The hit series won 15 Primetime Emmy Awards throughout its run

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A ‘masterpiece’ book adaptation that scooped 15 Emmy Awards has just found a new UK streaming home. The six-season series is based on a cherished Margaret Atwood novel, which has also accumulated its fair share of literary accolades.

We are, of course, talking about The Handmaid’s Tale, which will be available to stream on Disney Plus from Wednesday (April 8). The show’s Disney debut coincides with its sequel, The Testaments, landing on the platform.

For those who missed the drama during its original run, it is set in a dystopian society where women are considered property of the state. Under the law, women are confined to limited roles, including sexual servitude to repopulate an increasingly infertile world.

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Despite its weighty themes, the 2017 series swiftly cultivated a devoted fanbase. It claimed 15 Primetime Emmy Awards, with cast members frequently earning nominations for prestigious accolades, reports the Mirror.

This should come as little surprise given that the ensemble featured Elisabeth Moss in the lead role of June Osborne. She appeared alongside fellow accomplished actors, including Max Minghella and Madeline Brewer.

Beyond critical success, the drama also garnered overwhelming praise from viewers. Audiences on Rotten Tomatoes awarded the first season an impressive 90% score, though the subsequent five instalments received varying ratings.

Sharing their verdict, one fan said: “Season 1 is perfection. Just how you imagine the book to look and feel.” A second agreed: “An absolute masterpiece in television. This is must-see content. From beautiful cinematography to poignant writing and great acting, this is TV at its finest.”

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Someone else chimed in: “Best show I’ve seen since Game of Thrones and one of the most faithful book to TV adaptions I’ve ever seen.” Meanwhile, a fourth viewer enthused: “A disturbing dystopian tale that cuts close to the bone. Atmospheric, complex and brilliantly constructed this is an excellent adaption of Atwood’s classic novel. One of the best shows of 2017.”

And a final viewer raved: “Haunting and vivid indeed. With Elisabeth Moss as lead, this is worth the while. Well, all cast excels in character. Beautifully written and directed, outstanding cinematography. Dystopian world portrayed very convincingly. Very high quality viewing with heaps of intrigue, twists and action in ways you could not imagine.”

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The Testaments will also make its Disney Plus debut tomorrow, with three episodes dropping at once. The show follows June’s daughter Agnes (Chase Infiniti) as she studies as Aunt Lydia’s school for wives.

A synopsis teases: “The series follows young teens Agnes, dutiful and pious, and Daisy, a new arrival and convert from beyond Gilead’s borders. As they navigate the gilded halls of Aunt Lydia’s elite preparatory school for future wives, a place where obedience is instilled brutally and always with divine justification, their bond becomes the catalyst that will upend their past, their present, and their future.”

The Handmaid’s Tale will be available to stream on Disney+ from April 8

Alfred was last seen in the Halliwell area of Bolton at 9pm on Sunday, April 5.

GMP described Alfred as a black male between 5ft 9 and 5ft 11, with a slim build and black, braided hair.

According to GMP, he was last seen wearing pyjama shorts, a T-shirt, a silver necklace, and a black jacket with a fur-lined hood.

He was also carrying a black backpack when he was last seen.

GMP posted an alert to their social media channels with a description of Alfred and guidance on how to contact them with information.

GMP said: “Have you seen Alfred from Bolton?

“Officers are becoming increasingly concerned about him and want to make sure he is safe and well.

“Any info? Call us on 101 and quote log 276 of 07/04/26.

“Always call 999 in an emergency.”

The attack happened on November 6, last year, at the Stanley Jefferson on the Market Place.

Police have shared an image of the man they would like to speak to.

He is described as tall, slim, and was wearing a baseball cap and hoodie at the time.

Durham Police said: “Officers want to speak to him in connection with an assault.”

Anyone with information should contact DC Dave Taylor by calling 101 with extension 201338 or emailing dave.taylor@durham.police.uk, police said.

The 43-year-old, wearing a grey zip-up fleece and with glasses on, appeared via videolink from HMP Liverpool for the plea hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday.

He pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Kevin Lynch, 51, at Fairway, Huyton, on March 8.

Barton’s co-defendant Gary O’Grady, 50, of Huyton, Merseyside, was not asked to enter a plea to the charge on Tuesday.

An earlier court hearing was told the defendants had been drinking with Mr Lynch at Huyton and Prescot Golf Club before the alleged attack.

Mr Lynch, a former non-league football manager and founder of special education school NexGen Academy, was said to have suffered serious injuries to his eye.

