Falklands Row Reopened By President's Letter

The president of Argentina has written an open letter to David Cameron calling once again for him to relinquish British control of the Falkland Islands.

The letter by Cristina Kirchner has been published as an advert in the Guardian newspaper and says Argentina was forcibly stripped of Las Malvinas, the Argentinian name for the islands, in a "blatant exercise of 19th-century colonialism".

The 59-year-old president urged the Prime Minister to abide by United Nations resolutions she says back the Argentinian cause.

Ms Kirchner first made calls for the return of the islands during last year's 30th anniversary of the two countries going to war.

"One hundred and eighty years ago on the same date, January 3rd, in a blatant exercise of 19th-century colonialism, Argentina was forcibly stripped of the Malvinas Islands, which are situated 14,000km (8700 miles) away from London," she said in the letter, copied to United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon.

"The Argentines on the Islands were expelled by the Royal Navy and the United Kingdom subsequently began a population implantation process similar to that applied to other territories under colonial rule.

"Since then, Britain, the colonial power, has refused to return the territories to the Argentine Republic, thus preventing it from restoring its territorial integrity.

"The Question of the Malvinas Islands is also a cause embraced by Latin America and by a vast majority of peoples and governments around the world that reject colonialism."

Mr Cameron and Ms Kirchner clashed over the Falklands when the pair came face-to-face at the G20 summit in Mexico last June.

Mr Cameron and Ms Kirchner clashed at the G20 summit

He rejected her demand for negotiations over the sovereignty of the islands and told her that she should respect the result of a referendum due to be held in March, when the Falklanders will vote on whether they wish to retain their ties with Britain.

The Argentine president had earlier taken her demands to the United Nations, appearing at the annual meeting of the little-known UN Decolonisation Committee on the 30th anniversary of Britain's ousting of an Argentinian invasion force from the Falklands.

She used the occasion to reiterate Argentina's opposition to any more wars and to criticise the Prime Minister's decision to mark the day by flying the Falklands flag over Number 10.

In December Argentina protested at Britain's decision to name a vast swathe of Antarctica Queen Elizabeth Land, with its foreign ministry handed a formal protest note to British ambassador John Freeman in Buenos Aires.

The area, which makes up around a third of the British Antarctic Territory, is also claimed by the South American country.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said that the Falkland Islanders "are British and have chosen to be so".

"They remain free to choose their own futures, both politically and economically, and have a right to self-determination as enshrined in the UN Charter," she added.

"This is a fundamental human right for all peoples.

"There are three parties to this debate, not just two as Argentina likes to pretend.

"The islanders can't just be written out of history.

"As such, there can be no negotiations on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands unless and until such time as the islanders so wish."

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jim Davidson Denies Sex Claims After Arrest

Jim Davidson, who was arrested by police investigating the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal, "vigorously denies" the claims against him, the comedian's solicitor has said.

Allegations dating back 25 years have been made by two women, according to lawyer Henri Brandman.

Davidson, 59, was one of two men arrested on suspicion of sexual offences as part of Operation Yewtree.

Both individuals fall under the strand of the investigation termed 'others' and the Metropolitan Police said the allegations are not linked to Savile.

Officers said a 53-year-old was held in Hampshire at around 8am and a 59-year-old in west London at around midday.

Both men were later released on bail until March pending further inquiries.

Davidson had reportedly been detained at Heathrow Airport as he returned to the UK to be a contestant on Channel 5's Celebrity Big Brother.

Six men and a woman were seen leaving Davidson's house in Stockbridge, Hampshire, carrying boxes.

In a statement, Mr Brandman said: "Two women have made allegations in respect of Jim that date back approximately 25 years.

"The complainants were then in their mid 20s. Jim vigorously denies the allegations.

"He answered police questions as fully as he was able after this passage of time.

"He has not been charged with any offence. Neither he nor I will be making any further comment."

Scotland Yard is leading a national investigation into allegations against disgraced television presenter Savile and a number of other high-profile figures.

They have separated the inquiry into three strands: claims against Savile, those involving Savile and others, and those involving others.

