Flood hits England

COCKERMOUTH: Military helicopters winched dozens of people to safety and emergency workers in inflatable boats rescued scores more as floods on Friday swamped northern England's picturesque Lake District. One police officer died after a bridge was swept away by the surging waters. British soldiers conducted house-to-house searches for those trapped by floods as deep as 8 feet . Emergency services said more than 200 people were rescued in the hardest-hit town, Cockermouth. At least 960 homes were flooded after a day of unprecedented rain, police said.

Varsity bans tobacco

LEXINGTON: Kentucky's flagship public university gave the official heave-ho to tobacco on Thursday, touting the health benefits of a smoke-free policy covering all of its sprawling campus in the heart of burley tobacco country. The tobacco ban at the University of Kentucky includes outdoor areas and applies to chew, pipes, cigars and snuff as well as cigarettes. Kentucky leads the nation in the production of burley tobacco, and has some of the nation's highest smoking rates.

Internet on flight

NEW YORK - Air Canada said on Thursday it has begun trial offers of Internet service onboard some flights between Los Angeles and the cities of Toronto and Montreal. The service will cost $9.95 per flight for customers with a laptop computer and $7.95 for a personal electronic device. The airline said the test will run until January 29, and then it will decide whether to offer the service on other routes. The service from Aircell will be available only in US airspace.