Sharon's death and Israel holds burial service for Ariel Sharon

Israel holds burial service for Ariel Sharon

Israel is holding the burial service of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at his family ranch within the Negev Desert.

Earlier, speakers at the state memorial represented him as AN "indomitable" man dedicated to the safety of his individuals.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu same he was "one of the best military commanders the individual individuals have had".

Mr Sharon, regarded by several Israelis as a good statesmen however wide loathed within the Arab world, died on Sabbatum aged eighty five once eight years in an exceedingly coma.

Thousands of mourners paid their final respects on Sunday, once adult male Sharon's coffin lay in state outside parliament - the Knesseth - in capital of Israel.



'Giant of this land'
Amid final prayers, adult male Sharon's coffin was placed in an exceedingly plot at the Sycamore ranch he closely-held close to Sderot, near geographical area.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden and Tony Blair were among those to pay tribute to the previous PM at the memorial
He lies beside his married person Lili, WHO died in 2000.

Security was tight as a gaggle of eight serving generals carried the coffin on the ultimate stage of the journey.

Chief of workers Lt-Gen Benny Gantz same in an exceedingly speech: "Generations of troopers came to salute you for the last time these days... I came to salute you too."

Earlier, some twenty foreign delegates and many Israeli dignitaries attended the state memorial service.

They enclosed United States of America Vice-President Joe Biden, Russian secretary of state Sergei Lavrov, Mideast international envoy Tony Blair, Czech PM Jiri Rusnok and German secretary of state Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
After the memorial, a military service was control at Latrun

Sharon was a soldier for several years, enjoying a serious role in 1973 war, before he entered politics
Delivering the primary speech at the memorial, President Shimon Peres same adult male Sharon was a "living military legend" WHO additionally continually unreal of peace for Israel.

He same adult male Sharon's shoulders had "borne the burden of the safety of our people".

Mr Netanyahu same adult male Sharon's "unique contribution to the safety of the state is graven in our historical writings", adding: "Your memory are going to be a part of this nation forever."
Mr Biden represented adult male Sharon as AN "indomitable tractor... the safety of his individuals was his unwavering mission".

Describing adult male Sharon as "bold, unorthodox and unyielding", however additionally "warm-hearted, humorous, charming and passionate", adult male Anthony Charles Lynton Blair referred to as the previous PM "a big of this land" WHO would "take his place within the history of Israel with pride".

Mr Sharon's body was then taken in an exceedingly ceremonial occasion cortege for a short military ceremony at Latrun, west of capital of Israel, wherever he was severely wounded within the 1948 war of independence.

An Israeli security supply same the terrorist group government in geographical area had been warned to forestall any rocket attacks on the burial service.

Because of its proximity to geographical area, 3 security rings were being placed round the land site.

The Israeli military same four rockets were launched from geographical area on Monday. the primary 2 rockets didn't reach Israel, the second 2 landed on open ground.



Gaza withdrawal
No-one from the Arab world, Africa or geographic region was attending Monday's ceremonies.
Mr Sharon's active role in four wars, from Israel's independence in 1948 till 1973, and later in government because the man WHO ordered the 1982 invasion of Asian country, meant he was wide detested across the Arab world.

Palestinians saw him as a offender, attributable to the 1982 massacre by Christian Phalangist militia at the Israeli and Shatila expatriate camps. AN Israeli inquiry found adult male Sharon to blame for failing to forestall the killings.

But months before the stroke that left him in an exceedingly coma in Gregorian calendar month 2006, he target-hunting Israelis through a unilateral withdrawal from the geographic area, with the declared aim of easing tensions with the Palestinians.

Palestinians celebrate Sharon death

Met Commissioner 'would not cycle' in London

Met Commissioner 'would not cycle' in London

 The Metropolitan Police Commissioner has revealed he would not cycle in London, following six fatalities in the city within two weeks.

 

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said he would not cycle in London due to the vulnerability of cyclists

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner has revealed he would not cycle in London, following six fatalities in the city within two weeks.

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said cyclists were too vulnerable and traffic too busy on the city's roads.
He said: "If you get it wrong, or the driver gets it wrong, the person that's going to pay is the cyclist."
The Mayor of London's office said Boris Johnson had committed £1bn to improving cycle safety in the city.
Mr Hogan-Howe was speaking to BBC London 94.9 after six cyclists were killed in a period of two weeks on London's roads.
Police operation He said: "Of course some people don't have the choice, economically.
"If you've got someone who can't afford to take a car into the congestion zone, if they did, you can't park it anyway.
"I understand why they take the choice, [but] it wouldn't be mine."
In a statement released later, Sir Bernard added: "I was expressing a personal view as a non-cyclist and I would like to clarify my position.
Health benefits "There is no doubt that despite the growth of cycling in London, it has got safer and its cost effectiveness and health benefits make it an attractive option for many people."
The number of cyclists killed in crashes in London so far this year stands at 14, the same as the figure for the whole of 2012.
Over the next week more than 2,000 police officers will be deployed in an operation to try to make the roads safer.
The House of Commons Transport Committee is also to hold an oral evidence session on cycle safety on December 2 to "stimulate debate".
Committee chairman Louise Ellman said the deaths this year had raised the issue of restricting lorries, and the behaviour of drivers and cyclists.

The map shows when and where the fatal crashes took place

Typhoon Haiyan: Beckhams clothes sale prompts queues

Typhoon Haiyan: Beckhams clothes sale prompts queues 

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BBC's Alice Bhandhukravi went along to the sale at the British Red Cross shop in Chelsea

Members of the public have been queuing outside a west London charity shop to buy designer clothes donated by David and Victoria Beckham.

The collection of clothes includes shoes by Jimmy Choo and suits by Dolce and Gabbana.
The money raised from the sale at the British Red Cross shop in Chelsea will be used to help victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.
Mrs Beckham said others should donate clothes for the cause.
British contribution £100m Earlier on Friday, the National Disaster Agency in the Philippines announced that the death toll of the typhoon which ripped through the country on 8 November had risen to 5,209, with many more missing.
Donations from the British public and the government in the aftermath of the typhoon have topped £100m.

 

There were queues outside the charity shop in Chelsea

 

Victoria Beckham's shoes were among donated items that went on sale

 

Victoria Beckham tweeted a picture of the shoes she was donating

 

 Items donated by the Beckhams were marked out from the rest of the stock

 

Victoria Beckham appealed to others to dig out unwanted items

Mrs Beckham said: "Everyone has something in their closet they were holding on to - a dress, suit, or pair of shoes they thought they might wear again.
"Dig them out, bag them up, drop them off and give someone else the chance to buy them, raising much-needed funds for the Red Cross aid effort."
Ahead of the sale, Victoria Beckham tweeted pictures of a large pile of designer shoes that she was donating to be sold at the shop, which is located at 69-71 Old Church Street in Chelsea.
'Significant funds' The shop operated a one in one out policy, with a maximum of 50 people allowed in the shop at any one time.
Prices ranged from £25 for ties and belts to £250 for jackets.
Mrs Beckham's clothes were a UK size four and her shoes a size four or four-and-a-half.
Some customers queued for more than an hour, and each person was allowed to purchase only one item from the 20 boxes of goods donated.
The charity's director of fundraising, Mark Astarita, said the Beckhams' donation "will enable us to raise significant funds towards the enormous humanitarian operation currently under way".
He told BBC London: "One of Victoria's dresses will buy 50 blankets; one of David's suits will buy 14 tarpaulins. It really can make a difference to people in the Philippines."
He said he hoped the sale would have raised £40,000 by the time the shop closes at 20:00 GMT.
Customers at British Red Cross shops can specifically request their donations be used to aid the victims of Typhoon Haiyan as part of the charity's Shop Drop for the Philippines campaign.

China 'flies first stealth drone' - reports

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China successfully flew a stealth drone for the first time on Thursday, state media said, citing eyewitness reports.

A drone, called "Sharp Sword" by the media, made a test flight for around 20 minutes in Chengdu, reports said.
China has been developing stealth aircraft in recent years, including J-20 and J-31 stealth fighters.
In September, an unmanned drone flew close to a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea, raising tensions with Japan.

Following that incident, Japan said it would shoot down unmanned aircraft in Japanese airspace.

China's defence ministry said that any attempt by Japan to shoot down Chinese aircraft would constitute "an act of war".
"The successful flight shows the nation has again narrowed the air-power disparity between itself and Western nations," state-run newspaper China Daily said on Friday.
The BBC's defence correspondent Jonathan Marcus says China is joining a small elite club of nations that includes the US, Israel, France and the UK, who are pushing the boundaries of UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) technology.
Our correspondent says that what is clear from recent air shows and the Chinese technical press is that Beijing has developed a variety of UAVs matching virtually every category deployed by the US.
They range from small tactical drones of limited endurance to much larger systems that look strikingly like US Reaper or Predator models, and just like their US counterparts some of these Chinese drones are equipped with hard-points on their wings to carry munitions.
This comes as China pours money into its military making its neighbours in the region nervous, BBC Beijing correspondent Martin Patience says

Iran and world powers struggle on nuclear deal in Geneva

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (C) is leading the Iranian team

Continue reading the main story

Rouhani's Iran

• First 100 days
• Views on Rouhani
• Positive signs
• Q&A: Nuclear issue

World powers are struggling to reach an interim deal with Iran to limit its nuclear programme, as talks in Geneva move into a third day.

Iran spoke of "serious issues" that must be resolved, while one Western diplomat cited "considerable gaps".
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived to join the talks, and reports say the discussions could extend into the weekend.
The deal could see Iran curb uranium enrichment for some sanctions relief.
However, US politicians have indicated they will push forward with a bill proposing more sanctions against Iran next month if the talks fail.
US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he would support "broadening the scope" of current oil and trade sanctions.

Continue reading the main story

Negotiating positions for interim deal

P5+1 wants Iran to:

• Halt uranium enrichment at medium level of purity
• Reduce concentration of existing stockpile of medium-enriched uranium or convert it to oxide form
• Not allow Arak heavy-water reactor to go into operation
• Commit to permitting more inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Iran wants the P5+1 to:

• Recognise its "right" to enrich uranium
• End international and unilateral sanctions

• Q&A: Iran nuclear crisis
• Iran's nuclear sites
• Analysis: Can gaps be bridged?

Both Republican and Democrat congressmen say the threat of sanctions will bolster the negotiating position of the world powers.

President Barack Obama had earlier urged Congress not to promote the bill while talks were going on.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, but some world powers suspect it is seeking a nuclear weapons capability.
Talks extended?
EU foreign policy chief Baroness Catherine Ashton is leading the talks for the world powers.
She has begun a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif.
The Geneva talks, which are currently scheduled to conclude on Friday, involve Iran and representatives of the so-called P5+1 - UN Security Council permanent members US, UK, France, China and Russia, plus Germany.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday that negotiations were "positive", but said meetings were likely to continue into Saturday.
US Secretary of State John Kerry may join later.

'Very hard' After Thursday's talks, Mr Araqchi was quoted by the Mehr news agency as saying "serious issues remain a source of difference".
One senior Western diplomat told Reuters: "Considerable gaps remain, and we have to narrow the gaps. Some issues really need to be clarified.
"I sensed a real commitment... from both sides. Will it happen? We will see. But, as always, the devil is in the details."
One US source said simply: "It is very hard."
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told France 2 television: "This deal will only be possible if it has a firm base."
However, one diplomat told Reuters there was still a "very high probability" that foreign ministers would join the talks at some point.

Benjamin Netanyahu (left, with Vladimir Putin): "I promise you that [Iran] will not have nuclear weapons"

The Geneva meeting follows a previous round of talks earlier this month.
The US has said any interim agreement would see the bulk of international and US sanctions targeting Iran's nuclear programme remain in place.
Mr Obama said sanctions relief would be worth between $6bn and $7bn.
The essence of the deal would involve Iran making no more advances in its nuclear programme and agreeing to "more vigorous inspections", he said.
Analysts say a major sticking point is Iran's insistence on its right to enrich uranium - a process that yields material used to manufacture fuel for power stations, but can also be used for weapons.

The fate of Iran's heavy-water plant at Arak is one of the issues to be resolved

Western diplomats are also concerned about a reactor Iran is building at Arak, which disrupted the first round of talks.
Before the talks opened, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said Iran would not step back "one iota" from its nuclear rights.
He also referred to Israel as a "rabid dog".
Israel has vehemently opposed the proposed deal and says it will not be obliged to honour it.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is in Moscow, said the ayatollah's speech represented the "real Iran".
"We are not confused. They must not have nuclear weapons. And I promise you that they will not have nuclear weapons," he said.