The Thursday letters page is worried about what Epic Games’ layoffs mean for the rest of the industry, as one reader takes issue with the way Metacritic works.

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

Wonder-ful platfomer
I also feel that Super Mario Bros. Wonder doesn’t get talked about enough. I’m glad that it sold well but I don’t think it gets enough recognition for being both a great 2D platformer and having an actual new gimmick for the series, unlike the New Super Mario Bros. games, which added absolutely nothing of value.

The new Switch 2 Edition does seem a little pointless though. I’m not sure why they didn’t just add more single-player levels, as I’m sure most people would’ve preferred that rather than a bunch of multiplayer minigames that you’re probably not going to play more than a few times each (judging by how these things normally go in Nintendo games).

But I see you also brought up the age old argument over which is the best 2D Mario game, in your recommendations for Nintendo Switch Online games. I’m firmly of the opinion that it’s Super Mario World and that Super Mario Bros. 3, with everything else a long way behind (but still great). It is close, I’ll admit but for me Super Mario Bros. 3 is more technical and more focused on the actual platforming, whereas World has Yoshi and a lot of other gimmicks.

Again, I’ll say that the fact Wonder gets anywhere close to them both is a miracle, given how you’d think a lot of those skills have been lost over the years. So while it doesn’t seem like the Switch 2 Edition is essential I would definitely recommend Wonder to anyone who can play it on Switch 1 or 2.
Onibee

Nothing to do
The problem with these Nintendo Switch 2 Editions is that I can’t think of any game that needs anything doing to them in terms of performance or features. I suppose they could up Super Mario Odyssey to 4K and maybe add a new world (or more likely some unwanted multiplayer modes) but it’s totally unnecessary and it’ll just end up being like Super Mario Bros. Wonder where you’re better off just buying the Switch 1 version for cheaper.

The only one I can think of is Astral Chain, which has already been mentioned, but I don’t think that sold enough to get the treatment and most of the people that made it have left PlatinumGames now, so there’s not even a guarantee they’d do a good job of it.

I’d much rather see Nintendo make more low budget games instead, to fill the gaps in the schedule, although given how the last few of those have gone maybe that’s not a great idea.
Cubby

Epic fail
It’s hard to believe that Epic Games have lost almost 2,000 people in just the last couple of years, to the point where they’re getting close to losing half their number. And that’s for Fortnite, the most famous game in the world. No wonder everyone else is doing so bad.

As far as I can see they haven’t said exactly what people have left but if this includes people working on Unreal Engine then that’s going to have a knock-on effect on everything. Once again, we see the problem is that it’s too expensive to make games as they are now and yet the idea of lowering the budgets isn’t even a consideration.

I truly think we’ll be left with nothing but indie developers and Japanese publishers soon and I’m not sure I’ll be able to say anything other than Western companies had it coming.
MNex

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Subscription cons
I do feel Nintendo is doing better with Nintendo Switch Online now and most of their own big name games are available on most formats, but there’s still some smaller first party titles left out and the third party support is low and random.

I guess this is the problem with the Netflix style subscription approach, compared to the Wii Virtual Console, where you had to buy individual games. When each game costs money the original publisher has a clear incentive to have it on the service and Nintendo just takes their cut.

But with the subscription service I imagine it’s a bit more murky how third party publishers get paid and there’s also not as much incentive for Nintendo to chase them to add their games, which is why most of the games that are included are Japanese ones, where they have a closer relationship with the company. So I don’t know if it’ll ever be that complete.
Tanis

I sink therefore I am
RE: Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss inbox letter from a few days ago. I have played a short demo of the game during the last Steam Next Fest and I am positively optimistic. I read an interview with the developer where they promise an open-ended detective game in which you are free to roam, collect evidence, and investigate.

Although that wasn’t the case with the demo itself, which was pretty straightforward, featuring sub-Resident Evil level puzzles with extra steps. However, the world building and the futuristic subsea setting is very intriguing to say the least and slightly reminiscent of SOMA, which is always a positive in my book.
Ali K

GC: That description sounds like they’re trying to ape Call Of Cthulhu: Dark Corners Of The Earth to some degree, which was a decent but flawed game back in the day.

Righting the ship
I don’t want to make light of people that have lost their jobs, but I have to admit I am glad that Sony is moving away from mobile gaming. Although, to be honest, I didn’t know they even had any mobile games at the moment, so no wonder they weren’t successful.

But between this and also stopping PC ports they seem to be going back to their old ways. Only we can’t tell because they won’t talk about it and they won’t announce any new games. But I think if you’re optimistic that must be what they’re doing.

I guess the worst case scenario is that the PlayStation 6 generation is going to be even more expensive to make games for, so they’re cutting back in other areas and will still only maintain the frequency they have at the moment.

There’s reason to hope it’s more than that. The signs are that they regret the way this generation has gone and are getting ready to reverse course. After all, you’ve got to remember that with the PlayStation 5 dominating console sales they’ve not really been in a position to take advantage of that with their own games, so they’ve been missing out on a lot of easy profit over the last few years.

Hopefully that will tempt them back into making good games as a priority. Assuming any of us can afford the new console that is…
Stolos

Merch Effect
I don’t know how many people will be interested in this but a company called Master Replicas are starting to do Mass Effect ships and considering how much sci-fi merch can cost they’re actually quite reasonably price. The first one is the Normandy, obviously, and it’s £70 and 22cm long, which in my experience as a collector is a bargain.

I’ve no idea whether we’ll really see a new Mass Effect game ever but there are definitely still fans out there and hopefully their love for merch might be enough to keep EA interested. Bungie deserve another shot.
Fevermet

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No favourites
I’ve long thought Metacritic is pointless. All the reviews it shows and they’re basically split into two sections: a bunch of websites you’ve never heard of that apparently give everything 9/10 and then all the trustworthy ones underneath that, which are then divided into American sites, that always mark too highly, and UK ones which are more sensible.

You have to completely ignore that first layer to get to any kind of believable opinion and even then there’s only a handful I really trust. But they all get lumped into the final score, which is usually nothing like what the reliable sites have given it.

So I’m not a fan and now I see this list of the best publishers of the year and it’s Square Enix?! Who didn’t release a single brand new game last year? And the second is Chinese publisher, where even GC only knew one of the games they’d made.

The whole thing is silly and it was silly when Sega when last year and the year before it. The whole idea of having a best publisher is kind of dumb anyway, there’s only a very few publishers that I trust in any kind of a general sense and even then I’d never buy a game out of loyalty to them, so it makes no difference.

I think most people accept Nintendo and Capcom are great publishers but few people were in a hurry to pick up Drag x Drive or… actually, I can’t remember the last time Capcom made a bad game, so why didn’t they win? Like I said, the whole thing is dumb.
Coop

Inbox also-rans
I see there’s a new rumour that Capcom is also considering a remake of Resident Evil Revelations. I’m not too interested in that, but I really hope they do Revelations 2. It’s been mentioned a few times in the Inbox lately but I really feel it’s the hidden gem of the series.
Rex

I kind of lost track of what’s going on with Warner Bros. Is it being bought by Paramount now? Is that deal going through. I really want to hear about a new Batman game, but I feel we’re not going to until all that business is settled.
Grackle

GC: There’s some minor political opposition to it in the US but we’re not sure that will amount to anything.

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MORE: Games Inbox: Is the Nintendo Switch 2 becoming a failure?

MORE: Games Inbox: Is Crimson Desert being underrated?

MORE: Games Inbox: Is Marathon worth playing?

