Controversial proposed oil field publishes climate impact figures
The full environmental impact of the proposed Rosebank oil field, the UK’s largest undeveloped fossil fuel site some eighty miles north-west of Shetland, has now been revealed - and it is vast. The developers, Equinor and Ithaca Energy, have admitted that burning Rosebank’s oil and gas could release nearly 250 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over 25 years, equivalent to two-thirds of the UK’s current annual emissions. The figure, which dwarfs earlier estimates, follows a court ruling requiring a full assessment of the climate impact not just of extraction, but of using the fuels themselves. Environmental groups, including Greenpeace and Uplift, call the figures a stark warning that Rosebank is incompatible with Britain’s 2050 net-zero goal. The Government’s final decision, due after public consultation closes in November, will test its climate credibility. While the developers claim the emissions are ‘not significant’, critics insist that approving Rosebank would lock the UK into decades of pollution and contradict its clean energy ambitions.
Scotland: doctors query Swinney’s plan for walk-in health centres
Scottish first minister John Swinney’s plan to launch 15 new GP- and nurse-led walk-in health centres has sparked debate among medical leaders about staffing and feasibility. The proposal aims to ease the ‘8 am rush’ for appointments by offering no-booking consultations from noon to 8 pm, seven days a week, potentially adding a million more appointments annually. However, doctors’ groups, including the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) in Scotland, say they were not consulted and question how the services will be staffed given a declining full-time GP workforce. Although the number of doctors in Scotland has risen slightly since 2015, many now work part-time, and the number of GP practices has fallen by 10%. Health secretary Neil Gray insists Scotland’s record 1,200 GP trainees can help fill gaps, but critics warn that workforce pressures and unclear logistics could limit the scheme’s success. The initiative highlights growing tension between political ambition and the realities of primary care delivery.
Spain: a different approach to Africa and to migrants
In contrast to many Western nations, Spain is charting an independent path on migration and relations with Africa. While the USA, UK, France, and Germany are reducing development aid, prime minister Pedro Sánchez is deepening his country’s engagement with Africa through investment, diplomacy, and dialogue. The socialist-led government’s strategy emphasises shared prosperity, education, and sustainable growth, reflecting Madrid’s belief that Europe and Africa ‘form part of the same geopolitical space’. Alongside this vision, Spain continues to experience migration pressures, with 45,000 crossing from Africa to Spain or the Canary Islands in 2024. Yet unlike many European leaders, Sánchez acknowledges migrants’ contributions and backs ‘safe, orderly, and regular’ mobility schemes such as ‘circular migration agreements’ which give West Africans short-term visas to come to Spain for limited periods of seasonal work, mainly in agriculture, and then return. By coupling realism with empathy, Sánchez is seeking to balance security with solidarity, presenting a model of cooperation rooted in dignity, opportunity, and mutual benefit.
Greece: parliament set to approve thirteen-hour workday
Greece is poised to introduce one of Europe’s most controversial labour reforms - a thirteen-hour workday for private-sector employees. The new legislation, expected to pass parliament despite widespread protests, would allow workers in industries such as manufacturing, retail, and hospitality to take on a sixth workday and extended hours, with higher pay for overtime. The government argues that this flexibility will help address labour shortages and support economic growth amid an aging population. However, unions and opposition leaders have condemned the move as a step backward, heightening job insecurity, disrupting work-life balance and legalising overexploitation. One in five Greeks works more than 45 hours a week, the highest rate in the EU, and outdone by only four other countries in the world; low salaries force many to work two jobs to cover the soaring cost of living, in particular high housing costs. Officials insist the extra hours will be voluntary and regulated, but many groups are deeply sceptical.
Gaza: conflicting emotions and remaining challenges as ceasefire takes hold
Israel and Hamas have taken a crucial first step toward ending the devastating two-year war in Gaza, releasing hostages and prisoners under a US-brokered ceasefire. The exchange brought immense relief and celebration across Israel and Gaza, even as both sides remain wary. Yet, the deeper challenges - Hamas’s refusal to disarm, Israel’s reluctance to accept a Palestinian state, and questions over Gaza’s future governance - still threaten the deal’s stability. For many, the sight of freed hostages reuniting with loved ones offered a rare moment of shared humanity amid years of grief. In Gaza, war-worn families welcomed returning prisoners but faced the grim reality of shattered homes and a crippled economy. As Donald Trump signed a declaration for peace, witnessed by twenty world leaders (see ), both Israelis and Palestinians have to grapple with the cost of vengeance and the fragile hope of renewal. The region stands at a crossroads between restoration and relapse into conflict.
South Africa: Ramaphosa still pursuing genocide case against Israel
Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed that the new Gaza ceasefire will not alter his country’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Speaking before parliament, he said South Africa remains committed to pursuing justice, adding that ‘true reconciliation requires accountability’. Filed in December 2023, the case accuses Israel of committing genocidal acts in Gaza and has drawn support from countries including Spain, Ireland, Turkiye, and Colombia. The ICJ has already ordered provisional measures for Israel to prevent further atrocities and allow humanitarian aid, though compliance has been limited. With more than 67,000 Palestinians reported killed since October 2023, global human rights organisations are continuing to press for justice. South Africa also co-chairs the Hague Group, a coalition formed in January 2025 to hold Israel accountable through legal, diplomatic, and economic measures beyond the ICJ proceedings.