Space shuttle STS-115 launches safely

Space shuttle Atlantis has lifted off safely from Cape Canaveral in Florida. STS-115, commanded by Brent W Jett, lifted off at 15:15 GMT and is the first mission for Atlantis since 2002. It will dock with the International Space Station and NASA is set to continue building the Station, marking the first time in almost four years that a space station component has been added to the orbiting outpost. During their three spacewalks, crew members of Atlantis will install the P3/P4 integrated truss and a second set of solar arrays on the space station, doubling the station’s current ability to generate power from sunlight and adding 17.5 tonnes to its mass. [NASA] 

Terrorism rampant whilst Bush claims victory

Besides President Bush’s declaration that the War on Terror was making headway, the bombing against coalition forces in both Afghanistan and Iraq continue [BBC].

A British soldier has died from wounds received in an attack in Iraq on Tuesday [BBC]. In Afghanistan today a suicide bomber killed 2 US soldier and injured two others. Many civilians were also killed in the blast near a military base in Kabul. The BBC reported at least 16 dead whilst CNN reported around 13 dead in the blasts, though this was later increased. Earlier this week a British soldier was killed by a suicide bomber on the outskirts of the capital. As attacks increase, calls for increased troop numbers have been approved at a NATO meeting in Warsaw, Poland. The number of troops is likely to be in the region of 2,500. It is not clear from which countries the troops will be sent. The number of attacks in the country has risen dramatically over the last few months with at least 90 killed since January.

But it is Iraq which sees the worst violence, death and bloodshed. Bomb attacks occur almost daily and there seems to be no end in sight to the violence. This week also saw an almost symbolic handover of control to the Iraqi forces from the US and other coalition forces based in the country. But they are still small in number and ill equipped to deal with the rise of insurgency they face. The future looks far from certain and William Patey, the outgoing British Ambassador, told the BBC that he was pessimistic for the Iraqi people who themselves had no confidence in their own security services. And today a report revealed that the CIA found there was no link between Al Qaeda’s attacks on September 11th 2001 and Saddam Hussein. CNN reported tonight that there was also no evidence that showed any connection between Al Qaeda in Iraq, and its leader Abu Musab Zarqawi, and the former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. This counters consistent claims by the White House over the past five years.

The dark day in American history which sparked off these continuing conflicts is commemorated this coming Monday. The events of 9/11 have been the subject of a number of documentaries and extensive 9/11 coverage on many networks.

And amidst the saturation coverage controversy surrounds The Path to 9/11, an ABC docu-drama which is set to air on the 10th and 11th of September. A former National Security Adviser Sandy Berger , former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former President Bill Clinton have all criticised their depiction within the programme. ABC claim their programme was as accurate as they could make it but would look into allegations made. One ‘inaccuracy’ in the $40 million drama suggests Bill Clinton was too busy with the Monica Lewinsky scandal to fight terrorism. Former New Jersey governor Thomas Kean, who headed the 9/11 commission and was a paid consultant on the mini-series, said some controversial scenes in The Path to 9/11 were being removed or changed. [The Australian / BBC / CNN]

The 9/11 commemorations will culminate with a speech from President Bush who will speak to the nation on Tuesday 12th September at 01:00 GMT. 

Mao's legacy, thirty years on

Few in China would proclaim the sentiments of this
poster which reads "Mao is the red sun in our heart"

Today is the 30th anniversary of Mao's death [09/09/1976] . But even in death, Mao looms large in China, but mostly as a tourist attraction as thousands visit the mausoleum, in which his body lies, daily. There will be be no commemorations for the former leader, however. China is trying to forget much of Mao’s legacy, and much of his life is being written out of the history books, according to a report today on CNN. The BBC also looks back on the legacy of the former leader and how China has moved on. According to the BBC report, the Communist party has banned open conversation of his life, an indictment to the man that changed the face of China so significantly.

Bush's War on Terror speech not seen by millions

Whilst Tony Blair made speeches confirming his mission to continue his term in office, his key ally George W Bush was making a keynote speech in Atlanta, Georgia.

In a previous speech he has admitted that interrogation techniques employed on terror suspects had resulted in significant leads in the fight against terrorism and that CIA camps around the world did exist [BBC]. However, British viewers have seen little of the Presidents latest series of speeches. BBC showed nothing from today’s speech Live and Sky News also failed to bring viewers any coverage. Even their Sky active service had no link to the Live broadcast. CNN showed a short clip but soon cut back to the studio after a few short minutes. CNNs pipeline service gave only 3 minutes FREE viewing. During part of his ongoing speech, the President said, “We need to do everything we can to stop the next attack”. He added that there had been continued successes in the global War on Terror. “We have killed Zarqawi in Iraq … and we have over 90 nations fighting with us in the War on Terror including the democratically elected governments of Afghanistan and Iraq”. [BBC] 

Blair - "I won't set a precise date"

The speculation and debate over the future for Britain’s Prime Minister is set to continue after he made a brief statement to the media in which he set he would not put a timetable on his leaving office. After a short visit to a school in north London he said, “As I’ve said before, the next party conference will be my last party conference, my next TUC conference will be my last TUC, probably to the relief of both of us” and added, “I’m not going to set a precise date now, I don’t think that’s right. I will do that at a future date, and I will do it in the interests of the country and depending on the circumstances of the time… it’s important for the Labour party to understand that it’s the public that comes first … and we have to get on with business…” [Sky News]

Two more air terror plot suspects remanded

A court has remanded two more suspects connected with the alleged plot to blow up trans-Atlantic planes [BBC]. The two men, Don Stewart Whyte and Mohammed Usman Saddique, were arrested on the 10th August along with 22 others in police raids in London, High Wycombe and Birmingham. Whyte, 20, from High Wycombe, and Saddique, 24, from Walthamstow in London, are both charged with preparing acts of terrorism. Whyte also faces charges of possessing a Baikal 9mm pistol as well as a magazine clip, ammunition and a silencer. Both will reappear at the Old Bailey on the 18th September. Three other suspects held since the 10th August have now been released.

[Charges in Full] 

Blair's future affects FTSE 100 and Pound

Under pressure to resign: Blair's future remains uncertain

After two days of speculation and calls for the Prime Minister’s resignation, Tony Blair is expected to make a statement Thursday afternoon as regards his position. A week ago the Prime Minister said he would not lay out a time table. But he has been under pressure from a number of back bench MPs to go sooner rather than later. Wednesday’s Sun newspaper ran with a front page lead insisting the PM would leave office in May 2007. However No. 10 has denied this. The media frenzy surrounding the Prime Minister’s future has resulted in many arguably more important stories being buried [BBC]. The so called back stabbing within the Labour party has precipitated resignations [BBC] and created divisions in the party which will no doubt be exploited by the opposition in the months to come. Besides a relatively strong economy, a lowering of unemployment figures and the implementation of minimum wages, the Blair government has been highly criticised over its foreign policy. Alignment with the US in the continued War on Terror, and specifically the war in Iraq, is believed by many to be a serious mistake. The gradual decline in standards within the National Health Service has also been seen as a failure over Labour’s 10 years in power. Labour’s popularity stands as 32% compared to 35% for the Conservative party, this according to a poll shown on CNN. The US broadcaster has given some airtime to the story, but BBC 24 and Sky News are covering little else. Helicopter shots of Tony Blair leaving Downing Street, arriving at a school, leaving a school and continuing commentary from ‘experts’ is filling much of the broadcasting today. And all wait with baited breath for the Prime Minister’s statement. All the uncertainty in the meantime is creating a wavering financial market. There are no changes in interest rates but the Pound has fallen along with the FTSE 100 in the wake of the speculation over the Prime Minister’s future. However, the general view is that any losses will be minimal and the financial impact will be short-lived [Reuters]. 

