A follow-up to 2021’s gory big-screen adaptation of the much-played fighting game might finally show us the tournament but it’s all far too unexciting

A sequel to 2021’s gory, garish big-screen transfer of Mortal Kombat was an inevitability not just because of how the industry typically works and not just because video game IP is arguably hotter than ever right now but because of something far more crucial. While the film – the second attempt to bring the game to the big screen after a dodgy Christopher Lambert-led 1995 version - was a predictable string of fight scenes pieced together with what could generously be described as a plot, it pulled a major, and to some rather shocking, punch. For all of the fight scenes it did show, it stopped short of showing us those one would naturally expect, denying us an actual Mortal Kombat tournament.

It was all laboured scene-setting, one reason why it didn’t connect with many critics and fans, other than it also not being very good, another little problem. The film was part of Warner’s Christopher Nolan-alienating Covid year, when its slate was launched on both the big screen and HBO Max simultaneously, and while it did so-so theatrical numbers, it was the platform’s most-streamed movie of the year, beating out grander titles such as Dune. The sequel is receiving a splashier rollout but its predecessor’s outsized small-screen success wasn’t just a sign of that particular strange time but also where fans might best enjoy these films, on TV late at night, expectations that much lower. Treated like a premium format blockbuster does not do a film like Mortal Kombat II any favours, its junkiness less charming and more distracting, a street fighter suddenly forced to go pay-per-view. While this one might actually be true to its title – there is a Mortal Kombat in Mortal Kombat II - there’s still nowhere near enough here to warrant an Imax screen.

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Demonstrators, angered by Russia’s inclusion at arts festival, shouted ‘Curated by Putin, dead bodies included’

The Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale was forced temporarily to shut its doors on the second day of the preview after the activist group Pussy Riot staged a chaotic protest against the country’s inclusion in the art festival.

Wearing pink balaclavas, the protesters ran towards the Russian pavilion where they gathered outside and lit pink, blue and yellow flares while playing punk music and shouting slogans, including “Blood is Russia’s Art”.

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Defeat to Arsenal could usher in a period of intense change, but whether coach will stick around is an open question

“I love you,” Diego Simeone said, but they only had 14 games to save the season. It was the night before Atlético Madrid faced Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final first leg in early April and the manager was sitting alongside Antoine Griezmann, unexpectedly opening up in a press conference of all places, emotion and admiration expressed publicly as the end drew near. “A player first, then a friend,” in the coach’s words. Griezmann had recently announced that he was leaving for Orlando City. That was the bad news; the good news was that he would do so at the close of a campaign that could be for ever, that he was still here at all.

The threat had been that Griezmann would go with immediate effect, departing in March before the season was even finished, his American contract already agreed and not easy to change, faced by a reluctance to release him. But how, Atlético’s coach, CEO and teammates insisted, could he leave when the pinnacle of his 10 years at the club unexpectedly still lay ahead? So meetings were held, pressure applied, a solution found that allowed him to stay a little longer and leave a legacy unlike anything else. “The best is still to come,” Griezmann said. “I love you, but if you don’t run, I’m taking you off,” Simeone reminded him. “There are eight league games, one in the cup [final] and, if God wills it, five more Champions League matches.”

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Profits jump to £122m at ticketing retailer but it expects flat or declining revenues over the coming year

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Trainline has said the US standoff with Iran is hitting its revenues, with rail ticket sales to foreign visitors to Europe affected.

The UK-based international ticketing agent said it expected revenues to stay flat or decline over the coming year, citing “the effects of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East on inbound air traffic into Europe”.

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Late withdrawal from Italian Open casts significant doubt over player’s chances of competing at Roland Garros

In the end Emma Raducanu was one of the first in and out the grandiose gates of the Foro Italico this year. She had arrived in Rome early, eager to test her health and readiness for top-level competition through a series of training sessions on the heavy red clay courts of the Italian Open. As the hours on court piled up, and her planned opening match on Thursday drew closer, it seemed reasonable to conclude that she would make her first appearance in two months. Instead, her absence from the courts will extend to more than two months.

Things are rarely straightforward with Raducanu, demonstrated by the nature of her withdrawal in Rome, which occurred just 30 minutes after she gave little indication of her intention to during a press conference. The past few months, as usual, have come with ample speculation about Raducanu’s health, meaning her appearance in Rome was at least an opportunity for her to provide clarity on her recent struggles. Somehow, the manner of her exit only generated further questions.

