Source: BBC
Security & Justice
State Action Signals Change in Tackling Longstanding Illegal Land Grabs in Jbeil District
For years, the serene villages of Jbeil's highlands have been far from peaceful. Ghabat, a Maronite village nestled between the predominantly Shiite towns of Afqa and Lassa, has become a focal point of growing tensions due to territorial disputes.
Friday, December 20, 2024
Mawlawi Ensures Strict Monitoring for Wanted Syrian Regime Figures at Beirut Airport
Caretaker Minister of Interior, Bassam Mawlawi, conducted an inspection tour of Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut to review the security arrangements and measures implemented by the Airport Security Apparatus ahead of the holiday season.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Opinion
Lebanon After the Assads
The United States has important equities in Lebanon, including a desire for a generally friendly government’s economic and political stability; security cooperation; long-standing relations with the large Christian community in Lebanon and Lebanese diaspora in the United States; and ultimately peace between Israel and Lebanon within a broader regional settlement. Achieving these objectives will require navigating a tumultuous period in the country’s history following a war between Hezbollah and Israel that has devastated a large part of the country, exacerbating Lebanon’s already challenging economic conditions. But perhaps the most important dynamic will be how a likely Sunni-dominated state of uncertain composition in Syria will differ in its intentions toward Lebanon from the previous Alawite-led minoritarian Assad regime.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Europe’s Syrian Dilemma
The news of the sudden and unexpected demise of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has met a mixed response in Europe. The jubilation that a murderous dictator and close ally of Russia and Iran has fallen is not just good for the Syrian people but serves as a morale booster for Eastern Europeans wondering whether Russia can be defeated
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo Unveils New Private Jet Worth $73 Million
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the richest global athletes, has unveiled his upgraded private jet reportedly worth $73 million. With its top-notch design, exceptional speed and range of 7500 nautical miles, the Gulfstream G650 is among the fastest jets in the world.
Monday, December 16, 2024
Guardiola Accepts Man City May Need to Sign More Players to Cope with Schedule
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes he will need a bigger squad to handle soccer’s ever-expanding fixture schedule.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Wednesday 3 November 2021 15:53:18
Netflix Launches First Games on Smartphones
Netflix is launching its first games worldwide as it seeks to break into the game subscription market.
Starting Tuesday, the company will roll out updates to its Netflix app on Android smartphones, showing what games are available for download.
To begin with, five mobile games are included for Netflix subscribers.
The company is promising more to come - with no adverts in the game and no in-app purchases like those common in other mobile games.
Of the five games launching with the service, two are linked to the streaming giant's popular Stranger Things series:
Stranger Things: 1984
Stranger Things 3: The Game
Card Blast
Teeter Up
Shooting Hoops
"While this is just the beginning of a long journey, we're excited to provide a gaming experience that is differentiated from what is available today - exclusive mobile games with no ads, no in-app payments, included with your Netflix membership," the company said.
While the initial games have relatively simple graphics and casual gameplay, Netflix says it is in very early stages, but plans to eventually create games "for every kind of player".
"Whether you're craving a casual game you can start from scratch, or an immersive experience that lets you dig deeper into your favourite stories, we want to begin to build a library of games that offers something for everyone," wrote Mike Verdu, the company's head of game development.
Mr Verdu was a major hire for Netflix, having worked at games giant EA and later at Facebook, where he worked on augmented and virtual reality.
Apple coming soon
This week's release is only for Android phones and tablets. Netflix said that games would come to iOS devices "in the coming months".
Apple has previously resisted attempts by other companies to put "stores inside stores" - particularly around gaming.
When Microsoft initially launched its Game Pass streaming service in 2020, Apple blocked the app from appearing in the iPhone App Store, arguing that the roughly 100 games included should all be listed in its store individually. Microsoft eventually resorted to streaming through Apple's mobile Safari browser instead.
Netflix did not say it was facing any similar issues with Netflix Games, saying that Android arriving first was down to the launch being "still in its early stages".
Despite the delay in reaching Apple customers, Microsoft has become the dominant figure in the game subscription market to date.
Its Xbox Game Pass service includes most of Microsoft's own game studio releases on the day they go on sale, many of which can be played on an Xbox, a gaming computer, or streamed over the internet to phones and tablets.
It is estimated to have tens of millions of subscribers paying between £7.99 and £10.99 a month, depending on the features they need.