Happy Hogs Rescue

The Foreign Secretary has said the UK will investigate the destruction of a hospital in Gaza City which has left hundreds feared dead. At least 500 people have been killed after a huge blast struck the building while it was overwhelmed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter, Gaza health officials said. The Israeli military denied responsibility, saying the explosion was caused by a rocket misfired by Islamic Jihad, while Hamas blamed Israeli air strikes. In a post on X, James Cleverly said: “The destruction of Al Ahli hospital is a devastating loss of human life. The UK has been clear. The protection of civilian life must come first. “The UK will work with our allies to find out what has happened and protect innocent civilians in Gaza.” It comes as US President Joe Biden was expected to arrive in Israel on Wednesday on a diplomatic mission amid growing concerns over the conflict. The Associated Press reported that footage it had confirmed was from the hospital showed the building on fire and its grounds strewn with bodies, many of them young children. Hundreds of Palestinians had taken refuge in al-Ahli and other hospitals in Gaza City over the past few days, hoping to be spared bombardment after Israel ordered all residents to evacuate to the southern Gaza Strip. Hamas called the blast a “horrific massacre” caused by an Israeli air strike, while the Israeli military blamed Islamic Jihad – a smaller, more radical group that often co-operates with Hamas. Islamic Jihad called Israel’s accusation “baseless”, while the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, dismissed the claim as “lies”. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said the hospital had been run by the Anglican church. “I renew my appeal for civilians to be protected in this devastating war,” he said. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could travel to Israel as soon as Thursday amid growing concerns about the conflict, according to multiple reports. It would follow visits by Mr Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz amid fears the conflict could spiral into a wider regional issue. Downing Street would not comment publicly on the Prime Minister’s travel plans. It comes after a British teenager was confirmed as one of the many murdered during Hamas’s attack on Israel. Yahel Sharabi, 13, was killed along with her mother, Lianne, while her elder sister, Noiya, 16, and her father, Eli, are still missing. At least six Britons were killed in the Hamas attacks on October 7, with a further 10 missing – some feared dead. At least 1,400 people died overall and thousands more were injured. At least 2,778 Palestinians have died and thousands more wounded as Israel launched air strikes on Gaza and cut off fuel, water, food and medical supplies from entering the cramped territory, which is home to more than two million people. The UK has urged Israel to restore the supply of water to Gaza, with No 10 declining to say whether its ally is complying with international law during its siege. “We continue to urge Israel, as a democracy we work closely with, to act within international law in their actions, I think they are taking steps to do that,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said. Israeli air strikes continued early on Tuesday, even inside the evacuation zone where Israel had told residents to gather in advance of the expected ground assault on Gaza. More than 900 people have been brought back from Israel and all UK nationals registered with the Foreign Office and wanting to leave have been allocated seats, it is understood. British officials are working to secure the opening of the Rafah crossing to allow UK citizens to flee to Egypt and for humanitarian aid to get into Gaza. Published: 18/10/2023 by Radio NewsHub

The Foreign Secretary has said the UK will investigate the destruction of a hospital in Gaza City which has left hundreds feared dead. At least 500 people have been killed after a huge blast struck the building while it was overwhelmed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter, Gaza health officials said. The Israeli military denied responsibility, saying the explosion was caused by a rocket misfired by Islamic Jihad, while Hamas blamed Israeli air strikes. In a post on X, James Cleverly said: “The destruction of Al Ahli hospital is a devastating loss of human life. The UK has been clear. The protection of civilian life must come first. “The UK will work with our allies to find out what has happened and protect innocent civilians in Gaza.” It comes as US President Joe Biden was expected to arrive in Israel on Wednesday on a diplomatic mission amid growing concerns over the conflict. The Associated Press reported that footage it had confirmed was from the hospital showed the building on fire and its grounds strewn with bodies, many of them young children. Hundreds of Palestinians had taken refuge in al-Ahli and other hospitals in Gaza City over the past few days, hoping to be spared bombardment after Israel ordered all residents to evacuate to the southern Gaza Strip. Hamas called the blast a “horrific massacre” caused by an Israeli air strike, while the Israeli military blamed Islamic Jihad – a smaller, more radical group that often co-operates with Hamas. Islamic Jihad called Israel’s accusation “baseless”, while the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, dismissed the claim as “lies”. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said the hospital had been run by the Anglican church. “I renew my appeal for civilians to be protected in this devastating war,” he said. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could travel to Israel as soon as Thursday amid growing concerns about the conflict, according to multiple reports. It would follow visits by Mr Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz amid fears the conflict could spiral into a wider regional issue. Downing Street would not comment publicly on the Prime Minister’s travel plans. It comes after a British teenager was confirmed as one of the many murdered during Hamas’s attack on Israel. Yahel Sharabi, 13, was killed along with her mother, Lianne, while her elder sister, Noiya, 16, and her father, Eli, are still missing. At least six Britons were killed in the Hamas attacks on October 7, with a further 10 missing – some feared dead. At least 1,400 people died overall and thousands more were injured. At least 2,778 Palestinians have died and thousands more wounded as Israel launched air strikes on Gaza and cut off fuel, water, food and medical supplies from entering the cramped territory, which is home to more than two million people. The UK has urged Israel to restore the supply of water to Gaza, with No 10 declining to say whether its ally is complying with international law during its siege. “We continue to urge Israel, as a democracy we work closely with, to act within international law in their actions, I think they are taking steps to do that,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said. Israeli air strikes continued early on Tuesday, even inside the evacuation zone where Israel had told residents to gather in advance of the expected ground assault on Gaza. More than 900 people have been brought back from Israel and all UK nationals registered with the Foreign Office and wanting to leave have been allocated seats, it is understood. British officials are working to secure the opening of the Rafah crossing to allow UK citizens to flee to Egypt and for humanitarian aid to get into Gaza. Published: 18/10/2023 by Radio NewsHub

Food banks could hand out a record more than one million emergency parcels this winter, according to projections from the Trussell Trust network. The organisation, which supports more than 1,300 food bank centres across the UK, said there is an ever-growing need as it set out its prediction for the months ahead. Between December 2022 and February, a total of 904,000 emergency food parcels were provided, but “unprecedented need” could see that figure topped this winter, the charity said. Based on the average increase in need seen from April to mid-September compared with the same period last year, the Trussell Trust has forecast that more than 600,000 people will need the support of food banks over a three-month period this winter with an estimated one million food parcels needed. While the three months to February saw more than 220,000 children supported with emergency food from its network as well as 225,000 people using a food bank for the first time, the charity is anticipating these numbers will be even higher for the same period this Christmas and into early next year. Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “We don’t want to spend every winter saying things at food banks are getting worse, but they are. “Food banks are not the answer in the long term, but while we continue to fight for the change that could mean they can be closed for good your local food bank urgently needs your support. “They need donations of food for emergency parcels, and money to fund costs such as the purchasing of food to meet the shortfall in donations they are currently experiencing. “One in seven people in the UK face hunger because they don’t have enough money to live on. That’s not the kind of society we want to live in, and we won’t stand by and let this continue. “Every year we are seeing more and more people needing food banks, and that is just not right. “Together, we have roots into hundreds of communities, and while someone facing hunger can’t change the structural issues driving the need for food banks on their own, thousands of us coming together can. “We must end hunger across the UK so that no one needs a food bank to survive.” The network is urging people to donate to the food banks in their local communities. Donation levels have remained stable, the charity said, but it added that the continued increase in need is leading to the vast majority of food banks having to purchase stock to make up for this shortfall. The trust reported that a recent small survey of 282 food banks in its network indicated that in the last three months 93% had to purchase food to keep up with the rising levels of need, while almost one in three (32%) were concerned about being able to continue running at their current level in the coming months. Natasha Copus, project manager at Southend food bank, said their centres were seeing “unprecedented need”. She added: “We have had to buy around half of the food we give out already this year and that is not even with the added pressure of heating and energy that people will face this winter. “It is with trepidation that we face the next six months of being there for people. We ask our community for their financial support, food and prayer this winter.” Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union repeated a call made by various charities and children’s organisations for free school meals to be extended to all pupils to try to tackle poverty and child hunger which he said “have tremendous social and moral costs”. He said: “That food banks are gearing up to support even more people than last winter is a damning sign that the Government has failed to support people through the cost-of-living crisis and presided over a decline in living standards.” Published: 18/10/2023 by Radio NewsHub

Food banks could hand out a record more than one million emergency parcels this winter, according to projections from the Trussell Trust network. The organisation, which supports more than 1,300 food bank centres across the UK, said there is an ever-growing need as it set out its prediction for the months ahead. Between December 2022 and February, a total of 904,000 emergency food parcels were provided, but “unprecedented need” could see that figure topped this winter, the charity said. Based on the average increase in need seen from April to mid-September compared with the same period last year, the Trussell Trust has forecast that more than 600,000 people will need the support of food banks over a three-month period this winter with an estimated one million food parcels needed. While the three months to February saw more than 220,000 children supported with emergency food from its network as well as 225,000 people using a food bank for the first time, the charity is anticipating these numbers will be even higher for the same period this Christmas and into early next year. Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “We don’t want to spend every winter saying things at food banks are getting worse, but they are. “Food banks are not the answer in the long term, but while we continue to fight for the change that could mean they can be closed for good your local food bank urgently needs your support. “They need donations of food for emergency parcels, and money to fund costs such as the purchasing of food to meet the shortfall in donations they are currently experiencing. “One in seven people in the UK face hunger because they don’t have enough money to live on. That’s not the kind of society we want to live in, and we won’t stand by and let this continue. “Every year we are seeing more and more people needing food banks, and that is just not right. “Together, we have roots into hundreds of communities, and while someone facing hunger can’t change the structural issues driving the need for food banks on their own, thousands of us coming together can. “We must end hunger across the UK so that no one needs a food bank to survive.” The network is urging people to donate to the food banks in their local communities. Donation levels have remained stable, the charity said, but it added that the continued increase in need is leading to the vast majority of food banks having to purchase stock to make up for this shortfall. The trust reported that a recent small survey of 282 food banks in its network indicated that in the last three months 93% had to purchase food to keep up with the rising levels of need, while almost one in three (32%) were concerned about being able to continue running at their current level in the coming months. Natasha Copus, project manager at Southend food bank, said their centres were seeing “unprecedented need”. She added: “We have had to buy around half of the food we give out already this year and that is not even with the added pressure of heating and energy that people will face this winter. “It is with trepidation that we face the next six months of being there for people. We ask our community for their financial support, food and prayer this winter.” Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union repeated a call made by various charities and children’s organisations for free school meals to be extended to all pupils to try to tackle poverty and child hunger which he said “have tremendous social and moral costs”. He said: “That food banks are gearing up to support even more people than last winter is a damning sign that the Government has failed to support people through the cost-of-living crisis and presided over a decline in living standards.” Published: 18/10/2023 by Radio NewsHub

