UK's FCO advises Britons to 'leave Bahrain today' Skip to main content

UK's FCO advises Britons to 'leave Bahrain today'

An anti-government protester as forces move in to evacuate Pearl Square in Manama Anti-government protesters have been in the square for weeks

Related Stories

The UK Foreign Office (FCO) has urged Britons to leave Bahrain on Thursday, as violence and protests continue.
The government has organised charter flights to Dubai, to supplement the number of commercial flights available.
The FCO advised UK nationals without a "pressing reason" to stay to leave via the international airport on 17 March on commercial or UK-chartered flights.
Security forces with tanks have moved in on anti-government protesters, in the Gulf state's capital Manama.
The protesters have been camped in a square in the city for weeks.
Foreign Secretary William Hague has spoken to his Bahraini counterpart to express "serious concern" at the situation on the ground.
At least three civilians were reportedly killed after police fired on mainly Shia protesters. Officials said three police also died.
Troops have taken over a hospital treating the wounded. Officials have imposed a curfew and banned protests.
The country's Sunni rulers on Tuesday called in Saudi troops to keep order.
Bahrain's health minister, himself a Shia, has resigned in protest against the government's use of force, and the BBC's Caroline Hawley in Manama says Shia judges have resigned en masse.
Dubai flights Bahrain - which has a population of 800,000 and is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet - is the first Gulf country to be thrown into turmoil by the wave of unrest sweeping the Arab world. Protests there began last month.

Start Quote

The UK remains seriously concerned about... clashes with protesters and reports of several casualties”
End Quote William Hague Foreign Secretary
As of 0600 Bahrain time on Thursday (0300 GMT) the UK Foreign Office said an embassy team had been assessing routes to the airport and issued advice on its website about which roads were safe to use, albeit "with caution".
It said travel on the main routes of the island, during daylight hours, was "orderly if slow in some places, because of police checkpoints".
The advice added: "You should exercise caution in particular on any routes you use to get to these main routes and consider carefully the situation in your local vicinity before you leave."
It said the first option for Britons wanting to fly out should be commercial services, which were operating normally.
An FCO spokeswoman added that each government-chartered Dubai flight would have 160 seats available.
"We will assess the need for the number of flights based on demand. British Embassy staff will be on hand in Dubai to help people access commercial flights," she added.
The FCO said those wishing to leave but unable to get commercial tickets should register their interest for the Dubai route by calling +44 20 7008 5900.
'Legitimate aspirations' The Foreign Office estimates there are several thousand Britons in Bahrain at any one time.
Prime Minister David Cameron has called on the King of Bahrain to end the violent suppression of street protests.
He spoke by phone to King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa and called for restraint from all sides in the escalating stand-off.
Meanwhile Mr Hague spoke to Bahraini Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa to urge restraint on all sides and to emphasise the need for a return to law and order.
Mr Hague said: "The UK remains seriously concerned about today's clashes with protesters and reports of several casualties.
"I call on all parties to engage in an open and constructive national dialogue, so that it is translated as soon as possible into tangible actions that respond to the legitimate aspirations of the Bahraini people."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12768184

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Chronology of the Press in Burma

1836 – 1846 * During this period the first English-language newspaper was launched under British-ruled Tenasserim, southern  Burma . The first ethnic Karen-language and Burmese-language newspapers also appear in this period.     March 3, 1836 —The first English-language newspaper,  The Maulmain Chronicle , appears in the city of Moulmein in British-ruled Tenasserim. The paper, first published by a British official named E.A. Blundell, continued up until the 1950s. September 1842 —Tavoy’s  Hsa-tu-gaw  (the  Morning Star ), a monthly publication in the Karen-language of  Sgaw ,  is established by the Baptist mission. It is the first ethnic language newspaper. Circulation reached about three hundred until its publication ceased in 1849. January 1843 —The Baptist mission publishes a monthly newspaper, the Christian  Dhamma  Thadinsa  (the  Religious Herald ), in Moulmein. Supposedly the first Burmese-language newspaper, it continued up until the first year of the second Angl

Thai penis whitening trend raises eyebrows

Image copyright LELUXHOSPITAL Image caption Authorities warn the procedure could be quite painful A supposed trend of penis whitening has captivated Thailand in recent days and left it asking if the country's beauty industry is taking things too far. Skin whitening is nothing new in many Asian countries, where darker skin is often associated with outdoor labour, therefore, being poorer. But even so, when a clip of a clinic's latest intriguing procedure was posted online, it quickly went viral. Thailand's health ministry has since issued a warning over the procedure. The BBC Thai service spoke to one patient who had undergone the treatment, who told them: "I wanted to feel more confident in my swimming briefs". The 30-year-old said his first session of several was two months ago, and he had since seen a definite change in the shade. 'What for?' The original Facebook post from the clinic offering the treatment, which uses lasers to break do

Is 160 enough? One Indian man's family

By Sumnima Udas , CNN October 31, 2011 -- Updated 0857 GMT (1657 HKT) Ziona, center, with his has 39 wives, 86 children and 35 grandchildren in rural Baktwang village, India. STORY HIGHLIGHTS One man in India is the patriarch of a family of 160 in rural India Ziona, who only goes by his first name, has 39 wives, 86 children and 35 grandchildren. Ziona's father, Chana, founded the Christian sect in Baktwang that promotes polygamy "I never wanted to get married but that's the path God has chosen for me" Mizoram, India (CNN) -- The world's population hits 7 billion this week, but Ziona, the patriarch of what may be the biggest family in the world, is not bothered. "I don't care about overpopulation in India ... I believe God has chosen us to be like this (have big families). Those who are born into this family don't want to leave this tradition so we just keep growing and growing," he says with a smile. Ziona, who only goes by his f