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Since Tetsuya Nomura hinted about the possibility years ago, fans have speculated about whether Kingdom Hearts 3 will have another playable character beyond Sora. Now, the sequel’s latest trailer has confirmed that is the case, and who this second character is.

Spoilers for Kingdom Hearts 3 follow! Turn back if you haven’t watched the latest trailer for the game and don’t want to know.

During the Kingdom Hearts 3 Final Battle trailer, viewable above, gameplay of Riku as a player-controlled character is shown (around the 1:06 mark).

This isn’t the first time Sora’s childhood friend has been playable in the series — notably, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, originally released for the GBA and then remade for the PS2, included a storyline featuring a playable Riku.

Nomura previously spoke with IGN in 2017 about the possibility of KH3 having a second, playable character.

The Final Battle trailer is also packed with brand new looks at KH3, including worlds we’ve seen before, like Forzen’s Arendelle and Big Hero 6’s San Fransokyo, as well as new locations clearly connected to the series lore. The second half of the trailer goes all-in on that lore, teasing many sequences and characters that seem to tie up the many disparate-yet-connected threads of the Kingdom Hearts franchise.

would appear in Kingdom Hearts 3 back in 2015. And finally, we\u0027ve gotten our first look at the world in action thanks to the TGS 2018 trailers featuring it.\r\n\r\nSan Fransokyo is an exciting potential sandbox for Sora, Donald, and Goofy to explore. A beautifully realized combination of Tokyo and San Francisco, the cityscape has such an inventive visual flair that should make battles as entertaining on the ground as they could be flying across the skyline.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/09\/18\/02-1537295729309.png”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/09\/18\/02-1537295729309_{size}.png”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”04″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”The Caribbean \u2014 As revealed during the third of three Kingdom Hearts 3 trailer, Pirates of the Caribbean is returning to the franchise. A world based on the live-action series first appeared in Kingdom Hearts 2 as Port Royal, but this latest take on the world of Jack Sparrow looks much more expansive. The trailer showcased ship combat, underwater traversal, and even mid-air combat. Jack Sparrow has been confirmed as a party member.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/06\/13\/kh3-e32018-screenshot-battle05-1528904717411.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/06\/13\/kh3-e32018-screenshot-battle05-1528904717411_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”05″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Arendelle \u2014 Confirmed during the first of three Kingdom Hearts 3 trailers at E3 2018, Frozen\u0027s Arendelle is finally set to appear in KH3. Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Svenn, and more from the beloved film are set to appear, while one of the world\u0027s major gameplay mechanics revealed is \u0022Goofy Curling.\u0022 The brief scene of curling depicted Sora, Donald, and Goofy racing down a hillside on Goofy\u0027s shield.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/06\/13\/kh3-e32018-screenshot-event10-1528904717415.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/06\/13\/kh3-e32018-screenshot-event10-1528904717415_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”06″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Andy\u0027s House (Toy Story) \u2014 As part of the confirmation that Square planed for KH3 to release in 2018, the company revealed the franchise\u0027s first Pixar world, Toy Story. The lengthy clip revealed Sora, Donald, and Goofy in toy-form, fighting alongside some of Andy\u0027s most familiar toys like Woody, both inside the boy\u0027s room and outside on the lawn.\r\n Additionally, a toy store will play a major location in this world, where players will have the chance to pilot mech-like robot toys on the battlefield.”,”height”:766,”width”:1362,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/toy-story-trailer-screens-5-1518122341031.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/toy-story-trailer-screens-5-1518122341031_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”07″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”MONSTERS, INC. \u2014 Following a leak of screenshots over the last several months, Square Enix confirmed the second Pixar world coming to KH3. Featuring Mike and Sulley as party members, the Monsters, Inc. factory will also be home to new transformations for Sora, Donald, and Goofy. It also appears the film\u0027s signature doors, which allow monsters to travel, will play a role in the game, though it\u0027s unclear if Sora and the gang will teleport through them themselves.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/12\/mi-group-1518455707491.png”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/12\/mi-group-1518455707491_{size}.png”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”08″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Mount Olympus (Hercules) \u2014 Square confirmed a heavy Hercules presence with KH3\u0027s 2015 gameplay trailer, showcasing a massive battle against Lythos the Rock Titan. But more and more has been revealed about the world that promises a new take on the world of Hercules than either KH1 or KH2, which were simply the Coliseum and then the underworld, respectively. It seems players will actually be scaling Mount Olympus, exploring the home of Herc in a cloud-topped world of stylized Greek architecture. Hades also appears to once again play a key role in the franchise, with an intriguing discussion between him and Maleficent taking the spotlight in the E3 2017 KH3 trailer.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-orchtrailer-006-1497209741209-1518050288195.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-orchtrailer-006-1497209741209-1518050288195_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”09″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Twilight Town (Kingdom Hearts 2) \u2014 The hometown of Roxas returns in KH3. Though gameplay from it has appeared since, Twilight Town actually appeared in the first KH3 teaser trailer from 2013, offering the first glimpse of gameplay in the sequel.”,”height”:1078,”width”:1918,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-02re-1518050288192.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-02re-1518050288192_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:10,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Yen Sid\u0027s Tower (KH2) \u2014 An extension of Twilight Town, Yen Sid\u0027s Tower has nevertheless become a key gathering point for characters in the series, including in Kingdom Hearts 2.8\u0027s 0.2: a fragmentary passage. Yen Sid offered Sora his marching orders for KH3, along with the rest of the group, in that brief bridging chapter, but glimpses at the game in previous KH3 trailers indicate the area will be playable again.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-fix-1518050288194.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-fix-1518050288194_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:11,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Old Mansion (KH2) \u2014 Another extension of Twilight Town in KH2, the Old Mansion is nevertheless and major location that played a big role in KH2 and looks to be another hot spot for plot developments in KH3. The site of Roxas\u0027 birth, becomes a member of Organization XIII, and where he eventually reunites with Sora, the Old Mansion pops up again in KH3 trailers.\r\nMost prominently, Sora faces off with Xemnas outside its walls for a heated conversation during the KH3 2017 Orchestra\/E3 trailer.”,”height”:576,”width”:1024,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-orchtrailer-14-1497209741217-1024w-1518122265545.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-orchtrailer-14-1497209741217-1024w-1518122265545_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:12,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Kingdom of Corona (Tangled) \u2014The first new Disney world confirmed for Kingdom Hearts 3, Corona comes from the recent trend of 3D animated Disney films. From what we\u0027ve seen so far, Rapunzel\u0027s castle and the surrounding woods play a part in the world, but it\u0027s unclear what else from the film will play a part in the role.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-01re-1518050288190.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-01re-1518050288190_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:13,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”RUMORS – Ahead of D23 Expo Japan 2018 earlier this year, plenty of rumors floated around about possible new KH3 worlds. IGN dove into how likely we think a Monsters, Inc. or World Ends With You world in Kingdom Hearts 3 may be. Though of course, Monsters, Inc. has now officially been revealed as a world coming to the game.\r\n\r\nStay tuned to IGN and this gallery for updates as Square Enix reveals them.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/09\/kh3rumors-1280-1516310810832-1518198539595.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/09\/kh3rumors-1280-1516310810832-1518198539595_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:14,”albumTotalCount”:14}]’
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While this new, official look at the game is exciting for fans, unfortunately seemingly leaked copies of the game have led to spoiler-filled videos and posts online. Nomura addressed the leak in a statement, urging fans to be vigilant about potential spoilers, while also acknowledging that certain parts of the game have yet to be included.  Kingdom Hearts 3 finished development back in November, however.

