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Dauntless will set sail for the Falkland Islands in the coming weeks armed with a battery of missiles that could "take out all of South America's fighter aircraft let alone Argentina's," according to one Navy source. The Type 45 destroyer is the most advanced anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic ship in the world equipped with 48 Sea Viper missiles and the Sampson radar, which is more advanced than Heathrow air traffic control The ship is in a league of its own in air defence able to track dozens of multiple targets "It can shoot down Argentine fighters as soon as they take off from they bases," said another Navy source. "This will give Buenos Aires serious pause for thought." The deployment, expected in late March, comes as Argentina has stepped up its sabre rattling over possession of...
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Saturday, 28 January 2012
Pilot Strike Affects Scores Of Travelers
Ten thousands travelers were left stranded at Spanish airports Friday due to a new strike by pilots of Iberia, the flag carrier of Spain. The strike, part of protest activities that started on Wednesday against the airline’s plan launch a branch for low-cost flights, forced rescheduling 93 out of 277 domestic and international flights, according to a statement by the company. The company affirmed that its new branch “Iberia Express” would affect neither the working conditions or the pay of pilots. The branch, meant to cover the costs of short and medium routes, would generate more revenues and create new jobs, it added. Meanwhile, the airline’s pilot association said it would stage another strike on Monday unless their employer scrapped the low-cost flight plan which would turn the...
Spain's 4th largest airliner goes broke
Spain's fourth largest airliner, Spanair, has stopped operations after failing to seal a last minute deal aimed at rescuing the company from financial bankruptcy. Spanair ceased operations on Friday night after failing to negotiate a deal with Qatar Airways who sought to buy a stake in the airline, according to the Catalan regional government in Spain. Over 3,500 employees have lost their jobs as a result of the decision. Moreover, at least 22,000 passengers have been affected as 380 domestic and international flights have been cancelled this weekend alone. Experts report that Spanish regional governments which hold a controlling stake in Spanair have been under pressure to cut costs to help the central government reach budget cut goals this year. Spanair has tried for some...
Thousands of passengers faced massive travel disruptions across Spain
Thousands of passengers faced massive travel disruptions across Spain on Saturday after domestic carrier Spanair cancelled all of its flights Friday night and prepared to file for bankruptcy. The abrupt collapse of the Barcelona-based carrier took place shortly after Qatar Airways walked away from talks to take over the money-losing airline after months of negotiations. "Due to a lack of financial visibility for the coming months, the company has had no option but to cease flying out of a duty of care for the safety of its operation and the well being of all concerned," Spanair said in a statement late Friday. "The appropriate next steps will be taken as soon as possible." More than 200 Spanair flights have been cancelled, affecting over 22,000 passengers. Spain's Public Works Minister...
Afghans blast French plan to withdraw troops early
France's plans to withdraw its combat troops from Afghanistan a year early drew harsh words Saturday in the Afghan capital, with critics accusing French President Nicolas Sarkozy of putting domestic politics ahead of Afghans' safety. A wider proposal by Sarkozy for NATO to hand over all security to Afghans by the end of next year also came under fire, with one Afghan lawmaker saying it would be "a big mistake" that would leave security forces unprepared to fight the Taliban insurgency and threaten a new descent into violence in the 10-year-old war. Sarkozy's decision, which came a week after four French troops were shot dead by an Afghan army trainee suspected of being a Taliban infiltrator, raises new questions about the unity of the U.S.-led military coalition. It also reopens the...
Three Brits injured in Helmand bomb attack
40 Afghan civilians were wounded in the blast when a Toyota saloon car exploded as a convoy of armour-plated cars carrying military and civilian officials drove through central Lashkar Gah. The 10.45am blast outside an education ministry building was so strong it knocked over at least one vehicle in the convoy and destroyed nearby shops, local officials said. An Afghan child was among the dead. Daud Ahmadi, spokesman for the governor, said: "Two of the foreigners' vehicles were leaving somewhere for a meeting when they were attacked by a car bomb suicide attacker. As a result, three of their people were injured. One of them was woman." The Britons' injuries were minor according to a spokeswoman for the British-led provincial reconstruction team and they had been evacuated to the military...
British soldier killed in southern Helmand province
Another British soldier was killed following militants attack in southern Helmand province on Friday. According to British Defense officials, the British service member was killed in Nahr-e-Saraj district of southern Helmand province as a result of an Improvised Explosive Device explosion while he was patrolling in the area. The officials did not provide further details regarding identity of the deceased soldier however they confirmed that the family of the deceased soldier was informed of the incident. International Security Assistance Force officials also on Friday confirmed the death of a NATO service member but did not disclose the nationality of the deceased soldier. At least 397 British troops have been killed since the beginning of their mission in Afghanistan in 20...
