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Scottish Sun
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
UK's first-of-its-kind eGaming attraction to open in seaside city – with huge 200-seat arena and live shows
Plus, the 'world's greatest' music attraction hoping to open in the UK – with plans for massive live shows READY PLAYER UK's first-of-its-kind eGaming attraction to open in seaside city – with huge 200-seat arena and live shows Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND e-gaming arena has been given the green light for the UK. British Esports has announced that it will open its flagship Gaming and Esports Arena in Sunderland next year. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 A first-of-its-kind e-gaming arena has been given the green light for the UK Credit: British Esports Stretching across 15,000-square-feet, the arena will host live events, competitions and have immersive audience experiences for egamers and egaming fans. Short for 'electronic sports', esports involves people competing against each other through video gaming - either in a team or as an individual. The new venue will include a 200-seat theatre for visitors, where there will be a 17-metre-wide screen to watch the action. Spectators and gamers will also be able to explore different shops. In addition to all this, there will be a number of performance rooms and an outdoor space for events in an attempt to make the arena one of the best esports destinations in the world. Athletes will be able to train at the venue like they are in an actual competition, as well as learn about esports. This includes professional esports players, who can also use the new arena to practice for upcoming events like the Esports World Cup and the Olympic Esports Games. Students and future esports players can also develop their skills at the arena. The venue won't just be for the players, but will also have spaces for all those involved in the sport including broadcasting studios. Away from esports events, the arena will be used for private events, live music and community events too. The state-of-the-art venue will be located next to the Stadium of Light - the home of Premier League football team AFC Sunderland. Inside £49m 'Stadium of the Year' which saw world record set and is more popular than the Bernabeu It will also be alongside the National Esports Performance Campus (NEPC) which opened back in 2023. At the NEPC - which is also the HQ for the British Esports Federation - visitors can partake in esports bootcamp training and esports education. Work will begin on the venue in September and is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026. The UK is home to a number of other esports venues including the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London. Big sporting events like Formula E at the ExCeL in London also host egaming activities, where visitors can play on race car simulators like they themselves are in the race. 3 British Esports has announced that it's flagship Gaming and Esports Arena will be located in Sunderland Credit: British Esports Andy Payne OBE, chair of British Esports, said: "This is our St George's Park for esports, a national home with world-class performance spaces that will help train the next generation of esports talent and help to grow the region to be a key leader in esports in the UK. "We have designed our facility so that on any given day we could be a training and performance hub, running a global esports tournament, hosting a publisher game launch or hired out as a music venue. Councillor Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council also said they were "thrilled" with the news, which was part of a huge regeneration of Sunderland. He added: "Billions of pounds of investment will see our city transformed in the coming years, with thousands of new homes, Grade A offices, a new Nissan electric vehicle hub and a plethora of new leisure developments rising from the ground, and the Gaming and Esports Arena is a fantastic addition to this mix. "It is a game-changing development which will cement Sunderland's reputation as the home of esports in the UK, while providing a major boost to the regional economy, creating high skilled jobs for local people and attracting visitors from across the globe to our transforming city." A new immersive attraction is also set to open in the UK with indoor racing track and 'top secret' games. Plus, the 'world's greatest' music attraction hoping to open in the UK – with plans for massive live shows.
