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    Comic-Con 2024: What to expect

    SAN DIEGO (AP) – Comic-Con International, the comic book and pop culture extravaganza, is kicking off in San Diego. The convention, which draws over 130,000 fans annually, opens for a preview night Wednesday and runs through Sunday.

    With the COVID-19 pandemic and the Hollywood strikes disrupting past years of the convention either through complete cancellation or modifications to the way they ran, this year will be the most traditional Comic-Con since 2019.

    Actors, filmmakers, comic book authors and illustrators and fans are making their way to the San Diego Convention Center and the several official (and unofficial) event locations for a weekend brimming with programming.

    Here’s what to expect at the sprawling convention.

    Marvel mania

    With the highly anticipated release of ” Deadpool & Wolverine,” Marvel is set to be a strong presence, from the costumes fans don to the panels that draw the longest lines.

    The Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman-led feature is the first and only Disney-backed Marvel movie of the year. The panel promoting the film and celebrating its release Thursday is expected to draw thousands to the convention’s famed Hall H.

    Susie Cramer of Oklahoma City, Okla., dressed as Antiope from “Wonder Woman,” left, and Morgan Duhon of New Orleans, dressed as Mera from “Aquaman,” attend Comic-Con International in San Diego on July 20, 2023. The comic book and pop culture extravaganza, which draws over 130,000 fans annually, opens for a preview night Wednesday and runs from Thursday through Sunday. PHOTO: AP

    Marvel is also expected to announce news teasing their upcoming titles in their “Phase 5” cinematic universe plan and beyond, with Marvel president Kevin Feige as the only confirmed speaker on their Saturday panel.

    He will be joined by special guests, who may include stars of upcoming Marvel titles like “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts(asterisk)” and ” The Fantastic Four.”

    Stars assemble

    After their absence from the convention last year due to the actors strike, stars are returning to the convention in full force to showcase upcoming series and movies. While the lineup for Marvel’s panel will likely remain under wraps until the event starts, several A-listers are confirmed to attend the convention.

    Chris Hemsworth, Keegan-Michael Key and Brian Tyree Henry will be speaking on a panel for “Transformers One,” the upcoming animated movie with a star-studded cast that also includes Scarlett Johansson, Jon Hamm, Laurence Fishburne and Steve Buscemi.

    Signage appears at Comic-Con International on Thursday, July 20, 2023, in San Diego. The comic book and pop culture extravaganza, which draws over 130,000 fans annually, opens for a preview night Wednesday and runs from Thursday through Sunday. PHOTO: AP

    The cast of the anticipated August release “Alien: Romulus,” Cailee Spaeny, Isabela Merced and David Jonsson, will speak on a panel with director and writer Fede Alvarez.

    Christian Slater, Lupita Nyong’o and the cast members of “The Boys” and “Abbott Elementary” will also make appearances. And of course, Reynolds and Jackman, who have kept busy promoting “Deadpool & Wolverine,” will be there, too.

    Beyond the convention

    Beyond the convention hall, San Diego will be buzzing with activities, brand activations, parties and events celebrating all things pop culture. Pop and R&B artist Jason Derulo, Japanese singer LiSA and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra are each expected to perform at parties during the weekend.

    While several parties and events are invitation-only — including the notable Entertainment Weekly party that draws huge crowds and several celebrities — visitors can keep an eye out for events and pop-ups throughout the city’s Gaslamp Quarter. The area surrounding the convention center embraces the spirit of the weekend, with local businesses, restaurants and bars typically rolling out Comic-Con-specific products or menus.

    Unique merchandise

    Part of the draw for many Comic-Con attendees is the plethora of merchandise available to purchase on the exhibit floor. Booths selling collectibles from Marvel, DC, Star Wars, Lego, Hasbro, Sony, Mattel and dozens of other companies and franchises will take over the sprawling venue. Visitors can also expect some free items and giveaways on the floor.

