TTIMES WORLD: Today's News Report

Thursday, April 18, 2024
Washington, DC, USA
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"Kung Fu" New Release
Just a Borrowed Name from the Old 70's Thriller

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The latest batch of TV reboots haven't had much in common with the source beyond the name, and so it is with "Kung Fu," which -- like the recent "Walker" -- CW-izes a familiar TV property in a mostly unrecognizable way. In this case, a modern-day female lead learns mad martial-arts skills, in an uninspired series whose action and key narrative device owe at least as much to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" as its half-century-old namesake.

Racing through the plot in the very, very busy pilot episode, the series stars Olivia Liang as Nicky Shen, a young Chinese-American woman who, on a solo trip to China, winds up dropping off the map and entering a Shaolin monastery, where she's trained for more than three years.
After an attack on the monastery -- and the theft of a priceless sword -- Nicky returns home to San Francisco, just as her sister (Shannon Dang) is about to get married. Her arrival reopens old wounds about family dynamics, particularly involving her demanding mom ("Crazy Rich Asians'" Kheng Hua Tan), who clearly invested plenty of hopes and dreams in Nicky's once-promising future.
Still, all is not well in Chinatown, with corrupt forces having endangered her parents' restaurant business (Tzi Ma plays Nicky's dad), threatening the local community. If only someone could stand up to them, perhaps by beating up groups of armed henchmen, and had an ex-boyfriend (Gavin Stenhouse) who happens to work in the D.A.'s office.
The timing certainly feels welcome for a series that focuses on an Asian-American family, one with a lot of conventional problems to go with the more fantastic ones -- locating the villain who stole the aforementioned sword foremost among the latter.
Still, "Kung Fu" -- developed by Christina M. Kim under Greg Berlanti, who oversees the CW's superhero dramas -- feels less like a reboot than a new series that simply borrows the well-known title and spins out a litany of dramatic cliches. (In between, there was a syndicated revival in the 1990s.)

Simple Ways to Manage Stress and Anxiety
Here's what to keep in mind

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The pandemic has had a massive impact on people’s mental health. In such times, anxiety and stress have become commonplace.


Food therapist Dr Ria Banerjee Ankola explains how anxiety is not restricted to feeling scared in the following areas;


1. A restlessness you can’t explain
2. Feeling uncomfortable in your own skin
3. Feeling isolated as you struggle to explain how you truly feel
4. Anticipation for everything, even a walk down the street
5. Many, many physical symptoms
6. Intrusive thoughts and overthinking about everything
7. A rollercoaster of emotions
8. Extreme exhaustion

Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan also shared how “protecting your mental health is important for your overall well-being”. “Anxiety associated with COVID-19 pandemic may lead to psychological issues,” he added.

In these challenging times, inculcate healthy practices in your routine and reach out for help to beat any anxiety.


Dr Harsh Vardhan had shared what people can do to deal with anxiety. These includes;


1. Virtually connect with family and friends
2. Exercise and meditate regularly
3. Sleep adequately
4. Eat a balanced diet
5. Cultivate new skills 
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