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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
British Airways criticised for using Falklands capital's Argentinian name
British Airways has been criticised for using the Argentinian name of the Falkland Islands' capital on its in-flight screens. Port Stanley is shown as 'Puerto Argentino', with the British name in brackets underneath. The move by the airline has been described as 'disgraceful' and 'disrespectful' to soldiers who fought to liberate the islands in the South Atlantic in the Falklands War. British Airways said it was now reviewing the incident with the provider of its in-flight map service. Admiral Lord West, the former head of the Royal Navy, who won the Distinguished Service Cross during the war, told The Sun: 'It's disgraceful. The Falklands are a British overseas territory, and 99.9 per cent of islanders want to stay British. 'We have said very clearly there will be no discussions about sovereignty. For the flag carrier airline to give Port Stanley another name is unforgivable. 'Everyone on the Falkland Islands calls it Port Stanley. They should change it back as soon as possible. This is insulting to the population of Port Stanley.' A British Airways spokesman said: 'We're grateful this has been brought to our attention, and we are reviewing it with the third party supplier that provides the in-flight map service.' In April 1982, hundreds of Argentinian troops invaded the Falklands, forcing the vastly outnumbered garrison of just 57 Royal Marines to surrender. The move was seen as an act of war, and Margaret Thatcher, the prime minister, sent a task force to the South Atlantic to reclaim the islands. The conflict ended with the surrender of Argentine forces on June 14. More than 250 British military personnel were killed in the 74-day mission. Saturday marks the 43rd anniversary of Britain's victory, but Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over the Falklands. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Outrage as British Airways uses Argentinian name for Falkland Islands capital in 'disgraceful' move
British Airways has caused outrage after using the Argentinian name for the capital of the Falkland Islands on its in-flight entertainment systems. Veterans of the Falklands war have branded the decision 'disgraceful' after BA's screens displayed the name 'Puerto Argentino', despite the islands being in British hands since 1833. The UK's flagship carrier, which is owned by Spanish firm International Airlines Group, put the name in English in brackets underneath - something the airline is now urgently investigating. Argentina has long claimed sovereignty over the islands and famously invaded them in 1982 in a bid to end British rule. On the instruction of then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, British troops were deployed to the other side of the world to defend the islands, which are still classed as a British Overseas Territory today. Falklands veterans said the fact the British name was not displayed was 'ludicrous' and 'disrespectful'. Former head of the Royal Navy Admiral Lord West, who won the Distinguished Service Cross during the conflict, told the Sun: 'It's disgraceful. The Falklands are a British overseas territory and 99.9 per cent of islanders want to stay British. 'We have said very clearly there will be no discussions about sovereignty. 'For the flag carrier airline to give Port Stanley another name is unforgivable.' And Lord West, whose HMS Ardent was sunk during the conflict, added: 'They should change it back as soon as possible. This is insulting to the population of Port Stanley.' Argentina has long disputed the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, which have been in British hands for almost 200 years. On April 2, 1982 a surprise raid on the capital, Port Stanley, saw Argentinian forces invade the territories and capture the city. It was the beginning of a 74-day war that would see 255 British personnel lose their lives defending the islands. The UK came out on top in the conflict, but Argentina still protests its ownership of the islands. In the light of continued calls from the south American nation, a referendum was held in March 2013 in which 99.8 percent of islanders voted to remain a British territory. In 2017, the county's senate voted to rename Stanley Port to Puerto Argentino and pledged to celebrate 'Sovereignty Day' there should they ever retake them. The British military has maintained a presence on the islands since the end of the war, with a 2,000-strong garrison of troops and transport aircraft based at Mount Pleasant. Last year, Argentina's President Javier Milei, an ally of Mr Trump, has said he will not relinquish the claim to sovereignty over the Falklands, but will not seek conflict with the UK. Claims from the country's government have increased once again since the UK agreed to give up the Chagos Islands. The Argentinian Foreign Minister Diana Mondino said in October: 'With concrete actions and not empty rhetoric, we will recover full sovereignty over our Malvinas Islands. 'The Malvinas [Falklands] were, are and will always be Argentine.' The UN has also called on the UK and Argentina to resume talks about the future of the islands, led by the Special Committee on Decolonization. A British Airways spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We're grateful this has been brought to our attention, and we are reviewing it with the third party supplier that provides the in-flight map service.'
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Al Qaeda tried to poison UK water supply, ex-security minister shares shocking details
Former counter terrorism minister Lord West, who held office at the time, revealed how al Qaeda terrorists attempted to poison London's water supplies in 2008, but were thwarted by the security services. The government at the time tackled Westminster over steps to protect Britain's reservoirs against attack by hostile forces. Lord West, who served as home office minister for security and counter-terrorism from 2007 to 2010, said in 2008, there were attempts by eight al Qaeda operatives to poison the water supplies of north London. 'I am pleased to say that our agencies worked brilliantly to stop it from happening,' he said further. The former Navy chief added that as a result of this incident, a series of efforts were put on the police response times, indicators of where the outflows from reservoirs went and new barriers. 'Where has all that work gone? These things somehow seem to disappear,' he said further. These revelations have come following the publication of comprehensive military plans to protect the UK amid threats from Russia and China. Sir Keir Starmer praised the strategic defence review (SDR), published earlier this week and said that it would create a 'battle-ready, armour-clad' nation. In response, Lady Hayman from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said that, 'I will certainly look into it, because it is an important point.' Earlier, the minister said that Defra recognises how the drinking water supply can become a potential target for hostile actors. However, Lord Harris of Haringey, chairman of the National Preparedness Commission, questioned Defra for merely monitoring and said: 'I wonder whether her department is being a tad complacent in talking simply about monitoring the threat rather than looking at what practical arrangements can be made.' He questioned the department's inadequacy at making practical arrangements for situations like when a drone deposits something in a reservoir. Countering him, Lady Hayman said tackling such diverse threats requires a cross-government and cross-society response. 'In Defra, we work closely to look at the threats and the appropriate levels of response, drawing on expert advice from the National Protective Security Authority, the National Cyber Security Centre and the home office. Former Metropolitan Police chief Lord Hogan-Howe, who led the UK's largest force from 2011 to 2017, talked about his concern related to confusion between the Home Office, Defra and others. He said, 'I worry that there is sometimes confusion between the Home Office, Defra and others about who is looking after security…. it needs to be higher in the priorities than it presently appears.'(With Inputs from PA Media)
The Independent
7 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Al Qaida terrorists tried to poison UK water supply, says ex-security minister
An al Qaida militant cell sought to poison London's water supplies but were thwarted by the security services, a former counter-terrorism minister has revealed. Details of the foiled 2008 extremist plot were given by Lord West of Spithead, who was in office at the time, as the Government was tackled at Westminster over steps to protect the Britain's reservoirs against attack by hostile forces. It follows the publication of comprehensive military plans to safeguard the UK in the face of threats from Vladimir Putin's Russia and China. Sir Keir Starmer said the strategic defence review (SDR), published earlier this week, would create a 'battle-ready, armour-clad' nation. The move comes against the backdrop of ongoing concerns about the vulnerability of critical national infrastructure to attack. Pressed in Parliament over whether there had ever been an attempt or a plan uncovered to contaminate the UK's water supply, environment minister Baroness Hayman of Ullock said: 'My understanding is that there has not been such an incident, but that does not mean that we should be complacent. 'We know that our water and energy infrastructure are both potentially vulnerable to hostile attacks.' But moving to correct his frontbench colleague, Lord West, who served as Home Office minister for security and counter-terrorism from 2007 to 2010, said: 'In 2008 there was an attempt by eight al Qaida operatives to poison north London water supplies. 'I am pleased to say that our agencies worked brilliantly to stop it happening.' The former Navy chief, who sits on Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee, added: 'As a result, in the Home Office we put in hand a whole series of work on police response times, indicators of where the outflows from reservoirs went and new barriers. 'Where has all that work gone? These things somehow seem to disappear. There should be some reports, and hopefully someone did something about it.' Responding, Lady Hayman said: 'That is extremely interesting and very helpful of my noble friend. I will certainly look into it, because it is an important point.' Earlier, the minister told peers: 'The Government's first duty is to protect our national security and keep our country safe. 'Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) recognises that the drinking water supply is a potential target for hostile actors. 'It works with water companies and partners across Government to understand and monitor threats to water supply and to consider responses as appropriate to protect the security of our water system.' But Labour peer Lord Harris of Haringey, who is chairman of the National Preparedness Commission, said: 'I wonder whether her department is being a tad complacent in talking simply about monitoring the threat rather than looking at what practical arrangements can be made. 'For example, how do we deal with a drone which is flown over a reservoir and deposits something in there? 'The panic effects of that being known to have happened and not necessarily knowing what the substance is would be enormous.' Lady Hayman said: 'Tackling the diverse range of state threats – not just drones but many other threats – requires a cross-government and cross-society response. 'We need to draw on the skills, the resources and the remits of different departments and operational partners. 'In Defra, we work closely to look at the threats and the appropriate levels of response, specifically drawing on expert advice from the National Protective Security Authority, the National Cyber Security Centre and the Home Office, as well as carrying out threat assessment with policing partners.' Former Metropolitan Police chief Lord Hogan-Howe, who led the UK's largest force from 2011 to 2017, said: 'For about 15 years, I have been worried about the water supply – the large and small reservoirs, the pipes that connect them and, of course, the water treatment plants. 'I worry that there is sometimes confusion between the Home Office, Defra and others about who is looking after security.' The independent crossbencher added: 'It needs to be higher in the priorities than it presently appears.' In reply, the minister said: 'I can assure him that we discuss these matters with the Home Office. 'One thing that we have been trying hard to do in Defra and other departments since we came into government is to work better across Government.'
Glasgow Times
7 days ago
- General
- Glasgow Times
Al Qaida terrorists tried to poison UK water supply, says ex-security minister
Details of the foiled 2008 extremist plot were given by Lord West of Spithead, who was in office at the time, as the Government was tackled at Westminster over steps to protect the Britain's reservoirs against attack by hostile forces. It follows the publication of comprehensive military plans to safeguard the UK in the face of threats from Vladimir Putin's Russia and China. Sir Keir Starmer said the strategic defence review (SDR), published earlier this week, would create a 'battle-ready, armour-clad' nation. The move comes against the backdrop of ongoing concerns about the vulnerability of critical national infrastructure to attack. Pressed in Parliament over whether there had ever been an attempt or a plan uncovered to contaminate the UK's water supply, environment minister Baroness Hayman of Ullock said: 'My understanding is that there has not been such an incident, but that does not mean that we should be complacent. 'We know that our water and energy infrastructure are both potentially vulnerable to hostile attacks.' But moving to correct his frontbench colleague, Lord West, who served as Home Office minister for security and counter-terrorism from 2007 to 2010, said: 'In 2008 there was an attempt by eight al Qaida operatives to poison north London water supplies. 'I am pleased to say that our agencies worked brilliantly to stop it happening.' Lord West of Spithead sits on Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (David Mirzoeff/PA) The former Navy chief, who sits on Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee, added: 'As a result, in the Home Office we put in hand a whole series of work on police response times, indicators of where the outflows from reservoirs went and new barriers. 'Where has all that work gone? These things somehow seem to disappear. There should be some reports, and hopefully someone did something about it.' Responding, Lady Hayman said: 'That is extremely interesting and very helpful of my noble friend. I will certainly look into it, because it is an important point.' Earlier, the minister told peers: 'The Government's first duty is to protect our national security and keep our country safe. 'Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) recognises that the drinking water supply is a potential target for hostile actors. 'It works with water companies and partners across Government to understand and monitor threats to water supply and to consider responses as appropriate to protect the security of our water system.' But Labour peer Lord Harris of Haringey, who is chairman of the National Preparedness Commission, said: 'I wonder whether her department is being a tad complacent in talking simply about monitoring the threat rather than looking at what practical arrangements can be made. 'For example, how do we deal with a drone which is flown over a reservoir and deposits something in there? 'The panic effects of that being known to have happened and not necessarily knowing what the substance is would be enormous.' Lady Hayman said: 'Tackling the diverse range of state threats – not just drones but many other threats – requires a cross-government and cross-society response. 'We need to draw on the skills, the resources and the remits of different departments and operational partners. 'In Defra, we work closely to look at the threats and the appropriate levels of response, specifically drawing on expert advice from the National Protective Security Authority, the National Cyber Security Centre and the Home Office, as well as carrying out threat assessment with policing partners.' Former Metropolitan Police chief Lord Hogan-Howe, who led the UK's largest force from 2011 to 2017, said: 'For about 15 years, I have been worried about the water supply – the large and small reservoirs, the pipes that connect them and, of course, the water treatment plants. 'I worry that there is sometimes confusion between the Home Office, Defra and others about who is looking after security.' The independent crossbencher added: 'It needs to be higher in the priorities than it presently appears.' In reply, the minister said: 'I can assure him that we discuss these matters with the Home Office. 'One thing that we have been trying hard to do in Defra and other departments since we came into government is to work better across Government.' The Home Office has been contacted for comment.
