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South Wales Argus
a day ago
- South Wales Argus
Cwmbran man Ashton Jones unresponsive in Thailand hospital
On May 30 29-year-old Ashton Jones, travelled to Bangkok Thailand with his lifelong friend for a lad's holiday. Ashton Jones who is currently fighting for his life in a Thai hospital (Image: Angela Roden Shepherd) Sadly, just five days later his family received the news that Ashton had been separated from his friend and had undergone extensive emergency brain surgery. Ashston is currently in a Thai hospital fighting for his life. Because he didn't have any travel insurance his family have set up a GoFundMe to bring him home. Childhood friend Angela Roden Shepherd aged 50 has been a shoulder for Ashton's family to lean on. Woman's relief after motorbike crash victim father is returned home to Wales Six pets looking for their forever home from Many Tears Rescue 'Look after yourself' Gwent carers speak out on National Carers Week Speaking about Ashton's condition she said: 'There are a few pictures circulating that are making it look like Ashton is well but he's still being ventilated and still extremely ill. 'He's non communicative and is pretty much unresponsive he's very poorly.' Angela explained the Thai authorities have been carrying out an investigation. Ashston Jones's childhood friend Angela Roden Shepherd (Image: Angela Roden Shepherd) 'He's got a good lawyer who speaks brilliant English and is very supportive on our side in bringing justice. 'Nobody has been arrested yet, but they are looking for four people and it looks like they are Thai nationals.' Despite the heartbreaking circumstances Ashton's family find themselves in the family are blown away by the levels of support they've received both locally and internationally. Angela told the Argus: 'It is really important that the people out there release how grateful we are. We've had people in Scotland and Ireland donate and the post is being shared nationally. 'The support has been overwhelming, and Bev (Ashton's grandmother) can't comprehend how these strangers are supporting her grandson.' Ashton Jones who is currently fighting for his life in a Thai hospital (Ashton on ventilation) (Image: Angela Roden Shepherd) The family are still in the dark about why Ashton got separated from his friends. A fundraiser in Cwmbran is being held on July 5, the family are in the process of organising and finalising details. A spokesperson for The Foreign Office said: 'We are supporting a British man who has been hospitalised in Thailand and are in contact with the local authorities.' Out of the £50,000 goal a staggering £20,522 has been raised to help bring Ashton home.
Wales Online
05-05-2025
- Wales Online
Foreign Office issues warning to Brits after explosion in this holiday hotspot
Foreign Office issues warning to Brits after explosion in this holiday hotspot The Foreign Office has issued a stark warning to Brits after an explosion in the early hours of Saturday morning Foreign Office issues Greece warning The Foreign Office has issued a travel advisory for Greece following an explosion in Thessaloniki early on Saturday morning. UK tourists planning to visit the EU nation have been cautioned by the Foreign Office: "There has been an explosion in Thessaloniki in the early morning of 3 May. If you're in the area you should take care and follow the advice of the local authorities." A 38-year-old woman was reportedly carrying the explosive device, intending to place it outside a bank around 5am on Saturday in Thessaloniki, a city in northern Greece. The blast resulted in damage to several storefronts and vehicles, according to police reports. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here "It appears that she was carrying an explosive device and planned to plant it at a bank's ATM," a senior police official informed Reuters news agency. Authorities suspect the woman intended to position the device near an ATM. The 38-year-old, whose identity remains undisclosed, had previously served a prison sentence for bank robbery, a police spokesperson told Greece's Skai TV, reports Birmingham Live. Article continues below Some reports suggest she could be connected to a left-wing activist currently incarcerated for involvement in armed robberies and violent attacks. The explosion took place outside a bank branch in a residential area of Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city. Video footage showed significant damage to nearby buildings and vehicles. The woman sustained grave injuries to her hand and was immediately taken to the hospital. Sadly, she passed away from her injuries. Greece has a history of criminal gangs associated with bombings and violent activities. The country's record of anarchist group activities can be traced back to the 1970s. Article continues below Despite this, Greece continues to be a favourite destination for British holidaymakers, with popular spots such as Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, Kos and more.
