London: Women never change, it seems. The average woman packs nearly twice as many clothes as she needs for a holiday, a new study has found.
The study, based on a survey in Britain, found that women need 34 items for a week-long break, but take 60 “just in case”. It means almost half of the contents of their bags remain unworn. Some 58 per cent of the 2,000 women quizzed said they found it difficult to stick to luggage weight limits, with one in five facing extra baggage costs at the airport.
The average woman takes 19 tops, but will wear only 10, and comes home with half her 16 pairs of trousers, shorts or leggings unworn.
But that’s not enough for some — 42 per cent also go clothes shopping when on holiday. Jeremy Cryer, head of travel at gocompare.com, was quoted by the ‘Daily Express’ as saying, “Women like to prepare for every eventuality, which means packing for all weathers, day trips, evenings out, sports and activities.” (PTI)
Pakistani couple sues airline over threat hoax
San Francisco: A Pakistani couple is suing American Airlines after they were escorted off a plane in handcuffs based on a telephone hijacking threat that turned out to be a hoax.
The lawsuit, transferred to federal court on Tuesday, also names the San Francisco Police department. Maheen and Shahbaz Taseer say they were held for several hours after being pulled from the flight on August 19, 2010. Shahbaz is the son of Salman Taseer, the governor of Pakistan’s Punjab province, who was recently assassinated by an Islamic extremist.
Authorities had been notified of a telephone threat that the plane would be hijacked. The threat was later determined to be a hoax. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. A call to American Airlines was not immediately returned. San Francisco police declined to comment. (AP)
US Hindus to donate blood on 9/11 anniversary
Washington: Hindus in the US plan to donate blood to commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11 this year.
The Hindu Mandirs Executive Conference (HMEC), an apex body of about 600 temples in the US, has appealed to the Hindus who form majority of the approximately three million Indian-Americans in the US to join the effort.
The initiative is expected to benefit patients of Asian descent who require a closer blood match than that provided by ABO positive/negative blood typing.
The HMEC, which is coordinating the initiative with agencies such as the American Red Cross, said it is extremely important to increase the number of available blood donors from the Asian communities.
This is for the first time that such an event will be held at temples across North America, the organisers said.
Just five percent of the total eligible population in the US gives blood, however less than one percent of the Asian community donates blood, HMEC said in a statement Friday. (PTI)
TV set crushes boy to death
London: A two-year-old boy in Britain was crushed to death when a TV set fell on him, a media report said Friday.
Lee Hardy was at his father Christopher’s flat in Basildon, Essex, in July 2009 when the 32-inch set in a bedroom fell on him causing fatal head injuries, Daily Express said.
Christopher was on his computer when he heard a thud and rushed into the bedroom to find his son lying on the floor with the television on top of him.
He carried the boy outside where neighbours helped to give him first aid until paramedics arrived but the boy was pronounced dead at Basildon Hospital a short time later, the Express said.
Recording a verdict of accidental death, Essex coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said: “Police investigating concluded there were no suspicious circumstances. I have come to the view this was the most tragic of accidents. He clearly was a much-loved and bright little boy.” (IANS)
New Thai PM accused of buying votes with noodles
Bangkok: Newly elected Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was accused of buying votes with noodles, a media report said Saturday.
The Election Commission has launched a probe into a complaint that Yingluck was handing out dishes with noodles she helped to cook, which can be classified as vote-buying, the Bangkok Post said. “There was no distribution of free food nor any attempts to buy votes as alleged,” the Nation Thai daily quoted Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit as saying.
He added that cooking was organised to attract the crowd and not be construed as a vote-buying.
“Preliminary results from the investigation show it was not an act of intending to cook the noodles to give them to supporters because a noodle vendor was cooking when Yingluck arrived and she asked if she could help her with the cooking,” the Commission’s secretary-general Suthipol Thaweechaikarn told Bangkok Post.
Yingluck, 44, is the first woman elected for a premier post in Thailand.
Puea Thai won 265 of parliament’s 500 seats, but later smaller parties announced they were joining Puea Thai, giving it control of 300 seats. (IANS)