NewsFeedAl Jazeera’s Ibrahim al-Khalili reflects on the two years since Israel’s war on Gaza began, sharing a personal story of displacement, loss, and suffering.Published On 7 Oct 20257 Oct 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2SharefacebooktwitterwhatsappcopylinkSave Source link
The June 2023 heatwave in northern European seas was “unprecedented but not unexpected”, new research shows. During the heatwave, temperatures in the shallow seas around the UK (including the North Sea and Celtic Sea) reached 2.9°C above the June average for 16 days. While unprecedented since observations began, the study warns that rapid climate change means there is now about a 10% chance of a marine heatwave of this scale occurring each year. The June 2023 marine heatwave significantly disrupted phytoplankton blooms. Although its full impact on marine ecosystems remain to be assessed, such heatwaves can stress marine species and increase concentrations of bacteria that can harm humans. The study was carried out by the University of Exeter, the Met Office and Cefas. “Our findings show that marine heatwaves are a problem now – not just a risk from future climate change,” said Dr Jamie Atkins, who led the study during his PhD at Exeter, and is now at Utrecht University. “The unprecedented nature of the June 2023 event put European marine heatwaves firmly in the public consciousness. “However, our study shows that – in today’s climate – such events should not be unexpected.” Co-author Professor Adam Scaife, of the University…
A zoo has announced it will permanently close after 17 years, blaming "difficult" times for businesses.Axe Valley Wildlife Park, near Axminster in Devon, said in a statement that the "sad" decision to close on Friday had been made "with a heavy heart"."As many of you may have heard in the news, we are not the only business facing these difficult times," it said, adding: "Unfortunately, it has become financially unviable for us to continue operating."The zoo, which is home to meerkats, zebras, flamingos and wild cats, said in the statement all its animals would be rehomed "safely and responsibly, in full compliance with animal welfare rules and procedures"."When we opened our gates 17 years ago, we could never have imagined the wonderful journey ahead, the thousands of amazing visitors, school trips, and loyal members who became part of our zoo family," the statement said."We are so proud of the wide variety of animals we've cared for over the years, each one holding a special place in our hearts."Staff and volunteers were also recognised for their "love, dedication, and passion to care for our animals and welcome our visitors"."We truly couldn't have done it without you," it said.Members holding active subscriptions would…
The Egyptologist and former minister of antiquities will be the first Arab to lead the UN’s cultural organisation.The board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has nominated Egypt’s Khaled el-Enany, an academic and former minister of tourism and antiquities, as its next head, ahead of the organisation’s general conference next month.If confirmed, el-Enany, a professor of Egyptology at Cairo’s Helwan University, would become the first Arab director-general of the organisation, which oversees the UN’s handling of cultural heritage, alongside international cooperation efforts in other areas including science and education.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listThe former minister campaigned widely for the role, which was also contested by Firmin Edouard Matoko of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Gabriela Ramos of Mexico, who withdrew from the race earlier this year.The decision by the board, which represents 58 of the agency’s 194 member states, is expected to be finalised at a meeting of UNESCO’s general assembly in Uzbekistan next month.The organisation’s next leader will replace France’s former Minister of Culture Audrey Azoulay who has served in the role since 2017.Azoulay notably helped lead a high-profile effort to rebuild the ancient Iraqi city of Mosul after it was devastated…
Researchers need the help of communities in Cornwall to help trace the fascinating history of seaweed eating. There has been a seaweed culinary revival in recent years, but people have eaten it for thousands of years. Seaweed’s historical use as a food seems to be less well remembered in Cornwall compared to Scotland, Wales and Ireland, where there are still living memories of foraging for and cooking with laver, dulse and carrageen. Now a research team are putting together a new ‘seaweed eating archive’ for Cornwall. They hope to record information about how people in Cornwall may have eaten seaweed in the past, how seaweed is being consumed today, and how this might be changing. People can submit stories, memories, recipes and other accounts of everyday seaweed use from around Cornwall. Anonymous submissions are being collected until 31 December 2025. At the end of the project, the archive will be deposited at Kresen Kernow. The project is a collaboration between Kerry Holbrook and Ruth Klückers from The Seaweed Institute, a social enterprise with the aim of promoting sustainable and joyful engagement with seaweed, and Giulia Nicolini from the University of Exeter. The project is funded by the Wenner-Gren Foundation. Giulia said:…
Experts will launch a radical approach to understanding the challenges of writing well at school and university. A team working on a major new study will create a ‘map’ of writing task types, and their key linguistic features, across different subject areas and educational levels. This will lead to an online resource and guidance to help educational professionals and researchers better understand the different linguistic and academic challenges posed by different text types and the ways in which they differ and overlap across levels and disciplines. The work will help teachers structure learning by showing what students are likely to have done previously, what they are doing contemporaneously in other disciplines, and what will be expected at later levels. They will also create and evaluate an online resource and guidance to help users navigate the map to understand how individual tasks, and the texts students produce, fit into their broader educational experiences and needs. The UKRI-funded project will run for three and a half years. It will be led by Philip Durrant, Annabel Watson and Victoria Wong, from the University of Exeter and Larissa Goulart, from Montclair State University. Professor Durrant said: “By better understanding the different linguistic challenges and learning…
BBCMark Stocks from the Deaf Academy teaches British Sign Language (BSL) to staff at the Northcott Theatre A Devon theatre has joined forces with Exmouth's the Deaf Academy to make the venue and its productions more accessible to people with hearing loss.The collaboration grew out of a letter one of the teachers sent to the theatre about about the impeded view of the British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter on stage. Mark Stocks, of the school, was invited to advise the theatre company what it could do to help make signing clearer and what other things would make the theatre more accessible.As a result of the partnership, the theatre has championed performances by actors and comedians who are deaf and is due to hold its first deaf rave in the run-up to the school's bicentenary next year.Kelly Johnson said Northcott Theatre was taking proactive steps to remove barriersKelly Johnson, from the theatre, said she was excited by the idea of making the venue more accessible."The partnership with the Deaf Academy means that we can extend our welcome in the best way possible, taking their advice as to how to do that."What that means is we are taking proactive steps to remove barriers…
Sources familiar with the mediated talks between Israel and Hamas say that progress was made on Monday, with negotiations to continue.The first day of resumed indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Egypt ended on a positive note, amid hopes of a potential deal to implement US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war on Gaza, multiple sources told Al Jazeera and other media outlets.Negotiators are set to return for more discussions on Tuesday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listSources told Al Jazeera Arabic that the meeting in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday was “positive” and that a roadmap was drawn up for how the current round of talks would continue.The Hamas delegation told mediators that Israel’s continued bombing of Gaza poses a challenge to negotiations on the release of captives, Al Jazeera Arabic reported.The Hamas delegation included Hamas leaders Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin, two negotiators who survived an Israeli assassination attempt in central Doha that killed five people last month.Talks on day one covered the proposed exchange of prisoners and captives, a ceasefire, and humanitarian aid entering Gaza, according to Egypt’s state-linked Al-Qahera News.White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also said…
Trump administration continues to send individuals to countries where they have no ties amid mass deportation push.The United States has sent a second so-called “third-country” deportation flight to the tiny southern African nation of Eswatini, shrugging off human rights concerns.Eswatini’s government confirmed on Monday it had received ten deportees from the US who were not nationals of the kingdom. That came after five other deportees from the US were sent to Eswatini in July.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listThe White House confirmed the deportations on Monday, saying the individuals had committed serious crimes.Neither the US nor Eswatini confirmed the nationalities of the individuals who arrived on Monday. However, US-based immigration lawyer Tin Thanh Nguyen said they included three people from Vietnam, one from the Philippines, and one from Cambodia.Rights groups have condemned the treatment of the first group of deportees sent to Eswatini — which included individuals from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba , and Yemen — saying they were kept in solitary confinement and not given access to lawyers.Nguyen said he was representing two of those who arrived on Monday and two others previously sent to Eswatini, but he remained unable to speak with any of them.“I cannot call…
Trump had imposed a 40 percent US tariff on Brazilian goods in July on top of a 10 percent one earlier even though the United States has a trade surplus with Brazil.Published On 6 Oct 20256 Oct 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareBrazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has asked United States President Donald Trump to lift the 40 percent tariff imposed by the US government on Brazilian imports.The leaders spoke for 30 minutes by phone on Monday. During the call, they exchanged phone numbers in order to maintain a direct line of contact, and President Lula reiterated his invitation for Trump to attend the upcoming climate summit in Belem, according to a statement from Lula’s office.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listShortly after, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he had had a good conversation with Lula.“We discussed many things, but it was mostly focused on the Economy, and Trade, between our two Countries,” Trump said.He added that the leaders “will be having further discussions, and will get together in the not too distant future, both in Brazil and the United States”.The Trump administration had imposed a 40 percent tariff on Brazilian products in July…
ON OUR RADAR Exeter Philharmonic Choir performs a new weather-inspired work plus pieces by Brahms, Poulenc and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Leigh Curtis Exeter Philharmonic Choir will launch its 2025-26 season with a premiere of a new choral work which explores the history of weather and meteorology, The Weather Book, on Saturday 8 November at Exeter Cathedral. Its composer Cecilia McDowall will give a pre-concert talk about the piece at the nearby Devon and Exeter Institution. The programme also includes Tragic Overture and Alto Rhapsody by Brahms, Poulenc’s Gloria and Toward the Unknown Region by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Howard Ionascu will conduct the choir with mezzo-soprano Cecily Shaw and sopranos Agnes Auer and Seohyun Go. Exeter Philharmonic Choir was founded in 1846 and currently has around 100 members. It has given concerts in Exeter every year since its inaugural performance of Handel’s Messiah in 1847. The choir has performed in the Royal Festival Hall and toured in Germany and Spain. Cecilia McDowall is a British composer best known for her choral compositions. She has won awards including the Ivor Novello Award and the British Composer Award, for which she has been shortlisted seven times. Her work has been performed by organisations…
Police are searching for three people who fled from officers who attempted to stop them for dangerous driving.Devon and Cornwall Police said attempts were made to stop a vehicle at about 14:15 BST in Paignton.The car then travelled from Paignton to Stoke Gabriel, where it was abandoned and three people fled the scene, the force said.Police said the vehicle was seized and searches were continuing in the area. Anyone with information was asked to contact police. Source link