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Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash Costume At Chinese Comic-Con Causes Severe Backlash

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Kobe Bryant is a legend of the game of basketball who is beloved by many. Overall, he won five NBA titles and he is considered one of the best to ever play the game. Unfortunately, Kobe and his daughter Gianna passed away in a horrific helicopter crash on January 26th, 2020. It was one of the biggest tragedies in the history of sports, and fans still cannot believe Kobe is gone. To this day, tributes are always being made for him and his daughter, while players continue to further his legacy.

Unfortunately, some out there believe it is appropriate to make light of his passing. For instance, according to TMZ, a man in China wore a highly offensive costume to a recent comic book convention. In the clip below, you can see the man wearing what appears to be a helicopter that has been dismantled and on fire. Meanwhile, he is wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey and even has a Kobe mask on. It’s all very disgusting, and no one at the event seemed to care.

Read More: Shannon Sharpe Tears Into Kobe Bryant’s Parents For Selling Championship Rings

Kobe Bryant Fans Are Upset

Meanwhile, fans on social media were not taking so lightly to all of this. There were numerous calls for such a person to be banned from the event. Others also deemed it a simple case of disrespect. However, from what we know, this person was able to wear their costume and was never called out for it in person. Needless to say, fans love Kobe, and any such disrespect will never be tolerated.

Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments section down below. Why do you think some people believe that it would be okay to wear a costume like this? Were you offended by the costume and if not, what would be the reasoning? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world. We will be sure to keep you informed on all of your favorite athletes and their exploits.

Read More: Veeze Blasts Stephen A. Smith For Kobe Bryant Hate

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“The Little Mermaid” Asian Box Office Slump Blamed On Racism

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Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has received a warm reception in the United States. Critics have received the film fairly warmly, and it holds a 67% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Furthermore, critics have praised the performance of Halle Bailey while noting that the film as a whole is a fairly bland and visually underwhelming remake. However, audiences have loved the film. The Little Mermaid holds a 96% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has grossed $327 million worldwide.

However, the film has some underwhelming international markets, namely those in Asia. According to Endata, the film has grossed just $3.7 million in Mainland China, which counts as the second-largest box office in the world. Similarly, the film has grossed just $4.4 million in South Korea. Meanwhile, the film is yet to open in Japan but is expected to suffer from the same issues. Additionally, these muted figures have been attributed to a problem that has plagued the film time and time again.

Anti-Black Racism Blamed For “The Little Mermaid” Slump

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MAY 25: Halle Bailey greets fans during the Family and friends screening of The Little Mermaid at Regal Atlantic Station on May 25, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Joi Stokes/Getty Images For Disney)

China and South Korea both harbor long histories of racial discrimination. Anti-Black racism has been common in China since the 1970s, when the nation began its expansion of financial diplomacy into Africa. Furthermore, much like how the rest of the world blamed China for COVID-19, China in turn saw a spike in anti-Black discrimination. Meanwhile, South Korea is infamous for a culture of denying service to non-Koreans. Furthermore, research has shown that Black individuals are more likely to experience overt racism than white individuals.

These sentiments appear to be fueling the cold reception to The Little Mermaid. On the Chinese film review website Douban, users have rated the film as a 5.1 out of 10. Meanwhile, several reviews left on the review site and box office tracker Maoyan made direct and discriminatory references to Bailey’s skin color. Similar trends have been observed in South Korea, where the Instagram hashtag ‘NotMyAriel’ has trended numerous times. Furthermore, Japanese film-goers have also expressed a cool reception ahead of the film’s June 9 premiere.

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[WATCH] The Fugees’ Pras Denies Tekashi 6ix9ine Comparisons, Says He’s Not An FBI Informant

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Last week, Pras of The Fugees was found guilty of 10 charges in an international conspiracy in federal court in Washington D.C. Rumors of the famed rapper becoming an FBI informant began to surface, but the recently convicted felon says despite the verdict, he is not an FBI informant.

While speaking to TMZ, Pras said, “I was never in the past, present, or future, an FBI or CIA informant.” He doubled down on his stance by ading where people could find the paperwork to see he was not an informant. He went on to say, “This is not a Tekashi 6ix9ine situation, respectfully speaking.”

According to an AP News report, Pras “was accused of funneling money from a now-fugitive Malaysian financer through straw donors to Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, then trying to squelch a Justice Department investigation and influence an extradition case on behalf of China under the Trump administration.”

The post [WATCH] The Fugees’ Pras Denies Tekashi 6ix9ine Comparisons, Says He’s Not An FBI Informant appeared first on The Source.

Worms Seemingly Rain Down On China, Twitter Reacts

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What may seem like the concept of a horror movie for some has transpired into real life. This week, residents of Liaoning, China were showered with rainfalls of worms, as reported by the Mirror. Seemingly coming from mid-air, these squiggly creatures made their way from the sky to the ground, covering the cars and streets en masse. Locals of the town attempted to go about their day with umbrellas, while authorities advised seeking shelter.

This strange ordeal remains a mystery, though several theories depict ways that the creepy crawlies could have found their way into Liaoning. For one, the Mother Nature Network suggests that the worms were swept up by large winds that eventually led them to be caught in a rainstorm. The journal notes that this phenomenon shows similarities to when insects are caught in whirlpools.

China Authorities Urge Residents To Take Shelter

Surprisingly, these raining worms have not been the only unexplainable cause to have stumped biologists. In 2015, Texas experienced its own downfall of slimy creatures on the road in Eisenhower State Park. Initially, Park Rangers assumed that this sighting was a careless dropping of pasta noodles until they noticed that the squiggles were in fact worms. Eight years later, the occurrence still remains a mystery.

Twitter users took to the platform to discuss this strange occurrence, with some debunking this rainstorm of worms altogether. One user wrote, “these are not worms or animals, but flower stalks dropped from trees,” suggesting that the worm-like sightings were actually just the bloom from poplar flowers. Others who refuse to believe the photos are suggesting that they may have been staged.

While the unsightly event in China stirred up questions and hypotheses from both scientists and social media users alike, some remain outright disturbed by the idea of worms raining from the sky. “If I was just minding my business on a casual day in China and it started raining worms ?? I’d just die,” one user tweeted. Another added, “I consider myself a strong woman. BUT, this would probably give me a heart attack.” To keep up with the latest news on hip-hop, pop culture, and the strangeness within the world, check out HNHH.

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China Insists it has been ‘Open’ on COVID Origins

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Following speculation on the pandemic’s origins, China said it has been  “open and transparent” with information it has obtained. 

Three years and over 6.8 million deaths later, concerns on how the worldwide virus emerged are at an all time high. 

Most recently, the U.S. Department of Energy  assessed with “low confidence” that the pandemic that was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019 began with the leak of a virus from a lab. This report remains sealed to the public. 

In defense of the accusations against China,  Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning Mao told reporters at a daily briefing that China has “shared the most data and research results on virus tracing and made important contributions to global virus tracing research.”

Mao added, “Politicizing the issue of virus tracing will not smear China but will only damage the U.S.’s own credibility,” opposing complaints from U.S. officials and members of Congress that China has not been fully cooperative. 

Still, not all opinions sway in favor of the United States. Members of the U.S. intelligence community disagree with the U.S. Energy Department assessment of the lab leak, specifying 

differing opinions within the government. On Monday, John Kirby, the spokesman for the National Security Council, said “There is just not an intelligence community consensus.” 

The DOE, which oversees a national network of U.S. labs,  concluded that the classified report was based on newly acquired intelligence and noted in an update to a 2021 document, according to the first reports made by the Wall Street Journal. 

