Ministerial duties
New kitten for Churchill's country estate
An orange-colored cat has a new home to comply with the late British leader's request that there always be a cat of that color living at Chartwell, his country home south of London. Winston Churchill also indicated that the cat should have white chest fur and white paws and be named Jock. The unusual request stems from the affection Churchill felt for a kitten given to him on his 88th birthday by Jock Colville, one of his secretaries. The new kitten, Jock VI, had been a stray cat before it was adopted at Chartwell.
The swarm
Bees attack cars' drivers after crash
Two drivers involved in a Los Angeles-area car crash each suffered hundreds of stings after one of the vehicles hit a tree and disturbed a hive. Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Jose Larios says the collision occurred Sunday in suburban La Canada Flintridge. One of the drivers, a 51-year-old woman, jumped into a backyard swimming pool to escape the swarming insects. The driver of the other car, a 17-year-old girl, fell to the street where a deputy found her covered in bees. He sprayed her with a fire extinguisher to chase the swarm away and then they ran to safety. Both drivers were treated at a hospital.
Compiled from wire services and other sources.