How AirAsia flight compares to Air France 447 crash

On Sunday, all contact with AirAsia Flight 8501 was lost over the Java ocean as a good space of thunderstorms lined the world. the invention of floating rubble on weekday concerning a hundred miles from its last glorious position, together with associate analysis of ocean currents, can offer investigators clues wherever to go looking for the rest of the craft.

From its cruise altitude, the airplane's flight distance would even be concerning a hundred miles, however take into account that for the rubble to drift that very same a hundred miles it'd solely take a drift rate of two knots, yielding a good vary of prospects on the character of the aircraft's descent to the water below.

Many parallels between AirAsia 8501 and Air France 447 in June 2009 square measure obvious. each craft were lost in violent storm areas of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). each crashed bewildered wherever floating rubble drifted for days from the purpose of contact with the ocean before being discovered, and each were subtle fly-by-wire airliner craft (though completely different models).

While flying into a violent storm is usually to be avoided, it had been not going the only real reason behind the accident. The reported  requests by the crew to deviate course and alter altitude seeking to avoided violent storm cells and turbulence square measure utterly traditional.
The weather within the ITCZ has some distinctive qualities compared to your average violent storm over land. The storms square measure driven by the convergence of flowing patterns between the northern and southern hemispheres of the planet, additionally to the same old factors of heat wet air and unstable region conditions.

The height of the layer --- that tends to place a cap on the peak of violent storm growth -- averages concerning thirty five,000 feet over the middle latitudes (such as that of terra firma USA), however reaches to fifty,000 feet or a lot of within the ITCZ, providing for the expansion of thunderstorms to nice heights and concomitant intensity.

These options will result in some uncommon conditions like icing or serious rain at intervals those storms wherever it's going to not unremarkably be expected, as was the case with AF 447 once its airspeed-sensing probes became clogged.

In the aftermath of the Air France crash, additionally to associate improved style of the probes, important stress has been placed on pilot coaching on the interference and recovery from similar eventualities -- like loss of speed indications and high altitude stall recovery. i might say all pilots, particularly of airliner craft, would bear in mind of AF447's lessons, together with QZ8501's captain, given his reported  expertise.

There is a recent development but that relates to airliner A320 series craft. A December ten, 2014, soundness Directive (AD 2014-25-51) describes however management of the craft may be lost on the wing as a consequence of icing of the associategle-of-attack probes and an interaction with the airplane's stall protection perform.
Those probes act like little weather vanes on the aspect of the craft and live the angle at that the heavier-than-air craft moves through the air -- the angle of attack. If the angle is just too high the air will now not flow swimmingly round the wings, leading to associate mechanics stall. the appropriate vary of angles of attack is fairly little, and gets significantly smaller at higher speeds, like cruise speed.

Simply put, looking on the position of the angle-of-attack probes once physical change happens and also the later speed of the craft, the system could also be fooled into thinking that the craft is approaching a stalled condition -- even once it's not. In response, the airplane's stall protections pitch the aircraft's nose all the way down to recover. This inaccurate pitch down can not be overridden by the pilots unless associate procedure within the soundness Directive is followed. All pilots flying this model heavier-than-air craft ought to bear in mind of this.

The procedure instructs the pilots to close up 2 of the 3 air information computers to render the same old stall protection down and permit recovery of the craft. Of course, there's no manner, at this stage of the investigation, to grasp if this contend a neighborhood, however investigators will definitely be longing for proof of this development.

Another obvious question is that the apparent lack of transmitted position and altitude information when its last glorious position in cruise. This information is transmitted throughout the flight by a system called ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast). this method transmits the airplane's position and different basic information to ground stations. although its position is GPS-satellite derived, it's not transmitted to satellites, solely to ground stations -- therefore the vary to the closest receiving ground station could be a think about the provision of that information.

The apparent fulminant loss of this information at cruise may be explained by failures on the wing like associate electrical failure, in-flight breakup of the craft, or the pilots change off needed information to control the system like that made public within the procedure higher than. However, it might even be that the craft merely flew out of vary of the bottom stations.

