2025-03-18T11:54:37Z Read in app A Eurowings Airbus A320. Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? A Eurowings flight from Germany couldn't land in Norway due to high winds.The Airbus A320 diverted to Finland in the hope that the weather would calm down.The winds only got stronger, so the 120 passengers ended up back in Dsseldorf.More than 100 passengers endured an eight-hour flight to nowhere with two diversions after strong winds prevented some planes from landing in northern Norway.Eurowings Flight 9250 was scheduled to be a three-and-a-half-hour journey from Dsseldorf, Germany to Troms, Norway.However, as it approached the Arctic city, air traffic control reported wind speeds were above the maximum limit for a safe landing, an airline spokesperson told Business Insider.Data from Flightradar24 shows how the Airbus A320 then turned southeast to Rovaniemi, Finland, about 30 minutes away.The plane waited in Rovaniemi for about an hour, hoping the weather would improve, before setting off again, the Eurowings spokesperson said."Unfortunately, the second attempt also failed due to the weather, so the pilots decided to fly back to the base in Dsseldorf," they added.Passengers were given hotel accommodation, or those who lived nearby went home, Eurowings said. There were 120 passengers and six crew on board.Another flight operated by the airline took off from Troms on Sunday morning suggesting passengers arrived around 16 hours later than initially scheduled."Several airlines were affected by the weather situation in northern Norway and Troms on Saturday around a dozen landings could not be carried out as planned," the Eurowings spokesperson said.Eurowings is Lufthansa's budget carrier, based in Dsseldorf. It was formed in 1993 and Lufthansa took a stake in 2001.This is far from the first time that strong winds have caused difficulties for passengers.In February, a Neos flight bound for Iceland diverted to Scotland after strong winds prevented two landing attempts.A month earlier, there were at least two flights to nowhere as Storm owyn brought dangerously high winds to some parts of the UK and Ireland.And last year, Ryanair passengers flying less than 200 miles from England to Ireland were diverted to Paris due to a storm.

Louisiana v. Callais, a case about whether Louisianas congressional maps are an illegal racial gerrymander, should be one of the easiest cases the justices have heard in many years. Thats because less than two years ago, the Supreme Court decided another gerrymandering case, known as Allen v. Milligan (2023), which by Louisianas lawyers own admission presents the same question as Callais.The Court will hear oral arguments in Callais on March 24.In Milligan, the Court normally quite hostile to plaintiffs alleging violations of the Voting Rights Act, which is meant to protect minority ballot access surprised most Court-watchers by reaffirming longstanding legal principles, first established in Thornburg v. Gingles (1986), which are intended to prevent states from drawing legislative maps that weaken the influence of voters of color. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, both Republicans, joined with all three of the Courts Democrats in Milligan.The dispute in Callais began with a Louisiana congressional map that included only one Black-majority district (out of six total), despite the fact that Black Americans make up about a third of Louisiana voters. In Milligan, the Supreme Court ordered Alabama to redraw a similarly gerrymandered map to include a second Black-majority district.That similarity means theres really no question how the Callais case should be decided. Nevertheless, this case is complicated because it forces the Supreme Court to resolve a conflict between two different federal courts, each of which has weighed in on Louisianas maps. One faithfully applied precedents like Milligan, ruling the states original maps needed to be redrawn; the other outright defied precedents requiring new maps.Also complicating matters is that this Courts Voting Rights Act decisions often depart from the text of the law, they frequently are at odds with established precedents, and they almost always seek to narrow the scope of this landmark statute. Moreover, while Kavanaugh provided the fifth vote to retain preexisting law in Milligan, he also penned a brief concurring opinion suggesting that Congresss power to enact laws that sometimes require race-based redistricting cannot extend indefinitely into the future.These factors make every racial gerrymandering case that reaches the Supreme Court an alarming event for voting rights lawyers, because each case provides an opportunity for the Court to do great damage to the Voting Rights Act. And that means though this should be an open-and-shut case, there is still uncertainty about whether the Court will maintain the status quo, or if it will choose to radically reshape the countrys voting rights protections.A battle between two different federal courtsThe struggle over Louisianas congressional maps began in June 2022, when Chief Judge Shelly Dick, an Obama appointee to the US District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, determined that the states original maps the ones that had only one majority-Black district violated the Voting Rights Act. Her opinion concluded that the appropriate remedy in this context is a remedial congressional redistricting plan that includes an additional majority-Black congressional district, so she ordered Louisiana to draw new maps that include at least two Black-majority districts. This case is known as Robinson v. Ardoin.There have been lots of twists and turns in the Robinson case since Dicks 2022 decision. But a federal appeals court eventually agreed with Dick that Louisiana must draw new maps with two Black-majority districts in November 2023. With two courts aligned against it, and no sign that the Supreme Court was likely to bail it out, Louisiana soon decided to give up the fight. The state passed a new map that includes two majority-Black districts, and the matter appeared to be settled.But then a