Pesticides hit queen bee numbers

Research suggests that some of the world's most commonly used pesticides are killing bees by damaging their ability to navigate and reducing numbers of queens. Many causes have been suggested, including diseases, parasites, reduction in the range of flowers growing wild in the countryside, pesticides, or a combination of them all. The French research group investigated the impact of a different neonicotinoid, thiamethoxam, on the number of bees able to make it back to the colony after release.

 

 

 

Scientific groups in the UK and France studied the effects of neonicotinoids, which are used in more than 100 nations on farm crops and in gardens. Often the chemical is applied to seeds before planting. As the plant grows, the pesticide is contained in every part of it, deterring insect pests such as aphids. According to Dr Goulson, the use of these pesticides is so extensive that most bee colonies in areas of arable farming are likely to be exposed to them, so there is possible for them to be playing a significant role in suppression of bee populations on a pretty staggering scale.

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos: Apollo 11 Moon engines

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos says he has located the long-submerged F-1 engines that blasted the Apollo 11 Moon mission into space. In 1969, Apollo 11 carried astronauts on the first Moon landing task. They burned for just a few minutes before separating from the second stage module and falling to Earth somewhere in the Atlantic.

Other elements of the Apollo missions including the Apollo 11 authority module are on display in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. The F-1 engines were used on the giant Saturn V rocket that carried the Apollo landing module out of the Earth's atmosphere and towards the Moon.

Kate Winslet and James Cameron at 3D premiere

Oscar-winner Kate Winslet and director James Cameron have been in London for the red carpet opening of a novel, 3D version of Titanic. According to Director James Cameron the new version of Titanic would allow fans to revisit the box-office blockbuster. Titanic, which took two years to film, saw Winslet play upper class socialite Rose DeWitt Bukater reverse DiCaprio's third class passenger Jack Dawson.

Winslet won the greatest actress Oscar for The Reader in 2009, as Titanic selected 11 Oscars at the 1998 Academy Awards. Until the release of Avatar in 2009 - also directed by Cameron Titanic was the most successful movie ever, with global takings of $1.843bn. The director added he had been plucked off my expedition ship for the premiere at the Royal Albert Hall, subsequent his new deep sea descent off the soothing island of Guam.

Pope Benedict XVI meets with Cuban leader Raul Castro

The president and the pontiff held a private meeting for about an hour at the Council of State and Ministers, afte the Pope arrived in Havana and paid homage to the country's patron saint.

On Monday, there was a minor incident where a man was restrained and led away by security agents as the Pope celebrated a public Mass in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba. 

He will give a second open-air Mass today in Havana's vast Revolution Square before heading back to Rome. 

Cuba is marking the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the Virgin figure, which was found floating in a bay in 1612 by three fishermen and is an important symbol for both the Roman Catholic Church and Santeria, the Afro-Cuban religion that is a legacy of Cuba's slavery era.

Apple provides iPad refunds in Australia above 4G

US technology firm Apple has offered to repayment Australian clients who felt misled concerning the 4G capabilities of the new iPad. The Apple iPad's third version went on auction preceding this month, with Australia the first country where it was accessible. The country's customer watchdog has taken Apple to court for false advertising since the tablet computer does not work on Australia's 4G system.

Shoppers lined up by the hundreds at Apple stores on opening day and the company said it had been its strongest iPad launch to date. According to the ACCC it was looking for an injunction on sales as well as a financial penalty against Apple, counteractive advertising and refunds to customers. Apple had never claimed the device would work fully on the current 4G network operated by Telstra.

US sees huge business potential in emerging Indian cities

New Delhi: The US Tuesday said it has asked its companies to explore business and partnership opportunities in emerging Indian cities, which hold huge economic potential.

US Commerce Secretary John Bryson, who is in the country on a five-day official visit, said in the next 20 years, 68 cities in India would have population of over 1 million people each.

"Total yearly income of urban households in India is expected to reach USD 4 trillion in 2030. So, India's emerging regions and cities are now at the top of the list of our Growth in Emerging Metropolitan Sectors (GEMS) initiative," Bryson said here at an IACC function.

GEMS has been launched by the US to look around the cities in the world that have huge potential for growth and business.

"We are strongly encouraging businesses across the US to consider the full spectrum of opportunities and partnerships through out India and not just in four metros (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai)," he said.

Bryson, who will visit Jaipur tomorrow, said that close working of businesses and governments of both the countries can help support India's path towards inclusive growth.

"I will continue to spread the word that India's success and India's future are not solely defined by Delhi or Mumbai alone, just like America's success and America's future are not defined by New York, Washington," he said.

Obama voices concern over safety of Pak's nuclear arsenal

US President Barack Obama on Tuesday voiced concern over safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, saying the world cannot allow non-state actors and terrorists to get their hands on the nuclear weapons and end up destroying cities.

"We can't afford to have non-state actors and terrorists to get their hands on nuclear weapons that would end up destroying our cities or harming our citizens," Obama told reporters alongside Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani before the two leaders held private talks on the sidelines of the nuclear security summit here.

The West is concerned over the safety of Pakistan's nuclear weapons as it remains vulnerable because the atomic facilities are located in areas where "Taliban and al-Qaeda are more than capable of launching terrorist attacks."

In their first meeting since the killing of Osama bin Laden in a covert US raid on Pakistani soil last May, the two leaders tried to rescue a troubled anti-terror alliance which has been full of mistrust and recriminations in recent times.

The bilateral ties plunged to an all time low in November when a cross-border NATO air raid killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, prompting Islamabad to curtail ties with the US and launch a parliamentary debate on new terms of engagement with Washington.

"There have been times - I think we should be frank - in the last several months where those relations have experienced strains," Obama told reporters.

Obama said it was important for the both countries to have candid and open talks.

Obama said he expects Pakistan's review of bilateral ties will result in a "balanced approach that respects Pakistan's sovereignty but also respects our concerns with respect to our national security and our needs to battle terrorists who have targeted us in the past."

During the debate on new terms of engagement with the US, angry Pakistani lawmakers have demanded an American apology and taxes on NATO convoys into Afghanistan.

"We want to work together with you," Gilani told Obama, in an effort to rebuild the strained Pak-US ties.

The two leaders also expressed a desire to stabilise and secure the situation in the war-torn Afghanistan.

"I also wanted to express to the Prime Minister my appreciation for his recognition that it's in both of our interests, and indeed in all of our interests, to see an Afghan-led reconciliation process that needs to take place," Obama said.

On his part, Gilani said, "Pakistan wants stability in Afghanistan. If there is stability in Afghanistan, there is stability in Pakistan. And we both, Afghanistan and Pakistan, want to work together with you for peace, prosperity and progress across the world."

"We are committed to fight against extremism and terrorism. It is in the interest of Pakistan, for a stable, peaceful, prosperous, independent and sovereign Pakistan," he said.