Officers have questioned a number of people including former pop star Gary Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr and PR guru Max Clifford.

Last month, police said a total of 31 allegations of rape had been made against former Top Of The Pops presenter Savile.

Some 589 people have come forward with information relating to the scandal, with a total of 450 complaints against the BBC presenter and DJ, mainly alleging sexual abuse.

Detectives have recorded 199 crimes in 17 force areas in which Savile is a suspect.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rail Fares: Call For End To Price Increases

How Much Will Your Ticket Cost?

Updated: 2:14am UK, Wednesday 02 January 2013

This is a table of rail fare rises, comparing the price of a 12-month season ticket bought in December with one bought from January 2.

The table does not include the price paid if within-London travelcards are also purchased for Tube and bus journeys in the capital.

Where London is mentioned, this means travel to London terminal stations where travel is allowed by any route option shown by the National Rail Enquiry system, Journey Planner, where the journey can be made using only one ticket.

ROUTE                          DEC 2012  JAN 2013  % RISE

Leeds-Wakefield              £908      £964            6.16%

Bishop's Stortford-London  £3,560    £3,704     4.04%

Portsmouth Harbour-London  £4,480    £4,668  4.19%

Basingstoke-London         £3,800    £3,960       4.21%

Ramsgate-London            £4,640    £4,864     4.82%

Woking-London              £2,780    £2,896        4.17%

Folkestone-London          £4,612    £4,836      4.85%

Reading-London             £3,800    £3,960       4.21%

Sevenoaks-London           £2,980    £3,112    4.43%

Aylesbury-London           £3,520    £3,632      3.18%

Bedford-London             £4,004    £4,172      4.19%

Hastings-London            £4,400    £4,584     4.18%

Canterbury-London          £4,588    £4,812    4.80%

Deal-London                £4,640    £4,864    4.82%

Dover Priory-London        £4,640    £4,864    4.82%

Ludlow-Hereford            £1,892    £1,992    5.28%

Bangor-Llandudno           £1,084    £1,140    5.16%

Morpeth-Newcastle            £960    £1,008    5%

West Malling-London        £3,712    £3,876    4.42%

Guildford-London           £3,092    £3,224    4.27%

Bracknell-London           £3,800    £3,960    4.21%

Braintree-London           £3,960    £4,124    4.14%

Tunbridge Wells-London     £3,968    £4,132    4.13%

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Thailand Killing: Brit Shot Dancing On Beach

A British tourist has been shot dead while dancing on a beach in Thailand after being caught up in a fight between two local gangs.

Stephen Ashton, 22, was at a New Year's Eve party at a bar on the island of Koh Phangan when he was hit by a stray bullet.

"He was shot in the side while he was dancing on the beach," said policeman Lieutenant Colonel Somsak Noorod.

Mr Ashton was reportedly killed when a man opened fire at a bar on Haad Rin Beach in the early hours of the morning.

Friends have paid tribute to Mr Ashton (Photo: Facebook)

Confirming the identity of the victim, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the death of a British national in Thailand on New Year's Eve.

"We are providing consular assistance to the family."

Mr Ashton was apparently with a group of friends and 300 other tourists at the 2013 countdown party at a pub and restaurant called the Zoom Bar when he was shot by a home-made gun shortly after 4am.

Reports suggest the suspected gunman has been arrested by police and is expected to appear in court on Wednesday after a police news conference.

The man has apparently denied being the killer, while admitting being involved in the fight.

Tributes have been paid to Mr Ashton on social networking sites as friends expressed their shock at his death.

Robbie-Cameron Gray wrote on Facebook: "Don't want to believe it. Still got photos of us on my (Facebook) wall from football and school. Will miss you mate."

Aaron Kelly wrote: "Horrible news. Be good up there mate."

Jaydon Gibbs said on Twitter: "My heart is with his family. The nicest guy RIP Stephen Ashton xx"

Koh Phangan is in the south of Thailand

Another Twitter user, Dean DeRosa, said: "Worst news for the start of 2013 ! R.I.P Stephen Ashton ! Was a good lad !!"

