Protecting oil seed rape crops with a controversial nicotine-like pesticide has led to the loss of honey bee colonies across England and Wales, a Government-backed study has found.
The research, based on large-scale data on pesticide use, crop yields, and honey bee losses spanning 11 years, looked at the effects of coating seeds with imidacloprid in nine regions between 2000 and 2010.
Use of the pesticide led to reduced spraying with other insecticide chemicals – but was also significantly associated with the death of honey bee colonies, the results showed. As imidacloprid usage went up, so did the decline in bee populations, according to the research. Photo shows oil seed rape plants.
Turkey building border wall
Turkey has reportedly started to construct a 45-kilometre long concrete wall along a key stretch of its border with Syria.
Twelve kilometres of barrier have already been erected along the border at Reyhanli town in Hatay province - a main point for smuggling and border-crossing from Syria - the private Dogan news agency said.
Turkey has stepped up security along its border to prevent foreign jihadists from entering Syria and to block militants from crossing back into Turkey.
Turkey staged aerial raids against Islamic State targets in Syria after a suicide bombing blamed on the group killed 32 people.
Bond girl Blackman turns 90
She may be celebrating her 90th birthday but Bond girl Honor Blackman is not ready to slow down yet.
Speaking to the Press Association from her house in Spain, she revealed she would still like to travel, watch more theatre and see more movies.
Blackman found international stardom as Bond Girl Pussy Galore aged 38, alongside Sean Connery, in 1964’s Goldfinger. Prior to Bond, she had dominated the small screen as Cathy Gale in The Avengers from 1960 to 1963.
Fans queue for Kanye West trainers
Kanye West may be best known as a controversial rapper, but it was his trainers which had people queueing overnight in central London. Only 50 pairs of black Yeezy Boost 350 Adidas model, designed by the singer, will be available from the Foot Locker shop on Oxford Street.
Almost 100 people lined the street from Thursday evening onwards, according to staff, despite the shoes not being released until today.
Madhana Loredo travelled from Oxford at 7am yesterday to queue for the artist’s limited-edition trainers. “I personally wouldn’t pay any more than £1,200, but people pay crazy money – I’ve seen some for £20,000,” she said.
Company threatens closure
The company that invented the famous pine tree-shaped air fresheners for cars is turning up its nose at a proposal to open a slaughterhouse near the firm’s factory in northern New York state.
A group of local investors wants to build a meat-processing plant in Watertown’s Jefferson County Corporate Park, home to the Car-Freshner Corporation, whose products have been dangling from rear-view mirrors for more than 60 years.
An official from the company told planning board members that Car-Freshner would close its local operations if the plan for the 42,000-square-foot meat processing plant is approved. The official said such a neighbour would interfere with fragrance testing in Car-Freshner’s state-of-the-art labs.