Miami, United States | AFP | Ancient species of elephants and mammoths interbred, swapping genes that helped them adapt to new habitats and climates, a practice that is lost among modern-day elephants, researchers said Monday. Today, the two kinds of living elephants in Africa — savanna and forest elephants — are …
Read More »‘Black Panther’ again slays North American box office
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Disney’s “Black Panther” sunk its claws into the top spot once again this weekend at the North American box office, taking an estimated $108 million, industry estimates showed Sunday. Following a record-shattering opening weekend — raking in $242.2 million — the frenzy to see …
Read More »‘Maze Runner’ outruns ‘Jumanji’ to lead N. American box offices
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Fox’s young-adult film “Maze Runner: The Death Cure” dashed past “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” as it opened over the weekend in North American theaters, taking in $24.2 million after a strong showing overseas, industry figures showed Monday. The dystopian sci-fi film, the third …
Read More »Four US, Canadian captives freed in Nigeria: police
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Two American and two Canadians who were kidnapped in an ambush by gunmen in northern Nigeria this week were freed on Saturday, police said. Nigerian security forces had launched a manhunt after the four were seized on Tuesday evening in the state of Kaduna by …
Read More »‘Jumanji’ leads box office pack over US holiday weekend
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Sony’s family film “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” had a lock on the top spot at the North American box office this holiday weekend, for the second straight week. “Jumanji,” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, funnymen Jack Black and Kevin Hart, netted $35.2 million …
Read More »Latest ‘Star Wars’ passes $1 billion mark in third week: Disney
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | The latest episode in Disney’s mammothly popular “Star Wars” series has passed the $1 billion mark in worldwide revenues in just three weeks, a Disney spokesperson said Sunday. “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is expected to take in an estimated $65.6 million for …
Read More »Where’s Santa? US-Canadian military command tracking St Nick
Washington, United States | AFP | It’s the question every good little girl and boy asks on Christmas Eve: When is Santa coming? As it has done every year since 1955, a Canadian and American defense agency is tracking the jolly old man’s path around the globe in his reindeer-powered …
Read More »Venezuela says Brazilian, Canadian diplomats not welcome
Caracas, Venezuela | AFP | Venezuela on Saturday said two diplomats from Canada and Brazil were no longer welcome, in an escalating showdown over their criticism of President Maduro’s socialist government. The head of the powerful pro-government Constituent Assembly, Delcy Rodriguez, said the body decided on the move against Brazil’s …
Read More »Arctic, major fishing nations agree no fishing in Arctic, for now
Ottawa, Canada | AFP | Arctic and major fishing nations, including China, announced Friday that they have agreed to a moratorium on commercial fishing in Arctic waters before a fishery in the icy region is even feasible. The far north is warming at nearly twice the global average rate, causing …
Read More »Canadian mice adapt to warming by mutating, moving north: study
Montreal, Canada | AFP | Mice in Canada are mutating and migrating farther north in response to climate change, according to McGill University research released Monday. The study, published in the journal Evolutionary Ecology, found that “milder winters have led to physical alterations in two species of mice in southern Quebec …
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