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1.Turkey's ammunition claim on Syria plane 'lies' - Damascus
Syria has accused Turkey of lying over its claim that a Syria-bound plane forced to land in Ankara was
carrying Russian-made defence equipment. Syria's foreign ministry challenged Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who made the claim, to show publicly the "ammunition" that had been seized.
Mr Erdogan said the jet was intercepted because of suspicions that Russia was breaching an arms embargo on Syria. Russia also denied the aircraft had illegal cargo on board.
It said the interception by Turkish military jets had put the lives of the passengers - including 17 Russian nationals - "in danger".
Tensions were already high between Turkey and Syria, following the deaths of five Turkish civilians by shelling from across the border last week.Turkey has returned fire, and on Wednesday its top military
commander warned Ankara would respond with greater force if the shelling continued.
'Tip-off'
On Thursday Syria's foreign ministry accused Mr Erdogan of lying "to justify his government's hostile attitude towards Syria", according to Syria's Sana state news agency."The plane's cargo was documented in detail on the bill of lading and the plane did not carry any illegal
material or any weapons," the ministry said. It urged Mr Erdogan to "show the equipment and ammunition at least to his people".
The Syrian Air Airbus A320, with about 30 passengers on board, was intercepted late on Wednesday by two Turkish fighters and escorted to Ankara's Esenboga airport.
Turkey said previously it had received an intelligence tip-off that it
had illegal cargo on board.
Speaking to reporters in Ankara, Mr Erdogan said: "This was equipment and ammunition that was being sent from a Russian agency... to the Syrian defence ministry".
"Their examination is continuing," he added.
He said the supplier was a state-run arms manufacturer.Russia's state arms export agency Rosoboronexport said it had no information about the cargo and denied it had
any connection with the flight or anything on
board.
Damaged ties
The aircraft was allowed to leave Ankara in the early hours of Thursday. But Syrian Transport Minister Mahmoud Saeed accused Turkey of carrying out "air piracy" and breaking civil aviation agreements.
Turkey has already imposed an arms embargo on Syria, and Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu said it was determined to stop any transfer of weapons to Syria through its
airspace.The foreign ministry said there was "no basis" for safety concerns and that "all measures were
taken to ensure the safety of all passengers and to cater to their possible
needs".
Since the uprising against Syria President Bashar al-Assad began last year, Russia has repeatedly refused to abandon its support for Damascus, while Turkey has been a vocal critic of the Assad government.
The BBC's James Reynolds, near the Syrian border in southern Turkey, says that despite taking opposite views, Ankara and Moscow have maintained a close relationship and continued to do business together.
This incident could be the biggest test of their ties since the conflict broke out, he adds.
In another sign of deteriorating relations, Turkish officials revealed on Thursday that Syria had stopped buying electricity from its neighbour last week.
In Syria itself, a huge explosion hit near a state security building in the centre of Damascus on Thursday.
State media said two people had been injured in the attack, which it blamed on "terrorists".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19918858
1.Turkey's ammunition claim on Syria plane 'lies' - Damascus
Syria has accused Turkey of lying over its claim that a Syria-bound plane forced to land in Ankara was
carrying Russian-made defence equipment. Syria's foreign ministry challenged Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who made the claim, to show publicly the "ammunition" that had been seized.
Mr Erdogan said the jet was intercepted because of suspicions that Russia was breaching an arms embargo on Syria. Russia also denied the aircraft had illegal cargo on board.
It said the interception by Turkish military jets had put the lives of the passengers - including 17 Russian nationals - "in danger".
Tensions were already high between Turkey and Syria, following the deaths of five Turkish civilians by shelling from across the border last week.Turkey has returned fire, and on Wednesday its top military
commander warned Ankara would respond with greater force if the shelling continued.
'Tip-off'
On Thursday Syria's foreign ministry accused Mr Erdogan of lying "to justify his government's hostile attitude towards Syria", according to Syria's Sana state news agency."The plane's cargo was documented in detail on the bill of lading and the plane did not carry any illegal
material or any weapons," the ministry said. It urged Mr Erdogan to "show the equipment and ammunition at least to his people".
The Syrian Air Airbus A320, with about 30 passengers on board, was intercepted late on Wednesday by two Turkish fighters and escorted to Ankara's Esenboga airport.
Turkey said previously it had received an intelligence tip-off that it
had illegal cargo on board.
Speaking to reporters in Ankara, Mr Erdogan said: "This was equipment and ammunition that was being sent from a Russian agency... to the Syrian defence ministry".
"Their examination is continuing," he added.
He said the supplier was a state-run arms manufacturer.Russia's state arms export agency Rosoboronexport said it had no information about the cargo and denied it had
any connection with the flight or anything on
board.
