Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) are both combat sports that use striking and grappling techniques to subdue a rival. The two sports were first introduced in the 1920s and 1930s, and they continue to thrive today. These fighting techniques can be broken down into different categories, including boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and Ground-and-pound. The sport has exploded in popularity in the past few years, with the introduction of mixed martial arts tournaments and television shows. If you are looking for some great sportsbetkings boxing tips click on the link.

Muhammad Ali and Antonio Inoki fought at the Nippon Budokan Arena in Tokyo, Japan in 1976. Their bout marked the beginning of mixed martial arts, and their fight is considered a turning point in both their careers.

The first round of the match went about as expected. Inoki landed a number of kicks, including a jab. But there were no other noteworthy events in this round.

After the first round, Inoki switched to a flurry of kicks to the legs, including a jump side kick and a roundhouse kick. Throughout the remainder of the round, he continued to employ his ground kicking techniques.

During the second round, Ali made some progress. He was able to land two punches and avoid Inokis kicking game.

Bruce Lee and Wong Shun Leung have made a huge impact on the world of martial arts. They had a hand in creating the Wing Chun style and teaching it to countless other famous fighters.

While Lee was in school, he studied a variety of martial arts, including tai chi and kung fu. He even participated in a few fights. But it was his films that changed the face of martial arts in the US and around the world.

In the 1970s, Lees movies changed the way American audiences viewed Asians. His film, Enter the Dragon, grossed over $200 million in the US.

During his lifetime, Lee was a philosopher, actor, filmmaker, boxer, and a martial artist. He died in Hong Kong on July 20, 1973. He is regarded as one of the greatest martial artists of all time.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the martial art of grappling. It is considered one of the most effective methods of self-defense. It has been a very popular martial art in recent years and is largely associated with the Gracie family.

It was developed by Mitsuyo Maeda, a Japanese judo expert who emigrated to Brazil in 1914. Maeda taught a group of Brazilians, including Carlos Gracie, and his youngest son, Helio.

Although most fans of BJJ associate it with submissions from the back, the technique has a broader definition. Its main goal is to control an opponent without striking. It also protects against arm strikes and is largely centered on ground fighting.

Although a few myths have surfaced about the origin of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the truth is that its origins are not completely known. It may have evolved from jujutsu or ancient Greece.

Muay Thai is a fighting style that originated in Thailand. The name Muay Thai is a combination of the wordsmuay (meaning fight) and thai (meaning Thai). The sport is considered a national sport in Thailand.

The sport of Muay Thai is a striking-based martial art that combines the use of shins, elbows, knees, and feet. The fighting techniques are based on the principles of conditioning and strength building.

The fights are scored on a round basis. A fighter who wins the round is awarded 10 points. The loser is given 9, 8 or 7 points.

The Muay Thai fights take place in a ring between 6.1 meters x 6.1 meters and 7.3 meters x 7.3 meters. The winner is the one who is more powerful when they strike.

Ground-and-pound boxing was introduced to MMA by Mark Coleman, and it became a very important element of the sport. Many UFC fighters have excelled at this style, and it is now a staple of MMA.

There are a number of techniques used in this style. Some are more practical than others. For example, you can use a double leg takedown to gain an advantage over an opponent. Other ground and pound techniques include a sweep, which is when you wrap your opponents legs around your waist and swing them forward. You can also attempt a triangle-armbar submission.

The MMA rules allow for submissions and striking. The winner is usually awarded the decision by the judges. However, there are minor restrictions on the rules. For instance, a groin attack, head butting, and gouging are prohibited.

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After hosting and judging two seasons of Drag Race Thailand, Pangina Heals reached new heights in her career by appearing as a competitor on RuPauls Drag Race: UK vs the World. Since then, even fans who had never seen Heals in the Thailand series became familiar with her fabulous drag and charismatic personality.

As of 2022, Heals is now conquering Hollywood with a brand-new digital series from WOW Presents Plus, Tongue Thaid With Pangina Heals. Tthe show will feature guests such as Jujubee (Drag Race season two), Jimbo (Canadas Drag Race), Kim Chi (Drag Race season eight), Cheryl Hole (Drag Race UK), Ongina (Drag Race season one), Honey Davenport (Drag Race season 11), Maxi Shield (Drag Race Down Under), and Mark Kanemura (a dancer who has been featured on Drag Race).

During an interview with PRIDE, Heals spilled the tea about Tongue Thaid, discussed her friendships with other Asian queens from the Drag Race franchise, and even revealed whats the current status of Drag Race Thailand season three.

Scroll through to read the PRIDE interview with Pangina Heals and make sure to watch Tongue Thaid on WOW Presents Plus.

PRIDE: How would you describe Tongue Thaid to new viewers who might be interested in watching it?

Pangina Heals: Its basically a show where drag queens eat spicy-ass Thai food. You get culture, you get a lot of charisma, and you get a little bit of diarrhea.

And it seems like the episodes get spicier and spicier not only with the food that youre eating, but also with the questions that youre asking. Is that accurate?

It is very true. I feel like [the episode with] Jujubee She has a stable relationship, so shes quite vanilla, but I love her. But I think when the episodes with Honey Davenport or Kim Chi come, it just gets a lot spicier because we ask about the craziest things theyve ever done, and basically we talk about things that you dont usually talk about when youre having food. So theres a lot of things that you get to find out about each of the entertainers that come on.

The grand prize for Drag Race UK is getting a show on WOW Presents Plus. You didnt win UK vs the World, but youre now getting your own show on the streaming service anyway. Are you low-key feeling like a winner right now?

