Life

Kevin Spacey movie takes in dismal $618

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP)–US actor Kevin Spacey’s latest movie has flopped big-time at the box office, taking in a mere $618 as it opened to dire reviews in a handful of theaters across the country. “Billionaire Boys Club,” a crime drama based on a true story, in which Spacey co-stars alongside Ansel Elgort (“Baby Driver”) and Taron Egerton (“Kingsman,”) earned a measly $126 on Friday according to industry magazine The Hollywood Reporter. The movie, […]

Paris aquarium offers haven for unwanted goldfish

by Brice Le Borgne Agence France-Presse Paris’ biggest aquarium has created a refuge for goldfish, providing a second life for any unwanted pets who might otherwise find themselves flushed down the toilet. The Aquarium de Paris allows the city’s residents to drop off their fish, with the numbers using the service swelling around the time of the long summer holidays. Instead of facing death in the city’s sewerage system, the rejected goldfish find themselves given […]

Sightings, satellites help track mysterious ocean giant

by Sandra Ferrer BREST, France (AFP) — The sight of a basking shark’s brooding silhouette gliding through the waters off western France is more than just a rare treat for sailors — it is a boon for scientists trying to trace its secretive migrations across the globe. It may be the world’s second largest fish, growing to more than 10 metres (35 feet), but the basking shark, or Cetorhinus maximus, is an enigma for scientists […]

Two Koreas march together at Asian Games opening ceremony

  JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — North and South Korea marched together behind the Korean Unification flag at the Asian Games opening ceremony on Saturday, in the latest demonstration of their rapprochement. South Korean women’s basketball player Lim Yung-hui and North Korean footballer Ju Kyong-chol carried the blue and white flag as the Korean athletes paraded into Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno stadium. It is the second such symbolic gesture this year by the two Koreas, who […]

Imus musings of a 30-year old novelist

By Caesar Vallejos, Eagle News Service While people have yet to start browsing at least one of the many recommendations to read when you’re under 30 or 40, this 30-year old novelist who hails from Imus has not only read but already written a handful, only half of which being made published. LA-based writer and filmmaker Brenden Gallagher said,  “one of the hardest things a person can do is complete a great novel. There are […]

Meat-heavy low-carb diets can ‘shorten lifespan’: study

PARIS, France (AFP) — Middle-aged people who get roughly half their daily calories from carbohydrates live several years longer on average than those with meat-heavy low-carb diets, researchers reported Friday. The findings, published in The Lancet medical journal, challenge a trend in Europe and North America toward so-called Paleo diets that shun carbohydrates in favor of animal protein and fat. Proponents of these “Stone Age” diets argue that the rapid shift 10,000 years ago — […]

Choking hazard: Air pollution hangs over Asian Games

by Kiki Siregar Agence France-Presse Indonesia is about to open the Asian Games but its traffic-clogged capital Jakarta remains shrouded in a haze of air pollution that threatens to mar the world’s second-biggest multi-sport event. Jakarta’s toxic skies have been stuck at unhealthy levels for weeks despite drastic efforts to cut down on congestion, including an odd-even licence plate system and the closure of some schools and toll roads. The city’s air-quality index reading hovered […]

‘Hacky hack hack’: Australia teen breaches Apple’s secure network

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP)–A schoolboy who “dreamed” of working for Apple hacked the firm’s computer systems, Australian media has reported, although the tech giant said Friday no customer data was compromised. The Children’s Court of Victoria was told the teenager broke into Apple’s mainframe — a large, powerful data processing system — from his home in the suburbs of Melbourne and downloaded 90GB of secure files, The Age reported late Thursday. The boy, then aged 16, […]

Over 7,000 apply for New York for-hire license ahead of cap

NEW YORK, United States (AFP)–Over 7,000 New York City car-for-hire license applications were filed between the announcement of a one-year cap on new licenses — a blow to the likes of Uber and Lyft — and the measure coming into force, the city regulator said Thursday. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio signed the bill into effect Tuesday, a first in the United States after a city council vote earlier this month. It stipulates a […]

‘Queen of Soul’ Aretha Franklin dies at 76

by Jeff Kowalsky with Jennie Matthew in New York Agence France-Presse DETROIT, United States (AFP)–Aretha Franklin, the music icon, legendary singer and “Queen of Soul” loved by millions whose history-making career spanned six decades, died at her Detroit home on Thursday. She was 76. She influenced generations of female singers with unforgettable hits including “Respect” (1967), “Natural Woman” (1968) and “I Say a Little Prayer” (1968). The multiple Grammy winner cemented her place in US […]

Low-carb diet linked to elevated mortality risk: study

  PARIS, France (AFP) — Middle-aged people who get roughly half their daily calories from carbohydrates live several years longer on average than those with low-carb diets, researchers reported Friday. The findings, published in The Lancet, challenge a trend in Europe and North America toward so-called Paleo diets that shun carbohydrates in favour of animal protein and fat. Proponents of these “Stone Age” diets argue that the rapid shift 10,000 years ago — with the advent […]

Drones fly to rescue of Amazon wildlife

by Mauro Pimentel Agence France-Presse A hoarse sound abruptly wakes visitors staying at a floating house that serves as a base for environmentalists on the Jaraua river in the Amazon rainforest. During flood season, the Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve — located 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the Amazonas state capital Manaus — fills with water. For researchers from the Mamiraua Institute and WWF-Brazil, that means their nearest neighbor is a caiman they call Dominique. It […]