Monday, October 05, 2009
Mid-air 'scuffle' between pilots and cabin crew stuns passengers
Pilots and cabin crew have come to blows on an international flight bound for India, media reports say.
The scuffle is said to have begun as an argument in the plane's cockpit over claims of sexual harassment but spilled into the galley, startling passengers. One pilot and one air hostess suffered bruises, as punches were thrown.
The incident took place over Pakistan on an Air India flight from the United Arab Emirates to Delhi, with 106 passengers and seven crew on board. Indian police are investigating the incident, which took place at around 0430 local time on Saturday (2300 on Friday GMT).
The cabin crew alleged that pilots sexually harassed a 24-year-old air hostess, who filed a complaint once the plane landed.
But the Times of India newspaper said the pilots made a counter-claim, saying that the harassment claim was an attempt to divert attention from accusations of misconduct against a male flight attendant.
Air India said it had ordered an inquiry into the incident, and had grounded all the staff involved.
The scuffle is said to have begun as an argument in the plane's cockpit over claims of sexual harassment but spilled into the galley, startling passengers. One pilot and one air hostess suffered bruises, as punches were thrown.
The incident took place over Pakistan on an Air India flight from the United Arab Emirates to Delhi, with 106 passengers and seven crew on board. Indian police are investigating the incident, which took place at around 0430 local time on Saturday (2300 on Friday GMT).
The cabin crew alleged that pilots sexually harassed a 24-year-old air hostess, who filed a complaint once the plane landed.
But the Times of India newspaper said the pilots made a counter-claim, saying that the harassment claim was an attempt to divert attention from accusations of misconduct against a male flight attendant.
Air India said it had ordered an inquiry into the incident, and had grounded all the staff involved.
Siberian husky plays foster mother to kittens
When Sarah Kidder adopted a 12-year-old female Siberian husky named Tamerack last year, she knew she was getting a loving, friendly playful dog. But she never suspected that Tamerack had a hidden talent: as a foster kitten raiser. It all started last month, when Kidder, who lives in the Grand Lake area, was taking Tamerack for a walk.
"About a block away, I saw this beautiful, blue-eyed, chocolate point Siamese adult and two little black kittens playing in a driveway," she said. "I was like, 'Why would those little kittens be there?'" After talking with the neighbours, Kidder found out that the family who lived there had moved away and abandoned the Siamese — which she assumed was the mom — and the two kittens. So she decided to take them home.
"It wasn't safe for them to be out there. And we don't need any more feral cats in the neighbourhood, because they would keep on breeding. Plus, they were just ridiculously cute." That's when Tamerack unveiled her hidden talent.
"She was like, 'Oooh, kittens!' I was a little concerned at first because she was so excited, but then I realized she was excited because she wanted to mother them. She would follow them around and lick their heads and make sure they were OK. After 24 hours, they started following her around. Whenever she sat down, they sat down, too." By the next day, Tamerack was sharing her food with her little feline friends.
"Even when she was gnawing on a bone, she'd let them munch on it, too. I just sat there, slack-jawed, for a week." Now Tamerack and her kittens are inseparable. They sleep together, eat together and play together.
"She understands that she's a lot bigger than they are, so she's very gentle with them. If they're gone too long, she searches for them and hangs out wherever they are. If I'm looking for them, I just look for her because I know she'll be where they are."
"About a block away, I saw this beautiful, blue-eyed, chocolate point Siamese adult and two little black kittens playing in a driveway," she said. "I was like, 'Why would those little kittens be there?'" After talking with the neighbours, Kidder found out that the family who lived there had moved away and abandoned the Siamese — which she assumed was the mom — and the two kittens. So she decided to take them home.
"It wasn't safe for them to be out there. And we don't need any more feral cats in the neighbourhood, because they would keep on breeding. Plus, they were just ridiculously cute." That's when Tamerack unveiled her hidden talent.
"She was like, 'Oooh, kittens!' I was a little concerned at first because she was so excited, but then I realized she was excited because she wanted to mother them. She would follow them around and lick their heads and make sure they were OK. After 24 hours, they started following her around. Whenever she sat down, they sat down, too." By the next day, Tamerack was sharing her food with her little feline friends.
