Lichfield, West Midlands, England News
Cathedral loses £5m lottery bid
Lichfield Cathedral has had its application for £5m of lottery funding turned down.
Lichfield Cathedral has had its application for £5m of lottery funding turned down.
Muslim sues Tesco for forcing him to carry alcohol
INT42International/Law/Religion/BusinessMuslim sues Tesco for forcing him to carry alcoholLondon, Sep 29 IANS A Muslim youth who worked with Britain's biggest retailer Tesco has sued the store for religious discrimination after he came to know that he carried crates of alcohol bottles as part of his job, the Daily Mail reported Monday.Mohammed Ahmed, 32, who was raised in Saudi Arabia, had worked in a distribution depot of Tesco for eight months before quitting "in protest", the newspaper said. Ahmed, who lives in Derby in the East Midlands of England, said that he was forced to leave the job because "handling beer, spirits and wine is against his strict Islamic beliefs and that he was victimised when he asked the company to give him another role".He told an employment tribunal in Birmingham that he had no idea his job entailed handling alcohol when he started work last September at the depot in Lichfield, Staffordshire.When he realised he was doing something against his religion, he asked his employer for a change but one of his supervisors told him: "You do the job or go home."According to the tribunal, the problem worsened in November and December when extra alcohol arrived at the warehouse in readiness for Christmas.Ahmed claimed he lodged an official grievance with the company, but as a result he had to undergo various "harassment" by his superiors. However, Laura Canham, the company's solicitor, said that it was still unrealistic for Ahmed to say he had no idea what his duties would be. "He was advised at the outset what the job would entail. At no stage did he raise the fact he could not handle alcohol," Canham told the tribunal.She also denied the allegations that the company discriminated against Ahmed and said: "It would be reasonable to expect him to be aware of what Tesco did."A spokesman for Tesco, whose 63-million-pound Lichfield depot has around 1,000 workers, said: "Managers are trained to be culturally sensitive and have an open-door policy to staff for issues like this, as everyone is welcome to work at Tesco."The tribunal will hear the case later this week.--Indo-Asian News Service skp/dg383 Words29091541
INT42International/Law/Religion/BusinessMuslim sues Tesco for forcing him to carry alcoholLondon, Sep 29 IANS A Muslim youth who worked with Britain's biggest retailer Tesco has sued the store for religious discrimination after he came to know that he carried crates of alcohol bottles as part of his job, the Daily Mail reported Monday.Mohammed Ahmed, 32, who was raised in Saudi Arabia, had worked in a distribution depot of Tesco for eight months before quitting "in protest", the newspaper said. Ahmed, who lives in Derby in the East Midlands of England, said that he was forced to leave the job because "handling beer, spirits and wine is against his strict Islamic beliefs and that he was victimised when he asked the company to give him another role".He told an employment tribunal in Birmingham that he had no idea his job entailed handling alcohol when he started work last September at the depot in Lichfield, Staffordshire.When he realised he was doing something against his religion, he asked his employer for a change but one of his supervisors told him: "You do the job or go home."According to the tribunal, the problem worsened in November and December when extra alcohol arrived at the warehouse in readiness for Christmas.Ahmed claimed he lodged an official grievance with the company, but as a result he had to undergo various "harassment" by his superiors. However, Laura Canham, the company's solicitor, said that it was still unrealistic for Ahmed to say he had no idea what his duties would be. "He was advised at the outset what the job would entail. At no stage did he raise the fact he could not handle alcohol," Canham told the tribunal.She also denied the allegations that the company discriminated against Ahmed and said: "It would be reasonable to expect him to be aware of what Tesco did."A spokesman for Tesco, whose 63-million-pound Lichfield depot has around 1,000 workers, said: "Managers are trained to be culturally sensitive and have an open-door policy to staff for issues like this, as everyone is welcome to work at Tesco."The tribunal will hear the case later this week.--Indo-Asian News Service skp/dg383 Words29091541
John Lichfield: Racy goings-on in la France profonde
The nearest town to our house in Normandy is a sad place which has never fully recovered from the summer of 1944. In June of that year, it was pointlessly bombed by the British. In August, it was partially burned by the SS. Sixty-four years later, shops and restaurants are struggling to survive. The population is ageing and glum. Excitement is hard to find.
The nearest town to our house in Normandy is a sad place which has never fully recovered from the summer of 1944. In June of that year, it was pointlessly bombed by the British. In August, it was partially burned by the SS. Sixty-four years later, shops and restaurants are struggling to survive. The population is ageing and glum. Excitement is hard to find.
Schools hit as swine flu spreads
At least 40 schools in the West Midlands region are affected by the swine flu virus, the BBC understands.
At least 40 schools in the West Midlands region are affected by the swine flu virus, the BBC understands.
No charges in fraud investigation
Charges will not be brought over a fraud investigation at a West Midlands school and college, the Crown Prosecution Service says.
Charges will not be brought over a fraud investigation at a West Midlands school and college, the Crown Prosecution Service says.
Colours on display in Cathedral
The colours of a West Midlands army regiment are going on display in Lichfield Cathedral.
The colours of a West Midlands army regiment are going on display in Lichfield Cathedral.
New charge over injured Pc
A fourth man is charged with wounding after a police officer was injured in the West Midlands.
A fourth man is charged with wounding after a police officer was injured in the West Midlands.
'Car bomb man' was kidnap victim
West Midlands Police say a man found inside a car in Birmingham city centre with his hands tied and cannisters attached to his body had been kidnapped.
West Midlands Police say a man found inside a car in Birmingham city centre with his hands tied and cannisters attached to his body had been kidnapped.
Child seriously hurt in collision
A child suffers serious head and leg injuries in a collision with a car in the West Midlands.
A child suffers serious head and leg injuries in a collision with a car in the West Midlands.
Man arrested following house fire
A man is arrested on suspicion of arson following a West Midlands fire in which another man was critically burnt.
A man is arrested on suspicion of arson following a West Midlands fire in which another man was critically burnt.
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