I definitely do! And going into UK vs the World, Ive always felt like until then, there was no other Thai girl, so I was literally the only Thai RuGirl, and I felt so lucky. I already feel like a winner. Im traveling the world doing tours everywhere, meeting people who feel inspired from what I do, people who feel represented by me, and I feel like I get to connect with people. Im just so thankful, and f*ck yeah, I feel like a winner.

Drag Race Thailand came out all the way back in 2018. So, to see this resurgence in your career in 2022, its really exciting for us who are fans of the Thailand franchise. How has this second wind of fans and mainstream audiences been for you?

Its been overwhelming, honestly, and its taught me so many life lessons. Ive never thought that my following would increase by that much. I expected it to be by a certain amount, but it just surpassed everything Ive ever thought it would be. Literally, my Instagram went up 300,000. I was just in awe. I would wake up one day and it just jumped up like 20k, and I was like, The f*ck... And I literally thought that people were going to receive me okay. But somehow going on the show, I just wanted to be myself because I had the conversation with myself, was going in, I was like, Should I be that funny queen? Should I be that fashion queen? And then I was like, You know what? Youre enough. You can be you without letting anyone put you in a box. And I felt that a lot of the fans resonated with that.

This is an interview show, but you also want to expose audiences to Thai food. What are some of your all-time favorite dishes?

My all-time favorite dishes in Thailand are spicy My favorite one translates to bitter snail curry. Oh, its so good. It fills your soul up. And I just had it just now, actually. But Thai food is all about the seafood sauce. We know that if the seafood sauce is green, its not as good as the red one.

Tongue Thaid is featuring queens like Jujubee, Kim Chi, and Ongina. How fun was it to get together with other Asian queens from the Drag Race universe?

Its great because all of us have our own cultures that are related to food. Like, Kim Chi is a foodie. Ongina said she is OK with spice, and then I really just had her coughing up a lot of the things. And Juju was fun too because its the first time that people get to see us converse in our native tongues. So its like having lunch with my sisters, but were tucked.

A lot of fans gave you a hard time for eliminating Jimbo on UK vs the World, whos also appearing as a guest on the show. What do you wish fans knew about your relationship with Jimbo outside of the competitive environment of Drag Race?

We definitely talk. Ill always be like, Hey, I miss you. How are you doing? One lesson that I took from this experience that I feel like [is relevant] if girls go onto the show is that there is reality and then there is a reality that people create around you. And what is important is your own reality and your own truth. Because people can sit there all day and say that Pangina needs to admit that she eliminated Jimbo because she was a threat or she hates Canada or whatever. I dont. But no matter what I say, they already created a narrative and I dont fulfill the narrative. So I dont give a f*ck. For me, the lesson that I want to perpetuate to anyone is to live your life, live your truth, and those who are around you that just lift you up, keep them close.

Youre probably tired of getting this question, but as a big fan of Drag Race Thailand, I have to ask if you have any updates at all on season three.

Yeah, its out tomorrow. [Laughs]

Fabulous! So is the Meet The Queens dropping today!?

Honestly, I believe that great things always happen, and manifestation is really real. And so Ive been praying to a lot of deities here in Thailand and I know its going to happen. Its just a matter of when. I will let you bitch-slap me if it doesnt happen, how about that?

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Pangina Heals Spills The Tea About Her Brand-New Show Tongue ... - Pride.com

HO CHI MINH CITY, 19 January 2022: Vietjet will relaunch services from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok starting 21 January, the airline announced this week.

The airline will operate two weekly round trips every Friday and Saturday between Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Thai Vietjet director of commercial Pinyot Pibulsonggram said: We are delighted to reconnect Thailand with Vietnam, offering Thai people more opportunities to fly to Vietnam, as well as to welcome Vietnamese tourists to Thailand again after a long hiatus due to the pandemic.

The service resumption between the two financial, cultural and travel hubs will also contribute to the countries economic recovery while meeting the increasing travel demand of people in the region, especially when the Lunar New Year holiday gets underway, followed by the peak summer travel season.

However, both countries are battling a surge in the less severe but more contagious Omicron variant, which halted government schemes introduced in December to ease entry procedures.

In Thailand, Vietjet currently operates an expansive domestic flight network including the services from Bangkok to business and travel destinations such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Hat Yai, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen and Ubon Ratchathani in addition to other cross-regional routes.

The airline has also resumed a series of international routes connecting its two hubs, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with Tokyo (Narita International Airport), Taipei, Seoul (Incheon International Airport) and Singapore with one round trip per week that started earlier this month. In the next phase, it will reopen its entire international flights and looks forward to launching new routes to India and Russia.

The airline will offer free Covid-19 PCR test packages to all passengers flying internationally from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

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Vietjet resumes flights to Bangkok - TTR Weekly

Highlights

Thailand's rice export rebound continues in October

Vietnam remains out in front, set to hang on to second place

Exports boosted by return of West African, Iranian, Iraqi, Chinese demand

Thailand's monthly rice exports grew for a fifth consecutive month in October, putting the country within striking distance of reclaiming its title as the world's second largest rice exporter in 2021.

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According to data from the country's Ministry of Commerce, October exports totaled 773,823 mt, up by 74% on the year and the highest monthly total since January 2019. That brings Thai exports in January-October 2021 to 4.59 million mt, marginally higher than this time last year.

No country will challenge India's pre-eminent status at the world's largest rice exporter, with January-September exports totaling 16.3 million mt and the country on course to represent around two-fifths of global rice exports in 2021. As in 2020, the only country which stands in Thailand's way to the title of second largest exporter is Vietnam.

