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A British soldier has died and two others have been wounded in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has said. The soldiers, serving with the Parachute Regiment's 2nd Battalion, came under fire while on patrol. The soldier who died was with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, attached to the Parachute Regiment. The injuries of the other two soldiers are not thought to be life threatening. All next of kin have been informed. The soldier's death, on Tuesday night, takes the number of British military casualties in the country to 111. A statement issued by the MoD said that the...

British Forces in Afghanistan have killed their second senior Taliban leader in a little over two weeks, striking a critical blow to the insurgency's command and control capabilities in Helmand. Scimitar Combat Vehicles Bishmullah was a senior key facilitator and logistician responsible for the Northern Helmand region. He is believed to have commanded numerous fighters and was identified by Task Force Helmand as a key player in the insurgency, and criminality, before the strike. He was killed in a firefight in Now Zad in the early hours of Saturday, 12 July 2008, just 15 days after Sadiqullah, another senior Taliban...

A Welsh stripper who set a car ablaze in Moscow "to cheer himself up" is reportedly being investigated for suspected links to British intelligence. Alistair Penney, a 38-year-old dancer from Cardiff, was detained on Wednesday as he ran from a burning Mercedes Benz in a suburb that has seen a spate of arson attacks on parked vehicles. Police have been investigating at least 32 cases of arson against cars in the Yuzhnoye Butovo district of Moscow over the past month. A video released by Russian police showed Mr Penney apparently confessing to the act. Wearing a broad grin throughout his...

A British soldier was killed and two others injured when a vehicle they were travelling in rolled over while on patrol in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said on Saturday. "The vehicle had been part of a patrol, conducting force protection when the incident occurred. The incident was not combat-related," said the MOD in statement. The three soldiers, who were from the 13 Air Assault Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, were evacuated to NATO's International Security Assistance Force's medical facilities at Camp Bastion... ...The death in Helmand province brings to 109 the number of British troops killed since U.S.-led...

Expensive gas isn't so bad to the "CBS Evening News," as long as it promotes an agenda that caters to left-of-center sensibilities and makes Americans behave more like Europeans. Economists from Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) (NYSE:CM) forecasted $7-a-gallon gas prices by 2010, which according to some analysts would force 10 million vehicles off U.S. roads over four years. CIBC based its prediction on $200-per-barrel oil by 2010. "In fact, by 2012, higher prices could send an additional 10 million vehicles off the road," CBS correspondent Priya David said June 26. Although $7 gas would do the most harm...

ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe has been stripped of his honorary British knighthood as a "mark of revulsion" following recent pre-election violence, the Foreign Office in London said today. Queen Elizabeth II has approved the annulment of the honour - bestowed on Mugabe by the former colonial power 14 years ago - on the recommendation of Foreign Secretary David Miliband. "This action has been taken as a mark of revulsion at the abuse of human rights and abject disregard for the democratic process in Zimbabwe over which President Mugabe has presided," "We can no longer justify an individual who is responsible...

British 9/11 fears over private planes, Government terror adviser warns By Christopher Hope, Home Affairs Editor Last Updated: 9:41PM BST 23/06/2008 Private jets and light aircraft could be used by terrorists to launch attacks on crowds and buildings in Britain, the Government's anti-terror expert has warned. There are an estimated 8,500 private aircraft and up to 500 "landing sites" in Britain, ranging from farmers' fields to regional airports Senior police officers have "real anxiety" about the possibility of terror missions being launched from small airports amid fears over lax security. Jets could be hijacked and used as "vehicle bombs" to...

Sky news poll on Afghanistan http://news.sky.com/skynews/home The Brits’ support in Afghanistan is a good thing. Help support our troops by supporting the Brits’ presence there. Please copy this link to a doc, and vote from your own computer. Often the polls close as soon as they see a Free Republic response. . .

