Twenty-five years ago minister Edwina Currie sparked a scare over salmonella in eggs and had to resign amid outrage from farmers and plummeting sales. The panic has shaped the way we think about food safety. There are foods that people instinctively associate with the risk of poisoning – raw chicken, raw egg, shellfish. At the time of Edwina Currie’s remarks – which were perceived to have dramatically exaggerated the prevalence […]

Memories may be passed down through generations in DNA in a process that may be the underlying cause of phobias Memories can be passed down to later generations through genetic switches that allow offspring to inherit the experience of their ancestors, according to new research that may explain how phobias can develop. Scientists have long assumed that memories and learned experiences built up during a lifetime must be passed on […]

  They floated down from the sky Sunday — 2,000 mice, wafting on tiny cardboard parachutes over Andersen Air Force Base in the U.S. territory of Guam. But the rodent commandos didn’t know they were on a mission: to help eradicate the brown tree snake, an invasive species that has caused millions of dollars in wildlife and commercial losses since it arrived a few decades ago. That’s because they were […]

STORY HIGHLIGHTS NEW: Man who saw the Porsche before crash doubts drag racing theory Another car may have been involved in Walker crash, investigator says Walker’s racing team partner was driving the Porsche The actor was in the middle of producing the seventh “Fast & Furious” movie when he died Drag racing may have been involved in the fiery crash that killed “Fast & Furious” actor Paul Walker on Saturday, […]

STORY HIGHLIGHTS Syrian regime forces are battling rebels for control of suburbs surrounding Damascus Battle for control of southern, eastern areas of capital could be key to outcome of civil war Rebel leader says “genocidal” government siege is taking suburbs “back to stone age” Regime says rebels are blocking aid convoys from reaching civilians in contested areas Syria’s brutal conflict between regime and rebel forces is creeping closer and closer […]

  Demonstrators are blockading government buildings in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, as they step up their campaign for the resignation of the government. Protesters have put up barricades on Independence Square, while others are entrenched inside city hall. The unrest was triggered in November by President Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal to sign a deal on closer EU ties. Opposition leaders have renewed demands that he stand down, and urged him to […]

Four people have been killed and more than 60 injured in a passenger train crash in the Bronx area of New York. Eleven of the injured are believed to be in a critical condition in hospital. They have to be guided by attorneys for car accident injuries to claim compensation and continue advanced treatment. The Metro-North train’s locomotive and carriages derailed as the train went into a bend in the […]

Vladimir Putin’s legendary lateness is back in the spotlight after he kept Pope Francis waiting during a recent visit to the Vatican. What lies behind his chronic tardiness? The Russian president was 50 minutes late to meet the Pope on Monday. And papal courtiers were left “shivering” outside as they waited to welcome the Russian president, who was held up by women protesting outside his hotel in support of punk […]

Footage shown to jurors shows a car approaching Fusilier Rigby There were gasps in the court room, and his relatives left in tears Prosecutors claim Michael Adebolajo, 28, was driving the Vauxhall Tigra Both Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, 22, are on trial at the Old Bailey The horrific last moments of soldier Lee Rigby were played out in court yesterday as a jury was told a Muslim convert tried to […]

A baby panda born at the National Zoo in Washington DC has captured the hearts of Americans, who have been voting to decide the name she will be given on Sunday, and watching her every movement via webcam. The country’s love affair with pandas began nearly 80 years ago, with the first ever taken from China alive. American socialite Ruth Harkness was more accustomed to holding a cigarette and a […]