Konami confirms a useful quality-of-life feature in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater that could significantly enhance the game's immersion.
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Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Confirms Helpful Quality of Life Feature
GameStop Stock Takes Big Hit
GameStop stock price craters on the back of an unexpected announcement that seemingly shook investors' confidence in the company.
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Dallas Mavericks dream, nightmare seeding, matchup scenarios for 2025 NBA Playoffs
It’s safe to say that the 2024-25 season hasn’t been kind to the reigning Western Conference champions. The Dallas Mavericks are only at the 10th seed with a 36-38 win-loss record. Nonetheless, this is still good enough to still have a place in the Play-In Tournament conversation. However, Dallas does have an injury problem. The […]
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LeBron James, Stephen A. Smith’s feud takes boxing turn
Apparently, vocal wars are not enough for the Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith’s feud, who have an offer to take their beef to the boxing ring. TMZ Sports reports James and Smith have garnered interest from Celebrity Boxing founder Damon Feldman. He reportedly has started making calls to investors — […]
The post LeBron James, Stephen A. Smith’s feud takes boxing turn appeared first on ClutchPoints.
I’m fighting to make sure black mothers aren’t ignored
MOTHER’S DAY this year is going to be very special for Sandra Igwe as she celebrates it with her young daughters.
“I’m looking forward to home-made cards from my three girls, and my husband is taking me out for my favourite Nigerian food. I can’t wait,” she says.
It’s also a time to reflect on how far she’s come in what started out as a one-woman quest to make sure no mum gets left behind.
Lying in a hospital bed nine years ago having just given birth to her first child, Sandra felt vulnerable and dismissed.
This wasn’t how new motherhood was supposed to be.
“It was a traumatic experience. I was sent home several times, and I had a really bad experience giving birth with my first daughter Zoe in 2016 and again with my second daughter Chloe in 2018.
“They ignored my concerns. They didn’t respond in a timely manner. The nurses said I was exaggerating my pain. They accused me rather than asking me questions.
“They didn’t give me pain relief. They told me that I was in a queue, but the queue never reached me. The staff were disrespectful, unkind, not caring.”
She quickly found that her experience wasn’t just an isolated case: other black mothers had been treated differently too.
So, in 2016, Sandra founded The Motherhood Group, a social enterprise to improve the pregnancy and birth experiences of black mothers.
“When I spoke to other mothers, a lot of my white counterparts didn’t have the same complications.
“A lot of the black mothers who I spoke to sadly had negative birthing experiences as well.
“They said, ‘Oh I didn’t get pain relief either’ or ‘I was scared to raise my concerns about postpartum depression’ or ‘nobody asked about my cultural care’.”
Sadly, official statistics bear out the stark racial disparities in maternity care. Black mothers are still three times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth compared to white mothers.
With National Lottery funding, The Motherhood Group has now reached more than 18,000 women through its meet-ups, events and support networks.
BEING RECOGNISED FOR MAKING AN IMPACT… IT’S JUST WONDERFUL
The group has also trained 7,000 healthcare practitioners in how best to work with black mums – as well as helping to shape future maternity care.
“It’s grown so quickly,” Sandra says. “We started as a WhatsApp group. Now we’re doing large-scale conferences with over 500 people in attendance.”
In 2024, Sandra was chosen as one of 30 National Lottery Game Changers for the extraordinary things she’s done for The Motherhood Group with the help of National Lottery funding.
Since 1994, National Lottery players have raised over £50billion for good causes in every corner of the UK.
“Being recognised for making an impact on my community of mothers, black women, who want that support… it’s just wonderful, it means a lot to me,” says Sandra.
The initiative she’s most proud of is the recently launched Blackmums app, which uses AI technology to link up mums for baby playdates, or just a chat.
“If you’ve had depression or an emergency C section, or general parenting issues, it brings up the profile of a mother in your local area who has gone through similar things.
“That’s what I wish I’d had nine years ago when I first gave birth,” she says.
Mum of two Angela Ajiboye, 31, a practice development lead for Youth Justice, joined The Motherhood Group after having her first child during lockdown.
She went along to its Black Mum Fest event in 2021 and has never looked back.
“It was tough having a baby during Covid: everything was online for so long.
“I didn’t know anyone there, but there were other mums who looked like me, were similar ages to me and lots of great speakers.
“Being in the room with other mums and feeling like, ‘OK, I’m not the only one’ – my confidence just grew,” she says. “Then I met Sandra and she was so warm and encouraging.”
Now Angela supports other mothers at talks and events. She even created a local motherhood group, 365 Mum, and is a finalist in the Black Maternal Health Awards, proving that what goes around comes around, in bucketloads.
“The Motherhood Group will keep pushing for systemic change,” adds Sandra.
