Author: admin@primenews

Fire ants are forming rafts to travel on flood waters across storm-ravaged Australia, aiding the spread of one of the world’s most invasive species. Considered a super pest, fire ants can cause major ecosystem changes and agricultural loss by feeding on native plants and animals. Their stings can also kill people. The Invasive Species Council (ISC) says the unusual rafting behaviour is evidence that “fire ant densities are increasing” in Australia. It is asking communities across south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales – which have been battling wild weather – to be on high alert for fire ants, as…

Chinese researchers have cloned the first rhesus monkey, a species which is widely used in medical research because its physiology is similar to humans. They say they could speed up drug testing, as genetically identical animals give like-for-like results, providing greater certainty in trials. Previous attempts to clone a rhesus have either not led to births or the offspring have died a few hours later. One animal welfare group has said it is “deeply concerned” by the development. In mammals, sexual reproduction leads to offspring made up of a mixture of genes from their father and mother. In cloning, techniques…

Israel and Hamas have reached a deal to allow more humanitarian aid into war-ravaged Gaza, Qatari mediators say. They say that under a deal brokered by Qatar and France, medicines will be given to hostages held by Hamas. In return Israel will allow more basic supplies into Gaza. Conditions in the territory are dire after more than three months of Israeli bombardment. Meanwhile the US says it is hopeful that further talks could lead to the release of more hostages. The US Middle East envoy has been in Qatar to discuss the possibility of such a deal, White House national…

Officials have released the emergency phone call that led to US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin being admitted to hospital on New Year’s Day. Mr Austin’s delay in telling colleagues and the White House about his cancer and surgery complications has sparked political uproar and investigations. In the audio, an unidentified caller asked the ambulance not use its lights or sirens and to try be “subtle”. The retired general was released on Monday following two weeks in hospital. The 70-year-old was admitted to an intensive care unit on 1 January due to complications from “minimally invasive” prostate surgery in December. The…

French football star Karim Benzema has filed a defamation lawsuit against France’s interior minister for accusing him of having links with the Muslim Brotherhood, local media reports. Gérald Darmanin said in October that Mr Benzema “has a notorious link” with the Sunni Muslim Islamist group. The comment “undermines” his honour and reputation, Mr Benzema’s lawyer said. The Muslim Brotherhood is banned in several countries, including Egypt, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. Mr Darmanin’s comment in October came after the player tweeted his support for the people of Gaza as “victims again of unjust bombardments which spare neither women nor children”. Noting…

Temperatures fell to -13C overnight as waves of Arctic air continue to move across the UK. Forecasters had said Tuesday night could prove to be the coldest January night for 14 years. Bitter conditions and significant snowfall have already forced schools to shut in Scotland and northern England, and sparked travel disruption. Yellow warnings for ice and snow are in force in all four UK nations, before possible stormy weather this weekend. By the end of Friday, more than 40cm of snow may be seen on high ground in north-west Scotland, as wintry weather continues, the Met Office has forecast.…

Apple now has the lion’s share of the global smartphone market, knocking Samsung off the top spot for the first time in 12 years. The American phone giant accounted for more than a fifth of phones shipped last year, according to data from the International Data Corporation (IDC). Samsung took 19.4% of the market share with Chinese phonemakers Xiaomi, OPPO and Transsion following behind. Smartphone sales have been faltering as many people upgraded in the pandemic. The IDC reports that almost 1.2 billion smartphones were sold last year – a drop of more than 3% on the previous year. It…

The split screen of Donald Trump’s re-election campaign and his parade of legal cases was on full display on Tuesday, as the Republican frontrunner, fresh off a victory in the Iowa caucuses, took his seat in yet another New York courtroom to face a multimillion dollar defamation suit. E Jean Carroll, a columnist who Mr Trump was previously found liable of sexually assaulting in the 1990s, is now seeking damages for defamatory statements he made about her during his presidency. Seated a few rows behind her, the former president stared intently at the woman he claims he “never met, saw,…

The FBI has begun an investigation after the BBC revealed claims that the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) sexually exploited and abused men at events he hosted around the world. Mike Jeffries and his British partner also face a civil lawsuit alleging they ran a sex-trafficking operation. FBI agents are now interviewing and issuing subpoenas to potential witnesses, the BBC understands. A lawyer for Mr Jeffries declined to comment. The investigation is being led by FBI agents specialising in alleged sex crimes, and federal prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York, according to several sources. The FBI…

Pakistan says two children were killed and three others injured in strikes by neighbouring Iran on Tuesday. Iran said it targeted two bases linked to the militant group Jaish al-Adl, according to a news agency affiliated with the country’s military. But Pakistan rejected this, calling it an “illegal act” that could lead to “serious consequences”. Pakistan is the third country, after Iraq and Syria, to be hit by an Iranian attack within the last few days. A missile attack by Iran on Pakistan is near-unprecedented. Tuesday’s strike hit a village the vast south-western province of Balochistan, which borders the two…