By Iain Withers and Kirstin Ridley LONDON Big banks in Britain are preparing for any future escalation of

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The new Warzone map for MW3, likely called Las Almas, sports a Verdansk design and drops in December 2023 alongside MW3 Season 1.

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Video game makers aren’t doing enough to cater for gamers with disabilities, a study has revealed. A poll of 500 adults with physical and mental disabilities who play video games found 81 per cent have struggled to play their favourite games due to inaccessible game features. Specific problems include a lack of customisable control options (21 per cent), hard-to-read text (33 per cent), fast-paced gameplay (34 per cent), and flashing lighting effects (31 per cent). As a result, 39 per cent have been forced to stop playing a game - or abandon it altogether. The Samsung study also found 52 per cent would like to see more characters who represent their disability - and claim they would game more if this happened. The research follows the launch of the brand’s ‘Embrace Your Game’ portal - a European-wide gaming training initiative featuring expert guides, training sessions, and video workshops for gamers of all abilities. Steven Woodgate, chair of the True Ability Employee Resource Group at Samsung Electronics UK, said: “Gamers with disabilities not only make up a sizable portion of the player base. “But they also provide valuable perspectives and experiences to the gaming community. “While we’ve seen some strides in accessibility over recent years, this study reveals the pressing barriers still faced by many. “We must prioritise an inclusive gaming landscape, ensuring every player, regardless of their disability, can enjoy and connect through these digital realms. “The industry owes it to all its players to make games as accessible and representative as possible.” Despite the challenges, 22 per cent of those polled feel empowered by gaming, while 40 per cent said the pastime gives them a sense of escape. And 16 per cent said it provides them with a way to connect with other gamers with disabilities, with 28 per cent claiming video games are an ‘essential’ part of their routine. Barriers for those polled include games which result in ‘cognitive overload’ through complex control configurations and hard to follow information or instructions (28 per cent). While 24 per cent have experienced dexterity issues – such as controllers not being adequately designed for their ergonomic needs. In response, gamers with disabilities revealed the features and accessibility options they’d like to see in future titles. More accessory options for differently abled players (34 per cent) topped the list, closely followed by more online multiplayer options catering toward different disabilities (34 per cent). The research carried out through OnePoll, also found 31 per cent would like to see improved guides and tutorials to help them learn gaming controls more easily. And 31 per cent would also like a greater range of customisable controller options. Robin Christopherson of charity, AbilityNet, which works towards making the digital world more accessible, said: “It should be no surprise to learn that disabled people enjoy gaming as much as anyone else. “But this research demonstrates quite clearly the negative impact on people’s wellbeing when hardware or software isn’t accessible. “It also underlines that games are a vital part of the fabric of many people’s lives, creating social networks and bringing enjoyment which should be open to everyone.” Read More Brits are so fed up with emails that retail giants now send reminder letters Brits will eat over 5,000 slices of pizza in their adult life, study finds Millions of homeware items thrown away each year, research finds Facebook and Instagram users face monthly fee for ad-free version Japan startup unveils 15-foot robot suit for space exploration New discovery is ‘holy grail’ breakthrough in search for aliens, scientist say

Following his defeat in the 2020 election, President Donald Trump spoke to Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to discuss the results, a source familiar with the call told CNN.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov came face-to-face with Western critics while attending international security talks on Thursday, amid European protests that Vladimir Putin’s top diplomat was invited to the summit while he wages war against Ukraine. Some European officials present in North Macedonia walked out as the Russian minister addressed a session for foreign ministers of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation of Europe (OSCE), videos of the event showed. A number of foreign ministers refused to attend the event over Russia’s involvement, including those of Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Some states, Ukraine among them, sent no representatives whatsoever. US secretary of state Antony Blinken made only a brief stop in North Macedonia’s capital, Skopje, late on Wednesday, and did not attend Thursday’s talks. Mr Lavrov spoke for15 minutes, during which the walkout occurred. It was not immediately clear from videos which countries’ officials were involved. The Russian foreign minister’s comments followed the now-familiar narrative from the Kremlin that “Nato’s reckless expansion to the East” was to blame for war returning to Europe, rather than his own president’s decision to order the invasion of Ukraine. “Unfortunately, the Western political elites, which have arrogated to themselves the right to decide the fate of humanity, have made a short-sighted choice not in favour of the OSCE, but in favour of Nato. In favour of the philosophy of containment, zero-sum geopolitical games and the ‘master-slave’ logic,” Mr Lavrov told the session. He also attacked the platform of the summit itself, saying that “the OSCE and its relevant institutions are silent” over what he described as the denial of “the very existence of Russians and their decisive contribution to the histroy of Ukraine”. And he blamed the start of the Ukraine war on Western tolerance for the “ruling neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv”. Russian president Vladimir Putin has repeatedly alleged that Ukraine’s government is made up of “neo-Nazis,” even though the country has a democratically elected Jewish president who lost relatives in the Holocaust. Western ministers attending the OSCE meeting were sharply critical of Mr Lavrov after he spoke. “Russia’s attempts to blame others for its own choices are transparent,” said Danish foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who was speaking when Mr Lavrov himself walked out of the summit. “We will not compromise on the core principles of the European security order or allow Russia to deny Ukraine the right to make its own independent foreign and security policy choices – principles that Russia itself has agreed to,” he continued. Based in Vienna, Austria, the OSCE is an intergovernmental organisation focused on promoting security, stability, and cooperation among its participating states. Nato member North Macedonia lifted a ban on Russian flights to enable Lavrov to attend the meeting. Russian state news agency Tass reported that the minister flew a longer route over Turkey and Greece to reach the summit after Bulgaria blocked his plane from using its airspace. Greek officials did not immediately return a request for comment. Additional reporting by agencies Read More Takeaways from AP's Interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy The AP Interview: Ukraine's Zelenskyy says the war with Russia is in a new phase as winter looms Ukraine war live: Russia sees record losses as baby amongst injured in missile strike Russia’s Supreme Court effectively outlaws LGBTQ+ activism in a landmark ruling UN atomic chief backs nuclear power at COP28 as world reckons with proliferation Russia’s top court bans LGBT+ activism as ‘extremist’ in new crackdown

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 29, 2023--

TikTok and Gen Z icon Charli D'Amelio was the first on the platform to hit 100 million followers

France’s ban of iPhone 12 sales due to radiation fears could have Europe-wide implications, regulators in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands have warned. Apple will have to recall all iPhone 12 phones in France if corrective updates do not work, the country’s National Frequency Agency (ANFR) said on Tuesday, after tests revealed electromagnetic radiation that was 40 per cent above the legal limit. On Wednesday, the Dutch digital watchdog said it was looking into the ANFR report and is seeking an explanation from the US tech giant. “A norm has been exceeded. Fortunately, there is no acute safety risk but we will very shortly have a talk with producer,” Angeline van Dijk, an inspector with the Nederlandse Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur (RDI), told the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad. “The Netherlands attaches as much importance as France to safe use of mobile phones. Mobile phones must comply with European norms.” Belgium and Germany followed with statements of their own on Thursday, with network regulators saying that the French procedure could have a guiding function for the whole of Europe. The Independent has reached out to Apple for comment. Jean-Noel Barrot, France’s junior minister for digital economy, said on Tuesday that the ANFR’s data would be shared with other EU member states, potentially leading to a “snowball effect” for Apple. “Apple is expected to respond within two weeks,” he told the French newspaper Le Parisien. “If they fail to do so, I am prepared to order a recall of all iPhones 12 in circulation. The rule is the same for everyone, including the digital giants.” The iPhone 12 series of smartphones were already set to be discontinued following the unveiling of the iPhone 15 on Tuesday, meaning any sales ban would not have a significant impact on Apple’s phone sales. A continent-wide recall would have considerable implications for the world’s richest company, however, if a solution is not found. Read More iPhone 15: Everything Apple killed off at its major live event Everything Apple killed off at iPhone 15 event The iPhone has gone all grown-up. Here’s why we should be grateful Why Apple getting rid of lightning cable iPhone charger is a big deal

Second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the quarterfinals of the China Open with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Lorenzo Musetti in the second round

Alix Earle is in the impressive lineup of content creators, including the notable Dylan Mulvaney, as a 2023 Streamy Awards nominee