YouTube helps man deliver baby

BBC, Friday, 1 May 2009

An engineer in Cornwall delivered his baby son after watching an instructional video on YouTube.
Marc Stephens watched the videos as a precaution when his wife Jo started to feel some discomfort.
Four hours later, his wife went into labour and started giving birth before an ambulance could arrive at their home in Redruth.
"I Googled how to deliver a baby, watched a few videos and basically swotted up," Mr Stephens told the BBC.
Jo Stephens said they had planned a home birth, but not quite in this manner.

Honesty is the best policy for Argentine taxi driver

BBC, Thursday, 7 May 2009
Hundreds of Argentines have been donating to a taxi driver who found a bag with $32,500 (£21,600) in cash in his taxi and returned it to its owners.
The donations started after a website was set up in his honour calling for gestures of gratitude for what is seen as an extraordinary act of honesty.
So far the equivalent of $14,580 has been donated, according to the site.
Santiago Gori, a taxi driver in the coastal city of La Plata, found the money after driving an elderly couple.
They only went a short distance but when he dropped them off, they left a bag in the back of his taxi.
A few days later he managed to locate his passengers again and he returned the bag.
For Argentines used to corruption at all levels of society, this was an extraordinary story.

Contrite US tourists confess to Rome theft 25 years on

BBC, 7 May 2009
Two US tourists who chipped off a piece of the Colosseum in Rome 25 years ago have returned it - along with an apology for taking it.
The fragment of stone, small enough to fit into a pocket, arrived in Italy in a package from California.
A note inside read: "We should have done this sooner."
Rome's archaeology officials have accepted the couple's apology and the local tourism officer has invited them to return to the city.

Projected LS after phase III, May 8, 2009

NDTV opinion poll: projected LS after phase III, May 8, 2009
All India
Total Lok Sabha seats: 543
UPA: 205-215
NDA:160-170
Third Front: 120-130
Fourth Front: 30-35
Others: 6-10

Toyota reports worst annual loss

BBC, 8 May 2009
Toyota, the world's biggest carmaker, has made its worst annual loss as the global economic downturn has hit demand for its vehicles.
The Japanese company said it made a net loss of 436.94bn yen ($4.4bn; £2.9bn) in the year to 31 March, compared with a record profit the year before.
... ...
Toyota last made a net loss in 1963, a spokeswoman said.

Rape victim commits suicide in Haryana

NDTV, Friday May 8, 2009, Rohtak
A police officer's office has become the scene of yet another suicide by a rape victim in Haryana. On Wednesday, a young couple tried to kill themselves outside the Rohtak DGP's office in protest against his inaction after 25-year-old Alka was raped.
Alka is now dead and her husband is critical.
Now their relatives have taken up the fight. They are refusing to cremate Alka until the guilty are punished. Roop Singh, father-in-law of Alka, says: "This is not justice. We will not take the body until the police officers and the guilty are punished."
Last June, Alka had filed a case of gang rape against 5 men at a police station in Panipat. But evidence against them was not enough, so they are still free.

Labourer's daughter made it to IAS

NDTV, Wednesday May 6, 2009
Twenty-three-year-old Priti Maithil, the daughter of a daily wage labourer in Sehore in Madhya Pradesh has ranked 92nd in the UPSC examinations and it is no surprise that her family is bursting with pride ..... Priti's father, a daily wage labourer who has no fixed income also has reason to feel proud. "It is commendable how our friend Santosh has been able to teach his daughter despite limited resources. She has made us all proud today," says a family friend.Priti gave tutions to fund her college education when the family barely had enough to live on. "Aaj hamara chayan huya hai tho sara shreya ma baap ko jata hai," says a grateful Priti. (I owe my success to my parents, my teachers and my friends.)
At the end of it all, Priti Maithil is not only her parents' pride but also an inspiration to us all.