For more on Kingdom Hearts 3, check out every world confirmed for the game so far, the key art used for the game’s box, and check out the limited edition Kingdom Hearts 3 PS4 Pro bundle (and let us know if you were able to buy one in the comments below!)

And for a lighter take on Kingdom Hearts, check out as IGN’s Jonathon Dornbush quizzes the panelists on Beyond!, our weekly PlayStation show, about their Kingdom Hearts trophy knowledge below.

Jonathon Dornbush is IGN”s Kingdom Hearts expert, Beyond! host, News Editor, and PlayStation lead. Talk to him about the latest trailer on Twitter @jmdornbush.

A Big Old Guide To Planning For Christmas

April 4, 2019 | News | No Comments

Unless you’re living in a very comfortable cave, under a rock in the middle of nowhere, you probably know Christmas is fast approaching. And if you’re like most of us, you probably have a ton of Christmas planning you’ve been putting off.

But procrastinate no more, because we’re here to help you with all the info you need to have fun, easy, and organized holiday celebrations. Whether you’re hosting Christmas dinner or having a party, here are all the links you need to get ready for Christmas.

Planning for an organized Christmas

Sometimes holiday planning can seem like a big looming anvil hanging over your head. But there are lots of ways for you avoid stress and host confidently. You got this.

A Holiday Dinner Checklist You Can Start Now For A Stress-Free Party

If you follow this calendar, you and your guests will all be merry and bright during the most wonderful time of the year.

Tips For Being The Perfect Party Host

Whether you’re throwing an intimate dinner party or a big holiday bash, here are a few helpful hints to help you host your next get-together with style and ease.

Holiday Hosting Checklist

There are lots of things that can be easy to forget when you’re in the planning stages — where is everyone going to put their coats? Do you have enough soap in your bathroom? What’s the right music level? Luckily, here’s a checklist to make sure everything goes according to plan.

Easy decorating ideas

DIY Holiday Centrepiece Ideas

This is one use for pomegranates you never saw coming.

20 Christmas Decorating Ideas You Can Create Without A Tree

Even if you don’t have room for a tree, there are a ton of creative ways to decorate for Christmas. (Snowflake mobile, anyone?)

Keeping your kids busy

Let’s be honest — for parents, this is a pretty big concern.

Tips To Help Stressed Parents Actually Enjoy The Christmas Season

For many parents — and often moms in particular — Christmas is the most stressful time of the year. Here are some tips to help squelch the holiday stressors.