different federal court, the Western District of Louisiana, decided to insert itself into the dispute. A new set of plaintiffs filed a lawsuit claiming that the states new maps are unconstitutional because the state paid too much attention to race when it drew the second Black-majority district. This is the Callais case, which was assigned to a three-judge panel in the Western District. Two of those judges, the ones appointed by Donald Trump, agreed with the plaintiffs and struck down the new maps.So Louisiana is now subject to two competing court orders. The first, from Dick, forbids it from using the old single-Black-district maps. The second, from the two Trump judges in the Western District, forbids it from using the new maps the state legislature enacted to comply with Dicks order.In May 2024, the Court handed down a brief order permitting the state to use the new, two-Black-district maps during the 2024 election. The question before the Court now is whether to make that order permanent, allowing Louisiana to use the new maps until the next redistricting cycle begins after the 2030 census.If the Louisiana dispute is so similar to Milligan, how did the Western District justify its decision striking down Louisianas new maps? The short answer is that the two Trump judges behind that decision focused on a different line of Supreme Court cases which establish that the Constitution forbids states from using race as the predominant factor in drawing district lines unless it has a compelling reason. The two Western District judges essentially concluded that race predominated in the Louisiana legislatures decision to draw the new maps, because it knew it had to include at least two Black-majority districts to comply with Dicks order.The problem with this conclusion is that the Supreme Court has long held that states may consider race when they need to do so in order to comply with the Voting Rights Act. As the Court held in Cooper v. Harris (2017), a state may engage in race-based districting when it has a strong basis in evidence for concluding it must do so to comply with the Voting Rights Act.Under Cooper, a Voting Rights Act-compliant map is lawful if the state had good reasons to think that it would transgress the Act if it did not draw race-based district lines.And its obvious that Louisiana had both good reasons and a strong basis in evidence for its conclusion that it needed to draw a second Black-majority district to comply with the law. A federal judge had literally ordered the state to do so. This decision was then upheld by a federal appeals court. And the Supreme Court had recently reached the same conclusion in a virtually identical case.A Supreme Court decision siding with the Western District, in other words, would make a mockery of the idea that the law should apply consistently and in a predictable manner. The justices already fought this exact same fight less than two years ago the ink is barely even dry on the Milligan opinion and the Court decided that maps like Alabama and Louisianas single-Black-district congressional maps violate the Voting Rights Act.So how could the justices resolve this case?Because the Milligan opinion is so recent, and because the Courts membership has not changed since that decision, the most likely outcome in Callais is that the Supreme Court upholds Louisianas new maps. If no justice changes their vote from how they came down in Milligan, that means a 5-4 decision in favor of those maps.One wild card is Kavanaughs suggestion that the Voting Rights Acts safeguards against racial gerrymandering cannot extend indefinitely into the future. Kavanaugh did not elaborate very much on this point in his Milligan concurrence, so it is impossible to know when he thinks the Voting Rights Act should expire. But Callais gives him an opportunity to impose such an expiration date if he chooses to do so.In their brief to the justices, Louisianas lawyers also propose another way the Court could resolve this case, which could make it much harder to challenge a racial gerrymander in the future. The Court has long held that any plaintiff who lives in an allegedly gerrymandered district may challenge the configuration of that district in federal court. Louisianas brief spends several pages criticizing this rule, but it doesnt really propose an alternative rule or identify who should be allowed to file a racial gerrymandering suit if the current rule is abandoned. Because Louisiana does not lay out a clear alternative to existing law, its hard to predict what would happen if the rule permitting anyone in a legislative district to challenge its configuration were abandoned. But if the Supreme Court were to embrace a too-restrictive rule one that does not allow anyone, or anyone who can reasonably be identified by voting rights lawyers, to file gerrymandering lawsuits that would have the same effect as a decision permitting racial gerrymanders to exist. The law, after all, is meaningless if no one can enforce it.So Callais presents the Court with plenty of opportunities for mischief if five or more justices are determined to cut off racial gerrymandering suits. Should they follow their recent decision in Milligan, however, the obvious outcome is clear.See More:

Elon Musk has opinions on how a lot of the worlds countries should be run. He has weighed in on elections in Germany on behalf of a far-right party, sparred with the government of his native South Africa, and called for the removal of the president of Ukraine, not to mention the two-month siege he has waged against Americas federal bureaucracy. But one country tends to get a pass from the worlds richest man. He is, in his own words, kind of pro-China. The self-proclaimed free-speech absolutist has not applied that position to Chinas draconian censorship regime, and Musk has defended the Chinese governments positions on a range of other issues. From a business perspective, this makes sense. China is vital to Musks car company Tesla as both a producer of vehicles and as a consumer market. Musk is also hardly unusual among major global tech CEOs in defending China. Musks comments on China arent out of the norm for the CEO of a major Western business, said Isaac Stone Fish, CEO of Strategy Risks, a consultancy focused on the risks of doing business in China. The distinction is that [Apple CEO] Tim Cook is not on Twitter talking about how awful USAID is or meddling in European politics. Musks business interests in China and overall pro-Beijing attitudes also stand out among his new colleagues in the Trump administration. Trumps foreign policy team is generally united in its hawkish views on China. Trump himself has accused Beijing in the past of a policy to rape our country and blamed it for the Covid pandemic, along with a host of other ills.As the US and China appear to be hurtling headlong into a trade war, and even as Trump seeks a meeting with Chinas Xi Jinping in hopes of hammering out a new trade deal, Musks ties to China and the potential leverage they could offer Beijing in future negotiations are getting more notice in both countries. During the recent quasi-infomercial on the White House lawn, during which Trump purchased a Tesla and made a sales pitch for the slumping company, the president made clear that the profits of Musks companies will be a priority for the administration. This raises questions about whether the interests of those companies will come into play as the administration shapes its policies toward its fellow superpower. China and Tesla need each otherThe symbiotic relationship between Tesla and China almost cant be overstated. In 2019, the company opened its Shanghai gigafactory with hundreds of millions of dollars in loans from Chinese banks. It was the companys first factory outside the US, as well as the first wholly foreign-owned car company in China, where automakers typically enter into joint ventures with Chinese companies. It is now Teslas largest factory, producing half of the companys cars globally last year. Musk has praised workers at his Chinese factory for burning the 3 am oilwhereas in America people are trying to avoid going to work at all. The remark came at a time when the factory was literally having workers sleep in the factory due to Covid restrictions.Tesla has also benefited from selling cars in Chinas fast-growing electric vehicle market: Sales in China rose 8.8 percent in 2024, a year in which the companys global sales fell for the first time. (Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.)Its their second most important market and the only market thats continuing to grow, said Tu Le, an expert on the Chinese car market and director of the market research firm Sino Auto Insights. Along the way, Musk has developed relationships with senior Chinese leaders, notably Premier Li Qiang, Chinas No. 2 official, who reportedly offered him a Chinese green card during a meeting in 2019. Thanks to his real-life Tony Stark image, Musk has become something of a pop culture figure in China, as, perhaps more surprisingly, has his mother.Elon Musk books displayed during the Shanghai Book Fair 2024 in Shanghai, China. Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesThe relationship between the Chinese government and Tesla has been mutually beneficial, Le told Vox. The companys investment in China came at a time when the Chinese government was trying to spur the creation of a local market for electric vehicles. That effort worked phenomenally well: more than half of cars sold in China now come with the distinctive green license plates marking them as EVs, and China accounted for more than 60 percent of EV sales globally last year. This has also led to an explosion of new domestic Chinese EV producers, including Teslas primary competitor BYD, a company which Musk once literally laughed at but which now outsells Tesla globally. Tesla retains some cachet as a premium brand, Le says, but even in China, its sales are starting to slip. Musk is currently pushing to win approval from Chinese regulators for Teslas full self-driving technology. The company is currently hampered by rules which prevent data from Chinese drivers from being taken out of the country, which Musk says has forced them to use publicly available videos of Chinese streets to train their vehicles. Tesla last month rolled out a partial self-driving mode on its Chinese models, though it costs almost $9,000, while BYD is offering similar technology for free on its vehicles. China is the linchpin to Teslas overall long-term strategy, said Le.Musks China ties are deeper than TeslaMusks activities in China had attracted controversy even before he took on his new political role. In 2022, Tesla was blasted by human rights groups and lawmakers for opening a showroom in Chinas Xinjiang region, where the governments treatment of ethnic Uyghur Muslims had been described as a genocide by both the Trump and Biden administrations. The critics included then-senator, now Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sponsor of that years Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, who described the showroom on Twitter as an example of Nationless corporations helping the Chinese Communist Party cover up genocide and slave labor.Musks China ties have also raised security concerns, given that another of his companies, SpaceX, is a major US military contractor and Musk himself has top secret security clearance. In 2022, Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) pushed for closed-door intelligence briefings on Capitol Hill to determine whether SpaceX had any links to the Chinese government, telling the Wall Street Journal, I am a fan of Elon Musk and SpaceX, but anyone would be concerned if there are financial entanglements with China.Several companies with links to Musks businesses have also been targeted by the US government. In January, the Pentagon added Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL), the worlds largest producer of lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, and a major Tesla supplier, to its list of Chinese military companies that produce both civilian and military goods. US firms are not prohibited from doing business with companies on this list, but