"Even when she was gnawing on a bone, she'd let them munch on it, too. I just sat there, slack-jawed, for a week." Now Tamerack and her kittens are inseparable. They sleep together, eat together and play together.
"She understands that she's a lot bigger than they are, so she's very gentle with them. If they're gone too long, she searches for them and hangs out wherever they are. If I'm looking for them, I just look for her because I know she'll be where they are."
Australian doctor, 81, found guilty of patient kiss
An 81-year-old doctor has been ordered to undergo counselling for allegedly trying to kiss a young mother who sought treatment for a sore throat.
Dr Derrick Perera was also accused of touching the patient's breast at his Hinchinbrook surgery in 2006. He has repeatedly denied trying to kiss the then 22-year-old patient.
He said because of his age he was not interested in her sexually and he would not have tried to kiss her while she had a viral infection.
But the NSW Medical Tribunal last week found in favour of the patient, who cannot be named, and has ordered Dr Perera into counselling for the next 12 months.
In its decision, the tribunal accepted the woman's evidence that Dr Perera put his cheek against hers.
"As he started rolling his face in, I felt his tongue against my lips on the outside of my lips," the patient told the tribunal.
Dr Derrick Perera was also accused of touching the patient's breast at his Hinchinbrook surgery in 2006. He has repeatedly denied trying to kiss the then 22-year-old patient.
He said because of his age he was not interested in her sexually and he would not have tried to kiss her while she had a viral infection.
But the NSW Medical Tribunal last week found in favour of the patient, who cannot be named, and has ordered Dr Perera into counselling for the next 12 months.
In its decision, the tribunal accepted the woman's evidence that Dr Perera put his cheek against hers.
"As he started rolling his face in, I felt his tongue against my lips on the outside of my lips," the patient told the tribunal.
Two million slum children die every year as India booms
India's growing status as an economic superpower is masking a failure to stem a shocking rate of infant deaths among its poorest people.
Nearly two million children under five die every year in India – one every 15 seconds – the highest number anywhere in the world. More than half die in the month after birth and 400,000 in their first 24 hours.
A devastating report by Save the Children, due out today, reveals that the poor are disproportionately affected and the charity accuses the country of failing to provide adequate healthcare for the impoverished majority of its one billion people. While the World Bank predicts that India's economy will be the fastest-growing by next year and the country is an influential force within the G20, World Health Organisation figures show it ranks 171st out of 175 countries for public health spending.
Malnutrition, neonatal diseases, diarrhoea and pneumonia are the major causes of death. Poor rural states are particularly affected by a dearth of health resources. But even in the capital, Delhi, where an estimated 20% of people live in slums, the infant mortality rate is reported to have doubled in a year, though city authorities dispute this.
Full story with news video here.
Nearly two million children under five die every year in India – one every 15 seconds – the highest number anywhere in the world. More than half die in the month after birth and 400,000 in their first 24 hours.
A devastating report by Save the Children, due out today, reveals that the poor are disproportionately affected and the charity accuses the country of failing to provide adequate healthcare for the impoverished majority of its one billion people. While the World Bank predicts that India's economy will be the fastest-growing by next year and the country is an influential force within the G20, World Health Organisation figures show it ranks 171st out of 175 countries for public health spending.
Malnutrition, neonatal diseases, diarrhoea and pneumonia are the major causes of death. Poor rural states are particularly affected by a dearth of health resources. But even in the capital, Delhi, where an estimated 20% of people live in slums, the infant mortality rate is reported to have doubled in a year, though city authorities dispute this.
Full story with news video here.
Japanese ex-minister found dead
Police in Japan say former finance minister Shoichi Nakagawa, who resigned over apparent drunken behaviour at a G7 meeting, has been found dead. Mr Nakagawa, 56, was found dead in a bedroom at his Tokyo home.
The long-time LDP lawmaker stepped down as finance minister after appearing groggy at a news conference in February at G7 talks in Rome. He then lost his seat in his party's 30 August election drubbing.
The cause of Mr Nakagawa's death was under investigation, a police spokeswoman said.
Japanese media reports said he was found face down on the bed by his wife, with no external injuries.
The incident at the Rome summit was a major embarrassment for the Japanese government.
Mr Nakagawa later denied he had been drunk, blaming jet lag and medicine he had taken for a cold.