10 Ways To Entertain The Kids Over Christmas That Won’t Cost You A Dime

Many parents might be getting increasingly anxious about what to do with the kids with all the extra time on their hands. Here are some free family activities — and, as a bonus, none of them involve a screen.

Making food for vegetarians and people with allergies

Pro tip: make sure you find out everyone’s food preferences well advance of the big day.

How To Accommodate A Variety Of Dietary Needs This Holiday Season

Deciding what dishes to make when you have guests that are vegan, ketogenic, paleo and/or gluten-free might seem impossible. But the good news is there are a number of ingredients that accommodate everyone.

30 Meatless Mains To Serve At Christmas

Turkey and ham are far from your only Christmas dinner options. From squash galette to vegan moussaka, to mushroom Wellington, here are a ton of vegetarian-friendly recipes.

The best Christmas dinner side dishes and appetizers

Turkey is only one part of the equation. There are lots of appetizers, sides and salads that you can prep in advance, and here are some of our favourite suggestions.

35 Appetizers That Are Perfect For Holiday Parties

From goat cheese balls to vegan walnut pâté, and even bacon-covered dates, these canapés will satisfy everyone’s cravings.

Impress Your Guests With This Delicious Christmas Eve Menu

Polenta crostini with roasted red peppers and olives? Tomato soup with parmesan dumplings? Cranberry martini? Yes, yes, and yes. If you’re not intimidated by a slightly more upscale menu, try these winning recipes.

Tackling the turkey

Yes, turkeys are terrifying if you’re a first-timer. But it can be done.

Ultimate Turkey Hacks

Here’s a video to show you everything you need to know in order to not give your guests food poisoning.

Wait, what if I eat meat, but don’t want turkey?

Don’t worry, non-turkey meat eater, we’re here for you too.

31 Scrumptious Christmas Dinner Recipes

Roast beef, shrimp, even chicken can be worthy of the Christmas treatment if you do it properly.

Recipe: Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder With Pear Mostarda

Mark McEwan’s excessively delicious recipe — and it even comes with a wine pairing.

What should I do with those leftovers?

So glad you asked.

13 Brilliant (And Delicious) Recipes To Use Leftover Turkey After Thanksgiving

Turkey sandwiches are just the beginning.

Alternative Uses For Leftover Holiday Food

Did you know that ham makes great stock? Or that champagne can be used in salad dressings?

Festive Christmas drinks

Because eating, drinking and being merry is what the holidays are all about — with an emphasis on drinking for many celebrations.

20 Amazing Recipes To Help Get Your Christmas Drink On

Hot chocolate is great. But have you tried bourbon hot chocolate?

Troubleshooting

Let’s be honest: it’s not impossible that something will go wrong. No matter your level of experience, this is bound to happen.

Kitchen Hacks To Fix The Most Common Holiday Cooking Disasters

With these tips, you can deal with the kitchen nightmares that come your way, whether you don’t have enough oven space, you’ve burned your cookies, or your gravy just isn’t cooperating.

Delectable desserts

28 Christmas Desserts That Aren’t Cookies

We all love cookies, of course! But what about mince pies? Adorably decorated cupcakes? Rich chocolate cakes with festive icing? The world of non-cookie holiday desserts, both traditional and modern, is too rich to ignore.

Rice Krispie Snowballs Are Here To Save Your Christmas Potluck

Kids will love these — and some adults probably will, too. (Ahem.)

Self-care

Through your cooking and decorating and shopping and wrapping and drinking, it’s important that you remember to take care of yourself.

How To Stay Healthy During The Holidays

Remember that scene in “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” where Indiana is trying not to get run down by the giant boulder? That’s what the holidays can feel like due to the avalanche of food attacking you from every direction.

How To Spend The Holidays With Difficult Relatives

According to one expert, toxic behaviour can ramp up during the holidays because it’s a time of year when difficult folks have their largest audiences and “when they can gain manipulative control over their family members.” But there are ways around this.

OTTAWA — The federal government and the provinces must examine “monstrous” allegations of modern-day forced sterilizations of Indigenous women, NDP reconciliation critic Romeo Saganash said Monday before he pressed for answers in the House of Commons.

Coerced sterilization clearly breaches human-rights standards that Canada must fight to uphold, Saganash in an interview Monday, and said that authorities should very carefully read Article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide adopted by the UN in 1948.

That international agreement says that “genocide” includes any acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, such as by “imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.”

‘They have to take this seriously’

Canadians should not tolerate allegations of forced sterilization in their country, Saganash said, and Ottawa must address the issue as victims share their stories.

“I think they have to take this seriously,” said the Cree lawyer and MP from northern Quebec. “Just the fact that it is happening and people are coming out makes it serious enough to look for a solution.”

The issue of forced sterilizations will also be raised at the UN Committee Against Torture this week, when Amnesty International Canada and a national law firm call for accountability for the practice.

Class-action lawsuit proposed

Maurice Law is leading a proposed class-action lawsuit against the federal government, the government of Saskatchewan, all its health authorities, and individual medical professionals.

