Author: WTX News

Israel issues more evacuation orders in southern Lebanon, hospitals & health centres bombed Israel has issued further evacuation orders to people in southern Lebanon that are outside the UN-declared buffer zone. The latest appears to signal a widening ground attack – which started earlier in the week.  The new orders come after a night of heavy airstrikes on the capital in Beirut. It has been reported that more than 10 consecutive airstrikes hit the capital in the early hours of Friday morning.  Israel claims to have struck around 200 Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, including weapons storage facilities and observation posts.…

New NATO Chief Mark Rutte vows ongoing alliance support for Ukraine New NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made his first official visit to Ukraine, reaffirming the alliance’s commitment to supporting Kyiv in its fight against Russia. Rutte, who took office earlier this week, emphasised NATO’s determination to bolster Western support for Ukraine, which has been fending off a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022. Rutte highlighted recent NATO efforts to aid Ukraine, including €40 billion in funding, bilateral security agreements, and the formation of a new NATO command to enhance military assistance and training for Ukrainian forces. Zelenskyy and Rutte…

At least 20 dead after gang attack in Haiti At least 20 people, including children, have been killed in a brutal gang attack in Pont-Sondé, a small town in Haiti’s Artibonite region, about 71km (44 miles) from the capital Port-au-Prince. Members of the notorious Gran Grif gang are responsible for the violence, which left another 50 people wounded. Local video footage captured scenes of terrified residents fleeing on foot and motorbikes. Authorities have called the incident a “massacre,” though the exact death toll remains uncertain, with some reports suggesting the figure could be higher. Haiti has increasingly fallen under the…

Nigeria boat accident leaves dozens feared dead in River Niger A boat carrying more than 300 people capsized on Tuesday night on the River Niger in north-central Nigeria. Dozens are feared dead.  According to the head of Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba Arah, around 60 bodies have been recovered so far, with rescue operations ongoing. Local authorities report that approximately 150 passengers have been rescued, with many still missing. Most of the victims were women and children, travelling to celebrate the Muslim festival of Mawlid, which honours the birth of Prophet Muhammad. The boat had departed from…

Singapore ex-minister gets prison in landmark corruption case Subramaniam Iswaran, a former senior minister in Singapore, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for corruption. The 62-year-old pleaded guilty to accepting over S$403,000 (around $311,000) in gifts while in office, including Formula 1 Grand Prix tickets, a high-end bicycle, alcohol, and a ride on a private jet. He was also found guilty of obstructing justice. Justice Vincent Hoong, who presided over the case, highlighted that Iswaran’s actions were an abuse of power, damaging public trust in Singapore’s clean reputation. Iswaran had expressed confidence in his acquittal, which the judge…

Israeli airstrike hits central Beirut: at least 5 dead, 8 injured Lebanese officials have reported that an Israeli airstrike on a building in central Beirut has killed at least five people and wounded eight. The strike targeted a multi-storey building in Bachoura, which housed a health centre linked to Hezbollah. Israel’s military described the operation as a “precision” strike. This marks the first Israeli airstrike near the heart of Beirut, just meters away from Lebanon’s parliament. Overnight, five additional strikes hit the southern suburb of Dahieh, a known Hezbollah stronghold. The escalation follows the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announcement that…

Israel kills at least forty-six people in bombing of Beirut. At least six people were killed and seven wounded, Lebanese health officials said. A photo from the bombsite, showed a heavily damaged building with its first floor on fire. Three missiles also hit the southern suburb of Dahiyeh, where Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed last week, and loud explosions were heard, Lebanese security officials said. The southern suburbs came under more than a dozen Israeli strikes on Wednesday. The Israeli military said regular infantry and armoured units joined its ground operations in Lebanon on Wednesday as Iran’s missile attack…

Netanyahu vows response for missile attack saying Iran will “pay” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran will “pay” after around 180 missiles were fired at Israel, from Iran, on Tuesday.  Most of the missiles were intercepted by the US and Israel. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the missile attack was a “decisive” response in defending Iranian interests against “aggressive acts”. Israel had recently killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and unleashed a series of deadly communication device explosions. On Tuesday, Israel launched a ground invasion of Lebanon and continued airstrikes on Beirut overnight. Hezbollah says it repelled an Israeli ground…