Flight trailing websites indicate that this habitually happens within the general space wherever QZ8501's last ADS-B transmission was created. i believe that's the foremost possible reason behind the tip of the information stream and isn't essentially a sign of ruinous failure on the wing.

In the case of Air France 447, the craft minified within the ocean wherever the ocean depth exceeded twelve,000 feet. whereas some floating part and variety of bodies were discovered at intervals a number of days on the surface, the intense depth and rough parcel on the bed delayed discovery of the rest of the craft and recovery of the flight recorders for 2 years.

Fortunately, the 100-foot depth of the Java ocean within the space wherever proof of QZ8501 was found can virtually actually end in the comparatively fast location of the craft and recovery of the 2 flight recorders.

Consideration of ocean currents throughout the 2 days between the craft's disappearance and also the discovery of floating rubble can facilitate lead investigators to search out the rest of the aircraft and its passengers. we should always not be subjected to long amount of uncertainty like with AF447 -- or the continued lack of data on MH370.

While any accident investigation can take months to complete, i might expect a lot of info to be offered because the search and recovery continues.

Clues from the manner during which heavier-than-air craft components were broken on impact and also the flight information and voice recorder contents can give answers. however like several craft accident, the cause is probably going to be the results of a series of events and conditions, the absence of anybody of which might have avoided this tragic accident. At now, {we can|we will|we square measure able to} solely guess what a number of those events and conditions are.

SOCCER How Real Sociedad boss beat Barcelona

Within five minutes of Real Sociedad's 1-0 win over Barcelona on Sunday night, Spanish broadcasters Canal Plus had given victorious boss David Moyes a rather predictable epithet: 'Braveheart'.
His team's performance was certainly full of that particular quality as they defended with unshakeable resolve to repel Barca's superstars following an early own goal from Jordi Alba. They maintained their clean sheet with a series of blocks, clearances and tackles to give the Scotsman his first major scalp since taking over at the Anoeta in November.
But this victory was about far more than just bravery, and the result serves to further cement the widespread perception that Moyes is already doing a great job of making his talented, but previously somewhat flaky squad a far more durable and organised outfit.
Moyes had prepared for the game by seriously talking up his team's chances of winning, and La Real certainly appeared to have taken his positive outlook on board as they opened the encounter at breakneck pace, immediately forcing Barca onto the back foot and winning a pair of early corners, the second of which led to the opening goal.
The cross which Alba helplessly diverted into his own net was deliciously delivered by classy midfielder Sergio Canales, and his selection was one of the big decisions that Moyes got right on the night.
The former Real Madrid and Valencia man has always been a fabulously talented performer but too often he has failed to show it, hence his departure from those two bigger clubs after largely disappointing spells.

In Spain, Moyes is not the manager under the spotlight following this particular result, with defeated Barca boss Enrique facing stern criticism after an insipid and disjointed performance from his team.
Most particularly, Enrique left himself wide open for condemnation by allowing Messi and Neymar to return to training just two days before the game following an extended Christmas break, and then leaving them out of his starting line-up.
It is easy to say with hindsight, but voluntarily leaving out your best two attacking players for a tough away game is a questionable decision, to say the least. And from a wider perspective there is also a great deal of concern over the direction - or lack of it - in which Enrique is leading his team.
Remarkably, the former Roma and Celta Vigo boss has somehow contrived to field 25 different starting line-ups in his 25 competitive games in charge, and Enrique's seemingly haphazard approach was illustrated by the fact that his team finished the game at the Anoeta with two converted midfielders and a full-back playing in a three-man central defence.
Even though his team are just one point behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid, Enrique is already starting to feel the heat. And it does not get easier - Barca's next league outing is against reigning champions Atletico Madrid.
Moyes, on the other hand, can look forward to a busy run of fixtures with his credibility enhanced after leading his new club to a famous victory.
Fears of a struggle against relegation have been consigned to the past, and instead La Real can turn their full attention towards an ambition explicitly stated by Moyes when he first arrived at the club: winning the Spanish Cup.
The Basque club are back in action on Wednesday for the first leg of their last 16 Copa del Rey meeting with Villarreal, a good team who are in excellent form, coming into the tie on the back of 11 games without defeat - one of which was a 4-0 victory over Moyes' men.
But with a few more displays like the one they delivered on Sunday, it would be unwise to rule out Moyes and his fellow Bravehearts from cup glory.