    A robotic creature rolls in front of the convention center on day three of Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 23, 2022, in San Diego. The comic book and pop culture extravaganza, which draws over 130,000 fans annually, opens for a preview night Wednesday and runs from Thursday through Sunday. PHOTO: AP

    The “Artists’ Alley” in the exhibit hall also features dozens of rising creators selling art prints, comics, toys, books, collectibles and more.

    Many attendees scramble on preview night and in the convention’s first day to try to snag the merchandise that is exclusive to the event. Retailers big and small boast rare collectibles, and they sell out quickly.

    Memorable cosplaying

    Another highlight of the weekend for many is the inventive (and often lifelike) costumes attendees wear. The main exhibition floor is a good place to scout out the best looks, but visitors can expect to see decked-out fans throughout the city all weekend.

     

    Australia sanctions Israeli settlers

    SYDNEY (AFP) – Australia on Thursday followed Europe and the United States by levying sanctions on Israeli settlers accused of “beatings, sexual assault and torture” of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

    Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced financial sanctions and travel bans on seven individuals and the Hilltop Youth religious settler group.

    “The individuals sanctioned today have been involved in violent attacks on Palestinians” Wong said.

    “This includes beatings, sexual assault and torture of Palestinians resulting in serious injury and in some cases, death.”

    Settlement expansion has increased sharply since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power in late 2022 at the helm of a hardline pro-settler coalition.

    The West Bank – occupied by the apartheid regime since 1967 – has seen a significant spike in violence since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

    At least 589 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli troops or settlers since the outbreak of the war on October 7, according to Palestinian authorities.

    Over the same period at least 17 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in attacks in the territory involving Palestinians, according to Israeli official figures.

    Canberra’s announcement echoes moves by the US, Britain, Canada and the European Union who have also blacklisted Israeli settlers.

    “Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law and a significant obstacle to peace,” Wong added.

    The International Court of Justice found Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories illegal on Friday.

    Judges enter the International Court of Justice, in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday, May 16, 2024. The U.N.’s top court opened two days of hearings in a case brought by South Africa to see whether Israel needs to take additional measures to alleviate the suffering in war-ravaged Gaza. PHOTO: AP

     

    Stubborn warranty costs push down Ford’s 2Q net profits

    DETROIT (AP) – In October of 2020, Ford’s then-new CEO Jim Farley said the company was working to cut warranty costs after glitch-prone small-car transmissions hit the automaker’s bottom line.

    Nearly four years later, warranty costs are still vexing the nation’s second-largest automaker and lopping billions off of its profits.

    Ford Motor Co reported Wednesday that its second-quarter net income fell 4.7 per cent from a year ago as its combustion-engine unit posted a pretax loss due to rising warranty and recall costs.

    The profit drop and lingering quality problems knocked net income to USD1.83 billion from April through June, compared with USD1.92 billion a year ago. It caused Ford to badly miss Wall Street estimates for adjusted earnings per share, touching off a stock plunge in after-hours trading.

    A motorist puts an electric 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E through its paces on a test track at the Electrify Expo in The Yards Sunday, July 14, 2024, in north Denver. Ford reports earnings on Wednesday, July 24. PHOTO: AP

    Warranty and recall costs last quarter, the company said, totaled USD2.3 billion, USD800 million more than the first quarter and USD700 million more than a year ago.

    At its investor day event two years ago, Farley said Ford had made progress on quality of new vehicles as well as initial quality after vehicles were sold. “However we are not satisfied at all with our quality performance, including our recalls and customer satisfaction efforts, which we need to quickly accelerate,” he said at the time.

    Chief Financial Officer John Lawler told reporters Wednesday that Ford is making progress on quality. The second-quarter costs were attributed to older vehicles from the 2021 model year and earlier.

    Farley told analysts that improvements are showing up in internal data, and in research by JD Power, which found that Ford rose 14 places in this year’s initial quality survey, from 23rd to ninth.

    Lower warranty costs, Lawler said, lag 12 to 18 months behind quality improvements, and that’s when lower costs should start to show up.