Honorary recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC set a trial date for September 1, with the case expected to last seven days.

The 15-minute hearing also dealt with administrative matters.

Barton, of Widnes, Cheshire, was remanded in custody, while the judge renewed conditional bail for O’Grady, who was supported in court by several family members.

Former Manchester City and QPR midfielder Barton has one England cap and also played for Newcastle, Rangers, Burnley and Marseille.

He now hosts podcast Common Sense With Joey Barton, which is described as an “unfiltered” look at issues in sport, society, politics and more.

This is the 15th strike since March 2023 and is expected to cause “significant disruption” across the country.

The action began at 7am, with resident doctors (formally known as junior doctors) already appearing on picket lines and making headlines nationwide.

Outside Royal Bolton Hospital, however, the scene this morning was comparatively quiet.

The Bolton News visited the hospital around 10am but found no picket lines in place.

When speaking to people outside the hospital, many were unaware that strike action was taking place.

A staff member told The Bolton News they “hadn’t seen anything,” in contrast to previous occasions when resident doctors had gathered at the top of the road, where Redgate Way meets Plodder Lane.

Bolton resident doctors in 2023 (Image: NQ)

A spokesperson for Bolton NHS Foundation Trust confirmed they had not been made aware of any picket lines during the six-day strike action.

In recent action, resident doctors have reportedly operated at the MRI unit as part of a ‘hubbed’ response.

Dr Rauf Munshi, Medical Director at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Our Emergency Department is always here to help in a life or limb-threatening emergency, and our teams will make sure the sickest patients get the help they need first.

“We have robust plans in place to manage any increase in demand over the Easter weekend and during industrial action, but it’s important people choose the most appropriate service for their needs so that our urgent care services are ready to help those who need it most.

“Even once industrial action is over, we’ll continue to face pressure as our services resume to full levels of activity so please do make sure you know the best way to access services for your health needs during this challenging time.

“If you are ever unsure about where to go, NHS 111 online can provide advice for your symptoms.”

The British Medical Association (BMA) has been contacted for comment.

Gold Digger singer Kanye West has been blocked from travelling to the UK by the Westminster Government

American rapper and record producer Kanye West has been denied permission to travel to the UK by the Westminster Government.

The Gold Digger singer had recently come under fire following his controversial planned headline set at the Wireless Festival later this year.

According to the BBC, the Home Office has decided to refuse permission for West to enter the country as his “presence would not be conducive to the public good”.

Yesterday, the singer who legally changed his name to Ye in October 2021, applied to come to the UK via an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

West has previously caused outrage for a string of antisemitic, racist and pro-Nazi comments.

Barcelona signing Marcus Rashford from Manchester United for just £26m this summer would be an ‘absolute robbery’ and ‘a steal’, according to Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand has given up hope of Marcus Rashford staying at Manchester United during this summer transfer window and wishes him well at Barcelona.

Rashford, 28, is only on loan at the Catalan club for this season, but they do have an option to make that move permanent for £26million this summer. The England international equalised for them against Atletico Madrid in their 2-1 comeback win last weekend.

That goal is his 11th of this loan spell, and Rashford has also assisted another 10 for his teammates. The latest strike left Ferdinand impressed and led to a discussion about his future at United.

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On the YouTube channel Rio Ferdinand Presents, he said: “Oh, what a goal, what a good goal, man.” Asked if he would have Rashford back at United, Ferdinand replied: “Absolutely if Marcus Rashford is playing like that.

“That goal there is Marcus Rashford, right? That isn’t a surprise. We’re not sitting here going, ‘Oh my God, did you see Marcus Rashford, what he did the other day? Never knew he could do that.’

“No, no, that’s what we expect. That’s what Marcus Rashford has made us feel is the norm with him, because he’s that good, potentially, he’s that good, right? It’s just that we hadn’t seen it for a while at Manchester United, and there are obviously reasons behind that, but let’s forget that now, that page has turned, right?

“He’s now at Barcelona, 10 goals, 10 assists this season. What a loan signing he has been for Barcelona, if you look at it like that, and, so, would you have that Marcus Rashford back? 100%, right? But I think that ship has sailed and I think Marcus Rashford is looking forwards.

“I think deep down, he’ll want to go to Barcelona, and I just hope that actually materialises for him, because I think when you look at it like that, is he playing consistently like the Marcus Rashford that we knew before? I’d argue probably not.”