Taliban leader detained in southern Helmand province
Afghan-led and coalition-supported security force captured a Taliban facilitator during an operation at southern Helmand province. NATO-led International Security Assitance Force following a statement on Friday said, the Taliban facilitator was detained following an operation at Nahr-e-Saraj district fof southern Helmand province. The source further added, the leader conducted direct-fire attacks in Nahr-e Saraj district and distributed ammunition and bomb-making materials to insurgent fighters throughout Helmand province. One additional suspected insurgent was detained during the operation, officials said. In the meantime another Taliban facilitator during an operation in Lashkar Gah district, Helmand province following an operation by Afghan and Coalition security forces. The facilitator...
A BOY soldier too young to play computer wargame Call of Duty ended up on the frontline in Afghanistan
A BOY soldier too young to play computer wargame Call of Duty ended up on the frontline in Afghanistan — by hiding his age.Determined recruit Adam Wilkie dodged strict checks that are meant to ensure combat troops are 18 — so he could fight the Taliban at just 17.The burly teenager was last night revealed to have spent six weeks in the thick of battle in the powderkeg province of Helmand — distinguishing himself with his courage. Young gun ... teenager Adam in war zone Insiders hailed him a "real brave lad" and "a hero" — even though back in Britain he would not even be allowed to see an 18-certificate war film.One source said of the...
Recession causes 2,000 heart attack deaths
Since 2002 the number of people dying from heart attacks in England has dropped by half, the study conducted by Oxford University found. But within that, regional data revealed there was a 'blip' in London that corresponded to the financial crash in 2008 and continued through 2009. Heart attack deaths have dropped due to better prevention of heart attacks in the first place with fewer people smoking and improvements in diet through lower consumption of saturated fat. The treatment of people who do suffer a heart attack has also improved leading to fewer deaths with faster ambulance response times, new procedures to clear blocked arteries and wider use of drugs such as statins and aspirin. The research published in the British Medical Journal showed around 80,000 lives have been saved...
Half-ton hashish find discovered by Afghan, coalition security forces
Afghan and coalition security forces conducting a combined mission near Azim Jan Kariz, Jan. 25, discovered a large drug cache in an area known for strong Taliban influences and operations. Soldiers from the 4th Kandak of the 3rd Brigade, 205th Afghan National Army Corps, and their partners from Combined Task Force Spartan’s 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery Regiment, were conducting a dismounted patrol approximately three kilometers south of Combat Outpost Azim Jan Kariz, when they discovered the find. The Soldiers determined the field contained 454 kilograms of hashish, or approximately 1,000 pounds of the illegal drug. Nearly an hour later, Afghan Soldiers had burned all of the hashish, without any injury or damage to Afghan and coalition security forces or local residents. Soldiers...
Thursday, 26 January 2012
Survey reveals expat banking fears
The Expat Banking Poll was sponsored by Lloyds TSB International and conducted by expat website Just Landed. Expats in Spain were found to have the most problems with banking abroad. Almost two-thirds of those polled – 64 per cent – said that they do not trust local banks at all. Some of the most common problems cited by those who distrust banks abroad include unfair charges, trouble with the language barrier and money that was deducted from their account without any explanation. Briton Graham Hunt, who runs a Spanish property website and has written some hard-hitting blogs on banking in Spain, said: "Two years ago, there was a lot more trust in Spanish banks. "But the past couple of years have seen new charges for cards, account maintenance, transfer fees... this put people into the...
Britain, US and France send warships through Strait of Hormuz
This deployment defied explicit Iranian threats to close the waterway. It coincided with an escalation in the West's confrontation with Iran over the country's nuclear ambitions. European Union foreign ministers are today expected to announce an embargo on Iranian oil exports, amounting to the most significant package of sanctions yet agreed. They are also likely to impose a partial freeze on assets held by the Iranian Central Bank in the EU. Tehran has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation. Tankers carrying 17 million barrels of oil pass through this waterway every day, accounting for 35 per cent of the world's seaborne crude shipments. At its narrowest point, located between Iran and Oman, the Strait is only 21 miles wide. Last month, Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, commander...
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Eating fried foods didn't hurt the hearts of Spaniards who follow a Mediterranean diet
Eating fried foods didn't hurt the hearts of Spaniards who follow a Mediterranean diet, but the findings are too good to be true for Canadians, experts say.A study in Wednesday's issue of the British Medical Journal suggests that frying foods in olive and sunflower oils is not associated with an increased risk of heart disease or premature death.The Mediterranean diet favours fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains. (iStock)Prof. Pilar Guallar-Castillón from Autonomous University of Madrid and her co-authors surveyed the cooking methods of 40,757 adults aged 29 to 69 over an 11-year period. None of the participants had heart disease when...
Underworld bankers Daniel Keenan and Andrew Barnett who laundered £17m of drug money are jailed
Two underworld bankers who laundered more than £17million in drug money have been jailed for a total of 17 years. Daniel Keenan, 41, and Andrew Barnett, 45, used a stolen identity to clean up proceeds from a massive cocaine and heroin dealing operation by making currency exchanges They were caught out when police stopped Barnett with £500,000 in cash stuffed into a satchel. The pair were subsequently linked to Ian Kiernan, who was jailed for 20 years in 2001 for his key role in one of Britain's biggest-ever drug smuggling plots. Andrew Barnett (left) and Daniel Keenan (right) laundered the vast proceeds from a cocaine and heroin ring by making currency exchanges Barnett was stopped on 26 November 2009 near Marble Arch carrying a satchel found to contain 535,000 euros in 200 euro...