The lawsuit was launched in 2017 by two affected women in the Saskatoon Health Region who each claimed $7 million in damages. Now about 60 women are part of the lawsuit.

An additional 32 women have come forward to report they were sterilized without consent since The Canadian Press first published a story last Sunday, associate Alisa Lombard said Monday, noting the women are mostly from Saskatchewan but elsewhere as well.

Earlier: Romeo Saganash says Trudeau doesn’t give ‘f–k’ about Indigenous rights

In its submission to the UN committee, Maurice Law said there has been no effort at a comprehensive review to understand the scale of the problem or the conditions that make forced sterilizations possible.

It also listed a number of solutions, including a proposal to specifically criminalize forced sterilization as the “single most effective, immediate and enduring measure that could be taken” to protect women from this practice.

The Liberal government has not indicated it is looking at this step.

During question period on Monday, Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott said the Liberal government knows coerced sterilization is a gross violation of human rights and of reproductive rights.

The federal government is actively working with provinces and faculties of medicine to ensure safe and culturally appropriate health care is available across the country, she added.

“This is not something that any one order of government can address alone,” Philpott said. “All Canadians have a responsibility to ensure that these practices never happen again.”

For its part, Amnesty International Canada has recommended the federal government appoint a special representative to examine the prevalence of the practice.

Yvonne Boyer, a Metis senator for Ontario, has welcomed this recommendation. She’s said that tubal ligations carried out on unwilling Indigenous women constitute one of the “most heinous” practices in health care in Canada.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde also wants to see the scope of forced sterilization examined and called the practice wrong, immoral and a gross human-rights violation.

SURREY, CANADA — The World Baseball Softball Confederation announced that a record 31 nations will be competing at the 15th WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship in Surrey, Canada, from July 15-24.

The 15th Women’s Softball World Championship in Surrey will bring together the world’s top softball athletes from all five regions, representing the largest global footprint in the event’s history, as eleven nations will be making their women’s world championship debuts.

 

Stepping onto the women’s softball world stage for the first time are: Brazil, Ecuador, India, Ireland, Israel, Kenya, Pakistan, Peru, Serbia, Switzerland, and Uganda.

  • Africa (2): Kenya, Uganda
  • Americas (10): Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Peru, United States, Venezuela, and host Canada;
  • Asia (6): China, Chinese Taipei, India, Japan, Pakistan, Philippines;
  • Europe (11): Austria, Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Serbia, Switzerland;
  • Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand.

WBSC Softball President, Dale McMann said: “The worldwide interest and development of our sport globally is reflected in the widest field of nations participating in the pinnacle women’s softball event, while new nations continue to enrich and emerge upon our sport’s global stage.”

 

Round Robin sections announced

The 31 nations of the 2016 WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship have been delegated to their respective sections and will open the event with a group round robin:

  • Section 1: Japan, Venezuela, France;
  • Section 2: USA, Brazil, Austria, Israel;
  • Section 3: Australia, Mexico, Switzerland, Serbia;
  • Section 4: Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Uganda;
  • Section 5: Chinese Taipei, Puerto Rico, India, Ecuador;
  • Section 6: Netherlands, Czech Republic, Philippines, Pakistan;
  • Section 7: China, Cuba, Guatemala, Greece;
  • Section 8: New Zealand, Italy, Kenya, Peru.

The Women’s National Team of Japan will head to Surrey as the two-time defending world champions, capturing gold medals in Haarlem (NED) in 2014 and Whitehorse (CAN) in 2012.

 

The United States — the Eagles — have won nine total women’s world championships and took home the silver medal in 2012 and 2014. Oceania’s Australia — the Aussie Spirit — claimed the bronze medal in Whitehorse and Haarlem. Host Canada is expected to perform well after their gold-medal win at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.

 

International selection of Umpires

WBSC has appointed 30 umpires from 18 countries from all corners of the world to officiate in the 15th WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship 2016.

Officials uniting in Surry will be arriving from Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Spain, USA, and Venezuela.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.surrey2016.com.

— Courtesy of the World Baseball Softball Confederation

The Punisher Season 2 Official Trailer

April 4, 2019 | News | No Comments

Netflix has released the official trailer for Season 2 of Marvel’s The Punisher.

In Season 2, Jon Bernthal returns as Frank Castle, who up until now has been living a quiet life out on the road. He ends up becoming involved in an attempted murder of a young girl, played by Giorgia Whigham.

New and old enemies come into his life and he is pressured to make the decision on whether or not to fully accept himself as the Punisher.

Netflix revealed the premiere date for Season 2 of Jan. 18 in a teaser trailer last week, which featured Jigsaw – Castle’s old best friend, Billy Russo, who is now embracing his villainous self.

