World News

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor One might expect an enlightened Scandinavian country to have banned tobacco but not so; the Central Asian country of Turkmenistan has actually taken the revolutionary step. In a country where life expectancy is just 65 years, it could be seen as a positive policy decision. The news must be taken with a note of caution as it is a tightly controlled nation and the media is totally owned by the Government. Reporters Without Borders rates...

By Rose Taylor A hospital in Nepal that has barely emerged from the ravages of last April’s earthquake is struggling to stay open because of the continuing fuel shortage caused by a trade blockade. Operations have been cancelled at Anandaban Leprosy Hospital as have outreach clinics held in remote villages where patients affected by leprosy receive diagnoses, treatment and after-care. Shovakhar Kandel, Nepal Country Director with The Leprosy Mission, which supports the hospital said: “Many operations have been cancelled, including...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor By his own admission President Obama has accepted he has not done enough to tackle gun control. He has made many passionate speeches on the matter before, but none of them have made any difference to the amount of guns available to Americans. Ironically, when he has made his pleas for gun use restraint after mass shootings; firearms sales actually increase. Now during a passionate speech, where Barack was reduced to tears, he has promised...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor More countries have followed Saudi Arabia in closing off diplomatic relations with Iran following the row over the execution of a Shia cleric after a decision by the Saudi courts. Bahrain and Sudan have told Iranian diplomats to leave within 48 hours. The execution has provoked a great deal of condemnation across the world, but Saudi Arabia's closest allies have come out in support. Bahrain demanded Iranian officials left Manama in 48 hours and the Sudanese...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor It appears that tensions between Turkey and Russia are continuing to grow today, following the shooting down of a Russian jet yesterday. Mr Putin has said that he will send a new air defence system to Syria. alongside that he has despatched a warship to the Mediterranean sea. The advanced S-400 air defence system will be taken to a Russian base in the Latakia area of Syria, their defence minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed. To add...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor A video of Syrian rebels allegedly hitting a Russian-made helicopter, and killing a Marine, which was searching for the pilots of the su-24 jet downed today on the Turkey/Syria border, has emerged. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, it was struck with an anti-tank missile. It is claimed a Russain marine was killed during the operation. In the film released by the FSA a missile can be seen travelling towards the helicopter, which...

By Steve Taggart First it was hackers Anonymous now the Mafia has joined the fight against ISIS. A member of the notorious Gambino New York crime family has warned it not to try anything in the big apple, as it is under Mafia protection. The Mafia has apparently enjoyed a revival in America in the last few years as funding has been diverted away from fighting organised crime into the global threat of terrorism. In a TV interview Giovanni Gambino,...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Turkey's military say they have today shot down a Russian war plane near its border with Syria after the jet violated Turkish air space. It is claimed the Russian jet failed to listen to numerous warnings over a five minute period. The Russian Sukhoi Su-24 jet was shot down by Turkish F-16 fighter planes after ignoring nearly a dozen warnings, Turkish army officials said. However, Russia's Ministry of Defence claims the jet was in Syrian...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Footage has come to light which appears to show Greek coast guards attempting to sink a migrant boat. It is assumed they did this to ensure the Turkish authorities were forced to pick them up, meaning they wouldn't be able to enter Europe. Instead the passengers would be taken to the port of Didim in Turkey, the place where numerous refugees make their dangerous voyages towards Europe. The clip was allegedly taken on November 12th....