Israel intercepts Gaza Sumud flotilla vessels: What we know so far | Israel-Palestine conflict News

Israel has intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, which had been attempting to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, and had garnered global attention as one of the biggest naval aid missions to the Palestinian enclave.The Global Sumud Flotilla – carrying more than 40 civilian boats and about 500 activists – was boarded by Israeli forces late on Wednesday, with activists on board detained and taken to Israel.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listIsrael had previously said that it would do whatever it takes to stop the Gaza-bound flotilla, claiming the volunteers were trying to “breach a lawful naval blockade” – a claim that goes against international law.Israel has blockaded Gaza to varying degrees since Hamas took control of the Strip in 2007. Gaza’s residents have largely been trapped in the territory since then, with the entry of food, goods and aid strictly controlled by Israel.Here is what to know.What happened to the flotilla on Wednesday?Israel intercepted boats from the flotilla carrying humanitarian aid, according to statements by the flotilla organisers.Organisers reported that naval forces boarded vessels about 70 nautical miles (130km) offshore Gaza, cutting communications and jamming signals as the flotilla approached the blockaded enclave. SHIPS INTERCEPTED AND CAPTURED: ALMA, ADARA,…

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Danish PM warns that Russia is waging hybrid war on Europe | News

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that Europe must arm itself to respond to Russia’s hybrid warfare.“I hope that everybody recognises now that there is a hybrid war and one day it’s Poland, the other day it’s Denmark, and next week it will probably be somewhere else that we see sabotage or we see drones flying,” Frederiksen told reporters on Wednesday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listShe was hosting a summit of European leaders as they discussed joint efforts for better deterrence and defence.French President Emmanuel Macron was also on hand and urged the European Union to proceed with caution in its current confrontation with Russia.“I think we all have to be very cautious because we are in a time of confrontation with a lot of hybridity,” Macron said on Wednesday on the sidelines of the summit in Copenhagen.“This is why we have to be strong to deter any aggressions, but we have to remain very cautious and avoid any escalation,” he added.Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also warned against overreacting.“Despite everything, I think we have to think calmly. I think we shouldn’t respond to provocations. We have to equip ourselves, that certainly is true,” she said.Hybrid warfare involves…

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Major incident declared on M5 after car transporter fire

A major incident was declared by emergency services after a stretch of the M5 was closed earlier in both directions due to a fire on a lorry carrying electric vehicles. The motorway was shut in Devon between junction 28 at Cullompton and junction 29 for Exeter at about 06:30 BST and two the southbound lanes reopened at about 18:00.It said a car transporter carrying nine electric vehicles caught fire on the southbound carriageway.The northbound side of the road reopened at about 10:20, with Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (DSFRS) declaring a major incident.Devon & Cornwall Police had advised drivers to avoid the area due to "significant traffic issues".DSFRS said there would be "complex vehicle recovery operation" and significant resurfacing works would be done.A spokesperson said the vehicles on the top of the transporter had been recovered but teams were waiting for the bottom half to cool before removal. Dan Cooke told BBC Radio Devon at about 08:00 he had been in the traffic and had seen the vehicle go up in flames.He said: "[There were] plumes of smoke, big black smoke, so we all slowed down and it was a big fireball that went up straight away, exploding across…

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A history of US government shutdowns: Every closure and how long it lasted | Donald Trump News

The United States federal government shut down at 12:01am East Coast time (04:01 GMT) on Wednesday after Congress failed to pass a new spending bill, forcing operations considered inessential to close.President Donald Trump has threatened to use the budget deadlock to push through mass layoffs of federal employees.Democrats and Republicans remain divided over spending priorities as Democrats push to protect healthcare, social programmes and foreign aid while Republicans demand cuts.This is not the first time Washington has faced such a standoff. The graphic below shows every US funding gap and government shutdown since 1976, including how long each lasted and under which administration it occurred.(Al Jazeera)What is a government shutdown?A government shutdown happens when Congress does not agree on a budget, so parts of the federal government have to close until a spending plan is approved.Shutdowns tend to happen in October because the government’s fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30.How many times has the government shut down?The current budget process was established in 1976. Since then, the government has had 20 funding gaps, resulting in 10 shutdowns.A funding gap occurs whenever Congress misses the deadline to pass a budget or a stopgap spending bill (also called a continuing…

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Celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, at the University of Exeter

Everyone is invited to celebrate Diwali with fireworks, dancing and delicious food at the University of Exeter. Students hope those of all ages in the local community will join them to mark the festival of lights. The festivities will take place on Sunday 19 October 2025 on the University’s Streatham campus. It will begin at 2:30pm with a traditional Puja led by the Hindu Chaplain in the Forum building. People can then enjoy browsing stalls and taking part in the activities. This includes painting a diya, or candle holder, joining a henna workshop and trying henna tattoos, taking part in a dance workshop and making a Diwali card or badge. There will also be the chance to try on traditional dress and listen to traditional stories, as well as eating delicious food. There will be a small fee for diya painting, henna workshops and food. At 5.30pm the Diwali Spectacular begins, where students will show off their dancing and singing talents. Afterwards the fireworks will start at 6:45pm at the rear of the XFI building. Car parking is free on the Streatham Campus on weekends. Mahesh Perumalla, Vice President of the University of Exeter Hindu Society, said: “Deepavali or Diwali is…

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Fears online GP appointment changes could add ‘pressure’ to staff

Fears online GP appointment changes could add ‘pressure’ to staff

Anna VarleSouth West andGeorge ThorpeSouth WestBBCDr Elpitha Bruce believed striking a balance between the needs of patients and staff was importantDoctors and patients have raised concerns about all GP practices in England being made to offer online booking systems.As part of the move which was ordered by the government and started on Wednesday, surgeries will have to provide the service from 08:00 to 18:30 Monday to Friday.GPs in Devon and Cornwall said the system could put extra pressure on staff while patient groups said there was a concern some people might not be able to access the system and potentially "left to die".The government said the move was aimed at reducing the so-called "08:00 am scramble" to get appointments on the phone and to move health services into "the digital era".Alongside requesting appointments, patients would also be able to ask questions, describe symptoms and request a call back.The British Medical Association (BMA) had called for a halt to the rolling out of the plans due to concerns about potentially serious health problems could be missed by some GPs.'Big concerns'Dr Elpitha Bruce, a GP at the Adelaide Street Surgery in Plymouth, said it was important to find a balance between demand, meeting…

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R360: Exeter boss Rob Baxter has had no approaches from rebel league

With former England captain Mike Tindall as its figurehead R360's plan is for 12 franchises across the world - eight men's teams and four women's teams. The hope is to get the world's best players competing alongside one another in a global tournament.Rounds would be staged at a different venue across the world with organisers hoping it will begin next year. It comes as England revels in a successful Women's Rugby World Cup triumph while the men's domestic season began last week having been revamped as The Prem with global giant Red Bull taking a stake in Newcastle. Baxter feels the best players already have good opportunities in England - with Rugby Football Union (RFU) central contracts for England players bolstering the income they get from their clubs. "What I think is good is us growing our product here and getting on with what we're doing," said Baxter. "If the Premiership is in a good place, England rugby's in a good place. If England rugby's in a good place, rugby in England's in a good place."I think they've got great opportunities in playing rugby in this country and doing what we're doing now. "I think there's so much that doesn't look…

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All-female tuna fishing crew aim to inspire others

The first all-female Atlantic Bluefin tuna fishing crew to launch from Salcombe has set sail. The crew, comprised of women from marine charities, female skippers, and even a member of Team England Angling had the goal of inspiring other women to join the industry.Hannah Rudd, head of marine at the Angling Trust said: "There are so many different career options for so many different interests, whether you want to go into policy, be a scientist, work in recreational fishing, there are so many opportunities to work with the sea."The event was organised by Devon Young Fishers and Salcombe Angling, with support from UK Women in Fisheries. The crew set off on Wednesday morning and were expected to be fishing until about 17:00 BST.All the tuna were line-caught and then released.Skipper Emma Evans said they had all been CHART trained which is a scientific data collection programme for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, to make sure they knew how to "manage the gear and check the fish are nice and healthy".Two of the people involved in the event were 13-year-old Lilly and 16-year old Evie.Lilly, who wants to be a fisher when she is older, said: "It's exciting and a bit nerve-racking but it…

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“Polarised” politics to blame for US govt shutdown | Donald Trump

“The thing that’s behind [the shutdown] is the two parties becoming more and more far apart … and more willing to embrace confrontational approaches.”Niall Stanage, White House columnist at The Hill, explains how political polarisation in the US has resulted in more frequent government shutdowns in recent years.Published On 1 Oct 20251 Oct 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2Share Source link

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Plymouth sees start of ‘one of the biggest’ play areas

Work to create "one of the biggest city centre play areas in the country" has started, a council has said.In July, the first part of Plymouth's Armada Way regeneration project opened to the public.The city centre scheme has been the subject of debate after more than 100 trees were felled in March 2023.Councillor Mark Lowry said Plymouth City Council wanted the play village to be "a destination in its own right".He said: "The High Street has changed dramatically - online shopping is here to stay but we still want our city centre to be alive and buzzing with people. "This regeneration programme is about bringing people back into the city centre - not just to shop but to play and to meet up."Plymouth City Council said the play area would stretch from the corner close to Mayflower Street down the east side of Armada Way to Barclay's.The council said the play village was split into themed zones including desert, mountain, aquatic, forest and grassland areas to encourage children to "use their imagination".Lowry said: "It's going to be a fun and fantastic place for kids, but this is about more than play - if people spent £5 on a coffee and cake…

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Pfizer strikes deal with Trump administration to cut US drug prices | Drugs News

US consumers not expected to start seeing lower prices under the Pfizer deal until 2026.Published On 1 Oct 20251 Oct 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareUnited States President Donald Trump has announced an agreement with US drug maker Pfizer to lower the cost of its prescription medication for the Medicaid programme for low-income Americans.According to the deal, which the Trump administration signed on Tuesday, Pfizer agreed to sell its existing drugs to Medicaid patients at the lowest price offered in other developed nations and also committed to launching new drugs at the same price in the US as in other high-income countries.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listStudies have shown that customers in the US pay more than three times as much for brand-name pharmaceuticals as in other wealthy countries.The company also agreed to participate in a new website the US administration plans to start, called TrumpRx, which will allow people to buy drugs directly from manufacturers. Pfizer said many of its treatments will be offered at discounts that average some 50 percent through that platform.The deal with Pfizer builds on an executive order Trump signed in May, setting a deadline for drug makers to electively lower prices or…

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Crisis over big dogs in care in South West sparks RSPCA appeal

Crisis over big dogs in care in South West sparks RSPCA appeal

RSPCATwo-year-old Sox was found abandonedThe RSPCA is urging people in the South West to consider adopting larger dogs because it is struggling with record numbers in its care.New data from the charity revealed it can take up to seven times longer for some bigger breeds to find a new home compared to smaller ones.As a result, "gentle giants" like Cane Corso cross Lemmy and Labrador cross Sox are being repeatedly passed over during their time in kennels at RSPCA Little Valley in Exeter, Devon. RSPCA pet behaviour expert Dr Sam Gaines said: "These special dogs may not be the right pet for everyone, but we know the right people are out there and we urgently need to hear from them."The appeal come as part of the charity's Adoptober which rehomed 26,167 animals during October last year. Dr Gaines added: "We are in an unprecedented rehoming crisis as several large-scale cruelty and neglect cases have led to record numbers of dogs and cats in our care, and we are at risk of running out of space. "We've got every kind of big dog - from gentle giants to big softies and larger than life characters - and each one is unique, special…

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