The beloved builder recently underwent heart surgery.
Read More »
Clarkson Farm fans delighted after star shares ‘great’ health news
I thought Robbie Williams was overhyped but he can still kick it
Let him entertain you!
Read More »
John Obi Mikel calls for three more Chelsea signings but fears one star will leave
The former Blues star insists the club need some big additions this summer.
Read More »
Experts reveal how you could win Tuesday’s £208,000,000 EuroMillions jackpot
Some regions are luckier than others.
Read More »
Government rolls out poultry vaccines, tackles FMD outbreaks
The government launches a national poultry vaccination drive while intensifying efforts against foot-and-mouth disease.
Read More »
Andrew Garfield set to portray Sam Altman in new drama ‘Artificial’
Luca Guadagnino will direct a film about the 2023 firing and rehiring of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Andrew Garfield is in talks to play Altman.
Read More »
Ex-Liverpool and Premier League talent guru Malcolm Elias who was behind rise of Trent Alexander and Gareth Bale dies
FORMER Premier League talent spotter and academy recruitment expert Malcolm Elias has passed away aged 71, it has been announced.
Fulham FC confirmed Elias’ passing in a statement on social media.
The post read: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our colleague and dear friend, Malcolm Elias, after a short illness.
“The Club’s Head of Academy Recruitment, Malcolm had a fantastic reputation in football for unearthing and nurturing young talent.
“A proud Welshman, Malcolm was approaching his 16th anniversary at Craven Cottage this summer, having joined us from Liverpool in July 2009, while he also previously enjoyed a highly successful spell at Southampton alongside future Fulham colleagues Huw Jennings and Steve Wigley.
“The influence that Malcolm had on the modern game cannot be understated, having worked with and developed the likes of Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harvey Elliott, Luke Harris and Jay Stansfield, to name but a few.
“A hugely popular figure around the training ground, Malcolm will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Paula – Malcolm’s ever devoted and endlessly supportive wife of nearly 50 years – his sons Andrew and Daniel, his six beloved grandchildren, as well as his additional family and friends.”
MORE TO FOLLOW…
THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..
The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
Bihar BTSC Staff Nurse Online Form 2025 – Date Extend
Bihar BTSC Staff Nurse Recruitment 2025 Author: Sarkari Exam Team Tag: Graduate Job Short Information : Bihar Technical Service Commission (BTSC) has released the notification for the post of Staff Nurse. This recruitment has been issued for 11389 posts. Online applying process for Bihar BTSC Staff Nurse Recruitment 2025 has started from 25 April 2025 ... Read more
The post Bihar BTSC Staff Nurse Online Form 2025 – Date Extend appeared first on Sarkari Exam.com.
DRDO RAC Scientist B Online Form 2025
DRDO RAC Scientist B Recruitment 2025 Author: Sarkari Exam Team Tag: Graduate Job Short Information : DRDO-Recruitment & Assessment Centre (RAC) has released the official notification for the recruitment of Scientist B Posts on the official website of the RAC. Online registration process for RAC DRDO Scientist B Recruitment 2025 has started on June 07th ... Read more
The post DRDO RAC Scientist B Online Form 2025 appeared first on Sarkari Exam.com.
Rancid-smelling super ants that form whopping colonies & even eat CABLES rampaging across Europe – & could infest the UK
A STINKING species of super-ant is storming through Europe on a path to the UK.
The millions-strong mega-colonies have wiped out power supplies and even roads as they overwhelm the ground beneath entire towns.
The species, called Tapinoma magnum, hails from the Med and North Africa – but has been pushing up through the continent.
They spread rapidly and establish supercolonies of up to 20million across 60 acres which are “virtually impossible” to eradicate.
There were so many ants, you couldn’t see the floor anymore
Agnes Wirth
And anyone who dares squash a T. magnum is greeted by the stench of rancid butter.
The invaders hit headlines in Sweden this week as officials in regions around the capital Zurich attempt to oust the pests.
The ants have also taken root in France – but Germany has suffered the most.
In Germany, the sleepy south-western town of Kehl has been swamped.
Locals reported watching the town’s pavements and curbs sinking as the earth was carted away by the bugs, causing havoc with the roads.
And a playground was forced to close after ants took over the entire area and turned it into a nest.
City workers had to jet hot water into the labyrinth to wash them out.
The wider state of Baden-Württemberg has suffered power cuts and internet outages after the insects chomped through electric cables.
T. magnum’s destructive power comes from the sheer scale of their underground warrens and their tireless determination to expand.
While most ant species organise a few thousand workers around a single queen, T. magum clans contain up to 20million and hundreds of queens.
Instead of attacking one another, the smaller colonies merge together in alliance.
The British Pest Control Association told The Sun that the UK is at risk from the advancing crusade.
Individual efforts by homeowners and gardeners can’t control an infestation
Niall Gallagher
They explained the ants “spread mainly through horticultural imports, especially potted plants and trees from the Mediterranean”.
They added: “If T. magnum were to establish here, it could become a nuisance.
“They form vast supercolonies, displace native species and can even cause structural issues by excavating under paving.”
Although the species has not marched into the UK yet, a spokesperson for Defra said the agency “remains vigilant” to the threat.
The countryside around Zurich has been tormented by the ants since 2018.
Despite an almighty effort to clear them out, the ants remain “well established” in four areas.
In Winterthur, they blocked a billion-pound construction project when they settled exactly where a multi-track railroad tunnel was planned.
In the nearby Oetwil an der Limmat region, one supercolony infested an entire five-hectare potato field – about seven football pitches.
A local, Agnes Wirth, told Swiss site SRF: “There were so many ants, you couldn’t see the floor anymore.”
But that is dwarfed by the colony in Volketswil, on the other side of Zurich, where an area the size of 35 football pitches is teeming with the busy-body bugs.
The infestation is so enormous that the local authority has been legally forced to act.
Katharina Weber of the Zurich Department of Construction said: “In areas with large infestations, a coordinated approach by specialists is required.
“This means a plan is needed, and special pest controllers must be deployed. These can target the insecticide at the nests.”
In the UK, DEFRA recommends that anyone who sees a non-native insect species takes a photo and reports it.
Mike Fox, record manager for the Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society, said: “As far as I know, there are no records of Tapinoma magnum becoming established in the UK but of course it could possible in the future.”
Niall Gallagher, the Technical Manager at British Pest Control Association, said they closely monitor pest species – including Tapinoma magnum.
He told The Sun: “Research on Tapinoma magnum supercolonies in Switzerland has found that these ants live outdoors and can continue to forage at temperatures as low as 6 degrees during the winter months.
“Individual efforts by homeowners and gardeners are not sufficient to effectively control an infestation, and specifically tailored pest control solutions are needed to eradicate a colony.”
He recommend that anyone concerned about an ant infestation contacts a professional pest controller for help.
Tapinoma magnum species
According to the British Pest Control Association, one of T. magnum’s most striking traits is their procession behaviour.
These ants form conspicuous trails across pavements and up buildings, often in large, coordinated lines.
These trails are reinforced with pheromones and can span several metres, connecting different parts of their supercolony.
To the untrained eye, this may look like a very active colony of common ants – but the sheer volume and organised movement can be a telltale sign of T. magnum.
In established infestations, these trails may even lead into buildings, across walls or deep into pavements and garden features.
If the species were to establish here, pest professionals would likely rely on a combination of bait gels (such as indoxacarb or imidacloprid) and surface treatments, as was done successfully in Zurich, Switzerland.
As always, public awareness and early reporting are vital tools in managing invasive pests.
Think you’ve seen something unusual? Here’s what to do:
- Don’t disturb the nest
- Take clear, close-up photos of the ants and any distinctive behaviour (such as trail formation or large aggregations)
- Report the sighting to the Non-native Species Secretariat via their website