General News
FCO: Portuguese Police have extended a web based plea for information following the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
The latest appeal has been issued by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre and the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) at the request of the Portuguese authorities. It appears in English, Portuguese & Spanish and urges people to come forward with any information that could help police find the missing youngster.
Press release ~ Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre ~ Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT)
MoD: The Armed Forces Minister, Adam Ingram, has announced details of an innovative new life insurance scheme exclusively for the Armed Forces. The Scheme - Service Life Insurance (SLI) - complements the existing death-in-service arrangements already available to the Armed Forces.
In the run-up to Operation TELIC in 2003, many life insurance companies closed their schemes to new applicants, increased premiums or excluded benefits for chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons. So service personnel can still find it difficult to obtain affordable and guaranteed life insurance that covers war and terrorism risks. Some of the key features are:
- War & terrorism cover, including Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear warfare when on duty
- Guaranteed acceptance, even when on operations or under orders to deploy, with no medical
- No extra premiums to 'high risk' military trades, including Special Forces and bomb disposal
- Cover is guaranteed for up to 25 years and premium rates stay the same for the life of the policy
- Cover is included whilst participating in hazardous sports recognised by the Armed Forces including parachuting, diving and skiing
Press release ~ Service Life Insurance (SLI) ~ Services Insurance and Investment Advisory Panel ~ AFF – Money Matters
PCS: Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union working for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have overwhelmingly voted for ‘industrial action short of a strike’ in a dispute over low pay, which offers the most experienced staff a pay increase of less than 1%. The PCS claims thatthe basic coastguard grade pays barely above the minimum wage at £5.37 an hour for a 42 hour week.
Just over 81% of members taking part in the ballot voted for the action, which will see members withdrawing from non-essential 999 emergency duties, including; issuing of fishing vessel certificates, the MCA information line, production of incident reports and processing of seafarer documents.
Press release ~ Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) ~ Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
.png)
