Pope Leo urges justice reform in Equatorial Guinea’s
prisons.Equatorial Guinea’s prison conditions face scrutiny as
Pope Leo pushes for humane treatment and reform during his
visit. The head of the Catholic Church told inmates at the prison in
Bata city that they are not alone, as he delivered a message of
hope during a visit that drew attention to human rights abuses and
injustices that campaigners have denounced for years.

Six women win 2026 Goldman prize, world’s top environmental
award. First all-women cohort of winners hails from Colombia,
Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, the UK and the US. or
the first time since the prize was created in 1989 by philanthropists
Richard and Rhoda Goldman, all recipients of the award are
women: Iroro Tanshi, from Nigeria; Borim Kim, from South Korea;
Sarah Finch, from the United Kingdom; Theonila Roka Matbob,
from Papua New Guinea; Alannah Acaq Hurley, from the United
States; and Yuvelis Morales Blanco, from Colombia. This year’s
prestigious prize has been awarded to six grassroots
environmental activists from around the world for their efforts to
fight climate change and save biodiversity.

UK bill bans anyone born after 2008 from ever buying
tobacco. People who are now 17 or younger will never be able to
buy tobacco, according to the law backed by the UK Parliament. A
new bill approved in the United Kingdom’s legislature will stop
people born on or after January 1, 2009 from buying tobacco
during their whole lives, as part of a years-long effort by ministers
to create a “smoke-free generation”. Secretary of State for Health
and Social Care Wes Streeting introduced the Tobacco and Vapes
Bill in the House of Commons in 2024, aiming to protect public
health and reduce the harm caused by smoking.

How China is gaining from Iran war by showing it is different
from US. Beijing has leveraged its strong economic relationship
with the US, Israel, Iran and the Gulf to keep its stakes safe while
preparing for 'the day after' the war, say analysts. As Chinese
President Xi Jinping called for the reopening of the Strait of
Hormuz this week, the pragmatic approach Beijing has taken to
the US-Israel war on Iran was on full display.