Washington, United States | AFP | For years, researchers at the University of Illinois have been trying to find out whether it is possible to genetically modify a crop to boost its growth. In results published in Science on Thursday, they confirmed they had been successful in making tobacco plants …
Read More »Trump turns to ‘Game of Thrones’ to push for border wall
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump turned Thursday to “Game of Thrones” — a hit TV show that features a massive ice wall — to push for his controversial barrier on the Mexican border. “THE WALL IS COMING,” Trump wrote in a post on Instagram that …
Read More »US demands DR Congo release ‘accurate’ election results
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States on Thursday demanded that the Democratic Republic of Congo release “accurate” election results, warning of sanctions on anyone who undermines the fledgling democracy. The United States said that DRC authorities should remove restrictions on internet access and media and urged the …
Read More »Marketing cannot restore church image after abuse crisis: pope
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis issued a warning to US bishops on Thursday, saying in a letter that using marketing tricks or flow charts would not restore trust in the Catholic church following the sex abuse crisis. “Loss of credibility calls for a specific approach, since …
Read More »Apple rival paves way for ban on some iPhones in Germany
Berlin, Germany | AFP | US chipmaker Qualcomm said Thursday it had fulfilled the requirements set out by a court in a patent dispute case against Apple to ban the sale of older iPhone models in Germany. The court in the German city of Munich had ruled in favour of …
Read More »Apple’s bombshell raises trillion-dollar question
Washington, United States | AFP | Apple’s bombshell news — a sharply weaker revenue outlook and lower iPhone sales — has raised questions over the future of the California giant, which until recently had been seen as the undisputed innovation leader in the tech sector. Apple’s rare admission on Wednesday …
Read More »US car sales falter in 2018 as consumers abandon small cars
Chicago, United States | AFP | Major auto makers announced their end-of-year US sales totals Thursday, showing a slowing market even as Americans’ demand for more expensive SUVs and trucks drove up priaces. US consumers continued the trend away from small cars and sedans, but appeared increasingly squeezed by higher …
Read More »Deaths highlight children’s plight in migrant surge to US
Nentón, Guatemala | AFP | The death of two Guatemalan children in the United States within weeks of each other has highlighted why there are so many children among Central American migrants heading north: smugglers tell them families have a better chance of being allowed in by US border guards, …
Read More »Eyeing China, US to hold missile drill in Japan’s Okinawa: report
Tokyo, Japan | AFP | The US military will this year conduct its first ever missile drill around the Japanese island of Okinawa, according to a report Thursday, as Washington seeks to counter an increasingly assertive China. The US military has told its Japanese counterpart it plans to deploy surface-to-ship …
Read More »‘Aquaman’ stays afloat atop N. American box office
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | “Aquaman” displayed a powerful kick in North American theaters over the weekend, taking in an estimated $52.1 million to help close a record year for the movie sector, final figures showed Wednesday. With hunky and heavily tattooed Jason Momoa in the lead role, …
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