Woman under probe for delaying flight

SHANGHAI • A superstitious elderly woman has been placed under investigation in Shanghai for tossing coins into an aircraft engine to "pray for safety".

The 80-year-old passenger, surnamed Qiu, threw coins into the engine while boarding China Southern Airlines flight 380, scheduled to fly from Shanghai to Guangzhou yesterday afternoon.

Police later found nine coins at the site, including one in the engine, after the flight was delayed for more than five hours due to the incident.

Qiu has been cleared of mental illness and has no criminal record.

XINHUA

India club says sorry over dress code mix-up

NEW DELHI • A prestigious colonial-era golf club in New Delhi apologised yesterday after a woman claimed she had been told to leave the premises because she was wearing the traditional dress of her native north-east.

The row erupted after Ms Nivedita Barthakur went for lunch at The Delhi Golf Club with her children's nanny, whose Jainsem - several pieces of cloth tied or pinned at the shoulders, worn at ankle or knee length - was mistaken for a maid's uniform.

She later posted about the incident on Facebook, where many angered netizens accused the club of racially discriminating against the nanny.

The club, which dates back to 1930 and maintains a dress code, apologised but denied that the guests were asked to leave.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE