Politics

Following American evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson's release and quickened preparations for joint patrols in Manbij, diplomatic traffic between Turkey and the United States has intensified, even as fundamental obstacles linger on. President Donald Trump said he looked forward to improved U.S.-Turkish relations hours after the arrival of Brunson, whose trial was at the center of a diplomatic rift between the two countries, signaling an ease in strained bilateral relations due to numerous issues. Subsequently, diplomatic visits and military cooperation between the two countries have stepped up. Turkish Chief of Staff Gen. Yaşar Güler and his U.S. counterpart Gen. Joseph Dunford discussed regional security and the fight against terrorism in Washington late Monday. The joint patrols in northern Syria's Manbij and U.S. military support for the PPK Syrian affiliate, the People's Protection Units (YPG), were among the top agenda items of the meeting. U.S. Secretary of State Mike … [Read more...] about Turkish-US diplomatic traffic intensify, yet issues of conflict remain unsolved

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli has criticized the U.S.'s continuing support for the PKK-linked the People's Protection Units (YPG) in Syria.Speaking at the MHP's weekly group meeting in Parliament yesterday, Bahçeli said that the terrorists on the east of the Euphrates are a serious security threat for Turkey and must be eliminated."The east of the Euphrates must entirely be cleared. The terrorists have been digging trenches around Manbij. The YPG/PKK have been arming themselves. Turkey cannot remain silent to these incidents," he said."Near our southern borders, a grave scenario is emerging. The U.S. needs to make its decision, is it an ally of Turkey or the YPG?" he added.Turkey considers the presence of the PKK terror organization and its Syrian offshoot the YPG in northern Syria a grave threat against its national security. The U.S. partnership with the terror group YPG has been the main stumbling block in the recovery of Turkey-U.S. … [Read more...] about East of Euphrates must be cleared of YPG terrorism, MHP chairman says

Towering piles of clinical waste almost touch the ceiling at a plant run by the company at the centre of the NHS body parts scandal. A whistleblower took the disturbing images of the bags at Healthcare Environmental Services’ Tyneside plant over a period of 20 months. He described an “unbearable” stench coming from the waste, which had been taken away from hospitals for incineration. He said: “The situation did not improve over months. The backlog was just getting bigger all the time. There are bags of waste all over the shop, you would think that has to be a health risk.” The revelations come after HES lost NHS contracts to dispose of hundreds of tonnes of waste. The company, led by managing director Garry Pettigrew, allowed bags from hospitals to build up at three of its five disposal sites in Yorkshire, Newcastle and Nottingham. They contained infectious waste and, it is claimed, “anatomical waste”, which includes body parts. The … [Read more...] about NHS body parts scandal firm stacked clinical waste to the ceiling at plant

There are 12 people in Westminster abusing others and 'getting away with it', Labour MP Jess Phillips claimed today. She called for a "massive overhaul" of Commons management in the wake of a damning report into bullying in Parliament. And she hit out at Tory James Duddridge, a critic of Commons Speaker John Bercow, accusing him of using the probe for his own agenda. In a fiery intervention following an urgent question on the findings of the review by Dame Laura Cox QC, Ms Phillips said: "I just feel totally and utterly maddened by this: I'm not here to defend anybody, including you Mr Speaker. "I have spoken to hundreds of the people involved in this throughout the process - I notice that the neither Right nor Honourable in my opinion, he probably isn't either anyway, Member for Rochford (James Duddridge) has probably spoken to none of them. "And some of us don't actually care who it is, who is the offender, it is the victims that we care about and we will not use it for political … [Read more...] about 12 people in Westminster are abusing others and ‘getting away with it’ MP claims

Medical waste being dumped in hospital car parks could spark an environmental disaster, the boss of the firm at the centre of the NHS disposal scandal claims. NHS workers are storing bags thought to contain human tissue and used adult nappies in wheelie bins and shipping containers after Healthcare Environmental Services was stripped of 15 contracts. But HES managing director Garry Pettigrew warned: “This is not how medical waste should be stored. It’s a big public health problem.” The Government brought in the £1million contingency plan after penalising HES for stockpiling waste. Removal has now been taken over by another private firm, Mitie, Health Minister Stephen Barclay announced. The Department of Health and Social Care insisted the waste is not infectious or a risk to the public. Our photos show porters moving waste in bins and roll cages normally used to carry bed linen. Mr Pettigrew said the waste should be removed by specialists immediately in … [Read more...] about ‘Toxic timebomb’ at hospitals as medical waste is dumped in shipping containers