Express Tribune
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
FO slams UN experts' 'selective' criticism
The Foreign Office said on Wednesday that Pakistan would protect the lives and security of its people, particularly in areas where innocent civilians bore the brunt of foreign-sponsored terrorism and pursue policies aimed at fostering social and economic development for all segments of society. The Foreign Office spokesperson stated that the measures undertaken in this regard by the Pakistan government were fully consistent with international law, which categorically prohibited incitement to violence and terrorism. "There can be no tolerance, let alone impunity, for terrorists, their facilitators, or their abettors," the spokesperson said, in response to questions about statement by UN human rights experts. "Their abuses of law and human rights violations cannot be ignored." In a statement issued earlier in the day, a group of independent human rights experts affiliated with the UN called on the Pakistani government to release Baloch rights activists detained after recent protests and to curb its crackdown on demonstrations against enforced disappearances and other issues. "We have been monitoring with growing concern reports of alleged arrests and enforced disappearances of Baloch activists over the past number of months, and the violent incidents in the past few days have significantly increased our concerns," they said in the joint statement. The Foreign Office spokesperson said that the UN experts' comments lacked balance and proportionality, downplayed terrorist-inflicted civilian casualties, and disregarded the crimes committed by miscreants who deliberately fomented insecurity. "We have taken note of the press release issued by certain UN experts, which appears to be based on selective and unverified media reports," the spokesperson said, emphasising that public statements of this nature must adhere to principles of objectivity and acknowledge the full context of the situation. "Any credible assessment must recognize that these elements are not mere protesters but active participants in a broader campaign of lawlessness and violence," he said. "Their abuses of law and human rights violations cannot be ignored," he added. The spokesperson said that hiding behind a facade of alleged grievances, these elements were operating in collusion with terrorists, which was evident from their coordinated efforts to obstruct state responses, including synchronised roadblocks facilitating terrorist attacks. "The latest proof of this nexus was their unlawful storming of the District Hospital in Quetta, where they forcibly seized the bodies of five terrorists eliminated during the Jaffar Express hostage rescue operation."
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Labour to open talks on slavery reparations
The Foreign Office is to open talks on slavery reparations with Caribbean officials demanding trillions of pounds from the UK. David Lammy's department is understood to be looking at April to meet members of the Reparations Commission of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), a political grouping of 15 states that has long demanded compensation from former colonial powers. According to Caribbean sources, the meeting has been planned as part of a Caricom delegation of officials and political leaders who will restate demands that Britain pay for its role in the slave trade. It will be the first delegation of its kind, with Caricom never attempting to hold such a meeting in 14 years of Tory government because calls for reparations were repeatedly rebuffed by successive prime ministers. The trip has been organised by Mia Mottley, Barbados's prime minister, who previously put Sir Keir Starmer under pressure by pushing for reparations to be on the agenda at the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit in Samoa last year. Ms Mottley has stated that Britain owes her country £3.9 trillion, while a 2023 report put the figure owed to former Caribbean colonies overall at £18 trillion. This report was overseen by Patrick Robinson, an International Court of Justice judge, who has argued that reparations should be enshrined in international law and that Britain is 'obliged to pay'. Caribbean sources suggested that the details of the trip would be formally confirmed in the coming weeks. A Foreign Office source insisted it was normal for diplomats to meet regularly. Mr Lammy has voiced support for reparations before, saying in 2020 that there was a need for a 'reckoning' with Britain's colonial past, and a process of 'repairing'. In an interview with a Boston radio station, he added that the process was 'to some extent... obviously financial, and involves endowments'. In 2018, he said it was vital that the UK government 'hears and listens' to Caribbean demands for reparations. At an event at the Guyana High Commission that year, he said 'no reparations were ever given to any slaves' and spoke of a 'different dialogue that is about our economic improvement and really starts to recognise some of the legacies that we were left with'. Mr Lammy was in attendance at the Commonwealth summit in Samoa, where the 56 member states signed an agreement stating that the time had come to seriously discuss reparations. Following this summit, he said that reparation need not be a 'cash transfer', but could include 'other forms of non-financial reparatory justice too'. Lord Hermer, the Attorney General, has also voiced his support for reparations. In a 2020 podcast for Matrix Chambers, where he served as head of chambers, he said that 'there was a moral and legal' case for reparations, and a 'certainly moral' argument for it. Caribbean