KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s foreign minister said Monday that his nation wants a summit to end the war but he doesn’t anticipate Russia taking part, a statement making it hard to foresee the devastating invasion ending soon.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told The Associated Press that his government wants a “peace” summit within two months at the United Nations with Secretary-General António Guterres as mediator.
The U.N. gave a very cautious response.
“As the secretary-general has said many times in the past, he can only mediate if all parties want him to mediate,” U.N. associate spokesperson Florencia Soto Nino-Martinez said Monday.
Kuleba said Russia must face a war-crimes tribunal before his country directly talks with Moscow. He said, however, that other nations should feel free to engage with Russians, as happened before a grain agreement between Turkey and Russia.
The AP interview offered a glimpse at Ukraine’s vision of how the war with Russia could one day end, although any peace talks would be months away and highly contingent on complex international negotiations.
Kuleba also said he was “absolutely satisfied” with the results of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the U.S. last week, and he revealed that the U.S. government had made a special plan to get the Patriot missile battery ready to be operational in the country in less than six months. Usually, the training takes up to a year.
Kuleba said during the interview at the Foreign Ministry that Ukraine will do whatever it can to win the war in 2023.
“Every war ends in a diplomatic way,” he said. “Every war ends as a result of the actions taken on the battlefield and at the negotiating table.”
Commenting on Kuleba’s proposal, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the state RIA Novosti news agency that Russia “never followed conditions set by others. Only our own and common sense.”
A Kremlin spokesman said last week that no Ukrainian peace plan can succeed without taking into account “the realities of today that can’t be ignored” — a reference to Moscow’s demand that Ukraine recognize Russia’s sovereignty over the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed in 2014, as well as other territorial gains.
Kuleba said the Ukrainian government would like to have the “peace” summit by the end of February.
“The United Nations could be the best venue for holding this summit, because this is not about making a favor to a certain country,” he said. “This is really about bringing everyone on board.”
At the Group of 20 summit in Bali in November, Zelenskyy made a long-distance presentation of a 10-point peace formula that includes the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian troops, the release of all prisoners, a tribunal for those responsible for the aggression and security guarantees for Ukraine.
Asked about whether Ukraine would invite Russia to the summit, he said that Moscow would first need to face prosecution for war crimes at an international court.
“They can only be invited to this step in this way,” Kuleba said.
About the U.N. Secretary-General’s role, Kuleba said: “He has proven himself to be an efficient mediator and an efficient negotiator, and most importantly, as a man of principle and integrity. So we would welcome his active participation.”
The U.N. spokesman’s office had no immediate comment.
Other world leaders have also offered to mediate, such as those in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
The foreign minister again downplayed comments by Russian authorities that they are ready for talks.
“They (Russians) regularly say that they are ready for negotiations, which is not true, because everything they do on the battlefield proves the opposite,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed few days ago that his country is ready for talks to end the war in Ukraine, but suggested that the Ukrainians are the ones refusing to take that step. Despite Putin’s comments, Moscow’s forces have kept attacking Ukraine — a sign that peace isn’t imminent.
Zelenskyy’s visit to the U.S. was his first foreign trip since the war started on Feb. 24. Kuleba praised Washington’s efforts and underlined the significance of the visit.
Ukraine secured a new $1.8 billion military aid package, including a Patriot missile battery, during the trip.
Kuleba said that the move “opens the door for other countries to do the same.”
He said that the U.S. government developed a program for Ukrainian troops to complete training faster than usual “without any damage to the quality of the use of this weapon on the battlefield.”
While Kuleba didn’t mention a specific time frame, he said only that it will be “very much less than six months.” And he added that the training will be done “outside” Ukraine.
During Russia’s ground and air war in Ukraine, Kuleba has been second only to Zelenskyy in carrying Ukraine’s message and needs to an international audience, whether through Twitter posts or meetings with friendly foreign officials.
On Monday, Ukraine called on U.N. member states to deprive Russia of its status as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and to exclude it from the world body. Kuleba said they have long “prepared for this step to uncover the fraud and deprive Russia of its status.”
The Foreign Ministry says that Russia never went through the legal procedure for acquiring membership and taking the place of the USSR at the U.N. Security Council after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
“This is the beginning of an uphill battle, but we will fight, because nothing is impossible,” he told the AP.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s foreign minister on Monday said that his government is aiming to have a peace summit by the end of February, preferably at the United Nations with Secretary-General António Guterres as a possible mediator, around the anniversary of Russia’s war.
But Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told The Associated Press that Russia could only be invited to such a summit if the country faced a war crimes tribunal first.
Kuleba also said he was “absolutely satisfied” with the results of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the U.S. last week, and he revealed that the U.S. government had made a special plan to get the Patriot missile battery ready to be operational in the country in less than six months. Usually, the training takes up to a year.
Kuleba said during the interview at the Foreign Ministry that Ukraine will do whatever it can to win the war in 2023, adding that diplomacy always plays an important role.
“Every war ends in a diplomatic way,” he said. “Every war ends as a result of the actions taken on the battlefield and at the negotiating table.”
Kuleba said the Ukrainian government would like to have a peace summit by the end of February.
“The United Nations could be the best venue for holding this summit, because this is not about making a favor to a certain country,” he said. “This is really about bringing everyone on board.”
On Dec. 12, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine planned to initiate a summit to implement the Ukrainian peace formula in 2023.
At the Group of 20 summit in Bali in November, Zelenskyy presented a 10-point peace formula that includes the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian troops, the release of all prisoners, a tribunal for those responsible for the aggression and security guarantees for Ukraine.
Asked about whether they would invite Russia to the summit, he said that Moscow would first need to face prosecution for war crimes at an international court.
“They can only be invited to this step in this way,” Kuleba said.
About Guterres’ role, Kuleba said: “He has proven himself to be an efficient mediator and an efficient negotiator, and most importantly, as a man of principle and integrity. So we would welcome his active participation.”
The foreign minister again downplayed comments by Russian authorities that they are ready for talks.
“They regularly say that they are ready for negotiations, which is not true, because everything they do on the battlefield proves the opposite,” he said.
In comments released Sunday on Russian state television, Putin claimed that his country is ready for talks to end the war in Ukraine, but suggested that the Ukrainians are the ones refusing to take that step. Despite Putin’s comments, Moscow’s forces have kept attacking Ukraine — a sign that peace isn’t imminent.
Zelenskyy’s visit to the U.S. was his first foreign trip since the war started on Feb. 24. Kuleba praised Washington’s efforts and underlined the significance of the visit.
“This shows how both the United States are important for Ukraine, but also how Ukraine is important for the United States,” said Kuleba, who was part of the delegation to the U.S.
Ukraine secured a new $1.8 billion military aid package, including a Patriot missile battery, during the trip.
Kuleba said that the move “opens the door for other countries to do the same.”
He said that the U.S. government developed a program for the missile battery to complete the training faster than usual “without any damage to the quality of the use of this weapon on the battlefield.”
While Kuleba didn’t mention a specific time frame, he said only that it will be “very much less than six months.” And he added that the training will be done “outside” Ukraine.
During Russia’s ground and air war in Ukraine, Kuleba has been second only to Zelenskyy in carrying Ukraine’s message and needs to an international audience, whether through Twitter posts or meetings with friendly foreign officials.
On Monday, Ukraine called on U.N. member states to deprive Russia of its status as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and to exclude it from the world body. Kuleba said they have long “prepared for this step to uncover the fraud and deprive Russia of its status.”
The Foreign Ministry says that Russian never went through the legal procedure for acquiring membership and taking the place of the USSR at the U.N. Security Council after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
“This is the beginning of an uphill battle, but we will fight, because nothing is impossible,” he told the AP.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
The Packers defense was the story of the team’s Christmas Day win over the Dolphins, 26-20, with three fourth-quarter interceptions of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
The electric Jaire Alexander started the takeaway barrage at the beginning of the quarter, De’Vondre Campbell continued it and Rasul Douglas sealed the win in the closing moments of the game.
It was one celebration after another for the Packers defense as it kept their playoff hopes alive.
But Alexander, who will never be accused of being shy, was just getting started.
The Packers’ Pro Bowl cornerback then gave a must-see post-game interview with Fox sideline reporter Pam Oliver in which he explained his pick of Tagovailoa in true Jaire Alexander fashion.
I was going to share the quotes from this Jaire postgame interview with Pam Oliver, talking about his interception, but there’s really no way to properly convey it in words.
So, just watch: pic.twitter.com/MdSvvpzx0w
— Kassidy Hill (@KassidyGHill) December 25, 2022
“If you celebrate, Merry Christmas, go spend time with your family,” Alexander told everyone watching. “We got the dub, baby. The Pack is back.”
And for good measure he “waddled” off the field, delivering an all-time troll to Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
More:Packers upset the Dolphins on Christmas in Miami. Here’s how Twitter reacted to the win and Tua Tagovailoa’s interceptions.
Vote:How do you think the Green Bay Packers played against the Miami Dolphins?
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Fifty years after the “Immaculate Reception” and just hours before his death, Franco Harris said it “blows my mind” how he pulled off arguably the most memorable play in NFL history.
In a live interview Tuesday on “Mad Dog Unleashed” on SiriusXM radio, Harris recalled December 23, 1972, when he caught a deflected pass just before it hit the ground and ran for a playoff game-winning touchdown to lead his Pittsburgh Steelers over the Oakland Raiders.
Harris said his assignment was to block but he wound up going out for a pass when the fourth-down play broke down with 22 seconds left in the game.
“You know what, when I watch the film I can’t remember anything of the play past just leaving the backfield,” Harris told host Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo. “But when I see the film, and I see it in real time, it just blows my mind how quick that is … And I have no idea how I reacted so quickly, and got it and kept in stride. And even looked up a little bit to try and get the lay of the land … I’m saying, ‘How did all that happen in just those few seconds?’ It didn’t make any sense. Like, I just don’t understand it.”
Harris died just days before the 50th anniversary of the catch, and the Steelers had planned to retire his No. 32 jersey during halftime of their game against the Raiders on Saturday.
The NFL Network in 2019 named the Immaculate Reception the top play in the 100 years of the league.
The play was not without controversy: There were no convincing replays to determine who deflected the ball when two opposing players collided and whether the ball actually hit the ground when Harris caught it.
In the interview, Russo said some believe that the nose of the football hit the turf, “But you’re saying that’s not the case, correct?”
“I have no idea, I have no idea,” Harris said. “I remember nothing. That’s what baffles me…”
Russo noted Harris was “a long way away from where the ball ricocheted.” If another Steeler had touched the ball, Harris’ catch would not have been legal.
“I have no recollection of seeing the ball at all,” Harris said. “I have no visual of the ball. I have no recollection. But look at … how fast it came back.”
Harry Cabluck/AP
Looking at the film, Harris says, “I’m thinking that it could only have been” Raiders defender Jack Tatum “that the ball bounced off of” before Harris made the shoestring catch. Tatum had collided with Steelers fullback Frenchy Fuqua.
In explaining how he made the play, Harris noted that he “always had great reflexes but you don’t practice stuff like this. … So it kind of blows my mind.”
The Steelers won the game 13-7 for the team’s first-ever playoff victory but lost their next game. Still, the team went on to dominate the 1970s, winning four Super Bowls.
Russo, the host, opened the interview by asking, “How are you today, OK pal?” It was likely the last interview Harris did before his death was announced on Wednesday. His cause of death was not provided.
“Doing great. Fantastic,” Harris said, though he was coughing here and there. “And, like as you said, 50 years ago, and, and it still feels brand new.”
Harris then went on to talk about thegame-winning drive, how it started off poorly and left the Steelers in a desperate spot.
“So, things didn’t go too well on those first three plays, as you know. And then it gets down to fourth down. A long way to go. 22 seconds.
And I go into the huddle and I tell myself, ‘Franco, this will probably be the last play of the season. It was a good season. Just play it till the end.’
And (the coach)called that 66 halfback option.”
Harris’ assignment was to stay in and block.
He recalled that “there wasn’t much … adrenaline” in the huddle.
We were winning the whole game and right at the end (the Raiders) scored. It seemed more of a letdown than anything.”
Russo noted that Harris “did block well” on the play and noticed that quarterback Terry Bradshaw was scrambling under pressure from the defense.
“My thought was to release to be an outlet pass,” Harris said. “And Bradshaw, being as, you know, big and as strong as he is, you know, guys trying to bring him down, he’s able to fight them off and get the ball into the air.”
Harris said when the ball was in the air, “I tell myself, right, I tell myself ‘Go to the ball, go to the ball.’”
Harris said that was his instinct because that was what he was taught as a running back in college, under Joe Paterno at Penn State University.
“That’s what Joe preached to us all four years at Penn State. You know, always go to the ball … And so I start taking some steps to the ball and I remember nothing after that… which blows my mind, that I have no visual, no recollection of anything until I am stiff arming (Raiders defender) Jimmy Warren, going into the end zone.”
People we’ve lost in 2022
Harris noted how important it was that he didn’t dive for the ball. In those days when a player hits the ground while possessing the ball, he was officially down and could not advance it.
“How lucky am I that I was conscious that, you know, catch it that low without diving for it,” Harris said.
Harris said that after the players collided and the ball deflected into the air, some of the Raiders started to clap and celebrate.
“And the Raiders stop, just for a few seconds, and that few seconds that they stopped gave me the head start to get into the end zone.”
All these years later, when some old-time Raiders still assert that the catch wasn’t a legal catch, Harris says he pays it no mind.
“As a matter of fact,” Harris said, “I feel good that they’re still sulking about that.”
On DJ Akademiks’ podcast, Adin Ross revealed the details of his correspondence with Ye.
Ross said that he was initially excited to have Ye on his stream.
He said Ye thought he was an “enemy” after Ross sent him messages about the Jewish community.
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The YouTuber Adin Ross went on DJ Akademiks’ podcast “Off the Record” to describe the phone call with Kanye West that made him decide against inviting the musician to speak on his channel.
The 22-year-old influencer said he initially connected with West, who recently changed his legal name to Ye, after the rapper sent him a message on Instagram. The two spoke over the phone for 30 minutes, Ross told Akademiks.
Ross, who has 3 and 7 million followers on YouTube and Twitch, respectively, said he was at first excited to have West on his stream.
Before the white nationalist Nick Fuentes announced that Ross would interview West, the musician had recently sparked widespread condemnation for his volatile appearance on the right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ show InfoWars, during which he praised Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. West had also previously gone on multiple antisemitic rants online and drawn derision for a slew of other controversies, including falsely claiming that George Floyd died from fentanyl.
“Come on my stream, we’re gonna do crazy numbers bro, at least anywhere from 400-500,000 live viewers for sure,” Ross said he told West on the phone. “We’re breaking the internet.”
After the call, Ross said he at one point texted West something that probably made him think Ross “was an enemy,” he said. Ross said he told West that he was Jewish and to “come at whoever you’re coming at directly” rather than his whole community.
“I can’t have my platform come on and just say a bunch of shit about Jews,” Ross told Allen.
The texts spurred another phone call from West, Ross said, who was more heated now.
“He called me up, and he basically just said like, ‘Yo, you know, you Jews aren’t going to tell me what I can and can’t say,'” Ross said.
Ross told Allen that the two hadn’t spoken since then, and the interview never happened.
Ross, who did not respond to Insider’s request for comment, has a history of platforming controversy-ridden influencers like iShowSpeed, who was banned from Twitch for “sexual coercion or intimidation,” and the misogynistic self-help guru Andrew Tate.
OJ SIMPSON has finally addressed rumors that he’s Khloe Kardashian’s real father in a new interview.
The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star has encountered speculation for years that she is not Robert Kardashian’s actual daughter.
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OJ has denied rumors that he’s Khloe Kardashian’s real fatherCredit: AP:Associated Press
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Khloe has faced the speculation for years as she looks much different than her siblingsCredit: Hulu
Now OJ, 75, has finally spoken out regarding the 38-year elephant in the room.
During an interview with Hollywood Unlocked, the former football player addressed the wild rumor that has circulated in the media for years.
“I always thought Kris was a cute girl. She was really nice, but you know I was dating supermodels,” he laughed.
The interviewer then asked OJ if he “knew the rumor,” that he was Khloe’s actual father, to which he replied: “The rumor ain’t true.”
“It’s not even nowhere close to being true.”
The interviewer pressed on: “Some people think you might be Khloe Kardashian’s real dad.”
But OJ hit back: “No, no, no I’m not.”
Hollywood Unlocked continued: “Cause Kim’s like 5’5, Kourtney’s like 5’3, and Khloe’s like 6’2.”
Most read in Entertainment
The famous broadcaster replied: “Well I’ve seen the family say something about a cook or something but I don’t know.”
FAMOUS FAMILY
Kris Jenner shares her four eldest kids, Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, and Rob with her late ex-husband Robert Kardashian.
The lawyer passed away in July 2003 after a short but difficult battle with esophageal cancer.
The momager shares her youngest daughters Kendall and Kylie with her ex-husband Caitlyn Jenner.
Khloe has faced years of rumors that she was not actually Robert’s daughter, due to her lighter features and taller frame.
But the Good American founder has constantly denied all speculation, and continued to memorialize her father through social media.
MISSING DAD
In February, Khloe shared never-before-seen photos and home videos from her teen years as a tribute to her late dad.
Khloe took to her Instagram Story on Tuesday to share a number of throwback photos and videos in honor of his February 22nd birthday.
The first slide captured Khloe posing with Robert and her siblings Kourtney, 43, Kim, 42, and Rob, 35.
The family members smiled for the camera as they dressed up for a special occasion.
The Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum wrote above the photo: “Happy Birthday Daddy.”
The next slide featured a home video of Robert outdoors as he tipped his purple baseball cap while naming each of his kids, as well as his then-wife Kris Jenner, 67.
The following slide was another group photo of Robert with his kids, which Khloe captioned: “I miss you.”
The mother-of-one’s Instagram Stories continued with a few solo shots of Robert that captured him posing outside with a dog as he stood in between two cars, as well as close-ups of him donning serious expressions.
Other photos showed the lawyer hugging Khloe as he held a football and carrying a young Rob on his shoulders.
SHORT-LIVED SUCCESS
Before his family skyrocketed to fame due to KUWTK, Robert was best known for working as a successful lawyer.
The American attorney and businessman shot to fame as he stood by his pal and American football star OJ Simpson during his 1995 murder trial.
Robert was married to Kris from 1978-1991, while he went on to marry Jan Ashley and Ellen Pierson.
He died just eight weeks after he was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 59.
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Robert Kardashian was a successful lawyer in Los AngelesCredit: Instagram
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Fans have always questioned Khloe’s parentage as she looks nothing like her dad
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Robert passed away in the summer of 2003Credit: Splash News
Jay Leno has opened up for the first time about the accident that left him with severe burns to his face and body.