Sophie Harwin, a graphics editor from Surrey, spent New Year's Eve nearby but had left the area by the time the shooting occurred.

She said: "I just met someone who said loads of people were trying to save him. Very sad."

She added: "I didn't go near Zoom Bar. Not sure where it is on the beach. The place was packed."

Mr Ashton's mother, Diane, is flying back to the UK from a skiing trip following news of her son's death, neighbour Dawn Mason said.

The victim's family said they were too distraught to speak at their home in Purley, south London.

Ms Mason described Mr Ashton as a "very normal, likeable young man" and said his family were in "complete shock".

The tropical island of Koh Phangan, situated north of tourist haven Ko Samui, is a popular destination for backpackers and students on gap years.

One of the attractions of the island is its monthly full moon party at Haad Rin Beach.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

New Year Knees Up Around The World

Major cities, including Sydney, Shanghai, Dubai and Berlin have marked the start of 2013 with large fireworks displays.

Among the most spectacular celebrations were ones in Sydney, which centred on the harbour bridge, and Dubai, where the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, formed the centrepiece.

Some 1.5 million people are estimated to have turned out to watch the event in the Australian city with more than 100,000 firework patterns, costing £4.2m.

One of the country's most famous singers, Kylie Minogue, was creative ambassador and she picked the colours and the music.

The pop star pressed the button that set off seven tons of fireworks.

Shanghai ushers in the New Year

The Dubai show had three elements - light, water and fire - and projections on a 210-metre long screen.

Moscow had the Kremlin as its backdrop, while Jakarta marked 2013 with a massive four-mile street party.

Sixteen large stages were built along the normally busy, eight-lane motorway which runs through the heart of the Indonesian capital.

There was a fireworks display at the Kremlin in Moscow

Couples kissed in New York's Times Square as ticker tape and fireworks welcomed in 2013 in style.

Thousands packed the iconic square in Manhattan as singers belted out the Frank Sinatra classic New York, New York.

The countdown was the first in decades without television host Dick Clark, who died in April.

North Korea put on a pyrotechnic display in Pyongyang

There were also celebrations on a grand scale in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

This year's fireworks display, which cost about £1m, was said to be the biggest ever in the southern Chinese city.

Meanwhile, North Korea welcomed 2013 with reportedly the first ever New Year's fireworks display the country has held as Tokyo reverberated to the sound of the city's Watch-Night Bell.

The bells were struck 108 times at temples all over Japan to symbolise the beginning of a prosperous New Year.

Auckland began the countdown to 2013

Burma rang in the New Year with its first public countdown and a fireworks display, a celebration unprecedented in the former military-ruled country.

Around 90,000 people gathered at the countdown venue - a large field in Rangoon - for a chance to do what much of the world does every year at this time.

"This is very exciting and also our first experience in celebrating the New Year at a big countdown gathering. We feel like we are in a different world," said Yu Thawda, a university student who joined the party.

The atmosphere of celebration was muted in some places.

British troops at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan see in the New Year

Many European nations planned scaled-back festivities and street parties for 2013 which is projected to be a sixth straight year of recession amid Greece's worst economic crisis.

Hotels, clubs and other venues in New Delhi cancelled festivities after the death of a gang rape victim which has led to days of protests and mourning.

The first major city to see in 2013 was Auckland, New Zealand, which had a spectacular fireworks display.

Crowds packed the city centre to watch the annual event at the city's Sky Tower, which stands more than 1,000ft tall.

The central Pacific Ocean island of Kiritimati (Christmas Island) and the eastern-most island in the island nation of Kiribati were the first to usher in the new year at 1000 GMT.

American Samoa, an unincorporated territory of the US in the southern Pacific Ocean, will be the last place on Earth to herald in the new year on Tuesday at 1100 GMT.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

New Year Celebrations: UK Welcomes In 2013

Large crowds lined the banks of the River Thames in London and the streets of Edinburgh as the UK saw in the start of the New Year.

Along the Thames, up to 250,000 people were expected to watch a major fireworks display as the night sky was set to be illuminated with pyrotechnics to round-off a momentous year.

Revellers were able to watch clips from the 2012 Olympic Games during an 11-minute firework display set around the London Eye.