Drug smugglers and dealers to get law thaw in UK
Drug smugglers and street dealers could avoid prison in the UK even if caught with heroin, cocaine or thousands of pounds worth of cannabis, under new guidelines on drug offenses published by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales on Tuesday. The new guidelines, to come into force next month, on February 27, were put out following a three-month public consultation. They cover importation, supply, production, permitting premises to be used for drug-related activities, and possession offences. "Drug offending has to be taken seriously. Drug abuse underlies a huge volume of acquisitive and violent crime, and dealing can blight communities. Offending and offenders vary widely, so we have developed this guideline to ensure there is effective guidance for sentencers and clear information...
London hospitals write off 'over 90%' owed by foreign patients
London hospitals have written off more than 90% of what they are owed by foreign patients not entitled to free NHS care, BBC London has learned. A Freedom of Information request showed Newham Hospital Trust wrote off 96% of what it had invoiced last year. Meanwhile, Basildon and Thurrock wrote off 97% of what it was owed, having previously recovered £68,061 out of £116,561 of its debt. In total, £7.6m was written off by 33 NHS trusts in the region, since 2009. Across the trusts, a total of £26m is owed by patients, of which £18.4m continues to be actively sought. However, hospital trusts said chasing the money was difficult if patients leave the UK. In a statement, Basildon and Thurrock said: "We scrupulously manage our finances and only write off debt after following the full...
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Army: Suicides down, but violent crime up
A new Army report says the number of suicides among soldiers has been leveling off, but there has been a dramatic jump in domestic violence, sex crimes and other destructive behavior in a force that has been stressed by a decade of war. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli said Thursday that violent sex crimes and domestic violence have increased more than 30 percent since 2006 and child abuse by 43 percent. Chiarelli was releasing a 200-page report on the health of the troops and the Army's efforts to address the problem. It said that 278 soldiers in the active duty, Guard and Reserve committed suicide last year compared to 304 in 2010. Chiarelli told USA Today: "I think we've at least arrested this problem and hopefully will start to push it down. For all practical purposes...
How Tony Blair tried to give Gibraltar to Spain to curry favour with the European Union
Peter Hain says the then-Prime Minister was “contemptuous” toward the desire of Gibraltar residents to remain under the British flag and told how close Britain came to losing the rocky territory to the Spanish in 2002. Mr Hain tells in his memoirs, published on Monday, how he wanted to work to “do something about Gibraltar”, which has been a British overseas territory since 1713, as soon as he became Europe minister in June 2001. This was based on a “gut instinct that it as ridiculous in the modern age for Britain to have a colony on the tip of Spain nearly 2,000 miles away”. His “African roots” made it easy for him to understand the strong feelings aroused by “a little bit of England trying eccentrically to cling on to Spain”. Mr Hain developed a plan that would see Britain and Spain...
Libya minister denies claims Kadhafi men attack town
Deadly clashes erupted on Monday in Bani Walid, with a Libyan minister denying local officials' claims the attack on the former bastion of Moamer Kadhafi was carried out by his loyalists. An AFP correspondent who managed to enter Bani Walid for a short time said thick smoke billowed into the sky, while the identity of those present was unclear and there was limited evidence of the new Libyan authorities on the roads outside the town. While local officials said the town was attacked by Kadhafi's men, Interior Minister Fawzi Abdelali dismissed these claims, saying the firefight was caused by "internal problems" in the town. He told Libyan television that the fighting was among the people of Bani Walid, and linked to "the issue of compensation for those affected by last year's war." "The...
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Outspoken Moroccan rapper awaits assault verdict
A Moroccan rapper who has become one of the monarchy's boldest critics on Wednesday awaited a verdict after a trial on assault charges which his lawyers and right activists said were a ploy to muzzle the popular singer. Mouad Belrhouat, better known as El-Haqed, or "The Sullen One", has become the singing voice of a protest movement inspired by Arab uprisings, demanding a constitutional monarchy, an independent judiciary and a crackdown on corruption. The judge adjourned the case on Wednesday after an all-night hearing to consider his verdict, expected on Thursday. The 24-year-old rapper has been in jail since his arrest in September after a brawl with a monarchist. Bail requests by his defence team have been rejected and the trial has been adjourned six times. "The charges are a...
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Switch to olive oil for better health
Indian households should completely switch to olive oil as a cooking medium as its nutritional value is very high, it is rich in monounsaturated 'good' fats and, when used daily, can bring instant and easy wellness to a family's diet, celebrity chef and noted cookery expert Nita Mehta says. "Even though we have such a wide range of olive oils in our market, people don't seem to use them because of their mental block that the flavour of olive oil doesn't gel with Indian flavors," Mehta said at the launch here Satuday her latest book, "Indian Cooking With Olive Oi...
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