the list is intended to raise reputational and compliance costs. Another company on the list, the Chinese internet giant Tencent, at one point owned a 5 percent stake in Tesla, though according to media reports, it has since divested its holdings. Tencent is the parent company of WeChat, which was once often referred to as Chinas Twitter, but has since become an all-encompassing app used for a wide variety of payments and communication. Musk has cited WeChat as a model for the everything app he would like to build X into. The true extent of Musks links to Chinese companies may not be fully known. The Financial Times reported that Chinese investors have been funneling tens of millions of dollars into Musks non-public companies, like SpaceX, Neuralink, and xAI, using opaque ownership structures that shield investors identities. Chinas man on the inside?Why does any of this matter? Musks influence may already be helping to shape US policy toward China. At the end of last year, he publicly opposed a bipartisan spending bill that included measures to regulate US investments in China. A stopgap bill was eventually passed without the provision, with Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) accusing House Republicans of caving because Elon had a problem.Experts say Chinese leaders are hoping to leverage their connections to the DOGE boss to influence the administrations policies. Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Musk on the eve of Trumps inauguration. TikTok CEO Shou Chew has also been in communication with Musk, viewing him as a conduit to the White House as the company tries to navigate concerns about its Chinese parent company ByteDance. In February, the Financial Times reported that Chinese officials were considering using Teslas question for approval for self-driving as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations with the Trump administration. They absolutely see him as an asset to them in any kind of negotiations, a way to bypass Rubio, a way to bypass [national security adviser Michael] Waltz, a way to bypass those whom they see to be less friendly to them on their issues, and theyre going to use him as a conduit, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), ranking member of the House Select Committee on the CCP, told Vox at a recent event in Washington. (The White Houses National Security Council did not respond to a request for comment.)The committees chair, Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) didnt criticize Musk directly but agreed that theyre going to use every bit of leverage they can.On paper, a national security team that includes Rubio and Waltz reporting to Trump seems like a China hawks dream. And in some respects, such as Rubios push to keep Chinese economic interests out of the Panama Canal, it has been. Chinese officials are reportedly concerned that the Trump administration will use tariffs to pressure other developing countries to reduce their ties with Beijing.But in many respects, the administration has been less hawkish than many expected. Its true that Trump has slapped 20 percent tariffs on Chinese goods, ostensibly over Chinas role in the global fentanyl trade, though these are less than the 60 percent tariffs he proposed on the campaign trail, or the 25 percent tariffs he has now slapped on Mexico and Canada. (Canada and European countries have earned Trumps ire more than China, at least so far.) Trump also backed off a move to close a tax loophole used by Chinese fast fashion brands like Temu and Shein to ship to the United States, and despite having once called for the banning of TikTok, his administration appears to be in no hurry to enforce the ban on the app passed by Congress last year. Trumps foreign aid cuts have dealt a blow to dozens of nonprofits monitoring corruption and human rights abuses in China, as well as Tibets government in exile. Statements by Trump and some of his senior officials, as well as the administrations treatment of Ukraine, have cast doubt on whether the administration would intervene to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. Musk has said in the past that it would make sense for Taiwan to be a special administrative zone within China. In an interview in Taipei last fall, Taiwans deputy minister of digital affairs told Vox his government was seeking alternative satellite services to SpaceX because Musk could cut the service [over] his personal opinion, so we dont think this was a trustable partner.Musk has spoken out against tariffs in the past, and Tesla has warned it could be exposed to retaliatory tariffs from other governments, but because Tesla has built relatively self-sufficient supply chains within both the US and China, the measures announced by Trump so far may hurt Musks competitors more than they hurt him.Still, if US-China trade relations deteriorate further, not to mention the sort of decoupling Rubio advocated as a senator, its hard to imagine Musks bottom line wont be affected, or that he wont have something to say about it. I cannot imagine the Trump administration actually being fully hawkish on China, until Musk greatly recedes from the scene, said Stone Fish. The administrations China policy, on both the economic and national security fronts, is still somewhat of a work in progress, and the hawks may still have their way, as they often did during Trumps first term. A test may come in June when, according to reports, a Trump-Xi summit is in the works, perhaps paving the way for formal trade talks. If hes not in the room, Chinese leaders are likely hoping Musk will at least be nearby. See More:

Nintendo Switch 2 could have one of the strongest launch lineups in gaming history, but one insider has suggested one game will "blow everything else out of the water"Tech12:21, 18 Mar 2025Updated 12:23, 18 Mar 2025Metroid Prime 4 is finally moving forwardLooking forward to the Nintendo Direct on April 2? That's when we'll find out all there is to know about the Nintendo Switch 2, one of the most anticipated consoles in video game history.We've heard it'll leverage AI for upscaling, and this week saw the leak of a series of launch games, too. Aside from the system's release date and pricing, we should hear about plenty of other games we'll be able to play on it, too and one is tipped to shine even brighter than the rest.Article continues belowWe're expecting big things, like a new 3D Mario reveal alongside the new Mario Kart we've seen already in the initial reveal, but it appears a certain bounty hunter is tipped to steal the show.Content cannot be displayed without consentPosting on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube interviewer Reece Kiwi Talkz Reilly posted that Metroid Prime 4 will be a big hit."In less than a month in the Switch 2 direct you'll see that Nintendo & Retro were keeping their cards close to their chest with Metroid Prime 4 for this exact moment."The true unveiling will blow everything else in the direct out of the water."We're so ready to step into Samus' boots againWhile we don't know what Reilly has seen or heard to make him feel that way, the fact Metroid Prime 4 looked so good at its re-reveal that we initially doubted it would come to the first Switch at all suggests he might not be wrong.Replying to another comment, Reilly suggested he's "90% certain" it'll be in the Direct on April 2."Nintendo are constantly tweaking directs right down to the last minute but as of now I am 90% certain it will be in the Direct."So, will we be getting an even more impressive Metroid Prime 4 trailer at the event? It's shaping up to be a stacked event if so. Nintendo will need to find time to show off the hardware, its own games, and likely some third-party offerings, too bring the popcorn.For more on Switch 2, check out the latest news about the console's pricing, as well as reports that it's already in US warehouses.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

GTA 6's map has been recreated by a clever modder, and it's totally free for all to download so you can jump into Vice City nice and early and get your bearingsTech10:26, 18 Mar 2025GTA 6 fans have been busy(Image: Rockstar)Grand Theft Auto 6 is coming this year, and while yesterday (March 17) we reported that some of its features have made it into GTA 5's latest PC upgrade, one modder has gone above and beyond.Project Vice, which comes from YouTube creator Dark Space, has built a facsimile of the GTA 6 map that you can explore already meaning between this and GTA 5's Enhanced Edition's lighting tweaks, we're closer than ever to playing GTA 6.Article continues belowThat's handy because while a supercomputer predicts the game will finally launch on October 25, 2025, Rockstar is saying nothing.Here's all we know about the incredible 'Project Vice' mod.Content cannot be displayed without consent"The playable GTA 6 map is finally here and ready to explore," Dark Space explains, and while it's not quite the same as exploring the real thing (whenever we get to do that), it still gives an idea of the scale of GTA 6's eventual map."Playing on this map will remind you how insane GTA 6 is gonna be", but it's worth noting there's no traffic, or pedestrians, while the buildings are kitbashed together from existing GTA 5 assets.To get playing, you'll need to join the Discord server here, and there are versions for the 'Legacy' version of GTA 5 and the Enhanced Edition, too.Fans have joked in the comments on the video that Rockstar has driven players to build their own Vice City through their own silence."What 1 year of no trailer 2 does to a community," one comment says, while another jokes that the studio will be pivoting from delivering Trailer 2 to focus efforts on taking down the mod.Indeed, Rockstar has previously removed mods like the Liberty City Preservation Project which worked to bring GTA 4's map into the GTA 5 engine.Here's hoping the map gets Dark Space on some radars, though they've clearly got a knack for development.For more on GTA 6, check out why the Xbox may get a big boost from its launch, as well as everything we know about the game so far.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

You know people are desperate for GTA 6 when theyre willing to drive around an empty recreation of its map (YouTube)A fan-made map of GTA 6 recreates everything that is known about the game so far, before the debut of the second trailer.Even though Rockstar has been keeping a very tight lid on GTA 6 since the 2023 reveal trailer, the most eager of fans have pieced together a lot of info about it, thanks in part to the infamous hacking incident in 2022.In the last few months, one fan by the name of Dark Space provided his own speculative recreation of what GTA 6s map will look like, using both the leaks and the 2023 trailer.Since then, Dark Space has kept busy by recreating the map in the PC version of GTA 5 and its now available to download so long as GTA publisher Take-Two doesnt take issue with it.The map can be modded into the PC version of GTA 5, regardless of whether youve bought the fancy new Enhanced Edition or have stuck with the original PC release from 2015.While the mod allows you to drive around the map at your leisure and is fully textured (so it doesnt look like a blocky PS1 game), it obviously doesnt look anywhere near as good as the actual GTA 6.For starters, as demonstrated in this YouTube video, there are no pedestrians or other traffic, and the buildings dont have any collision detection, so you can freely drive right through them.Still, getting somewhat of a first-hand experience of the maps size and scope should give an idea of what to expect from the full game. Were sure some obsessive GTA fans out there will find some enjoyment driving around even a bare GTA 6 map.More TrendingThe mod is only available for download via Dark Spaces Discord server and hes mentioned that he will need to take it down should Take-Two come a knocking. The company has never had the smoothest relationship with the modding community, having forcibly taken down large scale projects in the past.That said, Rockstar did acquire the team behind a popular GTA 5 multiplayer mod in 2023, to officially support its custom role-playing servers. More recently, that same team announced it was working on conversion tools to make modded assets compatible with GTA 5s Enhanced Edition.So, it seems Rockstar and Take-Two have become a bit more lenient with modders so long as they use official tools. This change in attitude makes extra sense if reports of GTA 6 featuring user generated content are to be believed.If this is accurate, then Rockstar and Take-Two will be actively encouraging modding for GTA 6, especially since creators will be able to make money through sales of their content, which Rockstar and Take-Two would undoubtedly get a cut of. GTA 6 is expected to boast the biggest map in the series (Rockstar Games)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

A new Portal game is out this year but it costs at least 3,000Michael BeckwithPublished March 18, 2025 10:50amUpdated March 18, 2025 10:50am Its always a treat to hear Ellen McClain as GLaDOS (Multimorphic/YouTube)The newest Valve game is set to launch this summer and yet again it involves some expensive, bespoke hardware.Despite being one of the most celebrated game developers in the world Valves release schedules are never exactly busy. The launched Counter-Strike 2 in 2023 and hero shooter Deadlock is currently in playtesting but it is a very long time since theyve made a normal single-player game.What Valve fans are really after, are traditional sequels to Half-Life and Portal for PC and consoles. Rumours about a new Half-Life 3 have picked up in recent months) but theres never been so much as a rumour about Portal 3.Ever since 2011s Portal 2, fans have had to make do with crossovers and spin-off material, like 2018s Bridge Constructor Portal, and now theres a new one. a licensed pinball table thats due out this summer.The new release is by pinball table manufacturer Multimorphic and is officially licensed by Valve, right down to having Ellen McLain provide new voice work as the iconic AI antagonist GLaDOS.Diehard Portal fans who know the two games inside and out will appreciate the amount of detail on display, with a companion cube that can be pushed through a portal to appear elsewhere.Theres an LCD screen thats used to display seven different test chambers, as well as a main hub area. By completing objectives provided by a new character a personality core called Reggie you can also unlock a boss fight against GLaDOS.While the table is perfect for that specific Venn diagram of Portal fans and pinball aficionados, it is by no means cheap. Even at its lowest price, itll set you back $3,900 (about 3,000) and thats for a game kit you can attach to a compatible pinball machine you already own.If you need the machine with the Portal game built in, thats a whopping $11,620 (roughly 8,940). Plus, youd likely have to pay additional import fees since we cant find any mention on the Multimorphic website of the company having a UK division.Will Valve ever make a Portal 3?While its nice to know Valve hasnt forgotten Portal, its frustrating knowing itll probably never make a traditional sequel since most of the people involved with the original games have long since left the company.More TrendingSeries writer Erik Wolpaw has insinuated Valve is always too busy to commit to a Portal 3, especially since it needs manpower to keep its long-running games like Counter-Strike and Dota 2 running.Aside from Deadlock, Valve hasnt formally confirmed any other games it has in development. There are plenty of rumours though, including both Half-Life 3 and a sequel to VR game Half-Life: Alyx.Valve has already confirmed a successor to the Steam Deck but its also rumoured therell be a new wireless VR headset at some point as well. Okay, now do a Half-Life pinball table next (Multimorphic)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.ArrowMORE: ChromaGun VR review this was not a triumph GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

If you had the chance to hand off the drudgery of vacuuming and mopping the floors of your home, would you? Of course you would, and when you outsource it to a robot vacuum and mop like the Roborock Qrevo Master Vacuum and Mop combo, you can dole out these unpleasant tasks guilt-free, and you can do so now while Amazon is selling the Roborock Qrevo Master at its lowest price ever, just $799, down from $1,399.See at AmazonThe Roborock Qrevo is one of the most advanced robot vacuum and mop combos available, with an all-in-one dock that auto-refills the mop water and keeps it hot, dries the mopping components with warm air, auto-empties the vacuum chamber, and even cleans itself. This limited-time Amazon sale has dropped the price of the Roborock Qrevo Master by 43%, a $600 plunge from its usual $1,400 price.Every Surface Gets CleanTheres no need for multiple cleaning devices for the different floor surfaces of your home, or having a robot cleaner that can clean only part of the home while youre left to do the rest by hand. The Roborock Qrevo Master cleans carpets, marble, tile, and upholstered surfaces with equal effectiveness.As a vacuum, the Roborock Qrevo Masters 10,000Pa hyper-force suction extracts dirt, dust, pet hair, and other debris from even thick carpets, aided by two all-rubber main brushes that agitate the floor and bring the dirt up to be sucked into the Roborock Qrevo Master vacuum chamber, from where its automatically drawn into the dock. Roborocks Carpet Boost+ System ensures 99% hair removal from carpeted surfaces, and its FlexiArm design reaches out to thoroughly clean edges and corners.See at AmazonAs a mop, the Roborock Qrevo Masters dual brushes spin at 200 rpm, and with 30 levels of flow of the warm water automatically loaded into the robot at the dock. When your hard floors are spotlessly clean, the Roborock returns to the dock to have its mop brushes automatically cleaned and dried.Smart ServiceThe app that controls the Roborock Qrevo Master is powered by AI and can identify and avoid 62 different types of objects as it goes about its work. With PreciSense LiDAR Navigtation, its able to map the entire layout of your home, from which you can program no-go zones, and a set-it and forget-it schedule so the Roborock Qrevo Master works autonomously and keeps your floors clean without needing your attention.A $1,400 smart robot that keeps all of your floors clean carpeted or hard-surfaced is a worthy investment. But one thats on sale for 43% off at Amazon for a limited time, bringing its price down to just $800, is a must-have appliance to make your life easier.See at Amazon

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is a game-changer in the world of premium tablets, setting new standards in power, performance, and AI-driven innovation. Now its setting new standards in affordability, with Samsung is offering a massive trade-in credit of up to $800 that could bring this flagship tablet into your hands for just $399 (down from $1,199). Trade in any tablet and youll get at least $400 in trade credit. See at Samsung.com Not looking to offload any of your devices? There are still deals to be had, like a free pair of Galaxy Buds3 when you buy a Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra without a trade-in, and 50% off the price of a Book Cover Keyboard Slim that transforms the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra into a high-performing laptop. Whether youre a professional, an artist, or a tech enthusiast, this cutting-edge device delivers an unrivaled experience, combining breathtaking visuals, lightning-fast performance, and intelligent features designed to elevate your productivity and creativity. Speed and Spectacular Beauty Featuring an ultra-immersive 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, the Tab S10 Ultra offers crystal-clear resolution and vibrant colors that bring every detail to life. Whether youre binge-watching your favorite shows, gaming at high frame rates, or sketching intricate designs, the ultra-smooth 120Hz refresh rate ensures a seamless and responsive experience. Despite its large screen, the tablet remains incredibly slim and stylish, exuding a premium feel with its sleek aluminum design. Under the hood, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ processor, ensuring blazing-fast speeds and ultra-smooth multitasking. Whether youre editing 4K videos, running multiple apps simultaneously, or diving into the latest high-end games, the Tab S10 Ultra handles everything effortlessly. With up to 16GB of RAM, expect seamless performance without lag, making it a true powerhouse for work and play.See at Samsung.com Samsung has also integrated Galaxy AI-driven enhancements, making everyday tasks smarter and more intuitive. Note Assist helps transcribe and organize notes efficiently, while Sketch-to-Image turns your doodles into stunning visuals, unlocking endless creative possibilities. Work or Play All Day Entertainment lovers will adore the quad-speaker setup,delivering rich, immersive Dolby Atmos sound. Whether youre watching movies or listening to music, the audio experience is crystal-clear and deeply engaging. With all-day battery endurance, you can stay connected and productive for hours without worrying about running out of power. Plus, fast charging ensures youre back in action quickly, making it perfect for those on the go.For those who need a device that can match their ambition, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is the ultimate choice. With Samsung DeX, you can transform your tablet into a full-fledged desktop experience, while the included S Pen makes note-taking, drawing, and editing incredibly precise and intuitive. Samsungs offers can bring this incredible Android tablet to you for just $400 if you max out the trade-in credit offer, or you can skip the swapping and get a free pair of Galaxy Buds3, and dont forget the 50% off deal on the Book Cover Keyboard Slim. See at Samsung.com

Are Modular Seating Systems Redefining Our Perception of Public Spaces?Presented by:What is our vision of public spaces from the past? Consider, for instance, a parkarguably the most iconic example of this typology. It is an environment designed with winding paths and rest areas, where we often find tables and fixed benches, positioned along the way. Its design prioritizes permanence and contemplation. But when we turn to the present, how do we envision it now? Indeed, the traditional concept of public space has not disappeared entirely. However, our way of interacting with it has changed, driven by the need for flexibility in ever-changing environments. This shift has sparked the exploration of new design approaches. As a result, modular seating systems have become a dynamic field of experimentation, continuously adapting to changing uses and perceptions.It's not that people today sit radically differently than in the past, but rather that seating elements have become more versatile. Their composition and design can vary significantly, offering multiple configuration possibilities. While an isolated seat serves a specific function, when it is part of a larger whole and considered within a broader vision, it can completely transform the atmosphere and perception of space. But what do we mean by "public"? This is where broadening our perspective becomes essential. A public space is an area of free access and collective use, where much of a community's social, cultural, and civic life unfolds. Traditionally associated with plazas, parks, and streets, it also includes indoor settings such as libraries, markets, or transport stations, as long as their function and access remain unrestricted.Save this picture! A Quick Look at Modular Seating Elements Through the Past, Present, and Future Modularity in seating systems can be traced back to the Japanese tradition of tatamis and zabuton cushions. The tatami as a versatile base for various daily activities, while the zabuton prioritized comfort. Together, they reflect a concept of space that closely mirrors today's design principles, where furniture adapts to different configurations based on the activities we engage in. Centuries later, this same logic persists in contemporary design. A clear example is the Living Tower (1969), which advanced modularity beyond functional flexibility by exploring a