China suffering worst drought in decades

China is suffering the worst drought in decades. Reservoirs are at 33% capacity and 17 million people are without regular drinking water. The economic losses could exceed 6.5 billion yuan ($817 million) according to state news agency, Xinhua. Chongqing is one province hardest hit, but other neighbouring provinces of Guizhou, eastern provinces of Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi and central provinces of Hunan and Hubei have been severely affected [Reuters]. The drought is the worst since 1891 when meteorological records began and baking temperatures of 40C are common place throughout the region [BBC].
The situation is in stark contrast with the floods which hit many parts of south-east China in the last two months which displaced thousands and killed hundreds. In August typhoon Saomai hit China and swept through Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangxi [BBC]. More than one million people had been evacuated prior to Saomai’s landfall, but over 50,000 houses were destroyed and 104 died in the storms wake. In July up to 75 people were killed when typhoon Kaemi swept through Fujian province [BBC]. And also in July tropical storm Bilis killed 500 people, although official figures initially put the death toll at 188 people bringing with it accusations of a cover-up [BBC]. June’s monthly death toll was also high with at least 349 dying in storms. Seasonal heavy rains and typhoons cause hundreds of deaths in China every year. But meteorologists predicted 2006 would be particularly bad, with warm Pacific currents causing more typhoons than usual.
China’s battle with aberrant weather highlights what many have said are the symptoms of ‘global warming’. And today a report was published calling on greater action to tackle the ‘inevitable’. At this year’s annual meeting for the British Association for the Advancement of Science (BA), Frances Cairncross said, "[Climate change] is undoubtedly going to happen on the basis of all we know at the moment” and she urged for immediate action. One of the most thorough reports was done by the International Energy Agency in the summer, and that suggested that even if we threw at climate change all we had at the moment, even if we put it all in place, we would still see a rise in the concentration of emissions … [So] although we've got to continue taking steps to slow it down, we've also got to realise we're going to live in a warmer world." [BBC]. According to the IPCC [International Panel on Climate Change]. The world has warmed by about 0.6 degrees this last century, and the 1990s were the warmest decade on record. Scientists say average global temperatures have varied by less than one degree since the dawn of human civilisation, although they fluctuated much more before that. The IPCC predicts a global rise of between 1.4C and 5.8C by the year 2100. Rising temperatures are thought to cause sea levels to rise as the oceans expand and polar ice melts. The IPCC says sea levels rose between 10 and 20cm worldwide during the 20th Century. And it predicts a further rise of between 9cm and 88cm by 2100. Most mainstream scientists believe that increased emissions of greenhouse cases, particularly carbon dioxide, are contributing to the warming of the planet. CO2 has risen from 290 ppm to more than 370 ppm since 1870 according to UNEP [United Nations Environmental Programme].

British troops & civilians killed in terror attacks

Terror attacks today against British troops and civilians have left four dead and 7 injured.
Two British soldiers have been killed in Iraq and one has been killed in Afghanistan. It comes two days after 14 British service personnel died when their plane, a Nimrod MR2, came down near Kandahar, Afghanistan. In the Iraqi incident a patrol in the southern city of Basra came under small arms fire and an IED attack according to MoD sources [BBC]. In another incident, a base came under attack from mortar rounds. Two other soldiers were also injured in the attack on the patrol. It brings the British casualty numbers to 117 since Operation Iraqi Freedom commenced in March 2003. The coalition body-count now stands at 2,879.

In Afghanistan a bomb attack in Kabul killed four Afghan civilians as well as one British soldier [BBC]. It brings the British death toll to 37 since Operation Enduring Freedom started in 2001 . The total casualty list for all countries involved in the fight against the Taleban is now 468, the majority of which are US troops who have lost 333.

Civilians too have been the target of terrorist attacks. In Amman, the Jordanian capital, a British civilian was amongst a number of people shot by a lone gunman today. According to eyewitnesses the gunman shouted ‘Allahu akbar’ [الله أكبر] God is great, before firing into a crowd of tourists. A British man was killed in the attack, and 5 others were injured; two British women, a New Zealander, a Netherlander and an Australian [BBC]. The city was also the target of a number of bomb attacks in November 2005. Those attacks on three hotels killed sixty. The Foreign Office has warned tourists not to travel to the area warning of a “high threat to terrorism”. 

Afghanistan - Nimrod crashes killing 14

A Nimrod similar to the one that crashed

Fourteen British service personnel have died after their aircraft crashed in Afghanistan. Twelve RAF personnel, a Royal Marine and an Army soldier were on board the RAF Nimrod MR2 which came down in the southern province of Kandahar. The reconnaissance plane, based at RAF Kinloss in Scotland, belonged to the Nato-led force battling the Taleban. UK Defence Secretary Des Browne described the incident as "dreadful and shocking" news and said the indications were it was a "terrible accident". It is not clear what the cause of the crash was and officials said the incident appeared to be an accident. Tony Blair said the incident would "distress the whole country". A total of 36 British service personnel have died in Afghanistan since 2001. [BBC/Sky News/CNN] 

