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Minister says closer EU trade links could outweigh separate trade deals
Douglas Alexander said the UK could gain more from much closer trade ties with the EU than from retaining the freedom to negotiate separate trade deals. His comments suggest a shift in the government’s argument about EU relations, as Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for serious dialogue that includes possible re-entry. Speaking from a…
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Former ZA/UM developers announce politically charged RPG Red Rooster
Summer Eternal, a studio formed by former ZA/UM developers, has announced Red Rooster, a politically minded role-playing game that it says is not intended as a successor to Disco Elysium. The team describes it as an “incendiary” RPG combining rich world-building with physics-driven interaction in a science-fiction-tinged alternate history. Players take the role of Redrick…
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Stephen Chow’s ‘Shaolin Soccer’ Spinoff ‘Kung Fu Soccer’ Sets U.S. Release After Dominating China’s Summer Box Office
Stephen Chow’s *Kung Fu Soccer*, a spinoff of *Shaolin Soccer*, will open in cinemas in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Ireland on 23 October. Its success in China helped make it the biggest hit of the country’s summer box office season, while the Western release will offer the original-language version and a new English dub.…
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Scimplify raises $25M to challenge China’s grip on critical materials with AI
Indian start-up Scimplify has raised $25 million to grow its AI-supported production of specialty chemicals and critical materials, as manufacturers seek alternatives to suppliers concentrated in China. The funding will support expansion in semiconductors, defence and energy, and plans to build production networks in the US and Japan. The all-equity strategic round was led by…
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Human Imagination, Directable AI: How Asian Directors Wrap Kling AI Into Their Workflows
South Korean filmmaker Sung-Soo Kim used Kling AI to complete *Worm Train*, a short film in which an exhausted commuter turns into a giant worm on a crowded subway. The project shows how newer AI tools can help directors realise complex scenes, while the filmmakers at a Busan film industry panel argued that human creative…
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The Iran war’s unexpected impact on US defenses against China threat downplayed by top Army leader
Gen Ronald Clark, commander of US Army Pacific, says the redeployment of Patriot and THAAD air-defence systems from the Indo-Pacific to support the Iran war has not raised the risk to US forces there. He says the shift has created an opportunity to modernise equipment and train crews, as the US continues preparing for a…
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If you’ve sworn off genAI Crazy Taxi and dislike all the twerking in GTA 6, consider Shifu: Traffic Masters, a jolly open world driving game set in 1990s China
Shifu: Traffic Masters is an upcoming open-world driving game set in northern China during the 1990s, drawing inspiration from Driver and Midtown Madness. Its Steam demo offers a mix of driving jobs and free exploration, giving players a less conventional alternative to newer car games. Players can haul cargo, pursue criminals, drive taxis and buses,…
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David Silva to make one-off comeback for Hong Kong side Supreme Sha Tin
David Silva will come out of retirement at 40 to play one league match for Hong Kong Premier League side Supreme Sha Tin, drawing international attention to the club and local football. The move was widely reported as a season-long signing, but Silva said he was surprised by the coverage and clarified that he had…
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Philippine-Italian Sales Alliance Targets Indie Film Buyers in Asia, Europe and North America (EXCLUSIVE)
Philippine sales company Fire & Ice Media and Italy’s Coccinelle Film Sales have formed an alliance to market selected independent films to buyers in Asia, Europe and North America. Announced at Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market, the partnership aims to combine the companies’ regional expertise and contacts to secure distribution beyond the films’ home…
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Tallinn-Bound Indian Drama ‘Kidney’ Boarded by Shiladitya Bora’s Platoon One Films (EXCLUSIVE)
Platoon One Films has joined *Kidney*, the second feature by Indian siblings Aakarsh and Agrim Sansanwal, as co-producer ahead of its selection for the Critics’ Picks Competition at Estonia’s Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. The backing gives the independently made drama a chance to reach audiences beyond the village where it was filmed. Set in…