6:46 am, October 22, 2023
Rishi Sunak: Leaders need to stop ‘contagion of conflict’ in Middle East
Rishi Sunak has warned that the Israel-Hamas war risks unleashing a ‘contagion of conflict’ across the Middle East.
The prime minister, who visited Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt for talks with key regional players this week, said the leaders agreed ‘we need to do everything possible’ to prevent the spread of the war.
He said his two-day visit to the region demonstrated ‘that the UK stands in solidarity with them against terrorism’ and that ‘there can be no justification’ for the atrocities committed by Hamas. He said the opening of the border crossing with Egypt to allow an aid convoy into the Gaza Strip was an example of what could be achieved.
Bobby Charlton death: Alzheimer’s Research UK determined to find dementia cure
Sir Bobby Charlton’s death highlights the urgent need to find a cure for dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK has said.
The Manchester United and England hero – a pillar of the Three Lions’ 1966 World Cup winning team – has died aged 86, his family announced on Saturday. Charlton was diagnosed with dementia and the announcement of his condition was made public in November 2020.
The Alzheimer’s Research UK charity said there are ‘no treatments available in the UK to slow, stop or prevent the diseases that cause dementia’, issuing a call for action after the legendary footballer’s death.
Egypt’s border crossing opens to let trickle of desperately needed aid into Gaza
The border crossing between Egypt and Gaza opened on Saturday to let a trickle of desperately needed aid into the besieged Palestinian territory for the first time since Israel sealed it off in the wake of Hamas’s bloody rampage two weeks ago.
Just 20 trucks were allowed in, an amount that aid workers said was insufficient to address the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza. More than 200 trucks carrying roughly 3,000 tons of aid have been positioned near the crossing for days.
Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians, half of whom have fled their homes, are rationing food and drinking dirty water. Hospitals say they are running low on medical supplies and fuel for emergency generators amid a territory-wide power blackout.
London’s King’s Cross station forced to close due to overcrowding
London’s King’s Cross station was forced to close due to overcrowding as passengers were warned not to travel by rail.
Network Rail said crowd control measures had been put in place at King’s Cross due to disruption to LNER services caused by Storm Babet.
However, Storm Babet continues to cause disruption to the rail network and with an extremely limited service in place, some train operators are advising passengers to not travel today.
Travel disruption to continue in parts of UK after flooding from Storm Babet
The UK will continue to face travel disruption due to flooding from major rivers following Storm Babet.
Flooding has caused problems across Britain’s rail network, with disruption to continue in parts of Yorkshire, Scotland, East Anglia and the East Midlands on Sunday. Three people have died since the storm hit the UK on Wednesday while a search continues in Aberdeenshire after a report of a man trapped in a vehicle in floodwater.
The Environment Agency (EA) said three severe flood warnings were in place around the River Derwent in Derbyshire, meaning deep and fast-flowing water carries a significant risk of death or serious injury as well as serious disruption to local communities.
Junior doctors to hold talks with government over NHS England dispute
Junior doctors will meet government officials for talks aimed at ending the long-running dispute over pay and conditions in the English NHS.
The British Medical Association (BMA) said it had agreed to the talks, although the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the issue of pay would not be on the table. The meeting is expected next week, although no date has yet been fixed.
A DHSC spokesman said: ‘We have been clear headline pay will not be on the table as doctors have already received a fair and reasonable pay rise as recommended by the independent pay review body, which we’ve accepted in full.’
Weather
A mainly dry day with plenty of sunshine, reports BBC Weather. Some parts of western England, Wales and Scotland may see the odd shower, though, and it’ll remain windy in the far north.
Showers will pass tonight leaving a clear night for nearly all parts. It’ll turn cloudy and breezy in the south-west later on.