LONDON (AFP) - A British employment tribunal on Monday awarded a Muslim woman 4,000 pounds (8,900 dollars, 5,100 euros) after a hair salon owner refused to employ her because she wears a headscarf. The tribunal dismissed a claim of direct discrimination, but found that woman, Bushra Noah, had suffered indirect discrimination and awarded her the settlement for "injury to feelings". The tribunal owner said she needed stylists to reflect the "funky, urban" image of her central London salon, and that new hires who have conventional hairstyles are requested to re-style it in a more "alternative" way. In its judgement the...

LONDON (AFP) - A 19-year-old man was arrested under British anti-terror laws on Monday in connection with an investigation into a suspect already charged with terror offences, police said. Police detained the man in Bristol and searched his home. His arrest was linked to the probe into 19-year-old Andrew Ibrahim, who was detained in Bristol in April. Following Ibrahim's arrest, police carried out a series of controlled explosions after searching his suburban home. Ibrahim has since appeared in court accused of plotting to commit acts of terror. Details of his alleged offences cannot be reported until a trial takes place....

by Steven Ertelt Bristol, England (LifeNews.com) -- A new report indicates a teenager died just one week after having a legal abortion -- providing more evidence that legal abortions are not safe for women. Manon Jones, an 18-year-old student from Caernarfon, Gwynedd experienced heavy bleeding after the abortion and eventually died. After the abortion, Jones felt light-headed over subsequent days and began experiencing abnormal bleeding. She then became what is believed to be the fourteenth woman to have died after using the dangerous abortion drug

Three British soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan, bringing the number of dead to 100. The three soldiers from 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment were on a routine foot patrol in the Upper Sangin Valley in Helmand Province on Sunday when a suicide bomber struck. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "Four soldiers were injured in the attack and were evacuated to the medical facility at Camp Bastion. "Sadly, one soldier was pronounced dead on arrival and despite the best efforts of the medical team, two of the soldiers died as a result of their wounds. "A fourth soldier is...

"Battle of Qarat-e-Hazrat" ended in a rout. As last light crept in, red tracers, zipped 10ft above A Company, 3rd Bn The Parachute Regiment. "None of the British will leave that compound alive," local intelligence reported earlier. Major Jamie Loden told village elders the Taliban "fight like women" and if they were men "they would dare to fight us". Two hours later mortar rounds and bullets rained down on the Paras'.Capt Andy Mallet said mortars landed 20 yards from his position and tracers "were winging past my eyes". In the desperate opening moments they struggled to hold them back. "The...

US to demand 72hrs notice for British tourists By Andy Bloxham Last Updated: 12:50AM BST 03/06/2008 British visitors to the United States will have to register their trip with the American government 72 hours before they leave under new plans. All travellers from countries which do not currently require a visa will be forced to tell the Americans that they are coming. The rule is intended to bolster US security and was expected to be announced today by Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff. The move is likely to renew the worries of big business in Europe that deal-clinching, last-minute flights...

The British and Irish culture of street violence Who's really more violent?By Christopher CookIf I had a dollar for every time a Brit has told me that our "gun culture" makes us "uncivilized"...... This tragic story caught my eye this morning...Teen Actor in Upcoming 'Potter' Film Stabbed to Death in Bar Brawl: LONDON — A teenage actor who is to appear in the new 'Harry Potter' film was stabbed to death Saturday during an early morning barfight. Robert Knox, 18, was murdered outside the Metro bar in southeast London as he tried to protect his brother Jamie, 17, from a...

It was more an embarrassment than a ship. Nearly 20 years old, its single tall funnel poked out above dilapidated decks and scarred paintwork. It was heading for the breaker’s yard until the Haganah, the Jewish underground, bought it. Now, loaded with more than 4,500 Jewish refugees, many of them Holocaust survivors, it was approaching the Palestinian port of Haifa and its moment of destiny. Its commander that July day in 1947 was Yossi Harel, who has died at 90. The ship was the USS President Warfield but Harel had renamed it Exodus 1947. Nearing Haifa it was pursued by...

British soldier has been killed and three others injured in an explosion in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has said. Their vehicle hit a mine while on a routine patrol in Helmand province in the south of the country. The four soldiers were from the Household Cavalry Regiment. The next of kin have been informed. The death brings the number of UK troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 95.

aring, the first of the Royal Navy's Type 45 Destroyers, has successfully tracked a Typhoon aircraft from Manchester to the west coast of Scotland as part of the second stage of her sea trials. During the five week trial the 7,350 tonne vessel has completed all power and propulsion testing, as well as a series of tests in open water off the west coast of Scotland which included extensive Long Range Radar and navigation systems trials, medium calibre gun blast trials and weapon alignment tests. Combat System trials have seen good performance across a wide range of equipment and numerous...

A battalion of 600 British troops will be sent to Kosovo, Defence Secretary Des Browne has announced. It follows a Nato request for extra soldiers to maintain public order in the newly independent country. Britain is responsible for providing the body's standby reserve force for the first six months of this year. The soldiers, from 2nd Battalion, The Rifles, will be deployed to Kosovo from the end of May for one month to help Nato with peacekeeping activities. There are currently 150 British troops working in Kosovo. This latest deployment comes in response to a Nato request to deal with...

New anti-terrorism rules 'allow US to spy on British motorists' By Toby Helm and Christopher Hope Last Updated: 3:06am BST 21/04/2008 Routine journeys carried out by millions of British motorists can be monitored by authorities in the United States and other enforcement agencies across the world under anti-terrorism rules introduced discreetly by Jacqui Smith. The discovery that images of cars captured on road-side cameras, and "personal data" derived from them, including number plates, can be sent overseas, has angered MPs and civil liberties groups concerned by the increasing use of "Big Brother" surveillance tactics. Images of private cars, as well...

A British soldier has been killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. The soldier, from the Queens Royal Lancers Regiment, died after a suspected minestrike on his vehicle on Monday morning. It takes the number of UK troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 94. A second soldier hurt in the blast is being treated in field hospital. The MoD said the dead soldier's next of kin had been informed. The soldier was providing security to a supply convoy travelling from the town of Gareshk in Helmand province. The vehicles were returning to the...

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has denounced the opposition and former colonial power Britain in his first speech since the disputed elections. "Down with thieves who want to steal our country," he told crowds marking 28 years of independence. The outcome of the presidential poll is unclear but the high court has rejected an opposition bid to stop a recount. Meanwhile, South African dock workers are refusing to unload a shipment of arms from China destined for Zimbabwe. The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union said it did "not agree with the position of the government not to intervene". Reports...

Pytheas visited the Isle of Man in 300BC - claim ANCIENT GREEK: The explorer Pytheas By ADRIAN DARBYSHIRE AN Ancient Greek explorer's extraordinary voyage took him to the Isle of Man 300 years before the birth of Christ, new research claims. Scientist and geographer Pytheas (pronounced Puth-e-as) is now believed to have visited the Island in about 325BC to take sun measurements during a three-year voyage – the first recorded circumnavigation of the British Isles. Pytheas was born in the Greek settlement of Massalia, now Marseille, about 360BC and was a contemporary of Alexander the Great (356-323BC). Marseille at that...

Two servicemen from the RAF Regiment were killed in a roadside blast in southern Afghanistan, according to the Ministry of Defence. The pair died during the explosion in Kandahar Province on Sunday 13 April at 1848 local time, the MoD said. Two other service personnel were injured in the incident, which took place during a routine patrol 1.2 miles (2km) west of Kandahar Airfield. Next of kin of all those involved have been notified. The deaths bring the number of UK service personnel killed in Afghanistan to 93.

In Basra the signs of the feared militia are slowly receding. For the first time in years alcohol vendors are selling beer close to army checkpoints, and ringtones praising the rebel cleric Hojatoleslam Moqtada al-Sadr are vanishing from mobile phones. Music shops are once again selling pop tunes instead of the recorded lectures of Shia ayatollahs. But, as the city cautiously comes back to life after an offensive by Iraqi troops backed by hundreds of US soldiers, there is a lingering resentment towards the British Army. Many here blame the British for allowing the al-Mahdi Army and other militias to...

The summer of 2006 was a violent time in Helmand province. Now, just 18 months after they went through some of the most intense fighting in decades, the Parachute Regiment is back in southern Afghanistan. The 16 Air Assault Brigade has taken over Nato command in Helmand from 52 Brigade and they arrived to a different war - still dangerous but in a different way. Then they fought for their lives, surrounded in small town centres and attacked day and night by a determined Taleban force more numerous and well armed than commanders expected. The British forces were never supposed...

The first of the UK military's tough new 'Jackal' 4x4 patrol vehicles have been put through their paces in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan. The introduction into service of up to 100 of the new vehicles will mark a significant improvement on the capabilities of the current weapons platform, the Land Rover-based Weapons Mounted Installation Kit (WMIK), for UK forces on the front line.

British fear US commander is beating the drum for Iran strikes By Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent Last Updated: 1:53am BST 05/04/2008 British officials gave warning yesterday that America's commander in Iraq will declare that Iran is waging war against the US-backed Baghdad government. A strong statement from General David Petraeus about Iran's intervention in Iraq could set the stage for a US attack on Iranian military facilities, according to a Whitehall assessment. In closely watched testimony in Washington next week, Gen Petraeus will state that the Iranian threat has risen as Tehran has supplied and directed attacks by militia...

Two British soldiers have been killed in an explosion in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. The two members of 40 Commando, Royal Marines, were on a routine patrol on Sunday when they were hit by what is thought to be a roadside bomb. Their deaths in Helmand province bring the number of UK service personnel killed in Afghanistan to 91, all but five of them in the last two years. Next of kin have been informed of the latest two deaths. The spokesman for Helmand task force said they were investigating the cause of the blast, which could...

A Royal Marine who threw himself onto an exploding grenade to save the lives of his patrol has been put forward for the UK's highest military honour. Lance Corporal Matt Croucher, 24, a reservist from Birmingham, survived because his rucksack and body armour took the force of the blast. He was part of a reconnaissance troop in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in February, when the incident happened. The Ministry of Defence said he could be considered for the Victoria Cross.

British TV crew 'spread deadly flu to remote Peruvian tribe' By Nick Allen Last Updated: 6:56pm GMT 26/03/2008 A British production company making a reality television show in the Peruvian Amazon has been accused of starting a flu epidemic which allegedly killed four members of a remote native tribe and left many others seriously ill. Indigenous communities blamed researchers from London-based Cicada Films for the outbreak in the isolated Matsigenka tribe where people had previously had little contact with Western diseases. The company has flatly denied its two-strong team was responsible, insisting they did not visit the area hit by...

A British soldier has been killed during a firefight in Iraq, the Ministry of Defence said. The soldier died from gunshot wounds after clashes in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The soldier's family have been informed. They have asked that no further information about the soldier be released, the MoD said. It is understood the soldier's death is not linked to operations in Basra. There is no indication of where the incident took place. An MoD spokesman said: "It is with deep regret that the MoD must announce the death of a British soldier in Iraq. "The soldier died...

A British soldier killed in Iraq was an SAS trooper fighting in Baghdad, Sky sources understand. The Ministry of Defence have confirmed a soldier died as a result of wounds sustained during an Iraq firefight, but have not confirmed the exact location.

Commando who fought off 70 Taliban in Afghanistan is honoured in secret By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent Last Updated: 1:56am GMT 22/03/2008 A British commando has secretly received one of the highest decorations for bravery for tackling 70 Taliban fighters after two colleagues were killed during an ambush. The sergeant, who cannot be named to protect his identity, was part of a 16-man team of Special Forces conducting a "snatch operation" to capture four Taliban leaders near Sangin in the north of the British zone in Afghanistan. The firefight took place on June 27 2006, but the award of a...

