Environment

Scientists have warned that serious brain and spinal cord infections may occur in people who have been exposed to the Zika virus, in a worrying new development.  Investigators say that as well as Guillain-Barre syndrome, those with the virus may also suffer from encephalitis, meningitis and myelitis. Yahoo News reports: Evidence that Zika’s damage may be more varied and widespread than initially believed adds pressure on affected countries to control mosquitoes and prepare to provide intensive – and, in some cases, lifelong – care to more patients.

An 800lb (360kg) alligator, suspected of feasting on cattle, was killed by a farmer in Florida. The 15-Foot reptile was one of the biggest, professional hunter Lee Lightsey, had come across on his alligator farm in 18 years. He needed a tractor to pull the huge creature from a cattle pond on his land. The BBC reports: Mr Lightsey and hunting guide Blake Godwin discovered the alligator in cattle ponds while supervising a guided hunt on Saturday. When the creature surfaced about 20ft (6m) away from them, they shot it.

Turkey has slammed claims by NASA that a region in the country is experiencing its worst drought in 900 years.  Forestry and Waterworks Minister Veysel Eroglu criticised NASA’s technology as being “inadequate” and, addressing parliament, asked “Who does NASA think it is?” Middleeasteye.net reports: A report released by the US government’s space agency last month found that a drought affecting the eastern Mediterranean since 1998 is “likely the worst… of the past nine centuries”.

Ah, organic wine. Those of us who are against GMOs take comfort in knowing that our wine is, at the very least, organic. Or is it? Now, some devastating research has revealed that Monsanto’s tentacles have made their way into ‘organic wine’ in California.  According to TheInertia.com: Recent tests show that this is the case with Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller. This herbicide is produced by Monsanto, and it is used by farmers as a heavy-duty herbicide. Samples of wine from 10 different vineyards indicate the presence of Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate, in every sample.

Over 2o people were injured and one person hospitalized after a swarm of 20,000 killer bees attacks a mosque in Phoenix, Arizona on Friday afternoon.  The unusual attack happened at the Muslim Community Mosque leading to roads being shutdown around the area as fire crews sprayed the building with foam to disperse the swarm of bees. Dailymail.co.uk reports: The bees had formed a nest under the eaves of the mosque. One mosque worker there told Azfamily.com that a man had already been booked for Saturday to remove the nest but the bees attacked earlier than expected.