According to Vietnam Customs, the country's January-October exports are still around 592,000 mt ahead of Thailand's, despite the country's strict regional lockdown during August-September. While it would generally be safe to assume that Vietnam will retain its position as second largest exporter in 2021, Thailand has witnessed a staggering growth in exports in recent months. Exports reached an extraordinary monthly low of 302,669 mt in March, but have since increased by over 150% to reach October's level.

Additionally, sources have consistently reported in recent days that the government of Vietnam's largest buyer, the Philippines, has been restricting buyers' access to phytosanitary licenses which they need to import. While late in the year, this could still prove an impediment to December exports from Ho Chi Minh City.

The principal reason for Thailand's resurgence as a major exporter in recent months has been its return to price competitiveness. Thai 5% broken white rice was assessed by S&P Global Platts at as high as a $137/mt premium to its Indian equivalent in February this year, but a collapse in Thai pricing following improved output meant that both products were almost neck-and-neck for much of July-October.

While a $20-$30/mt premium for Thai white rice has emerged in recent weeks, many buyers are still willing to pay this due to the perceived premium quality of Thai rice and the typically more favorable reputation of its exporters with regards to execution. Prices of Hom Mali and Pathumthani Fragrant varieties have also declined substantially in recent months, further supporting demand for Thai rice.

As a result, many price-conscious West African buyers have returned to Thailand for Fragrant, white and parboiled rice. While remaining largely absent from the Thai market earlier in the year no West African countries featured as a top 10 export destination in May or June Benin and Cote d'Ivoire were Thailand's top two export destinations in October.

Unusual demand has also aided Thai exports in recent months. Iraq's return to the Thai market following a seven-year hiatus is the most remarkable development, with the country taking 180,885 mt of Thai rice in 2021, according to the Ministry of Commerce data. The principal reason for the uptick in demand is that Iraq's government divested rice sourcing responsibilities to a company called Al-Owais earlier this year, which was much more open to non-Americas rice origins.

Additionally, neighboring Iran has been in the market in recent weeks for large volumes of Thai white rice, which are expected to be shipped in December and January. While sources typically agree that a deal has been done for at least 60,000 mt, some sources believe that the final confirmed volume could be more than double this if buyers can secure the required financing.

The world's largest rice buyer, China, has also been on a buying spree. From January-September, imports totaled 3.58 million mt, more than double the 1.68 million mt imported over the same period in 2020, according to the country's customs data. This does not exclude Thailand, with Thai exports to China so far this year roughly double that of last year, making China Thailand's third largest export market.

While Thailand also faces exporting hurdles at the end of the year especially a lack of containers it appears that even if the country does not reclaim its title as the world's second largest rice exporter from Vietnam, it will likely be very close.

Original post:

Thailand in tight race with Vietnam to be 2021's second-largest global rice exporter - S&P Global

We will never see Keanu Reeves, protagonist of Matrix, Constantine, John Wick and many other successful films, become part of the most successful cinematic universe of the Nerd world of the last 15 years? The possibilities multiply, passing from the rumors of the fans to the statements of Keanu during a recent interview he gives to Esquire, American mens fashion magazine.

On the occasion of the interview for the well-known overseas magazine, held by the Matrixian Mr. Anderson almost at the debut of the fourth film of the homonymous saga, the actor does not hide a certain interest in the superhero sagas, praising the work of the many directors who oversaw the making of theMarvel universe:

There are some truly extraordinary and visionary directors, and they are doing things that no one else has ever done before. Its something special in terms of scale, ambitions and production. So yes, it would be nice to be part of it.

K. Reeves

The actor, certainly not new to the world of science fiction he was born in Fantasy (with the aforementioned Matrix, Constantine, but also with several other blockbuster titles such as 47 Ronin And the Devils Advocate and Bram Stokers Dracula) as to that action (John Wick 1, 2 and 3, Speed, Man of Thai Chi and many others!), would certainly fit the role of somebody hero with a dark past (it would be a fantastic Moon Knight, for example), as well as a villain very respectable.

Moreover, it is also true that Reeves has already entered the universe of comics by right before suspicious times, marked DC Comics, for the character of John Constantine, taken from the saga of Hellblazer, so maybe we could even talk about a return to the world of comics, at least, and a new beginning for that of superheroes.

Already in the past the name of Reeves has been around the Marvel meeting rooms, with the hypothesis that our beloved actor could have interpreted the Kree warrior Yon-Rogg in Captain Marvel (2019), but the commitments made for John Wick 3 they did not make his entry into film possible, a role later attributed to Jude Law, with good appreciation of the fans.

Also in 2019 Kevin Feige, film producer and president of Marvel Studios, confessed in an interview that he had repeatedly talked to Reeves about a possible role and that Marvel was actually very interested in finding the right way to best involve Reeves in one of the future projects.

We just have to cross our fingers and hope for the future: in the meantime, many other interesting films await us, first of all Matrix 4 Resurrections.

Read also: Brzrkr: a live action adaptation is planned for the Keanu Reeves project Keanu Reeves could be Kraven the Hunter in the Spider-man movies That time Keanu Reeves did a story about Well, about some teddy bears (VIDEO)

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Keanu Reeves: To join the MCU? An honor, but is it possible? - D1SoftballNews.com

A shortage of workers in several Southeast Asian manufacturing hubs is adding to the global supply chain crisis that is expected to wreak havoc on Christmas shipping.

Countries including Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand are still grappling with containment of the COVID-19 virus, causing disruptions in the movement of the workforce required to produce goods.

Those disruptions could cause major problems for retailers ahead of the holiday season.