    Farley said many of the problems should have been caught before the older vehicles were put on sale. Now, the company is holding vehicles until it works out problems. “We do not release them until we’re happy with the quality and that we’ve done all the testing,” he said. “And it makes our quarters lumpy, and it’s challenging, but it will reduce warranty over time.”

    Second-quarter warranty costs rose due to new technology, recalls and inflationary pressures that pushed up the costs of repair, Farley said. The company soon will be able to predict problems and potentially fix them with online software updates before bigger problems arise, he said.

    The profit drop and warranty costs from April through June did not sit well with investors.

    Shares of Ford, which had grown about 12 per cent this year as of Wednesday’s market closing, plunged in extended trading during the evening, nearly erasing a year’s worth of gains.

    Excluding one-time items, Ford made USD0.47 cents per share. That was far short of industry analysts’ estimates of 68 cents, according to FactSet.

    The automaker reported USD47.8 billion in revenue for the quarter, a 6.3 per cent increase over the USD44.95 billion in the second quarter of 2023. That barely beat analyst estimates of USD47.79 billion.

    Ford Blue, the company’s internal-combustion-engine unit, made USD1.17 billion before taxes during the quarter, down USD1.1 billion from a year earlier. Ford Pro, the commercial vehicle unit, made USD2.56 billion, USD173 million above 2023. Model e, the electric vehicle unit, lost USD1.14 billion, USD63 million worse than a year ago.

    Despite the net profit drop, Ford held its full year guidance for pretax income at USD10 billion to USD12 billion.

    Asked by analyst if Ford’s stock is still a good value, Farley said it is, pointing to its highly profitable commercial-vehicle business and new high-margin opportunities from increased service and software revenue.

    “I think people will understand over time how many exciting opportunities there are for Ford, and I’m not just referring to vehicles,” Farley said. “I’m referring to non-vehicle activities.”

    A not-so-small team in California, he said, is working on a new electric vehicle platform that will yield lower-cost and profitable smaller EVs. The team, he said, has designed EVs and parts that are better and cheaper than competitors. He said the company is working on partnerships that will play out in larger vehicles. It is benchmarking Tesla and Chinese automakers on EV costs, he said.

    Ford’s second-quarter sales in the US, its most lucrative market, rose just under one per cent to more than 532,000 vehicles.

    Lawler said Ford is on track to cut USD2 billion from material, manufacturing and freight expenses this year, which will be partly offset by higher labor and vehicle update costs.

     

    Cultural fusion performances draw crowds in Belait

    A harmonious mix of cultures drew a large crowd during a series of performances led by the Chinese and Indian communities from across the Belait District at the nightly stage performance held at the Gerai Perayaan (festive stalls) in Tudong Saji, Kuala Belait on Wednesday night. 

    The performance was held in conjunction with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s 78th birthday celebration.

    The Belait District Tiong Hua Association and the Indian Association Belait led the performances, describing them as a fusion of the many cultures reflecting the heritage and traditions of the Belait District and the nation.

    Guest of honour and invited guests present during the performance. PHOTOS: DANIEL LIM
    (ABOVE & BELOW) Some of the cultural performances.

    A total of 18 performances were held that night, with one of the highlights being the thunderous Chinese drums that reverberated across the venue, drawing the curiosity of the crowd.

    Other performances included interpretive song and dance with Chinese and Indian origins, modern contemporary and fusion dance routines, as well as a mixture of Malay Nasyid and Syair performances, all serving to bridge the gap between the past and the present.

    The Station Manager for the Belait District Branch of Radio Televisyen Brunei (RTB), Dayang Nur’alya Fareedah binti Haji Mohammad, was present as the guest of honour.

    She was welcomed to the venue by the head of the Belait District Tiong Hua Association, Loo Soon Nin, and the head of the Indian Association Belait, Salimo. – DANIEL LIM

    Singapore dominates passport rankings

    SINGAPORE (ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES) – Singapore has ascended to the pinnacle of the global passport rankings, surpassing five other nations to claim the top spot exclusively. Singaporean citizens now enjoy visa-free access to 195 out of 227 travel destinations worldwide.