“These days we’re seeing a lot more empowerment, with mothers feeling like they can speak up for themselves – and that they can ask for support and help.”
Find out how playing The National Lottery helps change lives every day at national-lottery.co.uk/life-changing
Inspirational boxer Michael Watson walking miracle mile for 60th birthday – 34 years after Chris Eubank fight tragedy
MICHAEL WATSON is walking another miracle mile to celebrate his 60th birthday.
The British ring legend suffered catastrophic brain injuries in his 1991 super-middleweight world title loss to Chris Eubank Sr.
Dr Peter Hamlyn saved his life with emergency surgery that night and has remained by his side ever since.
And in 2003 the inspirational pair completed the 26-mile London marathon, over six hard days with a support bus to sleep on between shifts.
On Wednesday April 16, at the National Police Memorial in St James’ Park on the Mall, the pair will once again hit the streets at 1pm to raise money for The Brain and Spine Foundation.
And Watson – whose spirit and strength is staggering to spend a single second around – hopes his fans will help get him over the line again, especially after he hit 60 on March 15.
He told SunSport: “I am absolutely looking forward to the mile because I love a challenge.
“It’s Peter’s fault I have been roped into it again, he challenged me to do it for the Brain and Spine foundation and, stupidly, I said ‘yes’.
“I would do anything for him, because I class this man as my hero.
“Seeing my fans, who have always supported me so much, will be a big push to get it done too.
“That will be the energy and the will to keep pushing on, every little bit helps and hearing my fans cheering me, that will spur me on and get me over the line.
“I never made it to world champion but my fans regard me as one.”
Eubank Sr was at the end of the line in 2003 to celebrate his friend’s unfathomable achievement.
And he was at Watson’s recent milestone birthday party, where he gifted him a Rolex watch.
It was another touching moment shared between the pair, after the tragedy that befell them both on that haunting night at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane stadium.
Incredibly Watson – flanked by marvellous carer Haroun Topalak, devoted friend and PR star Geraldine Davies and Dr Hamlyn – feels happier now than he did when he was a prime prize fighter and he wants to thank British boxing fans for that.
Watson said: “Chris has true love and respect for me.
“Chris is a good soul, he is a very emotional man and he has a lot of respect for me.
“I still feel like the boxing community is in my corner and I have great people around me.
“I still feel like my fans are there for me, when I see anybody in the street, they still call me ‘Champ’.
“I feel so privileged to be English because I feel so loved by my fans, the English people make me feel like the peoples’ champion and that I am in their hearts and that will never fade away.
“British boxing fans make me feel so appreciated and it makes me feel overwhelmed and blessed to be who I am.
“From where I have come from, I am a miracle. My life has been amazing because of the people I have around me.
“I am living my purpose on this earth.
“I have been through a grueling process but I believe in a higher power and that everything happens for a reason.
“When I was in the limelight I was troubled and not at peace, I was lost.
“But now I am at peace and I am happy and content, I am at peace.”
I feel so privileged to be English because I feel so loved by my fans
Michael Watson
Incredible neurosurgeon Dr Hamlyn operated on Watson after horrific delays in getting him medical attention.
And he was by his bedside for the 40-day coma he faced and the six-years he spent in a wheelchair.
The duo will walk the mile together again and Hamlyn continues to be amazed by the physical recovery and mental fortitude Watson continues to show.
Dr Hamyln said: “Michael is truly amazing. I have never seen a man survive that type of injury.
“He faced year after year of struggles and showed incredible determination.
“What you see now is a laughing, walking, talking, laughing joking guy.
“But he went through an appalling ordeal and he only got through it thanks to his own incredible determination.
“And one day, when I asked him why he kept helping me do things for the charity, he said: ‘to help people less fortunate than me’.
“And that blew me away, he is just different.”
The Brain and Spine Foundation also have 50 runners doing the full 26-mile London Marathon, with Watson a team captain.
Queensberry’s hall-of-fame promoter Frank Warren has generously donated £25,000 for the cause and more donations can be made here.
Controversial goalkeeping tactic made famous by Jordan Pickford set to become thing of the past as new rule is clarified
GOALKEEPERS will be allowed eight seconds from catching the ball to releasing it, in the latest attempt to cut down on time-wasting.
The rule change – which comes into effect this summer – will prevent keepers from using a clever tactic often associated with Jordan Pickford.
Goalkeepers will concede a corner if they hold onto the ball for more than eight seconds.
The new rule will stamp out keepers lying on the ball after routine collections in the penalty box.
But while Everton star Pickford gets stick for this dark-art metric, virtually every other Prem stopper does it too.
And fans laughed their heads off when they accused Liverpool No 1 Alisson of mimicking Pickford in the Merseyside derby in 2022.
The law currently states that teams will concede an indirect free-kick after six seconds, but it is rarely applied.
