6:42 am, October 9, 2023
UK working to help families of Britons caught in Israel conflict
The government is working to establish the status of UK citizens in Israel after a British man serving in the country’s army was killed during attacks by Hamas.
Rishi Sunak condemned an ‘appalling act of terror’ by Palestinian militants as the death toll climbed to 700 in Israel and 300 in Gaza.
Among those killed was 20-year-old Nathanel Young, a Briton serving in the Israeli Defence Services who died on the Gaza border on Saturday. Two other UK nationals – 26-year-old Jake Marlowe, who went to the same London school as Young, and photographer Dan Darlington – are also believed to be missing.
Number of displaced people in Gaza rises to more than 123,000
The United Nations says the number of displaced people in Gaza has risen to more than 123,000 as a result of the fighting between Israel’s military and Hamas.
By late Sunday, retaliatory Israeli airstrikes in response to Hamas attacks had destroyed 159 housing units across Gaza and severely damaged 1,210 others, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said a school sheltering more than 225 people took a direct hit. Several Israeli media outlets, citing rescue service officials, said at least 700 people have been killed in Israel, including 44 soldiers.
No immediate action against Hamas from UN Security Council
The United Nations Security Council opted for no immediate action after an emergency meeting over the growing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The United States had called on all 15 members to strongly condemn ‘heinous terrorist attacks committed by Hamas’ which has seen Israel declare war on the Palestinian organisation.
US deputy ambassador Robert Wood said ‘a good number of countries’ had condemned the Hamas attack, telling reporters they could probably figure out one of those which had not.
Starmer denounces attack on Israel while Corbyn resists Hamas condemnation
Sir Keir Starmer clearly labelled Hamas’s deadly assault on Israel a ‘terrorist attack’, in contrast to Jeremy Corbyn who resisted directly condemning the militant group.
The Labour leader said on Sunday that there can be ‘no justification’ for the operation that has left at least 600 dead, including a British man serving in the Israeli army, and provoked a furious response from Israel that killed more than 300 in Gaza.
His predecessor said he does not ‘support any attacks’, but sought to avoid directly criticising Hamas while being questioned in Liverpool, where Corbyn is attending a left-wing political festival instead of the Labour conference.
Reeves will promise to ‘restore hope’ with plan to get Britain building
Labour will revamp the UK’s ‘antiquated’ planning system to boost the economy and modernise creaking infrastructure, Rachel Reeves will say.
The shadow chancellor will use her speech at Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool on Monday to pledge that the party will ‘restore hope’ and ‘get Britain building again’.
Planning applications would be fast-tracked for battery factories, laboratories and 5G infrastructure under the proposals.
Supreme Court challenge over Rwanda policy set to begin
The government’s legal battle over its Rwanda deportation policy has reached the Supreme Court.
The Home Office is bringing a challenge after the Court of Appeal ruled in June that the multimillion-pound deal – which would see asylum seekers deported to the east African nation – was unlawful.
In a three-day hearing starting on Monday, five justices at the UK’s highest court will hear arguments over whether two appeal judges were right to find there was a ‘real risk’ asylum seekers could be returned to their home country and face persecution when they may have a good asylum claim.
‘Risk to life’ from flooding remains as heavy rain continues in Scotland
Those in the north of Scotland have been warned there is still a ‘risk to life’ from severe flooding while people in the south of the UK will have dry and warm conditions.
Scotland was hit by relentless rainfall starting on Saturday and continuing through the night, causing travel disruption on roads and railways.
Landslides blocked some roads in the west of Scotland, with 10 drivers being rescued by helicopter after becoming trapped on the A83 near Inverary in Argyll and Bute. The road remained closed on Sunday as around 2,000 tonnes of debris had fallen onto the surface, with police advising people in the area to avoid travel. ScotRail services on a number of lines were also suspended on Sunday.
Weekend Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
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Whitehall staff to launch five-day strike
Cleaners, security guards and support staff in three Whitehall departments will launch a five-day strike on Monday in a dispute over pay.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) employed by ISS will walk out at the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, Department for Business & Trade and Department for Science, Innovation & Technology.
The union said the workers are angry at being offered a below-inflation 2.2 per cent pay rise.
Metro Bank announces new deal with investors to shore up finances
Metro Bank has announced a new deal with investors to shore up its finances.
The deal includes a £325m capital raise and £600m in debt refinancing. Spaldy Investments Limited, Metro Bank’s largest shareholder, is contributing £102m and will become the controlling shareholder of Metro Bank upon completion of the transaction – with roughly a 53 per cent shareholding.
It comes after the bank’s shares tumbled last week on reports it was in talks with investors to raise around £250m in equity funding and £350 million in debt.
Shoppers grab final bargains as Wilko closes doors for good
Shoppers grabbed some final bargains on Sunday as Wilko shut the doors of its last high street shops for the final time.
The 93-year-old discount retailer has been shutting its 400 UK stores over the past month after tumbling into administration in August.
The final 41 stores closed at the end of trading on Sunday – but not before some disappointed customers had visited one last time.
Weather
Unseasonably warm, says BBC Weather, as England and Wales have another day of sunshine; cloudier in Scotland and a few spots of rain for northern England. Cool in Scotland with highs of 15 degrees while in the south-east of England temperatures will peak at 24.
Dry and clear for England and Wales tonight. Breezier in the north and rain in the north-west.