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While some are using AI to tailor programs better suited to their needs, others warn ‘it can be wrong, confidently so’

People have mixed feelings about AI. While many people regularly use it – 62% in the US and 69% in the UK – trust in the technology is low. In the US, only 26% of people have a positive view of AI, according to one NBC poll, and in the UK, 78% say they worry about negative outcomes from AI.

So it is perhaps no surprise that readers’ responses to our callout about AI and fitness were varied. Some said they rely on AI to shape their workouts and diets while others said they refuse to use it at all because of its impact on the economy and the environment. And many were somewhere in between – they found it a useful tool, but were less than thrilled about the technology’s impact overall.

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Thomas Hawk posted a photo:

date stamped on slide, November 1972

Thomas Hawk posted a photo:

Wereldwijd leven naar schatting 2,9 miljoen mensen met Multiple Sclerosis (MS), een chronische aandoening waarbij het immuunsysteem de beschermlaag rond zenuwen aantast. Opvallend is dat ongeveer driekwart van de patiënten vrouw is. Waarom deze ziekte vrouwen zoveel vaker treft, is al jaren een raadsel, maar nieuw onderzoek biedt voorzichtig aanknopingspunten.

Wetenschappers van de University of Colorado hebben verschillen gevonden in de samenstelling van hersenvocht bij vrouwen met en zonder MS. Hoewel het onderzoek klein is, slechts zes deelnemers, kan het belangrijke inzichten opleveren in hoe de ziekte zich specifiek bij vrouwen ontwikkelt.

Het onderzoek richtte zich op het zogenoemde cerebrospinale vocht, de heldere vloeistof die de hersenen en het ruggenmerg omringt. Omdat dit vocht direct in contact staat met het centrale zenuwstelsel, kan het veranderingen in de hersenen weerspiegelen. Analyse van dit vocht liet zien dat bij vrouwen met MS 72 eiwitten verhoogd aanwezig waren, terwijl 46 eiwitten juist in lagere concentraties voorkwamen.

Opvallend is dat veel van de verhoogde eiwitten verband houden met immuunactiviteit, zoals de werking van microglia en macrofagen, cellen die betrokken zijn bij het opruimen van schadelijke stoffen en ziekteverwekkers. Tegelijkertijd bleken eiwitten die belangrijk zijn voor de aanmaak en het herstel van zenuwcellen juist afgenomen. Dat wijst erop dat niet alleen het immuunsysteem overactief is, maar ook het herstelvermogen van het zenuwstelsel wordt geremd.

Vaak sekseverschillen bij neurologische ziektes

Volgens endocrinoloog Kimberley Bruce passen deze bevindingen in een breder patroon. “Veel neurologische ziekten vertonen sekseverschillen”, zegt zij. “Door die beter te begrijpen, kunnen we ook de onderliggende mechanismen ontrafelen.”

Een mogelijke verklaring ligt in hormonale factoren. Vrouwen tussen de 30 en 40 jaar, een levensfase waarin hormonale schommelingen optreden door menstruatie en zwangerschap, krijgen drie keer zo vaak de diagnose MS als mannen. In het onderzoek werd onder meer een verhoogd niveau gevonden van een eiwit dat geslachtshormonen bindt, waardoor deze minder beschikbaar zijn voor het lichaam. Dat kan invloed hebben op het immuunsysteem en mogelijk bijdragen aan het ziekteproces.

Toch benadrukken onderzoekers dat het om voorlopige resultaten gaat. De steekproef is klein en de bevindingen moeten nog in grotere studies worden bevestigd. MS is bovendien een complexe aandoening waarbij genetische, omgevings- en immunologische factoren samenkomen. De hoop is dat deze inzichten uiteindelijk leiden tot gerichtere behandelingen, mogelijk zelfs therapieën die specifiek inspelen op sekseverschillen.

Bron: Science Alert

ASHKELON (ANP) - De Spaanse Flotilla-activist die vastzit in een Israëlische cel heeft volgens zijn actiegroep zijn hongerstaking omgezet in een zogenoemde 'droge hongerstaking'. Dat betekent dat Saif Abukeshek niet alleen niet meer eet, maar ook gestopt is met drinken. Dat houdt een mens normaal gesproken een week uit.

