Dutch PM Schoof: On Gaza, Israel and a collapsed coalition | Politics

The Netherlands’ outgoing leader, Dick Schoof, discusses Gaza, Israel, NATO, migration and why his coalition collapsed.Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof joins Talk to Al Jazeera at a pivotal moment for Europe and the Middle East. After his coalition collapsed, he reflects on leading the Netherlands through crises at home and abroad.From the war in Gaza and sanctions on Israel to NATO, migration and United States President Donald Trump’s stance on Ukraine, Schoof gives rare insight into how the Netherlands navigates global fault lines. A politically unaffiliated leader and former intelligence chief, he speaks candidly about power, justice and Europe’s future.Published On 28 Sep 202528 Sep 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2Share Source link

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Analysis: How is Lebanon’s Hezbollah regrouping after war with Israel? | Israel attacks Lebanon

A year on from Israel’s assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, reports say Hezbollah, the Lebanese group he led, is regrouping.Analysts believe that while a weakened Hezbollah can no longer pose a significant threat to Israel, it can still create chaos and challenge opponents domestically as it tries to find a political footing to preserve its clout.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listLong viewed as the strongest nonstate armed actor in the region, Hezbollah found its star waning in the past year, culminating in an international and domestic push for it to disarm entirely.Handled recklessly, analysts believe, pressures to disarm the group could lead it to lash out and create internal strife that could outweigh international and regional pushes.Hezbollah’s rhetoric remains defiant, and it has promised to reject Lebanese government efforts to disarm it – as its current leader, Naim Qassem, reiterated on Saturday to a crowd of thousands of people who had gathered at Nasrallah’s tomb to commemorate his assassination.“We will never abandon our weapons, nor will we relinquish them,” he said to the crowd, adding that Hezbollah would continue to “confront any project that serves Israel”.No action yetHezbollah started trading attacks with Israel on October 8, 2023, the day after…

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The Prem: Northampton 33-33 Exeter – Feyi-Waboso double on return

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso marked his Exeter Chiefs return with two tries, but suffered another injury, as his side staged an astonishing comeback draw at Northampton Saints.The England winger had been out of club rugby since December with a shoulder problem and scored just four minutes into their Prem season opener at Franklin's Gardens.Despite the early blip, Saints seemed to have wrapped up the win by half-time as debutant Edoardo Todaro scored two tries and Alex Coles, Tom Pearson and Tom Litchfield also went over in a devastating spell of attacking rugby.Exeter stormed back with four unanswered tries in the second half as Ross Vintcent added two to scores from Paul Brown-Bampoe and Feyi-Waboso's second, which came as he hobbled over the line with an apparent muscle injury.With home optimism high for a successful new campaign following their exploits in reaching the European Champions Cup final last season, Franklin's Gardens was packed out to see a Saints side boasting three exciting debutants in Todaro, Anthony Belleau and giant South African lock JJ Van Der Mescht.But France international Belleau got off to a poor start, his attempted short kick-off failing to make 10 metres, and Saints were caught napping as Feyi-Waboso picked up from…

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Building of three new towns will start before election, Labour pledges

Jennifer McKiernan & Becky Mortonpolitical reportersEPAHousing Secretary Steve Reed wears a Build Baby Build capThe construction of three new towns will begin before the next general election, Labour has pledged.A taskforce has recommended 12 locations in England for development, with three areas - Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Leeds South Bank, and Crews Hill in north London - identified as the most promising sites.Housing Secretary Steve Reed announced the plans in a speech on the opening day of Labour's annual party conference.Labour has put housebuilding at the centre of its vision of how to get the economy growing, promising to build 1.5 million new homes by 2029.The announcement comes as Labour members gather in Liverpool for the annual conference.A cabinet reshuffle, prompted by the resignation of Angela Rayner after she resigned for failing to pay enough tax on a flat purchase, saw Reed moved into the role of housing secretary.Reed paid tribute to her work towards the government's flagship target of building 1.5 million homes and the audience gave her a standing ovation.Just as his predecessor often did, Reed shared his own family's experience with the conference hall, recounting how he felt when an employer in the area where he grew up closed…

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Livestreamed brutal murder of three young women sparks outrage in Argentina | Protests

NewsFeedThousands are demanding justice after a suspected drug gang livestreamed on Instagram the torture and killing of two women and a teenage girl in Argentina. The case, which shocked the country, has sparked mass protests against femicide.Published On 28 Sep 202528 Sep 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2Share Source link

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Plymouth Sound swimming pontoons to be put away for the winter

Caroline RobinsonSouth WestPlymouth Sound National Marine ParkThe swimming pontoons in Plymouth Sound are due to be removed in the week commencing 6 OctoberTwo swimming pontoons are to be removed for the winter months.Plymouth Sound National Marine Park said they would be removed during the week of the 6 October depending on weather conditions.The pontoons are due to be cleaned and put in winter storage and returned to the water the beginning of April.Tors Froud, partnership and inclusion manager for the park, said the pontoons were moored to the sea floor but when the swell was bad in the winter the pontoons could get damaged or moved."As soon as we start seeing the Atlantic storm stacking up, knowing that they get battered really quite badly where they're located, it's safer for everybody for them to be removed," she said. Ms Froud said it was a shame they were being removed as "the water temperature at the moment it's like the best temperature that we get this time of year", but the main concern was water safety.She said the most popular times for swimmers using the pontoons were in the early morning or in the evening.'Within your parameters'Ms Froud said her message to…

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Devon’s Woody Bay Station receives Grade II status

Woody Bay Station in Devon has been listed as Grade II status as part of moves to mark 200 years of the modern railway.The station has been granted protection alongside six other sites as part of the anniversary celebrations of the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825.Historic England said Woody Bay was built in 1898 and was the best-surviving example of a station on the former Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, which allowed easier access to Exmoor National Park.Claudia Kenyatta and Emma Squire, who are the incoming chief executive of Historic England on a job share, said: "The development of England's railway system was one of the greatest achievements of the Victorian era."They said: "These new listings highlight key milestones in its growth and demonstrate how the railway has shaped our local places today."Every newly listed station announced today is open to the public to visit, so the protection of these sites means that they will continue to be seen and enjoyed by visitors for generations to come."The Devon station was part of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, which operated from 1898 to 1935, and was funded by publisher and philanthropist Sir George Newnes.The onward rail link from Barnstaple…

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Conor Hazard: Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper’s return a ‘huge plus’

Plymouth Argyle boss Tom Cleverley says the return of Northern Ireland goalkeeper Conor Hazard is a "huge plus" for his side.The 27-year-old had not played since injuring his knee while playing for his country against Denmark in June. Cleverley said he had been deliberating whether to bring back the former Celtic goalkeeper or keep faith with summer signing Luca Ashby-Hammond, who played in Argyle's first 12 games as Hazard recovered. But Cleverley opted to pick Hazard, who kept a clean sheet as the Pilgrims registered their biggest league win of the season so far, running out 4-0 victors at Burton Albion. "The last league game we looked like we lacked leadership on the pitch, so he brings that," Cleverley told BBC Radio Devon."It was always going to be a physical game, a direct game here and when you're six foot six you help there."It was the game for Conor to come back in. I thought he was excellent, he brought those things that we've been missing."Luca will continue to push him to the levels that he needs to keep his shirt, but it's a huge plus for us to have Conor back and a clean sheet." Source link

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Russian FM vows ‘decisive response’ if attacked by the West | European Union

NewsFeedRussia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned NATO and the EU at the UN General Assembly that any aggression against Russia would be met with a ‘decisive response’. While asserting that Moscow has no intention of attacking the West, he emphasised that Russia is prepared to respond if provoked.Published On 28 Sep 202528 Sep 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2Share Source link

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Devon friends climb mountain to help find cure for baby

Hayley HoneychurchRory Honeychurch, right, said he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness of his nephew's rare conditionA man has completed a trek up Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, to raise awareness of his baby nephew's rare condition. Rory Honeychurch, 34, from Okehampton, said he and friend Brandon Horn started the ascent on 8 September and despite feeling unwell for about 30 hours of the walk, he did not "give up".He said his nephew Kobe was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Cystinosis at seven months old.The men have raised £33,500 for the Cystinosis Foundation UK to help find a cure for his nephew and others suffering from the condition.Rory HoneychurchRory Honeychurch, right, said he almost did not make the journey due to feeling unwellCystinosis is an exceptionally rare condition characterised by the crystallisation of the amino acid cystine in various body organs and tissues, the foundation explains on its website.It said the condition could lead to kidney failure, muscle and bone problems, swallowing and feeding difficulties, diabetes, hypothyroidism, photophobia and only affected an estimated 2,000 people worldwide.Mr Honeychurch said Kobe, who is now 18-months-old, was "growing well" and was being fed. Rory HoneychurchRory Honeychurch and Brandon Horn completed…

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Thousands protest livestreamed murder of 2 women, young girl in Argentina | Crime News

Drug gang suspected in torture and murder of two young women, and a 15-year-old girl, in crime that shocks Argentina.Clashes have erupted between demonstrators and police as thousands protested in Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, to demand justice over the torture and killing of two young women and a teenager, which was livestreamed on social media by a purported drug gang.Thousands of protesters took to the streets on Saturday to denounce the killings that shocked Argentinians after it was revealed that the murders were perpetrated live on the Instagram platform and watched by 45 members of a private account, officials said.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listThe bodies of Morena Verdi and Brenda del Castillo, cousins aged 20, and 15-year-old Lara Gutierrez were found buried on Wednesday in the yard of a house in a southern suburb of Buenos Aires, five days after they went missing.Investigators said the victims, thinking they were going to a party, were lured into a van on September 19, allegedly as part of a plan to “punish” them for violating gang code and to serve as a warning to others.Police discovered a video of the triple murder after a suspect in the disappearance of the three…

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Nearly half of Gaza war deaths reported in areas Israel called ‘safe’ | News

At least 91 Palestinian people were killed on Saturday in relentless Israeli attacks throughout the Gaza Strip, including at least 45 in Gaza City, as the military intensified its widely criticised ground invasion.Gaza’s Government Media Office slammed Israel for misleading the Palestinian people with threats to evacuate to the central and southern governorates by portraying them as “safe humanitarian zones”, while continuing to strike those same areas.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listAccording to a statement issued on Saturday, 1,903 people have been killed in 133 attacks on central and southern Gaza since the forced displacement from Gaza City began on August 11, some 46 percent of all reported deaths across the enclave during that period.The office said that this shows civilians are being directly targeted, despite being told to move south, and called on the international community to intervene, warning that continued global inaction amounts to a “green light” for further massacres.Reporting from central Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said that since the early hours of Saturday, Israeli attacks have increased in Gaza City and more casualties have been arriving at al-Shifa Hospital.“Just in the past few minutes, we had confirmation of a family evacuating on a road inside…

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