Man barred from flight for wearing Arabic T-shirt

Pictured: Jarrar wearing the 'offending' shirt and
the airline JetBlue which barred him
An architect of Iraqi descent was forced to remove a T-shirt emblazoned with a slogan in Arabic the BBC reported today on its website. Raed Jarrar was told by security officials that his T-shirt, which bore the slogan ‘We Will Not Be Silent’ in both Arabic and English, was offensive and asked him to remove the offending item bore boarding a JetBlue flight bound for California on the 12th August. US transport officials are said to be conducting an inquiry after a complaint from the US Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. JetBlue said it was also investigating the incident but a spokeswoman said: "We're not clear exactly what happened." Jarrar said he was “shocked” by the request. He eventually boarded the flight after he was provided with another T-shirt bought for him. "We Will Not Be Silent" is a slogan adopted by opponents of the war in Iraq and other conflicts in the Middle East. It is said to derive from the White Rose dissident group which opposed Nazi rule in Germany [Parker Studio.com] 

Turkey - Another bomb blast injures 1

Kurdistan - A battleground in four countries
Turkey has been hit by further terror attacks. An explosion in a litter bin has injured at least one person in the northern town of Mersin, Sky News has reported. The blast comes two days after a series of 5 explosions hit Istanbul and southern tourist destinations of Marmaris and Antalya. Three were killed in the Antalya blast on Monday, and at least 20 were injured. Twenty one were injured in the Marmaris blasts, and six others were injured in Istanbul’s Bagcilar district.
The bombings are the latest in a series of attacks by the TAK [Teyrebazen Azadiya Kurdistan] believed linked to the Kurdish separatist group the PKK or the Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan [List of recent attacks]. Ten people have died and more than 120 injured in the last year in the terrorist attacks by the group which seeks to create an independent Kurdish state consisting of south-easternTurkey, north-eastern Iraq, north-eastern Syria and north-western Iran. 

UK terror plot - 15 now charged

Three more terror plot suspects were yesterday charged with conspiracy to murder [The Guardian / BBC]. It brings to date a total of 15 suspects now charged with plotting to blow up trans-Atlantic flights [charged suspect list]. The newly charged suspects, Nabeel Hussain, Mohammed Shamin Uddin and Mohammed Yasar Gulzar, appeared today at Westminster Magistrates Court surrounded by high security. All three were remanded in custody until 4th September. Of the original 24 arrested, four have been released without charge, and five now remain in police custody and continue to be questioned. 

Turkey blasts hit tourists - dozens injured

There have been a series of bomb blasts in Turkey. Early reports have indicated that at least 6 may have been killed according to the mother of one eyewitness and the BBC has reported at least 10 injured. At least three blasts hit tourist areas of Marmaris, a popular tourist area in southern Turkey. A minibus is said to have been destroyed in one blast outside a McDonalds restaurant at around 2 am local time. Two other blasts occurred simultaneously in another nearby tourist resort according to Sky News. There are also reports of an explosion in the capital Istanbul. No claims of responsibility have yet been received. The Foreign Office Helpline is 020 7008 0000 

Fox News crew released unharmed

Two Fox News crew abducted in Gaza on 14th August have been freed CNN has reported. The two journalists, correspondent Steve Centanni and freelance cameraman Olaf Wiig, had been held by a little known group the Holy Jihaad Brigade. Earlier reports had suggested the Fox employees had converted to Islam but has been no official clarification. The Hamas government and even militant groups had condemned the kidnapping and had sought to secure the men’s release. Speaking on CNN Steve Centanni said he was relieved to be free. "I'm fine. I'm just so happy to be free", he said. He said there were time when he felt his life was at risk. "There were times when I thought 'I'm dead,' and I'm not," Centanni said. "I'm fine. I'm so very happy." The release marks the end of the longest kidnap of foreign citizens in the Gaza strip.