Damaged ties
The aircraft was allowed to leave Ankara in the early hours of Thursday. But Syrian Transport Minister Mahmoud Saeed accused Turkey of carrying out "air piracy" and breaking civil aviation agreements.
Turkey has already imposed an arms embargo on Syria, and Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu said it was determined to stop any transfer of weapons to Syria through its
airspace.The foreign ministry said there was "no basis" for safety concerns and that "all measures were
taken to ensure the safety of all passengers and to cater to their possible
needs".
Since the uprising against Syria President Bashar al-Assad began last year, Russia has repeatedly refused to abandon its support for Damascus, while Turkey has been a vocal critic of the Assad government.
The BBC's James Reynolds, near the Syrian border in southern Turkey, says that despite taking opposite views, Ankara and Moscow have maintained a close relationship and continued to do business together.
This incident could be the biggest test of their ties since the conflict broke out, he adds.
In another sign of deteriorating relations, Turkish officials revealed on Thursday that Syria had stopped buying electricity from its neighbour last week.
In Syria itself, a huge explosion hit near a state security building in the centre of Damascus on Thursday.
State media said two people had been injured in the attack, which it blamed on "terrorists".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19918858
The plane was searched at Ankara's airport for several hours before being allowed to leave.
2.Hasan Aydemir jailed for posting fake bomb to wedding of sister
A man who air freighted a fake bomb to disrupt his sister's wedding in Turkey has been jailed for four years. Hasan Aydemir, 28, posted the gift-wrapped parcel with a decorative bow on the top from a branch of UPS in Camden, north London.
Aydemir, of Allington Avenue, Haringey, north London, denied making a bomb hoax but was found guilty at Blackfriars Crown Court.
The parcel was addressed to a wedding hall in the Gungoren area of Istanbul. The court heard he told staff at UPS that the parcel contained presents, a watch and a teddy. His sister was due to be married three days later.
Attached to the package was a piece of paper bearing the words translated into English as: "Leave the package on the table of the bride and groom on 20/03/2011. The package is my gift to Hatice-Metin."'Extremely irresponsible'"Aydemir also phoned the reception
hall to ensure that his instructions to take delivery of the parcel were carried out.
Jurors heard that when Aydemir sent the parcel on 17 March last year, he was locked in a family dispute about his sister's wedding and hoped to disrupt the service by sending the hoax bomb.
His plan was foiled when the package was inspected at Ataturk airport by a customs officer, who found it contained a device made up from a clock and
pieces of different coloured wire and putty designed to look like a bomb.Although he had used false details on the postage forms, police were able to identify Aydemir through CCTV footage and phone records.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Osborne, senior national
co-ordinator of counter terrorism, said: "Hasan Aydemir had clearly gone to great
lengths to make a realistic looking hoax device, which was designed to deceive
anyone seeing it into thinking that it was a bomb.
"His actions were extremely irresponsible and wasted valuable police
resources both in Turkey and in London."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19915681
788979
Uk in falls to 2.5% despite rising fuel cost
UK inflation fell to its lowest in almost three years in September, easing the pressure on cash-strapped consumers. But there was a sting in the tail for people on benefits, as last month's inflation numbers will be used to set payouts.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said consumer price inflation eased to 2.2% in September, the lowest since November 2009. That compares with a rate of 2.5% in August and is in line with economists' forecasts. Inflation as measured by the retail prices index (RPI), which includes some housing and tax costs, dropped from 2.9% to 2.6%.
Policymakers have been hoping that a fall in inflation will ease the pressure on consumers and encourage people to start spending again to help prop up the economy. However, the figures were skewed by sharp rises in gas and electricity in September last year and inflation is expected to pick up again when this year's round of price increases start to take effect. This month four of the big six energy suppliers announced that bills would rise by 6%-9%.
Vicky Redwood at Capital Economics said higher utility bills, rising food prices and university tuition fees would lift inflation in the coming months. But she expected the yearly rate to stay close to the Bank of England's 2% target, and even fall below it as a result of the weakness of the economy. That should pave the way for the bank to announce an extension of the quantitative easing programme later this year.
She said: "While next month's MPC [monetary policy committee] decision is shaping up to be a relatively close call, we still expect more asset purchases to be announced in the coming months."
Tuesday's data will provide George Osborne with a rare piece of good news, as next year's benefits bill could come in lower than forecast as a result. The Office for Budget Responsibility, whose forecasts are used by the Treasury, expected September's CPI [consumer prices index] to be 2.6%. Under that estimate, the benefit bill for next year stood at £183bn.