In an interview with Hoda Kotb from “Today,” his first since the November 12 incident, the comedian, 72, said he was working underneath an antique 1907 car alongside his friend Dave Killackey when a series of events led to his injuries.
“The fuel line was clogged so I was underneath it. It sounded clogged and I said, ‘Blow some air through the line,’ and so he did,” Leno,an avid car collector,recalled to Kotb. “And suddenly, boom, I got a face full of gas. And then the pilot light jumped and my face caught on fire.”
The “Jay Leno’s Garage” star said he told Killackey, “Dave, I’m on fire,” to which his friend at first simply responded, “All right.”
“I said, ‘No, Dave, I’m on fire.’ And then, ‘Oh, my God,’” Leno added. “Dave, my friend, pulled me out and jumped on top of me and kind of smothered the fire.”
Leno was first taken to a local hospital, and then he was transferred to the Grossman Burn Center in Los Angeles after the incident, CNN previously reported.
Doctor releases video of Jay Leno getting treatment for burns
In a news conference on November 16, Dr. Peter Grossman, who treated the former “Tonight Show” host, said “it was noted that he had pretty significant burns to face and hands,” going on to say that the burns were on Leno’s “face, his hands, and his chest.”
The burns were a mixture of second-degree and possibly some third-degree burns, according to Grossman, who added that “some of the burns to the face are a little deeper and a little more concerning.”
Although Leno’s injuries were serious, Grossman said at the time that the funnyman was expected to make a full recovery.
Sure enough, just two weeks after the accident, Leno performed in front of a sold-out crowd at his regular haunt the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, California, according to a spokesperson for the club at the time.
According to NBC, Leno joked to reporters outside the venue, “We got two shows tonight. Regular and extra crispy.”
This week’s interview will appear on NBC News’ “Today” show on Wednesday.
Last week, Gematsu” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/gematsu”>Gematsu had the opportunity to sit down with Forspoken [21 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/forspoken”>Forspoken director Takeshi Aramaki, co-director Takefumi Terada, and creative producer Raio Mitsuno to discuss the open-world Action RPG [527 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/genres/rpg/action-rpg”>action RPG‘s concept and creation, magic-driven gameplay, and more.
Get the full interview below.
Forspoken is your next major project following Final Fantasy [44 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/series/final-fantasy”>Final Fantasy XV. What has the process been like, shifting from a mainline Final Fantasy game to a new IP?
Takeshi Aramaki, Luminous Productions [26 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/square-enix/luminous-productions”>Luminous Productions Head of Studio and Co-Director: “Coming out of Final Fantasy XV, we really wanted to develop a new game—a new IP essentially. With Final Fantasy XV, we felt like we were able to do a lot of world building, and we felt like we did a pretty swell job in the sense of developing an RPG [14,721 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/genres/rpg”>RPG. But alternatively, there were still some challenges that remained on the scenario front. And so with our latest title, pairing up with western scenario writers like Gary Witta and Amy Hennig, and garnering their helping hands, so to speak, we felt like we would be able to create quite an amazing game that we really, truly love. So that’s where it all kind of started.”
Why did you decide to go that route rather than develop the story in-house?
Raio Mitsuno, Creative Producer: “It’s not every day we get an opportunity to create a new IP at this scale, so we wanted to really take advantage of that and deliver a game experience to as many players worldwide—as much as possible. We wanted to make sure that we maximize our efforts in every aspect. So instead of just limiting to our own idea and kind of creating a story within ourselves, we thought we would reach out to some amazing creative minds to help put something together that is bigger than the sum of its part, so to speak. So we have our development expertise and experience paired with amazing storytelling from the west and trying to come up with something that we wouldn’t be able to do on our own. And that’s kind of really the thinking behind wanting to do this kind of collaborative effort.”
To that end, can you talk about why you decided to incorporate the likenesses of real actors rather than custom character designs?
Mitsuno: “Part of the reason why we want to base our characters off of real actors and models is to really just bring an authentic experience to each character. I know for a lot of our other games, we just designed the original characters, and it’s kind of always acting alongside of it, but we really wanted to bring each character to life in the most authentic way possible. And the way we started with that—for example, for Frey, when we designed her, when we came up with her, we started from the inside out. We started with thinking about her personality, what is her character like? Does she like dogs or is she a cat person? Like, you know, just thinking of every single trait that defines Frey. And then we went to the casting process, and we came across Ella Balinska, who just was a perfect match in terms of conveying the dynamic character that Frey is—with how strong her determination is, the sense of humor that we want a Frey to have. But also a soft, kind of vulnerable side to her as well. So she’s a very multidimensional character, and we found an actor that can portray that. And then we said, hey, let’s model the character after Ella as well, just so we can really bring that experience as authentically as possible. So that was the process that started everything, and for every other character we thought the same way as well.”
