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‘Very difficult time’: The Neighbourhood’s Dave Sturrock opens up about health battle that caused his face to drop

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    ‘Very difficult time’: The Neighbourhood’s Dave Sturrock opens up about health battle that caused his face to drop


    The Neighbourhood‘s Dave Sturrock has opened up about a terrifying hospital ordeal that has left him with a drooping face on one side.

    Dave is one of the contestants in ITV’s brand new reality game show, hosted by Graham Norton.

    The 66-year-old retired lightning production engineer has moved into The Neighbourhood alongside his wife Christine, stepson Jordan, and Jordan’s wife Katie.

    The Neighbourhood’s Dave Sturrock has explained why his face drops on one side (Credit: ITV)

    They are one of six households competing to win a £250,000 cash prize in The Neighbourhood.

    The Neighbourhood: Dave’s health battle

    Dave reveals the reason behind the change to his face in the second episode of The Neighbourhood, explaining how what began as a small issue escalated into something far more serious.

    “Just over two years ago, I developed a twitch in my left eye,” Dave says.

    “The best option was to actually give me brain surgery.

    “I was in a high dependency unit for four days but it didn’t work. It didn’t stop the spasm.

    “So I had medical Botox and that’s what caused my face to drop. It was a very difficult time.”

    Dave opens up about his health struggles after a minor disagreement with his stepson Jordan.

    He says: “Jordan’s not the easiest person to talk to, what with his PTSD and my health.”

    ED! has previously revealed how Jordan developed PTSD after serving four years in the Royal Air Force.

    He now works on an oil rig but has been deeply affected by traumatic scenes he experienced during his service.

    Despite their brief tension in the episode, Dave goes on to praise Jordan for the support he showed during his illness.

    “Jordan was absolutely brilliant, he was on the phone every day and making sure I was okay,” Dave reveals.

    “It’s made the family very tight and we are a much better unit than we were before.”

    Dave is on the ITV show with his wife Christine, stepson Jordan and Jordan’s wife Katie (Credit: ITV)

    When is The Neighbourhood on?

    The Neighbourhood began last night, airing during a packed ITV schedule alongside the I’m A Celebrity South Africa final.

    Six families, including the Lozman Sturrocks, arrived in the picture perfect village, all competing for the £250,000 prize.

    But one family’s dream is already hanging in the balance. The episode ended on a cliffhanger, with the Kondolas and Bradon families both receiving two FOR SALE signs.

    With the Uni Boys tasked with deciding who leaves, both families are now waiting to find out who will be sent home.

    The result will be revealed tonight (Saturday April 25) when The Neighbourhood continues at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

    Read more: The Neighbourhood’s twins Louise and Lyndsey Scott already have a huge social media following

    What do you think of this story? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page



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    Michael Jackson Accuser James Safechuck Issues Message to Victims Amid Hit Biopic’s Opening Weekend

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      Michael Jackson Accuser James Safechuck Issues Message to Victims Amid Hit Biopic’s Opening Weekend


      Reading Time: 2 minutes

      If you’re headed to the movies this weekend, there’s a good chance that you’ll be seeing Michael, the controversial biopic of pop icon Michael Jackson.

      The film is on track to become one of the year’s biggest box office hits, but not everyone is thrilled about its projected success.

      Critics have savaged Michael for glossing over the scandals and accusations that plagued Jackson throughout his adult life.

      Singer Michael Jackson walks into the Santa Maria Superior Court on the fifth day of his child molestation trial March 7, 2005 in Santa Maria, California.
      Singer Michael Jackson walks into the Santa Maria Superior Court on the fifth day of his child molestation trial March 7, 2005 in Santa Maria, California. (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Getty Images)

      And now, one of Jackson’s many accusers is breaking his silence on the subject.

      Along with Wade Robson, James Safechuck appeared in the 2019 HBO’s 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland and alleged that he had been sexually abused by Jackson.

      Through his attorney, John Carpenter, he posted this week addressing the Michael controversy.

      “The Michael movie’s coming out and it’s getting a lot of promotion,” says Safechuck, 48, in the clip below.

      “There’s billboards and commercials and just people praising Michael and it can be triggering for survivors who have their own Michael in their lives, whether it’s the priest who’s close to God or the sports coach who’s just helping the kids or the step-parent who’s supporting the family.”

      Safechuck went on to note that accused abusers often, ironically, subjects of praise:

      “Our abusers are praised sometimes, even after we come out and tell the truth,” he continued, adding:

      “And I just wanted to let you know that you’re not alone and that there’s other survivors out there that understand what you’re going through and that are there with you.

      “And that if you’re feeling all the feels, then lean into people that are close to you, lean into people that support you and that give you love and know that you’re not alone. … [T]elling the truth and telling what happened is a good thing and that it’s part of your healing.”