Seven killed in shooting and knife attack in Tel Aviv Seven people were killed in a combined shooting and knife attack in Tel Aviv’s Jaffa area, Israeli police have confirmed. The attackers opened fire on the public, beginning in a rail carriage and continuing onto the platform. Several others were injured, some critically, as the violence unfolded. Social media footage captured scenes of motionless bodies on the street. The gunman and a second attacker armed with a knife were “neutralised” by bystanders, with authorities labelling the incident as a “terror” attack. While the attackers’ identities have not been disclosed, initial…

Twenty children dead after Thailand school bus fire A devastating school bus fire in Thailand has killed 20 children and three teachers. The incident occurred just outside Bangkok as the bus was returning from a school trip.  After the bus crashed into a highway barrier, it caught fire, quickly engulfing the vehicle in flames. Witnesses reported seeing dense black smoke billowing into the sky as those on board struggled to escape. Many were trapped, and the fire spread rapidly. The bus driver initially attempted to extinguish the fire but later fled the scene before eventually surrendering to the police. Local…

“The Hinkley Point project, which is already under construction, will supply electricity that is far more expensive than green energy. If it is done well, the German model combining the phasing out of nuclear energy and coal could be more favourable. But the top priority is that the newly industrialising and developing countries also switch to phasing out coal as quickly as possible. First and foremost China, which is still building new power plants. If they don’t change course, the joy over the end of the coal era in the UK will be of little use.”

Israel starts ground operation in southern Lebanon Israeli troops have invaded Lebanon in what the military is calling a “limited, localised and targeted” ground operation against Hezbollah. The IDF says the targets inside southern Lebanon pose “an immediate threat to Israeli communities.” With almost a 1000 deaths in 7 days, this will be bloody invasion of a Sovereign state. The ground operation started as Israeli airstrikes continued pounding the capital. The IDF says it has hit Beirut whilst officials in Lebanon say a building in a Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon was hit. On Monday, Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Qassem said…

Should I spend or save? How is the economy doing for real Although the government is telling everyone the economy is on the mend, the reality is the economy is still on the verge of a double dip recession. The inflation figures don’t show the real picture. Yes, inflation has stopped rising as much as it did, but the metrics they share is a decline rate not a drop. To understand this imagine the economy as a plane, it would still be falling, just not as fast as it was before, but it’s still on its way down. The reason…

UN extends Kenya-led security mission in Haiti amid rising hunger, violence The UN Security Council has extended the mandate of the multinational policing mission in Haiti, which is led by Kenya, until October 2025. This mission aims to support Haitian national police in reclaiming areas under gang control but has not been transformed into a full UN peacekeeping operation, despite calls from Haiti’s government. The Council expressed deep concern over the country’s deteriorating security situation, which has seen widespread violence, criminal activity, and mass displacement. The World Food Programme also reported that half of Haiti’s population now faces severe hunger.…

How Starmer will play politics with war in Lebanon Earlier this morning Israel launched its invasion of Lebanon, despite the calls and protests from world leaders. Netanyahu is determined to push forward his agenda for creating a greater Israel and gain more land. Despite the conflicts with Starmer on the issue, this provides a political opportunity that politicians will exploit. First and foremost it will take the limelight away from domestic policies. So politicians will use every soundbite to talk about the issue. Additionally, politicians will use this opportunity to drive home the cuts at home. Although they are determined…

Three dead and 15 injured in Shanghai Walmart stabbing A violent stabbing spree at a Walmart supermarket in Shanghai on Monday night left three people dead and 15 others injured. The attack occurred in the Songjiang district. Authorities have apprehended a 37-year-old suspect, identified only by his surname Lin, he reportedly came to Shanghai to “vent his anger due to a personal economic dispute”. The investigation is ongoing. The three victims succumbed to their injuries in the hospital, while the remaining injured individuals are reported to have non-life-threatening wounds.

Groundbreaking conservation project to start in England – world’s first ‘bison bridges’ Reintroduced bison will soon be trip-trapping over bridges in England, where a “ground-breaking” conservation project aims to reconnect the animals’ woodland habitat. Linking up fractured habitats is an ongoing conservation challenge and one that the county of Kent is addressing. There, in the so-called ‘garden of England’, work has begun on four bridges that will help a herd of reintroduced bison move freely between forests near Canterbury.  Recent research showed that bison sequester vast quantities of carbon as their ‘eco-engineering’ creates new woodland habitats. The animals went extinct…

This is breaking News – Israel to begin ground invasion of Lebanon. Hundreds of Israeli tanks have lined up along the Lebanon border as fears grow over an anticipated ground invasion that could plunge the Middle East into an all-out war. It came as Israel also launched a fresh wave of airstrikes against in Yemen on Sunday amid fears that the raging conflict could spill out across the region. Israel to begin ground invasion of Lebanon The fact that they air striking Beirut now crippling the Lebanese response further adding to the military strategy that the Israelis are going launch a ground invasion…

In a shocking development A US senator reveals on live TV that Israel used US-made bombs in Civilian kills in Lebanon.

More than 1 million displaced due to Israeli attacks – Lebanon PM  Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati has reported that ongoing Israeli air strikes could have displaced as many as one million people across the country. On Sunday, Lebanon’s health ministry reported over 50 fatalities resulting from the air strikes, which occurred just two days after Israel assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. In retaliation, Hezbollah launched multiple rockets into northern Israel. In a separate incident, Israeli forces conducted significant air strikes on military targets linked to the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen. Hezbollah confirmed the deaths of key…

Market insights for Monday 30th September Japan’s Nikkei 225 tumbled more than 4% on Monday and the Yen weakened against the dollar as traders reacted to the results of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party election last Friday. China’s official purchasing managers’ index reading for September came in at 49.8, better than the 49.5 expected. However, this marked a fifth straight month of contraction for the manufacturing sector in China. Markets in China will only be trading on Monday, before closing for the rest of the week due to the Golden Week holiday. Market insights for Monday 30th September More US…

Manhunt underway after mass shooting killed 17 in South Africa A manhunt is currently underway following two tragic mass shootings in Lusikisiki, a rural town in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, that left 17 people dead, including 15 women. The incidents occurred Friday night in close proximity to one another. According to police spokesperson Brig. Athlenda Mathe, the victims included 15 women and two men, with one additional person hospitalised in critical condition. The shootings took place at two homes in the same neighbourhood, where families had gathered for a social event. Twelve women and one man were killed at…

Starmer looks to reform ‘freebies’ but he’s lying! Labour appoints oil baron Rachel Kyte as climate envoy role On the surface this may seem like a natural appointment, but once you dig deeper you see the problem. Labour has appointed oil baron Rachel Kyte as the lead UK’s return to high-level environmental diplomacy. Until this year, she worked with Hedge fund (which has £1.2 Billion) invested in oil and fossil fuels and arms. And there’s more her company, through their foundation paid a £4 Million donation to the Labour party just before the election. Starmer has a ‘women problem’ at…

Nepal floods and landslides kill more than 150, death toll expected to rise Nepal has suspended school operations for three days following devastating floods and landslides that resulted from two days of heavy rainfall. As of Sunday, officials reported at least 151 fatalities, with 56 individuals still unaccounted for. The floods have paralyzed daily life in the Kathmandu valley, where 37 of the deaths occurred in a densely populated area housing 4 million residents. Authorities have noted significant damage to schools and university buildings, complicating efforts to resume normal activities for students and their families. In some parts of Kathmandu,…

Maternity pay the next battle-axe for Tories Maternity pay the next battle-axe for Tories, leadership contender Kemi Badenoch has suggested that maternity pay in the UK is “excessive”. Sparking a debate among the leadership contenders about maternity rights, Badenoch, the former business secretary, said that maternity pay was “a function of tax”, adding: “Tax comes from people who are working, we’re taking from one group of people and giving to another. This, in my view, is excessive.” Arguing that businesses were closing because the burden of regulation is too high she added: “We need to allow businesses, especially small businesses,…