Abukeshek en zijn medestander Thiago Avila werden vorige week opgepakt door Israël. Ze namen deel aan de Global Sumud Flotilla, de vloot van activisten die proberen om hulpgoederen naar de Gazastrook te verschepen. Israël blokkeert de wateren rond dat Palestijnse gebied al jaren.

Abukeshek en Avila worden gezien als de organisatoren. De organisatie van de Global Sumud Flotilla meldde al eerder dat zij in hongerstaking waren gegaan, maar zegt dat Abukeshek zijn verzet nu "geëscaleerd" heeft. De actie zou een oproep aan de wereld zijn "om wakker te worden". De organisatie roept de internationale gemeenschap op om Israël onder druk te zetten de blokkade van Gaza te stoppen.

GRAN CANARIA (ANP) - Een van de twee vliegtuigen die onderweg waren met opvarenden van het cruiseschip Hondius, is uitgeweken naar Gran Canaria, blijkt uit trackinggegevens. De reden is onduidelijk.

Onderweg van Kaapverdië naar Amsterdam onderbrak het toestel de reis bij het Spaanse eiland, om vervolgens een tijdje rondjes te vliegen nabij de luchthaven. Aan het eind van de middag (Nederlandse tijd) is het vliegtuig geland.

De twee vliegtuigen werden ingezet om mensen weg te halen die aan boord van de Hondius klachten ontwikkelden. Twee van hen werden erg ziek, de derde heeft voor zover bekend geen klachten meer. Wie aan boord is van welk vliegtuig, is onbekend.

Schiphol

Academische ziekenhuizen in Leiden en Düsseldorf kondigden aan dat ze ieder een patiënt zouden opvangen. Waar de derde evacué naartoe zou gaan, is niet duidelijk.

Het tweede medische vliegtuig heeft de vlucht voortgezet. Dat wordt in de loop van de avond verwacht op Schiphol.

"Il mare a quadretti" (checkered sea) is a poetic name for the rice fields in the Piedmont plain in northern Italy. In spring, the fields around Turin are filled with water for rice farming and divided into regular rectangular shapes. From above, they look like a natural mosaic. We photographed this unique landscape from the air to show how nature and human activity come together. In recent years, this view has become more rare because of modern farming methods and controlled irrigation. However, it can still be seen in some areas during spring.

In de jacht op drugscrimineel Jos Leijdekkers wordt zijn familie 'uitgerookt'. Dat betoogden advocaten woensdag in de Rotterdamse rechtbank. Tegen de vader van Bolle Jos werd zeven maanden cel geëist, vanwege een 'klokkie' van 110 duizend euro.

Nu de veiligheid van de handelsroutes afneemt, willen de marines van India en Nederland meer samenwerken. Maar de maritieme relatie is nog pril, blijkt bij een bezoek van het fregat Zr.Ms. De Ruyter aan de zuidelijke marinebasis van Kochi. „We moeten met de allereenvoudigste dingen beginnen.”

Ook bij Nederlandse vliegmaatschappijen merken ze dat overlast in vliegtuigen toeneemt. „Ordeverstorend gedrag van passagiers is een serieus en groeiend probleem binnen de luchtvaart”, laat een woordvoerder van KLM weten.

Kimi Antonelli has one area that needs work if he wants to keep his championship lead.

Formula 1 and Sky have today announced a multi-year agreement continuing their long standing and deep partnership, giving Sky Sports viewers in the UK, Ireland, and Italy exclusive access to all the action from every Formula 1 race weekend into the next decade.