The long-time LDP lawmaker stepped down as finance minister after appearing groggy at a news conference in February at G7 talks in Rome. He then lost his seat in his party's 30 August election drubbing.
The cause of Mr Nakagawa's death was under investigation, a police spokeswoman said.
Japanese media reports said he was found face down on the bed by his wife, with no external injuries.
The incident at the Rome summit was a major embarrassment for the Japanese government.
Mr Nakagawa later denied he had been drunk, blaming jet lag and medicine he had taken for a cold.
Druids’ delight at Stonehenge car ban
After nearly three decades of disputes over cost and conservation, Stonehenge is to be freed from the traffic-clogged main road slicing through its historic setting.
Under a scheme to be put to planners today by English Heritage, which manages the 5,000-year-old monument, a 1.3-mile stretch of the A344 will be closed and a new visitors’ centre and car park will be built. The £28m plan is a scaled-down version of a £600m project to build a road tunnel.
Motorists may be saddened by the prospect of losing a free close-up view of a national icon. Conservationists, however, have long been angry about the failure to remove the polluting eyesore from the archeologically rich landscape around Stonehenge. The area has been designated a world heritage site by Unesco, which has expressed concern about its shabby surroundings.
English Heritage, the quango responsible for state-owned historic sites, hopes the simplified plan will be agreed by Wiltshire county council early next year. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport wants the project completed in time to receive visitors for the 2012 Olympics.
At present, most visitors — up to 900,000 a year — come to Stonehenge by car or coach and stop only a few hundred yards away in an unsightly parking area beside the A344. They then walk through an underpass to the monument.
The submission for planning comes as archeologists announced this weekend that they have discovered a mini-Stonehenge, a mile from the main site. The monument has been called Bluehenge after the 27 Welsh blue stones — made of Preseli dotted dolerite — which once formed it. Despite the 5,000-year age of the henge, all that is now left are the holes where the monoliths comprising the circle once stood.
Under a scheme to be put to planners today by English Heritage, which manages the 5,000-year-old monument, a 1.3-mile stretch of the A344 will be closed and a new visitors’ centre and car park will be built. The £28m plan is a scaled-down version of a £600m project to build a road tunnel.
Motorists may be saddened by the prospect of losing a free close-up view of a national icon. Conservationists, however, have long been angry about the failure to remove the polluting eyesore from the archeologically rich landscape around Stonehenge. The area has been designated a world heritage site by Unesco, which has expressed concern about its shabby surroundings.
English Heritage, the quango responsible for state-owned historic sites, hopes the simplified plan will be agreed by Wiltshire county council early next year. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport wants the project completed in time to receive visitors for the 2012 Olympics.
At present, most visitors — up to 900,000 a year — come to Stonehenge by car or coach and stop only a few hundred yards away in an unsightly parking area beside the A344. They then walk through an underpass to the monument.
The submission for planning comes as archeologists announced this weekend that they have discovered a mini-Stonehenge, a mile from the main site. The monument has been called Bluehenge after the 27 Welsh blue stones — made of Preseli dotted dolerite — which once formed it. Despite the 5,000-year age of the henge, all that is now left are the holes where the monoliths comprising the circle once stood.
Wookey Hole witch to be fired after Halloween
A woman who beat 2,319 people to a £50,000 job as a witch is to be sacked after Halloween, it emerged yesterday.
Former estate agent Carole Bohanan, 40, landed the job at Wookey Hole Caves in July.
Photo from here.
However Gerry Cottle, who owns the Somerset attraction, says she will be sacked at the end of the month. He said: "In a job like this you need a people person and I'm afraid Carole isn't."
But Carole, from nearby Shepton Mallet, said: "I have given it my best effort. People were saying I was doing a good job."
Former estate agent Carole Bohanan, 40, landed the job at Wookey Hole Caves in July.
Photo from here.
However Gerry Cottle, who owns the Somerset attraction, says she will be sacked at the end of the month. He said: "In a job like this you need a people person and I'm afraid Carole isn't."
But Carole, from nearby Shepton Mallet, said: "I have given it my best effort. People were saying I was doing a good job."
Offensive number plates withdrawn from auction
Gay rights campaigners have welcomed a move by the car licensing authority to withdraw offensive number plates from an auction.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) pulled the plates F4 GOT and D1 KES, which were due to be among 1,600 auctioned later this week.
