Global in Brief

Displaced birds disrupt Philippine planes

Planes operating at the Philippines’ main airport are facing a growing danger from waterbirds descending there after losing nearby swamps to development, authorities said Monday.

Airlines complained last month to the Manila International Airport Authority about the worsening problem of birds flying into planes, Alex Cariaga, head of the airport’s ground operations safety division. He said the Airline Operators Council, a group representing all carriers that serve Manila airport, said there had been 23 incidents in which birds were sucked up into jet engines last year.

The so-called “bird strikes”, which could cause a plane to crash, was up from just nine in 2009, Cariaga told AFP.

However there had been no major incident yet due to the bird strikes. Cariaga said the problem appeared to worsen after developers reclaimed some small lagoons near the airport runway last year to build warehouses.

“We thought it was a good thing because we expected the birds to move elsewhere,” he said.

AFP

British ‘hero granny’ foils jewel thieves

A British grandmother who “clobbered” a gang of sledgehammer-wielding jewel thieves with her handbag credited her “mother’s instinct” for spurring her into action, media reported Wednesday.

Ann Timson, 71, was captured on video hitting three of the six helmet-clad robbers, causing one to fall off his moped as he tried to make his escape during the botched raid in Northampton, central England.

“I saw a kid run up to the doorway of the jeweller,” Timson explained. “Three lads followed him and when I saw their arms going, I thought the kid was being beaten up.

“My mother’s instinct kicked in and I ran across the road shouting at the lads to stop it.

“As I got closer I saw it was a robbery, and then I was even more angry,” the former market trader added. “One of the gang shot off...I clobbered him with my shopping.

“I landed several blows against one lad...and brought him to the ground.

“He raised a hammer to me so I kept hitting out. It seemed to be over in seconds.”

Four men have been charged in connection with the crime.

AFP

Kangaroo’s freedom bid comes to messy end

A kangaroo’s escape bid ended in tragedy when it hopped away from its owner into the path of an oncoming car, German police said Tuesday, causing costly damage to the car and a messy end for the marsupial.

The 49-year-old owner had kept the kangaroo for many years as a house pet and had never before encountered any problems, said police in Oberfranken, southern Germany.

“However, at the weekend, the kangaroo got a taste for freedom and jumped out. Despite several attempts, the owner was not able to recapture his pet,” police said.

The animal apparently took an extended journey around the surrounding area, because it did not meet its unfortunate fate until Monday evening, authorities said. The 30-year-old driver who collided with the beast was treated for shock. The accident caused an estimated 1,000 euros (1,360 dollars) of damage to his vehicle.

“The owner, who lived a mere 200 metres (yards) from the site of the collision, had the unfortunate task of dealing with ‘his dead sweetheart’,” the police announced sadly.

AFP

Google pays tribute to Jules Verne

Google paid tribute to Jules Verne, author of “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” on Tuesday, replacing the logo on its home page with an underwater scene.

Instead of the usual blue, green, red and yellow logo, Google’s name is spelled out on the famously spartan home page by a series of portholes.

A tiny joystick allows a visitor to navigate beneath the waves and view sea creatures out of the portholes. Verne, whose other works include “Around the World in Eighty Days” and “A Journey to the Center of the Earth,” was born in France on February 8, 1828.

The Mountain View, California-based Google frequently changes the colorful logo, or “doodle,” on its home page to mark anniversaries or significant events or to pay tribute to artists, scientists, statesmen and others.

AFP