      Safechuck is one of several plaintiffs involved in an ongoing civil suit against Jackson’s corporate entities, MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures.

      Dan Reed, the director of Leaving Neverland, told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview that “people don’t care that [Jackson] was a child molester. Literally, people just don’t care.”

      Sadly, it sounds like this weekend’s box office receipts will only corroborate Reed’s assertion.

      We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.



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      Something for the Weekend – 25/04/26 | TheSixthAxis

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      Something for the Weekend – 25/04/26 | TheSixthAxis


      It’s a lovely sunny day today, and a morning excursion has meant that this week’s round up a little later in the day than usual…. so let’s hop to it, because it’s been a pretty big week for announcements and reviews!

      In the News This Week

      Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced has been revealed, and it’s coming out in July
      Splatoon Raiders snags a July release date for Switch 2
      Square Enix unveils Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold – coming in January 2027
      Final Fantasy XIV is coming to Switch 2 in August!
      Here’s your first look at the Elden Ring movie – confirmed for 2028 release
      Xbox Game Pass loses day one Call of Duty, but it’s getting cheaper because of it
      Age verification will roll out for PlayStation in the UK and Ireland in June
      Xbox gets a new logo, a new mission, and reports of more changes to come
      From Sayonara Wild Hearts to Stray, Annapurna brings 5 games to Switch 2
      The REPO Cosmetic update launches May 7th, adds three magic staffs
      Golf With Your Friends 2 swings for a Fall 2026 release

      Games in Review & Featured Articles

      The pick of the bunch was Housemarque’s Saros, which is launching for PS5 next week and takes their riff on the roguelite and bullet hell shooters to the next level.

      Saros – PS5 – 9/10 (video review)
      Minos – PC – 8/10
      Mini Tank Mayhem – PC – 8/10
      Vampire Crawlers – PS5, XSX|S, NSW, PC – 7/10
      Smash It Wild – PS5, XSX|S, NSW, PC – 7/10
      Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss – PS5, XSX|S, PC – 5/10

      We also had a little hardware review for the Final UX5000 headphones from Dom, while Miguel shared an early verdict on Morbid Metal‘s early access release.

      I then had a trio of previews. Heave Ho 2 was an uproariously good time at New Game Plus last weekend, while Petit Planet is channelling a lot of cosy vibes from the company behind Genshin Impact, and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is putting a greater emphasis on discovery for its latest platforming adventure.

      Finishing up for the week, What We Played featured Saros, Vampire Crawlers and Replaced.

      Trailer Park

      See the gameplay overview for Black Flag Resynced

      Deep Dish Dungeon brings foodie dungeon crawling to Xbox, PC & Game Pass this autumn

      Beastro has cooked up a release date

      Check out the tools of the trade in Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions

      That’s the round up for this week. Hope you have a great weekend ahead and we’ll see you back here on Monday!



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      Good Driver Club Publishes Eligible Events in Full Each Monday | Web3Wire

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      Good Driver Club Publishes Eligible Events in Full Each Monday | Web3Wire


      SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / April 25, 2026 / Good Driver Club, formerly Good Driver Mutuality, is a community of careful drivers who share auto losses. In the United States, most careful drivers rarely file collision or comprehensive claims, yet premiums often rise each year. They have no clear way to see where their money goes or why costs change. For careful drivers, Good Driver Club offers an alternative. It was built to make every step visible.

      Members pay a 20% service fee to join. The remaining funds stay in their own accounts until needed for repairs. Members keep what isn’t spent. This direct link between careful driving and real savings is rare in the industry.

      Every Monday, Good Driver Club publishes eligible events in full. Each one shows what happened, what repairs were needed, and the supporting documents including invoices and related records. The following Monday, the related repair costs are shared among members.

      Members receive weekly email updates. In the app, they can review both the event details and how costs are shared. Members involved in an eligible event can also track repair progress there.

      “Too many systems ask people to trust a black box,” said William Tu, Founder and CEO of Good Driver Club. “People should be able to see what’s real. If members are asked to share repair costs, they should be able to review every eligible event and see how those costs are handled.”

      Since launch, each of the club’s eligible events has been published in full. Members do not have to guess. They see what happened for themselves.

      About Good Driver Club

      Good Driver Club helps good drivers keep more of their money. A membership-based alternative to collision and comprehensive coverage, Good Driver Club is not an insurance company. Members pay 20% to run the club. The other 80% stays in their bank account until needed for actual repairs. Every invoice is published weekly. Membership requires a clean driving record, and members keep what isn’t spent. Learn more at gooddriver.ai.

      Contact email: [email protected]

      SOURCE: Good Driver Club

      About Web3Wire Web3Wire – Information, news, press releases, events and research articles about Web3, Metaverse, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Cryptocurrencies, Decentralized Finance, NFTs and Gaming. Visit Web3Wire for Web3 News and Events, Block3Wire for the latest Blockchain news and Meta3Wire to stay updated with Metaverse News.



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      Lisa Kudrow Says ‘Friends’ Feels Off Without Perry

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        Lisa Kudrow Says ‘Friends’ Feels Off Without Perry


        Lisa Kudrow is looking back on “Friends” with a different perspective following the death of her co-star Matthew Perry.

        Reflecting on the sitcom that made her a global star, the actress said the show now feels more meaningful than ever. She also revealed how revisiting the sitcom has become difficult in the wake of Perry’s death, as it reminds her she’ll never again experience Perry’s presence and talent off-screen.

        MEGA

        More than two decades after “Friends” first aired, the sitcom remains a cultural staple, still pulling in new generations of fans.

        Kudrow was at the center of that success, starring alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, and the late Perry.

        Now, Kudrow says her view of the show has shifted, especially after revisiting it following Perry’s death.

        “After Matthew died, I watched the show again,” she told The Times. “Before, I only saw what I did wrong or could have done better. But for the first time, I truly appreciated just how great it was. I felt I did OK, but Jennifer and Courteney? Amazing. David and Matt? They had me laughing so hard. And then Matthew, he was just beyond us all.”

        Kudrow Says Matthew Perry’s Death Made ‘Friends’ Hard To Rewatch

        Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry
        MEGA

        While their characters often clashed on “Friends,” Kudrow and Perry shared a much closer bond off-screen.

        The actress later honored that friendship by writing the foreword to her co-star’s 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” where she admitted she hadn’t fully grasped the depth of his struggles with addiction.

        Now, that realization has made revisiting “Friends” more emotional than ever.

        “Because there was a genius at work,” Kudrow said of Perry’s performance as Chandler. “And whatever any of us do in the future, we will never experience something like that again.”

        Lisa Kudrow Once Gave Herself A Deadline To Make It In Hollywood

        Lisa Kudrow at 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards
        River / MEGA

        After “Friends” wrapped in May 2004, the cast branched out in different directions, with varying levels of success.

        For Kudrow, the transition led to a steady run in comedy, with roles in films like “Happy Endings,” “Hotel for Dogs,” “Easy A,” and “Neighbors.” She also moved behind the scenes, producing projects including “Web Therapy” and the TLC/NBC series “Who Do You Think You Are?”

        However, Kudrow says her career wasn’t always something she took for granted. Early on, she gave herself a limited window to make acting work, with a backup plan already in mind.

        “I said to myself, ‘You’re young… Have fun and try it.’ But always in the knowledge that life gets harder. You take on family and responsibilities,” she told The Times.

        The Actress Hesitates On AI Bringing Back ‘Friends’

        As AI continues to make inroads in Hollywood, Kudrow isn’t convinced it should be used to revive “Friends.”

        When asked whether she’d sign off on a deal allowing her likeness to be used in AI-generated episodes of the hit sitcom, Kudrow made it clear the choice wouldn’t be hers alone.

        “Well, it wouldn’t be my decision,” she said. “All the cast would have to agree. Bright, Kauffman, Crane [the show’s creators and producers] would have to agree too.”

        Even then, she suggested the idea may not get far. Kudrow noted that not everyone involved would necessarily be interested, regardless of how lucrative the offer might be.

        Lisa Kudrow Reflected On Being Married Before ‘Friends’ success

        Lisa Kudrow and Michel Stern on the red carpet
        MEGA

        Away from Hollywood, Kudrow built a stable personal life long before “Friends” turned her into a household name. She has been married for decades to French-born advertising executive Michel Stern, per PEOPLE.

        That timing, she says, helped her sidestep the level of public scrutiny that followed co-stars like Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox at the height of the show’s fame.

        Reflecting on it now, Kudrow acknowledged the role that decision played, while also stressing the importance of keeping her career separate from her home life.

        “For sure, and all because I married early and outside the business,” she said. “No one was interested. There was no story. And very early on, I was pretty clear: actors on a big show are well paid and really looked after. But you cannot take that attitude home with you. At home, it’s family, life, kids.”



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        14 DeFi Contributors Back Aave With $161M After Kelp DAO Exploit

        14 DeFi Contributors Back Aave With 1M After Kelp DAO Exploit


        DeFi United relief vehicle has secured 69,642 ETH in commitments from 14 ecosystem participants

        Mantle and Aave DAO top the funding list with proposed 30,000 ETH and 25,000 ETH contributions respectively

        The Kelp DAO exploit created a 116,500 unbacked rsETH hole, triggering $10 billion in Aave withdrawals

        A week after the Kelp DAO bridge exploit tore through the largest lending protocol in DeFi, the bailout sheet has started to look almost as big as the hole itself. 

        Fresh on-chain tracking from Lookonchain shows that DeFi United, the coordinated relief vehicle stitched together by Aave’s service providers, has now pulled in 14 ecosystem participants and individual contributors, with disclosed commitments totaling 69,642 ETH worth roughly $161 million at current prices.

        The figure is up from the 69,534 ETH number that was making the rounds earlier this week, and it reflects how quickly fresh pledges are stacking up as governance discussions move forward across multiple DAOs.

        Who is putting in what

        Mantle sits at the top of the funding stack with a proposed 30,000 ETH facility, structured as a low-interest loan rather than a donation. The Aave DAO follows with a 25,000 ETH treasury contribution that has already been put up for a Snapshot vote.

        After that, the list spreads out across protocols and individual donors. Stani Kulechov, the founder of Aave, has personally pledged 5,000 ETH, calling Aave his “life’s work.” Ether.Fi has matched that with another 5,000 ETH, while Lido is contributing 2,500 stETH. 

        Smaller but meaningful pledges have come from the Golem Foundation at 1,000 ETH, Aave VP of Engineering Emilio Frangella at 500 ETH, public donations through definited.eth at 272 ETH, BGD Labs at 250 ETH, Ernesto at 100 ETH, and the Keyring Network at 20 ETH.

        Four more participants, namely LayerZero, Ethena, the Ink Foundation, along with Tydro and Frax Finance, have all confirmed they will be contributing, though they have not put exact figures on the table yet.

        Why this matters

        The Kelp DAO exploit on April 18 left a hole of about 116,500 unbacked rsETH, which the attacker dumped into Aave V3 as collateral and borrowed real assets against. That single move triggered over $10 billion in withdrawals from Aave, pinned its USDC pool at 100% utilization for four straight days, and helped push April into the worst month DeFi has ever recorded.

        Once Kelp’s freeze, Arbitrum’s frozen 30,766 ETH, expected liquidations, and the DeFi United stack are added together, on-chain trackers, including DCF GOD, have estimated that the rsETH shortfall is now effectively covered. If every proposal clears governance, Aave may not even need to draw on the full Mantle facility.

        That changes the tone of the conversation. What started as a damage-control scramble has turned into one of the largest coordinated relief efforts the DeFi sector has ever seen, with rival protocols pooling capital to protect a shared user base rather than waiting for any single party to absorb the loss.

        For now, the focus shifts to governance execution. The Aave Snapshot vote, the Lido Aragon vote, and the Mantle credit facility all need to pass before the funds actually move. Until then, the 69,642 ETH figure remains a pledge sheet, but it is the most well-stocked one DeFi has ever assembled in a crisis.

        Also Read: Black April 2026: $606M Stolen, $13B TVL Exodus in DeFi’s Darkest Month


        Disclaimer: The information researched and reported by The Crypto Times is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional financial advice. Investing in crypto assets involves significant risk due to market volatility. Always Do Your Own Research (DYOR) and consult with a qualified Financial Advisor before making any investment decisions.







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        All Health and Med-Stim Upgrades in REPLACED

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        All Health and Med-Stim Upgrades in REPLACED


        Warren Marsh’s journey in and around Phoenix-City in REPLACED is a dangerous one full of hazardous obstacles and formidable enemies. While having enough firepower to contend with those enemies is a definite priority, survivability is just as important. Thankfully, the game provides a variety of upgrades to help even the odds.

        Related

        REPLACED Review

        A cinematic cyberpunk platformer that’s finally within REACH.

        Some of those upgrades include invaluable ones for your health gauge and the Med-Stim feature, which will help you last through the game’s most uphill battles. Better yet, finding them all gets you an achievement, so here’s where to find all Health and Med-Stim upgrades in REPLACED.

        How Do Health and Med-Stim Upgrades Work in REPLACED?

        replaced-health-upgrade-example

        Health upgrades provide you with permanent boosts to your health gauge, which is indicated by a row of red hearts in the top-left corner of the screen. Each upgrade usually adds half a heart, and they’re technically referred to in-game as ‘Genetic Profile’ upgrades.

        Meanwhile, Med-Stim upgrades provide boosts to the Med-Stims you use during combat to replenish your health gauge. They can increase their overall effectiveness and also increase the number of Med-Stims you can use during a fight. They’re technically referred to with in-game as terms like ‘Immune Modulator’ or ‘Rechargeable Ampoule’.

        Health and Med-Stim Upgrades are vital for surviving combat challenges at every turn in REPLACED. Your vitality doesn’t necessarily matter as much for environmental obstacles in platform sequences, as missing a jump or landing in a hazardous area almost always means death and a checkpoint reset. However, as the game’s combat encounters get more difficult, having as much health and endurance as possible is an absolute necessity.

        If you collect all Health and Med-Stim upgrades in the game, you’ll unlock the ‘My Body Is a Machine’ achievement.

        All Health and Med-Stim Upgrade Locations in REPLACED

        Below is a comprehensive list of all Health and Med-Stim upgrades in REPLACED, including where or how to get them in each chapter.

        Chapter 1

        Health Upgrade 1 – Outside of Diner

        replaced-health-upgrade-1

        Genetic Profile – Health increased

        The game’s first Health upgrade is on the ground just outside the entrance of an abandoned diner (look for the large sign in the background) during the Termite stealth sequence.

        Chapter 2

        Med-Stim Upgrade – Doctor Quest Reward

        replaced-doctor-quest-reward

        Rechargeable Ampoule 1 – Med-Stims amount increased

        This upgrade is provided as a reward for completing the Doctor’s sidequest available during this specific chapter.

        Med-Stim Upgrade – Donor Rush Arcade Game Reward

        replaced-susan-arcade-reward

        Immune Modulator – Now Med-Stims are used much faster

        This upgrade is provided as a reward for beating Susan’s high score in the Donor Rush arcade mini-game after it’s repaired.

        replaced-music-feature-header

        Related

        REPLACED: All Music Track Locations

        Bring the perfect synth soundtrack with you around Phoenix-City.

        Health Upgrade – My Only Sunshine Quest Reward

        replaced-david-sunshine-quest-reward

        Genetic Profile 2 – Health increased

        This upgrade is provided as a reward for completing David’s side quest to fix his telescope.

        Chapter 3

        Health Upgrade – Subway Station Office

        replaced-chapter-3-health-upgrade

        Genetic Profile 4 – Health increased

        This upgrade is found inside a hidden office room in the subway section of Chapter 3. Just after you first get and use the Pickaxe, keep running to the right on the elevated platform until you reach the edge. Instead of proceeding, watch for the button prompt to turn and run towards the open door in the background, and then run left into the office area. Keep going left until you reach the end, where you can pick up the upgrade.

        Health Upgrade – Subway Platform Room

        replaced-genetic-profile-3-location

        Genetic Profile 3 – Health increased

        This upgrade is located further in the subway zone, specifically in the section with the multiple climbing obstacles in front of the ‘Prospero Facility’ platform. Keep running to the right until you go through an open door into a hidden room. Keep moving right until you get the ‘Scan’ prompt and select it to get the upgrade.

        Chapter 4

        Health Upgrade – Old Man Quest Reward

        replaced-family-reunion-quest-reward-1

        Genetic Profile 5 – Health increased

        This upgrade is provided as the reward for completing the Old Man’s side quest at the Hospital. See our Family Reunion Quest Guide for details on how to complete it.

        Med-Stim Upgrade – Edward Quest Reward

        replaced-edward-quest-reward

        Rechargeable Ampoule 2 – Med-Stims amount increased

        This upgrade is provided as a reward for completing Edward’s side quest, which starts inside Western Station. Once you examine the graffiti on the west side of the station building, the upgrade will unlock for you.

        Chapter 5

        Health Upgrade – Lower Level of Subway Station

        replaced-genetic-profile-6-location

        Genetic Profile 6 – Health increased

        This upgrade is found on the ground beneath an elevated platform with an abandoned train car.

        Chapter 6

        Health Upgrade – Vent Beneath Server Room

        replaced-genetic-profile-7-location

        Genetic Profile 7 – Health increased

        This upgrade is located in the massive server room section of the chapter. Make your way to the right across the room until there’s a gap in one of the server towers where you can drop down to where the floor panels have been opened. Drop all the way down and then crawl left through the narrow vent shaft until you find the upgrade to scan.

        Chapter 7

        Health Upgrade – Sandra Side Quest Reward

        replaced-genetic-profile-9-location

        Genetic Profile 9 – Health increased

        This upgrade is provided as the main reward for completing Sandra’s side quest, which you can pick up inside the Western Station. After reuniting with her and the twin brothers, the upgrade will unlock.

        Med-Stim Upgrade – Arcade Game Reward

        replaced-adrenaline-injector-location

        Adrenaline Injector – Restores a small amount of health after a fatal blow. Can be triggered once per combat.

        This upgrade is given as the reward for beating all three arcade games at the arcade in the Western Station with the highest score. This will also give you the Old School achievement.