"This is not merely a tale of the elderly and a time long past, but rather it is a memorial and indicator along the path to the independence of Cypriots and Jews." Monuments help us to remember or prevent us from forgetting. We choose who and what to commemorate and the cumulative result constitutes our shared public memory. At a time when the Holocaust moves from lived experience to historical phenomenon in the memories of succeeding generations, the function and significance of memorials becomes increasingly important in the drive to “never forget.” Monuments and memorials serve to mourn, to honor...

The Army has launched a publicity campaign costing an estimated £2m to encourage public support for UK soldiers. (note to thread: the next point are ones that I have picked out from larger article. You can view the entire article @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7300626.stm)Rikstir ...The campaign, which is being launched just days before the fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion and is entitled "To the Best", aims to share stories of the work troops do. It includes a website where messages of support can be left... ...Last year, Gen Sir Richard Dannatt, the head of the Army, expressed concerns about "the growing...

UK Defence Secretary Des Browne is visiting the Iraqi city of Basra. The Ministry of Defence confirmed Mr Browne was on a "general visit" to the country, but declined to say how long he would be there. Prime Minister Gordon Brown went to the UK base in Basra, in the south of the country, last November. There are currently about 4,000 UK troops in the area. The Iraqi government took responsibility for Basra province's security in December. Mr Browne's visit was revealed after the Al Iraqiya station broadcast live footage of him attending a business conference. 'Highly unlikely' Last October...

The costs of military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq this year are likely to almost double to £3.297bn, a committee of MPs has warned. The Commons defence committee said operational costs for this financial year were now forecast to reach £3.297bn - a 94% increase on last year. This included a 72% rise in spending on Iraq to £1.648bn, despite ongoing falls in troop numbers. Last year's total spending on the two conflicts was £1.698bn. The cost of the Afghan conflict would rise 122% to £1.649bn this year, the MPs said. 'Better information' While the committee recommended that the House...

They all made a pact before they went to war. Whatever happened to them in Afghanistan no one - dead or alive - would be left behind. One night in Helmand Province, that pledge was put to the test. In a terrifying split second, the close-knit group from one of the Army's most battle-scarred units came under fire from a hail of Taliban bullets and rocket-powered grenades. Four men were hit and several others temporarily blinded by phosphorus. Their screams of pain cut through the darkness as the ambushed platoon was pinned down by gunfire from two sides. But the...

The heroism of a Royal Air Force Regiment patrol that stubbornly refused to submit during an ambush by Iraqi insurgents near Basra has been recognised with a number of personnel honoured in the Operational Honours and Awards List published today, Friday 7 March 2008.... When 1 Squadron RAF Regiment came under a hail of gunfire that lasted 90 minutes, despite withering firepower from more than a dozen rooftop locations, the Regiment gunners fought their way out carrying a shot comrade and another who had been mortally wounded. Leading Aircraftman Martin Beard died during the battle in August 2007 as he...

The heroism of a Royal Air Force Regiment patrol that stubbornly refused to submit during an ambush by Iraqi insurgents near Basra has been recognised with a number of personnel honoured in the Operational Honours and Awards List published today, Friday 7 March 2008. When 1 Squadron RAF Regiment came under a hail of gunfire that lasted 90 minutes, despite withering firepower from more than a dozen rooftop locations, the Regiment gunners fought their way out carrying a shot comrade and another who had been mortally wounded. Leading Aircraftman Martin Beard died during the battle in August 2007 as he...

British sense of fair play proven by science By Roger Highfield, Science Editor Last Updated: 7:01pm GMT 06/03/2008 The British sense of fair play has been scientifically proven by experiments held in 16 cities which show that, by comparison, the Russians and Greeks thirst for revenge. The idealised games held around the world have shed new light on the way in which people co-operate for the common good - and what happens when they don't. The research published today in the journal Science shows that taking revenge is more common in relatively corrupt and undemocratic traditional societies based on authoritarian...

Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious has completed a successful visit to Malta, the first time she has visited the island since 2005. Illustrious is currently en route to the Indian Ocean as part of the Orion 08 deployment, following hot on the heels of three other Orion 08 ships, HMS Westminster, SPS Mendez Nunez and USS Cole. Illustrious was accompanied to Malta by Portsmouth-based destroyer HMS Edinburgh, the combined ships' companies of over 1,000 sailors lining the upper decks as they entered Grand Harbour to the sound of a three gun salute. Illustrious and Edinburgh are now continuing their...

Contracts for the supply of 65 million pounds worth of steel, for the construction of the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers have been announced today, Tuesday 4 March 2008, by Minister for Defence Equipment and Support Baroness Taylor. The supply of over 80,000 tonnes of steel from Corus for the manufacture of the two ships, with an estimated value of £65 million, is the same amount required for Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 and three times that for Wembley Stadium. he UK is procuring two new Aircraft Carriers for the Royal Navy - HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince Of...

LONDON (AFP) - Eight British soldiers have been forced to return home from Norway after they reportedly stripped naked and urinated on each other in a bar during an Arctic training exercise, the defence ministry confirmed Tuesday. "It's being taken extremely seriously," a spokesman for the defence ministry in London said. He continued: "We can confirm that eight soldiers from 59 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers were arrested by the Norwegian police following inappropriate behaviour. "All eight soldiers have been released, having paid a fine. The soldiers were in Norway on exercises and have now returned to the UK. "The unit...

A British airman has died following a rocket attack on a military base in Basra, southern Iraq. The serviceman, attached to the Royal Air Force's 903 Expeditionary Air Wing, was killed in the attack at about 2130 local time (1830 GMT) on Friday. The serviceman's family has been informed, said the Ministry of Defence. The death takes the number of UK troops killed in Iraq to 175. The last fatality was a member of 1st Battalion The Scots Guards, killed in December. British troops transferred control of Basra province to the Iraqi authorities later the same month, four and a...

A SPECIAL forces hero gave his life in a daring bid to save 15 comrades — after they were cornered by SEVENTY Taliban gunmen next to a bridge.... The courage of the SBS commando — during a secret Afghan operation in which a captain was also killed — was revealed for the first time yesterday at an inquest into their deaths a year and a half ago.

An RAF fast jet pilot has traded his Tornado GR4 aircraft for an F15 after taking up an exchange appointment with the United States Air Force (USAF). RAF Lossiemouth's Flight Lieutenant Chris Ball is now deployed in southern Afghanistan as the US military target Taliban strongholds in the mountainous region along the Afghan/Pakistan border. Working alongside pilots from 336 Fighter Squadron F15, Flt Lt Ball is flying night operations out of the former Soviet airbase at Bagram, north of Kabul, helping to police the notorious border with Pakistan. The former RAF Lossiemouth XV (R) Squadron pilot and his US navigator...

Royal Marines from 40 Commando have destroyed a drugs factory in the Upper Sangin Valley along with 1.5 tonnes of morphine base - the precursor of heroin. The Commandos from Bravo Company discovered compounds in Sapwan Kala that contained a major drugs lab. They also uncovered evidence - some in English - of bank accounts, along with a weapons cache and identity cards. Part of Operation GHARTSE DAGGER, Bravo Company's 4 Troop began clearing through compounds in the north of Sapwan Kala at first light, talking to villagers as they went, hoping to find evidence of the heroin trade. Second...

A TALIBAN chief behind suicide attacks on British troops has been shot dead in a daring operation by elite forces in Afghanistan. The Special Boat Service ambushed Mullah Abdul Matin as he crossed a desert on a motorbike. They were dropped into his path by helicopter after a tip-off on his whereabouts. Matin spotted them and opened fire with an AK47 rifle but he was cut down in a hail of bullets. Two henchmen with him – one his key lieutenant Mullah Karim Agha – were also killed in the firefight. Matin, who was in his 40s, was killed on...