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Review: ‘Blue Beetle’ is a little more than a bug in the superhero system

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:42 GMT

Franz Kafka never realized how close he came to kickstarting a superhero franchise. Ever since Gregor Samsa awoke in his bed to find himself transformed into a monstrous dung beetle in “The Metamorphosis,” we’ve had spider-men, wasps, ant-men, crime-fighting ticks and mighty mantises — such a super swarm of insectoids that you might be tempted to reach for a fly swatter. We’re now back to the beetle with the new DC Comics film “Blue Beetle,” which opens in theaters Thursday. But what distinguishes “Blue Beetle” isn’t its place in the bug brigade but the person doing the metamorphosizing.Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) is the first Latino superhero in a leading role in a DC film. It’s not just token casting, either. “Blue Beetle,” directed by Ángel Manuel Soto and written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, is firmly rooted in the experience of the Reyes clan, a close-knit Mexican-American family scraping by in the shadow of the gleaming Miami-like ...

China’s yuan falls against dollar, raising questions about weaker currency to boost exports

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:42 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China’s yuan dipped briefly to a 16-year low against the dollar Thursday, raising questions about whether Beijing might weaken its currency to help struggling exporters and reverse a deepening economic slump.The yuan slid to 7.32 to the dollar before recovering to 7.26 following what financial analysts said appeared to be buying by Chinese banks to support the currency. That made one yuan worth about 13.8 cents.A weaker yuan helps exporters by making their goods cheaper abroad, but Beijing has promised to avoid “competitive devaluation.” Complaints that China gets an unfair trade advantage by keeping its yuan weak is an irritant in relations with Washington and other governments.“Will we just continue to see a sort of gradual weakening of the currency?” said Thomas Mathews of Capital Economics. “That might be one of the key channels through which they could actually support the economy.”However, letting the yuan slide too far might cause companies and investors to que...

Investment scams are everywhere on social media. Here’s how to spot one

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:42 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Social media is full of scammers promising guaranteed returns on investment, and consumers lost billions of dollars to them last year. Troy Gochenour, 50, of Columbus, Ohio, was conned out of $25,800, including $15,800 in borrowed money, in a crypto-mining scam that began with a WhatsApp message from a beautiful stranger.“I had just moved home to restart my life, after trying to make it in show business in New York, and I was lonely,” Gochenour said. “So I started online dating. Then I got a WhatsApp message that began, ‘Sorry to bother you.’”Financial scams, including cryptocurrency schemes, cost consumers $3.8 billion last year just in the U.S., according to the Federal Trade Commission, twice as much as in 2021. Such scams are also a problem globally.Those who work in the space, including the FTC and Better Business Bureau, say the speed and convenience of the internet, the rise of online payment platforms and apps, and the spread of financial misinformation have ...

Stock market today: Wall Street is holding steadier, but higher bond yields keep biting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:42 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is holding a bit steadier Thursday, and stocks are mixed following their sharp two-day slide.The S&P 500 was virtually unchanged in midday trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 47 points, or 0.1%, at 34,813, as of 11 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.4% lower.Cisco Systems helped lead the way and rose 4.1%. It reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected.Walmart did as well, while also raising its forecast for full-year results. But its stock swung from an early gain to a loss of 1.4%. Stocks broadly have been retreating in August following a torrid first seven months of the year. That’s in part because a swift rise in bond yields is forcing a reassessment of how much to pay for stocks.The 10-year Treasury, which is the centerpiece of the bond market, is now yielding 4.30% after touching its highest level since October earlier in the morning. If it reaches 4.34%, it will be at a level un...

Cómo y dónde voto en las elecciones presidenciales de Ecuador 2023: documentos, horarios y más

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:42 GMT

(CNN Español) — En medio de un clima de inseguridad e incertidumbre política y social, Ecuador llega finalmente a sus elecciones 2023.Los comicios se llevarán a cabo este domingo 20 de agosto, y serán elecciones presidenciales y legislativas anticipadas (además de que los ciudadanos votarán en consultas populares).Se trata de elecciones anticipadas debido a que, en mayo pasado, el presidente de Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, disolvió la Asamblea Nacional al firmar la llamada “muerte cruzada” luego de que el Congreso aprobara llevarlo a enjuiciamiento político.¿Cuándo podría aprobar la autoridad electoral de Ecuador la candidatura de Christian Zurita en reemplazo de Fernando Villavicencio?Este movimiento, amparado por la Constitución, permite que los poderes Ejecutivo y Legislativo tengan la potestad de disolverse por una sola vez en los primeros tres años de gestión presidencial, y por tanto se tiene que llamar a elecciones anticipadas.Ahora que se acercan las votacione...