\r\n
\r\nThe first episode also includes a direct nod to that source material when Micro says, \u0022Welcome back, Frank.\u0022 That happens to be the subtitle of Ennis and Dillon\u0027s original Punisher miniseries from 2000, where they revamped the character after a period of questionable stories. “,”height”:718,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/01—dillon-ennis-punisher-1511191614470.png”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/01—dillon-ennis-punisher-1511191614470_{size}.png”,”credit”:”Marvel Comics”,”objectRelationName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/tv\/the-punisher-netflix”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:”02″,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”The season includes another fun nod to Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank as Frank attacks several members of the Gnucci crime family. The Gnuccis and their twisted matriarch, Ma Gnucci, serve as the main antagonists in Welcome Back, Frank. Could the series be setting her up for a prominent role in a future season?”,”height”:1080,”width”:1919,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/02—ma-gnucci-1511191614474.png”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/02—ma-gnucci-1511191614474_{size}.png”,”credit”:”Marvel Comics”,”objectRelationName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/tv\/the-punisher-netflix”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:”03″,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”Fans of the Punisher comics were no doubt waiting to see when and if Billy Russo would make his transformation from handsome psychopath to the horrifically scarred killer known as Jigsaw this season. That finally happened in the season finale, with Frank leaving his former friend brutally injured but still alive to seek revenge in Season 2. The season foreshadowed that twist a number of times, including Billy\u0027s line to Curtis about being \u0022better at putting people back together.\u0022 “,”height”:680,”width”:1208,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/03—billy-russo-1511191614477.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/03—billy-russo-1511191614477_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:”Netflix\/Marvel”,”objectRelationName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/tv\/the-punisher-netflix”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:”04″,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”The first episode reveals that Frank is working under the cover alias \u0022Pete Castiglione.\u0022 That\u0027s a nod to the fact that, in the comics, the \u0022Castle\u0022 name is an Americanized version of \u0022Castiglione,\u0022 and that Frank\u0027s family emigrated from Sicily. It\u0027s not actually clear if the character retains his Sicilian heritage in the MCU, but it is mentioned at one point that his late wife\u0027s grandmother was Sicilian.”,”height”:1118,”width”:1986,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/04—castiglione-1511191614480.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/04—castiglione-1511191614480_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:”Marvel Comics”,”objectRelationName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/tv\/the-punisher-netflix”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:”05″,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”Episode 3 offers a detailed flashback to Frank\u0027s military service in Afghanistan and the events that helped shape him into the Punisher. Frank\u0027s military career has long been an important part of his origin story. Originally, he was portrayed as a Vietnam veteran, but the comics and adaptations have generally updated that to keep pace with the rolling timeline of the Marvel Universe. The one big exception is Punisher MAX, which retained the Vietnam setting and allowed Frank to age in real time.”,”height”:575,”width”:1023,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/05—vietnam-1511191614482.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/05—vietnam-1511191614482_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:”Marvel Comics”,”objectRelationName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/tv\/the-punisher-netflix”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:”06″,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”The various Netflix shows take pains to give each costumed character their own designated corner of New York City. Where Luke Cage defends Harlem and Daredevil Hell\u0027s Kitchen, the Punisher seems to have made Queens his preferred stomping grounds. That also happens to be the home turf of Spider-Man, and this could be a reference to the fact that the Punisher started life as a supporting character in the Spider-Man comics. Unfortunately, we\u0027re not expecting a crossover between Jon Bernthal\u0027s Frank Castle and Tom Holland\u0027s Peter Parker anytime soon. “,”height”:819,”width”:1455,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/06—spider-man-1511191614484.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/06—spider-man-1511191614484_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:”Marvel Comics”,”objectRelationName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/tv\/the-punisher-netflix”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:”07″,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”The series seems to pay tribute to the 2004 Punisher movie when Frank spray-paints his trademark skull logo on his body armor, much in the same way Thomas Jane\u0027s Frank Castle did in that film. The 1989 Punisher movie was supposed to feature a similar scene, but it was cut from the final version of the film.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/spraypainted-skull-1511191614503.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/spraypainted-skull-1511191614503_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:”Lionsgate”,”objectRelationName”:”The Punisher [2004]”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/movies\/the-punisher-2004″,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:”08″,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”As this season establishes, Frank seems to prefer reading to pass the time when he isn\u0027t gunning down criminals or mourning his dead family. One of his reading choices is especially apt. Herman Melville\u0027s Moby Dick tells the story of a ruthless whale hunter who sacrifices everything in a futile attempt to destroy the great white whale that ruined his life. Frank\u0027s crusade against criminals is much the same. It\u0027s a war that, sooner or later, has to result in Frank Castle\u0027s death.”,”height”:892,”width”:1585,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/07—moby-dick-1511191614486.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/07—moby-dick-1511191614486_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:”Baronet Books”,”objectRelationName”:”The Punisher [2004]”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/movies\/the-punisher-2004″,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:”09″,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”Billy Russo also showed a habit of choosing ironically appropriate reading material this season. At one point Billy is seen reading Oscar Wilde\u0027s The Picture of Dorian Gray, which is about a hedonistic aristocrat who sells his soul in order to remain young and beautiful. The extremely vain Billy would surely take that deal, but by the end of Season 1, it\u0027s far too late for him.\r\n