"The rebound in economic growth in many of the world's largest consumer markets, including the US and EU, is boosting demand for ASEAN exports," Rajiv Biswas, chief economist for the Asia Pacific at research house IHS Markit, told Insider.

But the labor crunch in affected areas will persist, he said, leaving low-wage industries like manufacturing and agriculture vulnerable until border restrictions are eased.

In Vietnam, factories making clothing, footwear, and electronics are now facing worker shortages after tens of thousands left the business hub of Ho Chi Minh City after months of strict lockdowns.

Many workers who flocked to the city have returned to their rural homes, as they report fatigue and fear from the pandemic.

Earlier lockdowns had already caused problems, with Nike warning of "supply chain headwinds," while the delivery of Apple's iPhone 13 has also been delayed, the Nikkei reported.

Factories are now looking for ways to safely bring in workers again, according to local media outlet VnExpress. Doing that will likely further slow production down, as virus containment guidelines and protocols require additional time and administration.

Such safety measures are especially critical in a place like Vietnam, where only around 17% of the country is fully vaccinated, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

In Malaysia, the palm oil industry faces a similar issue, but with foreign migrant workers.

Malaysia produces about a third of the world's palm oil; the versatile, edible oil is used in various products, from chocolates to detergents and shampoo.

The country's palm oil industry, however, has long relied on migrant workers from countries like Indonesia and Bangladesh to harvest the crop.

As COVID-19 cases exploded in the country spiking over four times in two months to about 25,000 cases a day in late August the country put in movement restrictions and strict border controls. Migrant workers left the country in droves, and many have not been able to return, though the government has recently loosened restrictions to allow around 32,000 workers to return, according to the New Straits Times.

But that's less than half of the number of 75,000 workers the industry is short of, per the New Straits Times report.

Malaysian oil palm plantations have tried to entice local workers with higher pay to pick up the slack and use more machines. But locals are generally not interested in what they consider "dirty, dangerous and demeaning," Bloomberg reported.

In neighboring Thailand, factories and farms that once hosted over 1 million migrant workers from neighboring Myanmar have been hit by a double whammy.

Hundreds of thousands of them have left because of the pandemic, according to Frontier Myanmar. And Myanmar's military coup earlier this year has injected uncertainty and caused delays in work permit renewals, reported the Bangkok Post.

Thailand is a major manufacturer and exporter of vehicles, car parts, electronics, and food, and the labor crunch is hitting the supply chain, particularly in lower-end segments like farming.

The Thai labor ministry is looking to fill these positions with local workers, reported Bangkok Post.

But as with Malaysia's palm oil industry, Thailand may find the mission a tough order.

"They are jobs that Thai workers don't want to do," said Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin in a July interview with Reuters.

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Worker shortages across Southeast Asia may cause big delays in holiday shipping this year - Business Insider

British-Vietnamese producer Chi Thai will shoot Paris Zarcillas debut feature, horror Raging Grace, this November in the UK. With inspirations including Get Out and Parasite, the film centres on an undocumented Filipina immigrant who lands a job that ensures a better life for her and her daughter, only to discover it will destroy everything she holds dear. Thai says the film will connect with any group thats been confronted with marginalisation or oppression from systemic forces.

To support Zarcilla while writing the script during the pandemic, Thai used money from the 2020 BFI Vision award for her company Last Conker. AMC-owned horror platform Shudder fully financed the film in April.

It is the latest step forwards for Thai in a career that kicked off at Leeds Northern Film School, where she graduated in 2001. She stepped away from the industry around the time of the 2007-08 recession, before returning a couple of years later with a real intensity after becoming a parent.

A passion for inclusion led to producing Kim Albrights 2016 short The Purple Plain, about the 13 women who underwent NASA astronaut training in the early 1960s. Matt Kays short doc Little Miss Sumo followed, about a female sumo wrestlers struggle against tradition and stigma. Netflix picked it up after it played at Tribeca 2019, releasing it in October that year.

The Promise, a 2020 animated short made for the BBC based on Nicola Davies and Laura Carlins book, was presented at Doc Societys Climate Story Lab, and launched in more than 1,500 UK schools. Her upcoming slate includes childrens animated series Me Jane with Irelands Cartoon Saloon, based on Patrick McDonnells picture book about UK primatologist Jane Goodall; plus Dark Chapter, adapted from Winnie M Lis Not The Booker prize-winning crime fiction.

This year Thai and cinema analytics executive Delphine Lievens published The Exclusion Act, a report indicating how the film industry is failing British East and Southeast Asians (BESEA). It found only 0.8% of British films in the last 10 years come from that diaspora. I want to work bigger, and with partners that help me do stories that centre on BESEA people, she says.

Contact: Chi Thai

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Stars of Tomorrow 2021: Chi Thai (producer) | Features | Screen - Screen International

The Rescue, an arresting truth-is-stranger-than-fiction story of a Thai youth soccer team trapped in a remote flooded cave system, opens on five screens in NY/LA/Chicago this weekend in a specialty market waiting for audiences to wake up and see that theyre missing out, according to Ed Arentz, co-president of the docs distributor Greenwich Entertainment. And sooner rather than later hes counting on strong word of mouth to expand to 350-400 screeens next weekend.

A triumph at Telluride and Toronto, The Rescue has the reach of National Geographic (its a Nat Geo film) and pedigreed filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, the husband-and-wife team who won a Best Documentary Film Oscar for Free Solo in 2019.

