Infozone Breaking World News

Scientists in China have genetically modified cows to produce human breast milk and plan to be selling it in supermarkets within three years. The milk that is produced by the dairy cows is identical to human breast milk, containing the same antibacterial and immune boosting qualities as its human counterpart.

Scientists at the Agricultural University in Beijing bred 300 dairy cows; human genes were inserted into cow embryos and implanted into surrogate cows. The procedure was similar to that of Dolly the sheep; the first mammal to be successfully cloned.

The same scientists have also genetically modified cows to be resistant to mad cow’s disease and modified beef cattle to provide more nutritious meat.

The cow/human milk is undergoing safety checks and if it passes will be sold to customers as a more nutritious drink than standard cow’s milk.

Toyota has unveiled a new in-car social networking service for its motorists called Toyota Friend. In collaboration with Salesforce.com, the software allows owners to receive Twitter-styled messages from their car about maintenance issues and low batteries in their electric and hybrid vehicles.

Motorists can also communicate with Toyota dealerships and customer services through cloud-computing software and keep in touch with friends and family through Facebook and Twitter.

The software will be released with all new electric and hybrid cars next year in Japan, but the service is expected to be available to other markets such as the UK shortly after if it proves successful.

President of the Toyota Motor Corporation Akio Toyoda said, “Social networking services are transforming human interaction and modes of communication. The automobile needs to evolve in step with that transformation. I am always calling for Toyota to make ever-better cars. The alliance that we announce today is an important step forward in achieving that goal.”

This news comes just over a week since Toyota announced that it was partnering with Microsoft to install internet connectivity to its vehicles.

A Venezuelan bus driver has become the first person in the country to be banned from driving for speeding. The 41-year-old man was caught speeding in his bus that was overcrowded and missing one of its rear wheels.

The law authorising officials to ban drivers and suspend licences was first introduced in 2008, but until now has not been enforced. Police chief Luis Fernandez told the press, “It is important to emphasise that this is a totally new act; for the first time in Venezuela we are suspending a driving license, for 12 consecutive months.”

Venezuela is notorious for its lackadaisical driving laws and high volume of traffic; this is attributed to the low price of petrol with the average price to fill a tank around 70p.

A bull that escaped from a transport truck after a traffic accident ended up in a clothes shop in the town of Sao Jose do Rio Preto in Brazil. Shoppers in the town were shocked when they saw the animal standing in the shops window.

Videos of the incident were captured by passers-by showing that local residents assembled outside of the store in a bid to capture the beast. The bull broke through the shops door before being brought under control by some daring men with lassos and loaded onto a transportation truck destined for a local farm.

Shop assistant David Nunes, hide in the bathroom of the shop as the bull was outside, he said, “I’m still scared, that sort of thing never happens.”

At least it wasn’t in china shop!

On Sunday, Yves Rossy became the first person to fly over the Grand Canyon using a winged jet pack. Yves, aka ‘JetMan’, 51, a former Swiss fighter pilot was dropped from a helicopter at an altitude of 8,000ft above the world famous Canyon. He travelled at speeds up to 190mph and completed a series of barrel rolls and twists before parachuting down to the canyon floor.

Yves shot to fame in 2008 when he became the first person to successfully cross the English Channel using his jet pack, reaching a speed of 186mph during the 21 mile flight. In November last year, Yves performed a similar stunt over the Swiss canyon of Vaud.

His Grand Canyon stunt was due to take place on May the 6th, but was postponed after the FAA failed to clear his winged jet pack for flight.

Eleven puzzle solvers have entered the Guiness Book of World Records by creating a replica of one of Michelangelo’s greatest paintings, the Hand of God. The tem used over 12,000 Rubik’s cubes and 400 hours to build the masterpiece, with every single cube adjusted by hand to create the exact colours of the original piece which adorns the Sistine Chapel Ceiling in Vatican City.

The team of record breakers came from the Cube Works Studio and creative director Josh Chalom said that the Hand of God was only the beginning of the project, which is set to mimic the whole of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling. The completed project is set to be hung from a roof and is estimated to weigh around 50 tonnes and use over 250,000 Rubik’s cubes.

Angry Birds, Amazon and Spotify were amongst the winners at the Appy Awards on Monday night in London. 50 favourite apps were nominated across 10 categories, but it was Angry Birds that came out on top winning app of the year and best game app. Other winners included Spotify which won best music app and Amazon which won best lifestyle app.

Mobile phone applications are now big business since the introduction of the iPhone and the Google Android OS, with more than 10 billion apps being downloaded from the Apple App Store in the last year and a half.

Organisers of the Appy Awards, Carphone Warehouse said that it planned to makes the ceremony an annual event.

The Canadian Mint has unveiled two commemorative coins to mark the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The first coin is a $20 CAD silver coin and has a sapphire coloured Swarovski element embedded into it to symbolise the engagement ring; it will cost $105 CAD (around £67).

The second coin is a 25 cent coin which has a colour portrait of the couple on one side; it will cost $26 CAD (about £16.50). Both coins will be produced in limited numbers and be sold in Mint shops throughout Canada.

Ian Bennett, Chief executive of the Royal Canadian Mint said that the wedding will be, “a priceless opportunity to celebrate Canada’s pride in royal tradition”.

Adding that the coins, “will give Canadians, royal watchers and collectors everywhere exceptional keepsakes by which to remember this historic event.”

The Royal Wedding will take place on the 29th April 2011 and will have worldwide coverage as the happy couple take their vows.

A pensioner in Georgia is facing up to three years in prison after causing a disruption to internet services in Armenia. The 75 year old woman has admitted damaging fibre-optic cables that link Georgia to Armenia while she was scavenging for copper.

A spokesman told the AFP news agency, “Taking into account her advancing years, she has been released pending the end of the investigation and subsequent trial.”

The internet was down for several hours on the 28th March and was eventually restored in the early hours of the 29th.

Rene Higuita, a former Columbian goalkeeper has announced that he intends to stand for mayor of a municipality near Medellin. The maverick goal keeper is perhaps most famous for inventing the ‘Scorpion Kick’, which he used to save a goal in a friendly against England at Wembley.

It has now been 14 months since Higuita hung up his gloves after a 24 year career, but now he wants to help his local community and run as an independent candidate for mayor in the municipality of Guarne. He told El Tiempo, a Columbian newspaper, “You only need around 4,500 votes to become mayor,” and added, “but I hope to get 10,000!”