Anger grows over UK nurse's death | Bangkok Post: learning

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Britain reacted with horror on Saturday at the presumed suicide of a nurse who was the victim of a hoax call to the hospital treating Prince William's wife Catherine, as a post-mortem was scheduled for next week.

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A bunch of flowers is left outside the nurses accommodation block by colleagues near the King Edward VII Hospital on Saturday in memory of nurse Jacintha Saldanha, who was found dead the previous day. AFP

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Horror at UK nurse's death

Australian radio presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian say they are "deeply shocked" at the consequences of their "greatest prank", and advertisers are deserting their station. AFP

Britain reacted with horror on Saturday at the presumed suicide of a nurse who was the victim of a hoax call to the hospital treating Prince William's wife Catherine, as a post-mortem was scheduled for next week.

Tributes to Jacintha Saldanha were placed outside the nurses' accommodation block where her body was discovered on Friday, triggering a wave of anger directed at the two Australian radio hosts behind the prank.

While media reports referred to the nurse's death as a suspected suicide, police are treating it as unexplained at this stage, although the circumstances were not thought to be suspicious.

Scotland Yard police headquarters said Saturday that a post-mortem would take place next week.

Saldanha answered the phone earlier this week when presenters from Sydney's 2Day FM called King Edward VII's Hospital in central London, impersonating Queen Elizabeth II and William's father Prince Charles.

She passed the call onto a colleague who divulged details of Catherine's acute morning sickness.

All Britain's national papers put the nurse's death on their front page and several carried angry Internet outbursts aimed at the radio presenters, who were pulled off the air Saturday.

In its editorial, Britain's biggest-selling newspaper The Sun said the death was "heartbreaking and bewildering", and a "needless tragedy", asking how a foolish prank could end in an apparent suicide.

"No doubt she was distraught at unwittingly embarrassing the royals and her employers," it said.

"We can only guess at the inner torment of Jacintha, who after years of loyal professionalism suddenly found herself in trouble for something that was not her fault."

A wooden cross with a British flag was left outside the hospital Saturday, while flowers were placed outside the nearby nurses' block.

Attached to the red, white and blue flowers, a note read: "Dear Jacintha, our thoughts are with you and your family. From all your fellow nurses, we bless your soul. God bless."

News of the death prompted a furious outpouring against the radio station and the two presenters involved, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who were said to be "deeply shocked" by the turn of events.

"They are completely shattered," said Rhys Holleran, chief executive of Southern Cross Austereo which owns 2Day FM.

Holleran said the station and the hosts had decided that their show would not return "until further notice out of respect of what can only be described as a tragedy".

He also told reporters in Melbourne the station did not believe it had broken the law with the prank call, the Australian Associated Press news agency reported.

"We're very confident that we haven't done anything illegal," he was cited as saying. "What happened was incredibly tragic and we're deeply saddened and we're incredibly affected by that."

The radio station's Facebook page has been bombarded with thousands of comments, many attacking the presenters and calling for them to be sacked while at least one major company has withdrawn its advertising.

Nurse Saldanha reportedly came from India and had two children. AFP

accommodation – a place for someone to stay, live, or work ที่พัก
accommodation block – a large, usually tall building divided into separate parts for use as a place for people to stay
colleague – someone who works in the same organisation or department as you do เพื่อนร่วมงาน
horror – a strong feeling of shock or fear caused by something extremely unpleasant ความหวาดกลัว, ความขยะแขยง
presume – to suppose that something is true, although you do not have actual proof  เชื่อว่าเป็นจริง,  ทึกทักว่าเป็นจริง
suicide – the action of deliberately killing yourself การฆ่าตัวตาย
hoax – a plan to deceive someone, such as telling the police there is a bomb somewhere when there is not one, or a trick การหลอกลวง,เล่ห์กระเท่ห์,เล่ห์เหลี่ยม
post-mortem – a medical examination of the body of a dead person in order to find out how they died การชันสูตร
tribute – something that you do, say, or build to show that you respect and admire someone or something การแสดงความเคารพ ยกย่องต่อ
trigger – to cause ก่อให้เกิด กระตุ้น
prank – a trick that is played on somebody as a joke การล้อเล่น, การเล่นตลก
consequences – results of effects of something ผลที่ตามมา
desert – to leave somebody without help or support ทอดทิ้ง
media – newspapers, television, radio, etc. สื่อ
suspected – thought to be something เป็นที่สงสัย
circumstances – facts or conditions that affect a situation เหตุการณ์แวดล้อม
suspicious – making you believe that something is wrong, dangerous or illegal, in this case, that a crime has been committed น่าสงสัย
Scotland Yard – the main offices in London, England, of most departments of the London police. สำนักงานตำรวจสันติบาลของอังกฤษ
headquarters – the place where an organisation or company has its main offices สำนักงานใหญ่ กองบัญชาการ
impersonate – to pretend to be somebody in order to trick people or to entertain them เลียนแบบ, แกล้งทำเป็น, ปลอมเป็น
divulge – to give somebody information that is supposed to be secret  เปิดเผยความลับ
acute – very serious or severe หนัก, รุนแรง
outburst – a sudden strong expression of an emotion การระเบิดออก,การเดือดพล่าน,การหลั่งออก
aim – to have as your target เล็ง
editorial – a newspaper article in which the editor gives their opinion on an issue in the news  บทบรรณาธิการ
bewildering – making you feel confused because there are too many things to choose from or because something is difficult to understand ทำให้สับสนงุนงง
needless – of death or suffering that is not necessary because it could have been avoided ไม่จำเป็น
tragedy – a very sad event that causes people to suffer or die โศกนาฏกรรม
distraught – extremely upset, worried or confused  จิตว้าวุ่น, ว้าวุ่นใจ, สับสน
unwitting – without knowing or planning ไม่รู้ตัว
embarrass – to cause someone to feel nervous, worried or uncomfortable ทำให้รู้สึกอาย, ทำให้ขวยเขิน
torment – to make somebody suffer very much  ทารุณ, รบกวน, ทำให้รำคาญ
loyal – willing to support, work for, or be a friend to someone, even in difficult times  ภักดี ซื่อสัตย์
soul – the spiritual part of a person or thing วิญญาณ
prompt – immediate or quick ทันที
furious – extremely angry ซึ่งโกรธจัด
outpouring – a strong and sudden expression of feeling การแสดงความรู้สึกทันที
turn of events – the way a situation develops and ends
shattered – extremely upset ถูกทำลายความหวัง
until further notice – indefinite; until announced; for a period of time with no fixed end ไม่มีข้อกำหนด
respect – to accept the importance of something เคารพ
confident – certain มั่นใจ
cited – mentioned as an example, explanation or proof of something else อ้าง, กล่าวอ้าง
incredibly – in a way that is difficult to believe อย่างไม่น่าเชื่อ
bombard – to ask someone so many questions, give them so much information etc that it is difficult for them to deal with it all ระดม (คำถาม ความคิด คำวิจารณ์) เข้าใส่
sack – to remove someone from a job ปลดออกจากตำแหน่ง
withdraw – to take away ถอน

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