    The latest Henley Passport Index, released on July 23, reveals that France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain have collectively fallen to second place, granting their citizens visa-free entry to 192 destinations.

    In the previous rankings published by Henley in January 2024, these five countries shared the top position with Singapore, each offering visa-free entry to 194 destinations.

    The Henley Passport Index encompasses 199 passports and 227 travel destinations.

    In the latest rankings, an “unprecedented seven-nation cohort” takes the third spot with access to 191 destinations without a visa. The countries are Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Korea and Sweden.

    Former passport powerhouses Britain and the US have slid down the list since 2014, when they shared the joint top spot on the index.

    Britain is fourth with 190 destinations, sharing the spot with Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland. The US is eighth, with visa-free entry to 186 destinations.

    Afghanistan retains its world’s weakest passport spot, with its citizens having access to 26 countries visa-free. The country lost visa-free access to one destination in the past six months, leaving it with the lowest score ever recorded since the index was created 19 years ago.

    PHOTO: ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES

    The Henley Passport Index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association.

    The general trend over the past two decades has been towards greater travel freedom, said Dr Christian Kaelin, chairman of Henley and Partners, and creator of the passport index concept.

    The global average number of destinations that travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024.

    “However, the global mobility gap between those at the top and bottom of the index is now wider than it has ever been, with top-ranked Singapore able to access a record-breaking 169 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan,” said Dr Kaelin.

    The United Arab Emirates made it into the top 10 for the first time, with visa-free entry to 185 destinations, after having added 152 destinations to its portfolio since the index was created.

    Meta removes thousands of Nigerian sextortion accounts

    AP – Meta said Wednesday that it has taken down about 63,000 Instagram accounts in Nigeria running sexual extortion scams and has removed thousands of Facebook groups and pages that were trying to organise, recruit and train new scammers.

    Sexual extortion, or sextortion, involves persuading a person to send explicit photos online and then threatening to make the images public unless the victim pays money or engages in sexual favours.

    Recent high-profile cases include two Nigerian brothers who pleaded guilty to sexually extorting teen boys and young men in Michigan, including one who took his own life, and a Virginia sheriff’s deputy who sexually extorted and kidnapped a 15-year-old girl.

    There has been a marked rise in sextortion cases in recent years, fueled in part by a loosely organised group called the Yahoo Boys, operating mainly out of Nigeria, Meta said. It added that it applied its “dangerous organisations and individuals” policy to remove Facebook accounts and groups run by the group.

    “Because they’re driven by money, they’re targeting can be indiscriminate,” said Antigone Davis, Meta’s global head of safety. “So in other words, think of this as a little bit of a scattershot approach: get out there and send many, many, requests out to individuals and see who may respond.”

    In January, the FBI warned of a “huge increase” in sextortion cases targeting children. The targeted victims are primarily boys between the ages of 14 to 17, but the FBI said any child can become a victim.

    Meta said its investigation found that the majority of the scammers’ attempts did not succeed and mostly targeted adult men in the US, but added that it did see “some” try to target minors, which Meta says it reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

    The removed accounts included a “coordinated network” of about 2,500 accounts linked to a group of about 20 people who were running them, Meta said.

    In April, Meta announced it was deploying new tools in Instagram to protect young people and combat sexual extortion, including a feature that will automatically blur nudity in direct messages. Meta is still testing out the features as part of its campaign to fight sexual scams and other forms of “image abuse,” and to make it tougher for criminals to contact teens.

    Davis said users should look out for messages from people with “highly stylised” photos, people who are “exceptionally good looking” or have never sent you a message before.

    “That should give you pause,” she said. Users should also take a pause if somebody sends an image first — scammers often use this tactic to try to gain trust and bait unsuspecting people into sending them back a photo of themselves.

    “This is one of the one of these areas where if you have any sort of suspicion, I would urge caution,” she said.