Pro-military party says it will join populist Pheu Thai party to form Thailand’s next government

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:42 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — A pro-military party affiliated with outgoing Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Thursday it has agreed to join a coalition led by the populist Pheu Thai party in an attempt to form Thailand’s next government after a three-month stalemate.Founded in 2021, Ruam Thai Sang Chart, or the United Thai Nation Party, was seen as a vehicle for Prayuth’s pursuit of another term in office after an apparent fallout between him and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, the leader of the Palang Pracharath Party which helped Prayuth take office after a 2019 general election.Prayuth first seized power as army chief in a 2014 military coup and then became prime minister in a military government. He did not run in the 2019 election but was the prime ministerial candidate of Palang Pracharath. The party was able to put together a post-election coalition that named him prime minister.Prayuth officially joined United Thai Nation just months before May’s election. After the party’s di...

Colorado's summer heat will likely continue into fall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:42 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Sick of the summer heat? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has got some bad news for you. The agency released its 90-day forecast Thursday, predicting the broad weather conditions we expect to see around the country between September and November. For the vast majority of the country, it's looking like a hot summer will transition into a warm fall. Denver has been dealing with continuous 90-degree days for most of August, and according to NOAA, that trend may continue into the fall.The Northeast and Southwest have the highest chances of seeing above-average temperatures this fall, according to NOAA. Odds of a ‘strong’ El Niño grow again: Will you feel it locally? No states are expecting a colder-than-average fall season, but a swath of the Midwest and Plains states have equal chances of warm or cool weather. According to NOAA, Colorado is leaning toward above average when it comes to temperatures this fall. East of Denver has a probability of being 3...

Driver wanted for allegedly hitting mom, child on bike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:42 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Police are searching for a vehicle that allegedly hit a mom and child who were riding a bike in South Boulder.On Wednesday, Aug. 3 at around 3:45 p.m., the Boulder Police Department said a woman was riding an e-bike with her 3-year-old toddler on the back. They were heading northbound on Lehigh Street in the South Boulder area.As the woman was preparing to turn left onto Cragmoor Road, the vehicle behind her passed on the right and allegedly clipped the bike's rear tire, Boulder police said. Caught on camera: Motorcyclist smashes rock through woman’s window The woman and her son fell off the bike. Police said the woman only suffered minor injuries and the child was not injured.The driver did not stop to check on the mother and son, police said.Police are searching for the Subaru Outback seen driving through this video after the driver allegedly hit a mom and child who were riding a bike in South Boulder. (Boulder Police Department)Based on neighborhood videos that...

Why are Denver groceries so expensive?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:42 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Does the grocery store receipt look different with the same amount of food? Groceries in Denver are around the same price as other mid-sized cities in the United States. But if you think Denver's groceries are more expensive than usual, that's because they are. Strangest things you might find under your plane Compared to other major cities, Denver's groceries rank fairly low. FOX31 looked at local grocery stores in the downtown area of popular cities and looked at the Kroger price for store brand bread, milk and eggs:Denver's grocery prices were the second cheapest at $7.17 next to Colombia, South Carolina's groceries prices -- which amounted to $6.67. While it's not surprising, San Diego has the most expensive groceries. Denver's groceries aren't necessarily cheap. In fact, grocery prices across the country are on the rise. Between July 2022 and July 2023, food prices across the United States increased by 4.9%, according to the consumer price index (CPI) report ...

FLPD release sketch of suspect wanted for kidnapping and sexual battery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:42 GMT

Police have released a sketch in hopes to find a man suspected of kidnapping and sexual battery of an adult female. The incident occurred near the 100 block of Southwest Second Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, just before 5:25 a.m., Saturday. Police describe the man as dangerous, armed and on the run. According to authorities, a male and female were sitting inside a parked vehicle when the suspect, a black male, armed with a firearm, approached them. The male suspect demanded the possessions of the male victim.Police said the driver got out of the vehicle and ran away, while the woman remained in the passenger seat as the subject got in and drove away.Throughout this time, authorities said, the suspect forced the victim to accompany him to an ATM, looking to withdraw funds from her account.The victim was also sexually assaulted by the suspect, according to authorities.Authorities found the vehicle with the woman still inside along Interstate 95 near Oakland Park Boulevard.Police determine...