Supermarket evacuated after spider whose bite can cause painful erections or death spotted
A supermarket in Austria was evacuated after a spider, whose bite is capable of causing painful erections and even death, was spotted. A PENNY shop in Krems an der Donau, a town located around 45 miles from Vienna, has remained closed since Tuesday, after the four-inch spider was said to have been seen when staffed opened a box of bananas. Descriptions of the spider’s colouring and size led people to believe they were dealing with a Brazilian wandering spider, also known as a “banana spider”. These highly venomous arachnids tend to hide in banana plants, and are sometimes found in shipments of the fruit, earning them the nickname. Their bites can cause extraordinary pain, hypothermia, increased pulse, penile erection that can last for hours, and death in some cases. By the time the fire brigade arrived at the store, the spider was nowhere to be seen, local media reported. In a statement, the Rewe retail group, which operates the PENNY stores, said “comprehensive cleaning and disinfection measures” were underway, before the outlet reopens next week. “All measures are for safety and are carried out meticulously so that the branch can be reopened,” the retailer added. In a 2007 interview, a researcher, Romulo Leite told Live Scienc that “the erection is a side effect that everybody who gets stung by this spider will experience along with the pain and discomfort”, adding: “We’re hoping eventually this will end up in the development of real drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.” In 2019, scientists at the Federal University of Minas Gerais said the chemicals in its bite could lead to a treatment more effective than Viagra, after they included them in a gel which led to prolonged erections in a study of mice and rats. They found the gel led to a swelling of the penis “lasting about 60 minutes” when applied topically to the genitals. Read More Maui fires – live: Wildfires death toll climbs to 55 with 1,000 people still missing on Hawaii island How a TikTok craze led to five hours of chaos on London’s busiest shopping street Moscow drone attack: Emergency services guard park where drone crashed
2023-08-11 22:55
Police hunt taxi driver after British teenager sexually assaulted in Magaluf
Police are hunting for a taxi driver accused of sexually assaulting a British teenager in the party town of Magaluf, in Spain. On Friday, it was reported that the 17-year-old was accompanied by his mother to a police station in the Mallorca town where he claimed he was assaulted in the back of a taxi. He told officers he was on his way back to his hotel from party strip Punta Ballena when the cab driver allegedly began touching him, local newspaper Ultima Hora reported. The driver then allegedly demanded the teenager perform a sex act on him, leading to a row. The boy also accused the driver of physically assaulting him, claiming he hurt his head on the door of the car while trying to escape. A Police spokesperson confirmed an “allegation has been made”, and that the claims were being investigated. Officers of the Civil Guard are said to be working to identify the alleged perpetrator. The Independent has contacted the Civil Guard for comment. Earlier this week, a British man was arrested for allegedly groping a 20-year-old British woman at an unnamed hotel in Magaluf, police said. The 48-year-old man allegedly approached the woman from behind and put his hands down her pants, before touching her private parts. She told the police she didn’t know the man and that they’d never met before the alleged incident. A suspect was arrested shortly after the hotel’s receptionist contacted the police. Last month, two Irish tourists were arrested after a British woman claimed she was raped at a hotel in Calvia, Magaluf. They were held at Palma airport on 19 July as they were preparing to board a flight to Dublin, the Civil Guard said in a statement at the time. Police said the pair had been detained in jail, pending an investigation. Additional reporting by agencies. Read More Maui fires – live: Wildfires death toll climbs to 55 with 1,000 people still missing on Hawaii island Ukraine-Russia war – live: Another drone attack on Moscow after fire breaks out near Putin’s residence How a TikTok craze led to five hours of chaos on London’s busiest shopping street Another drone attack on Moscow after fire breaks out near Putin’s home - live Cats given anti-Covid pills after thousands die from feline virus in Cyprus Church burns after Russian strike on residential area of Zaporizhzhia
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