“Well, it’s a real thing,” Christ replies, “Especially after the pandemic, it was important for queer people to gather in person. Grindr is not nearly enough. Now, especially as we see queer spaces disappearing, I’m realising this is important. And not just queer people. I mean the BFI Trash! programme, whether you come to our show or other shows, there is a difference between watching [Russ Meyer’s] Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! at home on your TV screen, than watching it in an auditorium full of people who need to see sexy women kick some ass, right? Being with like-minded people and sharing a transgressive sensibility, especially now with the daily news being the way it is, I do think there is a sort of spiritual component to it.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Using the oldest dog genes studied so far, scientists are finding more evidence that our furry friends have been our companions for thousands of years.

Scientists think dogs descended from an ancient population of gray wolves somewhere in Europe or Asia. Tens of thousands of years ago, those wolves got used to living with people and became less aggressive. As they became domesticated, their genes shifted along with their behavior, giving rise to the pups we know today.

But exactly when and where this happened remains a mystery. Scientists are studying bits of DNA found in ancient dog and wolf remains to figure out what the earliest dogs may have looked like and where they came from.

In two separate studies published Wednesday in the journal Nature, researchers pushed the timeline back. They established a new way to study ancient canine DNA — which is often contaminated and tough to extract — by isolating just the doggy bits.

They examined ancient genes from the remains of over 200 dogs and wolves. The oldest dated back to about 15,800 years ago, moving the origin of dogs back by at least 5,000 years.

“This unique relationship between people and dogs has existed for such a long time and is continuing on today,” said University of Michigan dog genomics expert Jeffrey Kidd, who was not involved with the new research.

The genes showed that dogs were already spread out across Western Europe and Asia 14,200 years ago, at a time before agriculture and farming. These dogs lived with hunter-gatherer humans who were constantly on the move.

The dawn of agriculture — a major shift in human history — brought new people to Europe from southwest Asia. They mixed and mingled with Europeans, leaving a lasting and varied imprint on their genes.

But the dog genes studied by the scientists, stretching from the United Kingdom all the way to Turkey, stayed more consistent. They were less impacted by the arrival of new humans during the development of agriculture, and more by interactions between different hunter-gatherer groups and their dogs thousands of years before.

That’s different from dogs in Asia and the Americas, whose genes more closely reflect the movement patterns of their owners.

Scientists don’t know exactly what the first dogs looked like, but they have some ideas.

“We’re suspecting they would have resembled smaller wolves,” said study co-author Lachie Scarsbrook with the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

It’s also not clear how these ancient dogs lived alongside their humans. They could have stood guard or helped them hunt, but probably also played with young children.

There’s still more work to go to pinpoint exactly when dogs emerged — the first few pages of a storied relationship that’s still going strong.

“They are humanity’s best friend, alongside our societies for the last 16,000 years and will continue to in the future,” Scarsbrook said.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The DWP has confirmed new rules for people on disability benefits but some people might see ‘gaps in payments’

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New rules confirmed by the DWP could affect how many Brits claim their benefits. The changes came into force on February 23, 2026, with many likely to see differences in how support is assessed.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced that new regulations are now in force for residents of England or Wales receiving Attendance Allowance (AA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) who relocate to Scotland. The changes took effect last month following the completion of AA and DLA case transfers to Social Security Scotland.

The DWP said: “AA customers who move permanently from England or Wales to Scotland now need to make a new claim to the Scottish benefit, Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP). DLA customers who move permanently from England or Wales to Scotland now need to contact Social Security Scotland to discuss entitlement to Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (SADLA).

“

Prior to February 23 2026, people receiving Attendance Allowance and DLA who made a permanent move from England or Wales to Scotland had their cases automatically transferred to the corresponding benefit managed and provided by Social Security Scotland.

The modification means the regulations now extend to all recipients of DWP-administered disability benefits who relocate permanently from England or Wales to Scotland. This encompasses Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance for Children (DLAc) and Carer’s Allowance, reports the Daily Record.

To reduce the risk of payment interruptions, people are being encouraged to apply for the replacement benefits – Adult Disability Payment, Child Disability Payment, Pension Age Disability Payment and Carer Support Payment – at the earliest opportunity following their move. Prior to submitting an application to Social Security Scotland, people must notify the DWP or Department of Communities in Northern Ireland about their relocation.

