this is outside source live from the bbc newsroom. our lead story is? president biden has said the united states will back ukraine in its fight against russia for as long as it takes during an unannounced visit to kyiv. famed japanese manga and anime creator leiji matsumoto, whose real name was akira matsumoto, has died aged 85, his studio has announced. mr matsumoto was known for his epic science fiction sagas, including galaxy express 999, queen emeraldas and space battleship yamato. his work often included anti war themes and emotional storylines. his works have long since been adapted and had spin offs due to their popularity, influencing generations of manga and anime fans. he was only 15 when his debut work, honey bee s adventures, was published in a manga magazine. his big break came a decade later after he published otoko oidon, a series about the life of a poor, young man preparing for university exams.
Star Wars actor Liam Neeson has spoken out against the Lucasfilm franchise s explosive growth, claiming that the constant churning out of spin-offs has harmed it.