        Chapter 8

        Med-Stim Upgrade – Steam Vent Room Beneath City Streets

        replaced-recharge-ampoule

        Rechargeable Ampoule 3 – Med-Stims amount increased

        This upgrade is found inside a small vent nook inside the ‘DEP 311’ room (in big letters on the wall) underneath the city streets. You’ll make your way down here while trying to hack into the Phoenix Saving and Loans queue system for the last sanitation worker. Push the steam cart all the way to the right against the wall and use your double jump to reach the small vent shaft.

        Chapter 9

        Health Upgrade – Tower Atrium Climbing Section

        replaced-genetic-profile-10-location

        Genetic Profile 10 – Health increased

        After you defeat a group of enemies on the ground level of the Phoenix Lab tower atrium, you have to climb all the way up to reach the next section of the chapter. This upgrade is located on the balcony on the left side of the fourth (04) level. You’ll find it at the same time as the ‘Exquisite Menu’ collectible.

        replaced-achievement-feature-header-1

        Next

        REPLACED: Full Achievement Guide

        Don’t let any of these achievements feel out of REACH!

        replaced-cover.jpg

        Systems

        PC-1

        Xbox-1

        Released

        April 14, 2026

        ESRB

        Mature 17+ / Violence, Blood, Strong Language

        Developer(s)

        Sad Cat Studios

        Publisher(s)

        Coatsink, Thunderful Development

        Number of Players

        Single-player



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        Steam Beta gets battery indicator for wireless gamepads as the new Steam Controller nears

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        Steam Beta gets battery indicator for wireless gamepads as the new Steam Controller nears


        We’re hopefully not too far off the release of the new Steam Controller now, with Valve adding a battery indicator for wireless gamepads. A very useful feature, that I am surprised wasn’t actually an official thing already.

        Testing it out with my PowerA OPS controller, once I swapped it into the Bluetooth mode, Steam now correctly displays a battery level for it which is pretty great (it didn’t work with the dongle).

        From the Steam Client Beta changelog for April 24th:

        General



        Added a low battery level toast for wireless gamepads

        Big Picture Mode



        Added a battery indicator to the header for wireless gamepads
        Fixed issue with controller battery status links in the Quick Access Menu not returning to the correct place.
        Fixed several navigation issues with controller settings.

        macOS



        Fixed soundtrack playback not working on Apple Silicon machines.

        The SteamOS / Steam Deck Beta client update was the same.

        Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.



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        TON Price Prediction April 2026: Why $1.24 Is the Level to Watch Before Any Recovery — and What Could Change That – NFT Plazas

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          TON Price Prediction April 2026: Why .24 Is the Level to Watch Before Any Recovery — and What Could Change That – NFT Plazas


          Toncoin is at a crossroads. After a brief rally that pushed the asset toward $1.41 earlier this week, the token has since retreated to $1.35, printing a 2.7% weekly loss and leaving traders asking the same uncomfortable question: is this a healthy pullback before a breakout, or the beginning of a more serious unwind?

          The chart tells a nuanced story. The 24-hour candle shows an open at $1.33, a high of $1.35, and a close right at $1.35 — technically constructive, but uninspiring. Volume clocks in at $133.44 million with a Vol/Mkt Cap ratio of 3.97%, suggesting moderate participation but nothing that screams institutional conviction. The market cap sits at $3.37 billion. For a project with a fully diluted valuation of $7 billion and Telegram’s billion-user distribution network sitting behind it, that gap between potential and reality is difficult to ignore.

          The $1.24 Floor Nobody’s Talking About

          Most current analysis focuses on $1.35 and $1.38 as the key near-term support levels. Those numbers aren’t wrong. But zoom out slightly — look at the weekly structure from February through April — and a more important level emerges around $1.24. That’s the zone where TON has found genuine demand on multiple occasions during this consolidation phase, and it represents the last line of defense before a structural breakdown that would push the asset back toward the lower Bollinger Band at $1.13.

          Why does $1.24 matter more than $1.35? Because $1.35 is a short-term support — it’s where buyers have stepped in recently, but it hasn’t been tested seriously under selling pressure. The $1.24–$1.27 range, by contrast, coincides with the 20-day SMA and a longer-term accumulation zone visible on the chart. A close below $1.27 with volume would likely trigger algorithmic sell orders and force the broader market to reassess whether TON’s recent run was a genuine trend reversal or a dead-cat bounce in a longer bear structure.

          The ADX currently reads 18.45 — firmly below the 25 threshold that signals a trending market. This is a critical context. A low ADX tells you that, despite the candlestick structure looking relatively orderly, there is no directional conviction in the market right now. TON is drifting, not trending. In that environment, support levels are softer than they appear, and a catalyst — in either direction — has outsized influence.

          TON 24H price chart on 25/04/2026 (Source: CoinMarketCap)

          TON 24H price chart on 25/04/2026 (Source: CoinMarketCap)

          The RSI and MACD Picture

          The RSI sits at 53.03, a near-perfect neutral reading. A week ago, the same indicator was tracking closer to 65 during the brief push toward $1.41. The pullback has bled that momentum without creating an oversold condition, which is a double-edged sword: there’s no immediate technical reason to expect a panic sell, but equally, there’s no oversold bounce setup forming either. This is a waiting game.

          The MACD offers slightly more optimism. The MACD line at 0.01478 sits above the signal line at 0.01936 — wait, let’s read that carefully: the histogram shows 0.004583, and with the MACD line lagging the signal slightly, momentum is narrowing. The histogram bars visible on the chart have been compressing over the past two weeks, which is classic pre-breakout behavior. The question, as always, is which direction the break comes from.

          Two Catalysts That Could Change Everything

          What makes this TON analysis genuinely interesting right now is that the token isn’t sitting in a fundamental vacuum. Two major developments dropped this week that could meaningfully shift the calculus.

          First: Belarus has authorized licensed crypto banks to operate with Toncoin as one of approximately 26 approved digital assets. These aren’t just custodial arrangements — under the new regulatory decree, institutions can offer staking, lending, and custody services. State-backed institutional adoption at this level is rare for any crypto asset outside of Bitcoin and Ethereum. It creates a regulated demand pathway and positions TON as a credible asset for the kind of conservative institutional capital that typically ignores the broader crypto market. Whether this translates into measurable buying pressure in the near term is unclear, but the directional signal is unambiguously bullish.

           

          Belarus has authorized licensed crypto banks to operate with Toncoin as one of approximately 26 approved digital assets.Belarus has authorized licensed crypto banks to operate with Toncoin as one of approximately 26 approved digital assets.

          Belarus has authorized licensed crypto banks to operate with Toncoin as one of approximately 26 approved digital assets.

          Second, and perhaps more structurally significant: founder Pavel Durov has announced a sixfold reduction in TON transaction fees, bringing the cost per transaction down to a fixed 0.00039 TON — roughly $0.0005 at current prices — regardless of network congestion. Paired with the Catchain 2.0 upgrade that slashed block generation time from 2.5 seconds to 400 milliseconds, this is a genuine technical step change. At $0.0005 per transaction, TON becomes approximately 3.5 times cheaper than Solana for micro-payment use cases. For a blockchain that lives inside the world’s fourth-largest messaging app, that frictionless cost structure could unlock meaningful on-chain activity among users who have never touched a gas fee in their lives.

          Pavel Durov has announced a sixfold reduction in TON transaction fees,Pavel Durov has announced a sixfold reduction in TON transaction fees,

          Pavel Durov has announced a sixfold reduction in TON transaction fees

          The longer-term roadmap points toward making most transactions effectively feeless. If that materializes, TON stops being a speculative crypto asset and starts functioning as a utility layer — which, historically, is the kind of transition that reprices tokens significantly upward over 12–18 months.

          The Bull and Bear Cases, Plainly Stated

          The bull case rests on a specific sequence of events: TON holds $1.35, accumulates in the $1.35–$1.40 range over the next week, builds volume, and then breaks cleanly above $1.51 on the back of fee-cut excitement and growing Belarus institutional flows. Above $1.51, the next technical target is $1.69, which happens to align precisely with the 200-day SMA — a level that, if recaptured, would represent a legitimate trend reversal signal.

          The bear case is more straightforward. TON fails to generate volume, the MACD histogram rolls negative, and the asset slides through $1.35 toward $1.27. If $1.27 fails to hold, $1.24 becomes the critical test. Lose that, and $1.13 is the next support with minimal structure between them. A broader crypto market pullback — which remains entirely plausible given macro uncertainty — would accelerate this scenario regardless of TON’s specific fundamentals.

          Long-Term Toncoin Prediction (2026-2050) (Source: CoinCodex)Long-Term Toncoin Prediction (2026-2050) (Source: CoinCodex)

          Long-Term Toncoin Prediction (2026-2050) (Source: CoinCodex)

          What to Watch

          Three things will determine which scenario plays out over the next two to four weeks: volume on any upward move (a rally without volume is a trap), the validator vote expected in June regarding inflation adjustments tied to faster block production, and broader Bitcoin sentiment. TON, like most altcoins, doesn’t trade in isolation.

          The fundamentals are improving. The technical picture is neutral, leaning cautiously constructive. But $1.24 remains the level that separates a healthy consolidation from something more concerning — and until TON puts meaningful distance between itself and that floor, caution remains warranted.



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          The Empathic Machine: Decoding the Origin F1 Robot | Metaverse Planet

          The Empathic Machine: Decoding the Origin F1 Robot | Metaverse Planet


          I literally got chills the first time I saw this.

          I spend a massive chunk of my week researching and analyzing new robots for Metaverse Planet. You start to build an immunity to the hype after seeing your hundredth walking bipedal bot. Usually, it’s just another metal chassis doing a backflip or carefully holding an egg. But when I fired up the latest demo from Shouxing Technology, their Origin F1 model completely caught me off guard. It takes things to an entirely new, almost uncomfortable level.

          I found myself staring at the screen, genuinely struggling to pinpoint where the programming ends and reality begins. It is equally fascinating and terrifying. Let me break down exactly why this machine feels so completely different from anything I have reviewed before.

          Peeling Back the Synthetic Skin

          The secret to the Origin F1 isn’t just in how it moves its limbs; it is all in the face. Historically, humanoid robots have struggled massively with facial expressions. They either look like frozen mannequins or feature jerky, mechanical mouths that flap out of sync with their audio.

          Shouxing Technology took a totally different route. Underneath a hyper-realistic layer of synthetic skin, they have embedded a complex network of hardware designed to mimic human biology.

          Here is what makes the physical hardware so groundbreaking:

          Micro-Actuator Networks: Instead of large, clunky motors, the F1 uses dozens of microscopic actuators. These tiny mechanisms pull and push the synthetic skin exactly how our facial muscles do.Lightning-Fast Response: These actuators do not suffer from input lag. They twitch, tense, and relax at speeds indistinguishable from human muscle reflexes.Micro-Expressions: It doesn’t just smile or frown. It squints when “thinking,” its cheeks tighten slightly when “listening,” and its brow furrows naturally.

          When I watched it react to a sudden noise in the room, the subtle flinch of its synthetic eyes was so organic that my own brain immediately flagged it as a living entity.

          Omni AI: The Ghost in the Shell

          Physical realism is only half the equation. A realistic face is useless if the brain behind it doesn’t know when to smile. This is where the Omni AI system completely changes the game.

          Most consumer AI today operates on text logic. You speak, it transcribes your speech to text, formulates a text response, and uses text-to-speech to talk back. It is a very clinical, emotionless pipeline.

          Omni AI doesn’t just listen to what you say; it listens to how you say it.

          Vocal Tone Analysis: If your voice cracks with sadness, Omni AI detects the subtle frequency shift.Real-Time Emotional Mirroring: If you sound excited, the Origin F1’s micro-actuators instantly pull its face into a bright, genuine smile before it even starts speaking.Contextual Empathy: It reads the room. If the conversation takes a serious turn, its posture softens and its facial expression shifts to deep, focused empathy.

          I honestly can’t stress enough how unnerving it is to have a machine express what feels like genuine empathy toward you. It forces you to ask a very strange question: if a machine perfectly simulates empathy, does it matter that it isn’t real?

          Navigating the Uncanny Valley

          If you are unfamiliar with the concept, the “Uncanny Valley” is a psychological phenomenon. When a robot looks mostly human but something is slightly off, our brains reject it, and we feel a deep sense of revulsion or creepiness.

          For years, roboticists have been stuck at the bottom of this valley. But investigating the Origin F1, I think I am finally witnessing a machine starting to climb out the other side.

          FeatureLegacy HumanoidsOrigin F1Facial MovementProgrammed, rigid macrosFluid, muscle-mimicking micro-actuatorsEmotional OutputPre-set responses based on keywordsReal-time, tone-driven emotional mirroringSkin TextureGlossy silicone, staticMulti-layered, light-diffusing synthetic skin

          Because the Origin F1 responds to your vocal tone with instant, appropriate facial micro-expressions, your brain stops looking for the “glitch in the matrix.” Instead of feeling repulsed, you feel a bizarre sense of connection. And to be completely honest, that connection is exactly what gave me those chills.

          Where Do We Go From Here?

          As I sat there reflecting on this technology, I started thinking about the real-world applications. Shouxing Technology isn’t just building a parlor trick. The integration of Omni AI and hyper-realistic hardware points toward a future where robots aren’t just tools; they are companions.

          Think about elderly care, where a machine could provide not just physical assistance, but genuine-feeling social interaction. Think about therapy, education, or even front-desk customer service. The barrier to entry for interacting with technology has always been the screen and the keyboard. By giving AI a perfectly human face, that barrier is entirely erased.

          However, it also opens Pandora’s box regarding emotional manipulation. If a machine can perfectly replicate a sympathetic smile, how vulnerable will we become to whatever it asks of us?

          I am incredibly excited to see where Shouxing Technology takes this, but I am keeping one eye open. The line between code and reality isn’t just blurring anymore; with the Origin F1, it feels like it has been completely erased.

          So, I have to ask you, and I genuinely want to know your take on this: Would you let a robot that smiles, listens, and reacts perfectly like a human live in your house, or is it just too creepy for you to handle? Drop your thoughts below!

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