The Irish Sun
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
UK's first-of-its-kind eGaming attraction to open in seaside city – with huge 200-seat arena and live shows
A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND e-gaming arena has been given the green light for the UK. British Esports has announced that it will open its flagship Gaming and Esports Arena in Sunderland next year. 3 A first-of-its-kind e-gaming arena has been given the green light for the UK Credit: British Esports Stretching across 15,000-square-feet, the arena will host live events, competitions and have immersive audience experiences for egamers and egaming fans. Short for 'electronic sports', esports involves people competing against each other through video gaming - either in a team or as an individual. The new venue will include a 200-seat theatre for visitors, where there will be a 17-metre-wide screen to watch the action. Spectators and gamers will also be able to explore different shops. Read more on events arenas In addition to all this, there will be a number of performance rooms and an outdoor space for events in an attempt to make the arena one of the best esports destinations in the world. Athletes will be able to train at the venue like they are in an actual competition, as well as learn about esports. This includes professional esports players, who can also use the new arena to practice for upcoming events like the Esports World Cup and the Olympic Esports Games. Students and future esports players can also develop their skills at the arena. Most read in News Travel The venue won't just be for the players, but will also have spaces for all those involved in the sport including broadcasting studios. Away from esports events, the arena will be used for private events, live music and community events too. The state-of-the-art venue will be located next to the Stadium of Light - the home of Premier League football team AFC Sunderland . Inside £49m 'Stadium of the Year' which saw world record set and is more popular than the Bernabeu It will also be alongside the National Esports Performance Campus (NEPC) which opened back in 2023. At the NEPC - which is also the HQ for the British Esports Federation - visitors can partake in esports bootcamp training and esports education. Work will begin on the venue in September and is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026. The UK is home to a number of other esports venues including the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London. Big sporting events like Formula E at the ExCeL in London also host egaming activities, where visitors can play on race car simulators like they themselves are in the race. 3 British Esports has announced that it's flagship Gaming and Esports Arena will be located in Sunderland Credit: British Esports Andy Payne OBE, chair of British Esports, said: "This is our St George's Park for esports, a national home with world-class performance spaces that will help train the next generation of esports talent and help to grow the region to be a key leader in esports in the UK. "We have designed our facility so that on any given day we could be a training and performance hub, running a global esports tournament, hosting a publisher game launch or hired out as a Councillor Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council also said they were "thrilled" with the news, which was part of a huge regeneration of Sunderland. He added: "Billions of pounds of investment will see our city transformed in the coming years, with thousands of new homes , Grade A offices, a new Nissan electric vehicle hub and a plethora of new leisure developments rising from the ground, and the Gaming and Esports Arena is a fantastic addition to this mix. "It is a game-changing development which will cement Sunderland's reputation as the home of esports in the UK, while providing a major boost to the regional economy, creating high skilled jobs for local people and attracting visitors from across the globe to our transforming A Plus, the 3 The arena is due to open next year Credit: British Esports
Bangkok Post
02-07-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Power plan to be completed by year-end
The oft-delayed power development plan (PDP) is expected to be completed within this year following a revision, said Prasert Sinsukprasert, energy permanent secretary. Authorities need to revise key electricity generation issues in the PDP due to objections raised by energy analysts, though it sailed through a public hearing last year. The government finished drafting the PDP, which is scheduled for implementation from 2024 to 2037, in May 2024, but the National Energy Policy Council (NEPC) has yet to provide final approval. Energy analysts have requested adjustments to the PDP, which need to be considered before it is forwarded to the NEPC, chaired by the prime minister. Experts want the government to determine an appropriate target for carbon dioxide emission reductions, as the new PDP promotes greater use of renewable energy, said Mr Prasert. They also want a more realistic projection of Thailand's electricity demand in the long term, he said. Mr Prasert's comments were made as he presided over the 2025 Asia Sustainable Energy Week, which highlights energy technologies and solutions that promote clean energy. The three-day event got underway on Wednesday. Under the PDP, total electricity generation in Thailand is expected to stand at 60,208 megawatts by the end of the plan, comprising 34,851MW from renewable power, 6,300MW from combined cycle power plants, which use gas and steam turbines to generate electricity, 600MW from thermal power plants or small modular nuclear reactors, 3,500MW from electricity imports and 2,000MW from other forms of energy. The remaining 12,957MW would come from two types of energy storage technologies -- 10,485MW from battery energy storage systems and 2,472MW supplied by a pumped storage hydropower system. Areeporn Asawinpongphan, a research fellow on energy policy at Thailand Development Research Institute, said earlier this version of the PDP could lead to overinvestment in new power plant development, though power demand may not increase considerably between 2024 and 2037. This uptick in investment would raise electricity prices, driving up the cost of living for people, she said. Another factor that caused a delay to the PDP enforcement involves what should be an appropriate renewable energy proportion set by the Energy Ministry. The state's push for the second-phase renewable scheme with capacity of 3.6 gigawatts has been put back, following a dispute on criteria that gives a larger quota of renewable energy development to firms that failed to win renewables projects in an auction under the first phase of the scheme.
Zawya
17-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria: Take advantage of AfCFTA to expand your business — NEPC charges exporters
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has urged Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand their export business, saying the agreement holds the potential to drive unprecedented economic growth. The Executive Director of NEPC, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, made the call during a one-day workshop on positioning SMEs to leverage AfCFTA, held in Akure, the Ondo State capital. She said the development would not only add value to local products and services but also reduce overdependence on imports. Ayeni, who was represented, said embracing AfCFTA would also increase healthy competitiveness through improved processing, packaging, and branding—factors she noted would boost local production. She stated that the workshop, themed 'Positioning of SMEs to Leverage on AfCFTA', was designed to equip exporters with the necessary knowledge and guidance to access business expansion opportunities and learn from a wider community of exporters. 'The essence of this programme is to sensitize exporters in Ondo State and its environs on the need to prepare themselves, and we as a council have the statutory mandate to position them to take advantage of this trade agreement. 'The AfCFTA agreement made the easy movement of people and goods across the African continent with lesser barriers in terms of tariffs because with AfCFTA, there's less tariff to be paid or no tariff in some instances. 'We are also putting them in conditions to know the criteria that is necessary for export to meet for Africa, Asia, and Europe. There are some criteria they need to meet in terms of how they prepare their products, standardization, quality, marketing, and even finance. 'Those are the kinds of programmes we've been able to package for exporters in Ondo State to benefit from.' Speaking further on the benefits of the initiative, she said:'With AfCFTA, Nigeria will be able to have a larger market for them to be able to export Nigerian products and in doing this, local industries will come up and a lot of jobs will be created. So there's a lot of potential for Nigeria and benefit for Nigeria to key into AfCFTA.' The NEPC State Coordinator, Mrs Iyabode Abe, explained that the workshop was also intended to provide a comprehensive overview of AfCFTA and expose SMEs to the guidelines for import and export processes within one of the world's emerging largest markets — Africa. Abe said, 'Understanding the procedures, regulations, and compliance requirements of the AfCFTA are crucial for any exporter seeking to enter or expand their market share within Africa. 'It is, therefore, essential that we equip ourselves with the necessary knowledge and insights to ensure smooth and successful trade operations. 'This workshop aims to demystify the AfCFTA processes and provide you with practical guidance on how to meet the requirements for exporting. 'We will explore the key regulations, documentation, and procedures that Nigerian exporters must adhere to in order to gain market access and thrive in this competitive environment.' One of the participants, Babatunde Fatimero, thanked NEPC and the Federal Government for the initiative and the opportunity to understand the wider African trade environment. 'We just want to thank them and appeal to them not to leave us alone, but to continue guiding and encouraging us to key into this great initiative,' he said. Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
The Hindu
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Sri Lankan refugees of 1990: A dark chapter in T.N.'s otherwise proud history of offering sanctuary to those in need
Tamil Nadu has an enviable track record of providing shelter to those in distress, regardless of their place of origin. But an episode in March 1990, concerning Sri Lankan refugees, marks an aberration to the State's tradition. This episode, involving 1,612 refugees — 353 women and 400 children —remains less discussed in public discourse, and its recall assumes relevance in light of World Refugee Day falling on June 20. Ranasinghe Premadasa's assumption of office of the President of Sri Lanka in January 1989 made a perceptible difference to the presence of Indian Peacekeeping Force (IPKF) in the neighbouring country. Five months later, Premadasa openly demanded the ouster of the IPFK, which went there in July 1987 on the request of his predecessor, J.R. Jayawardene, following the Indo-Sri Lanka accord. The new incumbent made the demand, keeping in mind the separate anti-IPKF campaigns by two diverse militant groups, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP, which had subsequently abandoned its militant path and joined the political mainstream) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). After the IPKF's de-induction commenced by the end of July 1989, the LTTE began taking control of areas in the northern and eastern regions. As the end of the political set-up in the then North East Provincial Council (NEPC), headed by A. Varatharaja Perumal of the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), became evident, the influx of refugees to Tamil Nadu resumed in a big way. It was against this backdrop that two ships, Harsh Vardhana and Tippu Sultan, carrying about 1,250 refugees, were not permitted for disembarkation of passengers at what was then known as the Madras harbour, on March 8 and 9. Both were diverted to Visakhapatnam, after which the passengers were taken to Odisha (then Orissa) for transit camps in Malkangiri, about 125 km from Koraput town. A report of The Hindu, published on March 10, quoting 'official and other sources,' stated that 'the decision to ferry the refugees from Trincomalee to Madras was taken at a meeting' of the External Affairs Minister I.K. Gujral and the NEPC Chief Minister in New Delhi in January/February 1990. Only on the basis of that decision, both Harsh Vardhana and Tippu Sultan were hired to transport about 1,300 refugees. The report went on to state that 'most probably, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister [M. Karunanidhi] does not know about it.' K. Premachandran, Sri Lanka's Member of Parliament belonging to the EPRLF, was bitter about the treatment. The passengers, at the time of embarkation at Trincomalee, were assured they could disembark at Madras. 'Imagine their mental agony. They were in the middle of the sea, not knowing what was happening,' the report added, quoting him as having said. P. Upendra, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting in the National Front government led by V.P. Singh, told reporters in the city on March 9 that there were doubts whether the passengers aboard the ship were 'real refugees or EPRLF cadres.' On the apprehension that the refugees could be the cadres of the EPRLF and Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF), who could have spirited off weapons on board the vessels, Mr. Premachandran said, 'each and everyone was thoroughly checked at China Bay in Trincomalee and the IPKF also made sure that there was not a single weapon on board the ships.' According to Anil Dhir, Bhubaneshwar-based researcher-writer, the then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister M. Channa Reddy, who allowed the ships to drop anchor at the outer harbour of Visakhapatnam port and gave food and water, however, refused disembarkation of the passengers. A similar stand was taken by other Chief Ministers too, who did not want any trouble in their respective States. Eventually, it was Biju Patnaik who had agreed to take the refugees. 'The fact that he had been sworn in as the Chief Minister just four days earlier (March 5) did not deter him from taking such a vital decision.' Patnaik, who became Chief Minister again after a gap of over 26 years, had again responded to Singh's request for accommodating the EPRLF general secretary, K. Padmanabha along with others, a fact acknowledged by Mr. Perumal in a recent conversation with this writer. That Odisha, despite its modest economic condition, had come forward to accept the refugees did not go unnoticed among parliamentarians. On March 29, 1990, A.N. Singh Deo, Member of Parliament from the Aska constituency in the eastern State, called his State 'a very poor State' and asked Gujral whether the Centre would bear the whole cost of providing shelter to the refugees. The Minister assured the Member that the Centre would bear the entire burden. It was a fact that there were EPRLF cadres among the refugees. But they claimed that they were not 'more dreadful than the LTTE militants,' Sukumar, an activist of the (EPRLF) and an inmate of the Malkangiri camps, told The Hindu, as published in a report on March 13, 1990. But Karunanidhi had reasons to justify his government's refusal to provide asylum to the seekers. On April 26, 1990, intervening in a discussion in the Assembly, the Chief Minister cited law and order as the main reason for the move. 'He felt that militants should be kept off even from neighbouring States,' The Hindu reported on April 27, 1990. Karunanidhi had even suggested to the Central government to shift the refugees, sheltered in Odisha, to Andamans, as a majority of them were militants. A fortnight later, he told reporters that he had discussed his suggestion with Singh and Gujral. Parliament had also discussed the refugee matter. On March 28, 1990, the External Affairs Minister told the Rajya Sabha that 'hospitality does not mean open the door.' At the same time, in keeping with India's 'humanitarian traditions, we have never refused entry to refugees who, as in the present case, felt that their lives were at risk,' Gujral said. He added the refugees were brought by sea and air to the country. Notwithstanding the Patnaik administration's sympathetic treatment of the refugees, most of them did not find Odisha a conducive place to stay. In fact, Karunanidhi had then informed the House that the 'militants' continued to arrive in the city from Orissa camps by train and they were apprehended by the police. In the middle of May, he described the refugees' action of deserting the camps as 'wrong' and contended that 'of those who had come to Tamil Nadu, 190 persons who were militants were taken into custody. Other refugees, including women and children, had not been arrested,' stated this newspaper in its report on May 17, 1990. A few days later, after a protest-fast by 111 refugees at the Central Prison who came from the eastern State, the Chief Minister ordered their release. Within a year, the number of refugees in Odisha dwindled to 218, according to the Annual Report of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for 1990-91. [As on March 31, 1991, there were about 2.1 lakh Sri Lankan refugees living in the country.] The former CM of the NEPC recalls that a majority of those who left the camps had finally settled in the Western countries. He and his family were initially taken to Mauritius before being taken to central and northern parts of India. He now shuttles between India and Sri Lanka. The episode ended on a further sad note, as the EPRLF's general secretary and 14 others were gunned down allegedly by a killer squad of the LTTE on the evening of June 19, 1990, while he was holding a meeting in a flat at Kodambakkam, a busy locality of Chennai.
