Environmentalists dressed as giant ears of corn yesterday asked for "agricultural asylum" in the French embassy in Madrid in a protest over genetically modified crops.
The environmental organisation Friends of the Earth organised the symbolic act to protest Spain's "large-scale" production of genetically modified corn, which is banned in France.
Around 20 protesters from several European countries and dressed as corn cobs demonstrated outside the French embassy in central Madrid.
They handed over a petition to one of the diplomats, saying they would "rather flee to France than be genetically modified".
"We want to condemn the fact that Spain is the only country in Europe to grow genetically modified corn, without any measures to protect against contamination" of the crop with non-GM corn, a spokesman for Friends of the Earth said.
Several European countries, including France and Germany, have invoked an EU safeguard procedure to bar a strain of genetically modified corn produced by US agricultural giant Monsanto, after a watchdog said it had doubts about the product.
GM crops are a fiercely contested issue in Europe, pitting agribusiness corporations against a powerful green lobby. (AFP)
Forcible castration for paedophiles
Poland yesterday approved a law making chemical castration mandatory for paedophiles in some cases, sparking criticism from human rights groups.
Under the law, sponsored by Poland's centre-right government, paedophiles convicted of raping children under the age of 15 years or a close relative would have to undergo chemical therapy on their release from prison.
"The purpose of this action is to improve the mental health of the convict, to lower his libido and thereby to reduce the risk of another crime being committed by the same person," the government said in a statement. (Reuters)
Potted
Canada's so-called Prince of Pot is now in jail awaiting extradition to the United States for selling marijuana seeds. Marc Emery has sold millions of seeds around the world by mail over the past decade, coming to the attention of US drug officials who want him extradited..
Mr Emery has agreed to plead guilty to one charge of marijuana distribution in exchange for dismissal of all others and could get up to eight years in a US prison. (PA)
Bull's trip
A bull that escaped from a New Jersey abattoir dragged police with a lasso down a street and ran through the city before they could capture it.
Police tried to corral the bull by putting a rope around the animal's neck, but it pulled them down the street instead. Officers finally corralled the animal and a vet was able to sedate it before it was returned to slaughter. (PA)
Teen cuts off father's hands
A 17-year-old boy in Taiwan cut off his father's hands to get back at him for iron rule at home, including periods of physical abuse, a police official said yesterday.
The father, surnamed Fan, was sleeping when the boy crept into his bedroom and hacked off both hands with a watermelon knife on Monday, police in the family's central Taiwan home county of Miaoli and local media said.
"The boy was dissatisfied with control at home," the police official said. "He apparently hasn't shown any remorse for what he did."
Officers arrested the boy and have sent the case to prosecutors for follow-up while the father was hospitalised, the police official said. (Reuters)
Bothersome badger
A black and white menace has caused thousands of pounds of damage to a British historic garden.
Staff at Ickworth Park have been waging war on a badger in the Italianate gardens for three months. As a last resort they are now laying paving slabs to ward off the persistent pest.
The National Trust gardens, near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, have been invaded by the uninvited visitor on many occasions and it has caused damage to lawns and dug up bee and wasp nests. (PA)
Gone with a bang
Two burglars were killed after using too much explosive to break into a bank's safe and blowing up the whole building.
The explosion in Dinant in southern Belgium destroyed half a banking office and left the rest in ruins. The cash machines and safe they were aiming for were not damaged. (PA)