     

    A person stands in front of a Meta sign outside of the company’s headquarters in California, United States. PHOTO: AP

    Olympic football gets off to violent and chaotic start

    SAINT-ETIENNE, FRANCE (AP) – The Olympic men’s football tournament got off to a violent and chaotic start Wednesday with Morocco’s shocking 2-1 win against two-time gold medalist Argentina.

    The result tells only part of the story after a dramatic end to the match in Saint-Etienne, which had to be suspended for nearly two hours when furious Morocco fans crashed the pitch and threw bottles from the stands to protest a late goal by Argentina in the 16th minute of added time.

    The angry and bizarre scene sparked confusion over whether the game had been concluded or paused. The crowd was told to leave the stadium, but players remained at the venue and returned to the pitch for a final three minutes of added time in an empty stadium.

    Moments before play resumed, Cristian Medina’s disputed goal was disallowed by VAR for offside, and Morocco held on for the victory.

    But not before a furious reaction from its fans who thought they’d been denied a critical win against one of international soccer’s powerhouses.

    “Paris 2024 is working with the relevant stakeholders to understand the causes and identify appropriate actions,” a spokesperson for Paris organisers said.

    Objects were thrown and invading Morocco fans were tackled by security on the field at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard after Medina appeared to tie the game 2-2.

    Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi celebrates his side’s second goal scored by Cristian Medina during the men’s Group B soccer match between Argentina and Morocco at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 24, in Saint-Etienne, France. The goal was disallowed by VAR for offside. PHOTO: AP
    Invaders run on the pitch during the men’s Group B soccer match between Argentina and Morocco at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 24, in Saint-Etienne, France. PHOTO: AP

    There were images of some Argentina players flinching when what appeared to be a flare was thrown onto the field. Bottles and cups were strewn over the pitch by the time the game was paused.

    It was initially thought that the full-time whistle had been blown. Even FIFA’s website declared the game over.

    About an hour after the incident, organisers at the venue confirmed the match was not officially over and that VAR would review whether the goal would stand.

    Players eventually re-entered the field after a long delay and began to warm up before the game could be concluded. After warmups, players from both teams stood on the field in the otherwise empty stadium while an official reviewed the video. He offered a brief explanation to Argentina while players on Morocco’s bench celebrated.

    Play went on for about three minutes after the resumption before the final whistle was blown.

    Morocco had led the game 2-0 before Argentina’s fight back. Giuliano Simeone scored in the 68th minute before Medina’s effort sparked chaotic scenes.

    The game was broadcast in cafes throughout Morocco, where national pride has swelled since the country advanced to the semifinal in the 2022 World Cup. During a record-breaking heat wave, tea-drinking men screamed at televisions and watched in shock as fans stormed the field.

    Zak Eddakir, a 28 year-old from Rabat, said the fans’ reaction had to do with soccer’s importance in Morocco and a natural disappointment at a draw and the idea that a referee’s call could end a game.

    “In football, it’s normal,” he said. “When you see something like that, it’s really hard for supporters. Here, football is life. Even the king supports it.”

    Hairdresser Khadija Seffany streamed into the street to embrace her friends and neighbors after Morocco emerged victorious. She initially thought the delay in calling the goal offside suggested the referees wanted Argentina to win because Morocco is an Arab country. Every match throughout the Olympics will be important, she said.

    “Here, we’re one of the best in the world. We drink football. We eat football,” Seffany said.

    A steward catches a pitch invader during the men’s Group B soccer match between Argentina and Morocco at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 24, in Saint-Etienne, France. PHOTO: AP
    Stewards catch pitch invaders during the men’s Group B soccer match between Argentina and Morocco at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 24, in Saint-Etienne, France. PHOTO: AP
    Argentina’s players celebrate their side’s second goal scored by Cristian Medina during the men’s Group B soccer match between Argentina and Morocco at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 24, in Saint-Etienne, France. The goal was disallowed by VAR for offside. PHOTO: AP

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