Indonesia finds two "large objects" in search for AirAsia jet

Ships searching for the wreck of an AirAsia passenger jet that crashed with 162 people on board have pinpointed two "big objects" on the sea floor, the head of Indonesia's search and rescue agency said on Saturday.

The Airbus (AIR.PA) A320-200 plunged into the Java Sea on Sunday while en route from Indonesia's second-biggest city Surabaya to Singapore. No survivors have been found.

"We have detected two objects underwater (at) 30 metres depth," said search and rescue agency chief Fransiskus Bambang Soelistyo. "At this moment we are operating the ROV to take pictures of the objects."
A multi-national task force of ships, planes and helicopters have been scouring the northern Java Sea and coastline of southern Borneo to recover the bodies of victims and locate the wreck of Flight QZ8501 and its black box flight recorders.

The latest break in the massive search and recovery operation comes after Indonesian authorities questioned whether the pilot had followed correct weather report procedures, and suspended Indonesia AirAsia's Surabaya to Singapore flights for apparently infringing the terms of its licence for the route.

The two objects were found just before midnight on Friday, Soelistyo told a news conference in Jakarta, and the search and rescue agency was attempting to get images using remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV).

The first object measured 9.4 metres by 4.8 metres by 0.4 metres (30 feet by 15 feet by 1.3 feet), while the second is 7.2 metres by 0.5 metres (24 feet by 1.6 feet), he said.
Soelistyo said operating ROVs was problematic due to the large waves in the area that have hampered operations for much of the week, but that divers were preparing to search for the objects.

RECOVERING VICTIMS

Much of the effort has focused on finding victims of the crash. Officials said 21 bodies were pulled from the sea on Friday, including two still strapped in their seats, bringing the total number of victims recovered to 30.

Small pieces of the aircraft and other debris have also been found, but there has been no sign of the crucial voice and flight data recorders - the so-called black boxes that investigators hope will unravel the sequence of events in the cockpit during the doomed jet's final minutes.

"After the black box is found, we are able to issue a preliminary report in one month," said Toos Sanitioso, an investigator with the National Committee for Transportation Safety on Friday. "We cannot yet speculate what caused the crash."

Indonesia's search and rescue agency said the search area had been widened on Saturday as debris may have drifted more than 200 nautical miles, adding helicopters would concentrate on searching the coastline of southern Borneo.

The cause of the crash, the first suffered by the AirAsia (AIRA.KL) group since the budget operator began flying in 2002, is unexplained.

The plane was flying at 32,000 ft (9,753 metres) and the pilot had asked to climb to 38,000 ft to avoid bad weather just before contact was lost about 40 minutes into the two-hour flight to Singapore.
When air traffic controllers granted permission to fly at 34,000 ft a few minutes later there was no response from the plane.

A source close to the investigation said radar data appeared to show the aircraft made an "unbelievably" steep climb before it crashed, possibly pushing it beyond the A320's limits.

LICENCE SUSPENDED

Indonesia's transport ministry said late on Friday it had temporarily suspended Indonesia AirAsia's Surabaya-Singapore flight because it had apparently operated the service beyond the scope of its licence, which permitted flights on four days of the week but not Sundays, when the crash occurred.

"As of Jan. 2, 2015, the licence of Surabaya-Singapore (return) route to Indonesia AirAsia is temporarily frozen until after there is a result of evaluation and investigation," said spokesman Julius Adravida Barata.
Hadi Mustofa Djuraid, a transport ministry official, told reporters on Friday that authorities were also investigating the possibility that the pilot did not ask for a weather report from the meteorological agency at the time of take-off.

Indonesia AirAsia said in a statement that weather reports were printed in hard copy at the operations control centre at all its flight hubs, including Surabaya, and taken by the pilot to the aircraft before each flight.

An AirAsia spokeswoman declined to comment on whether the pilot had followed the procedure described in the statement. She also declined to comment on whether the Sunday flight was beyond the terms of its licence, but said the airline was cooperating fully with the authorities.

The Indonesian captain, a former air force fighter pilot, had 6,100 flying hours on the A320 and the plane last underwent maintenance in mid-November, according to Indonesia AirAsia, 49 percent owned by Malaysia-based AirAsia.

Three airline disasters involving Malaysian-affiliated planes in under a year have spooked travellers.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared in March en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew and has not been found. On July 17, the same airline's Flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.

On board Flight QZ8501 were 155 Indonesians, three South Koreans, and one person each from Singapore, Malaysia and Britain. The co-pilot was French.
(Additional reporting by Gayatri Suroyo in SURABAYA, Cindy Silviana, Kanupriya Kapoor, Michael Taylor, Adriana Nina Kusuma, Charlotte Greenfield, Nilufar Rizki and Nicholas Owen in JAKARTA; Writing by Alex Richardson; Editing by Michael Perry)

NEWS WORLD U.S. slaps more sanctions on North Korea after Sony hack

(Reuters) - North Korea was hit with more sanctions on Friday designed to impede access to the U.S. financial system in the wake of a cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment, which the Obama Administration has said was supported by the reclusive country.
The U.S. government named three entities, including North Korea's military intelligence agency, and sanctioned 10 people with links to weapons sales and proliferation.

Financial sanctions have been effective in bringing pressure on Iran and Russia, but they have had limited impact on North Korea, which has been sanctioned by the United States for more than 50 years.

�It�s not as if they travel a lot abroad to western Europe or the United States ... They don�t have billions of dollars in western banks,� said Joel Wit of 38North, part of the U.S. Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University in Washington.

Pyongyang has denied involvement in the cyberattack. Washington said there was no evidence that any of the three entities or the individuals were linked to it.
Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew said in a statement that Washington had a "commitment to hold North Korea accountable for its destructive and destabilising conduct."

Lew said that even as a probe by the FBI continued "these steps underscore that we will employ a broad set of tools to defend U.S. businesses and citizens, and to respond to attempts to undermine our values or threaten the national security of the United States."

The cyberattack that crippled Sony's networks occurred as the company was preparing to release the film "The Interview," a comedy centred on plans to assassinate North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un.
Obama signed an executive order imposing the new sanctions, which deny designated persons access to the U.S. financial system, and authorise the Treasury Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to apply sanctions against officials of North Korea's government and the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, and people acting on their behalf or in support of them.

See the Treasury Department statement here
"That will allow us at the time and place of our choosing to impose sanctions on any of those Korean officials," a senior administration official told reporters during a telephone briefing.

The entities are Reconnaissance General Bureau, North Korea's intelligence organisation; Korea Mining Development Trading Corp, which the Treasury Department described as North Korea's primary arms dealer; and Korea Tangun Trading Corp, which the U.S. said is primarily responsible for procuring commodities and technology to support North Korea's defence research and development programs.

The White House said on Friday that the Reconnaissance General Bureau was linked to North Korea's capacity to wage cyber warfare, but it did not link it directly to the Sony hack attack. Korea Mining Development Trading Corp and Korea Tangun Trading Corp have been previously sanctioned.

The 10 North Koreans named in the new sanctions worked for the two companies but are not part of the North's top leadership.

Despite past sanctions that have been designed to curb North Korean's nuclear capabilities, Pyongyang has pressed ahead with its nuclear programme.

(Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton; Writing by David Chance; Editing by Toni Reinhold and Grant McCool)   read more  : REUTERS

klik The 25 best video games of 2014

As a turbulent year for video games comes to a close, we take a look back at the finest releases of the year.

Formats :  Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
Developer Respawn Entertainment
In a nutshell The first game from Respawn, founded by former Call of Duty developers, is a hyper-kinetic multiplayer shooter featuring stomping robots and athletic foot-soldiers.
Why we like it Much of Titanfall�s appeal comes in movement, with you able to run up walls and leap through windows while on foot, firing on opponent soldiers as you fly. Then the rhythm changes and you have access to the eponymous Titans, hefty mechanical suits that crumple asphalt underfoot and fire volleys of heavy artillery. A boisterous ebb and flow to matches in a bombastic debut.

• 24. Monument Valley

Format iOS Developer Ustwo
In a nutshell A brilliant, perspective-bending puzzler that has you navigating MC Escher-inspired structures.
Why we like it Monument Valley is stunning to look at and a sheer pleasure to play. You guide your character by interacting with the environment, pulling ladders and twisting cranks with the delightful tactility only a touchscreen can offer.

• 23. The Banner Saga

Formats PC/Mac Developer Stoic
In a nutshell A beautiful Viking-inspired fantasy epic with tactical turn-based battling, brought to you by a trio of ex-BioWare developers
Why we like it Its gorgeous art style is complimented by a thoughtful narrative allowing you to build relationships with your wandering army as you battle the wicked Dredge. The combat is tough, elegant and rewarding.

• 22. The Wolf Among Us

Formats Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, iOS Developer Telltale Games
In a nutshell Adventure game maestros Telltale take on Bill Willingham�s excellent Fables series of graphic novels, casting you as Bigby Wolf, the hot-tempered detective investigating a brutal murder in a New York suburb inhabited by exiled fairytale characters.
Why we like it The bleak, violent noir setting is a fabulous subversion of the fairytale ideal, and the twisted mystery that Telltale spin keeps you on the edge of your seat. There�s perhaps not quite as much interaction and influence on the story as you�d like, but what is there is strong and effective.

• 21. Shovel Knight

Formats PC, 3DS, Wii U Developer Yacht Club Games
In a nutshell A fabulous 8-bit styled 2D platform game in which you play an armour-clad adventurer who uses his sharpened shovel to defeat beasties, destroy obstacles and dig up treasure.
Why we like it Shovel Knight works brilliantly as an homage to 1980s platformers, but also manages to bring its own fresh spin to the equation. And if that wasn�t enough, you can also bounce on your shovel like a pogo stick.

• 20. Dragon Age: Inquisition

Formats PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Developer BioWare
In a nutshell Liberate the fantasy land of Thedas as the Inquisitor in this sprawling role-playing-game.
Why we like it Excellent characterisation lies at the heart of Inquisition, with a fascinating and diverse cast of humans, elves, dwarves and bullish Qunari. It can feel a bit aimless at times, perhaps, but this is a world to lose yourself in.

• 19. Luftrausers

Formats PS Vita, PC Developer Vlambeer
In a nutshell Take control of a tooled-up World War II fighter in a hyperactive shoot �em up.
Why we like it Luftrausers has a delicious sense of inertia, the planes like heavy stones thrown into a sepia sky aflame with gunfire. You can hoist them back up with a boost, before blasting your enemies with any number of exotic upgrades. The balance between battling gravity and the bad guys is immensely satisfying.

• 18. Forza Horizon 2

Formats Xbox One, Xbox 360 Developer Playground Games

In a nutshell The follow-up to racing hit Forza Horizon takes place at a southern European car festival, with a gorgeous open-world liberally inspired by the roads of Provence, Tuscany and the Cote d�Azur.

Why we like it Horizon�s blend of Forza style simulation, open-world thrills and a thumping soundtrack made it something of a surprise hit, taking the series in a brand new direction. Horizon 2 features a bigger world, dynamic weather and the learning AI system from Forza Motorsport 5 known as Drivatar. But most importantly, Horizon 2 has an infectious love for driving. Few games this year, of any genre, are similarly joyous.

• 17. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

Format PC Developer The Astronauts

in a nutshell A detective with paranormal powers investigates the disappearance of a young boy in the mysterious Red Creek Valley.

Why we like it There�s a dreamy otherworldliness to The Astronaut�s fascinating puzzler, tasking you with piecing together gruesome crime scenes to track down the missing. The grim scenes are offset by a staggeringly pretty autumnal world, helped along by the superb writing. A bit elusive at times, and not for everyone, but a fascinating debut.

