Diberdayakan oleh Blogger.

Popular Posts Today

Russia's Khodorkovsky 'Glad' To Be Free

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 21 Desember 2013 | 16.15

A Russian oil tycoon has denied that he had admitted guilt in his request for a presidential pardon after being released from a prison camp.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who was once the richest man in the country, was freed within an hour of the Kremlin publishing a decree and boarded a flight to Berlin, where his ill mother is being treated.

In the first statement since his release, Mr Khodorkovsky said: "On November 12, I turned to the president of Russia with a request for a pardon associated with family circumstances, and am glad about the positive decision. The issue of my guilt was not addressed."

Mr Khodorkovsky has been in prison since 2003 after being convicted in two trials on charges including fraud and embezzlement.

Miikhail Khodorkovsky Mr Khodorkovsky spent a decade behind bars

He previously said he would not request a presidential pardon because he would be seen to be admitting guilt.

However, the newspaper Kommersant reported that he changed his mind after a meeting with Russian security services, who raised the possibility of a third trial and warned him that his mother's health was deteriorating.

"This conversation, which was conducted without lawyers, forced Mr Khodorkovsky to turn to the president," the article said.

He also thanked former German foreign minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, who was the top diplomat of West Germany and then Germany from 1974-1992, for aiding his release.

(FILES) Russian President Vladimir Putin Mr Putin meets Mr Khodorkovsky at the Kremlin in May 2001

Berlin worked "behind the scenes" for Mr Khodorkovsky release, said German chancellor Angela Merkel.

Mr Putin surprised journalists at the end of his annual end-of-year news conference on Thursday by announcing that he was planning to pardon Mr Khodorkovsky.

"Guided by humanitarian principles, I decree that Mikhail Borisovich Khodorkovsky ... should be pardoned and freed from any further punishment in the form of imprisonment," his decree said.

The circumstances surrounding the pardon remained unclear.

Mikhail Borisovich Khodorkovsky prison Mr Khodorkovsky has been held at a prison camp in Segezha, northwest Russia

A Russian government source said freeing his best-known and potentially most powerful critic could deflect international complaints about Vladimir Putin's human rights record as Russia prepares to host the Winter Olympics at Sochi in seven weeks.

He fell out with Mr Putin as the president clipped the wings of wealthy oligarchs who had become powerful during the chaotic years of Boris Yeltsin's rule following the collapse of Soviet communism.

Mr Khodorkovsky has given no indication of his future plans, saying only he wanted to meet his loved ones.

"I am very much looking forward to the minute when I will be able to embrace my loved ones and personally shake hands with all my friends and associates," he said.

"First of all I am going to repay my debt to my parents, my wife and my children, and I am very much looking forward to meeting them.

"I will welcome the opportunity to celebrate this upcoming holiday season with my family."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Obama: NSA Spying Sweeps May Be Reviewed

President Barack Obama has suggested that surveillance methods used by US intelligence services may be reviewed following further spying revelations.

According to documents leaked by the whistleblower Edward Snowden, Britain and America monitored EU officials and the Israeli Prime Minister.

Speaking at a news conference at the White House, Mr Obama suggested that he may be ready to make some changes to the way phone records are collected.

Among dozens of recommendations he is considering, he hinted that he may strip the National Security Agency of its ability to store data in its own facilities and instead shift that storage to private phone companies.

"There are ways we can do it potentially, that gives people greater assurance that they're checks and balances, that there is sufficient oversight, sufficient transparency," Mr Obama said.

The new documents leaked by Mr Snowden reveal heads of state and international organisations were the focus of US and British spies.

The agents targeted a senior European Union official, German government buildings, and the office of a former Israeli prime minister, according to the papers published on Friday.

Other targets from 2008 to 2011 included foreign energy companies and aid organisations, according to The Guardian and The New York Times, citing secret documents from the former NSA contractor.

Mr Snowden's leaks have exposed the reported surveillance activities of the NSA and its British counterpart GCHQ, the alleged extent of which has upset many US allies and fuelled a heated debate about the balance between privacy and security.

US-ISRAEL-POLITICS-OLMERT Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert

He is living in Russia under temporary asylum.

The newspapers reported that in January 2009, GCHQ and the NSA had targeted an email address listed as belonging to the Israeli prime minister, who at the time was Ehud Olmert.

Spies also monitored email traffic between then-Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak and his chief of staff, Yoni Koren, the newspapers said.

Other targets were said to include the United Nations Children's Fund, French aid organisation Medecins du Monde, French oil and gas firm Total, and French defence company Thales Group.

An NSA spokeswoman said the agency did not use espionage to help US businesses.

"We do not use our foreign intelligence capabilities to steal the trade secrets of foreign companies on behalf of - or give intelligence we collect to - US companies to enhance their international competitiveness or increase their bottom line," the spokeswoman said.

The European Commission said if it was true one of its senior officials had been targeted it would be "unacceptable".

"This piece of news follows a series of other revelations which, as we clearly stated in the past, if proven true, are unacceptable and deserve our strongest condemnation," a spokesman said.

The Guardian said the disclosure that GCHQ had targeted German government buildings in Berlin was embarrassing for British Prime Minister David Cameron since he had signed an EU statement condemning the NSA's spying on Chancellor Angela Merkel.

GCHQ said it was aware of the reports but did not comment on intelligence matters.

A spokesman said: "Our work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework which ensures that our activities are authorised, necessary and proportionate."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lockerbie Anniversary: PM Praises Victims

David Cameron has paid tribute to the "fortitude and resilience" of those affected by the Lockerbie bombing as memorial services marking the 25th anniversary of the atrocity take place today.

Pan Am flight 103 was on its way from London to New York when it exploded above Lockerbie, in southern Scotland, on the evening of December 21 1988, killing 270 people - everyone on board and 11 on the ground.

The Prime Minister described it as "one of the worst aviation disasters in history and the deadliest act of terrorism" ever committed in the UK.

He said: "Though 25 years have passed, memories of the 243 passengers, 16 crew and 11 Lockerbie residents who lost their lives on that terrible night have not dimmed.

megrahi Eleven people were killed on the ground in Lockerbie

"Over the last quarter of a century much attention has been focused on the perpetrators of the atrocity. Today our thoughts turn to its victims and to those whose lives have been touched and changed by what happened at Lockerbie that night.

"To families, friends, neighbours, loved ones, and all those caught up in the painful process of recovery, let us say to them: our admiration for you is unconditional. For the fortitude and resilience you have shown. For your determination never to give up. You have shown that terrorist acts cannot crush the human spirit. That is why terrorism will never prevail.

"And even in the darkest moments of grief, it is possible to glimpse the flickering flame of hope."

Memorial events attended by politicians, officials, families and members of the community will take place in Lockerbie, London and in the US where most of the 270 victims were from.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Lord Wallace, Advocate General for Scotland, will attend a wreath-laying ceremony at Dryfesdale Cemetery in the Dumfries and Galloway town.

Mr Salmond said: "As the community of Lockerbie marks the milestone, memorial events will be held in Westminster Abbey, Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and at Syracuse University which lost 35 students in the bombing.

Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi was the only man convicted of the bombing Abdelbaset al Megrahi was the only person to be convicted of the bombing

"But, inevitably, a focus of the day will be on the memorial in Lockerbie and it is there that I will pay my respects and condolences on behalf of the people of Scotland."

Libyan Abdelbaset al Megrahi was found guilty of the bombing in January 2001 and given a life sentence.

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008, leading to a decision to free him under compassionate release rules.

Scotland's Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill took that decision on August 20 the following year, sparking a row among politicians on both sides of the Atlantic.

Megrahi died in Tripoli, Libya in May last year.

Despite the guilty verdict and Megrahi's decision to drop a subsequent appeal against conviction, politicians, campaigners and families of victims are still dealing with the impact, with some of the British relatives considering another appeal against his conviction when they meet with lawyers in the new year.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

South Sudan Evacuations Amid Deadly Violence

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 20 Desember 2013 | 16.15

A second flight will be sent to evacuate Britons fleeing fighting in South Sudan, after three United Nations peacekeepers were killed amid escalating violence.

The three Indian soldiers were killed when armed youths breached a UN compound in the country's Jonglei state.

The government says it has lost control of the region's capital, Bor, and fighting continues to spread through the newly-formed East African state following a reported coup attempt in national capital Juba on Sunday.

An estimated 20,000 people have sought refuge at two UN compounds in Juba, and another 14,000 in Bor.

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir gestures during a news conference in Juba President Salva Kiir, above, blamed the coup on his ousted vice president

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has strongly advised all remaining British nationals to leave the country as fears grow that it may prove difficult to get out if the situation continues to deteriorate.

One group of British nationals has already left on a Foreign Office flight and a second is due to leave from the city.

An FCO spokesman said: "The UK plans to send a second flight to South Sudan to evacuate British nationals who wish to leave from Juba airport on Friday December 20, following the evacuation of some British nationals on December 19.

"We strongly advise all British nationals in South Sudan to leave the country if they can do so safely. You may have difficulty leaving in the event of a further deterioration in security."

US President Barack Obama has deployed 45 military personnel to help bolster security at the US Embassy. Non-emergency government personnel were ordered to leave earlier this week.

In a written statement, he said: "South Sudan stands at the precipice. Recent fighting threatens to plunge South Sudan back into the dark days of its past."

The United Nations has estimated that up to 500 people have been killed in fighting between rival factions following the coup attempt against the president by soldiers loyal to his former deputy, Riek Machar.

South Sudan's numerous ethnic groups have battled each other for decades.

On Sunday, violence broke out when the presidential guard splintered along ethnic lines.

Guards from the president's majority Dinka tribe tried to disarm guards from the Nuer ethnic group, triggering violence in the capital which has extended out into the country.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Woolwich Killer Adebolajo 'A Hero' In Kenya

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, in Mombasa

The young man, who we believe is an al Shabaab recruit, glared at me.

"If it wasn't for the cleric being here with us, I would cut off your head," he said.

His view is not unusual among his particular Muslim group in the Kenyan coastal town of Mombasa.

Michael Adebolajo is accused of the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich Michael Adebolajo was found guilty of murdering soldier Lee Rigby

Here, Michael Adebolajo is considered a hero, while British soldiers and even, in some quarters, British people, are considered justifiable targets because of what is perceived to be the British Government's aggressive involvement in Islamic countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq.

It is the same terror network which British intelligence believes Adebolajo plugged into when he set off from south London to try to join the al Shabaab fighting brigade in Somalia in 2010.

It is the same network and the same people which the British woman Samantha Lewthwaite, also known as the White Widow, connected with and moved amongst. Lewthwaite is being hunted by Interpol in connection with a string of terror incidents in Kenya.

Mulsim leader Makaburi, whose real name is Abubaker Shariff Ahmed Influential Muslim leader Makaburi says Britain is "at war" with Islam

The cleric he is referring to tells me he isn't a cleric, although everyone else says he is.

He is undoubtedly an influential leader and he has delivered several speeches inside a number of mosques. He is known by most people in Kenya as Makaburi, meaning grave in Swahili, although his real name is Abubaker Shariff Ahmed.

He is named by the United Nations as a recruiter and facilitator of al Shabaab. His response to that accusation when I put it to him is always: "Let them prove it. There is no proof whatsoever I even know anyone from al Shabaab."

His views, and those of the young men who dote on his words, are astonishingly similar to the 'defence' put up in court by Adebolajo: that he, and others like him, are soldiers of Allah, fighting a Holy war.

Sky's Alex Crawford meets an alleged al Shabaab recruit in Kenya Sky's Alex Crawford meets the alleged al Shabaab recruit

So the young man in front of us tells us with absolute conviction: "Britain is killing Muslims all over the world - in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Pakistan. We are just defending ourselves. Adebolajo is a hero and he will receive glory from Allah."

And in Kenya, a significant number of Muslims feel persecuted and vulnerable.