Rashford has made 40 appearances across all competitions this season for Barcelona, but just over half, 22, have been starts. He also featured in just one of their last three matches before the international break.

Ferdinand, however, believes they should still sign him permanently from United this summer. He explained: “We’re seeing more glimpses of it that would be making me go, ‘I’ll bet on that’, and if I’m at Barcelona, I’ll take him.”

Factoring in the set price they have to do that deal for. Ferdinand believes it would be a bargain and hopes it happens for the player’s sake, too.

He added: “If Barcelona get him for the reported £26million that we’re talking about, and they get that version of Marcus Rashford, that is an absolute robbery, it’s a steal.

“So, as I said, I’ll just say good luck to him, I want him to do well, you know what I mean? Because I’ve seen him grow as a young player at Man Utd, and good luck to him in that sense.”

Pearl Abyss adds additional storage options in Crimson Desert with the latest update.

Crimson Desert might be a few weeks old, but it’s still receiving regular updates from developer Pearl Abyss to further improve on the already impressive open world game.

While previous updates have added new mount options and offered improvements to the crime system, the latest update promises to further expand on storage options. There’s also a feature that’s often used in RPGs coming to Crimson Desert that’s almost hard to believe wasn’t included in the first place.

For the full Crimson Desert 1.02.00 patch notes and a rundown of the big changes to know, read below:

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Crimson Desert update 1.02.00 – The short version

The headline update for Crimson Desert this time is the ability to toggle headgear visibility. This means you can benefit from a helm’s armour stats, but it will appear invisible during gameplay and conversations.

This is a popular option to enable in a lot of RPGs where players are keen to see their custom character’s face. Of course, Kliff isn’t customisable in the same way, but it’s nice to have the option to see his grizzled complexion during gameplay.

Elsewhere, Pearl Abyss has added new storage expansion slots depending on how much the Greymane camp is levelled up. The higher the level, the more things you’ll be able to keep in the storage chest.

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The new storage cap is 1,000 items, which should be plenty for even the most dedicated of players.

Crimson Desert enjoyers might have noticed that the last update changed the way Kliff controls slightly. While this was intended to make the game more responsive, not everyone was a fan of the new system.

With update 1.02.00, there’s now an option to toggle back to the old movement mechanics.

For more granular updates on what’s changed in Crimson Desert with this patch, here are the full notes :

Crimson Desert update 1.02.00 full patch notes

Content

• Depending on your progress with the Greymane camp expansion, the capacity of your private storage can now be increased from 240 slots up to a maximum of 1000 slots. Through the expansion of your camp, which consists of 5 stages in total, you can expand your private storage as follows: Start with 240 slots First camp expansion +100 slots Second camp expansion +100 slots Third camp expansion +100 slots Fourth camp expansion +100 slots Final camp expansion +360 slots
• Added an Abyss Nexus in Pailune.
• Improved the visibility of explosive barrels when using the “Light Reflection” skill or when shining the lantern on them.
• Fixed an issue with combat missions, where comrades would not return until the mission timer expired if the mission was completed before the time limit.
• Fixed an issue where the Abyss puzzle state would reset when viewing detailed information of nodes via the map “Details” menu while in the Abyss.
• Fixed an issue where the character would become invisible if an Abyss Artifact was obtained before the Abyss completion cutscene played.
• Fixed an issue where the skills Healing Force Palm and Aerial Force Palm were also reset when resetting all skills.
• Changed the designs of certain gimmick monsters.
• Added 1 new armor set and helmet for cats.
• Improved Abyss Skybridge Gates so that restored Gates can be teleported to. (This change was applied in Patch 1.01.00)
• Fixed an issue where the bank investment refresh time would remain stuck in the “Refreshing” state and not update. (Added: 2026/04/04 05:00 UTC)

Controls & Combat

• Added a “Movement Controls” option. The option can be selected via Main Menu > Others > Settings > Input > Movement Controls, and offers two options: Basic and Classic. Detailed descriptions can be found in the in-game options menu. Basic movement controls: Hold the sprint key to accelerate. Classic movement controls: Repeatedly press the sprint key to accelerate.

• The stamina consumption for mounts has been adjusted. With Basic movement controls, holding the sprint key consumes stamina at set intervals. With Classic movement controls, stamina is consumed each time the sprint key is pressed.