• 16. Divinity: Original Sin

Formats PC Developer Larian Studios

In a nutshell Classically inspired co-operative role-playing game, following two heroes attempting to eradicate the evil Sourcerers.

Why we like it Original Sin is a cracking RPG by any familiar standard, but where it excels is in giving its players flexibility to play around with its systems. There�s even a fully-fledged modding tool. A labour of love from its creators.

• 15. The Evil Within

Formats PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Developer Tango Gameworks

In a nutshell Video game horror grandmaster Shinji Mikami returns with a psychological chiller that has grizzled detective Sebastian Castellanos investigating a horrific massacre at a mental asylum.

Why we like it As the man that created the original Resident Evil, when Shinji Mikami says he want to take survival horror back to its roots, fright fans should pay attention. To all intents and purposes this is the game that should have followed Resident Evil 4, with a terrifying, grotesque milieu hosting tense yet flexible gunplay.

• 14. Middle-Earth:Shadow of Mordor

Formats PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Developer Monolith Productions

In a nutshell Action RPG taking place between the events of Tolkien�s Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings saga in which you play a dark ranger of Gondor named Talion.

Why we like it Against all odds, Monolith�s ambitious game is one of the best Rings games ever made. Its combat and stealth borrow liberally from games such as Assassin�s Creed, but its star turn is the innovative �Nemesis� system, which has Talion making vengeful enemies as he hunts down the orcs that killed his family. Enemies rise through the ranks if they defeat you, and search for retribution if they don�t. A brutal, strangely personal tale.

• 13. Super Smash Bros for Wii U

Format Wii U Developer Nintendo

In a nutshell Nintendo�s famous faces, including Mario, Link and Donkey Kong, do battle in this long-standing arena beat �em up.

Why we�re excited Think Mario Kart as a fighting game. Super Smash Bros. always manages to balance breezy accessibility with a deceptively deep combat system. While the 3DS version is good fun, Smash Bros. for Wii U is the series at its very best. A joyfully chaotic visual treat packed with distraction, you won�t find many better local multiplayer experiences. And it�s always a barrel of laughs to watch Princess Peach smack Kirby into orbit with an umbrella.

• 12. Threes!

Formats iOS/Android Developer Sirvo

In a nutshell Stylish puzzle game where the player must slide numbered tiles around a grid to make addends or multiples of three.

Why we like it Like all the best mobile puzzlers, Threes is simple enough for a quick go on the bus but deep enough for you to lose hours to its smart, hipster-ish charms.

• 11. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft

Format PC/iOS Developer Blizzard

In a nutshell Perilously compelling collectible card game based on the Warcraft lore.

Why we like it Hearthstone is treated with the same craft as any other of Blizzard�s expertly constructed games. Supremely balanced decks, constant updates and a fearsomely competitive scene make it the genre king that will likely be a long time unthroned.

• 10. The Sailor�s Dream

Formats iOS Developer Simogo

In a nutshell Interactive novel from the clever-clogs that brought us Year Walk and Device 6.

Why we like it There are few developers out there that can utilise their games� host platform as well as Simogo. Sailor�s Dream is another audio-visual treat that spreads out from your device. Though to explain how would be to spoil it. A ghostly exploration of time that captures the loneliness of the open-water.

• 9. Nidhogg

Formats PC/PS4

Developer Messhof

In a nutshell Mark �Messhof� Essen�s lively, pixelated fencing game has two players waving swords at each other on a 2D plane. It�s kill, be killed or, you know, run away.

Why we like it It is a pitch-perfect blend of slapstick hilarity and competitive precision. The controls are devilishly simple, but its tactics and pace make for a deep and curiously compelling game.

• 8. Far Cry 4

Formats PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Developer Ubisoft

In a nutshell Fight oppression in the Himalayas in this high-end open-world shooter.

