Rescuers used backhoes and sniffer dogs to look for survivors in collapsed houses and other damaged buildings in the central Philippines after an earthquake killed at least 72 people and injured more than 200 others. The death toll was expected to rise from the 6.9 magnitude quake that hit about 10 pm Tuesday and trapped an unspecified number of residents in the hard-hit city of Bogo and outlying rural towns in Cebu province. Sporadic rain and damaged bridges and roads have hampered the race to save lives.

The earthquake occurred at a dangerously shallow depth of 5 kilometers (3 miles) and was centered about 19 kilometers (12 miles) northeast of Bogo, a coastal city of about 90,000 people in Cebu province where officials reported about half of the known deaths. The Philippine government is considering whether to seek help from foreign governments based on an ongoing rapid damage assessment.

Dozens of activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and Bangladeshi photographer Shahidul Alam were detained by Israeli forces after a flotilla carrying aid bound for Gaza was intercepted. Israel's Foreign Ministry said several vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) had been "safely stopped" and those aboard were being transferred to an Israeli port to be deported. The boats intercepted were in international waters about 70 nautical miles off the Gaza coast. Israel has been policing this area but does not have jurisdiction there.

Israel said its navy had told the boats to change course as they were "approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful naval blockade". The GSF described the interceptions as "illegal" and "not an act of defence", but "a brazen act of desperation". The group has alleged that one vessel within the flotilla was "deliberately rammed at sea" and said additional boats were hit by water cannon.

Two people died after a suspected terror attack outside a synagogue in Crumpsall by a man who was shot dead by police, Greater Manchester Police said. The man believed to be the attacker was shot by Greater Manchester Police firearms officers and is also believed to be dead. However, police said it cannot currently be confirmed due to safety issues related to "suspicious items on his person". The bomb disposal unit has been called and is at the scene. Three other people remained in a serious condition, police said in a statement.

A number of hospitals in Greater Manchester were placed in "lockdown" following the incident at the synagogue in Crumpsall, it has been reported. An internal note shared by the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and seen by the Manchester Evening News said all of its sites "have been asked to immediately lock down" following the declaration of a major incident.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order vowing to use all measures including US military action to defend the energy-rich nation of Qatar - though it remains unclear just what weight the pledge will carry. The text of the order, available Wednesday on the White House's website but dated Monday, appears to be another measure by Trump to assure the Qataris following Israel's surprise attack on the country targeting Hamas leaders as they weighed accepting a ceasefire with Israel over the war in the Gaza Strip.

The order cites the two countries' "close cooperation" and "shared interest," vowing to "guarantee the security and territorial integrity of the state of Qatar against external attack." The order apparently came during a visit to Washington on Monday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump organized a call by Netanyahu to Qatar during the visit in which Netanyahu "expressed his deep regret" over the strike that killed six people, including a member of the Qatari security forces, the White House said.