- Women
Still Second In The Workforce!
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- New research has proved that
women lecturers and professors are still being discriminated against
in the workplace. The report was produced by the Higher
Education Statistics Agency and findings have shown that nationally
women make up 12 per cent of professors and 24 per cent of senior
lecturers and researcher positions.
The results were particularly striking considering women make up
more than half of undergraduate students yet hold less than a
quarter of senior academic posts.
Another recent investigation into the problem has revealed how male
networking and female reluctance for self-promotion within
institutions of higher education has increased the gender divide.
Barbara Bagilhole, reader in equal opportunities and social policy
at Loughborough University and researcher Jackie Goode carried out
the study. And concluded that it could explain why women get
paid at least 15 per cent less than men doing the same job. A recent
report from the lecturers' union NATFE suggested that it would cost
an extra 130 million pounds to bridge the pay divide.
Identity
checks on the cards
Preparations have begun to introduce a national identity card to Britain.
The Home Office have commissioned the Passport Agency to research ways of
producing an identity card that would carry finger prints as well as aphotograph.
It is believed that talks about implementing such a measure have been
taking place since 1999. A Home Office spokesperson was very keen to
stress that the scheme would not be put into practice in the near future,
saying "at the moment it is very early days and no decision has been
taken"
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- Security
tightened as Concorde returns.
Following a £50 million refit,
the world's most famous passenger aircraft is set to return.
After an absence of nearly fourteen months, Concorde is due to
resume commercial flights later this month.
The plane had been grounded following the crash last year in Paris
in which 113 people perished. The fuel tanks have now been
armour plated and the tyres have been reinforced, in order to
prevent a repeat of last year's tragedy in which a burst tyre
pierced the fuel tanks. However, the biggest
change can be found in the interior.
Out go the drab grey finishes, heavy food, cramped seats and old
fashioned bathrooms. To be replaced by inky blue cradle
seats, bright lights that ripple through the cabin when the jet
breaks the sound barrier, light modern cuisine, cashmere covered
pillows and "spa-like" bathrooms.
BA worked on the makeover with design guru Sir Terence Conran and
London-based firm Factory Design. Concorde however were not
alone in getting a facelift this week. Both the BA and
Virgin fleets are to be modified in the wake of the terrorist
attacks of last month.
The cockpits on the BA and Virgin flights will now be sealed from
the rest of the plane by two sets of secure doors. Pilots
will be protected from would-be hijackers by bullet, heat and
shock proof doors.
Virgin Atlantic will be the first British carrier to implement the
modifications on the newly renamed "Spirit of New York"
which was used to carry British recovery teams to New York.
Articles on this page
by Miranda Schunke
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