In Defence-related news, Radio 4’s Today programme included an interview with Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former Secretary General of NATO, who said that the West should step up support for Ukraine.
Responding to a question about defence spending in the UK, he said Prime Minister David Cameron was a “cheerleader” of the 2% commitment at last year’s NATO summit in Wales, and added that he is confident the Prime Minister will lead by example and ensure the UK lives up to her obligations.
Brecon Beacons deaths
The second day of the inquest into the deaths of the three Army Reservists in the Brecon Beacons in July 2013 generated widespread media coverage, with stories in the Times, the Guardian, the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror, among others. The stories focus largely on the accounts of other soldiers taking part in the selection exercise, with some saying they continued with the 16-mile march despite suffering from heat exhaustion and against medical advice. Most articles also mention the death of Royal Marine Lieutenant Gareth Jenkins, who died last week during a 30-mile hike across Dartmoor.
The Daily Telegraph and The Sun also run two small articles about Lieutenant Jenkins’ death, both of which reflect the MOD’s statement below.
It is with sadness and regret that we can confirm the death of Lieutenant Gareth Jenkins, a Royal Marine officer under training at the Commando Training Centre, Lympstone. The thoughts and sympathies of the Naval Service are with his family and friends at this time. The incident is currently under investigation and it would be inappropriate to comment further while that process continues.
Nepal
The Daily Telegraph reports on claims that three RAF Chinook helicopters were turned away from providing aid to Nepal’s earthquake victims over the country’s resentment at Britain putting a member of the Nepalese army on trial for torture. According to Amnesty International, Nepal’s refusal of the helicopters was at least partly down to the case of Colonel Kumar Lama, a Nepali army officer accused of torture during the country’s 1996-2006 civil war. The piece says a government spokesperson called this "speculation" and that it was disappointed that the Chinooks will not be supporting the World Food Programme's request for help in distributing aid. The spokesperson added:
The UK has been the biggest bilateral aid donor to Nepal in response to the devastating earthquake, contributing over £23m, and we will continue to support the ongoing relief effort.
Survival rates
Following a MOD blog post about the most detailed ever analysis of British casualties from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, which shows a dramatic improvement in survival rates, the Daily Telegraph runs an article saying that improvements in care have meant that since 2003, an estimated 265 casualties have survived injuries that would have been judged likely to be fatal at the start of the conflicts. The piece adds that improvements in rehabilitation have meant that people not only survived, but have gone on to make remarkable recoveries.
Read the full blog here
Sailor in the Seychelles
The Times, Daily Mirror, Daily Star and the Sun all cover the death of a British sailor during HMS Richmond’s visit to the Seychelles. Articles are brief, reporting that the body of Engineering Technician (Marine Engineer) (ET(ME)2) Charles George Warrender was found early on Saturday morning, and that an investigation by local police is ongoing.
A Royal Navy spokesperson said:
It is with great sadness that we can confirm that Engineer Technician (Marine Engineer) Charles George Warrender from HMS Richmond was found dead in the Seychelles on Saturday. The next of kin have been informed and the thoughts and sympathies of the Naval Service are with his family and friends at this sad time. The incident is currently under investigation by the local police therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further.