sculptural form that encouraged social interaction. More than just an adaptable piece of furniture, it became a space in itself, incorporating different levels of use within a single structure.Save this picture!Today, modularity is not merely a design principle but a condition inherent to the way we inhabit space. It's not just about systems that rearrange individual units beyond a square module; it's a broader logic that spans from architecture to furniture, responding to the rapidly evolving dynamics of change and adapting to the needs of different generations and social interactions. From hybrid workspaces to urban environments in constant transformation, the flexibility of seating systems has allowed us to explore configurations beyond traditional schemes, be they radial, reticular, or linear.Where are we going? The new dynamics of public space, which are increasingly flexible and sometimes ephemeral, suggest that nomadic architecture will be a constant in the future. In this context, modular seating systems find an opportunity area, responding to the growing need for our spaces to fulfill multiple functions. The same module can be an armchair, a love seat, or even transform into a bed, adapting to those who live on the go. Paradoxically, modularity is ceasing to be strictly systematic and is becoming more human: it's no longer just about flexibility; it's about how furniture enables people to reinvent their uses, needs, and habits.Save this picture!Save this picture!Shaping Atmospheres Through Furniture: Impact on Social Interaction and CommunityModular seating arrangements go beyond merely occupying space; they influence our interactions. When set up in a circle or semicircle, they promote collaboration by creating an atmosphere where dialogue flows, allowing all participants to have an equal presence. This layout is well-suited for meeting spaces, team-building activities, or community gatherings, where open communication and collaborative idea development are essential to social interaction. When modules are organized flexibly and scattered, casual meeting points emerge, encouraging spontaneous conversations and unexpected connections in public areas or waiting spaces.Social integration is enhanced through more dynamic configurations, such as spiral or staggered layouts, which break the rigidity of linear designs and facilitate connections among diverse groups. Arranging units of various heights and orientations, these seating systems transform the space, fostering an atmosphere that encourages organic interactions. In this sense, modular furniture meets functional needs and serves as a tool to redefine coexistence, turning spaces into scenes of exchange, diversity, and belonging.Save this picture!Save this picture!An additional layer arises when considering an inclusion and accessibility-oriented perspective. Modular systems not only configure atmospheres in public spaces but also play a key role in opening up to the diversity of users that inhabit these environments daily. We are moving beyond the idea of a seat designed for a standard user toward a more inclusive vision, where anthropometry, bodily diversity, and varying physical, emotional, and intellectual conditions shape how people engage with the space.This emerging vision expands the possibilities of design beyond traditional ergonomics. A seat can support those who cannot maintain one posture for long, provide a sense of security for someone with anxiety, encourage exploration in a child's environment, or facilitate interaction in social spaces. By addressing a wider range of needs, design helps make public spaces more accessible, allowing for multiple ways of inhabiting them and generating different atmospheres within the same ambiance.Save this picture!Save this picture!So, are modular seating systems redefining our perception of public space? The answer is yes. When we think about the future of public spaces, it's easy to imagine a scenario vastly different from today. Sociocultural dynamics are constantly evolving, and with them, our perception and configuration of space. Although architecture sets the overall framework, it is the furniture that articulates much of its function. Beyond simply offering a place to rest, the way we sit shapes hierarchies of use, patterns of social interaction, and spatial dynamics, making it a key factor in how we experience the built environment.As an opportunity for architects and designers, modular seating systems offer underexplored possibilities for setting new standards in light of the physical, social, and cultural disconnection and isolation that saturate urban contexts, where the sense of belonging to a community often fades. Although cities are both dense and heterogeneous, which might lead one to believe that connection is inevitable, it is in that very environment that interaction and encounters face barriers. While public space is one way to address these challenges on an urban scale, modular furniture systemson a more human scalepresent themselves as a pivotal tool for fostering interaction and creating spaces for sharing.This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Atmosphere in Architecture and Perception of Space, proudly presented by Vitrocsa, the original minimalist windows since 1992.Vitrocsa created the original minimalist window systems, offering frameless solutions with the narrowest sightline barriers in the world. For over 30 years, we have pursued innovation and Swiss-made excellence to transform ambitious architectural visions into reality, enhancing atmospheres through light, transparency, and design.Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and architecture projects. We invite you to learn more about our ArchDaily Topics. And, as always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorEnrique TovarAuthorCite: Enrique Tovar. "Are Modular Seating Systems Redefining Our Perception of Public Spaces?" 18 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027386/are-modular-seating-systems-redefining-our-perception-of-public-spaces&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream