his team’s 2-0 victory over Austria on Monday. That gave him 18, six days after his first-ever hat trick in the tournament had matched Germany striker Miroslav Klose’s previous record of 16 World Cup goals.

“Beyond anything I’m so happy for the win,” Messi said. “It was huge, tough and difficult. It would allow us to be relaxed to what’s ahead. All matches in this World Cup are very even, very intense. I’m enjoying this moment and craving to enjoy with my teammates.”

The first goal against Austria came in the 38th minute and two days before his 39th birthday, and amid the concern of an ailing father back at home. It was the sixth consecutive World Cup game in which Messi has scored — joining France striker Just Fontaine and Brazil great Jairzinho as only players to do so.

That was about a half-hour after he missed a penalty kick with a chance to match the record.

“There were moments when I was really angry about missing the penalty, but I was able to make up for it,” said Messi, who has won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards as the best player in Europe.

Argentina advanced to the knockout round by winning its first two group games. Messi also scored all of his team’s goals in a 3-0 win over Algeria in Kansas City.

Messi added his 18th World Cup goal in the waning seconds of stoppage time when he shot one through several defenders after the first attempt was turned away by goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Messi said in translated remarks. “The way things are going in the World Cup, the way it’s being played, it’s a very even game. No one is giving away anything.”

The goal record became Messi’s alone in the first half when he caught Schlager leaning the wrong way after Thiago Almada let Facuno Medina’s pass go by him and directly onto Messi’s left foot from about 20 yards.

“I have no more words to talk about Leo,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said through an interpreter.

As the ball went into the net on the record 17th goal, Messi ran toward a corner and thrust his right arm into the air to celebrate the mark with the decidedly pro-Argentina crowd among the 70,649 fans in the sold-out home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.

“Someone who is 39 years old and can score two goals, and five goals overall at the beginning of the World Cup, well, that makes a difference,” Austria coach Ralf Rangnick said through an interpreter. “We knew that he is on a level of his own, and Lionel Messi showed us today that he’s one of the best, and he is the best.”

There had been a gasp from those same fans when Messi missed the penalty kick in the ninth minute.

His left-footed attempt went just wide of the right post. He is now 4 of 7 on penalty kicks in regulation play at the World Cup with misses in three consecutive tournaments.

Klose played in 24 World Cup matches for Germany, which wrapped up his fourth tournament by winning the 2014 final 1-0 in extra time over Messi and Argentina.

In an interview published on June 12, Klose said he expected Messi to break the scoring record.

“With the larger field of competing teams there are more games and so more chances to score goals. And I assume Argentina and France will go far,” Klose told German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung. “That’s perfectly OK, the record will be broken eventually anyhow and Messi is welcome to be the one who does it. I’m a big fan of Messi, always have been. Messi is a genius.”

Messi’s hat trick in the previous game, in his 200th international appearance, came 20 years to the date of his World Cup debut in Germany, when he also scored. Monday was his FIFA-record 28th match in the tournament.

The penalty kick came after Lautaro Martinez was running free in the box and was tackled from behind by Xaver Schlager and Stefan Posch, the defender playing with a broken jaw.

Play continued for more than a minute with Martinez still on the ground near the goal. When the game was stopped for him, officials reviewed the play and called the penalty.

Messi’s father has been undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness, the family said in a statement last week while not providing any specific details. The 68-year-old Jorge Messi has played a key role in his third son’s soccer career, acting as his agent and managing his business affairs off the field.

Lionel Messi was overcome with emotion after scoring his first goal against Algeria, and said after that match his tears came following some tough days not related to soccer.

___

AP Sports Writer James Ellingworth in Duesseldorf, Germany, contributed to this report.

___

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has admitted he is not a fan of the controversial hydration breaks being used at the World Cup.

Tuchel, 52, was speaking before England’s second Group L game against Ghana in Boston on Wednesday (21:00 BST), where rain and cool temperatures are forecast.

England’s fans started the now customary jeering of the breaks when play was stopped in the first half of their opening game against Croatia in Dallas, despite the match being played under a roof in an air-conditioned arena.

The breaks will continue to be used in Boston irrespective of the weather, but Tuchel expressed his reservations about them and the impact they are having on games.

“I think that it interrupts and changes the identity of a football match much more than I thought. I had hydration breaks before when it was really, really hot and needed, but they were shorter,” Tuchel said.

“They were shorter and they were just in a few matches. In the interests of fairness here, it is now done in every match for every team.

“It breaks the match almost in four quarters. And I think it changes the characteristic of the match more than I thought.”

Massive downpours are set to hit areas across Scotland

Scotland is set to get drenched after torrential rain has been forecast within hours. The latest Met Office warning comes after a four-day amber heat warning with forecasters suggesting temperatures could reach 38C in parts of England this week.

But the Met Office maps also indicate that 21 areas across the UK, including Scotland, will see heavy rain fall today with up to 8mm forecast in the worst hit areas.

The weather agency’s maps for 12.45pm today show a large band of rain gripping almost the entirety of Scotland. The port city of Glasgow looks set to see the brunt of the miserable weather with 2mm of rain forecast per hour. Edinburgh, the Highlands, Stirling as well as Argyll and Bute will all see around 1mm of rain fall every hour, reports The Express.

Temperatures for Scotland will hover between 15C to 17C, a far cry from the 27C forecast for London and South Wales at midday today.

The band of rain will also cover parts of Northern Ireland with Antrim and Tyrone forecast 1mm of rain. By 7pm, the rain will have intensified, spreading across the South West and into the West Midlands.

Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Wiltshire will see a drenching with 4-8mm of rain forecast every hour. Meanwhile, Dorset will see the rainfall levels hover between 1-2mm.

Despite forecast rain, warm temperatures will persist in the South West with 27C forecast at 7pm. Cardiff will see the warmest weather in the country at this time with 29C forecast, while London will be just three degrees cooler.

Elsewhere, Manchester will see the mercury hit 27C whilst it will be 22C in Glasgow. The Met Office’s weather outlook for today reads: “The best of the sunshine will be across the southeast, where it will feel increasingly hot and humid.

“Elsewhere, it will be rather cloudy, with a little showery rain possible at times, particularly across parts of Scotland and northern England.”

The 21 areas forecast rain today

• Western Isles
• Highlands
• Argyll and Bute
• Perth and Kinross
• Stirling
• Clackmannanshire
• Fife
• Falkirk
• Dunbartonshire
• Glasgow
• Renfrewshire
• Inverclyde
• Ayrshire
• Dumfries and Galloway
• Antrim
• Tyrone
• Gloucestershire
• Worcestershire
• Wiltshire
• Dorset
• Shropshire
• Herefordshire

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The note was one of two addressed to Nancy Guthrie’s family and sent to news media in the days after her January kidnapping. The first demanded millions in bitcoin for her release, but the second stated that she had died, according to sources cited by CBS, the BBC’s US news partner.

The Tuesday letters page discusses the possibility of GTA 6 being cheaper than average, as a reader is very surprised to learn that God Of War Laufey was planned in 2018.

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

Mostly hardcore
I get that it’s not their fault, but the price of the Steam Machine is so ridiculous I’m surprised they didn’t cancel the whole thing. Although I suppose there’s enough hardcore Valve fans to sell whatever they’ve made so far.

I fear this is a sign of things to come for the PlayStation 6, especially if Sony is going to push ahead with a 2027 launch. The Steam Machine is in no way worth it, because you could just buy a better PC for the same price, but what do you do when the PlayStation 6 is £600+?

I’m not paying that, given I already can guarantee it won’t do much different, and I’d say I’m a pretty committed gamer, so I don’t see who else is going to bite on it.

This just convinces me further that there’s not going to be any PlayStation 6 exclusive games, it’s just going to be cross-gen all the way and spot the difference for the PlayStation 6 version.
Benson

Getting in early
I must say the price of the new Steam Machine was pretty much what I expected and I’m glad I pulled the trigger in January to get my first gaming PC. (Something I delayed since November, which cost me dearly!)

It’s a shame hardware has gone the way it has as the Steam Machine at last year’s prices really was an opportunity for them to shake things up a bit. I imagine there will be a rush on them regardless and they will be all over eBay when they first come out. But you’d have to be mad to order one when you can get a more powerful PC for that price point. Even a PlayStation 5 seems like a better deal and I’m speaking as an avid Steam Deck owner.
James

Weird delay
People talk about Nintendo’s weird choices of games to bring back but Capcom still not saying a word about Devil May Cry 6 has no explanation as far as I can see. There’s been more rumours about a new Ace Attorney than there has been a new Devil May Cry, and even when there is one it’s just a remake.

I’m not going to complain too much because clearly they know what they’re doing at the moment, given how successful they’ve been, but I don’t get it. Hopefully it’ll all be worth it when it’s out though, it’d be bad luck if Capcom tripped up with the one thing that should be an easy win for them.
Vate

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

Artificial art
I think it’s pretty obvious that lots of companies are going to try and make games using only AI but I have a hard time imagining they’ll be anything other than complete rubbish. Maybe you could make a match-three puzzler or something but I’d doubt even that.

Anyone thinking it’s possible is basically insulting the whole concept of video games and denying there’s any kind of art or skill to making them. It’s bad enough with movies, but at least then a skilled person can stitch the little 20 second clips together and try and make something from it. It always looks terrible but at least it works on some level. But a game? It’s impossible unless you’re just talking about a map or something.

I have a nasty feeling we’re going to have to wait years, see tons of people put out of work, and waste millions of dollars before publishers realise this.
Stamper

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Game not included
Somebody in the Underbox yesterday mentioned about collector’s editions of games being released without a game. I tried to reply but could not because the comments section would not let me post this:

This happened to one of the Xenoblade games on Switch 1, the standard game got released but the collector’s edition was delayed by production delays, so when they actually released the collector’s edition they did not include a game with it as most fans would have bought the game physically or digitally already.
Andrew J.

GC: It’s happened more often than just that. It’s common that the really expensive collector’s editions, with the statutes and whatnot, don’t actually include the game.

Below standard
My guess for the GTA 6 price is that there be one version of the game, maybe the standard version or something else, that’ll actually be cheaper than normal, maybe around £40. I think they will want to lower the barrier for entry, not build it up.

They’ll take something out though, maybe make it only one city or something, because what they’ll be desperate to do is get people onto the online mode. The reality is the story campaign is really only an attract mode for the online. That’s where all the money is and whatever billions they spend making it will be made back tenfold as soon as people start buying microtransactions online.

I’m sure there’ll be more expensive editions, and all the rest, but they’ll be for superfans, not the default. It’s just lucky for Rockstar they have plenty of superfans.

People don’t have a lot of spare cash nowadays but there’s so many that are going to make an exception for GTA 6. Even so, Rockstar will be very keen to get the money rolling in as soon as possible and, in my opinion, they’ll be more than happy to let the superfans subsidise the casuals, who will think spending £100 on a video game is madness.
Tacle

Trailer bingo
Is there going to be a Trailer 3 drop before pre-orders go live? Normally it’s a Tuesday, so if there isn’t one on Tuesday who knows when it’s going to drop.

But I am hopeful it will be the 25th, so they can get everyone talking about it and ordering and, yes, that’s right, I’ll be pre-ordering like I do with all my games.
David

GC: The last two might have been Tuesday but Rockstar gave advance warning for those. Anything is possible but Trailer 3 on Thursday is more probable and just doing it a different day entirely is equally as likely.

Long game
I can’t call the actress a liar, but I am shocked at the idea that God Of War Laufey was originally planned at the same time as the original game. That 2018 game was pretty grounded and serious but they were already talking about adding a talking gelatinous cube as a sidekick for Kratos’ wife (who they didn’t even think to show until Ragnarök)? I find that very hard to believe.

Laufey seems such a sharp change in tone I figured the original plan was to make Atreus the new main character, but then they realised that nobody really liked him, so they switched to his mum instead. I’m fine with that, because I don’t like him either and I’m fine with the combat being more like Devil May Cry, but it does all seem a strange direction to go in, especially if it’s all part of some 10 year plan they had all along.

I do think Kratos has to die pretty soon in one of these games. He needs some kind of big heroic closure to his character, not to be a Sony mascot they dig out every five years. We also need to be shown what’s going on with Earth and what gods actually exist and which don’t.