\r\n
\r\nFunnily enough, actor Ben Barnes actually starred in a 2009 film adaptation of the book. Apparently he specializes in playing handsome degenerates.”,”height”:809,”width”:1439,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/08—dorian-gray-1511191614488.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/08—dorian-gray-1511191614488_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:”Momentum Pictures”,”objectRelationName”:”Dorian Gray [2009]”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/movies\/dorian-gray”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:10,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”At one point this season, Billy is described as \u0022a man of wealth and taste\u0022 by Curtis. That\u0027s a well-known line from The Rolling Stones\u0027 1968 hit \u0022Sympathy for the Devil.\u0022 There are certainly comparisons to be drawn between both the song\u0027s unholy protagonist and the suave but sadistic Billy Russo.”,”height”:871,”width”:1548,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/09—rolling-stones-1511191614490.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/09—rolling-stones-1511191614490_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Dorian Gray [2009]”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/movies\/dorian-gray”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:11,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”Episode 4 sees the PTSD-addled Lewis trying to bond with his father by watching a replay of the classic \u0022Rumble in the Jungle\u0022 boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. That match took place in 1974, which also happens to be the same year that the Punisher debuted in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man #129.”,”height”:614,”width”:1091,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/10—rumble-in-the-jungle-1511191614492.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/10—rumble-in-the-jungle-1511191614492_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Dorian Gray [2009]”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/movies\/dorian-gray”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:12,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”The season includes several references to previous Netflix shows and the larger MCU. One of the more obvious of these is the rematch between Frank and the biker gang known as the Dogs of War, with Frank trying to clear up unfinished business from Daredevil: Season 2. The Dogs of War have also appeared in Marvel\u0027s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and at this point are one of the only direct links between the Netflix shows and that ABC series.”,”height”:768,”width”:1366,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/11—dogs-of-hell-1511191614495.png”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/11—dogs-of-hell-1511191614495_{size}.png”,”credit”:”Netflix\/Marvel”,”objectRelationName”:”Dorian Gray [2009]”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/movies\/dorian-gray”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:13,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”Naturally, actor Rob Morgan stopped by to reprise his role as Turk Barrett. Turk is one of the few characters to regularly appear in different Marvel Netflix shows. And with Rosario Dawson\u0027s Claire Temple sitting this one out, Turk is basically the glue holding this corner of the MCU together.”,”height”:800,”width”:1421,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/12—turk-barrett-marvel-daredevil-1511191614496.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/12—turk-barrett-marvel-daredevil-1511191614496_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:”Netflix\/Marvel”,”objectRelationName”:”Dorian Gray [2009]”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/movies\/dorian-gray”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:14,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”Visits to the New York Bulletin offices are usually good for a few Marvel references. This time around, we see a newspaper headline that reads, \u0022Chaos Under the Streets,\u0022 which is Karen Page\u0027s story on the the final battle between the Defenders and the Hand in The Defenders: Season 1. That helps clarify some when The Punisher: Season 1 takes place in relation to the other shows.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/13—defenders-underground-1511191614498.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/13—defenders-underground-1511191614498_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:”Netflix\/Marvel”,”objectRelationName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Defenders”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/tv\/the-defenders-marvel”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:15,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”As is always the case with these Netflix shows, The Punisher doesn\u0027t do much to reference the characters and events of the MCU films. However, there is one interesting link in the form of the WHiH news channel, which airs a story about Frank being discovered alive following his jailbreak from Daredevil: Season 2. That channel has become a mainstay of recent MCU projects like Ant-Man, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/14—whih-news-1511191614500.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/14—whih-news-1511191614500_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:”Marvel Studios”,”objectRelationName”:”Ant-Man”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/movies\/ant-man”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:16,”albumTotalCount”:17},{“caption”:”The show pays tribute to an unexpected piece of Punisher history in Episode 4. One of the criminals Frank attacks lands atop a pinball machine in a shot straight out of this Punisher action figure from Diamond Select Toys.”,”height”:562,”width”:999,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/15—marvel-select-figure-1511191614501.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2017\/11\/20\/15—marvel-select-figure-1511191614501_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:”Diamond Select Toys”,”objectRelationName”:”Ant-Man”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/movies\/ant-man”,”albumName”:”Marvel\u0027s The Punisher: The 16 Coolest Easter Eggs and Comic Book References”,”relativePosition”:17,”albumTotalCount”:17}]’
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Netflix/Marvel