Rishi Sunak could visit Israel as soon as Thursday, according to reports, amid growing concerns about the crisis in the Middle East. The Prime Minister could reportedly travel to the country as part of a wider trip to the region, including stops in Jordan and Egypt, Sky News reported. It would follow visits from US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Downing Street has said it will not comment on the Prime Minister’s travel plans, but reports suggested he would travel to Israel in the coming days. An Israeli air strike hit a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter, killing hundreds, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The attack would, if confirmed, be by far the deadliest Israeli air strike in five wars fought since 2008. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the UK would be working to establish what had happened after Hamas and Israel traded blame for the blast. “The destruction of Al Ahli hospital is a devastating loss of human life. The UK has been clear,” he said in a post on X. “The protection of civilian life must come first. The UK will work with our allies to find out what has happened and protect innocent civilians in Gaza.” Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, said the hospital had been run by the Anglican church. “This is an appalling and devastating loss of innocent lives,” he said. “The Ahli hospital is run by the Anglican church. I mourn with our brothers and sisters – please pray for them.” It comes after it was confirmed a British teenager was one of the people murdered by Hamas during its attack on the country. Yahel Sharabi, 13, was killed along with her mother, Lianne, while her elder sister, Noiya, 16, and her father, Eli, are still missing. The teenager disappeared after militants attacked Kibbutz Be’eri and murdered her British-born mother. The girl’s death has been confirmed by her family, the Israeli embassy in London said. Mr Sunak updated Cabinet on Tuesday with the latest developments from the conflict, telling ministers Hamas was responsible for the “murder and suspected abduction of British nationals”. At least six Britons were killed in the Hamas attacks on October 7, with a further 10 missing – some feared dead. More than 900 people have been brought back from Israel and all UK nationals registered with the Foreign Office and wanting to leave have been allocated seats, it is understood. Any British citizens wanting to leave are being encouraged to book a flight before the portal closes at 10am UK time on Wednesday. Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell told the BBC the Government is “extremely concerned” about British hostages being held by Hamas and on Sky News he said “we pray that they are alive”. Mr Mitchell was unable to elaborate on the efforts to secure their release, but insisted to LBC: “The entire resources of the British Government are involved in doing everything we can to get our citizens back.” At least 1,400 people were killed, many of them civilians, and thousands more injured in Hamas’s attack. At least 2,778 Palestinians have died as Israel launched air strikes on Gaza and cut off fuel, water, food and medical supplies from entering the cramped territory, which is home to more than two million people. British officials are working to secure the opening of the Rafah crossing to allow Britons to flee to Egypt and for humanitarian aid to get into Gaza. Mr Mitchell told Times Radio that Israel had “both a moral and a practical responsibility” on the issue. “We stand absolutely foursquare behind Israel’s right to defend itself, but all of us want to see the fighting contained,” he said. Britain urged Israel to restore the supply of water to Gaza, and refused to say whether its ally is complying with international law during its siege. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said talks are ongoing with Israel as the UK is “keen to see water restored”, as he declined to say whether Israel had kept within legal limits. “We continue to urge Israel, as a democracy we work closely with, to act within international law in their actions, I think they are taking steps to do that,” he said. Mr Mitchell told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Mr Biden’s visit to Israel could be a “significant fillip” to getting humanitarian relief through. The US president is travelling to Israel and Jordan on Wednesday amid concerns the Israel-Hamas conflict could spiral into a wider regional issue. As well as his talks in Israel, the US president will meet King Abdullah of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Mr Scholz travelled to Israel for an impromptu visit on Tuesday, while French President Emmanuel Macron said he will travel to the region “as soon as I consider that we have a useful agenda and very concrete actions to drive forward”. Downing Street would not comment publicly on whether Mr Sunak would head to the region. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We’ll set out travel plans in the usual way, I couldn’t get into speculation.” Israeli air strikes continued early on Tuesday, even inside the evacuation zone where Israel had told residents to gather in advance of the expected ground assault on Gaza. Published: 18/10/2023 by Radio NewsHub

