Other News In Brief

600 Jobs Cut In Airline

The Midlands-based airline BMI has announced plans to cut around 600 jobs as part of a restructuring that involves a reduction of aircrafts and the suspension of loss-making routes. It was the second largest operator at Heathrow and employed more than 4,400 people. Blaming the effects of the economic downturn, the airline said the cuts are be made in all areas of the business, although compulsory job losses would be avoided wherever possible. Some flights, such as Heathrow to Brussels, Tel Aviv and Kiev will be suspended from January and others as the Heathrow to Amsterdam route, in March. Germany's Lufthansa Group underlined the need of BMI restructuring following its takeover of the carrier in July this year. However, BMI said it hoped to expand the business again "when the economic environment improves and the market demand justifies it".

£7m In Parking Fines

The City of Edinburgh Council collected almost £7m in parking fines last year - the highest number in the UK, excepting London. A report from the Taxpayers' Alliance said that Edinburgh collected far more than £1.4m than in the much larger city of Glasgow as well as more than Birmingham (£4.1m), Manchester (£4.5m) and the whole of Northern Ireland (£4.1m). The figures also show that in the whole UK, more than £328m was collected in parking fines last year. Peter Roberts, Chief Executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "Parking enforcement has become a massive money-making industry". According to him, this report shows that some local authorities are treating drivers unfairly and cashing in on parking fines. Meanwhile, Councillor Gordon Mackenzie, convener of Edinburgh's transport committee, said parking attendants "perform a key role in maintaining safe, steady traffic flow throughout the city, whilst ensuring a good turnover of parking spaces". He added tickets were only issued to vehicles parked in contravention of the regulations.

Alzheimer's Test In Glasgow

A treatment to prevent the advanced Alzheimer's onset is to be tested in a clinical trial in Glasgow Memory Clinic. With more than 1,000 selected from around the world, doctors are going to test the effectiveness of an experimental drug called Dimebon, which is hoped it will help by improving memory, cognition and the ability to care for oneself. Dr Fraser Inglis said: "Dimebon is thought to work differently to current medications and this study will evaluate whether adding it to one of the most commonly used Alzheimer's medications will provide a more effective symptomatic treatment to patients, stabilising their condition and ultimately improving their quality of life". Inglis explained although a cure for Alzheimer's is still many years away, new treatments that provide lasting effects, more symptomatic benefits or slow disease progression would offer meaningful benefits for patients and their carers. Currently, as many as 417,000 people in the UK are living with the disease, according to the Alzheimer's Society.

Jail For Language Protestor

Osian Jones, a member of the Welsh Language Society, has been jailed for 28 days after refusing to pay a fine for painting slogans on shops. He had been ordered to pay more than £1,100 after he painted graffiti on Boots and Superdrug stores in Caernarfon, Bangor and Llangefni but he refused to pay it. Around 30 supporters with placards accompanied Jones to court, where he stated he was not willing to pay a single penny. And added: "The situation of the Welsh language in Wales is as vulnerable now as it was 10 years ago when we got devolution."

Trafficker Suspects Freed

The six people who were arrested in Gorton and Longsigh on suspicion by human trafficking have been released without charge. They were arrested after police found 15 children during raids as part of an inquiry into children being moved from Romania by organised crime groups. These young people, who were temporarily being cared for following the raids, have already returned to their families. Supt Paul Savill, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "We had a duty to take action because we had intelligence that children living in the Roma community may have been trafficked into Greater Manchester. However, there was no evidence of criminality in this case." Savill also explained: "Working with Manchester City Council, we have carried out a thorough investigation and we are satisfied there is no evidence of exploitation or criminality, so we have released all those arrested without charge and the children have been returned to their families."

(CL/BMcc)