Millions more were expected to watch it all on television.

In Edinburgh, tens of thousands of people descended on the streets of Scotland's capital for the world-famous Hogmanay celebrations.

Around 75,000 partygoers counted down the last 10 seconds of 2012 before joining in a mass rendition of Auld Lang Syne after the clock struck midnight.

Scottish rockers Simple Minds headlined the Hogmanay concert and street party.

Fireworks explode around the London Eye

The View, Bwani Junction, Reverend and the Makers and The OK Social Club were also due to play, and fireworks were set off to mark the start of 2013.

Pete Irvine, artistic director of the Hogmanay celebrations, said: "I think it's going really well this year.

"It's really, really busy here tonight - probably busier than we've seen it in some time because the weather is so good.

"There's a moon in the sky, it's actually not cold and it's not raining.

"We've been very lucky with the weather and I think we are going to be very lucky with the crowd and all the performances tonight on many stages."

Following their hard work during the London 2012 Games, more than 150 of the mayor's 'Team London Ambassadors' volunteered at the Thames event to help ensure it was a success.

They gave out maps, helped direct people to the viewing areas, and provided guidance and advice on getting home safely.

Kisses exchanged during Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who organised the event, said: "Our New Year's Eve fireworks will cap a triumphant year for London."

He added: "As we welcomed the world to the magnificent celebrations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the glorious success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, London was at its very best.

"From the thrilling sporting action to the breathtaking cultural celebrations, it has been an unforgettable year and I am immensely proud of the contribution that our Ambassadors made to that success.

"As we go into 2013 with a spectacular fireworks display I hope we can build on that energy and enthusiasm to make ours the best big city in the world."

Early celebrations got under way in Edinburgh on Sunday night with a torchlight parade.

A record crowd estimated at 35,000, including 7,000 torch carriers, were led by the massed pipes and drums and the Up Helly Aa' Vikings from Shetland.

The procession made its way through the city streets to the burning of the effigy of a Viking boat and a spectacular Son et Lumiere display on Calton Hill.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hillary Clinton In Hospital With Blood Clot

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been admitted to hospital after the discovery of a blood clot stemming from an accident earlier this month.

Mrs Clinton, 65, initially fell ill with a stomach bug that led to her fainting and sustaining a concussion. Officials had insisted she was recovering.

But her spokesman Philippe Reines said in a statement: "In the course of a follow-up exam today (Sunday), Secretary Clinton's doctors discovered a blood clot had formed, stemming from the concussion she sustained several weeks ago.

"She is being treated with anti-coagulants and is at New York Presbyterian Hospital so that they can monitor the medication over the next 48 hours.

"Her doctors will continue to assess her condition, including other issues associated with her concussion. They will determine if any further action is required."

Mrs Clinton has been off work since her return from her last foreign trip on December 7, although her staff have said she was working from home.

Her lengthy absence from public life had sparked claims from critics that she is trying to avoid testifying in a congressional investigation into a deadly attack on a US mission in Libya.

Earlier this month, the State Department said Mrs Clinton had contracted a bad stomach virus during her five-day stay in Europe. She had to cancel a planned trip to North Africa and Abu Dhabi due to the illness.

A week later, Mrs Clinton's doctors said she had become severely dehydrated due to the effects of the stomach bug and had fainted, suffering a concussion.

They recommended she rest at home and avoid the high-intensity travel she had been accustomed to taking as secretary of state.

Mr Obama (L) announcing Mr Kerry's (R) nomination as secretary of state

Mrs Clinton has flown almost a million miles since taking office four years ago, visited 112 countries and spent some 400 days in a plane.

Her health kept her from giving evidence on December 20 about the attack on the US diplomatic post in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on September 11.

The assault, in which the US ambassador and three other American officials were killed, sparked a political firestorm in the United States, and Republicans criticised Mrs Clinton's absence from the hearings, calling on her to testify in January.

Mrs Clinton, who is due to step down from her post in early 2013, also stayed away from the White House last week when President Barack Obama nominated her replacement, veteran Senator John Kerry.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More