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UK calls for task force to save historic trees
England’s most ancient and culturally significant trees could soon gain new legal protections, following a government-commissioned report. The move comes after public outrage over the destruction of historic trees, including a 500-year-old oak in Enfield and the iconic Sycamore Gap tree, felled in 2023.
Currently, most ancient trees lack any formal protection. The report, led by the Tree Council and Forest Research, urges the government to define what constitutes an “important tree” and recommends creating a dedicated taskforce within the next year to safeguard these natural treasures. Plans include tougher sentencing for those who damage important trees, a strengthened tree preservation order (TPO) system, and a national database of heritage trees. The Woodland Trust also supports the initiative, advocating for a heritage TPO and using citizen science to map the UK’s ancient trees.
Lab-grown chicken nuggets made from gel and oxygen
Researchers have successfully grown chicken ‘nuggets’ in a lab using a device that mimics the human circulatory system. The breakthrough involves pumping oxygen and nutrients through more than 1,000 tiny hollow fibres into a gel filled with chicken muscle cells. The result? Nugget-sized lumps of meat up to 2cm long that don’t come from a bird.
This method solves a major problem in cultured meat: keeping cells alive in thick chunks. Until now, most lab-grown meat has been limited to mince-like textures because it’s hard to get nutrients deep into the tissue. But this new bioreactor keeps cells alive long enough to grow structured, fibrous meat that more closely resembles real chicken. It’s not just sci-fi food—researchers say the same tech could one day grow steaks, fish fillets, or even human organs. For now, the artificial “blood vessels” must be removed manually, but plans are in place to replace them with edible fibres.
WHO agrees pandemic preparedness treaty
After years of tough negotiations, the World Health Organization’s member nations have agreed on a draft pandemic treaty designed to improve global responses to future health emergencies. One of the key goals of the treaty was ensuring faster, fairer access to vaccines and medical technology for all countries.
The treaty addresses one of the most glaring failures of the COVID-19 pandemic – limited vaccine access in low-income nations. It obliges wealthier countries to share critical pathogen data and technologies, such as vaccine know-how, with the global community. Countries that contribute samples or genetic data of emerging threats are guaranteed access to the treatments developed from them. A groundbreaking feature of the treaty is its push for national policies requiring publicly funded research to include public-interest conditions – like transparent clinical trials, affordable pricing, and tech transfers to boost local production.
Though the agreement lacks enforcement mechanisms and the U.S. isn’t expected to sign up, the treaty marks a major step toward global equity in pandemic preparedness. It lays the foundation for faster vaccine access and stronger tech–sharing in future crises.
UK pledges £120m in Sudan aid amid mounting humanitarian crisis
The UK government announced a £120 million aid package for Sudan last week, marking two years since the outbreak of the country’s brutal civil conflict. Foreign Secretary David Lammy hosted senior representatives from the African Union, EU nations, major donors, and multilateral institutions to address the growing humanitarian emergency.
The funding, earmarked for the 2025-26 financial year, will support more than 650,000 Sudanese people affected by the war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023. “Two years is far too long – the brutal war in Sudan has devastated the lives of millions – and yet much of the world continues to look away,” Lammy said during the summit. “We need to act now to stop the crisis from becoming an all-out catastrophe.”
The conflict has left more than 30 million people in need of aid and displaced more than 12 million. Meanwhile, the suspension of US aid has forced the closure of 80% of Sudan’s emergency food kitchens, cutting off critical support to nearly two million people.
The UK’s latest pledge builds on a £113 million package announced last November, as pressure mounts on the global community to act.
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