Elderly recipients of DLA will also need to contact their benefit provider and reach out to Social Security Scotland to apply for Scottish Adult DLA. Karyn Dunning, deputy director at Social Security Scotland, recently said: “It’s vital disabled people and carers who move to Scotland take action to ensure they continue to get the financial support they are entitled to.

“We know applying for benefits can feel daunting, especially alongside moving to a new country, but there is an in-depth guide available on mygov.scot. Our staff are also here to answer questions and help people apply. We can provide help over the phone, through webchat or through a face-to-face appointment with one of our community-based advisors.

“I urge people not to put off applying. The Scottish approach to benefits is very different from that of the DWP. For example, we do not use private sector assessors to make decisions. Our system is built on the principles of dignity, fairness and respect, and we want disabled people and carers to get every penny they’re entitled to.”

It’s crucial to understand that the DWP and Department of Communities in Northern Ireland will continue to provide PIP, DLA for children and Carer’s Allowance to a person for 13 weeks following their move to Scotland. The advice to apply early stems from the time required to process claims, helping to reduce any gaps in payments between welfare agencies.

Those who successfully apply for a devolved disability benefit may be eligible to have their payments backdated to the day after their DWP benefit ceased. Further information on relocating to Scotland and claiming devolved benefits can be found on MYGOV.SCOT or by contacting Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.

Nearly two million people tuned in to Channel 5’s Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards, with Martin Clunes praised for his portrayal of the shamed BBC presenter

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Outraged viewers have condemned Huw Edwards‘ “disgraceful” sentence following a disturbing TV drama which detailed his offences.

The disgraced broadcaster, 64, avoided prison despite pleading guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children. His case was examined in Channel 5’s Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards on Tuesday evening, in which Martin Clunes portrayed the presenter.

The 90-minute programme depicted how Edwards groomed a teenager, paying him for sexual photographs and videos, The Mirror reports.

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Following its broadcast, one viewer remarked: “First time in ages I flicked on terrestrial telly – and wow, it laid bare exactly what a monster he was.” Another encapsulated public fury by stating: “He should be watching this behind bars.” A third viewer commented: “His sentence was disgraceful, considering what a sick creep he was.”

Nearly two million people watched as Clunes, 64, depicted the broadcaster, who led a vile double life. He received acclaim for his “compelling” and “career-defining” performance.

The programme showed Edwards receiving a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. Audiences described the drama as gripping but also “uncomfortable” as it exposed the sick nature of Edwards’ offences.

“I don’t get why Huw isn’t in prison. He needs to pay for what he’s done. It’s fact,” one viewer posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. Another on the platform stated: “Watching Power. Martin Clunes is excellent but it’s very uncomfortable viewing. How did Huw Edwards escape prison?”

Katie Jones, a mother who viewed the programme, posted online: “I watched simply because I wanted to understand why NO jail time for EDWARDS. Was it cos he claimed to be suffering from a mental breakdown? It’s a must watch – difficult subject told well.” Another stunned viewer concurred: “He should have been jailed.”

Edwards gave a troubled teenager thousands of pounds, which the young lad used on drugs. The youth was portrayed by Emmerdale actor Osian Morgan. Osian, who also appeared in Waterloo Road in 2023, received acclaim for his performance in the distressing drama.

Edwards, a father of five, was charged following the arrest of another paedophile, Alex Williams, who had sent him 377 images via WhatsApp. Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that the star, who was the main presenter of BBC News at Ten for 20 years, sent 41 indecent images of children, some depicting a victim aged between seven and nine.

Child protection charities have criticised the sentencing. Emma Hardy, from the Internet Watch Foundation, stated: “We must never forget children are at the heart of this story – children who have suffered, and who suffer again each time imagery of them at their most vulnerable is reshared.

“Perhaps most worryingly, there is nothing to stop this happening again. WhatsApp, and other apps which use the extreme end-to-end form of encryption, are still failing to prevent the upload of known child sexual abuse imagery.

“While some platforms are now choosing not to use this kind of encryption because of safety fears, there remain whole swathes of the internet where this dangerous and illegal content can still be shared undetected and unopposed. The tools to help stop the next Huw Edwards are here, they work, and they do not impact on individuals’ privacy. It’s time to use them.”

Gareth Bale has been a busy man since retiring from football in 2023

Gareth Bale may have retired in 2023, but he will be cheering on his country as they aim to make it to this summer’s World Cup. The iconic forward helped Wales qualify for Euro 2016 and Euro 2020, sending them into the knockout rounds at both tournaments.

Bale’s final act for his country was playing in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. With impressive stints at Real Madrid and Tottenham during his club career, the 36-year-old retired at Los Angeles FC with plenty of silverware.

These days, Bale focuses his energy on his many business ventures and has his eye on entering football ownership, with his hometown club, Cardiff City, the most attractive option.

Here, Wales Online has all the latest on Bale’s ventures in football, including where he is spending his impressive wealth.

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What is Gareth Bale’s net worth?

Three years after retiring, Bale is said to be worth an estimated £120million. The former winger was earning a whopping £600,000 a week at the peak of his career at Madrid after he secured a then-world-record £85m transfer from England to Spain.

However, his wealth doesn’t just come from his earnings on the pitch. He began his business portfolio while still playing, opening a bar called Elevens in Cardiff’s city centre in 2017.

In March 2022, Bale then created Par 59, a golfing games bar, which opened on St Mary Street in Wales’ capital. Another bar of the same name opened in Bristol just months later, helping boost Bale’s wealth even further.

The ex-Spurs star became a minority shareholder at Penderyn Distillery and also staked a claim in Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TGL golf league. Bale continues to hold lucrative endorsement deals with major brands like BMW, Adidas and PlayStation.

Cardiff City takeover plans

Bale first confirmed his desire to take over his hometown club, Cardiff City, in 2025. The Welshman joined an American consortium that was interested in the Bluebirds, which he confirmed at the F1 movie premiere last June.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Bale said: “We are interested in getting Cardiff. It’s my home club, it’s where I grew up, and my uncle used to play for them. To be involved with an ownership group would be a dream come true.”

A month later, the group submitted a bid to owner Vincent Tan and claimed their offer was “serious and fair,” as per The Guardian. While this takeover never materialised at the time, Bale told The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast that he still wants to own a football team.

He said: “I understand it’s a long time retired, I’ve been planning it since I was about 26 or 27. I always said when I retired that I wanted one, two, three years to decompress and enjoy with the kids, then try to find a few paths I want to go down.

“Obviously, you (Gary Neville) owning a football team, you understand the stresses of it. But we went and looked down that route. It’s something that does interest me. We obviously tried with Cardiff last summer, which didn’t materialise. And they are doing amazing again this season!”

Transfer ambitions for Bluebirds

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Had the takeover gone through for Cardiff, Bale revealed that he was planning to take the League One side all the way to the Premier League. He said: “It’s a club close to my heart.

“It’s where I grew up and I would love to be able to be a part of growing Cardiff and taking it to the Premier League where it belongs. I know how amazing the Welsh fans and Cardiff fans are. It would be amazing to try and do something together. We are trying to engage with Cardiff and more news will come out on that in the future but hopefully we can get something done.”

The dream of taking Cardiff to the top flight would see Bale spend some of his wealth to buy quality players for his hometown club.

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Police received a report of a one-vehicle collision on the A69 trans-Pennine dual carriageway, close to Throckley, shortly after 11.30pm on Thursday, November 28, 2024,

A heavy goods vehicle driver dialled 999 after coming across a grey Ford Raptor which had collided with a barrier on the westbound carriageway.

Emergency services were swiftly deployed and the sole passenger in the car, 28-year-old Matthew Newton, from Carlisle, was pronounced dead at the scene.

In the immediate aftermath of the crash, Mr Newton’s then-friend and the car driver, Ross Neville, had fled the area before police arrived.

Ross Neville, right, jailed at Newcastle Crown Court for almost 12 years for causing the death of friend Matthew Newton, by dangerous driving (Image: Northumbria Police)

An investigation was immediately launched by Northumbria Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, resulting in Neville’s arrest the following day. 

Neville, now 35, of Canonbie, in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, was later charged with offences including causing death by dangerous driving and causing death whilst driving without insurance. 

Despite escaping the scene, investigators were able to prove he was over the drink drive limit at the time of the collision through CCTV and financial inquiries.

They discovered he had been drinking pints of beer, shots and spirits in a city centre bar with Mr Newton for five hours before setting off to drive them home.

Footage captured him driving dangerously, narrowly missing street furniture and overtaking vehicles at speed, leaving Newcastle, with his vehicle reaching 108mph just before the collision itself.

Pick-up truck driver Ross Neville fled from scene, on A69, west of Newcastle, following fatal collision (Image: Northumbria Police)

Neville pleaded guilty to all offences at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday, January 23, and today (Wednesday, March 25) he was sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 11 years and 11 months by Judge Edward Bindloss.

He was also banned from driving for seven years upon his release from prison.

During today’s hearing, a statement was read out on behalf of Mr Newton’s mother, Anna, who spoke of her family’s pain at losing their “firstborn” child of three.

She said: “The 28th November 2024 will always be the date that broke my heart and changed my life forever.

“My life as I knew it ended that day to be replaced with the mere existence I live with now.

Matthew Newton was pronounced dead at the scene of collision on the A69 trans-Pennine road, west of Newcastle (Image: Northumbria Police)

“I never thought I would ever be in a position to know what losing a child felt like.”

She said: “We have been robbed of Matthew’s future in the most traumatic, horrific way, with so many things stolen from us … seeing what he would have become, seeing him get married, having children of his own and watching him proudly as he fulfilled his dreams.

 “lnstead, we now have to live with this void in our lives and also watch his brother, sister and grandparents heartbroken trying to adjust to a life without him.

“Life is hard now, a daily struggle filled with a constant overwhelming sadness, my heart aches every waking minute and the feeling of loss is painfully unbearable.”

She added: “Matthew was the most beautiful person, had the absolute best of friends, lived at home with us, would do anything for anyone, built up a successful business and was simply loved by everyone who knew him.

Tributes were paid to deceased Matthew Newton in victim statement read out in court on behalf of his mother Anna (Image: Northumbria Police)

“He had the brightest smile and lit up every room he walked into.

 “At 28-years-old he should have had his whole future ahead of him, now all I’m left with is an empty chair.”

Speaking after the outcome of the case, Sergeant Greg Huntley of Northumbria Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This was a shocking incident, with Neville driving so dangerously and recklessly that he killed his friend Matthew.

“Worse still, he has then went on to tell the HGV driver who came across the crash that his friend was fine, before shamelessly fleeing the scene.

“It is clear to me that Neville was not a good friend, and he only had himself in mind that evening as he left Matthew with unsurvivable injuries in his car.

“Despite the challenges faced in the early stages of the investigation, we were able to trawl CCTV and financial data to piece together Neville’s actions.

“From this, we know that he consumed alcohol to excess in Newcastle city centre before getting back in his pick-up truck to drive them home.

Read next … more court/crime news from The Northern echo, by clicking here

“He thought by running away he could hide how much he had drank, but thanks to tireless work by officers we proved this in other ways.”

 Sgt Huntley added: “As ever, our thoughts firmly remain with all of Matthew’s loved ones as they continue to navigate a life without him.

“While no result will take away their anguish, I hope they feel a sense of comfort knowing Neville will spend a lengthy spell in prison.”

A Cambodian man deported by the US to the African kingdom of Eswatini under the Donald Trump administration’s third-country programme was released on Wednesday to be repatriated, his lawyer said.

The man spent five months in detention at a maximum-security prison with other deportees.

Pheap Rom was deported to the southern African nation in October and held at the Matsapha Correctional Centre.

After his release, he took a commercial flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, to start his journey to Cambodia, his US-based lawyer Tin Thanh Nguyen told the Associated Press.

The US has sent 19 migrants from other countries to Eswatini in three batches since July. Mr Rom is the second to be repatriated after a Jamaican man was flown home in September.

When Mr Rom and a group of nine other shackled deportees arrived in Eswatini on 6 October, they were greeted by 20 or 30 military personnel wearing masks and carrying machine guns surrounding the private jet.

None of the detainees knew where they were going, though some felt hopeful they would be freed after finishing their prison sentences. Mr Rom had finished his 15-year prison sentence in the US for attempted murder.

As they departed the airport and veered into a rural road, panic set in. “They pulled into the dirt road and you see nothing but dirt road. I was like, oh, yeah, they’re definitely going to kill us and just dump us on this dirt road,” Mr Rom, 43, said during a phone interview while he was still detained in Eswatini last week.

Instead, they were escorted into Matsapha Correctional Centre, a maximum-security prison, where the men would be detained, without any charges, and kept apart from inmates convicted of murder, terrorism, robbery and other crimes committed in that country.

The first two months were the hardest, Mr Rom said. Inmates were woken up at 7.30am, allowed 15 minutes outdoors, and were inside their cells at 5.30pm.

Phone use was permitted once a week and limited to 10 or 15 minutes. “And that once a week they will sit right there and listen to your conversation and then they will write down what you’re talking about in a book that they have, in the logbook that they had,” he said, referring to the guards.

If families were asleep, working or didn’t have WhatsApp, they were unable to call again for another week. Under those conditions, it was difficult to reach attorneys.

A report released by the Senate Foreign Committee Relations estimated it cost about $413,000 to deport a person from the US to Eswatini.

Despite the expense, Mr Rom described impoverished conditions at the prison.

Inmates received one roll of toilet paper and a bar of soap per week.

Meals were often meatless. For breakfast, inmates received either porridge or a piece of bread with tea, Mr Rom said. For lunch and dinner, they received a scoop of rice and vegetable broth or a side of beans. Some days they received chicken, but often if they wanted protein, they had to buy boiled eggs, chicken or beef platters from the commissary.

Conditions improved in the last three months of Mr Rom’s detention. Outdoor time was increased and inmates had access to the internet and cellphones to make international calls to family, friends and lawyers.

Mr Rom’s family moved to the US as refugees when he was a child and later became lawful permanent residents. Mr Rom lost his legal status during removal proceedings and was ordered deported. Though he has not lived in Cambodia, he said he was still excited to go there and be free.

“I hope that my repatriation sets a path for their repatriation, because these guys are still human beings, fathers, sons, uncles and they deserve due process,” Mr Rom said.

Mr Trump has taken a hard-line stance on immigration and the US has deported around 300 migrants to countries they have no ties with under the third-country programme, according to a report compiled by Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Lawyers have criticized the programme as unlawful.

The US has struck deals with at least seven African nations to take some of those migrants. The US paid Eswatini $5.1 million to take up to 160 deportees, according to details of the deal released by the US State Department. While Eswatini’s government has previously said the migrants are there in “transit” on their way home, the deal allows them to be held in Eswatini for up to a year.

Mr Rom served a 15-year prison sentence in the US for attempted murder and was released in late 2024, Mr Nguyen said, adding in a statement that Mr Rom being held at the prison in Eswatini for five months was unlawful because he faced no criminal charges in the African country.

“Rom’s release proves what we have argued from the beginning. These third-country deportations are unnecessary and unlawful,” he said.