Researchers at Rapid7 say that they have spotted what they believe was an Iranian intelligence cyber unit masquerading as the Chaos ransomware gang to hide a state-sponsored espionage operation. The intrusion was spotted earlier this year, and investigators say breadcrumbs left behind give them "medium confidence" in saying it was the work of MuddyWater, which has been linked to intrusions affecting Western government and banking networks in recent months. Attackers began with a Microsoft Teams phishing campaign, which is not uncommon. They also encouraged targets to share their screens. Again, it was nothing too out of the ordinary. However, what must have required some expert persuasion work was that they convinced these individuals to enter their credentials into local text files, and even modify MFA settings to allow attacker-controlled devices to complete authentication. Rapid7 researchers Alexandra Blia and Ivan Feigl wrote: "While connected, the [threat actor (TA)] executed basic discovery commands, accessed files related to the victim's VPN configuration, and instructed users to enter their credentials into locally-created text files. "In at least one instance, the TA also deployed a remote management tool (AnyDesk) to further facilitate access." From there, browser artifacts suggested that attackers lifted credentials through phishing pages. At least one mimicked a Microsoft Quick Assist page. Armed with valid credentials, the attackers then executed various commands via RDP, which downloaded payloads using curl. These payloads included a backdoor malware dubbed Darkcomp, a malicious Microsoft WebView2 loader to disguise traffic, and an encrypted configuration file that sent instructions to Darkcomp. Then it was a case of performing lateral movement by using additional compromised accounts and scooping up sensitive data along the way. The attackers used the same accounts to send emails internally notifying organization leaders about the intrusion and data theft, and included an onion link leading to Chaos ransomware’s data leak site (DLS), where a corresponding entry appeared with all data redacted and hidden behind a countdown timer. Follow-up emails aimed to build the illusion of a genuine ransomware attack, although the illusion was short-lived. The attackers instructed recipients to look for a file containing "access credentials" they could use to begin ransom negotiations. Unlike the plaintext credential files the attackers had socially engineered the original targets into creating, this file did not actually exist. There was no way to contact the attackers, whereas in a typical scenario the intruders would be looking for a payout. There was also no file encryption, which is inconsistent with Chaos affiliates' typical way of working. "Despite these inconsistencies in the initial proof-of-compromise, the TA later published the stolen data on its DLS in line with modern extortion tactics," Blia and Feigl wrote. "The leaked data was assessed to be legitimate." If not for financial gain, then what? MuddyWater – if that is indeed the group behind this – did not extort the organizations in question, nor did they deploy a ransomware payload, but they did pose as an established ransomware group. Rapid7 believes the group did this as an extension of its false-flag operations to provide a plausible front for cyberespionage activity, or preposition work to underpin potential destructive cyberattacks. It wouldn't be the first time MuddyWater or Iranian intelligence (MOIS) was found LARPing as a ransomware crew. Both have previously been linked to an attack on an Israeli hospital, allegedly carried out by a Qilin affiliate. "Following the subsequent public attribution of that incident to the MOIS, it is plausible that the group adopted alternative ransomware branding, in this case Chaos, in an effort to reduce attribution risk and maintain a degree of plausible deniability," said the researchers. The unique benefits of masquerading as ransomware crooks include muddying attribution for attacks by leaving behind ransomware breadcrumbs, as well as redirecting defensive efforts toward locating signs of ransomware deployment instead of the backdoors that underpin espionage activity. ®

“To me, being a visual activist means I only illustrate stories that resonate with me deeply, by giving voice to minorities or social situations that need to be addressed,” says Fatinha Ramos. “It is the only way I can truly connect with others.”

Based in Antwerp, the Portuguese artist and illustrator is well-known for blending analog and digital techniques to create rich, emotive compositions. Collaborating with clients like The New York Times, The Washington Post, Tate, and Scientific American, among many others, Ramos has cultivated a keen eye for storytelling through her distinctive visual language.

Recent partnerships include the Anne Frank Museum and MoMA, the latter of which commissioned the artist to illustrate an essay on her experience being compared to Frida Kahlo. Ramos was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, commonly called brittle bone disease, which spurred a childhood spent in and out of hospitals. Drawing and art-making quickly became a preferred pastime, allowing her to transport herself from such clinical settings.

This adolescent hobby stuck, and Ramos worked as an art director in advertising and publishing for 12 years before venturing out on her own. Boasting an impressive list of clients and collaborators, she considers her practice to be an antidote to stereotypical narratives, whether related to the climate crisis, sexism, racism, or the dire lack of empathy that seems rampant in today’s world.

“I want to move away from the narrative that turns artists with disabilities into symbols of resilience,” she tells MoMA. “Creativity does not happen despite limitations but through them. Art should broaden how we see the world—and that includes how we see bodies, too.”

At the moment, Ramos is only accepting select illustration clients as she focuses on a graphic novel and her fine art practice, including a series of anatomical glass sculptures based on brittle bone disease. You can explore more of her practice on her website and Instagram.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article How Fatinha Ramos Channels ‘Visual Activism’ in Her Richly Layered Illustrations appeared first on Colossal.