Although, referees have dished out more yellow cards for different time-wasting tactics this season, including delaying the goal kick.
But keepers will surely now move quicker, now that the rule change will see them concede a corner for violating the eight-second law.
The count is intended to begin when the keeper has the ball in his hands or is bouncing it on the pitch – so no more flopping to the ground for ten seconds.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
After just three seconds, referees will raise their hands and fingers to count down to zero, with a corner being awarded if the keeper has not played the ball.
Positive results in trials across England, Italy and Malta have prompted the games rule-makers, the International Football Association Board (Ifab), to change the law for the start of the 2025-26 season.
This rule will be implemented worldwide by 1 July, at all levels of the game from elite to amateur.
It will also be in place for the Club World Cup, which runs from 15 June to 13 July.
The new tournament features Manchester City and Chelsea, so Premier League fans will be able to see how Ederson, Stefan Ortega, Robert Sanchez or Filip Jorgensen cope with that countdown for the first time.
Teams can also expect early casualties too.
We already know how strictly rules are enforced when they are first brought in.
Just ask Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard, who both got handed second yellow cards early this season for delaying the restart.
Arsenal files: Bukayo Saka and Gabriel contract update as Real Madrid consider transfer punt on £100m Gunners star
A MONUMENTAL summer awaits Arsenal with incomings and departures aplenty.
But there is also a pressing need to tie down their Holy Trinity for the foreseeable future.
Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Gabriel are all out of contract in June 2027 – a daunting prospect with Mikel Arteta’s Emirates project so close to landing major silverware after five years of promise and progress.
This simply cannot become a saga that is dragged into next season.
Liverpool are a prime example of the mess it can cause with Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold set to walk away in a few months.
But Arsenal fans can be fairly confident of avoiding a similar meltdown with Arteta at the helm – a manager who has the knack when it comes to convincing world class talent that North London is the place to be, and that the future remains bright and exciting.
Arteta’s ability to win one trophy since December 2019 while keeping hold of his best players and strengthening year on year – as well as maintaining the trust and support of the board and the majority of the fan base – should not be underestimated.
And when it comes to correcting a turned head or wandering eye of a player considering his options, Arteta often finds the right words to enthuse and motivate – just like Sir Alex Ferguson did in those early United days before finally tasting league glory in 1993.
Arteta is honest and respectful, but he is also ruthless and direct.
Behind the scenes, he enjoys heated debates with his staff and players during good times and bad to constantly get the very best out of them and to never feel comfortable.
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When trying to land new players, Arteta plays an active role in the negotiation process, a dominant voice in presentations that leaves those in the room in awe of his level of tactical detail and immense personalisation and passion.
Battling Manchester City for Declan Rice’s signature in the summer of 2023, Arteta and ex-sporting director Edu double-teamed the sit-down discussions in person, using the analogy of: ‘The train is leaving – are you getting on board?’
Rice’s camp had met with several clubs but Arsenal and Arteta’s proposal had blown everyone else’s out of the water.
The art of persuasion is also about subtlety, knowing when to push and when to back off.
Granit Xhaka was practically out the door in October 2019 after being booed off by his fans and stripped of the captaincy by Unai Emery before Arteta took over two months later.
In a heartfelt sit-down with Xhaka in his office, Arteta pleaded with the player to stay until the end of the season, but said he would respect his decision with his family a priority.
Xhaka ended up staying, signed a new contract a year later and played a vital role in Arsenal’s transformation into title challengers before departing in July 2023.
Talks on horizon
So what of Saka, Saliba and Gabriel? SunSport understands that Arsenal are keen to hold talks with the trio in the coming months. The club’s policy in the past has been to avoid allowing top talents getting into the last two years of their deals.
But Arteta is usually hesitant to get into negotiations mid-season. On this occasion, they still have a Champions League quarter final to look forward to.
While a deal for Hale End star Saka, 23, is a formality, Arteta knows Real Madrid are sniffing around Frenchman Saliba. In the unlikely event Arsenal were open to selling, he would be valued well past the £100m mark.
At 24, Saliba has spoken of his desire to one day be the best defender in the world, and recognises he is best placed to continue his development in the Premier League under Arteta – so long as Arsenal are competing for and winning major titles, which is now the case.
Gabriel, 27, has eye-watering interest from Saudi Arabia. A move was blocked in August 2023 which saw Arteta briefly drop the Brazilian to make sure his performances would not suffer as a result.
He has since emerged as one of the Prem’s most complete players and his family is settled and loving life in London.
Arteta has Arsenal’s prestige and history on his side, pointing to the fact this group can go down as club legends if they lift a Prem or European title.
Saliba and Gabriel are coming into their peak years. Uprooting now – with a World Cup next summer – would be a huge risk to their form.
