In today’s headlines almost 100 flood warnings remain in place for Scotland, England and Wales following Storm Frank, with military personnel continuing to support the relief effort.
In Belgium the New Year celebrations have been cancelled because of a terror alert. Elsewhere, the outgoing UN refugee head Antonio Guterres has said the EU was grossly unprepared for this year’s mass migration from Syria.
New Year’s Honours
In the New Year’s Honours almost 1200 people are recognised; the Guardian reports that many of those recognised include members of the military who fought the Ebola outbreak.
The Secretary of State for Defence said:
I extend my warmest congratulations to all the military and civilian personnel working in Defence who have been recognised in Her Majesty The Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. Their dedication and achievements help to keep Britain safe and they deserve our wholehearted thanks and praise.
Flooding
Among further coverage of the floods and the military’s assistance to the flood response are reports (Daily Telegraph, Daily Express, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail) that a Sea King from HMS Gannet’s 771 Search and Rescue Squadron was involved in a rescue of passengers from a bus in South Ayrshire in Scotland which became swamped by flood waters.
You can read more about the kind of things the military have been doing to support the flood relief effort here.
Hercules contract
The Sun and The Daily Mail follow yesterday’s Telegraph in reporting the MOD announcement of the £369m Hercules deal awarded to Marshall. The Defence Secretary is quoted in the Sun as saying that the contract would ensure the Hercules fleet would be able to serve the RAF for years to come. The story is also covered in several specialist publications including Defense News.
You can read more about the contract and the role of the Hercules here.
Northern Ireland
The Daily Mail reports that at least two former paratroopers involved in a police probe into Bloody Sunday also face investigation into a shooting in Ballymurphy in 1971. The paper reports that dozens of former soldiers have received ‘Cold Call’ letters from the MOD asking them to share any information from the incident during the Troubles.
An MOD Spokesperson said:
It is MOD policy to co-operate fully with all judicial processes in the UK and a number of former soldiers have been written to seeking their assistances with PSNI’s Bloody Sunday criminal investigation and the Ballymurphy inquest. It would be inappropriate to comment further.
A leader in the paper asks what other country would investigate its soldiers actions four decades on while giving immunity to those accused of terrorist crimes.
Afghanistan
The Guardian and Daily Mail carry pieces assessing security in Kabul and Afghanistan more widely at the end of 2015. The Guardian argues that Afghanistan is not necessarily doomed to fail.
Chibok schoolgirls
The BBC website reports that the Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari is prepared to negotiate with Boko Haram for the release of the Chibok schoolgirls who were abducted in summer 2014. The piece says the President has said he does not have intelligence on the exact location of the girls.
You can read more about what the UK is doing to support Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram here.
Image of the Day
Royal Air Force Chinook called in to support Environmental Agency
With a new weather band due to hit the UK during the night, the Environment Agency have requested the assistance of the Royal Air Force and soldiers from 2LANCS, to assist in repairing a damaged river bank.
Damage was believed to have been involved in the flooding of Croston in the flooding on Boxing day.
Further details of the task can be obtained from the Environment agency.
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