‘Alien’ beetle found in imported plants

An ‘alien’ beetle, the citrus long-horned beetle which is listed as a quarantined pest, has been found in acer palmatum (Japanese Maple) plants imported via the Netherlands from China to the United Kingdom.

The larvae of the beetle causes damage to trees such as oak, beech and shurbs such as rose by trunk boring.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment (DEFRA) was quoted as advising “if you see one of these distinctive beetles please isolate it in a sealed container and contact your local Plant Health and Seeds Inspector.”

DEFRA has also issued further information about the beetle at their website. Earlier in July, a similar beetle had been in found in Guernsey.

Source : wikinews

 

U2 fan ordered to destroy CDs

A man living in South Wales, United Kingdom was ordered to destroy his entire music collection after creating a ruckus by listening to the music at an extremely high volume. Police seized his stereo equipment in a raid.

Karl Wiosna, a 44-year-old resident of Graig in Newport, was playing Cher‘s album Believe at extremely high volume. His neighbors complained under the Environmental Protection Act and he was warned to not to play the album at such high volume. However, he thought the warning was only for the Cher album, and he then started to listen to a U2 album a week later. His neighbors said they could hear the lyrics in their living room.

Before the Rhondda Magistrates’ Court Wiosna admitted breaching the noise abatement notice, with which he was served. He was ordered to pay a £200 fine. He was also ordered to pay £50 in costs to destroy his music collection and £15 in victim surcharge.

“They took £500 to £600 worth of stuff,” complained Wiosna. “I don’t think they should be able to do it, it isn’t right.”

“A legal notice under the Environmental Protection Act was served on Wiosna demanding he reduce the volume or stop playing music,” read a statement by the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. “Just a week after the legal notice was received, officers were called to the address during an out-of-hours emergency by a neighbour.”

“In this case, the swift and effective actions of environmental health officers enabled the issue to be dealt with and I hope it serves as a reminder to others, that we can take them to court and seize their belongings if they do not cease c