The State Department and the Department of Homeland Security have defended third-country deportations as a means to quickly remove people who are in the US illegally. Many of the deportees sent to Eswatini were convicted of serious crimes and had completed their sentences in the US.

But lawyers say sending migrants to countries they have no ties with is a tactic by the administration to bypass US immigration laws and denies the deportees their rights, including a fundamental principle that anyone being detained should be able to challenge it in court. Third-country deportations have been the subject of several legal cases, both in the US and in some countries where migrants are sent.

Last year, the US Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to go ahead with third-country deportations. In February, a US federal judge ruled that the policy was unlawful because it didn’t give migrants notice of where they were being sent or an opportunity to challenge their deportations. An appeals court lifted that order this month.

The deportations have been the subject of two legal challenges in Eswatini, which is ruled by a king and is one of the last absolute monarchies in the world. An Eswatini lawyer acting on behalf of deportees being held at the Matsapha prison — where Mr Rom was also held — says he has been denied access to them and has sued the government.

In a separate case, local advocacy groups have challenged the legality of Eswatini holding foreign nationals for months in a prison.

The Trump administration’s choice of African countries to strike deportation deals with and pay money to is also under scrutiny. It includes nations with notoriously repressive governments and sketchy human rights records such as Eswatini, South Sudan and Equatorial Guinea.

Eswatini’s King Mswati III has long been accused of clamping down on pro-democracy movements, sometimes violently.

The US has sent more than two dozen deportees to Equatorial Guinea, a small, authoritarian state in West Africa ruled by the same president since 1979 and where the government is accused of being one of the most corrupt in the world.

Democrats in the US have questioned the Trump administration over a $7.5 million payment it made to the government of Equatorial Guinea.

World Cup winner Gianluigi Buffon says play-off semi-final opponents Northern Ireland have been the “only focus” for Italy, and not the wider prize of a spot at the finals this summer.

Italy have not qualified for a World Cup since 2014 after play-off defeats by Sweden and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and they missed out on automatic qualification for the 2026 tournament after finishing second behind group winners Norway.

Gennaro Gattuso’s side could become the first World Cup winners to miss out on three tournaments in a row, but if they can progress against Northern Ireland and then beat either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina, they will be rewarded with a spot in Group B with co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.

Buffon, who is Italy’s technical delegate, said it was “an important moment” and the full focus had to be on Thursday’s semi-final in Bergamo.

“We shouldn’t have any doubt, our focus is only on Northern Ireland and the semi-final,” Buffon told BBC Sport.

“Then, if we’re happy, we’ll think about the final against Wales or Bosnia.

“But for the last four months, our only focus has been on Northern Ireland, because that’s the way it is.

“Northern Ireland are the first obstacle, and they are a team that deserves our respect.”

Buffon, who played a key role in appointing World Cup-winning team-mate Gattuso in June, said Italy’s situation was a “situation of stress that has accumulated over the years”.

But he felt the team spirit that Gattuso brought to the job gives Italy the “right confidence to finally get to a World Cup”.

The game will be played at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo, which has a capacity of 25,000, instead of the larger San Siro or Stadio Olimpico.

Italian journalist Daniele Verri had said he felt there was some superstition at play as Gattuso’s first game as manager was a 5-0 win over Estonia at the New Balance Arena, and Italy have not lost in any of their five matches in Bergamo across the span of 62 years.

Buffon said that the home of Atalanta was the “best seat” for the game, and the positivity around the venue made it the logical choice to play Italy’s biggest match in four years.

“When the coach played his first game we had a great win, and that evening we remember it was a great atmosphere and there was great support.

“The first half ended 0–0, but the people understood the effort that the team was giving and they supported us.

“This is something, a detail, that is in the minds of the staff and in the minds of the players, so it is very important.”

He said: “Separately, beyond these hostile state threats, I am also cognisant of a potential new threat: an emerging willingness of foreign actors and private citizens, including from allies like the United States, to interfere in, and influence, politics abroad in pursuit of their own agenda.”