That film followed a professional rock climber attempting the first free solo ascent of the famed El Capitans 900-meter vertical rock face at Yosemite National Park. The Rescue instead features a cast of hundreds assembled to help the Wild Boars soccer club led by a handful of eccentric amateur cave divers who performed the seemingly impossible. The 12 boys and their coach, hungry and sick and with monsoon rains about to flood their small air chamber, seemed irretrievable. Divers ultimately anesthetized and pulled them one by one over the course of three days through narrow, winding passages in pitch dark water to the cave mouth, each perilous foray taking two to three hours. Saving even one would have been considered a victory. They all made it. Deadline review here.

Jimmy and I, like many people in 2018, were living the story, the lows and the highs, said Vasarhelyi. How many different people came together. Both of us being Asian and having spent time in Thailand, we were tracking the story from the beginning.

Finding footage was a huge challenge. Many docs have lots of footage but no story. We had a great story but no footage, said Vasarhelyi. The duo gathered it piece by piece from divers GoPros and never-before-seen images they tracked to the wife of a Thai admiral. The rescues were re-created in part at Pinewood Studios with the original divers and deftly melded. When you see a child get initially anesthetized, that was real footage. Then they go underwater. Someone underwater, that is a re-enactment, she said.

Some 2,000 people attended a NYC premiere Tuesday night outside in Central Park.

Most filmmakers including us want the big screen and the theatrical experience, Vasarhelyi said. But more than anything, I want people to feel safe and do what they feel comfortable with. I am grateful for anyone who comes out to see the film.

That sums up a specialty market now, still awaiting the arthouse equivalent of Shang-Chi, Venom or Bond (is it The French Dispatch? The Tragedy of Macbeth?) and a return of its key older demo. Theres debate over whether the trouble is the product, the audience or the theaters. A still-shuttered ArcLight in L.A. is sorely missed, for example, but other arthouses were losing traction even pre-Covid.)

Mostly we need to see multiple films performing well and drawing from different segments of the audience, said Arentz. The past few months have seen maybe one decent holdover each weekend with everything else is left in the dust.

So the films keep coming. This weekends releases include A24s twisted Icelandic horror Lamb, from Cannes, in 500-plus theaters; Bleecker Streets well-reviewed drama Mass on four screens (two in NY and two in LA, adding Chicago, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Boston and Phoenix next weekend; and Aharon Keshales noirish Jason Sudeikis starrer South of Heaven.

Lamb, starring Noomi Rapace, follows a sad, childless couple in rural Iceland who make an alarming discovery one day in their sheep barn and face the consequences of defying the will of nature. This dark, atmospheric but also deadpan-funny folk tale is a debut feature from director Valdimar Jhannsson.

Mass, Fran Kranzs writing and directing debut, has two set of parents sitting down to talk years after an unspeakable tragedy a school shooting tore their lives apart. With Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton, Reed Birney and Ann Dowd as the respective parents of the victim and the shooter, who took his own life, on a journey of grief, anger and acceptance.

In South of Heaven, after serving 12 years for armed robbery, Jimmy (Sudeikis) gets an early parole. Upon his release from prison, he vows to give Annie (Evangeline Lilly), his childhood love whos now dying from cancer, the best year of her life. If only it were that simple. From RJLE Films. In 19 theaters. With Mike Colter, Shea Whigham. Deadline review here.

Elsewhere in specialty, Hard Luck Love Song from Roadside Attractions is a gritty love story inspired by singer-songwriter Todd Sniders Americana hit Just Like Old Times. It follows Jesse (Michael Dorman), a charismatic, down-on-his-luck troubadour living in cheap motels and making bad decisions. He finds himself at an existential crossroads during a chance encounter with Carla (Sophia Bush), an old flame. Written and directed by Justin Corsbie.

Jacinta will premiere on Hulu and in select theaters. The doc landed first-time director Jessica Earnshaw the Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award at the Tribeca Festival. It follows a young woman who struggles to find stability after years of addiction and reconnect with the daughter she left behind. Shot over three years, the film begins at the Maine Correctional Center where Jacinta, 26, and her mother Rosemary, 46 both recovering addicts are incarcerated together.

Knocking from Yellow Veil Pictures is Frida Kempffs Swedish horror thriller about a woman who, after experiencing a traumatic incident, is unnerved by a haunting knocking sound from upstairs in her new apartment building. Cecilia Milocco stars. Premiered at the Midnight section at Sundance.

Demigod from Gravitas, more horror. Miles Doleacs film follow a woman (Rachel Nichols) who travels with her husband (Yohance Myles) to Germanys Black Forestto collect her inheritanceafter her huntsman grandfather dies. A terrifying secret forces her to reckon with her familys past and a mysterious ritual she thought was the stuff of fairy tales.

Comedy Golden Voices from Music Box Films follows Raya (Maria Belkin) and Victor (Vladimir Friedman), who built career as the Soviet Unions most beloved film dubbers, translating the work of Federico Fellini and Stanley Kubrick into Russian over the decades. Upon the collapse of the USSR in 1990, the Jewish couple must emigrate to Israel and reinvent themselves, but opportunities for first-rate vocal performances are few and far between. Raya finds herself catering to a lonely Russian community as a phone-sex operator, while Victor falls in with a band of black-market film pirates from the VHS underground. Directed by Evgeny Ruman.

Ascension from MTV Documentary Films, shot at locations across China by Jessica Kingdon, explores the class divides exposed by the nations economic growth. It took awards for best documentary and best new documentary filmmaker at the Tribeca Festival.

The Gig Is Up by Shannon Walsh, from Gravitas, takes on the gig economy, bringing to light the often-harrowing stories of the countrys shadow workforce.

