Actor Hugh Jackman's old jeans fetch $22,476 at a fundraising auction in Sydney, Australia. They were among 17 pairs auctioned at a "Jeans for Genes" fundraising event for the Children's Medical Research Institute. Jackman is known for playing the comic book character Wolverine in the "X-Men" movies. He signed the jeans, which fetched more than double the amount paid for Nicole Kidman's denims. Her pants sold for $8,200, while model Megan Gale's jeans went for $7,500.

Thousands of "superheroes" have gathered for the four-day Comic-Con International being held at the San Diego Convention Center. Comic-Con is the nation's largest celebration of comic books and pop culture. The convention, which started Thursday, attracted Storm Troopers, Flash Gordon, Batmen, Spider-Men and even characters from toy makers. One photographer was seen wearing a Wonder Woman costume.

A game that simulates killing classmates is leaving a bad impression on parents of a middle-school in New Hampshire. According to a local television, 5th graders at Iber Holmes Gove Middle School are playing a game called, "Mafia," where, according to Wikipedia, some players are "Mafia members" and others are "honest people. " Each team tries to eliminate the other team, with the "honest" group trying to figure out who the Mafia members are.

Getting away from their football-mad men, women and children are finding solace during the World Cup from a series of "soft" films. The AFP reports a number of cinemas in the northwestern city of Banja Luka said they were putting on a special selection of romantic flicks and cartoons to accommodate the World Cup "refugees".

A hotel is banning its employees from uttering the word "football" so those sick to death of World Cup mania can have some peace. Any guest who overhears a member of the staff say the word gets a free glass of champagne. "The bookings are starting to stream in," says Mike Bevans, manager of the Linthwaite House Hotel in London's Lake District, one of England's most popular tourist destinations.