• Improved the conditions for using the Abyss Nexus, allowing them to be used even while moving slightly except in certain situations such as while mounted or while using Flight. We plan to improve this further in the near future so that the player character can fast travel even while on certain mounts.
• Improved so that the Flight skill can be activated even when holding the jump key in mid-air.
• Improved responsiveness when inputting a jump after an attack.
• Added an Escape key guide when affected by elemental status effects.
• Fixed an issue where the Focus state would not be canceled when using Aerial Roll during flight.
• Fixed an issue where weapons could not be drawn inside Demeniss Castle under certain conditions.
• Fixed an issue where some bosses would teleport too far away during combat.
• Fixed an issue where the ‘Double Boost’ horse ability would not activate properly.
• Fixed an issue where parry would not activate properly during ‘Focus’ when a two-handed sword was equipped.
• Fixed an issue where the camera would turn toward nearby enemies when aiming with a tool.
• Fixed an issue where certain interactions were unavailable while specific tools were equipped.
• Fixed an issue where repeatedly pressing the sprint key would allow a horse to run at maximum speed regardless of its stats.

Quests

• Fixed an issue in Chapter 6 where quest progression became unavailable after defeating a boss following a save/load under certain conditions.
• Fixed an issue where quest progression became unavailable if a related item was sold before starting the ‘A Rumor Fueled by Greed’ quest.
• Fixed an issue in Chapter 11 where the Inserted Key could disappear from the bag, preventing related quest progression.

NPC & NPC Dialogue

• Fixed an issue where certain quest-related NPCs would not appear.

UI Fixes & Improvements

• Improved the item use notification in the bottom-right corner so that using it will select the item directly.
• Improved the shop UI so that sellable items are prioritized on display.
• Reorganized certain positions and content of the key guide displayed in the bottom-right corner to improve visibility.
• Improved the UI so that the Save Game and Load Game menus are separated, and added save slot number labels.
• Fixed an issue where the minimap scale would reset while riding a mount at maximum speed.
• [Keyboard/Mouse] Fixed an issue where the mouse cursor would disappear in the storage menu.
• Fixed an issue where item movement would not work properly when entering the horse inventory menu in certain circumstances.
• Fixed an issue where certain menus would occasionally not respond to interaction or appear visually awkward.
• Fixed an issue where crashes occured when entering or using some UI/menus in certain circumstances.
• Improved the game so that the “Stow Weapon” key guide is displayed while in combat when mounted.

Graphics & Settings

• Added a “Headgear Visibility” option in Settings > Language & Gameplay. The following options are available to choose from: Always Show / Show in Combat / Hide in Cutscenes / Always Hide. Additionally, a feature to hide weapons shown on the character’s back, which many players have requested, is also planned to be added in the near future.
• [PC/PlayStation 5/Xbox] Improved FSR upscaling quality.
• [PC] Applied FSR SDK 2.2.
• [PC] Improved FSR Frame Generation quality.
• [PC] Fixed an issue where GPU memory usage would increase when the DLSS RR option was configured.
• [PC] Improved GPU load and shimmering in certain circumstances when FSR-RR / DLSS-RR was enabled.
• [PC] Fixed an issue where foliage and certain other elements were not rendered properly in ray-traced reflections when FSR-RR / DLSS-RR was enabled.
• [PC] Fixed an issue where the top of the screen would flicker when DLAA and HDR options were enabled.
• [PC] Fixed a rendering issue affecting the character’s face indoors when the graphics preset was set to Low.
• [PlayStation 5] Applied the Upgraded PSSR Sharpen feature on PlayStation 5 Pro, improving image sharpness.
• [PlayStation 5] Applied Upgraded PSSR Native AA to Quality Mode on PlayStation 5 Pro.
• [Xbox] Fixed an issue where V-Sync behavior would change when pressing the Home button.
• [Xbox] Added a 4K upscaling option to Performance Mode on Xbox Series X.

Performance, Stability, Gameplay

• Fixed several stability, performance optimization, and crash issues across PC, console, and Mac.

Localization

• Fixed various localization errors and improved localization quality (game advice, etc.) across all languages.

Others

• Fixed an issue where certain walls in Corridors of the Void were missing.
• Improved the sound so that the sound position changes together with the camera perspective.
• Fixed various other in-game issues.

Other Fixes

• Fixed an issue where the weapon would not be visible when using the ‘Stab’ ability while ‘Unarmed’ was equipped as a secondary weapon.
• Improved the UI so that license information can now be viewed in the Credits.
• Fixed an issue the audio volume would become low when an NPC won in minigames such as Duo.
• Fixed an issue where the background audio would become distorted in certain locations and situations.

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