The lower rate of inflation will also offer relief to retailers and other companies, as the annual increase in business rates, due in the spring, is determined by September's RPI. However, some of Britain's leading retailers are campaigning for rates to be frozen, as the escalation of costs was preventing them from opening new stores and driving the economy.
In a letter to the Financial Times, Ian Cheshire, chief executive of Kingfisher, Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, and Andy Clarke, chief executive of Asda, called for the moratorium.
Separately, the ONS said factory gate inflation rose to 2.5% – higher than analyst forecasts of 2.2% – while input prices dropped 1.2%, as the price of oil and imported metals came down. The ONS said house prices rose 1.8% on the year in August, down from a 2% increase in July.http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/sep/18/uk-inflation-falls-despite-fuel-costs
A man who air freighted a fake bomb to disrupt his sister's wedding in Turkey has been jailed for four years. Hasan Aydemir, 28, posted the gift-wrapped parcel with a decorative bow on the top from a branch of UPS in Camden, north London.
Aydemir, of Allington Avenue, Haringey, north London, denied making a bomb hoax but was found guilty at Blackfriars Crown Court.
The parcel was addressed to a wedding hall in the Gungoren area of Istanbul. The court heard he told staff at UPS that the parcel contained presents, a watch and a teddy. His sister was due to be married three days later.
Attached to the package was a piece of paper bearing the words translated into English as: "Leave the package on the table of the bride and groom on 20/03/2011. The package is my gift to Hatice-Metin."'Extremely irresponsible'"Aydemir also phoned the reception
hall to ensure that his instructions to take delivery of the parcel were carried out.
Jurors heard that when Aydemir sent the parcel on 17 March last year, he was locked in a family dispute about his sister's wedding and hoped to disrupt the service by sending the hoax bomb.
His plan was foiled when the package was inspected at Ataturk airport by a customs officer, who found it contained a device made up from a clock and
pieces of different coloured wire and putty designed to look like a bomb.Although he had used false details on the postage forms, police were able to identify Aydemir through CCTV footage and phone records.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Osborne, senior national
co-ordinator of counter terrorism, said: "Hasan Aydemir had clearly gone to great
lengths to make a realistic looking hoax device, which was designed to deceive
anyone seeing it into thinking that it was a bomb.
"His actions were extremely irresponsible and wasted valuable police
resources both in Turkey and in London."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19915681
788979
Uk in falls to 2.5% despite rising fuel cost
UK inflation fell to its lowest in almost three years in September, easing the pressure on cash-strapped consumers. But there was a sting in the tail for people on benefits, as last month's inflation numbers will be used to set payouts.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said consumer price inflation eased to 2.2% in September, the lowest since November 2009. That compares with a rate of 2.5% in August and is in line with economists' forecasts. Inflation as measured by the retail prices index (RPI), which includes some housing and tax costs, dropped from 2.9% to 2.6%.
Policymakers have been hoping that a fall in inflation will ease the pressure on consumers and encourage people to start spending again to help prop up the economy. However, the figures were skewed by sharp rises in gas and electricity in September last year and inflation is expected to pick up again when this year's round of price increases start to take effect. This month four of the big six energy suppliers announced that bills would rise by 6%-9%.
Vicky Redwood at Capital Economics said higher utility bills, rising food prices and university tuition fees would lift inflation in the coming months. But she expected the yearly rate to stay close to the Bank of England's 2% target, and even fall below it as a result of the weakness of the economy. That should pave the way for the bank to announce an extension of the quantitative easing programme later this year.
She said: "While next month's MPC [monetary policy committee] decision is shaping up to be a relatively close call, we still expect more asset purchases to be announced in the coming months."
Tuesday's data will provide George Osborne with a rare piece of good news, as next year's benefits bill could come in lower than forecast as a result. The Office for Budget Responsibility, whose forecasts are used by the Treasury, expected September's CPI [consumer prices index] to be 2.6%. Under that estimate, the benefit bill for next year stood at £183bn.
The lower rate of inflation will also offer relief to retailers and other companies, as the annual increase in business rates, due in the spring, is determined by September's RPI. However, some of Britain's leading retailers are campaigning for rates to be frozen, as the escalation of costs was preventing them from opening new stores and driving the economy.
In a letter to the Financial Times, Ian Cheshire, chief executive of Kingfisher, Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, and Andy Clarke, chief executive of Asda, called for the moratorium.
Separately, the ONS said factory gate inflation rose to 2.5% – higher than analyst forecasts of 2.2% – while input prices dropped 1.2%, as the price of oil and imported metals came down. The ONS said house prices rose 1.8% on the year in August, down from a 2% increase in July.http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/sep/18/uk-inflation-falls-despite-fuel-costs
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