Laughing gas will become illegal in November, with dealers facing up to 14 years in prison. The Home Office said having nitrous oxide will be banned from November 8 and serious repeat offenders could be jailed for up to two years. The nitrous oxide ban was promised as part of the Government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan and it will make the substance a controlled class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Secondary legislation laid on Wednesday will mean possession of nitrous oxide, where a person intends to wrongfully inhale it, will be an offence. Users could receive an unlimited fine, a visible community punishment, a caution which would appear on their criminal record or a prison sentence, the Home Office said. Those with a legitimate reason for having the drug will be exempt from the ban, the Home Office added. The drug is used in maternity wards as a pain relief during labour and is also used in the catering sector. Nitrous oxide is the third most used drug among 16 to 24-year-olds in England and police have reported links to antisocial behaviour – intimidating gatherings on high streets and in children’s parks, and empty canisters strewn across public spaces, the Home Office added. Crime and policing minister Chris Philp said: “We are delivering on the promise we made to take a zero-tolerance approach towards antisocial behaviour and flagrant drug taking in our public spaces. “Abuse of nitrous oxide is also dangerous to people’s health and today we are sending a clear signal to young people that there are consequences for misusing drugs. Both users and dealers will face the full force of the law for their actions.” Waste crews who cleaned up at Notting Hill Carnival in August estimated they collected 13 tonnes of laughing gas canisters from the streets, Kensington and Chelsea Council said. Crews filled five skips with an estimated 12,000-plus canisters. Chief executive of Night-time Industries Association Michael Kill said: “We welcome the announcement by the Government today that nitrous oxide is set to be banned under new Government legislation by November 8 but recognise that this must work hand in hand with a much broader education and harm-reduction strategy on drugs across the country. “The burden on businesses has been substantial, as they’ve contended with mounting pressure from authorities and residents due to the proliferation of discarded silver canisters on the streets. “This predicament has not only posed risks to the wellbeing of both staff and patrons but has also fostered an environment conducive to petty crime, antisocial behaviour and the activities of organised crime syndicates.” Published: 18/10/2023 by Radio NewsHub

A campaign has been launched in schools to challenge the concept of “mild” asthma – by telling teachers to dial 999. Asthma + Lung UK Scotland has launched a new campaign aimed at schools to help spot the first signs of an asthma attack. The common condition is often misconceived as “mild”, but the charity wants caregivers to take urgent steps if symptoms do not improve. Around 71,000 youngsters have asthma in Scotland, and in 2021/22 1,437 children ended up in hospital requiring emergency care because of their asthma. Children with asthma have more sensitive, inflamed airways, which cause reactions to things like colds and viruses, pollen, dust mites, pollution, and stress. Coughing, wheezing, feeling out of breath, and having a tight chest, are all symptoms. A poster with five lifesaving tips has been created for schools, along with a card for parents of an asthmatic child to fill in to update staff. Joseph Carter, head of Asthma + Lung UK Scotland, said: “We’re launching this awareness campaign because there is no such thing as mild asthma – as anyone with the condition could end up having a potentially life-threatening asthma attack. “Common signs that a child might be at risk of an asthma attack include increased coughing, especially when doing activities, wheezing, and a tight chest. “Symptoms vary, which is why it’s important that all caregivers including teachers, as well as parents, are familiar with a child’s individual triggers and red flags. These can be shared via the school asthma card which can be downloaded from our website. “It is also vital to know what to do in an emergency. Following these five steps if a child is having an asthma attack, could be lifesaving. “Get the child to sit up, rather than lying them down, and keep them calm. Help them to take one puff of their reliever inhaler (usually blue) with their spacer every 30 to 60 seconds, up to 10 puffs. If you don’t have their reliever, it’s not helping, or you are worried at any time, call 999 for an ambulance. “If the ambulance has not arrived after 10 minutes, or the child’s symptoms aren’t improving, repeat step two. If there’s no improvement, call 999 again immediately. “These steps are displayed on our new Asthma in School campaign poster which can also be found on our website.” Rhea Kershaw, acting deputy head at Melrose Primary School, Scottish Borders, said: “With a number of children with asthma at school, it is vitally important that adults are aware of what the signs are when a child is having an asthma attack. “The poster makes the five steps very easy to understand in an emergency, and ensuring parents fill in the school asthma card is important, so we are fully aware of what their child’s asthma triggers and required medication are.” Public Health Minister Jenny Minto said: “Asthma is a condition that affects many people in Scotland, however, many people might not recognise the warning signs or know what to do in the event of someone suffering from an asthma attack. “This new campaign to raise awareness about what to do if a child has an asthma attack is so important. Having an attack, or even witnessing one can be quite distressing and knowing what to do can help save a life.” Published: 18/10/2023 by Radio NewsHub

