British-founded confederation fighting global poverty since 1942
UK ministers have approved Jackdaw gas production, arguing it will bolster energy security and create thousands of jobs while funding a new 2bn Energy Wealth Fund. Campaigners warn the decision undermines climate commitments as other projects await decisions and Roebank remains unresolved.
The Raymond Briggs personal library, donated by his estate, goes on sale at Oxfam’s Hove bookshop and online. The collection features works by Schulz, Shepard and others, along with wartime and domestic-life volumes. The sale follows Briggs’s death at 88 in 2022.
The IPC reports that food security and child nutrition have improved in Gaza as access to humanitarian aid expands, but conditions remain crisis-level across governorates. Israel’s restrictions and ongoing fighting continue to threaten gains, with crossings limited and prices high.
Humanitarian aid for Rohingya refugees has fallen as their numbers have grown and living conditions have worsened in Bangladesh camps and in host countries. Malaysia has announced screening and a plan to repatriate up to 5,000 Myanmar nationals, prompting fear, detentions and evictions; rights groups and the UN have warned returns could put refugees at risk.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded more than 2,500 deaths in a Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak declared in May; the United Nations says infections are growing exponentially and have spread across an area larger than France. Vaccines for the Zaïre strain will be trialled and thousands of doses will go to frontline staff, but security, local hostility and funding shortfalls are hampering the response.
Shein's Hong Kong listing is priced lower than hoped, valuing the company around $26.3 billion. Trading began shakily, with early losses narrowing as markets digest regulatory twists, tax changes, and weak consumer sentiment that have weighed on the fast-fashion group after a rapid ascent.
The world faces a record-breaking El Niño that is likely to bring extreme weather patterns. The UK government is advising households to prepare for supply disruptions, with Environment Secretary Angela Eagle highlighting the need for resilience as droughts, floods and cyber threats threaten food security.
The UK has announced a ban on imports and services linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and has coordinated measures with several allies. Israel has closed the British consulate in East Jerusalem and imposed retaliatory diplomatic steps. British Jewish leaders are split and ministers are defending the move as necessary to protect the two‑state prospect.
El Niño is strengthening, with forecasts predicting historic intensity. Reports show drought in Central America’s Dry Corridor and a UK weather shift toward wetter, stormier conditions. Scientists warn impacts will extend into 2027 as temperatures rise globally and rainfall patterns shift.
Publishers highlight growing interest in preloved items, with advice from fashion insiders and readers sharing their favorite finds. The trend underscores sustainability and the evolving fashion economy as more people buy secondhand rather than new.
EU interior ministers meet in Luxembourg amid a Ceuta migration surge. Ministers back stronger border management, return hubs abroad, and expanded Frontex powers, while debates over asylum, expulsions, and emergency tools intensify. The talks reflect ongoing tensions between humanitarian commitments and migration control.
A year into the October 2025 ceasefire, Gaza’s health system remains severely strained. Hospitals operate at reduced capacity; oxygen, medicines, and essential equipment are scarce, and medical evacuations are far below prewar levels. Experts warn of potentially devastating consequences if restrictions and supply blockages persist.
Jeffrey Archer has died. He was a prolific author and former Conservative politician who endured a public downfall for perjury in 2001. His life spanned politics, literature and public controversy.