I’m going to make a wild bet and say no modern religion is going to be featured so I really don’t see were that whole side of the story is going to go. The action in the Laufey trailer looked good but the whole gods from different religion thing made me think of that awful Thor movie with Russel Crowe as Zeus. I’m sure Laufey won’t get that wacky but I’m not sure it’s going to end up making much more sense.
Zeiss

Inbox also-rans
All I can say about the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake is that they better make sure the ReDead and Forest Temple are scary. Those sections were great in the original and I’d hate if they’re softened for the remake.
Engles

So another day goes by and no Half-Life 3 annoucement, eh? I hope the Steam Machines problems are going to get that cancelled, if it actually exists.
Ginger

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The small print
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No matter how hot it gets, many men will not wear shorts to work for fear of appearing unprofessional.

The UK is experiencing an intense heatwave which is expected to see temperatures surge to nearly 40°C. The Met Office has issued a very rare red warning for extreme heat and schools in parts of England are closing early. In Wales, schools have been given the choice whether to close.

But no matter how hot it gets, many men will not swap trousers for shorts in the workplace — but is this because their employer has told them not to? Or is it for fear of standing out, appearing unprofessional or believing that it would be “frowned on”?

Of course, there are two separate considerations here: one is where you stand from a legal or professional standpoint, the other is where you stand from a fashion or sartorial standpoint.

Can it be legally too hot to work?

The Unison and TUC unions want “a specific legal maximum temperature for indoor work of 30°C, or 27°C for strenuous work”. However, the UK’s Health and Safety Executive says: “There’s no law for maximum working temperature, or when it’s too hot to work, because every workplace is different. No meaningful upper limit can be imposed because in many indoor workplaces high temperatures are not seasonal but created by work activity, for example in bakeries or foundries.”

However, it also says that employers must stick to health and safety at work law, including “keeping the temperature at a comfortable level” and “providing clean and fresh air”.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations “require employers to provide a reasonable indoor temperature in the workplace”. And under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, employers must “assess the risks to workers” and “put controls in place to protect them”.

The HSE says: “Temperature in the workplace is one of the risks you should assess, whether the work is being done indoors or outdoors. You should consult with workers or their representatives on the best ways to cope with high or low temperatures.”

While the Approved Code of Practice on the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations does suggest a minimum temperature for working indoors (normally at least 16°C or 13°C “if much of the work involves rigorous physical effort”), there is no maximum temperature for workplaces.

Instead, all workers are “entitled to an environment where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled”. Heat is classed as a hazard and comes with legal obligations like any other hazard and so employers must decide what a reasonable temperature should be in the workplace.

Can I refuse to work if it’s too hot?

You can, but you would probably not be protected in law. Allan McDougall Solicitors state that “although the Employment Rights Act 1996 states that where a worker reasonably believes that they are in serious and imminent danger and they cannot reasonably be expected to avert that danger, they have the right not be dismissed or subject to detriment (such as wage docking) if they leave or refuse to attend work while the danger persists”.

However, they stress that “the wording of these statutes does not give an absolute right to withdraw your labour if you consider the workplace is too hot” and add “there is no guarantee that should you leave site or refuse to attend work and then be dismissed or subject to detriment, that you would have a legal remedy, or be successful at tribunal”.

Can I wear shorts to work?

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations require employers to provide a reasonable indoor temperature in the workplace. An employer should assess the risks to its workers and put controls in place to protect them. Temperature certainly counts as a risk.

And while there is no legal maximum temperature for working, the HSE says employers should provide “a reasonable working temperature in workrooms”, though it leaves the definition of “reasonable” to the employer. It says that employers can consider changing usual work arrangements to avoid people getting too hot and that this includes

• flexible working patterns
• allowing enough breaks to allow workers to get cold drinks or cool down
• relaxing formal dress codes.

When it comes to relaxing the dress code, Allan McDougall Solicitors state that “although an employee can compel you to wear a certain uniform or abide by a dress code, depending on the circumstances of your workplace it may be reasonable for an employer to relax formal dress code policies to reduce the risk of excessive heat”.

But for many people the question is less a legal one than a fashion one. Sophie Jordan, menswear buying director at fashion firm Mytheresa, told Esquire: “It ultimately depends on the culture of the workplace, but shorts can feel entirely appropriate when approached with a more refined sensibility.”

Kit Swann, fashion editor at Mr Porter, told Esquire: “For me, it depends on the shorts and where you work, but largely I don’t see a reason why you couldn’t wear shorts to the office.”