Can you talk more about how the concept of Forspoken came about? Before the game’s announcement, I recall hearing whispers of the game being built off the Agni’s Philosophy tech demo Square Enix [5,067 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/square-enix”>Square Enix showcased some years back. Is there any truth to that?
Aramaki: “Agni’s Philosophy was actually revealed as a tech demo for Final Fantasy. So in that sense it’s unrelated to Forspoken. It is true that we wanted to create an experience that was based on magic, where magic was actually the concept. And so there are likenesses or similarities on that front. However, Agni’s Philosophy as a world stands on its own, and for Forspoken we really built the world and lore off of our discussions with Gary and Amy. So it is a completely different undertaking.”
Magic is the life and soul of Forspoken. Frey comes to an unknown world where she is gifted with supernatural abilities. One thing you’re really emphasizing here is magic through parkour. What made parkour of all things into such a key element?
Takefumi Terada, Co-Director: “Magic parkour is definitely a key element. As far as how we arrived at magic parkour, we initially started off with the plain old parkour that you see in our world—essentially something that’s humanly possible. And so we researched and built out parkour Action [815 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/genres/action”>action based on what’s humanly possible first and foremost. And then by adding a magic element to it, we really felt like it would help expand and enhance what could potentially be possible, namely the high-speed fast-paced traversal, as well as being able to jump higher and so forth. It really allows for that range. And so that’s where we really strove to develop—that’s the flow in which we arrived at magic parkour.”
Other than parkour and fast travel, are there any other methods of traversal in Forspoken?
Terada: “As you mentioned, fast travel will be a method of travel in the game. But as far as other methods of travel, everything we have is focused around the parkour action. So basically when you start off in the game, initially you start off with, for lack of a better term, low level parkour skills that are humanly possible. But as you progress through the game, you will start to get additional parkour action of the magic-enhanced variety. And so step by step, you’ll be able to utilize even greater parkour skills throughout the game. And so it is really an experience to fully enjoy the parkour action.”
While we’re on the subject of magic, can we talk about combat? In a recent PlayStation [41,655 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/platforms/playstation”>PlayStation Blog post, you mentioned really wanting to get the visual representation of magic down just right. What was the process behind defining and developing Frey’s magic?
Terada: “Let me start by explaining how we went about with the game design for magic and how that was all crafted. So given the fact that this is an action-based game, and we have 100 types of cells at the player’s disposal, we started off by really placing importance on the distance between the player and enemy. And so earlier on in the game, you will start off with more mid-ranged spells. And then as you progress to the game, you start to gain different types of spells—notably near-range, close-range, fire-based spells, as well as shorter boosts, like distance dashes. And then as you progress even further into the game, you’ll get a hold of more long-ranged magic. For example, you may be able to attack as you hide or otherwise. And so there is quite a variety of magic incorporated within this game, and we really want to cater to the player’ own play style so that they have the right to choose how they play.
“And so we really wanted to, again, cater to various different play styles. So after we had that overarching idea, we went in and looked at each and every magic spell available and decided on what kind of qualities that each magic will have. So, for example, there may be certain ones where you would set traps in order to defeat enemies, or there might be mine-like magic that you set that would automatically defeat enemies, or so forth. And so those individual characteristics of each magic were locked up by the planners, and thereafter the artists went in to design how that would visually look, as far as the visual effects go.”
Being a new IP, were there ever times during development that you looked at certain magic abilities and thought, “No, that’s too Final Fantasy,” or, “No, that’s too similar to Dragon Quest [46 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/series/dragon-quest”>Dragon Quest“?
Terada: “Yeah, so as you mentioned, given the fact that Forspoken is a new IP, we originally set out with the concept of creating a new IP that is neither Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, and so it true that we were conscious of not being too comparable to other Square Enix games. So we really strove for originality and intuitiveness, and we hope that comes through in the magic we’re presenting in the game.”
I had the opportunity to play the Tokyo Game Show 2022 demo of Forspoken a couple of months back and Frey had an impressive number of skills at her disposal. How many different skills and variations can players expect in the full game?
Terada: “We really wanted the main focus of this game to be magic and magic-based enjoyment throughout its gameplay and battles. And so as far as physical weapons go, you will not encounter any in this game. You’ll basically utilize magic to your heart’s content in order to really enjoy the battles and the defeat monsters and so forth. That’s really the crux of this experience.”
I think one of the biggest concerns when it comes to Open-World [151 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/genres/open-world”>open-world games is that it will be riddled with cumbersome fetch quests or errands. How is this being handled for Forspoken?
Terada: “When looking at side quests specifically, within the world of Athia, there is a last bastion of humanity essentially called Cipal, where the survivors of humanity have gathered. So for side quests, it’s really about the human interactions with these NPCs, learning about their struggles and so forth. This is what most of the side quests are focused around—really getting an understanding for the people—the survivors.
“As far as detours or side content that is available throughout the open world, there are aspects where you can explore and enhance your magic, and there will be various bosses and dungeons that you’ll be able to take on and challenge. There’s also an aspect where you’ll be able to engage with these cute creatures. And then also there are archives where you’ll find remnants and records of life that once was in the open world, which will help you gain further understanding and depth into the history of Athia. And so those are the types of side content available outside of Cipal in the open world.”
Mitsuno: “Just for some additional context, you said you played the Tokyo Game Show demo in October. So that was a specially crafted gameplay demo just to give a feel for the mechanics of parkour and magic. So that was specifically kind of fetch quest-like in terms of the makeup, like, do these five objectives and then you get to fight a boss. So the full game isn’t actually designed like that, that was just specifically created for that demo experience.”
Sony Interactive Entertainment [4,620 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/sony-interactive-entertainment”>Sony Interactive Entertainment has been a very open supporter of Forspoken, even locking down a minimum two years of console exclusivity. Can you talk a bit about how that partnership came about?
Aramaki: “In developing and creating a new IP, we really set out to create a gaming experience that was catered to PlayStation, kind of drawing on their high speed SSD as well as haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. We built our game design to cater to those features. And so Sony has been kindly supporting us on the promotion front in those terms.”
Looks like our time is about up. Is there anything else you would like to say to fans before we sign off?
Terada: “Forspoken is the debut title from Luminous Productions. We’re sure and confident we will be able to deliver to everyone’s expectations. So we hope that you will look forward to it and enjoy the game. Persona [10 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/series/persona”>Personally speaking, I put a lot of energy and a lot of effort into the open world’s magic parkour and combat. So we really hope that you’ll be able to enjoy traversing the vast and sprawling lands of Athia.”
Mitsuno: “And just to add to that a little bit. To go alongside the awesome gameplay that we have in Forspoken, is an incredible narrative that follows Frey’s journey through Athia, so that is something that we are very proud of as well, especially the tech that we’ve created. It’s something that we know players enjoy. Obviously, because the story is so important, we haven’t revealed too much about it. But rest assured, along with the gameplay, there’s going to be a very captivating story for players.”
Thank you so much for your time today everyone!
Forspoken is due out for PS5 [3,934 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/platforms/playstation/ps5″>PlayStation 5 and PC [16,526 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/platforms/pc”>PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store on January 24, 2023. A demo is available now for PlayStation 5.
Less than a week after Kanye West praised Adolf Hitler in an interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, West – flanked by white supremacist Nick Fuentes – sat down with Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes to demand that Jewish people “forgive Hitler.”
The 45 minute episode titled “Saving Ye” on the alt-right video platform Censored.TV, opens with McInnes at an airport spouting off his desire to “prevent Ye West from becoming an antisemite or a nazi” and to “talk him off the ledge.” In the same breath, McInnes voices his hopes to show West that “our problem is liberal elites of all races,” then proceeds to name two black leaders, Kamala Harris and Barack Obama, as a “major problem.”
McInnes, the co-founder of Vice who left the media company in 2008, was banned from Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram in 2018 for promoting content related to violent extremist groups and hate speech. In 2020, his YouTube account was suspended for violating the platform’s policies on hate speech. His timely interview with the rapper coincides with a storm of media attention stemming from a Yeezy fashion show in October in which West displayed “White Lives Matter” shirts. While McInnes’ Censored.TV Twitter account has just under 16,000 followers, West had millions in comparison – before getting banned – and currently holds over 18 million followers on Instagram.
Before meeting with West and Fuentes, McInnes says he’s meeting them at a secure location in Los Angeles. The camera cuts to the 45 minute interview with West and Fuentes, which McInnes points out is taking place just two days after the InfoWars debacle. West, whose face is covered with a mask, begins by saying the backlash from his previous interview has been “awesome for a presidential campaign” before blaming Jewish people for Hitler’s “reputation” and comparing abortion to “eugenics,” “genocide,” and the “Holocaust.” West then reiterates his claims that “Jewish people control the majority of the media, along with banks, along with real estate, along with malls.” He adds, “They can control the narrative. History is written by the winners.”
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The rapper also addresses his mental health and says that Ben Shapiro “is running this narrative that I’m going to kill myself.” West then says that if “they” do attempt to “kill” him, like they did “Michael Jackson or JFK… or Aaron Carter,” then they could say it “was Ye’s mental health.”
Midway through the interview, West claims “that there is a collusion of Jewish attorneys and managers and everything else you can think of” that “give America porn.” West continues to say that porn is “the gas chamber, it’s a silent killer” to “dumb us down.” He also cites his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, who he claims is used to “sell it.” West – who recently settled his divorce with Kardashian – comes back to this point later on, saying that porn “destroyed” his family and that women in porn are the “products of pedophilia.” Then, in a move that throws out female empowerment in favor of body shaming, West says that women on Instagram “showing their bodies” in their 30s and 40s are freezing their eggs because they haven’t “lived the dream of having a husband and kids.”
West then calls on people to “pray for Instagram” and says anyone who likes a photo of a “woman that’s half-naked” is a “sexual predator.”
Perhaps sensing an opportunity to give his male ego a much needed boost, McInnes goes on to call “spinsters who don’t pay attention to the time” the “new journalists” who are out to “cancel” and “sabotage family men.”
At one point, McInnes gives West a hypothetical question. “So you’re president of the United States,” says McInnes. “It’s day one and someone walks in and they go, ‘So what are we going to do about these Jews?’ What do ya say?” West replies, eliciting laughs from Fuentes and McInnes: “Jews should work for Christians. I’ll hire a Jewish person in a second if I knew they weren’t a spy and I could look through their phone and follow through their house and have a camera all in their living room.”
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Further into the interview, McInnes Fuentes repeats an earlier claim that “ethnomasochism” is a “genetic white thing,” which Fuentes counters by saying “liberalism has poisoned the well for white people.” Fuentes then takes the opportunity to nosedive into a thread about his childhood, claiming that “kids love Hitler” and that there is something compelling about the videos, propaganda, and symbols. When McInnes questions Fuentes’ claim, the Holocaust denier clarifies that he is referring to kids on 4chan and the internet.
Fuentes – who has been labeled a “white supremacist” by the Anti-Defamation League – praised Hitler during an America First Political Action Conference (AFPAC) in February. Before introducing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to the crowd, Fuentes said, “And now they’re going on about Russia, and ‘Vladimir Putin is Hitler’ — and they say that’s not a good thing … Can we get a round of applause for Russia? Yes!”
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West ends the interview by saying he “loves everyone” and says that “the rules of the country will be based on the bible.”
“Jewish people can’t tell me who I can love and who I can’t love,” he continues. “You can’t say, you can’t force your pain on everyone else. Jewish people, forgive Hitler today.”
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Disgraced rapper Kanye West admitted “I like Hitler” as he and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes were interviewed by right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on Infowars.
West, who has been dumped by the likes of Adidas, GAP and Balenciaga following a string of antisemitic comments, repeatedly praised the Nazi leader during his appearance on the show on Thursday morning.
Despite efforts by Jones to say he did not believe West was a Nazi, the hip-hop star cut him off and insisted he was a fan of the man who oversaw the murder of around 6 million Jews.
“You’re not Hitler, you’re not a Nazi, so you don’t deserve to be demonised,” Jones told West, who was bizarrely wearing a black hood over his face in the studio.
But West was not prepared to accept the attempt by Jones to denounce Nazism.
“Well, I see good things about Hitler also,” replied West.
“The Jews…I love everyone, and the Jewish people are not going to tell me ‘You can love us and you can love what we are doing to you with the contracts, and you can love what we are pushing with the pornography’, but this guy that invented highways, invented the very microphone that I use as a musician, you can’t say out loud that this person ever did anything good and I am done with that.
“I am done with the classifications. Every human being has something of value that they brought to the table, especially Hitler.”
Jone went on to tell the rapper that he had a “Hitler fetish” and as the show cut to a commercial break, Jones told him that he did not like Nazis or Hitler, to which West shockingly replied, “I like Hitler.”
West, who plans on running for president in 2024, later added: “They did good things too, we’ve got to stop dissing the Nazis all the time.”
And he added: “The Jewish media has made us feel like the Nazis and Hitler have never offered anything of value to the world.”
After the shocking interview, the Twitter account for the Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee deleted a tweet that said “Kanye. Elon. Trump.” The tweet was posted in October, and the account had been under pressure to remove the tweet as West continued making antisemitic remarks.
During the interview on Thursday, West also brought out a net and a bottle of Yoohoo chocolate milk, in an attempt to seemingly mock Israeli Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu.
It came a day after the Israeli politician said that Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago meeting with West and Fuentes was a “mistake.”
“I condemned Kanye West’s antisemitic statements. President Trump’s decision to dine with this person I think is wrong and misplaced. He shouldn’t do that. I think he made a mistake. I hope it’s not repeated,” he told American journalist Bari Weiss.
A number of celebrities condemned West’s comments, including Frozen star Josh Gad, who is Jewish.
“It’s not what Kanye West says that scares me,” he wrote on Twitter. “It’s that he has 30 million followers who listen to his insanity on top of a cheerleader in the form of the current owner of this platform.
“No one who says ‘I love Hitler’ should be allowed any oxygen on any social platform (period).”
Jon Stewart summed up his reaction without mentioning West directly:
