3 h. ago RSPCA issue warning to cat owners after ‘horrific’ 30% surge in attacks

The incidents have seen cats ‘screaming in pain’ and left unable to use limbs

Events

15 h. ago Madonna urges Pope Leo to go to Gaza ‘before it is too late’

Pope Leo, who became the first US head of the Catholic Church in May, renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in July.

Politics

45 h. ago Netanyahu’s Gaza City outrage fulfils his messianic fantasy of a Greater Israel. The world must stop him | Nimer Sultany

Ignore suggestions that further occupation would be temporary. Act now! This outrageous landgrab is ethnic cleansing in plain sightIt is hard to describe in words the pain of witnessing your people being destroyed for more than 670 days. It is even more unfathomable to contemplate another Israeli escalation, after witnessing so much suffering and so many crimes committed against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. How can this be allowed in full view of the world for so long? Will the world stand by?Israel’s security cabinet declared this escalation when it approved a plan to “fully occupy” the Gaza Strip and attack concentrations of population, starting with Gaza City itself. The consequences of this newest military onslaught are foreseeable and predictable. In May 2024, Israel attacked Rafah despite international warnings and in defiance of an international court of justice order – Rafah no longer exists. In November and December 2024, Israel attacked the northern towns of B...

Politics

60 h. ago Netanyahu claims his Gaza City takeover plan is fastest way to end war – latest updates

Israeli PM’s plan to escalate war has drawn international condemnationSee all our Middle East crisis coverageIsraeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to hold a press conference with international media in Jerusalem at 4:30pm local time (13:30 GMT; 14:30 BST).He will likely be asked about the security cabinet’s controversial decision on Friday to expand its assault on Gaza and take control of Gaza City.Following the alerts activated in the Gaza Envelope, it is likely that two launches from the Gaza Strip crossed into the country’s territory, interception attempts were made, and their results are under review. Continue reading...

Events

64 h. ago Netanyahu to give press conference after announcement of Israeli plan to escalate war on Gaza – latest updates

PM has ignored military advice and warnings that move could endanger hostages and will lead to further destruction and suffering for PalestiniansSee all our Middle East crisis coverageIsraeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to hold a press conference with international media in Jerusalem at 4:30pm local time (13:30 GMT; 14:30 GMT; 15:30 BST).He will likely be asked about the security cabinet’s controversial decision on Friday to expand its assault on Gaza and take control of Gaza City.Following the alerts activated in the Gaza Envelope, it is likely that two launches from the Gaza Strip crossed into the country’s territory, interception attempts were made, and their results are under review. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago UK announces more aid for Gaza as Israel proposes expansion of conflict

The £8.5 million will be delivered through the UN’s Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Politics

4 d. ago US envoy's fury at Starmer over Gaza: PM attacked after warning Israel's escalation would 'only bring more bloodshed'

After the Prime Minister warned Israel's latest escalation would 'only bring more bloodshed', Mike Huckabee likened the country's situation to Britain in World War Two.

Events

4 d. ago Voices: Netanyahu’s new plan for Gaza City will be the end of him

Local protests against the Israeli prime minister’s idea to escalate the war and take full military control of Gaza City have been muted so far – but his recklessness will eventually see him removed from office, says former diplomat Alon Pinkas

Politics

4 d. ago Recall Parliament to debate Netanyahu’s Gaza plan, Green MP urges

‘We need to recall Parliament immediately to hold the UK Government to account’, Green Party MP Ellie Chowns said.

Politics

4 d. ago Vance says UK and US have ‘disagreements’ over Gaza, as he confirms Trump does not back Palestinian state recognition – as it happened

David Lammy is hosting the US vice-president at Chevening, his grace-and-favour residence in Kent, where they will discuss the Middle EastThe SNP is calling for the recall of parliament so that MPs can approve sanctions against Benjamin Netanyahu in the light of his decision to extend the occupation of Gaza. In a statement Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader at Westminster, said:A genocide is happening before our eyes in Gaza. Words of condemnation aren’t anywhere near enough - if we have any hope of stopping this genocide strong actions are desperately needed, now. That means Keir Starmer needs to recall Westminster and take concrete steps to sanction the Israeli government. Those sanctions must include ending all arms sales to the Israeli military, stopping all training, logistical and military support to the IDF, directly and personally sanctioning Netanyahu and his ministers and finally and immediately recognising the state of Palestine before it is brutally wiped off the map. If the ...

Politics

4 d. ago JD Vance meets with David Lammy in Sevenoaks after Keir Starmer condemns Israel's plan to take over Gaza city

The Foreign Secretary said the pair would discuss the ‘developing situation in Gaza’ and the war in Ukraine

Politics

4 d. ago Vance says UK and US have ‘disagreements’ over Gaza, as he confirms Trump does not back Palestinian state recognition – UK politics live

David Lammy is hosting the US vice-president at Chevening, his grace-and-favour residence in Kent, where they will discuss the Middle EastThe SNP is calling for the recall of parliament so that MPs can approve sanctions against Benjamin Netanyahu in the light of his decision to extend the occupation of Gaza. In a statement Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader at Westminster, said:A genocide is happening before our eyes in Gaza. Words of condemnation aren’t anywhere near enough - if we have any hope of stopping this genocide strong actions are desperately needed, now. That means Keir Starmer needs to recall Westminster and take concrete steps to sanction the Israeli government. Those sanctions must include ending all arms sales to the Israeli military, stopping all training, logistical and military support to the IDF, directly and personally sanctioning Netanyahu and his ministers and finally and immediately recognising the state of Palestine before it is brutally wiped off the map. If the ...