Further charges made in terror plot

Umair Hussain, 24, latest to be charged in terror plot

Police have been given more time to question a number of suspects held over a plot to blow up trans-Atlantic flights. And early this evening another of those held was charged. Eleven other suspects already charged in connection with the plot appeared in court on Tuesday. Those proceedings at Westminster magistrates court began with each suspect entering the court dressed in prison issue sweat shirt and tracksuit bottoms. Each spoke only to confirm their names. Eight were charged with conspiracy to murder and were named as Ahmed Abdullah Ali, 25, Arafat Waheed Khan, 25, Osman Adam Khatib, 19, Assad Ali Sarwar, 26, Umar Islam [aka - Brian Young], 28, Ibrahim Savant, 25, Waheed Zaman, 22, Tanvir Hussain, 25. In addition, Cossar Ali, 23, wife of Ahmed Abdullah Ali, and Mehran Hussain, 23, were charged with failing to disclose information. An un-named 17 year old appeared charged with preparing for acts of Terrorism [Charges in Full]. No applications for bail were made and no pleas were made, though it is expected that they will plead not guilty. Tanvir Hussain’s lawyer, Mohammad Zeb, told the court that his client denied all the allegations. The eight charged with conspiracy to murder will reappear on 4th September. The other three will appear on the 29th August. Of the remaining suspects, two have been released without charge [BBC] and 9 remain in police custody and until today had yet to be charged. But at 17:45 GMT Sky News broke with the news that Umair Hussain, 24, had been charged with failure to disclose information. His solicitor said he was "extremely disappointed". More will be published as soon as the information is available. One of those released is Tayib Rauf whose brother, Rashib, remains in custody in Pakistan [BBC]. The coverage of the story has gradually dwindled in the media. The Times and Daily Telegraph in the UK both ran the story on their front pages but many other papers pushed the story deep inside. The increased security measures, put in place after the terror plot was made public, remain [BBC]. And although baggage restrictions have been made less restrictive, the government has ignored calls to reduce the measures further. The ban on hand luggage over a certain size has affected many travellers. Musicians have been particularly hard hit. The BBC World Service reported yesterday that the ban on cellists and violinists taking their instruments on board has resulted in a loss of employment and even threats of legal action where previously booked commitments are unable to be made. One New York orchestra has already cancelled a trip to Edinburgh concert and an appearance at the BBC Proms [BBC]. Advice for those not travelling to the US was to go to Paris via Eurostar and to take flights from there. But for many soloists travelling to the US, the outlook was bleak. Musicians are often unwilling to be parted from their fragile equipment, and leaving such items in the hold would leave it open to damage. The airlines usually offer only around £12 per Kg in compensation and many insurance companies refuse to cover baggage carried in the hold. Other professionals have also been affected including photographers and others carrying expensive and equipment.

171 feared dead in Ukraine plane crash

Up to 171 people on board a Tupolev-154 are feared dead after the plane made an emergency landing in the Ukraine. The plane en-route to St Petersburg came down 40 km north-west of Donetsk. Many are said to be children according to CNN. The crew sent a distress signal at 15:37 Moscow time (11:37 GMT), and the plane disappeared from radar screens at 15:39 (11:39 GMT), Irina Andrianova of Russia's Emergencies Ministry told Itar-Tass news agency. The crash comes less than two months after at least 124 people died when a Russian Airbus A-310 skidded off a runway and burst into flames in the city of Irkutsk in Siberia. [BBC] 

Fox News journalists still held in Gaza kidnapping

There is still no word on the fate of two Fox News journalists kidnapped 8 days ago. They were kidnapped in the Gaza strip. And besides pleas by the family and the New Zealand Ambassador for their release their kidnappers have not made any demands nor indicated their condition. The two journalists are correspondent Steve Centanni and freelance cameraman Olaf Wiig, both taken at gunpoint last Monday. 

Bomb plot suspects appear in court

Eleven suspects charged in connection with plotting to blow up trans-Atlantic flights have appeared in court [BBC]. The proceedings began shortly after midday at Westminster magistrates court today [Tuesday]. Eight have been charged with conspiracy to murder and have been named as Ahmed Abdullah Ali, 25, Arafat Waheed Khan, 25, Osman Adam Khatib, 19, Assad Ali Sarwar, 26, Umar Islam [aka - Brian Young], 28, Ibrahim Savant, 25, Waheed Zaman, 22, Tanvir Hussain, 25. Additionally, Cossar Ali, 23, wife of Ahmed Abdullah Ali, and Mehran Hussain, 23, have been charged with failing to disclose information. An un-named 17 year old has been charged with preparing for acts of Terrorism. The trials are not expected to commence until 2007. Eleven other individuals remain in police custody and have yet to be charged. The story is the main headline today contrasting with many broadcasters’ lead yesterday. British news broadcasters, as well as print media, gave over a large proportion of their coverage to the scandal of ball tampering in the world of cricket. CNN did at least reserve that story for their programme World Sport. Their headlines hinged on the Egyptian train crash [CNN] which killed dozens. Other major stories, a train crash in Spain [CNN] and an explosion in Moscow [BBC], were largely ignored by the media. The issue of Iran will likely come to the fore today. Today Mahmoud Ahmedinejad is expected to respond officially to requests for a cessation of Uranium enrichment. The expected response is likely to be a resounding ‘no’ [CNN]. 

Bomb plot suspects charged

British police have announced that 11 of the 23 arrested in connection with a major bomb plot have been charged with terrorism offences. They have been named as:

Ahmed Abdullah Ali - Conspiracy to Murder
Arafat Waheed Khan - Conspiracy to Murder
Adam Khatib - Conspiracy to Murder
Assad Ali Sarwar - Conspiracy to Murder
Umar Islam [aka - Brian Young] - Conspiracy to Murder
Ibrahim Savant - Conspiracy to Murder
Waheed Zaman - Conspiracy to Murder
Tanvir Hussain - Conspiracy to Murder
Cossar Ali - failure to disclose information
Mehran Hussain - failure to disclose information
un-named17 year old - preparing acts of Terrorism

Speaking at a press conference broadcast on Sky News, BBC 24 and CNN, Susan Hemming of the Crown Prosecution Service said the accused deserved a fair trial and asked that the media be fair and responsible in their reporting. One woman has been released without charge. A further 11 suspects remain under investigation. DAC Peter Clarke from the Metropolitan Police Service told the assembled media that a huge amount of evidence had been gathered both prior to the terror raids and in subsequent searches. He said the evidence gathered at 69 locations in houses, business premises, vehicles and open spaces had unearthed bomb making materials including electronic components and chemicals. He added that the evidence also included so called ‘martyrdom videos’. Data retrieved from 400 computers, 200 mobile phones and 800 data storage devices amounted to 6 terabytes of information [6,000 Gb]. He finished by saying, “Threat from terrorism is real and enduring…and we must not be complacent”.

Terror plot investigations continue

Some of the terror connections already made
British authorities continue to investigate the plot to blow up trans-Atlantic flights this week. Various reports have emerged as searches of properties and areas of woodland have brought up evidence. On Thursday the BBC reported that police had found bomb making materials in woodland in High Wycombe near to where a number of the suspects had been arrested. Police refuse to comment on these and other reports that have appeared in the media [Reuters]. The BBC reported today [Saturday] that police had discovered ‘martyrdom tapes’ in the course of their investigations. A similar claim had also been made in a tabloid newspaper shortly after 24 suspects were arrested on the 10th August. Nineteen of the 24 arrested were named on the Bank of England website after their assets were frozen. They are Abdula Ahmed Ali [25], from Walthamstow, E17, Cossor Ali [23], from Walthamstow, E17, Assan Abdullah Khan [21], from Walthamstow, E17, Waheed Arafat Khan [25] from Walthamstow, E17, Osman Adam Khatib [19], from Walthamstow, E17, Muhammed Usman Saddique [24] from Walthamstow, E17, Ibrahim Savant [25], from Walthamstow, E17, Amin Asmin Tariq [23] from Walthamstow, E17, Waheed Zaman [22] from Walthamstow, E17, Nabeel Hussain [22], from Chingford, E4, Tanvir Hussein [25], from Leyton, E10, Umair Hussein [24], from London, E14, Abdul Muneem Patel [17], from Hackney, E5, Shamin Mohammed Uddin [35], from Stoke Newington, London N16, Umar Islam [28], from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Waseem Kayani [29], from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Shazad Khuram Ali [27], from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Assad Sawar [26], from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, and Tayib Rauf [22], from Birmingham. Of the 24 arrested, one man was released without charge the following day. A further arrest was made on the 15th of August but he too was later released without charge. Police are to continue questioning the remaining 23 suspects until later next week. So far no charges have yet been made and news media are clamoring for information about the known arrested suspects before it becomes a matter of subjudiciary. The plot to blow up planes has also been connected to Pakistan where a number of arrests have been made [BBC].
Rashid Rauf is one of 17 alleged plot suspects reportedly held in Pakistan and is a key focus of investigations. He is the brother of one of the key suspects so far arrested in the UK. The men's father, Abdul Rauf, is also reportedly being questioned by Pakistani officials. He flew to Pakistan for a wedding shortly before his son Rashid was arrested.
The bomb plot and the continued terror threat is creating an air of heightened concern within the airline industry. Even commonplace incidents are making headlines. On Thursday a young boy evaded strict airport security without a passport and was discovered on board an airline [BBC]. In another incident a passenger boarded an aircraft without authorization and was discovered by cleaning staff. He had apparently returned to retrieve items left behind but entered the wrong aircraft. On Wednesday a woman suffering a panic attack caused a terror alert on board a trans-Atlantic flight. The flight was diverted to Boston airport and the aircraft was thoroughly searched. Friday saw a security alert at a US airport and a bomb threat on board an Egypt bound charter flight. One hundred passengers were evacuated from Huntingdon Airport, West Virginia, after initial tests showed traces of explosives on two women’s baggage [BBC]. Subsequent investigations proved negative. In the other incident which was widely covered by CNN, Sky News and the BBC, a Boeing 767 was diverted to Brindisi airport in Italy after a note was found on board. No bomb was found. It is not the first such occasion that a note has caused panic. In 2003 a plane bound for New York from London was diverted to Ireland after a note was found [BBC] and in 2004 a Delta Airlines jet also bound for the US from Germany was diverted to Ireland after a note was found in the toilet [BBC].
The financial cost of these threats and the increased security has been huge. Some airlines, particularly Ryanair, have threatened to bring legal action against the UK government if security restrictions are not relaxed [BBC]. Chief Executive Michael O’Leary said the continued restrictions hand “extremists an enormous PR victory”. The UK government has so far refused to either pay compensation or “compromise security” by rescinding current restrictions on baggage.

Lebanon - A hollow victory for both sides

Besides claims of victory by both Hezbollah and Israel, there were no victors in this conflict, only losers. The Israeli army returned home having lost dozens of soldiers. Their stated mission, which has changed tack from week to week, has also failed. The two kidnapped soldiers which sparked the conflict still have not been released and Hezbollah remain in place besides claims by the Israeli authorities of having killed hundreds of their fighters. Support in Lebanon for the organization also remains strong. As thousands of displaced Lebanese civilians return to their homes they will be greeted by a country destroyed. Huge swathes of Lebanon lays in ruins. Bridges, roads, factories, power stations, homes and lives have been destroyed in 34 days of war. The coastline is bathed in oil, as a direct result of an Israeli air strike on a power station, and may take months to clear up. It may take even longer to rebuild the country as a whole. Longer still to rebuild its economy.
Hundreds of Lebanese civilians have died in the month of Israeli bombardments, many of them innocent children. The anger left in its wake may take years to heal.
In Israel too, many civilians have also died at the receiving end of Hezbollah’s rockets. Many Israelis have been left divided by the conflict. A large proportion have expressed that view that Ehud Olmert, Israel’s Prime Minister, did not push hard enough and his failure to destroy Hezbollah will leave Israel open to further attacks in the future.
Whilst Olmert is suffering the political fallout from the war, others are capitalising from it. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have both made speeches praising Hezbollah’s defence of Lebanon. Their continued belligerence and Iran’s continued defiance of UN resolutions will do nothing to ease tensions with the international community. Iran has until the end of August to comply with the international community’s request that it halts its nuclear fuels enrichment programme. Repercussions for its failure to do so can only be speculated upon. 

Luggage thefts rise after air terror threat

Passengers were forced to repack their hand luggage
but thefts have been reported

Cancellations of flights at Heathrow continue nearly one week after Britain’s terror alert level was raised to critical. Ryanair has criticized the government for a lack of clear instructions and a failing security plan. Thousands have been delayed and others have lost luggage. Thefts from baggage have risen by up to 200% at Gatwick according to one report on LBC on Tuesday. One passenger speaking to Channel Four News said he had lost £1000 of property after taking a flight last week. The BBC reported that there had been 52 thefts at Gatwick in the last week. There were 16 in the same period last year. One Gatwick passenger, Paula Ryan, said she had items stolen from her luggage after flying into the airport's north terminal from Zante, in Greece, on Sunday. She put her handbag with her main bag in the hold of the aircraft but when she arrived, the combination lock was gone and the contents of her handbag had spilled into her main bag. "My mobile phone, sunglasses and other items had been stolen," she told the BBC. "Bags and suitcases were coming onto the carousel slashed, cut, damaged and open with clothes spilling out." At Stansted Airport in Essex there were 12 thefts reported since last Thursday according to Essex Police. Speaking on a London radio station another passenger spoke of her distress as she and her family had to return to their home, without their car, luggage and keys. “We had to break into our own home because we didn’t have our keys” she said. The family were still unaware where their property was, and if they’d ever see it again.

UK - Terror threat 'Severe'

Terror threat has reduced - but travel is far from normal
Britain’s terror alert level has reduced to ‘severe’. But not before hundreds of travellers have suffered hours of delays, cancelled flights and a great deal of inconvenience. Markets have been rocked by the effects of the threat and it has cost airlines millions of pounds in lost revenue. Passengers too have been left with great uncertainty over possible claims of compensation. Many insurance policies do not cover a terrorist threat and so passengers may be left out of pocket. Even as the threat level was reduced, a British Airways flight returned to Heathrow with all 217 passengers, after a mobile phone rang on board. The flight which was already well over the Atlantic Ocean was eventually rescheduled but only after a ban on all luggage [BBC]. No-one admitted to owning the mobile phone on board the plane, flight BA179. As the reduced threat came into force, so too did the restrictions on what passengers might take on board as hand luggage. Apart from Gatwick and Heathrow, passengers may now take some extra items. Passengers can choose what to take on to a plane, but any form of liquid, fluid, lotion or gel will still be banned. Electronic devices, such as laptops, will be permitted but will be thoroughly screened. A medium-sized item of hand luggage will be permitted. This bag will be around half the size of luggage previously admitted [15cm x 35cm x 16cm]. Additionally, searches of passengers and their clothing will be conducted more frequently and are to be carried out by hand or using body scanners [Home Office].
Today, as yesterday passengers are experiencing continued delays. Security also remains high and as well as armed police, ANPR [Automatic Number Plate Recognition] systems have been deployed. The chaotic and confused situations seen last Thursday have subsided and airports have provided clear signage indicating what is and is not allowed aboard aircraft. Additionally plastic bags were being provided for the few items allowed. 

Terror plot hits stocks and duty-free sales

The news of the British terror plot has had an impact across currency, commodity and equity markets overnight. CNN has reported that liquor sales are down at duty-free stores at airports and stocks across the board are down. Sales of alcohol, perfume and other items at airport duty-free shops fell immediately yesterday as passengers stopped buying those items in response to new government restrictions on liquids, gels and creams in carry-on baggage. Experts predict that airport retail shops will continue to suffer in light of yesterday's terror scare that forced passengers to dump their beverages, toothpaste and shampoo before boarding planes. But they expect food vendors and others to benefit from passengers who will face longer airport waits for flights because of the new security measures and have more time to spend money. “But if people become more reluctant to fly, as they did after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, food vendors and others would suffer,” said Bob Goldin, executive vice president of Technomic Inc., a food industry consulting and research firm based in Chicago [Baltimore Sun]. Retailers have much to worry about. Shops and airports generate 25%, or $122.1 million, of Los Angeles Airport revenue; more than 40% of that from food, beverage and duty-free sales. The negative outlook for the aviation industry has helped send oil prices lower, while hurting airline and tourism stocks on European and American share markets. The operators of trans-Atlantic flights such as United and American Airlines have been worst-affected. Bloomberg reported that other major carriers were also affected including Air China and Nippon Airways. "The security threat has escalated since Sept. 11," said Masayuki Kubota, who oversees $2.1 billion at Daiwa SB Investments Ltd. in Tokyo. "The concern for investors is how are economic growth and corporate earnings going to be affected by instability internationally."
The pound sterling and euro have also fallen sharply in value as did the gold price which fell to $US635.18 an ounce. In London, shares in British Airways nosedived more than 5 per cent and the hotel chain, InterContinental, was down more than 3 per cent. At one stage, the FT-100 index was more than 100 points lower. But 24 hours after the terror plot was made public stocks most affected by the news stabilised this morning and have rebounded to post some of the market's largest gains [Daily Telegraph].
Even Oliver Stone’s film World Trade Center could see box office sales drop [Chron.com]. With news of a terrorist plot to blow up in-flight passenger planes, executives at Paramount Pictures considered scaling back advertising for the new Oliver Stone film, World Trade Center, which opened Wednesday this week. Stone's film recounts the harrowing tale of two Port Authority police officers caught under the rubble of the twin towers, which fell after being hit by two planes on Sept. 11, 2001. The film earned $4.4 million at the box office Wednesday, exceeding Paramount's expectations. "The events of yesterday and today make this story even more poignant," Don Harris, executive vice president of distribution at Paramount, a unit of Viacom Inc., said Thursday. "But I don't know whether it helps or hurts."