Why we�re excited Gorgeous, enormous and wonderfully silly, Far Cry 4 is at its best when it isn�t taking itself too seriously. Hang-gliding, getting eaten by tigers, riding elephants, all wrapped up in Ubisoft�s tried-and-tested open world. One that is stuffed with gainful distraction.

• 7. 80 Days

Formats iOS Developer Inkle Studios

In a nutshell An interactive novel reimagining Phileas Fogg's trip around the globe. You play as loyal valet Passepartout, choosing routes and actions as you go.

Why we like it Inkle's script for 80 Days apparently stretches to 500,000 words, charting a mind-boggling array of possible narratives. It pulls the wonderful trick of tailoring the story to you at almost every turn, rather than funnelling you towards set choices. Brilliantly written and slickly presented too.

• 6. Destiny

Formats PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Developer Bungie

In a nutshell The creators of Halo return with this hugely ambitious hybrid of sci-fi shooting and online role-playing.

Why we like it While Destiny remains a tricky game to get a handle on, its boisterous shooting, thrilling raids and compulsive loop of risk and reward mark it as one of the year�s best. Destiny is thriving thus far, and as it does will continue to grow.

• 5. Bayonetta 2

Format Wii U Developer Platinum Games

In a nutshell Platinum�s angel-slaying Umbra witch returns in this follow-up to one of the best �and most bonkers � action games ever made.

Why we like it While this sequel perhaps doesn�t match its predecessor for breathless invention, its focus on deep, responsive combat makes it one of the finest action games ever made. Plus you eat angels using a dragon formed of magical hair extensions while perched upside down on a harrier jet, so it is not exactly conservative.

• 4. Dark Souls II

Formats Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC Developer From Software

In a nutshell The follow-up to From Software�s cult champion, Dark Souls II pitches you into the oppressive fantasy world of Drangleic and has a jolly old time making you suffer.

Why we like it Dark Souls hefty combat and constant threat is a work of twisted genius, challenging and rewarding you. There�s much talk of it being mercilessly hard, with you tip-toeing through the bleak land, shield raised and heart pumping, but the demon battling is always fair. Progression is hard-earned and few games are as satisfying in success.

• 3. This War of Mine

Formats PC/Mac Developer 11-bit Studios

In a nutshell A harrowing survival game inspired by the Siege of Sarajevo that focusses on the terrible experiences for war-time civilians.

Why we like it Most war-based video games have you playing the heroes on the frontline, but This War of Mine looks at those just trying to survive in the wreckage. You must lead a group of bedraggled survivors, scavenging for what you can. The hardest part comes when you encounter other groups, leaving you with awful moral quandaries. Help? Rob? Kill? Flee? This War of Mine asks you to make some of the toughest decisions you will ever face in a video game.

• 2. Mario Kart 8

Formats Wii U Developer Nintendo

In a nutshell It�s Mario Kart! Nintendo�s famous mascot and his chums race around twisting, gravity defying tracks throwing shells and banana peel at each other.

Why we like it Mario Kart 8 is probably the best Mario Kart yet. Which is no mean feat. The tracks are ingenious, while the racing is pliant and satisfying. Looks stunning too, with each character and vehicle brimming with life and detail.

• 1. Alien Isolation

Formats PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Developer Creative Assembly

In a nutshell Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen, explores the abandoned USS Sulaco starship in this spiritual sequel to Ridley Scott�s original Alien.

Why we like it Creative Assembly has taken the route we have long-waited for in a video game adaptation of Alien: make the xenomorph the horrifying, near-invincible star. The starship lights flicker and strobes, casting long shadows in terrifying shapes. And most of the time you are unarmed and completely helpless against the alien stalking you from the air vents. Survival-horror in the most literal sense.

READ MORE : THE telegraph

Going out on a limb, North Dakota oil titan scraps hedges

WILLISTON N.D. (Reuters) - Harold Hamm, chief executive of Continental Resources Inc , stunned a bearish crude market by scrapping all of the North Dakota energy producer's oil hedges, betting that prices will recover soon after sinking 25 percent in recent months.

With the move, Hamm, who last month called OPEC a "toothless tiger," appears to be heading into a price war with Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, without any protection from a prolonged downturn that some analysts say is looming.