There will also be a nudge towards their rivals. While Manchester City are undergoing a major rebuild, Arne Slot’s Liverpool may well lose three of their best players to contract disputes this summer.
There is a belief within the club that Arsenal are perfectly positioned to take advantage next term, especially as they look set to finally end their search for a top No.9 this summer – the missing piece.
Getting all three to commit by the start of next season will be a huge relief, but Arsenal are confident in Arteta’s power of persuasion.
THE NUMBERS BEHIND ISAK VS EKITIKE
ALEXANDER ISAK is the striker all Arsenal fans want to see arrive this summer.
But should Newcastle stand firm in their stance that he is not for sale, Mikel Arteta will have to look elsewhere.
SunSport revealed this week that Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike is being monitored as an alternative, and the young Frenchman compares well to Isak.
Ekitike was even targeted by Newcastle before they signed the Swede.
The France Under-21 international has a similar profile to the Toon forward, tall and imposing but sharp on the ball and blessed with pace.
While Isak has four more goals in five fewer games, Ekitike has three more assists and is not far behind when it comes to goal contributions per 90 minutes with 0.88 compared to the Newcastle man’s stunning 0.97.
The 22-year-old spent half of the season playing alongside Omar Marmoush before the Egyptian’s move to Manchester City and has stepped up since his departure.
Ekitike bagged three goals in the two games after Marmoush left for The Etihad.
The stats show that the Frankfurt forward is constantly involved up top, having more shots and shots on target compared to Isak per game, though the latter has a better conversion rate.
While Isak is clearly the more complete forward, any signing which isn’t the £150million rated Newcastle striker will have an element of risk.
Ekitike is confident that, after learning a lot during his struggles at Paris Saint-Germain, he is ready to take the next step.
A PIECE OF CAKE FOR NWANERI
SUNSPORT can exclusively reveal that Ethan Nwaneri was given celebratory cupcakes on the plane back from England U21 duty this week to celebrate his 18th birthday.
And the Hale End star has left a lasting impression on his Young Lions teammates, not just from his brilliant debut goal in the 4-2 win over Portugal at the Hawthorns on Monday.
SunSport understands that Nwaneri, along with Ipswich Town’s Omari Hutchinson – formerly of the Arsenal academy – were often the last ones to leave the training pitches at St George’s Park during their international camp.
His professionalism, attitude and mentality are second to none, highly impressive for someone of his age and limited experience so far.
There are those in the FA and the England senior set-up who feel it is only a matter of time before Nwaneri struts his stuff in the seniors under Thomas Tuchel.
MERINO’S BUSY BREAK
MIKEL MERINO has not taken his foot off the pedal during this international break.
The Arsenal midfielder – currently deputising as a striker with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out for the season – played a combined 12 minutes off the bench across two Nations League games for Spain against the Netherlands, scoring in last week’s 2-2 draw.
But not satisfied with that, he also visited his old pals back at former club Real Sociedad.
He then got in some extra strength and conditioning training with trusted Spanish personal trainer Miguel Azanza.
After breaking his shoulder in his first Arsenal training session following his summer switch, Merino has been working overtime to ensure he remains fit and available for Arteta.
The work with Azanza included weighted ball throws and band work to maintain his shoulder strength heading into the home stretch to the season.
SunSport understands Arteta and Arsenal’s coaching staff have been impressed with Merino’s physicality and competitiveness in training sessions, not one to hold back in challenges and aerial duels with teammates.
Schoolboy, 14, dies after e-scooter he was riding crashed into car as cops plea for CCTV
A SCHOOLBOY has died after an e-scooter he was riding crashed into car.
The electric vehicle with two 14-year-old riders was travelling through a junction in the direction of Southmoor Road, Manchester.
They collided with a car at around 4pm on March 19 before coming to rest on a third vehicle.
One of the boys died from injuries sustained in the crash yesterday morning.
he other boy didn’t receive serious or life-threatening injuries.
His family are currently being supported by specialist officers as enquiries continue into the collision.
They have asked for privacy as they continue to grieve their loss.
No arrests have been made and Greater Manchester Police are continuing to ask for information regarding the incident.
Detective Constable Steven Pennington, from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “A young boy has tragically lost his life following this collision and our condolences are with his family and friends.
“Our work into the circumstances of the collision is still ongoing and we continue to ask anyone with relevant information to please get in touch with us as we continue our work.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any CCTV, dashcam, or doorbell footage is asked to get in touch with officers.
This can be done by contacting police via 101 or gmp.police.uk, quoting log 2263 of 19/03/25.
Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Why Freaks And Geeks Was Canceled After Just 1 Season
Freaks and Geeks was a great sitcom that portrayed the real high school experience. Sadly, it was canceled before its time after just one season.
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