The San Diego Comic-Con treats just kept coming over the weekend. Though Warner Bros and Fox may be somewhat miffed that their exclusively screened trailers for 2016 releases, Warners' Suicide Squad, an ensemble piece featuring some of DC's best loved/hated villains including The Joker (now played by Jared Leto, but looking and acting remarkably similar to the late Heath Ledger's much loved interpretation) and Harlequin (Margot Robbie), and Fox's Deadpool, the first Marvel Universe film to carry an 'R' certificate since 1998's Blade, have both been leaked online.
As a responsible news organisation, we’re not sharing the leaked footage, but the audience reaction to both was ecstatic.
Suicide Squad appears set to continue the dark tradition DC has set with films like Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy and the forthcoming Batman vs Superman, which was also exclusively previewed at Comic-Con.
Deadpool, meanwhile, looks like it's sticking faithfully to the sweary, irreverent, ultra-violent template set by the comic book. Ryan Reynolds, who plays the title character, said while introducing the trailer in San Diego: "[It's] the most faithful adaptation of a comic book to a movie I've ever seen. For one I think it's an absolute miracle that a studio let us make Deadpool, let alone a Rated-R Deadpool."
Reynold's previously starred in the disastrous Green Lantern movie, and he added mockingly: "I've only ever done one other proper — actually not proper — superhero movie."
2016 is shaping up to be a great year in cinemas for comic book fans. All we need now is for someone to act on the fan clamour for a Dredd sequel ...
cnewbould@thenational.ae
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
The specs
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The specs
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
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Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
RESULTS
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
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The specs
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Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
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Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.