Families with children are more likely than other households to suffer serious financial hardship and mental health problems as a result of the cost-of-living crisis, research has found. The study also shows that while these families are regularly bearing the brunt of high inflation, it is single parent families that are most frequently struggling to cover basic needs including food, household bills and debt repayments. The report by Action for Children, which provides support services for children and campaigns on their behalf, calls on the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to include “at the very least” an increase to benefits in line with inflation in the autumn statement and commit to reforming of cost-of-living payments to take account of family size. The organisation also said the child element of Universal Credit should be boosted and the benefit cap scrapped, adding this would lift more than 300,000 children out of poverty. The Resolution Foundation think tank recently said freezing working-age benefits next year could save the Treasury more than £4 billion but at a “terrible cost” of plunging an additional 400,000 children into poverty. The Action for Children research suggests 19% of households with children, equal to 1.5 million nationally, could be classified as experiencing the most serious form of financial insecurity. This was six percentage points higher than those without children, according to University of Bristol’s analysis of survey results from 5,700 households. Meanwhile, single parents faced the most severe challenges, with one in four in serious financial difficulty. Families with children as a whole were found to be more likely to face the most serious hardship across a range of measures. They were six times more likely to have had a pre-payment energy meter installed between November 2022 and May 2023 than households with no children, with potentially 475,000 families affected. Families with children were three times more likely to have fallen behind on bills and debt repayments than households with no children. They were also found to have been six times more likely to have turned to unlicensed or informal lenders. Based on the survey, families with children were twice as likely to have missed multiple meals and be behind on rent or mortgage payments, while 47% of these households reported struggles with their mental health compared with 31% of families without children. In a case study provided by Action for Children, Charlene, 36, from Devon, described her situation as a single mother who receives Universal Credit because she cannot work due to health problems. She said: “The money I get doesn’t go far enough. I’ve cut back on absolutely everything, but I’ve still had times when I’ve looked in the cupboards and they’re empty. “It’s just degrading as a parent. When you’re hungry and worrying about feeding your child, you can’t focus on anything else.” Action for Children chief executive Paul Carberry said the research shows the UK is in the midst of a “cost-of-children crisis”. He added: “The cost-of-living crisis is far from over as prices across the economy are still rising with food inflation remaining particularly high at almost 14%. “The Bank of England does not expect to reach its 2% inflation target until early 2025, and energy prices remain volatile and stubbornly high as winter draws near. “Every day, our frontline workers are applying to our crisis fund for emergency grants to support low-income families in their care with basics like food, clothing and utility costs. “The Chancellor must act at the autumn statement to protect families with children from these intense and ongoing pressures on household finances. “At the very least, we must see benefits rise with inflation and cost-of-living payments reformed to take family size into account.” A Government spokesperson said: “Our welfare system provides a strong financial safety net for those who need extra support, and there are nearly two million fewer people in absolute poverty than in 2010. “But we know some families are struggling, which is why we have raised benefits by over 10% this year, are focused on halving inflation, have provided record financial support worth around £3,300 per household, and have announced another increase to the national living wage. “To help people out of poverty through work, we are investing £3.5 billion to help thousands into jobs and are removing barriers for parents with the biggest ever expansion of free childcare – providing 30 free hours of childcare for working parents and support for children from nine months old to when they start school. This will save eligible parents up to an average of £6,500 per year.” Published: 18/10/2023 by Radio NewsHub