Politics

4 d. ago Vance meets Lammy in UK as Starmer denounces Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City – UK politics live

The foreign secretary is hosting the US vice-president at Chevening, his grace-and-favour residence, and Gaza is expected to be on their agendaThe SNP is calling for the recall of parliament so that MPs can approve sanctions against Benjamin Netanyahu in the light of his decision to extend the occupation of Gaza. In a statement Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader at Westminster, said:A genocide is happening before our eyes in Gaza. Words of condemnation aren’t anywhere near enough - if we have any hope of stopping this genocide strong actions are desperately needed, now. That means Keir Starmer needs to recall Westminster and take concrete steps to sanction the Israeli government. Those sanctions must include ending all arms sales to the Israeli military, stopping all training, logistical and military support to the IDF, directly and personally sanctioning Netanyahu and his ministers and finally and immediately recognising the state of Palestine before it is brutally wiped off the map. If...

Politics

4 d. ago Germany halts arms sales to Israel over Gaza offensive as Starmer warns of ‘more bloodshed’

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said it was ‘increasingly difficult to understand’ how the latest military push will help achieve Israel’s aims

Events

4 d. ago Israel’s Gaza City plan sparks global condemnation with warnings of more destruction and suffering – latest updates

Widespread calls for takeover plan to be stopped with UK’s Starmer saying escalation will ‘only bring more bloodshed’ and Germany halting arms exportsNetanyahu announces plan to take over Gaza CityThe UK’s ambassador to Israel has said extending the war in Gaza would only lead to more deaths and that occupying Gaza would be a “huge mistake”.Simon Walters was quoted by Israel’s Haaretz newspaper as saying on Thursday:The IDF has achieved all that it can achieve in Gaza, and extending the war any further will simply lead to more deaths. Deaths of soldiers, deaths of Palestinians, deaths of hostages.If you want to defeat Hamas, you cannot achieve that through military force. You need to use politics and diplomacy and you need to give the people of Gaza an alternative to Hamas.We are working with friends, allies in Europe and in the Middle East to generate a real plan for what happens after the fighting stops, after the war.It needs to be a description of what the governments will be fo...

Events

4 d. ago The Latest: Israel plans to take control of Gaza City, drawing international condemnation

Israel says it plans to take over Gaza City in another escalation of its 22-month war with Hamas

Politics

4 d. ago Vance to arrive in UK for Lammy meeting as Starmer denounces Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City – UK politics live

The foreign secretary is to welcome the US vice-president to Chevening, his grace-and-favour residence, and Gaza is expected to be on their agendaJohn Swinney, Scotland’s first minister, says Israel’s decision to occupy Gaza City is “completely and utterly unacceptable”. In a message on social media, the SNP leader said:The decision of the Israeli government to seize control of Gaza City is completely and utterly unacceptable. It will create even more human suffering for the Palestinian people and further escalate the conflict. The international community must stop Israel and secure a ceasefire.Netanyahu’s brutal plan to take control of Gaza is yet another declaration of intent to commit war crimes. The UK must do more than express disapproval: end military cooperation and arms sales, recognise Palestine, demand an immediate ceasefire and accountability for war crimes. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Lammy to host Vance in UK as Starmer denounces Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City – UK politics live

The foreign secretary is to welcome the US vice-president to Chevening, his grace-and-favour residence, and Gaza is expected to be on their agendaGood morning. Keir Starmer has this morning denounced the Israeli government’s decision to take over Gaza City, agreed overnight, saying it will “only bring more bloodshed”. He has been under growing pressure for a long time, from within the Labour party, as well as from the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and the Corbyn/Sultana independent leftwingers, to be more critical of Israel, and that led to the decision last week to recognise the state of Palestine. This morning’s statement, which will almost certainly have no practical impact but which is marginally stronger than what Starmer has been saying in the past, is fresh evidence of a shift in thinking.In his statement, Starmer said:The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately. This action will do nothing to ...

Politics

4 d. ago Starmer condemns Israel’s plans to escalate war in Gaza and warns it will ‘only bring more bloodshed’

Labour prime minister said the move was wrong

Events

4 d. ago Netanyahu believes he must escalate the war to avoid his own cold reckoning – so Israel will try to occupy Gaza next

The Israeli PM knows a full military occupation of Gaza will further isolate his country internationally and deepen domestic criticism. But with an arrest warrant hanging over his head and a government in chaos, he has chosen to continue the bloodshed, writes world affaris editor Sam Kiley

Events