The Punisher is one of only two Marvel shows left on Netflix, as Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and most recently, Daredevil were all canceled.

The cancellations are speculated to be due to Disney launching their own streaming service, Disney+ in late 2019.

For more on the newest season of The Punisher, check out everything we learned on our set visit for Season 2 and read our review of Season 1 where we said, “The Punisher sets itself apart from the rest of the Marvel Netflix series with a great first season.”

Jessie Wade is a news writer at IGN and will probably be bingeing Season 2 the day it comes out. Chat with her on Twitter @jessieannwade if you so please.

An Israeli comedian who joked that she wants to marry Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has become a sensation on Arab social media, with some news outlets even reporting her tongue-in-cheek proposal as genuine.

Noam Shuster-Eliassi playfully suggested tying the knot with the Saudi royal during an interview with Arabic-language channel i24. After lamenting that “nobody likes a tall and strong girl,” the unmarried 32-year-old entertainer complained that her family was pressuring her to find a husband, who told her that any man would do, even a non-Jew. Shuster-Eliassi, however, said she was hunting for a real Prince Charming.

“I don’t want to [marry] just any person. I want to shoot high,” Shuster-Eliassi told the i24 host. “There is the tall [Syrian President] Bashar Assad. But – no, no, no – he won’t work. MBS [Mohammed bin Salman]. MBS is a very tall man and I know that there are now… more relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel,” she quipped.

While the joke went unnoticed in Israel, it spread like wildfire across Arab social media, with several news sites even reporting the suggested match – which sounds like the premise of a poorly-conceived romantic comedy, or a deeply deranged Disney cartoon – as a serious proposal.

One Moroccan news site, for example, reported that Shuster-Eliassi “was courting bin Salman and wishing to tie a knot with him.”

Her comment circulated widely on the internet after Faisal al-Qassem, a well-known media personality in the Arab world, wrote a Facebook post about the unorthodox union. The joke was later picked up by BBC Arabic and Al-Jazeera.

Shuster-Eliassi has expressed surprise over the attention her seemingly innocuous joke has received.

“I did not expect by any means for it to explode in this way,” she told the Times of Israel. “I have never experienced something on this scale.”

She speculated that the faux proposal received so much media attention in the Arab world because it coincided with a US-led conference on the Middle East in Warsaw, which senior officials from Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states attended.

“The joke was that Saudi and Israel are already having secret meetings, so I asked for him to help me with being single and building my party,” she said. “The timing with the Warsaw summit is what made it take off. I think the Arab world used it as ammunition to say something about what is happening and the narrow interests that are leading the region.”

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When we talk about royal fashion — which we do pretty often — the conversation is generally centred around Meghan Markle or Kate Middleton. And for good reason: the two duchesses are known for being impeccably fashion-forward. (We still have trouble not taking Kate’s gorgeous coat collection as a personal insult. How is it fair that she has so many custom-made Catherine Walker originals and we don’t?!)

But there’s one figure who’s rarely included in these discussions, even though she absolutely deserves to be: Queen Elizabeth herself. It can’t be easy being stylish at age 92, but she pulls it off.

Everyone knows her fashion sense as clean, elegant and monochromatic: she almost always wears one solid colour, often with a matching hat, pearl necklaces, and clean white gloves. And she’s carried the same black leather handbag by Launer for more than 50 years, as Today reported. (She even uses it to send messages to her staff, apparently: royal historian Hugo Vickers once told People that the Queen’s handlers will come rescue her from a boring conversation if she places her bag on the floor.)

Maybe some of the more critical onlookers out there would call the Queen’s style boring, but as it turns out, she has been experimental —in her own, very narrowly-defined context, of course.

After she was crowned in the early 1950s, Queen Elizabeth generally wore modest and elegant versions of clothing that was popular at the time, which often included full and high-waisted skirts.

But you might be shocked to learn that in the ’60s, she sometimes wore sleeveless dresses. Scandalous!

She always liked hats, but the accessory really took off in the 1970s. Several were turban-like, as was the fashion at the time, but she also likes Bretons, pillbox hats, and wide-brimmed top hats. Beyond their aesthetic purpose, hats were attention-getting for a reason, fashion curator Caroline de Guitaut told The New York Times two years ago, when she and her colleagues at the Royal Collection Trust organized a restrospective on royal fashion at Buckingham Palace.

Hats “enable people who want to catch a glimpse of her to spot her immediately,” de Guitaut told the paper. “Almost every hat she wears is strategic, ensuring her face is fully visible but also framed in a range of styles over the years that were often considered very avant-garde for their day.”

She continued to wear royalty-appropriate fashionable clothes through the 1970s and ’80s, such as a caftan dress when she met Pierre Trudeau in 1977 and shoulder pads during a trip to Australia in 1986, Insider points out.

(Quick refresher in the Canadian history of admirably petty photobombing: that was the same year when then-prime minister Trudeau did a pirouette in a photo behind the Queen to “show his disdain for the monarchy.”)

Of course, her choices often have diplomatic codes — just like Meghan Markle wore a “Fiji blue” gown while in the islands during last fall’s royal tour, Queen Elizabeth often connects her wardrobe to the conditions of the place where she’s visiting. For instance, on her delicate first post-WWII visit to Germany, the Queen wore a turquoise organza silk gown by another frequently collaborator of hers, the tailor Hardy Amies. According to the New York Times, Amies used silver thread and beading on the gown, meant to evoke to interiors of the palaces she visited.

And that same year, the Queen wore a green dress with the insignia of the Order of Ethiopia when she visited the east African country.

But her monochromatic coat-and-hat look is without a doubt the Queen’s most iconic at this point in her life — it’s largely all she’s been seen wearing since the 1990s. The looks are tasteful and simple, often with details that add a dash of whimsy.

And it’s not a brand-new look, either: the Queen, practical as she is, has long embraced the simple look.

Despite this impressive display, the Queen was never overly concerned with fashion, according to her longtime collaborator, the British couturier Sir Norman Hartnell, who designed many state gowns for her (including her coronation dress.)

“The queen and queen mother do not want to be fashion setters,” Hartnell once said. “That’s left to other people with less important work to do.”

Could have fooled us.

WICHITA, Kan. – Oklahoma City University softball coach and NFCA Hall of Famer Phil McSpadden became the first four-year college coach to reach 1,500 career victories after the Stars’ 7-4 eight-inning win over Baker (Kan.) and a 6-1 triumph over Kansas Wesleyan at Two Rivers Youth Club in the Friends Tournament on Friday.

McSpadden, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014, moved his coaching record to 1,500-361 in his 29th year at OCU. The Stars, ranked sixth in the NAIA, improved to 22-0 on the season.

On April 10, 2015, McSpadden took the lead in wins against four-year schools among college softball coaches with OCU’s 8-0 win over Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) in Oklahoma City. McSpadden passed Margie Wright (NFCA ’00), who had 1,457.

In college softball, Mike Candrea (NFCA ’96) can claim more victories than McSpadden. Candrea has 1,625 college softball wins – 1,440 at Arizona and 185 at the junior-college level with Central Arizona.

— Courtesy of Oklahoma City Assistant Athletic Director for Communications Rich Tortorelli

 

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has warned that the 2015 migrant crisis – which saw millions of migrants pour into Europe – was just the beginning and that a new wave of African migrants may soon overwhelm the continent.

“Everything that we experienced in 2015 will happen again, and it will be bigger,” the nationalist leader told German newspaper Die Welt. “Soon the Arab countries will surpass the European countries in population. And I haven’t mentioned Africa yet, where soon there will be more people than can be fed.”

Brussels cries ‘conspiracy’ over Hungary’s ads showing smiling Soros behind EU immigration agenda

Orban has emerged as one of the most vocal opponents of non-European immigration in recent years. As waves of migrants flowed from the Middle East in 2015, Orban constructed a razor-wire border fence and refused passage for asylum seekers whose claims were rejected. Since then he has refused to meet EU migrant relocation quotas and has criminalized individuals and NGOs suspected of “enabling illegal immigration.”

“Hungary is a frontier country,” Orban told Die Welt. “We live our lives in complete readiness. We have many thousands of soldiers and policemen at our southern border,” he added, warning that “today it depends only on decisions of the Turkish government whether the many millions of refugees that are there will set out for Europe.”

As the migrant crisis dragged on, Africa replaced the Middle East as the source of Europe’s migrant influx. Orban called for the establishment of a new body of ministers in Europe to deal with any future immigration from the continent of 1.3 billion people.

“A separate body needs to be created for this, where only the interior ministers of the Schengen zone would sit,” he explained. “The interior ministers of the Schengen zone would need to turn this into a very strong council, where questions that concern the whole Schengen zone would be decided in the manner of experts and not of politicians.”

EU leadership is unlikely to look to Orban for policy advice, however. The European Parliament voted to sanction Hungary for Orban’s anti-migration policies in September, and momentum is currently building to expel the Hungarian leader’s Fidesz party from the European People’s Party umbrella group.

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Kurdish fighters and their allies in the Syrian Democratic Forces launched an assault on the final stronghold of the Islamic State terrorist group in Baghouz, Syria. Some IS militants have dug in, prepared to fight to the death.

US-backed Kurdish forces have killed “dozens” of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS or ISIL) jihadists overnight, SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said on Twitter. IS militants have dug in to their positions, however, and launched several suicide attacks on the Kurds and SDF.

The final push on Baghouz, a small town on the banks of the Euphrates river near the Iraqi border, began on Sunday night after civilians had been allowed to evacuate for several weeks. Many of the evacuated civilians are wives and children of the jihadists.

More than 4,000 IS militants had surrendered in the last month, Bali told Reuters. A core of their most die-hard members remained inside, determined to fight to the death.

As darkness fell on Baghouz, airstrikes pummelled the town and the Kurds and SDF peppered its buildings with gunfire. Footage by RT’s video agency Ruptly shows the moment of the air raid.

As Kurdish forces closed in on Baghouz, they seized weapons caches, clothing, and coins minted by the Islamic State. These spoils are the last remnants of a “caliphate” that once controlled huge swathes of Iraqi and Syrian territory.

Some of the IS fighters and their families were unrepentant, even in capture. Security forces now fear that some members managed to escape Baghouz and are planning to mount a guerilla campaign elsewhere in Iraq and Syria.

The impending defeat of IS comes almost five years after leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed a “worldwide caliphate” and led the militant group on a blitzkrieg campaign through the region. The long bloody fight led by the Syrian and Iraqi government forces, aided by a Russian air campaign and Iran, as well as by militias and rebel groups backed by the US strikes and Turkey, has rolled back all of the terrorist group’s territorial gains and all-but ended the “caliphate.”

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