They are the ones who are bitterly opposed to Kenya's military involvement across the border in Somalia, where soldiers are trying to stop the flood of al Shabaab recruits from crossing the border.

Senior Supt Samuel Obara, the head of Lamu East Border Police Police chief Samuel Obara says border security is an international problem

They believe Britain's support of that action - in words as well as in deeds through their training of Kenyan troops - justifies attacks against British soldiers, British targets, British interests.

Al Shabaab's claim that it carried out the attack on the Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi in September which killed nearly 70 people has made some Muslims in Kenya only feel more at risk and hunted.

It has resulted in much more intensive attention on the activities on the coast in Mombasa and further afield in Lamu County - the favoured route for radicalised youths to travel through to Somalia.

The residents of Faza island on the Lamu archipelago where Adebolajo stayed when he was trying to reach Somalia were very reluctant to talk to us. The few who did spoke in no uncertain terms about how virulently against al Shabaab they are.

The island is very much off the tourist trail. It is undeveloped and remote. A perfect cover for those who want to disappear under the authorities' radar and make their way to Somalia. It seems inconceivable that a young man from south London would be able to get around without some help and guidance.

Map of Kenya and Somalia showing Lamu The route from Lamu County into Somalia is favoured by radicalised youths

Senior Supt Samuel Obara, the head of Lamu East Border Police, told Sky News the border - part water and part land - is porous and difficult to monitor.

"We need international help," he said. "This is an international problem and we need other countries to help us."

He went onto say many of the border villages and towns were now 'cleansed' of al Shabaab.

"You can walk around here safely now," he said.

But he admits it is still being used as a route by extremists wanting to reach al Shabaab in Somalia, and British intelligence services believe there are several hundred Britons with links to the terror network.

Most have gone on to fight in Syria but there are concerns about those who may return to Britain, like Adebolajo, to carry out attacks on home territory.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Russia: Khodorkovsky Freed After Putin Pardon

Mikhail Khodorkovsky has been freed from a Russian prison camp after receiving a pardon from the country's president Vladimir Putin.

The Interfax news agency said the former oil tycoon was released within an hour of the Kremlin publishing a decree.

"Guided by humanitarian principles, I decree that Mikhail Borisovich Khodorkovsky... should be pardoned and freed from any further punishment in the form of imprisonment," the document said.

"This decree comes into force from the day of its signing."

Mr Putin surprised journalists at the end of his annual end-of-year news conference on Thursday by announcing that he was planning to pardon Mr Khodorkovsky.

The 50-year-old former Yukos oil tycoon has been in prison since 2003 after being convicted in two trials on charges including fraud and embezzlement.

Human rights groups criticised both trials and have said they considered Mr Khodorkovsky a political prisoner.

The circumstances surrounding the pardon remained unclear.

Mr Khodorkovsky, once the richest man in Russia, previously said he would not request one because he would be seen to be admitting guilt.

However, the newspaper Kommersant reported that he changed his mind after a meeting with Russian security services, who raised the possibility of a third trial and warned him that his mother's health was deteriorating.

"This conversation, which was conducted without lawyers, forced Mr Khodorkovsky to turn to the president," the article said. 

Mr Khodorkovsky gained considerable political influence under President Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s as one of the so-called "oligarchs" who surrounded the ailing leader.

However, when Mr Putin became president in 2000, their influence quickly faded.

Economic and political analysts said the announcement was an attempt by Russia to improve its human rights record and international image ahead of the Winter Olympics in February.

Meanwhile, a Kremlin-backed bill is set to allow a group of Greenpeace activists and two Pussy Riot protesters to be be freed.

The amnesty laws would allow investigators to drop charges against the 30 activists, including six Britons who have not been allowed to return home, three months after their arrest.

Protesters Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, who were jailed for two years after a demonstration in a Moscow cathedral, would be released early.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

NSA Spying Sweeps 'Have Gone Too Far', Report

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 19 Desember 2013 | 16.15

A panel has recommended curbing the secretive powers of the National Security Agency, warning its mass spying sweeps in the war on terror had gone too far.

The report, commissioned by President Barack Obama, said the NSA should halt the mass storage of domestic phone records, and called for new scrutiny on snooping on world leaders.

It also called for privacy safeguards for foreigners and fresh transparency over US eavesdropping.

The 300-page report unveiled 46 recommendations to reshape US surveillance policy following explosive revelations by fugitive intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.

There is no guarantee the president will accept the non-binding recommendations but he will consider his next move ahead of a public statement in January.

The panel urged reforms of a secret national security court that oversees clandestine surveillance operations.

It also called for the NSA to be stripped of its ability to store telephone records - instead handing that duty to phone companies or a third party.

The report said the intelligence and security infrastructure launched after the September 11 attacks had perhaps gone too far.

"It is now time to step back and take stock," it said.

Edward Snowden leaked information about intelligence programmes. Fugitive intelligence contractor Edward Snowden

"We conclude that some of the authorities that were expanded or created in the aftermath of September 11 unduly sacrifice fundamental interests in individual liberty, personal privacy, and democratic governance."

Review board member Richard Clarke, a former White House counterterrorism aide, called for mechanisms that were more transparent and have more independent oversight to give the public a new "sense of trust".

Throughout, the report argued that a new equilibrium needed to be found between national security, and privacy and individual Constitutional rights.

It steered away from calling for outright curbs on gathering intelligence on foreign leaders, following embarrassing revelations that US spies had snooped on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cellphone.

But it said US spy chiefs should be forced to justify surveillance on world leaders to the president and his aides.

The release of the report comes amid deepening political pressure on the White House for significant reforms in the massive NSA telephone and internet data mining operations across the world.

A federal judge in Washington this week ruled that NSA programmes, which have scooped up millions of details on telephone calls and Internet traffic on Americans and foreigners, were probably unconstitutional.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Paul Walker Porsche Crash Down To 'Speed Alone'

The Porsche Carrera GT that crashed killing Fast & Furious actor Paul Walker and the driver had no mechanical problems, according to investigators.

A police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the car lost control due to "speed, and speed alone".

The investigation also ruled out debris in the road as causing the car in which Walker was a passenger to smash into a street light and a tree.

The actor and the driver, his friend and financial adviser Roger Rodas, were both killed in the accident on November 30.

Scene of car crash involving actor Paul Walker Scene of the crash in Santa Clarita, California

Investigators have refused to set a firm speed at which they think the car was travelling until Porsche engineers come to California next month to extract information from on-board data collectors.

According to reports in the US, three black boxes have been recovered from the vehicle.

One will be able to tell the last speed recorded and whether the airbags were deployed, while the other two will give information on the throttle and engine readings.

The Paul Walker memorial in Santa Clarita Tributes are left at an unofficial memorial for the star

As a result of 40-year-old Walker's death, Universal Pictures has announced it is putting the filming of Fast & Furious 7 on hold indefinitely.

More than half the movie has reportedly been made and it was slated for release on July 11, 2014.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Brits Evacuated From South Sudan Amid Fighting

Britons are being evacuated from South Sudan as fighting spreads through the state after an apparent coup at the weekend.

A plane has been sent to the state to remove more than 150 British citizens who have contacted the Foreign Office wanting to leave the country.

Embassy staff were among those being evacuated although the Foreign Office emphasised that it would be keeping open its embassy in the capital, Juba.

The United Nations has estimated that up to 500 people have been killed in fighting between rival factions following a coup attempt against President Salva Kiir by soldiers loyal to his former deputy.

Some 10 senior government ministers were arrested at the beginning of the week but fighting continues amid increasing political tensions.

South Sudan won its independent from the north in 2011 but has struggled with corruption and ethnic violence since.

South Sudan's President Salva proceeds to address a news conference at the Presidential Palace in capital Juba South Sudan's President Salva Kiir

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that around 20,000 people have taken refuge with the UN in Juba.

The Foreign Office has advised against all travel to within 40km of South Sudan's northern border with Sudan, Jonglei State and Juba, and all but essential travel to the rest of South Sudan.

A spokeswoman said: "A UK aircraft is en route to Juba to evacuate British nationals who wish to leave from Juba airport on Thursday 19 December.

"If you are a British national and you wish to leave Juba you should contact the FCO as soon as possible."

British nationals seeking to leave South Sudan are urged to contact the Foreign Office in London for advice, by calling 0207 008 1500 or by emailing crisis@fco.gsi.gov.uk.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Syria: Sky News Gains Access To UK Jihadists

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 18 Desember 2013 | 16.15

By Stuart Ramsay, Chief Correspondent

Sky News has gained the first access to a previously unknown brigade of exclusively British jihadists fighting in Syria.

Until now, the existence of this UK brigade has been kept a secret, but it reveals that British security services have hugely underestimated the scale of UK nationals involved in the bloodshed.

In a series of wide-ranging and frank interviews, the jihadists, who have asked Sky News to protect their identities for fear of a backlash against their families in the UK, reveal that hundreds of young men from Britain have joined the fight against Bashar al Assad's government and that "at least" four die each month.

They also claim that the UK remains the largest single source of private fundraising for jihadi fighters, outdoing countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.

In the interviews, carried out by US journalist and Muslim convert, Bilal Abdul Kareem, exclusively for Sky News, the Islamic fighters insist they have no intention of attacking UK targets or waging jihad on British soil.

One of the men, identified as Mustafa, is asked directly if he is part of al Qaeda and why he insists on hiding his identity.

"I'm not part of al Qaeda, and I've never been a part of al Qaeda - ever,"  he says.

Exclusive: British jihadists fighting in Syria UK jihadists say they are no threat to Britain

"I'm not a terrorist in any way. If people could see how much goodness we have in our hearts, how much mercy we have for people and how much you know we are driven by compassion to help other people they wouldn't think that we were terrorists.

"But this is a line that they have been fed and there are people that benefit from pushing that narrative about us, so I protect my identity."

This denial follows warnings from the heads of the UK's security services that young men travelling to Syria risk being radicalised before returning home to carry out terror attacks in Britain.

Fighting on a mountain top in the northeast of the country, these men look like hardcore jihadists, but when they speak they are pure Brits.

Ramsay Syria British Fighters They say they will not attack UK targets

They joke and laugh between themselves, sometimes comparing the now ubiquitous "selfies".

But they hardly speak any Arabic and are dependent on one of their number to give orders on the battlefield.

Like British soldiers, they discuss kit and the best things to buy for jihad. In one exchange a young man, advised to buy new binoculars, naively asks if eBay will deliver.

"No man," one of the more seasoned fighters laughs in reply, shaking his head, "eBay won't deliver here man."

It is pure comedy. The men insist they have a moral obligation to help in Syria because of the outside world's refusal to intervene in the near three-year-old civil war, and deny they are terrorists.

"When you see atrocities carried out like what you see from the images that you see from Syria, then really as a human being, you know morally there should be an obligation just being part of the human race to defend such people," one of the brigade's leaders told Sky News.

"But if morals can't, if that's not enough to motivate you, our religion demands for us that people that cannot defend themselves, that somebody needs to get up and respond to their call. Ethically, it's the only right thing to do," he said during a pause in the fighting.

Exclusive: British jihadists fighting in Syria The Britons say they were angered by the lack of international intervention

The armed opposition to President Assad in the north of the country is now being waged almost exclusively by a myriad of jihadist groups supported by a significant number of foreign fighters from the USA, Canada, Northern Europe, North Africa and the former Soviet republics of Chechnya and Dagestan.

The British contingent say their numbers are increasing daily and social networking sites are helping to organise the influx into Syria.

They know that returning to their families in the UK will be extremely difficult from now on, but in reality they probably won't get the chance - the fighting footsoldier's life expectancy in Syria is very short once serious combat begins.

This committed group buck many stereotypes used to describe the Islamist fighters in Syria.

Whether anyone agrees or disagrees with them is not in itself relevant, not yet at least, as this is the first time we have ever heard them speak.

:: A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "Syria is the number one destination for jihadists anywhere in the world. There are thousands of foreign fighters in Syria, including large numbers of Europeans, gaining combat experience and forging connections with extremists.

"Some people who travel from the UK to Syria for jihadist fighting will pose a security threat when they return. We are concerned that Al-Qaeda affiliates such as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the Al Nusrah Front (ANF) are now able to operate in the large areas of ungoverned space that have been created by the conflict.

"We are aware of at least 200 UK-linked individuals of concern who have travelled to Syria, but the true number is likely to be higher."

The FCO said it is taking the following action:

:: Intelligence agencies and police are working to identify and disrupt potential threats.
:: The police have the power to examine and detain individuals at the UK border to investigate any concerns of terrorism involvement.
:: UK nationals of concern seeking to travel from the UK can have their passports removed or withdrawn. And foreign nationals resident in the UK can have their leave to remain revoked if they are deemed non-conducive to the public good.
:: Working with our international partners we have secured the designation of the al-Nusrah Front under the UN al Qaeda sanctions regime.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602 and Freeview channel 82.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

South Sudan: Hundreds Killed In Army Clashes

Hundreds of people have been killed in clashes between rival army factions in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said 800 people had been wounded in battles between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and an opposition leader.

Between 15,000 and 20,000 people have sought refuge in UN compounds around Juba since the troubles started on Sunday, according to officials.

A military tank patrols along one of the main roads in the South Sudanese capital Juba A tank patrols a street in Juba

The death toll of up to 500 is based on reports given by hospitals in the city, but the UN has not yet confirmed the figure because of new clashes on Tuesday.

Security Council president Gerard Araud, France's UN ambassador, could not confirm the toll after the briefing by Mr Ladsous.

"There is a heavy toll, it is obvious," he said.

"There are dozens and scores of casualties, it is really not a minor incident."

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir addresses a news conference at the Presidential Palace in capital JubaSouth Sudan's Vice President Riek Machar speaks during a news conference after meeting north Sudan's Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha in Khartoum President Salva Kiir (L) and Riek Machar

Mr Araud added that fighting had also been reported outside of the capital in Pibor, in Jonglei state, which has a history of clashes between rival ethnic groups.

Juba remains "extremely tense" and it appeared the clashes were being carried out on ethnic lines, he told the 15-member council.

Mr Kiir has accused troops loyal to former vice president Riek Machar of staging a coup attempt in the impoverished nation.

The government said 10 key figures including ex-ministers had been arrested, but Mr Machar was on the run.

Child Injured In South Sudan Fighting A child is treated in a Juba hospital

Mr Kiir is an ethnic Dinka while Mr Machar is a Nuer.

UN leader Ban Ki-moon spoke with Mr Kiir on Tuesday and urged him to offer "dialogue" with the opposition. Mr Ban also spoke with the president of neighbouring Uganda, Yoweri Musseveni, about the unrest.

The Security Council meeting was called at the request of the US, which has ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of South Sudan.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602 and Freeview channel 82.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Boogies To Bob Marley

Toronto mayor Rob Ford appeared to be putting recent controversies behind him as he was filmed dancing during a council session.

Mr Ford, who was stripped of most of his powers after he admitted smoking crack cocaine, has refused to step down and has vowed to seek re-election next year.

He said he has quit drinking and is exercising daily after having a "come to Jesus moment".

The spring in his step was clear to see as he energetically boogied to Bob Marley's One Love and a Christmas song in the council chambers.

Colleagues joined Mr Ford for the festivities, which left him pink faced and sweating.

Earlier this month the politician laughed off claims he may have offered $5,000 (£2,900) and a car to buy a video allegedly showing him using crack.

Details of the offer were included in a 450-page police document released by an Ontario Superior Court judge.

Outbursts caught on camera have added to the controversy surrounding Mr Ford, who landed his own TV show in the wake of the scandal and has claimed that efforts to curtail his authority amount to a "coup d'etat".

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mega Millions Jackpot Could Surpass Record

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 17 Desember 2013 | 16.15

The US Mega Millions jackpot has soared to $586m (£360m) following a frenzy of ticket purchases.

The jump pushed the prize closer to the $656m (£402m) record set last year.

Paula Otto, executive director of the Virginia Lottery and Mega Millions' lead director, said ticket sales are ahead of projections for today's draw, increasing the likelihood that the record could fall.

If the prize goes unclaimed for a 22nd consecutive drawing, the next one would probably shatter the record set in March 2012, she said.

"I think we'll be very close to the record, and maybe even surpass it," Ms Otto said, adding that sales are difficult to predict.

That was enough for Drew Gentsch to play one ticket on Monday morning. The attorney from Des Moines, Iowa, never plays, but the jackpot was too good to pass up.

"I think it's ridiculous, but you have to dream big," he said. "The odds of winning are so low there's no real reason to play. But it's fun to do so once in a while."

Between 65% and 75% of the roughly 259 million possible number combinations will be in play when the numbers are drawn, Ms Otto estimated.

She said the jackpot may be increased one more time this morning in advance of the evening drawing.

"Lotto players are procrastinators. They tend to buy on the day of the draw," she said.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

N Korea Marks Anniversary Of Kim Jong-Il Death

North Korea's political and military elite have publicly pledged their loyalty to Kim Jong-Un during a large memorial in Pyongyang to mark the second anniversary of the death of his father.

The public display of support came only days after the execution of the young leader's uncle, Jang Song Thaek, considered the second most powerful man in the secretive state.

The ousting of Jang overlaps with a propaganda drive that has tied the younger Kim to his father's legacy in the weeks leading up to the anniversary.

Official television footage showed Kim Jong-Un sitting centre stage beneath a huge red mural of a flag emblazoned with a picture of his smiling father Kim Jong-Il.

A noticeable absentee on the stage was his paternal aunt Kim Kyung Hui, Kim Jong-Il's sister and Jang's wife.

She and Jang had been the "Pyongyang power couple" considered to be the real force behind the North Korean leadership.

Mr Kim, who is believed to be about 30, took over when his father died suddenly in December 2011.

In a relatively short period of time he has followed his father's programme by ordering the North's third nuclear test and successfully launching a long-range rocket in the face of increasingly tight UN sanctions.

His first two years in power have also been marked by construction, with a flagship project being the Masik Pass ski resort near Wonsan, on North Korea's east coast.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Big Sur Fire: Fifteen Homes Destroyed

Fifteen buildings have been destroyed after a wildfire forced 100 people to evacuate their homes in California.

The blaze in Big Sur has burned around 500 acres in the Pfeiffer Ridge area of Los Padres National Forest and is currently not contained, according to Los Padres National Forest spokesman Andrew Madsen.

One of those whose home has been destroyed is Big Sur Fire Chief Martha Karstens.

Mr Madsen said: "She left thinking that she was going to go protect other people's homes, and it turns out that her own home has been consumed.

Wildfire burns 500 acres in Big Sur California The wildfire has so far burned 500 acres in Los Padres National Forest

"This is a completely wind-driven fire. We're cautiously optimistic that we're going to pin this thing down within the next couple of days."

The Red Cross has set up an overnight shelter for people affected by the wildfire.

The wildfire is being tackled by 625 firefighters using air tankers and helicopters.

Big Sur is a popular tourist destination along the Central California coast.

A lightning strike in 2008 sparked a wildfire in the same area, burning 250 square miles and destroying more than a dozen homes.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

China's Illegal Detention Of Christian Pastor

Written By Unknown on Senin, 16 Desember 2013 | 16.15

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent, in Henan Province

A Chinese Christian pastor and 23 members of his congregation have been held at an unknown location illegally and without access to lawyers since mid-November.

The case of Pastor Zhang Shaojie is evidence that in parts of China the violent suppression and unlawful arrests of the faithful by local government officials continues.

China's poor record on religious tolerance has been showing signs of improvement in recent years. The Communist Government had pledged to improve the rights of religious groups but this case suggests challenges remain.

Our research led us first to a small town on the border of Hebei and Henan Provinces.

We arrived  at 1am to meet the daughter of Pastor Shaojie. Her name is Zhang Yunyun and she is a mother on the run.

We meet her in the hotel room she's hiding in for the night with her 11-month-old daughter Jessie.

Yunyun is on the run because she fears the arrest of her father could lead to her own detention.

She has received repeated threats on the phone from officials. One caller threatened to "wipe out her family" if she talks to reporters. But she is undeterred.

It is nearly a month since she last saw her father. Speaking in whispers, she explains what happened.

"My father went to work (in the church) as usual, it was a Saturday. Suddenly a dozen police came, they forcefully took my father away. There was no paperwork at all, they just took him away. we haven't seen him since."

China Mark Stone piece (Pastor Persecution) The pastor's daughter Zhang Yunyun and her 11-month-old daughter Jessie

We look at photographs she took of the government men who turned up at the church on November 16.

"Government," she says, pointing at a group of plain-clothed men. They look threatening.

She describes how they tied up her father and took him away with some of his parishioners.

She selects another photograph and points to some of those who have disappeared.

"Her, her, him, her," she says. In all, 24 people were taken away.

This is a case that pits a Christian community, which had been growing in numbers and influence, against a local government that has seized the land bought for a new church.

Our conversation with Yunyun wakes 11-month-old Jessie, who begins to cry. It's time for us to leave.

She shows us the location of her church on a map. It is in a town twenty minutes' drive away, over the border in Henan Province.

We arrive at Nanle County Church at dawn. It is a rundown building in centre of the town. The front door is closed but a side door is ajar. We go inside.

It doesn't resemble a European Christian church. It looks more like a theatre: six hundred or so seats and a large stage with a pulpit in its centre.

China Mark Stone piece (Pastor Persecution) A man defends himself with makeshift barricades

This is where Pastor Zhang and his worshipers were dragged from a month ago.

There are two types of church in China: some are sanctioned and authorised by the state and others are not.

Nanle County Church is sanctioned and so, in theory, its worshippers should face no problems from the authorities.

As we are looking around, some of the parishioners emerge from a side-room. They recall the day of the arrests.

"Pastor Zhang was negotiating with our local government here. Suddenly a dozen people arrived, and they took Pastor Zhang away," one woman says.

"We did some charity work, perhaps some of that was too much? They always discriminate towards religions."

"We are very worried about my dad," another says.

"My mother was arrested here too, at the church. No arrest warrant, no evidence, just arrested."

I ask whether it is hard to practise their religion in China.

"I think it's really unsafe here and there's no freedom. Whenever we come to services there are always restrictions."

The parishioners then receive a phone call. It is from one of a group of lawyers who have taken up the case and who have just arrived at the prosecutor's office across town.

We drive over to meet them. For ten minutes we chat to them about the case.

"Christianity in the Chinese system does not have any real standing," one lawyer explains.

The lead attorney for the detained Christians is Xia Jun. "Our rights as lawyers to meet our client have been blocked," he says.

"I've been in Nanle for more than 20 days, I'm representing Pastor Zhang Shaojie. We went to the detention centre to see him five times, but all been denied," he says.

China Mark Stone piece (Pastor Persecution) A child seen inside the Nanle County Church in China

"Four times I went to the Public Security Bureau to report about it, all been rejected. Then I was followed, every day. I drive around the roundabout three times, the car following me drove three times too," he says.

They explain the complexity of the case. It combines a number of themes: intolerance of religious groups, land-grabs for financial gain, and rampant local corruption by officials who operate above their own laws.

"The key problem is the power of officials in our country. They behave like uncaged monsters ... out to harm us all. For them, the law doesn't exist," lawyer Xia says.

Moments later we all discover what he means. A coach pulls up next to us. We assume those who disembark are more Christian supporters, but they're not. They are just the opposite.

In a split second, our civilised chat with the lawyers turns into a melee of chaos. The coach-load of women backed by some men attack the lawyers, the Christians and us.

One of the lawyers is beaten and kicked in front of us. Our camera is then pulled from the Sky News cameraman's shoulder and damaged.

We retreat inside the prosecutor's office, which turns out to be deserted. One of the lawyers puts a chair leg through the door to stop the mob from entering the building. It doesn't work.

The mob move into the lobby and we retreat with the lawyer and one of the Christians into another room: a dead end.

The lawyer barricades us all inside the small room using a sofa, a chair, a desk and a drawer to wedge the door handle. Inches away on the other side of the door the determined mob are trying to get to us.

"Who are they? I ask.

"They are paid and backed by the local government. They come and go as required. All this is organised behind the scenes by the government," lawyer Xia explains.

The same group had attacked him the previous day.

We watched through the barred window as another lawyer, stuck outside, is struck on the head with a small rock.

"This case is for pure religious causes," Lawyer Xia says.

China Mark Stone piece (Pastor Persecution) Xie Jun, the lawyer for Pastor Zhang Shaojie

"More than 20 people were arrested. Pastor Zhang Shaojie and most of them are church staff: the core leaders of the church. When they are arrested, all the activities like worshiping and services, can't take place as normal."

For four hours, the local government rent-a-mob did their best to get inside. We watched a police car pull up outside and then drive away again.

The violent spectacle is a demonstration of a determined intolerance of religion incited by a corrupt local government.

The lawyers tell us that they believe the government seized the church land because it can be used for their own lucrative construction projects.

We call the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing, who "handle" foreign reporters in China, to explain the situation.

Eventually, the same authorities who refuse to tell anyone why they are holding Pastor Zhang and his congregation escort us out of the building and out of the town.

They have given us safe passage out but continue to intimidate the Christians within their town.

"I miss my father very much," Zhang Yunyun had told me the previous night. It is exactly a month since she last saw him.

I ask if she thinks he will be home for Christmas.

She pauses: "I don't think so."

She and her baby daughter Jessie remain on the run, in hiding and frightened.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Philippines: Bus Crashes Off Elevated Road

At least 17 people have been killed when a bus fell from an elevated road onto a van in the Philippines.

Another 16 people were injured when the bus veered off the Skyway road and crashed onto the vehicle 32ft (9.6m) below in Paranaque, in the suburbs of the capital Manila, police said.

Pedestrians walk beside an overturned bus after it fell off an elevated expressway in Manila Pedestrians walk beside the overturned bus in Manila

The bus driver was critically injured and the van driver had minor injuries, according to Dr Carmencita Solidum, medical director of the Paranaque Doctors' Hospital, where 10 of the injured were being treated.

The cause of the crash has not been confirmed, but the road was wet from rain, a spokeswoman from the company which operates the Skyway said.

Witnesses also suggested the bus may have been travelling too fast.

A policewoman searches for personal belongings of passengers after a bus fell off an elevated expressway in Manila A police officer at the scene of the crash

Motorist Irene Sisperes said she was driving with her daughter at 50mph (80kph) when the bus overtook her car.

She estimated that the bus was travelling at between 62mph (100kph) and 68mph (110 kph).

She said it was still dark and it was raining when the crash happened.

"After a few metres, I saw the bus fall and I shouted, 'The bus fell, the bus fell'," she told DZMM radio, adding there were no other cars nearby.

Don Mariano Transit, the bus company involved in the accident, has had all its 78 vehicles suspended for 30 days while they are examined.

In 2011, three people were killed and four injured when a bus fell from the same elevated highway.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Israeli Soldier Shot Dead On Lebanon Border

An Israeli soldier has been shot dead by a Lebanese army sniper on the border between the two countries.

Within hours, Israel's army said its troops had shot two Lebanese soldiers after it identified "suspicious movement" along the border.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said the soldier who was shot had been driving along the border near Rosh Hanikra.

"The soldier was treated at the scene and was then evacuated to a hospital. He later died of his wounds," the IDF said in a statement.

"Initial enquiry confirmed that the sniper is a member of the Lebanese Armed Forces."

Lebanon's National News Agency confirmed the shooting was by a member of the Lebanese army.

The army has opened fire in the past after saying Israeli soldiers had tried to infiltrate Lebanese territory.

Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, an Israeli army spokesman, said Israel had protested "this outrageous breach of Israel's sovereignty" with UN peacekeeping forces and heightened its state of preparedness.

"We will not tolerate aggression against the state of Israel, and maintain the right to exercise self-defence against perpetrators of attacks against Israel and its civilians," he said.

The shootings raise the possibility of renewed fighting in the volatile border region, which has remained mostly quiet since a month-long war in 2006.

Israel has responded with airstrikes and artillery fire following a number of rocket attacks and shootings across the border.

In the most serious incident, a high-ranking Israeli officer was killed by a Lebanese sniper in 2010 after Israeli forces tried to cut down a tree along the border.

Israel responded with artillery fire, killing two Lebanese soldiers and a journalist.

Andrea Tenenti, a spokesman for UN forces in southern Lebanon, said the UN was informed of a "serious incident" along the border.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Iran Claims 'MI6 Spy' On Trial After Capture

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 15 Desember 2013 | 16.15

Iran says it has arrested a "spy" accused of working for the British secret intelligence service.

A court official said the man had confessed to his alleged crimes and was on trial.

He was detained in the town of Kerman in southeast Iran after authorities spent months tracking him down, the semi-official ISNA news agency said.

The suspect is accused of meeting four British intelligence operatives and giving them information.

Dadkhoda Salari, head of the Kerman revolutionary court, said: "Through the efforts of Iranian security forces, an MI6 spy has been arrested.

"He has met British intelligence officers in person 11 times, both inside the country and abroad, and provided them with intelligence."

It has not been suggested the alleged spy is a Briton, and Tehran has a history of announcing the arrest of people it claims are spying without releasing more details.

But the news is potentially embarrassing at a time when diplomatic relations between the UK and Iran had been improving after a two-year freeze.

On Friday, Iran's new envoy to Britain, Hassan Habibollah-Zadeh, held talks in London on his first visit since his appointment in November.

And a British diplomat, non-resident charge d'affaires Ajay Sharma, said he had "detailed and constructive discussions" about the UK's relationship with Iran during talks earlier this month.

He visited the site of the UK's embassy in the Iranian capital to assess the damage caused when it was ransacked by a mob in 2011, an incident which prompted the Government to pull its staff out of the country.

The thaw in relations between Tehran and the international community has also seen a deal reached over its nuclear programme.

Responding to the reported arrest a Foreign Office spokesman said: "We don't comment on intelligence matters."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nelson Mandela Funeral: Live Updates From Qunu

Nelson Mandela Funeral: Live Updates From Qunu

This website uses cookies. Cookies remember you so we can give you a better service online. By using this website or closing this message you are agreeing to our cookies notice. Cookies FAQs.

x

Mandela's funeral ceremony as it happens, where thousands are paying their respects to the anti-apartheid icon.

South African President Nelson Mandela smiles 16 J

Nelson Mandela guided South Africa from the shackles of apartheid

Live Stream: Nelson Mandela's Funeral Service

Enlarge

  • Video Stream: Nelson Mandela's Funeral Service


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mandela Funeral: Tributes To 'Greatest Son'

Heartfelt tributes have been paid to "Africa's greatest son", as thousands of people from across the world say a final farewell to Nelson Mandela.

South African President Jacob Zuma said the state funeral for the anti-apartheid icon marked "the end of an extraordinary journey".

"It is the end of 95 glorious years of this freedom fighter, a dedicated and humble servant of people of South Africa," he said during a poignant speech.

Zuma, Winnie and Graca sit by the coffin of Mandela during his funeral ceremony in Qunu Mr Mandela's family and South Africa's president sit beside his coffin

"He was a fountain of wisdom, a pillar of strength and a beacon of hope for all those fighting for a just world order."

Some 4,000 people are attending the funeral in Mr Mandela's ancestral home of Qunu, in South Africa's Eastern Cape.

The former president's coffin, draped in his country's flag, was carried to the service on a military carriage, as a 21-gun salute echoed around the village of Qunu, his childhood home.

Mandela promo

It was placed in front of a stage, on which 95 candles - one for each year of his life - were lit and a huge portrait of a smiling Mr Mandela displayed.

Mourners heard from political leaders, Mr Mandela's family and some of his closest friends during an emotional service that brought both tears and laughter.

Ahmed Kathrada, who was imprisoned on Robben Island for 26 years with Mr Mandela, gave a heartfelt tribute to a man he described as his "elder brother".

Ahmed Kathrada, close friend of former South African President Nelson Mandela, speaks during Mandela's funeral ceremony in Qunu Mr Kathrada said his close friend was an "enormous" source of strength

Speaking directly to his friend, he said: "What can we say ... in these, our last, final moments together?

"Your abundant reserves of love, simplicity, honesty, service, humility, care, courage, foresight, patience, tolerance, equality and justice continually serve as a source of enormous strength to millions."

Holding back tears, he added: "My life is in a void and I don't know who to turn to."

Nelson Mandela's ex-wife Winnie Mandela Madikizela (left) and widow Graca Machel (centre) pay their last farewell Mr Mandela's ex-wife Winnie Mandela (left) and widow Graca Machel (centre)

Hailemariam Desalegn, the Ethiopian Prime Minister and chairman of the African Union, said: "His was a life of struggle in the face of unparalleled odds. A life of suffering in the hands of malicious perpetrators of injustice. A life of perseverance in the face of challenge.

"We are not mourning. We are celebrating humanity at its finest. We should find consolation that his legacy will live on for eternity."

Jakaya Kikwete, the President of Tanzania, added: "Nelson Mandela was our leader, our hero, our icon and our father, as much as he was yours."

Britain's Prince Charles arrives for the funeral ceremony of former South African President Mandela in Qunu Prince Charles is welcomed to the funeral service in Qunu

High-profile guests included businessman Sir Richard Branson and TV chat show host Oprah Winfrey, while prominent US civil rights activist Reverend Jessie Jackson and Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams also made the journey.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was in the audience after earlier suggesting he had not received an invitation, while the Prince of Wales attended on behalf of the Queen.

During his speech, Mr Zuma paid tribute to a man "so great and yet so humble".

Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former South African President Thabo Mbeki greet each other before the funeral ceremony of former South African President Nelson Mandela in Qunu Archbishop Desmond Tutu initially thought he had missed out on an invite

"We wish to express two simple words," he said. "Thank you. Thank you for being everything wanted and needed in a leader during a critical period in our lives."

He added: "We'll cherish every moment we spent with you.

"You were an exceptional human being and you will remain our guiding light, as we continue our journey to build the South Africa of your dreams."

Mandela's coffin received a military escort across the fields of Qunu Members of the armed forces marched alongside Mr Mandela's coffin

A military plane, escorted by two fighter jets, brought Mr Mandela's body from a farewell service in Pretoria to Mthatha in South Africa's Eastern Cape.

Tens of thousands of people lined the roads as the funeral procession made the short journey to Qunu, although some were angry the cortege did not stop to allow them time to pay their respects.

Preparations for service - the first ever state funeral in South Africa - were marred by a public spat between the country's government and Mr Tutu, one of the most prominent survivors in the long struggle against apartheid.

South African defence forces fired a gun salute at the site where his body will be laid to rest A 21-gun salute heralded the arrival of Nelson Mandela's coffin

Mr Tutu, a Nobel laureate who has been critical of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, initially said he was not invited - an apparent snub denied by the government.

"Much as I would have loved to attend the service to say a final farewell to someone I loved and treasured, it would have been disrespectful to Tata (Mandela) to gatecrash what was billed as a private family funeral," he said in his initial statement.

"Had I or my office been informed that I would be welcome there is no way on earth that I would have missed it."

Nelson Mandela's coffin arrives in Qunu in South Africa's Eastern Cape Mr Mandela's body was driven to his childhood home amid tight security

More than 100,000 people saw Mr Mandela's body lying in state in Pretoria over the last three days, but some had to be turned away.

The former leader, who was imprisoned for 27 years for opposing racist apartheid before emerging in 1990 to forge a new democratic South Africa, died on December 5.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602 and Freeview channel 82.


16.15 | 0 komentar | Read More
techieblogger.com Techie Blogger Techie Blogger