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The Rescue Tests Murky Arthouse Waters: We Need To See Multiple Films Performing Well Specialty Preview - Deadline

A health worker administers a test for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on a member of the public at the Bondi Beach drive-through testing centre during a COVID-19 outbreak lockdown in Sydney, Australia, October 5, 2021. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

Oct 4 (Reuters) - Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:

New Zealand drops elimination strategy

New Zealand on Monday abandoned its longstanding strategy of eliminating coronavirus amid a persistent Delta outbreak, and will instead look to live with the virus and control its spread as its vaccination rate rises.

The Pacific nation was among just a handful of countries to bring COVID-19 cases down to zero last year and largely stayed virus-free until an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant in mid-August frustrated efforts to stamp out transmission.

"With this outbreak and Delta, the return to zero is incredibly difficult," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a news conference, in a major policy shift. read more

Australia sees outbreak levelling off

Australia's Delta outbreak appears to have levelled off, with more than half the country in extended lockdowns and vaccination rates starting to approach national targets, Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Monday.

Hunt said 80% of Australians will have had their first COVID-19 jabs this week, while the overall battle against the virus has been boosted by the arrival in recent days of 15,000 additional doses of treatment drug sotrovimab.

The Australian government wants all restrictions, including travel bans, to be lifted when 80% of the population above 16 is fully vaccinated. It expects that target will be reached in mid-November. read more

Indonesia's Bali to reopen to some foreign tourists

Indonesia will reopen its tourist island Bali for some international travellers, including those from China, New Zealand and Japan, from Oct. 14, senior cabinet minister Luhut Pandjaitan said on Monday.

Bali's Ngurah Rai international airport will be open to foreign tourists from that date, with visitors required to quarantine for eight days at their own expense, Luhut told reporters. read more

Workers flee Vietnam's largest city

Tens of thousands of people, mostly migrant workers, left Ho Chi Minh City over the weekend as the largest metropolis in Vietnam eased a months-long lockdown, triggering fears of labour shortages and more disruption to manufacturing.

The mass exodus comes as the city and its nearby industrial provinces struggle to ensure sufficient workers to help revive the country's economy, which posted a record GDP slump in the third quarter due to COVID-19 curbs. read more

Thailand in talks for 200,000 courses of potential COVID-19 treatment

Thailand's government is in talks with U.S. drugmaker Merck & Co to purchase 200,000 courses of the company's experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 treatment, a Thai official said on Monday.

Many Asian countries are scrambling to lock in supplies of the potential treatment early after they lagged behind Western nations in vaccine rollouts, hit by tight supplies.

South Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia said they are all in talks to buy Merck's potential treatment, while the Philippines, which is running a trial on the pill, said it hopes its domestic study would allow access to the treatment. read more

Hungary's deaths rise to highest since start of fourth wave

Hungary's COVID-19 deaths and new infections jumped over the weekend to their highest level since the start of the fourth wave of the pandemic, government data showed on Monday.

Health authorities registered 1,492 new infections and 31 deaths over the past three days, bringing the total number of cases to 824,876 and deaths to 30,230 since the start of the pandemic.

Although the latest figures are still well below those registered during previous waves, the data reflects a slowly worsening trend. read more

Compiled by Linda Noakes; Editing by Jan Harvey

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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What you need to know about the coronavirus right now - Reuters

By Topher Gauk-Roger 5:23am PDT, Sep 3, 2021

The 25th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, will introduce viewers to a brand new superhero when it hits theaters on Sept. 3, 2021. Simu Liu stars as the titular character, who must confront the past he thought he left behind after hes drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization. The skilled martial artist is surrounded by an ensemble that includes Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh and Tony Leung. Wonderwall.com rounded up everything you need to know about the latest entry in cinemas biggest franchise.

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RELATED: Stars attend the premiere of Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings

Shang-Chi is a skilled martial artist who was trained to be an assassin by his father at a young age. He doesnt have a traditional superpower, but he has enough abilities to earn the nickname Master of Kung Fu. The character was inspired by the Chinese American character Kwai Chang Caine from the TV showKung Fu and was originally developed as an unparalleled hand-to-hand fighter who fought his fathers global criminal machinations as part of Britains MI6 intelligence agency. In the comics, Shang-Chi eventually gained the ability to create duplicates of himself and carried various pieces of Tony Stark-built tech. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, director Destin Daniel Cretton described the film version as afish-out-of-water and compared him to the character Will fromGood Will Hunting, whos a mixture of masculinity and vulnerability, noting that both characters had secrets and superpowers they do not understand. Star Simu Liu told Mens Health that Shang-Chis struggles with identity are the core of the character, rather than his martial arts skills.

RELATED: Marvel superheroes, sidekicks, antiheroes and Avengers ranked

Shang-Chi was created by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin and debuted inSpecial Marvel Edition #15in December 1973 after Marvel Comics failed to acquire the rights to adapt theKung FuTV show. Up to that point, the comic series had followed Thor and Nick Fury. Shang-Chi was originally modeled after Bruce Lee and, as the martial arts craze swept the U.S. in the 70s, Shang-Chi, from from 1974 to 1983, ran in a solo comic entitled The Hands of Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu and enjoyed crossovers with other Marvel martial artists like White Tiger, Iron Fist and the Daughters of the Dragon. Hes one of the strongest non-superhumans in Marvel Comics and has been sought out by many other characters including Captain America, Spider-Man and Wolverine to help them strengthen their own hand-to-hand combat skills. The Shang-Chi comic book became massive in the 70s, but the Kung Fu craze died down in the 80s, and so did Shang-Chis popularity eventually relegating the character to occasional guest appearances. He made his way back into the spotlight as part of 2010sSecret Avengers series, eventually making it to the core Avengers team and the newAgents of Atlas. In anticipation of the film, Marvel debuted anew ongoing series in May 2021.