Requests for comment made to White House officials by numerous sources to confirm the press report assessments have been declined. The last report, made in 2021, said four members of the U.S. intelligence community believed with low confidence that the virus was first transmitted from an animal to a human, and a fifth believed with moderate confidence that the first human infection was linked to a lab. The quest to find more information is ongoing. 

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Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon Could be Part of a Wider Snooping Effort

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Following the overtaking of a Chinese spy balloon by the United States Military,  shot down last week, China has requested the remains of the balloon be returned. The balloon was captured over the coast of South Carolina and pieces of it were fished out of the Atlantic Ocean. 

It is believed that the high-altitude balloon that was spotted flying over the continental US may have been used to surveil sensitive military sites, according to defense officials. Chinese officials deny these claims and credit the balloon’s location to windy weather. 

When a reporter asked on Tuesday whether China has called on the US to give back the debris of the downed balloon, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, “The airship does not belong to the US. It belongs to China.” 

“If you pick up something on the street, you should return it to the owner, if you know who the owner is. If the Americans don’t want to return it, that’s their decision. This demonstrates their dishonesty.” China’s ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, said during an interview on Monday with French news channel LCI, according to Bloomberg News.

Newly released images from the US Navy show divers pulling debris from the massive balloon out of the Atlantic Ocean. 

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Spokesperson said the shooting of the balloon was an overreaction and “The unmanned Chinese airship is of civilian nature. Its unintended entry into US airspace is entirely unexpected and caused by force majeure. It didn’t pose any threat to any person or to the national security of the US. The US should have properly handled such incidents in a calm and professional manner not involving the use of force, yet they decided to do otherwise, which is a clear overreaction.”

Still, the Pentagon’s top spokesperson spoke out on Wednesday to address larger concerns. He believes the balloons were part of a broader surveillance effort by Beijing. He told reporters at the Pentagon that the “surveillance balloon program has been operating for several years.” While there is currently no hard evidence to support these claims, the topic is being heavily debated amongst politicians. 

Biden is taking heat for waiting to shoot down the balloon, although he said he ordered the craft shot down last week, but military brass advised waiting until it was over water to minimize risks to people on the ground.

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Report: China Has Spy Balloon The Size of Three Buses Floating Over Western U.S.

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China Has Spy Balloon The Size of Three Buses Floating Over Western U.S.

The United States is on alert after a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon was spotted over the state of Montana. The balloon, the size of three buses, was not shot down for fear that it could hurt people on the ground.

According to the AP, the balloon increases the tensions between the U.S. and China.

A Pentagon official stated the U.S. has “very high confidence” that the Chinese high-altitude balloon is flying over sensitive sites to collect information. Montana is home to three nuclear missile silo fields, stored at Malmstrom Air Force Base.

According to Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, the balloon is “currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground.” The U.S. has taken steps to ensure the balloon does not collect sensitive information.

The White House has fighter jets, including F-22s, ready to shoot down the balloon upon request.

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., wrote: “The fact that this balloon was occupying Montana airspace creates significant concern that Malmstrom Air Force Base and the United States’ intercontinental ballistic missile fields are the target of this intelligence gathering mission. … It is vital to establish the flight path of this balloon, any compromised U.S. national security assets, and all telecom or IT infrastructure on the ground within the U.S. that this spy balloon was utilizing.”

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China Lifts Ban on Marvel Movies, ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Ant-Man’ Receives Release Dates

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Marvel Releases New Trailer for 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will get released in China after the nation has lifted a ban on Marvel Movies. Citizens of China will also get to see Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania once it releases next month.

According to Variety, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will hit theaters in China on Feb. 7, with the latest edition of Ant-Man coming to theaters on Feb. 17, the same day as it opens worldwide. The films will be the first Marvel features to show in the nation since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame and the first installment of the post-Blip world in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Endgame made $632 million in China alone.

Marvel films are not the only Disney products that have been soft-banned in the nation. An actual reason as to why has not been revealed but is likely in response to increased tensions between China and the United States.

You can see the trailer for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania below.

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