The agency decided to remove the plates which bear resemblance to the derogatory terms faggot and dykes, on grounds of "the clear potential offence". Each of the private plates had a reserve price of £900. They were due to go under the hammer at an auction in Broadway, Worcestershire.
A spokesman for the DVLA said: "DVLA has responsibility to ensure that the combinations used on registration marks do not cause general upset or offence.
"Having reviewed the appropriateness of the registration marks F4 GOT and D1 KES, we have withdrawn these marks from sale on the grounds of the clear potential offence they may cause."
A spokesman for Stonewall said: "We welcome the action by the DVLA in ensuring that these potentially offensive items were withdrawn from sale This kind of proactive action by the public authorities helps make Britain a more equal place."
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) pulled the plates F4 GOT and D1 KES, which were due to be among 1,600 auctioned later this week.
The agency decided to remove the plates which bear resemblance to the derogatory terms faggot and dykes, on grounds of "the clear potential offence". Each of the private plates had a reserve price of £900. They were due to go under the hammer at an auction in Broadway, Worcestershire.
A spokesman for the DVLA said: "DVLA has responsibility to ensure that the combinations used on registration marks do not cause general upset or offence.
"Having reviewed the appropriateness of the registration marks F4 GOT and D1 KES, we have withdrawn these marks from sale on the grounds of the clear potential offence they may cause."
A spokesman for Stonewall said: "We welcome the action by the DVLA in ensuring that these potentially offensive items were withdrawn from sale This kind of proactive action by the public authorities helps make Britain a more equal place."
Mothers-to-be turn to doulas in midwife shortage
They take their name from the Greek word for slave, have no medical training and do everything from massage to shopping, but they are playing a vital role in childbirth for growing numbers of women.
Doulas – otherwise known as labour coaches, birthing assistants or help women – act as companions for new mothers-to-be during what can prove to be their baby's long, stressful and painful arrival in the world.
In 2004 about 700 women hired a doula to be with them during their labour. Last year that number had risen to 2,500. Similarly, the number of doulas belonging to the network Doula UK, which represents many of those who offer their services to women, has risen from 28 in 2003 to more than 450. The chronic shortage of NHS midwives, women's anxiety that they may not receive one-to-one care while in labour in hospital, and a desire to have as natural a birth as possible help to explain the trend. Many using doulas are first-time mothers, especially those who are older, orthodox Jews, single women or those who have no relatives living nearby and can afford to hire help.
Doulas say they do little more than give advice, support and encouragement to women whose predecessors would have had their mother, aunt, sister or grandmother fulfil that role. But they also help the mother-to-be to stay as calm and relaxed as possible by advising on breathing, performing massage and listening as she shares her fears, thoughts and feelings.
Research has shown that the presence of a doula can help to shorten a woman's labour, reduce the amount of pain relief she is given, make a caesarean section less likely and give fathers more confidence in supporting the mother. Most women say they find their doula a soothing, beneficial presence during what can be a traumatic experience.
Midwives are divided as to whether doulas threaten or complement their key role. "My concern is that women are perhaps using doulas because the maternity services are struggling to provide one-to-one care and that midwives, who are not just trained clinical experts but are also skilled in emotional support, are currently finding it hard to provide continuity of care," said Mervi Jokinen of the Royal College of Midwives. "It is also sad that some women may feel anxious that their concerns will not be heard by health professionals and therefore look to an external advocate such as a doula."
Doulas – otherwise known as labour coaches, birthing assistants or help women – act as companions for new mothers-to-be during what can prove to be their baby's long, stressful and painful arrival in the world.
In 2004 about 700 women hired a doula to be with them during their labour. Last year that number had risen to 2,500. Similarly, the number of doulas belonging to the network Doula UK, which represents many of those who offer their services to women, has risen from 28 in 2003 to more than 450. The chronic shortage of NHS midwives, women's anxiety that they may not receive one-to-one care while in labour in hospital, and a desire to have as natural a birth as possible help to explain the trend. Many using doulas are first-time mothers, especially those who are older, orthodox Jews, single women or those who have no relatives living nearby and can afford to hire help.
Doulas say they do little more than give advice, support and encouragement to women whose predecessors would have had their mother, aunt, sister or grandmother fulfil that role. But they also help the mother-to-be to stay as calm and relaxed as possible by advising on breathing, performing massage and listening as she shares her fears, thoughts and feelings.
Research has shown that the presence of a doula can help to shorten a woman's labour, reduce the amount of pain relief she is given, make a caesarean section less likely and give fathers more confidence in supporting the mother. Most women say they find their doula a soothing, beneficial presence during what can be a traumatic experience.
Midwives are divided as to whether doulas threaten or complement their key role. "My concern is that women are perhaps using doulas because the maternity services are struggling to provide one-to-one care and that midwives, who are not just trained clinical experts but are also skilled in emotional support, are currently finding it hard to provide continuity of care," said Mervi Jokinen of the Royal College of Midwives. "It is also sad that some women may feel anxious that their concerns will not be heard by health professionals and therefore look to an external advocate such as a doula."
Lost cat travels 300 miles on coach
An intrepid cat called Geoffrey travelled over 300 miles in the luggage compartment of a coach from his Isle of Wight home to the Yorkshire resort of Whitby before being found. The fifteen-month-old bengal has been known to go off for a night or two but when he disappeared for three weeks his owners thought they may never see him again – until he turned up in North Yorkshire.
Cat lovers Cindy and Tim Whitbread could not believe it when they got a telephone call on Monday to say their pet was alive and well despite his ten-hour journey by road. Nurse Cindy, who has had Geoffrey from being a kitten, said: "Geoffrey cannot even stand being in the car for two minutes, if he has to go to the vet he starts wailing when the car starts moving. I can't believe he's travelled that far. He must have been beside himself. I'm surprised nobody heard him."
The only explanation for Geoffrey's jaunt is that he must have hopped into the luggage compartment of one of the many coaches that pull up at nearby hotels and B&Bs in the tourist destination. He has then made an hour long journey to get to the ferry port, travelled for an hour over the English Channel and then headed up on the slow coach ride to the North of England.
Mum-of-two Cindy said: "All-in-all he must have been travelling for about 10 hours – it's 326 miles. At least he went somewhere lovely. It has made it a whole lot nicer to come and pick him up." Geoffrey was found in a field in Whitby a week ago by 10-year-old Zac Archibald who took the cat home to his mum Chris, 49, and together they nursed him back to health.
Chris said: "We put posters up and asked around the village in the hope of finding his owners. After a couple of days we took him to the vet to see if he was chipped. "I thought I was hearing things when they scanned him and found out he was from the Isle of Wight."
Cindy said: "We are so grateful to the family who found him, they did a great job of looking after him for us. He was so happy to see us, and he looks really well. I can't wait to get him home because our kids, Simon, 17, and Peter, 12, have missed him so much."
Cat lovers Cindy and Tim Whitbread could not believe it when they got a telephone call on Monday to say their pet was alive and well despite his ten-hour journey by road. Nurse Cindy, who has had Geoffrey from being a kitten, said: "Geoffrey cannot even stand being in the car for two minutes, if he has to go to the vet he starts wailing when the car starts moving. I can't believe he's travelled that far. He must have been beside himself. I'm surprised nobody heard him."
The only explanation for Geoffrey's jaunt is that he must have hopped into the luggage compartment of one of the many coaches that pull up at nearby hotels and B&Bs in the tourist destination. He has then made an hour long journey to get to the ferry port, travelled for an hour over the English Channel and then headed up on the slow coach ride to the North of England.
Mum-of-two Cindy said: "All-in-all he must have been travelling for about 10 hours – it's 326 miles. At least he went somewhere lovely. It has made it a whole lot nicer to come and pick him up." Geoffrey was found in a field in Whitby a week ago by 10-year-old Zac Archibald who took the cat home to his mum Chris, 49, and together they nursed him back to health.
Chris said: "We put posters up and asked around the village in the hope of finding his owners. After a couple of days we took him to the vet to see if he was chipped. "I thought I was hearing things when they scanned him and found out he was from the Isle of Wight."
Cindy said: "We are so grateful to the family who found him, they did a great job of looking after him for us. He was so happy to see us, and he looks really well. I can't wait to get him home because our kids, Simon, 17, and Peter, 12, have missed him so much."
Woman alerted police when money was transferred to her account
A woman's bank accounts have been closed after a stranger put £17,000 into her account in a suspected money-laundering scam. Darlington mother Amanda Fothergill alerted police after a mystery caller phoned her in May to say a large amount of money had been transferred to her account.
When she checked at a cash machine, her account had an extra £17,200. Mrs Fothergill, 40, said: “I had no idea who this person was, and I started to get really scared for my family.”
Police believe she was targeted by internet fraudsters, who discovered her card details while she was shopping online. The money was deposited into her account by a caller at a bank in Manchester. He then rang her and told her that if she transferred £14,000 to another account, she could keep the rest.
Mrs Fothergill said: “The phone call came out of the blue. The man said his name was Patrick and he said I did not know him. He told me to check my bank because he had given me a large sum of money. “I though it was a joke at first, but when I realised what was happening, I told the bank straight away.”
Her Abbey bank accounts were frozen immediately while investigators from the company began work. Mrs Fothergill said: “He was phoning me every day and it started to worry me.”
Police advised Mrs Fothergill to tell the man that they were monitoring her phone calls. She did, and the man never called again. She has now complained to Abbey after it closed her accounts on Friday because its fraud team deemed her too high a risk. Mrs Fothergill said: “No money ever came out of the account because I told the bank straight away. Abbey never lost any money because I stopped it before it started. I feel like I am being victimised for being a victim.”
When she checked at a cash machine, her account had an extra £17,200. Mrs Fothergill, 40, said: “I had no idea who this person was, and I started to get really scared for my family.”
Police believe she was targeted by internet fraudsters, who discovered her card details while she was shopping online. The money was deposited into her account by a caller at a bank in Manchester. He then rang her and told her that if she transferred £14,000 to another account, she could keep the rest.
Mrs Fothergill said: “The phone call came out of the blue. The man said his name was Patrick and he said I did not know him. He told me to check my bank because he had given me a large sum of money. “I though it was a joke at first, but when I realised what was happening, I told the bank straight away.”
Her Abbey bank accounts were frozen immediately while investigators from the company began work. Mrs Fothergill said: “He was phoning me every day and it started to worry me.”
Police advised Mrs Fothergill to tell the man that they were monitoring her phone calls. She did, and the man never called again. She has now complained to Abbey after it closed her accounts on Friday because its fraud team deemed her too high a risk. Mrs Fothergill said: “No money ever came out of the account because I told the bank straight away. Abbey never lost any money because I stopped it before it started. I feel like I am being victimised for being a victim.”
Tracey Emin may emigrate to avoid UK taxes
Tracey Emin, one of the leading lights of the Britart movement, is preparing to quit the country because of Gordon Brown’s 50% tax rate for the wealthy.
She joins a threatened exodus by celebrities, footballers and hedge fund bosses in search of less onerous tax regimes.
Emin, 46, said she was “very seriously considering leaving Britain”, adding: “I’m simply not willing to pay tax at 50%.” She is likely instead to live in France where she already has a holiday home and where she believes well-off artists are made to feel more welcome.
“The French have lower tax rates and they appreciate arts and culture,” said Emin. Brown’s 50% tax rate on incomes of more than £150,000 will be introduced in April.
The highest tax rate in France is 40%, although there is also an annual wealth tax starting at 0.55% for those whose assets exceed €790,000 (£723,000). Artists receive more subsidies and expense allowances.
Emin’s threat marks a reversal in the economic fortunes of Britain and France. Only a few years ago, French business people were flocking to Britain because of the lower taxes.
She joins a threatened exodus by celebrities, footballers and hedge fund bosses in search of less onerous tax regimes.
Emin, 46, said she was “very seriously considering leaving Britain”, adding: “I’m simply not willing to pay tax at 50%.” She is likely instead to live in France where she already has a holiday home and where she believes well-off artists are made to feel more welcome.
“The French have lower tax rates and they appreciate arts and culture,” said Emin. Brown’s 50% tax rate on incomes of more than £150,000 will be introduced in April.
The highest tax rate in France is 40%, although there is also an annual wealth tax starting at 0.55% for those whose assets exceed €790,000 (£723,000). Artists receive more subsidies and expense allowances.
Emin’s threat marks a reversal in the economic fortunes of Britain and France. Only a few years ago, French business people were flocking to Britain because of the lower taxes.
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