Four French troops killed in Afghanistan

Four French soldiers died in Afghanistan after a member of the Afghan National Army opened fire at an operational base in Kapisa, it was reported on Friday  There are also reports of others being injured.

The NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen issued a statement sending his condolences to the families of those who died.

Incidents like this are rare and as the statement from the NATO Secretary General makes clear, 130,00 International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops work with 300,000 Afghan troops "And that take a lot of trust among a lot of soldiers".

A statement from the French Prime Minister said:

"Our soldiers have fallen, were injured in the line of duty. This duty is borrowing dignity and nobility. This duty is in the image of these brave men who chose the profession of arms, their bravery and professionalism is great is recognized. And that's why their opponents use methods and as low as vile. This duty is a reflection of their mission to secure a country that was ravaged by years of war and which was exploited by fanatics who were driven from power, but not giving up violence."

"I want to bow to our soldiers deserve all the support of the French, I think of their families, I think of friends, I think of their brothers in arms. I want to send on behalf of the Government a message of solidarity and affection and I ask you to meet with me a minute of silence in their honor."

Some reports say that France may consider pulling its troops out of Afghanistan following the incident but this has not been confirmed.

1600 jobs to go at Kraft Foods

1600 jobs are to go at Kraft Foods in North America, it was announced today.  The company, which is known for its Cadbury and Philadelphia brands among others, said that 40% of the jobs would go because of a realignment of US Sales. 

The announcement from Kraft comes as its snacks and groceries businesses are set to become two separate companies by the end of the year.

Commenting on the job losses, Tony Vernon, Executive Vice President and President, Kraft Foods North America and CEO of the future grocery company, said:

"Making these tough choices is never easy, and we recognize the impact these changes will have on many of our people and their families."

"But our plan for a more nimble company, combined with the current economic and competitive pressures, led us to this point. Taking the necessary steps now will enable us to continue investing in our beloved brands to drive growth."

It was also announced that management centers would be consolidated and organisational structures would be made leaner with the aim improving effectiveness and to fuel growth.

Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO, said:

"When we announced our decision to create two world-class companies last August, we said both would be leaner, more competitive organizations."

"For the past year, the North American team has been working to streamline operations to deliver sustainable top-tier performance and continue to invest in our iconic brands. We're confident that this transformational work will improve effectiveness and fuel the future growth of both companies."

Later this year, Kraft Foods will consolidate its US Management Centers leaving two of them, there are currently four. It was also announced that its beverage businesses unit which are located in New York and New Jersey will be moved to Chicagoland -where the snacks company will also be based - by December. The company will retain its sites in Greater Toronto.

Ban Ki-moon repeats calls for Assad to stand down

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has again called on President Assad to stop the killing in Syria.

The uprising began in March 2011 and there are no signs of it abating. Military action by the West has been ruled out and, as yet, there is no end to the killing of protesters that continues in Syria.

Since March 2011, more than 6000 men, women and children have been killed as the uprising goes on and recent reports from credible sources say that children and babies are being tortured. Now, calls are increasing for President Assad to stand down, among those calling for Assad to go is US President Barack Obama, calls which are likely to be unanswered as Assad refuses to bow to the will of the countries people.

Speaking at a conference in Lebanon today, Ban Ki-moon said:

"I say again to President Assad of Syria: Stop the violence. Stop killing your own people. The path of repression is a dead end."

"The lessons of the past year are eloquent and clear:

The winds of change will not cease to blow. The flame ignited in Tunisia will not be dimmed."

"Let us remember, as well: none of these great changes began with a call for a regime change."

"First and foremost, people wanted dignity."

During the speech, Ban Ki-moon also spoke of the Arab Spring and of the support for countries in the Middle East as they make the transition to democracy.

Thousands evacuated as cruiser capsizes

The Italian built Costa Concordia cruise ship capsized on Friday night as it sailed in seas close Giglio Island.

All passengers and crew on the ship have been evacuated while others are reported injured and missing; there has also been some fatalities.


The cruiser- Italy's largest - has been in service since 2006 and has previously had a good safety record.


In an update from the Foreign Office, they state that they are working closely with local authorities and working to identify any Britons involved.


A statement issued by the Foreign office today said that all British nationals have been accounted for.


If people have concerns about British passengers on board the ship then they are advised by the Foreign Office to contact the British Embassy in Rome on + (39) 06 4220 001 or the Foreign Office in London can be contacted on 0207 008 1500.

A statement has been issued by Carnival Corporation, the parent company of Costa Cruises.  The full statement is available to read here.

Haiti two years after the quake

Today marked the 2nd anniversary of the devastating 7.0 earthquake that brought death and destruction to Haiti.

The devastation caused to the country was vast, crippling the country which was already strewn with poverty. 220,000 people died as a result of the earthquake, 300,00 more were injured and 1.5 million were left homeless.

Yet more devastation was to come in the aftermath of the earthquake when an outbreak of cholera hit the stricken country, killing thousands and leaving thousands more in hospital: the cholera outbreak still continues to kill victims of the quake, according to a report released today by the International Medical Corps.

Commenting on the cholera outbreak in a UN press release, Jon Andrus, the Deputy Director of the UN World Health Organization’s (WHO) regional arm, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), said:

“Over the past year the response from the international community has been substantial with the implementation and promotion of a variety of prevention and control strategies."

“However, despite these intensified efforts, we continue to encounter approximately 200 new cholera cases [of cholera] per day in Haiti and this number will certainly go up during the upcoming rainy season."

“Cholera elimination will require renewed efforts to ensure that safe water and sanitation are provided to every resident. Such efforts will require major investment in capacity development and infrastructure for decades. We as partners have failed to ensure safe water and sanitation is provided to every citizen of Haiti. Now we have this opportunity to reverse that failure.”

Two years on there is progress but it's proving to be slow. Much of the rubble has been moved - there were 19 million cubic metres of it, according to DEC and infrastructure is better. However recovery efforts have been blighted by a lack of funding with many countries who pledged money to help Haiti and its people in the aftermath of the disaster not fulfilling their pledge.

Charities such as the Red Cross and Save the Children are still in the country and the UN, which lost 102 members of its staff in the quake remain hard at work there too. The UN World Food Programme provides food assistance to 1.5 million people and Haiti’s National School Meals Programme ensures that 1.1 million children receive a healthy meal everyday.

On this second anniversary, the UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon called for the continued support of Haiti and as it moves forward and paid tribute to the work of UN workers in the country.

Two years on, Haiti remains a country very much in need with more. than 500,000 thousand people still without homes and access to clean water is still limited for many. Haiti's recovery will be a long one and the efforts to rebuild it will continue for a long time to come.