RELATED: Avengers stars: How their lives have changed over the years

The Ten Rings were originally established as the once-dormant international terrorist group that kidnaps Tony Stark in the first Iron Man movie in 2008. Tony builds his first Iron Man suit while being held captive by them. Members of the organization include Shang-Chis father, Wenwu (aka The Mandarin). In the films trailer, Wenwu tells his son that throughout my life, the Ten Rings gave our family power, and the rings are shown as physical bracelets with eerie lights and some kind of superpower. The movie seemingly depicts Shang-Chis father as leader of the Ten Rings who attempts to bring his son into the fold. But our hero appears to be a on a journey to free himself from his evil destiny.

It was quite the journey getting Shang-Chi to the big screen, with attempts dating as far back as the 80s. During a 2018 interview with Inverse, former president and CEO ofMarvel Productions Margaret Loesch revealed that Stan Lee considered Bruce Lees son Brandon to play the role and met with the actor and his mother, Linda Lee,to discuss a potential movie or television series starring the character. Stan did believe in the character, Margaret said. He used that as an example of the comic that could transition into the movie and television world. Unfortunately, Brandon tragically passed away in 1993 at 28. Then in 2001, Blade director Stephen Norrington signed on to direct the film The Hands of Shang-Chi but was replaced by famed martials arts choreographer and director Yuen Woo-pingwhen the project moved to DreamWorks a few years later. After getting stuck in development, the rights to the character reverted back to Marvel and it was listed as one of many potential projects inits new film deal with Paramount Pictures. Marvel eventually signed a deal with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures before it could get made, which led to the current release schedule.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings gave actor Simu Liu his breakout role. He was raised in Ontario, Canada, and worked as an accountant before eventually getting laid off. Simu then used his background in martial arts such as TaekwondoandWing Chun, as well as gymnastics, to pursue a career as an actor and stuntman. His first role was as an extra in the 2013 blockbusterPacific Rim, which led to small roles on TV shows like Nikita and Beauty and the Beast and a stunt-double gig on Heroes Reborn. He then nabbed lead roles on the acclaimed Canadian programs Blood and Water and Kims Convenience before Marvel gave him the chance of a lifetime in 2019: Simu petitioned for the role of Shang-Chi on Twitter in 2018 when the movie was revealed to be in development and it was announced duringComic-Con 2019 that hed landed the part.

Following her breakout turn in 2018s Crazy Rich Asians and her Golden Globe-winning work in 2019s The Farewell, Awkwafina makes her Marvel debut as Katy. Little is known about the character other than that she works as a hotel valet alongside Shang-Chi and is the heros closest confidant. That said, she doesnt know much about his history or his action-packed world of assassins and kung fu masters. The funnywoman told StyleCaster in 2020 that Katy is thrust into a world where she doesnt really know what to do. At the same time, shes discovering things about herself. Awkwafina also told Entertainment Weekly that the character doesnt do a lot of the heavy lifting. But at the end of the day, she has a real heart, and she has a loyalty and dedication to her friendship with Shang-Chi. Shes super brave. Katy isnt sourced from the comics and, based on her poster image, this original character might just know how to use a bow and arrows.

Michelle Yeoh is best known for her work in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Tomorrow Never Dies, Crazy Rich Asians and Star Trek: Discovery. She made her Marvel debut in 2017s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as space pirate Aleta Ogord. Now the Malaysian actress is taking on a new role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ying Nan, a guardian of a mythical city. Michelle told Collider that the films other characters come to her to learn how to protect history and to protect not just this world but the worlds that are around us from the demons that are locked away. So its magic, its reality, so many things happening and its a lot of fun.

Tony Leung is considered one of Asias most successful and internationally recognized actors. The Hong Kong-born star, whos best known for his numerous collaborations with legendary director Wong Kar-wai, makes his Marvel debut in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. He stars as Wenwu, Shang-Chis father and the leader of the Ten Rings. Wenwu is a hybrid character for theMarvel Cinematic Universe, replacing Shang-Chis original comic book father, Fu Manchu. The character has many different names including The Mandarin which producer Jonathan Schwartztold Entertainment Weekly was due to audience expectations based on The Mandarins comic book history. He described Wenwu as a more complex and layered character than the comic book version. Director Destin Daniel Cretton explained to the outlet that Tony avoided Asian stereotypes and a one-dimensional portrayal by bringing humanity and love to the role.

Menger Zhang portrays Xialing, Shang-Chis estranged sister and Wenwus daughter. Menger is a relative newcomer and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings marks her first big screen credit. Xialing is based on the comic book character Fah Lo Suee, who was raised to be The Mandarins right hand, but eventually attempts to subvert her fathers control by leaving the Ten Rings. In the film, Xialing is similarly estranged from her father and partners with her brother to take him down once and for all. Menger told Comic Book Resources that she underwent four months of training before shooting began, explaining, I didnt have any martial arts background. I did muay thai, tai chi and some weapons work. Theyre all hard but so much fun. She also called the role monumental, like a dream come true.

Andy Le has been revealed as the masked actor portraying the villainous Death Dealer. Its a huge moment for the star, who up until this point had worked as a stuntman and acted in small roles in The Paper Tigers and Wu-Tang: An American Saga. In the comics, Death Dealer is an MI6 double agent and one of Shang-Chis closest confidants who also betrays the hero and his sister by teaming up with their dad and becoming one of the Ten Rings deadliest warriors. The stories find the brutal fighter and Shang-Chi fighting to the death, with our hero coming out victorious. The films trailer keeps Death Dealers identity a secret, only showing them clad in a mask with red, black and white face paint. But given their origins, its safe to assume Wenwu will dispatch him to take down his son in a fight for power.