Saudi Arabia and 14 other OPEC members have shown no sign yet of moving to cut production, a step that would lift prices.

The conventional wisdom is that the country, frustrated by a global supply glut caused by soaring United States output, is prepared to let prices fall to squeeze U.S. shale oil producers out of the market.

But Hamm, striking a defiant tone, told investors Thursday the U.S. shale boom won't end any time soon.

"We see OPEC worried about that and want to slow down what we're doing," he said.

Indeed, North Dakota considers OPEC its "chief competitor," Lynn Helms, head of the state's Department of Mineral Resources, said last month.

PREMATURE VICTORY

The sale of all its crude oil hedge positions from October through 2016 netted Continental a $433 million one-time gain for the current quarter. With the move, Continental is effectively declaring a premature victory over OPEC.

The company did not consult with credit-rating agencies before pulling contracts and board members are confident about the move, Hamm said.

"We believe the recent pullback in oil prices will ultimately prove to be beneficial to Continental," he said, adding he believes prices will rebound to at least $85 per barrel in the near term.

Since they traded at more than $115 a barrel in mid-June, benchmark Brent crude futures have plunged to levels not seen since October 2010, closing near $83 a barrel on Wednesday.

Still, Hamm showed at least part of his hand, admitting he would return to hedging production if prices returned to $100 per barrel.

"That would be nice in the next few years," he said.

Many energy experts said that when prices began falling in June, companies should have been carrying more hedging contracts that locked in high prices and protected them from low ones.

"It's pretty unusual for a company to monetize all of its hedges. The fact that they're going basically unhedged on oil suggests that they're going to take on a bit more risk," said Leo Mariani, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets.

SHORT-TERM FLUKE?

The rout in the price of oil has punished drillers like Continental, whose shares have plummeted more than 30 percent since June. Many analysts have forecast even lower crude prices.

Hedging protects commodity producers from sharp price drops, though it can also limit profits if prices soar. By exiting the hedges, Hamm is effectively betting that the steep drop in oil prices is a short-term fluke that's bound to reverse course.

To be sure, going "naked" without hedges is not unprecedented. Majors such as Chevron Corp and Exxon Mobil Corp do little hedging on their own production.

And Continental did maintain its hedges on natural gas production, given the even-higher volatility in prices for that commodity.

Philip K. Verleger, president of consultancy PKVerleger LLC and a one-time adviser to President Jimmy Carter, said Continental's decision on oil hedging may concern investors.

"My expectation is that Continental's investors will rue this decision because it changes the firm's business," he said. "Hedging provides an assured cash flow. By dropping the hedges the firm is gambling that prices go up. If they go down, Continental will go bust."

Shares of Continental were down more than 3 percent in afternoon trading on Thursday, a probable sign of Wall Street's displeasure with the move.

SLOWER SPENDING

Yet, in a bit of a strategic hedge, Hamm slashed Continental's 2015 capital spending budget by $600 million, saying he would not put more drilling rigs in the field while prices are low. Given that, Continental doesn't expect its production to jump as much as previously forecast next year.

The company now expects a 2015 capital budget of $4.6 billion, down from a previous estimate of $5.2 billion.

Continental, the largest producer in North Dakota's Bakken field, trimmed its estimate for output next year and now expects a 23-29 percent jump from 2014 levels. Hamm had previously forecast a 26-32 percent jump in 2015.

The company runs 22 drilling rigs in North Dakota, a number that will drop to 19 next year due to various factors, executives said.

Hamm, who founded the Oklahoma City-based company in 1967, is in the midst of a bitter divorce battle with his wife Sue Ann.

Since Hamm owns about 68 percent of the company, the divorce settlement holds vast implications. During much of August and September, the CEO spent most days in court for his divorce trial, which may result in one of the largest divorce judgments in U.S. history.

(Reporting By Ernest Scheyder in Williston, and Jonathan Leff and Jessica Resnick-Ault in New York; Writing by Terry Wade and Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Tom Hogue and Bernadette Baum