GM crop technology backfires as farmers need more pesticides

A newly-released, peer-reviewed study reveals that the cultivation of genetically engineered crops has increased pesticide usage by hundreds of millions of pounds.

On top of this, Reuters reported today that the pesticide problem will intensify if the new round of GMO crops is approved.

According to Marcia Ishii-Eiteman, PhD, who is a senior scientist at Pesticide Action Network, this newly released study “shatters one of industry’s long-standing myths” that GMOs reduce pesticide use... read more.

Border Patrol agent kills mother of five

In Chula Vista, California, a US Customs and Border Protection agent has shot and killed a 32-year-old mother of five after her car allegedly bumped into the man.

At 13h00 on Friday, Valeria "Monique" Alvarado was killed on a residential street in Chula Vista, California. Border Patrol officials are claiming that the woman "assaulted" the officer by running him down with her vehicle... read more.

Two ferries collide near Lamma Island, Hong Kong (video)

In the worst disaster to hit the port city since 1996, at least 36 people have been killed in a ferry collision off Lamma Island in Hong Kong.

Close to Lamma Island in Hong Kong, two passenger ferries have collided, causing the death of at least 36 people. 

Over 100 people were rescued from the water but authorities fear there may be others trapped in the wreckage... read more and watch video.

Women airbrushed from Saudi IKEA catalog

In the rest of the world, the IKEA catalog stays pretty much the same, except the language, of course. However, in Saudi Arabia, it was decided no women are allowed.

All the women, and most of the young girls, have been carefully airbrushed from the pages of the IKEA catalog in Saudi Arabia.

The catalog of the world's largest furniture retailer displays exactly the same interiors and products, leaves in the boys and men, but women have no part... read more.

Iran finds Reuters guilty of propaganda about female ninjas

A jury in Tehran has found the news agency Reuters "guilty of propagating against the Islamic Republic and disseminating false information to disturb public opinion" for running a story titled, "Thousands of female Ninjas train as Iran's assassins."

The story was run in March 2012. Reuters subsequently corrected the story, after the martial arts club where the video was filmed made a complaint, and the news agency apologized for the error. The story's headline was then corrected to read "Three thousand women Ninjas train in Iran".... read more and watch video of ninjas.

Video: RT interviews Kristinn Hrafnsson, spokesman for WikiLeaks

WikiLeaks spokesman, Kristinn Hrafnsson, says the US naming Julian Assange and WikiLeaks as an enemy of the state, will see him treated as a terrorist if extradited there.

Kristinn Hrafnsson attended the UN General Assembly, and was available for questioning in the US, after Julian Assange spoke to the assembly via satellite video link.

On September 26, WikiLeaks released an official internal document from the US Military that refers to Assange and WikiLeaks as the "enemy". The document is from an internal investigation in the US Air Force, released under the Freedom of Information Act. The document adds to the large store of proof of the persecution of Assange and WikiLeaks by the United States government... read more and watch interview.

Russian city cancels 'Jesus Christ Superstar' over complaints

The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, has been touring the world since it first premiered 42 years ago. Now, due to a controversial new religious offense law, it has been banned in Rostov-on-Don, Russia.

Jesus Christ Superstar is a non-religious retelling of the Gospels from the perspective of Judas, in rock-opera form. The famous Andrew Lloyd Webber musical has been performed in almost every Christian country, and was made into a top-grossing movie.

However, the appearance of the show in Rostov-on-Don has been cancelled due to complaints from Orthodox Christians, who say the production is in breach of the new religious offense law... read more and watch extract from the rock opera.

Tornado hits Gandia, Spain fairgrounds injuring 35 (Videos)

Fortunately the fairgrounds were closed to the public at the time the tornado hit, but 35 workers were injured in the storm. More flooding and heavy rains were experienced in other areas of Spain.

The tornado struck the fairgrounds in Gandia, in the Valencian Community of Spain, knocking down a Ferris wheel and damaging several other rides... read more and watch videos.

Russian researchers plan public GMO study on rats

Following the conclusion of the recent study in France on the effects of GMO food on rats, Russia suspended imports of GMO products. Now they are planning their own, more public, study into the effects of feeding GMOs to rats.

Digital Journal recently reported on the trial by scientists from France's Caen University, where they tested the effects of GMO food on rats over a lifetime period of two years. Results showed mammary tumors and organ damage to the rats after they were fed a diet of genetically modified (GM) NK603 maize produced by American chemical giant Monsanto.

After the report was published in Food and Chemical Toxicology, Russia immediately suspended imports of GMO products pending further investigation into GMOs.... read more.

Typhoon Jelawat injures 65 as it heads for Japanese coast

Typhoon Jelawat battered the southern Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures on Saturday, injuring dozens of people and leaving hundreds of thousands without power.

According to Japan's national weather agency, violent winds of up to 234 kilometers per hour have injured at least 65 people. Reportedly over 331,000 households suffered power outages.

The video above shows that the strong winds have flipped cars, and overturned a four-ton truck in Okinawa's Naha City, which has blocked a main road and caused traffic chaos... read more and watch video.