TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — The man dubbed the “father of Sudoku” for his role in popularizing the numerical brainteaser loved by millions, has died of cancer at 69, his Japanese publisher has announced. In a notice posted Monday, Nikoli said Maki Kaji died at home on August 10 after battling cancer, and a memorial service would be held at a later date. “Mr Kaji was known as the father of Sudoku and was loved by […]
Tag: game
Doctors sound alarm over 5-fold jump in kids swallowing magnets from toys
by Marlowe HOOD Agence France Presse Doctors from major hospitals in England sounded an alarm on Wednesday over a fivefold increase in the number of young children requiring medical treatment after swallowing magnets from toys. Nearly half of these kids aged four months and up required surgery to remove the magnets, often followed by complications, they reported in a research letter published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, a medical journal. From 2016 […]
NBA bans Celtics guard Smart one game for referee threat
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart was suspended one game without pay by the NBA on Wednesday for using threatening language to a referee in a Tuesday loss to Oklahoma City. The incidents came during and after the visiting Thunder defeated Boston 119-115, snapping a 14-game losing streak for Oklahoma City. Smart went 4-of-17 from the floor in scoring 14 points and was whistled for a technical foul in the […]
US approves first ‘digital therapeutic’ game for ADHD
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US health officials have approved the first game-based treatment for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, part of a trend toward “digital therapeutics” or software to address certain conditions. The Food and Drug Administration said Monday it approved the sale by prescription of the game EndeavorRX from health tech startup Akili Interactive for children aged 8-12 who have been diagnosed with ADHD. The FDA said this was the first digital […]
Mario mugs, Zelda tote bags as Nintendo opens first Tokyo store
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Nintendo this week throws open the doors to its first bricks-and-mortar store in Tokyo, offering everything from Super Mario mugs to Zelda handbags as part of a new gaming complex in the heart of the city. Set in a refashioned department store on one floor just minutes from the famed “scramble crossing” in Shibuya district, the giant retail space also includes shops selling merchandise from some of the biggest names […]
Cavs guard Porter gets one-game NBA ban for ref contact
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kevin Porter Jr. was suspended one game without pay by the NBA on Monday for improperly making contact with a game official, the league announced. The incident took place at the end of the third quarter of Sunday’s 131-111 victory by the Dallas Mavericks at Cleveland. Porter will miss the Cavaliers’ Tuesday home game against Boston. The Cavaliers are off to a 2-4 start to the […]
Trade war boogeyman hangs over giant US toy show
by John BIERS Agence France Presse NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — The US-China trade war has dealt a glancing blow to American toys, hitting putty and arts and crafts items, while sparing superhero action figures, toy cars and most best-selling offerings. Yet uncertainty about the trading relationship between Beijing and Washington hangs over this weekend’s Toy Fair, dampening the festive mood amidst giant balloon cartoon figures and karaoke cars as some 30,000 industry representatives […]
Roblox, the game platform teaching young kids to code
by Julie JAMMOT Agence France-Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — With its Lego-like avatars and easy-to-learn coding for budding programmers, the online gaming app Roblox has cornered the market in younger gamers, with 80 million monthly users, many of them under 16. Now the platform, which has already taken the United States by storm, is setting its sights on Europe and Asia to become a global giant. Kids log on to the mobile app after school to guide their […]
In Iraq, an ancient board game is making a comeback
by Martin Turner Agence France Presse RANIYE, Iraq (AFP) — After rolling pyramid-shaped dice, Iraqi Kurdish artisan Hoshmand Muwafaq shifted his pebble around an ornate board, his handmade recreation of one of the Middle East’s oldest and most popular games. Originating nearly 5,000 years ago in what would become Iraq, the Royal Game of Ur mysteriously died out — until Muwafaq resurrected it by making his own decorated wooden board. “It is a nice feeling […]
“Uncharted: The Lost Legacy” means Girl Power
By Jericho Morales Eagle News Service “Uncharted: The Lost Legacy” was supposed to be downloadable content for “Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End,” but Naughty Dog appears to have realized that it could be much more than just that. All throughout the game, you play not as Nathan Drake, but as Chloe Frazer, who first appeared as Drake’s love interest in “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves,” that is, apart from Elena Fisher. Accompanied by artificial intelligence-controlled Nadine […]
Annual US Congress baseball game brings unity after shooting
WASHINGTON DC, United States (Reuters) – Members of the United States Congress took to the field for their traditional Republicans vs. Democrats baseball game on Thursday (June 15), with many wearing hats to honor Representative Steve Scalise, who was critically wounded by a gunman as his Republican team practised a day before. When the members of the Republican team were announced at Nationals Park, the mention of Scalise’s name drew a standing ovation. David Bailey, […]
NBA: Spurs’ Leonard expects to play despite ankle injury
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard said Wednesday he expects to be on the court for a crucial NBA playoff game against the Houston Rockets despite a left ankle injury. Leonard rolled his ankle with 5:37 remaining in the third quarter Tuesday and while he played half of the fourth quarter he was absent for over-time as the Spurs defeated visiting Houston 110-107. That gave the Spurs a 3-2 lead […]