sources said they were keen for Lord Hermer to be involved in the meetings after his previous comments and work winning compensation for Kenyans involved in the Mau Mau uprising. The Attorney General's office said he was scheduled to attend the meeting. The UK signed off on the Commonwealth summit statement in October last year that set out the need for 'inclusive conversations' about reparations for slavery, and the need to address 'chattel enslavement… dispossession of indigenous people, indentureship, colonialism' in order to move to a 'future based on equity'. At the summit, Sir Keir resisted pressure from member states to prioritise putting reparations on the agenda. Downing Street said that the UK would reject calls for reparations, and would not be issuing an apology for Britain's role in the slave trade. Many campaigners believed that the final statement was watered down, and were disappointed that the Commonwealth statement of intent did not go further. Some Labour MPs, including Clive Lewis and Diane Abbott, voiced support for reparations. Mr Lewis said that ignoring the issue showed a 'colonial mindset'. They were among nine Labour MPs to sit on the all-party parliamentary group on African reparations, which seeks to 'redress the legacies of African enslavement and colonialism'. Among Caribbean campaigners, there is hope that the Labour will be more amenable to the cause of reparations, which had been repeatedly ignored by the Tories. Caricom delegates are likely to present an updated set of 10 demands for reparations justice. The original 10 point plan was launched in 2013, setting out the need for a full formal apology as well as support for development and education. The Reparations Commission has been working on an updated version of the plan, which will contain more detail not only on the need to atone for slavery but also for the system of indentured servitude which followed it. The plan is likely to serve as inspiration to the African Union, which is beginning to consider its own reparations strategy, and will discuss the matter at a summit in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa this month. A Foreign Office spokesman said there were no plans for a ministerial meeting and no date set for a UK-Caricom meeting. The spokesman said: 'The Government's position on this issue has not changed – we do not pay reparations.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. 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Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Yahoo
UK issues travel warning after horrific Washington plane crash tragedy
The Foreign Office has issued updated travel advice after a horrific plane crash in Washington DC on January 29. UK travellers have been warned of air travel disruption following the fatal incident. At least 28 bodies have been pulled from the icy Potomac River after the American Airlines jet, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington DC, officials said. Crews were still searching for other casualties but did not believe there were any other survivors out of the 67 people involved, which would make it the deadliest US air crash in nearly 24 years. READ MORE: Buckingham Palace announces royal baby news after premature arrival with adorable first photo READ MORE: Met Office forecast shows all UK areas where snow will fall in hours The UK Foreign Office has issued a new warning about potential flight disruption for passengers travelling overseas. The travel advice also covers American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands. Passengers due to fly to the affected area have been urged to follow the guidance of local services, be prepared for delays and check with travel operators for information regarding cancellations or delays. The update read: "Recovery efforts are underway in Washington DC following the fatal air accident on 29 January involving American Airlines flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, and a military helicopter. "If you are concerned about anybody who may have been involved in the accident, contact American Airlines on 1800 679 8215 (from inside the US), or see "If you are due to fly in the affected area, follow the guidance of local services, check with your airline or travel operator for information on possible flight cancellations or delays and be prepared for potential delays at the airport." The Federal Aviation Administration said the mid-air crash occurred before 9pm local time when a regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military helicopter on a training flight while on approach to an airport runway. It occurred in some of the most tightly controlled and monitored airspace in the world, just over three miles south of the White House and the Capitol. Investigators will try to piece together the aircraft's final moments before their collision, including contact with air traffic controllers as well as a loss of altitude by the passenger jet. The body of the plane was found upside down in three sections in waist-deep water. The wreckage of the helicopter was also found. There was no immediate word on the cause of the Wednesday collision, but officials said flight conditions were clear as the jet coming from Wichita, Kansas, with US and Russian figure skaters and others aboard, was making a routine landing when the helicopter flew into its path. Images from the river showed boats around the partly submerged wing and what appeared to be the mangled wreckage of the plane's fuselage. Passengers on the flight included a group of figure skaters, their coaches and family members who were returning from a development camp that followed the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita.
