Global humanitarian aid and development NGO focused on refugees and displaced people
A record summer of heat, drought and wildfires has prompted an emergency Cobra meeting and voluntary retailer suspensions of disposable-barbecue sales. Green groups have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to call the crisis 'climate change' and stop new North Sea drilling; Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has questioned net zero and urged adaptation and celebration of warmer weather.
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake has struck western Colombia, with Cali, Pereira and surrounding regions bearing the brunt. Rescuers are digging through rubble as the death toll climbs and thousands of buildings are damaged. The new president has declared a state of emergency and mobilised security forces to lead the response.
Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières has warned that global aid cuts have forced dozens of health centres in Sudan to close and pushed more patients toward a shrinking number of hospitals. With USAID grants ending and European funding falling, clinics have closed, admissions at MSF facilities have risen and outbreaks of measles, cholera and malaria are increasing.
Saudi Arabia has closed its 1,200km East–West oil pipeline after a drone attack that Riyadh has blamed on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. Officials and analysts have said repairs could take three to five weeks, jeopardising 2.6–4 million barrels per day of exports and pushing Brent above $105–$108 a barrel while Houthi gains in the Red Sea are further restricting routes.
Uganda and broader Africa are urged to integrate menstrual health with mental wellbeing in school policies. Studies show socio-cultural norms shape recognition of distress, while calls grow for WASH facilities, education, and supportive environments. Activists press governments to fund and monitor implementations as teenage pregnancy and stigma persist.
Patrick Stewart has died in Los Angeles after a long career spanning Shakespeare, stage and screen. The actors who shaped Star Trek and X-Men tributes throughout the industry.