Florian Munteanu is a German Romanian actor, model and former heavyweight boxer whos best known for his role as boxer Viktor Drago, the son ofIvan Drago, in the 2018 sports dramaCreed II. Now hes taking on Shang-Chi as Razor Fist, a skilled martial artist andmercenarywith steel blades for hands. The villain is hired to assassinate Shang-Chi, and in the comics, he has a storied history with the Master of Kung Fu, having fought and been defeated by him multiple times. Razor Fist is also known for having served as a nemesis for numerous other Marvel heroes including Wolverine, Hawkeye and Elektra. The films trailer teases a a massive fight between Shang-Chi and Razor Fist aboard a San Francisco bus.

Ronny Chiengis a senior correspondent onThe Daily Show and creator and star of the sitcomRonny Chieng: International Student. The Malaysian comedianandactor had a breakout feature role as the over-ambitious Eddie Cheng in2018s Crazy Rich Asians before nabbing the part of Jon Jon in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Not much is known about the character other than that hes a close friend of both Shang-Chi and Katy. Well have to wait until the films release to find out if there is more to Jon Jon or if hell act as the storys comic relief.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. The Hawaiian-born filmmaker worked at a group home for at-risk teenagers while attending film school. He then used both of those experiences to create the 2009 short film Short Term 12, which received acclaim when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. It wasnt long before he moved into feature-length films, writing and directing the indie dramas I Am Not a Hipster and the theatrical adaptation of Short Term 12, which was nominated for multipleIndependent Spirit Awards and served as a breakout for Captain Marvel herself, Brie Larson. Destin then directed the major studio films The Glass Castle and Just Mercy, both of which reunited him with Brie and received critical raves. In 2019, Marvel announced he would be helming his first blockbuster. He told The Hollywood Reporter in 2020 that he wanted the departure to create a hero he could identify with. I grew up without a superhero to look up to, he told the outlet. I gravitated toSpider-Manwhen I was a kid, primarily because he had a mask covering his face and I could imagine myself under that mask. I would love to give my son a superhero to look up to. I feel very privileged to be a part of telling that story.

While Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings marks the title characters debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, elements of the story do have connections to previous films. Shang-Chis father in the movie is The Mandarin, a villain long teased in the Iron Man film series. He surfaced in 2013s Iron Man 3 as the leader of the Ten Rings before eventually being unmasked as a struggling British actor, played by Ben Kingsley, who was hired to play the villain in order to cover up the storys true antagonist, Aldrich Killian. As mentioned, the Ten Rings have also played a part in the Iron Man movies, starting with overseeing Tony Starks capturing in the first film, which prompted him to create the first Iron Man suit. He then spends much of that movie dismantling the organizations operations in the Middle East. The Ten Rings also appeared in the Marvel One-Shot shortAll Hail the Kingon theThor: The Dark WorldBlu-ray and in adeleted scenefromAnt-Man.

One of the biggest changes in the Shang-Chi film is an update to his famous parentage. In the comics, hes the secret son of the villainous Dr. Fu Manchu, a character whos also been steeped in racial stereotypes. Marvel Studios doesnt have the film rights for that character and its doubtful it wanted to unearth that problematic elements of the comics. Hence the character has been reconceived as known Marvel supervillain The Mandarin in the movie. The version of The Mandarin portrayed in Iron Man 3 was essentially a parody version of Fu Manchu, intact with all the same racist tropes. But Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige described Tony Leungs casting in 2019 as a chance for him to play the real Mandarin. As director Destin Daniel Crettontold Observer that same year,We are not looking to contribute anymore to the Asian stereotypes that we have seen both in cinema and pop culture. Were hoping to just show some different sides to both Asian Americans and Chinese Americans and Mainland Chinese characters. Tommy is such an incredible actor and Im excited to have him help us break some of those stereotypes because that villain could easily become a punchline.

Production on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings wasnt without its complications. Filming began in February 2020 but was put on hold in March due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. Work building sets for the film resumed at the end of July 2020, and by the next month, all cast and crew members had arrived in Sydney to begin shooting. Any cast and crew members returning to Australia from outside the country had to be quarantined for two weeks upon arrival before returning to work, according toAustralias guidelines. Shooting then moved to San Francisco and wrapped by October 2020. As a result of the pandemic, the films release date shifted multiple times, originally going from February 2021 to May to July and, ultimately, September. Unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universes previous entry, Julys Black Widow, Shang-Chi wont be released simultaneouslyin theaters and on Disney+. Instead, it will be in theaters exclusively for 45 days before being added to the streaming platform.

Following the success of 2018s Black Panther as well as repeated calls for more diversity and less Chris in Marvel movies, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is helping expand the scope of the Marvel Cinematic Universe while also breaking ground for Asian representation on a blockbuster scale. Star Simu Liu discussed the films significance with Entertainment Weekly, calling it a celebration of our culture while also pointing out that this is just one step in the battle forvisibility in media. Just because theres one Asian American superhero in the MCU, it does not by any means imply that our fight is finished right there, he told the outlet.When we dont have to celebrate every single win, I think well be a little bit closer to our goal, but until then, theres just so much left to do. Im ready to be in a position where I can effect real change, amplify voices and put people in positions to get stories told that wouldnt ordinarily get that opportunity. So, yes, all of that stuff Im ready for. It couldnt come fast enough, actually.

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