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Stop me if you've heard this one before. Disney has announced a successor to outgoing CEO Bob Iger, effective in March. Josh D�Amaro, current chairman of Disney Experiences, was tapped for the role in a unanimous vote by the company's board of directors.
D�Amaro has been at Disney for 28 years, where he oversaw theme parks, cruises and consumer products including video games. The company had previously appointed Bob Chapek, the Disney Parks chairman at the time, as successor to Bob Iger in 2020. At the time, Iger had served as CEO since 2005. But Chapek only lasted until 2022, when Bob Iger returned to take the helm once again amid company struggles. Disney formed a committee to find an appropriate successor in 2023, with Iger mentoring potential candidates along the way.
Iger's time at the helm saw the media giant make a number of significant moves such as launching the Disney+ streaming service, buying Hulu and acquiring 20th Century Fox's film and television studios. Iger will continue to serve as a board member and senior advisor until his retirement at the end of the year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/disney-announces-josh-damaro-will-be-its-new-ceo-after-iger-departs-161616420.html?src=rss
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Microsoft has revealed the first wave of Xbox Game Pass additions for February, and it feels like there's a bit of something for everyone this time around. Two of the titles land on the service today across the Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass tiers: Final Fantasy II (cloud, Xbox Series X/S and PC) and Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (cloud, console, handheld and PC). Final Fantasy II is a "remodeled 2D take" on the classic 1988 RPG, while Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a wild-looking spin-off of the main Like a Dragon series with pirates and naval combat.
Madden NFL 26 is hitting Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass across cloud, console and PC on February 5, so subscribers will be able to get in a few virtual downs before the Super Bowl on Sunday at no extra cost. Paw Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship will join the Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass lineups on the same day across cloud, console, handheld and PC.
On February 10, a game I've been looking forward to, Relooted, joins Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on cloud, Xbox Series X/S and PC. I really enjoyed the demo of this heist game, in which the goal is to recover African artifacts from Western museums. Two days later, you can check out BlazBlue Entropy Effect X, which is a 2D roguelite action game set in the BlazBlue universe, on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass (cloud, Xbox Series X/S and PC).
Also on February 12, Roadside Research will become available in game preview on cloud, Xbox Series X/S and PC on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. This is a co-op (or solo) game for up to four players in which you run a gas station as a group of aliens. You'll examine humans and try to gather as much data as you can without raising suspicion and a potential visit from the feds. The aliens� disguises, as shown in the trailer, are pretty funny.
A third game is on the docket for February 12, with life sim Starsand Island arriving on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass (cloud, Xbox Series X/S, and PC). A day later, High on Life 2 lands on the same tiers and platforms with a whole new bunch of strange, talking weapons. That's a day-one addition to the line up. Also on February 13, Kingdom Come Deliverance will become delivered to Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass across cloud, console and PC.
On February 17, you can embrace your inner Na'vi in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandoraon cloud, Xbox Series X/S, handheld and PC on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. I quite enjoyed my initial hands-on with the game, but I haven't jumped into the full version as yet.
Last, but not least, Avowedwill join the lower Game Pass Premium tier on February 17 across cloud, Xbox Series X/S and PC. It will do so almost exactly a year after its debut and on the same day it hits PlayStation 5 and a major update goes live. Avowed was one of our favorite games of 2025.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/februarys-xbox-game-pass-additions-include-high-on-life-2-madden-nfl-26-and-avatar-frontiers-of-pandora-160656985.html?src=rss
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WATCH: Karin Smyth unveils new Labour plans to cover travel costs for children with cancer
February 02 | 2026
Health Minister Karin Smyth MP unveils new Government plans to cover the travel cost of treatment for children with cancer.Speaking to GB News, Ms Smyth said: "This is really the central ask of children and their families who are diagnosed and being treated for cancer. I met some people involved in the campaign at Downing Street last night,they've been talking about this campaign for 20 years as part of our national cancer plan. "The problem for them was that travelling is one of those additional worries on top of the already shocking diagnosis when you have a child with with cancer, about 9,500 families are affected by this, and help with those travel costs mean that some people have told us that they are making real, difficult choices about other support to their families, including good food and support to their families, so making sure that those travel costs are covered takes a little bit of the worry off of families at that particularly troubling time."WATCH ABOVE.
WATCH: Tory frontbencher apologises to Rhiannon Whyte's mother for receiving no support from MPs
February 02 | 2026
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Alex Burghart has issued an apology to Rhiannon Whyte's mother Siobhan after receiving no support or contact from MPs.Speaking to GB News, Mr Burghart said: "I'm very sorry to hear that, I will go and talk to the team about that once I get off air."I can only just send her my deepest condolences for what's what's happened to her family. It must be incredibly difficult."WATCH ABOVE.