Warning over toxic fumes in plane cabins
Toxic fumes in cabin air pose a health risk to frequent fliers and aircrew, a coroner has said in a landmark report. Stanhope Payne, the senior coroner for Dorset, said people regularly exposed to fumes circulating in planes faced ‘consequential damage to their health’. Mr. Payne, who is inquiring into the death of Richard Westgate, a British Airways pilot, called on BA and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to take ‘urgent action to prevent future deaths’. Most airline passengers, who fly only occasionally, will not be affected by the problem, but some frequent travelers who are genetically susceptible to the toxins could fall ill. His report, obtained by the Telegraph, is the first official UK recognition of so-called ‘aerotoxic syndrome’, a phenomenon long denied by airlines but which is blamed by some for the deaths of at least two pilots and numerous other incidents where pilots have passed out in flight
Christians urged to support Fairtrade after sales slump
Christian environmentalists are calling on the public to buy Fairtrade products after sales fell for the first time in 20 years. The drop of nearly 4 per cent in sales of Fairtrade products reflects the success of cheap brands offered by Aldi and Lidl at a time when the Government's austerity cuts are affecting hundreds of thousands of people. Dr. Ruth Valerio, churches and Theology Director of A Rocha UK, the international Christian research, environmental and conservation charity, said switching to Fairtrade could change people's lives. The foundation was set up to help provide a fair deal for farmers and producers in the developing world. Dr. Valerio told Christian Today the fall in sales should not be ignored and she urged everyone to act.
Clampdown on cold call companies unveiled by Government
Imposing fines of up to £500,000 on the companies behind cold calls and nuisance text messages is to become easier under changes to the law being made by the Government. The move follows tens of thousands of complaints about cold calling. Currently, firms can only be punished if the Information Commissioner can prove a call caused ‘substantial damage or substantial distress’. But from 6 April, that legal requirement is to be removed. More than 175,000 complaints were made to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) last year about nuisance calls and text messages. The government says the number of complaints has risen in the past decade and the issue is particularly acute for the elderly and housebound as such calls can cause distress and anxiety. In a speech earlier this month, Information Commissioner Christopher Graham described the current law as ‘a licence for spammers and scammers’ and appealed for more powers
EU to probe Christian schools after humanist complaint
British Christian schools could face a European Commission investigation, following complaints from a humanist campaign group. The British Humanist Association (BHA) claims that faith schools breach European Union (EU) equality rules when hiring staff, because they say religious adherence is a ‘desirable’ quality. EU rules state that schools must prove there is a ‘genuine occupational requirement’ in preferring to recruit teachers of faith. Spokesman for The Christian Institute, Simon Calvert, said church schools are ‘hugely popular’, and their ethos is why they do such a good job of preparing children for life in 21st-century Britain’. ‘It’s disappointing that humanists seem to be so intolerant of religious organisations seeking to remain religious. There’s a relentless agenda to secularise religious organisations. ‘If they were to succeed, it would severely damage these church schools and undermine the great work that they do’. (See also British Isles and Ireland story.)
Denmark: Large crowds mourn shooting victims
Tens of thousands of people have gathered in towns and cities across Denmark to commemorate the victims of weekend gun attacks in the capital. People holding candles and torches observed a minute's silence at the start of the main event in Copenhagen. Two people were killed and five police were injured in attacks on a free speech debate and a synagogue. The gunman was later shot dead by police. He did not appear to be part of a wider terror cell, Denmark's PM said. Earlier on Monday, two men were charged with providing and disposing of the weapon used in the attacks and helping the gunman to hide. The gunman was named by local media as Omar El-Hussein. Mourners left floral tributes outside the cultural centre that was targeted. The national flag flew at half-mast on official buildings across the capital on Monday.
Ukraine: Troops retreat from key town Debaltseve
The Ukrainian president says his forces are making an ‘organised’ withdrawal from the embattled town of Debaltseve. Petro Poroshenko said 80% of Ukraine's troops left on Wednesday morning, with more to follow. Fighting has raged over the transport hub, with pro-Russian rebels seizing control of most areas, despite a ceasefire deal. Russia's foreign minister said Ukrainian forces had been encircled and were forced to battle their way out. ‘I'm reckoning that common sense will prevail,’ said Sergei Lavrov as he urged the rebels to provide troops who surrendered with food and clothes. Earlier, US Vice-President Joe Biden accused Russia of violating the accord, agreed in Minsk last week. Mr Lavrov told reporters that the rebel attack in Debaltseve did not violate the ceasefire agreement, because the town was part of the rebel-held area at the time the peace deal was signed. Eyewitnesses saw dozens of tanks and columns of weary Ukrainian troops retreating from Debaltseve on Wednesday.
Denmark: Large crowds mourn shooting victims
Tens of thousands of people have gathered in towns and cities across Denmark to commemorate the victims of weekend gun attacks in the capital. People holding candles and torches observed a minute's silence at the start of the main event in Copenhagen. Two people were killed and five police were injured in attacks on a free speech debate and a synagogue. The gunman was later shot dead by police. He did not appear to be part of a wider terror cell, Denmark's PM said. Earlier on Monday, two men were charged with providing and disposing of the weapon used in the attacks and helping the gunman to hide. The gunman was named by local media as Omar El-Hussein. Mourners left floral tributes outside the cultural centre that was targeted. The national flag flew at half-mast on official buildings across the capital on Monday.
Ukraine: Troops retreat from key town Debaltseve
The Ukrainian president says his forces are making an ‘organised’ withdrawal from the embattled town of Debaltseve. Petro Poroshenko said 80% of Ukraine's troops left on Wednesday morning, with more to follow. Fighting has raged over the transport hub, with pro-Russian rebels seizing control of most areas, despite a ceasefire deal. Russia's foreign minister said Ukrainian forces had been encircled and were forced to battle their way out. ‘I'm reckoning that common sense will prevail,’ said Sergei Lavrov as he urged the rebels to provide troops who surrendered with food and clothes. Earlier, US Vice-President Joe Biden accused Russia of violating the accord, agreed in Minsk last week. Mr Lavrov told reporters that the rebel attack in Debaltseve did not violate the ceasefire agreement, because the town was part of the rebel-held area at the time the peace deal was signed. Eyewitnesses saw dozens of tanks and columns of weary Ukrainian troops retreating from Debaltseve on Wednesday.
Saltmine Theatre Company presents: John Newton Amazing Grace
Gifted with incredible talents in storytelling, playing instruments and singing beautifully, this passionate company recounts John Newton's story with energy that you will never forget. You will easily imagine you are on board ship, then amongst slaves being sold at an auction, eavesdropping on conversations between Newton and his love, Polly, then Newton and William Cowper, as if they were alive and living today. Moved with emotion as the ups and downs of John Newton's life story unfolded before us you will be left with a clearer understanding of the poignancy of Newton's life then and what it means to us now across our nation and the world today.
Isle of Man Parliament rejects assisted suicide
Politicians in the Isle of Man have voted overwhelmingly to reject a Bill which called for assisted suicide to be legalised. Members of the House of Keys, the Manx Parliament, voted 17 to 5 to reject the call, put forward by the Minister for Home Affairs, Juan Watterson. The Isle of Man is one of the most recent places to oppose the introduction assisted suicide after the Welsh Assembly voted against it in December. Mr Watterson said: ‘I thought the vote would be a lot closer than that but that is the democratic process – it is what it is and you have to respect that.’ Peter Murcott, who campaigns against assisted suicide, said that the plans go ‘against Christian beliefs’. He said: ‘If you kill someone intentionally then in law that is murder and that is what euthanasia is’.