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Conservation comebacks for wild tigers, tuna and green​ sea turtles prove that global nature loss can be reversed, ​scientists have said. ​But a report warns food production must be the next ​“positive tipping point​” if the world is to avert biodiversity collapse. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) analysed nearly 36,000 animal populations and more than 5,000 species, producing the largest ever database of vertebrate wildlife. Scientists found populations had declined by an average of 73% since 1970, showing that “nature continues to be degraded at an alarming scale”, with “no sign of losses slowing”. Nature loss is no longer just an environmental challenge but a direct threat to the global economy, the report says, noting that about half of global GDP – roughly $58tn (£44tn) in 2023 – depends on nature and its ecosystem services. The authors write that species collapse now poses an “existential threat to economic stability, geopolitical security and human wellbeing”. Animal populations were found to be falling most sharply in tropical, biodiversity-rich regions, while trends in northern temperate parts of the world appeared much gentler.

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England came away from Greece with a valuable 3-1 lead in their first 2027 Women's World Cup play-off tie - a result they will look to convert into an aggregate win this week. Georgia Stanway, Maya le Tissier and Alessia Russo were on the scoresheet in the away game. The second leg will be played at home, at King Power Stadium in Leicester, on Tuesday, 13 October at 19:30 BST. Commentary will be on BBC Radio 5 Live. Should England beat Greece over two games, they will face the winners of Slovakia v Ukraine, with the away fixture played first. The exact dates of the potential second-leg fixtures are to be confirmed, although they will take place between 26 November and 5 December 2026. England head coach Wiegman named her initial squad last month, with Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly notable absentees, although Toone later received a call-up after Lucy Bronze left the squad with a slight injury. When asked why the two stalwarts were initially left out, Wiegman said: "They have not been playing to their full potential. "Of course, I still believe in these players. They are really good and have shown so much for us.

To navigate the severe economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Botswana partnered with the World Bank Group to secure its first-ever budget support loan. Utilizing the structural flexibility of an IBRD Flexible Loan (IFL), the country successfully customized its repayment terms to match its national debt management strategy. By shortening the average repayment maturity (ARM) to under eight years, Botswana secured the lowest possible loan spread, capturing millions in interest savings and directly unlocking critical fiscal room to finance sustainable economic recovery programs.

Round-by-round results from the 2026 World Grand Prix in Leicester, where Luke Humphries claimed a second title in four years after defeating Gerwyn Price in a dramatic final. Humphries scoops the £150,000 first prize after defeating the Welshman 6-4 at the Mattioli Arena, with Price picking up £80,000 from a total prize pot of £750,000 for his runner-up finish. The Englishman, who also beat Price in the 2023 final, defeated James Wade in the last four on Saturday after Price saw off Nathan Aspinall 5-2 in the other semi-final.

Latin America and the Caribbean participates in the World Food Forum 2026Rome – Hybrid event, 8–16 October 2026 IntroductionFrom 8 to 16 October, Latin America and the Caribbean will participate in the World Food Forum 2026, in Rome and virtually. Under the theme “Innovate Today to Nourish Tomorrow,” the region will share investment proposals, experiences and knowledge to advance towards more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems. The regional agenda will bring together governments, youth, producers, academic institutions, Indigenous Peoples, development partners and the private sector. Activities will explore concrete opportunities to strengthen production, generate rural employment, add value and expand access to markets through investment, science, innovation and partnerships.

Restoring visual function A gene therapy that makes surviving retinal ganglion cells light-sensitive allows blind patients to detect objects using stimulating goggles. (Courtesy: ©IOB, Veronique Juvin, 2021) Retinitis pigmentosa is an inherited degenerative condition that destroys photoreceptors in the retina and can eventually lead to irreversible blindness. In a clinical trial first, an international research team has demonstrated that optogenetic therapy is safe to use and shows potential for restoring visual function in patients with late stages of this disorder.

Mr Harding has over 25 years of experience building climate change resilience and developing aid programmes at headquarters, regional and country offices around the world. Mr Harding brings to WMO his leadership experience managing complex financing mechanisms, devising and implementing strategic policies and partnerships, and mobilizing resources – all grounded in country-level operational experience. He is strongly committed to global cooperation, inclusive and equitable multilateralism, supported by an effective, coordinated "one" United Nations.

8 October 2026 - Representatives from governments, civil society and academia meeting in Muscat, Oman on Monday called for urgent action to address a global housing crisis affecting nearly 3.4 billion people. They gathered to commemorate World Habitat Day which this year focuses on the theme of Adequate Housing for All. “Adequate housing is not a luxury. It is a foundation for a dignified life and for sustainable cities,” said Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, the agency that promotes sustainable urbanization.

Immigration news updates for APAC and EMEA regions Effective October 1, 2026, Hong Kong will expand the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Invited Persons to nationals of ASEAN, Central Asia and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. In addition, all government bureaus and departments will be able to issue invitations under the scheme.

Senior WHO official urges Russia to to provide more information on the suspected pneumonic ⁠plague case. Russia has dismissed media reports of a second suspected case of pneumonic plague in Siberia, as the World Health Organization (WHO) urged Moscow to formally respond to its inquiry regarding the reports. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday that “the vast majority of what the media is reporting regarding this situation is false information”, in response to a question about reports of a second case. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Russia plague quarantine following lab death: Should we be worried?list 2 of 3Russia denies imposing anti-plague measures after lab worker deathlist 3 of 3US CDC says it’s ‘aware of and closely monitoring’ Russian plague caseend of listPeskov said that information on the suspected cases should be derived from official statements by Russia’s health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor. Russia’s health regulator said there were no infections detected among staff after a plague institute worker died from pneumonia. The origin of the illness remains unknown, prompting international concern that the case could involve the plague.

What does the Living Planet Index mean? The 2026 Living Planet Index report is published today. As with previous editions, it makes for a depressing read (despite this year’s title being about the “Science of Hope”).1 The headline is a 73% average decline in wildlife populations since 1970. While these trends are extremely worrying, the numbers presented in the Living Planet Index (LPI) report are often misunderstood or misreported. In this article, I give a short overview of what these numbers mean — and don’t mean — and what some of the data underneath the headline figure shows. We’ve written about the LPI several times before, including more technical texts that explain how it should be interpreted. I’ll link to those later, if you want to dig deeper. The headline figure from the 2026 update of the LPI is that studied wildlife populations declined by an average of 73% from 1970 through 2022. You can see this decline in the chart below. This covers mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish; it doesn’t yet include invertebrates or plants. First, let’s clarify what this doesn’t mean.

Rifdean “Magic Boy” Masdor has waited nearly half a decade to share the global stage with reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Nadaka Yoshinari, and he intends to make the most of the occasion. The Malaysian knockout artist challenges the Japanese divisional king in the co-main event of the loaded ONE SAMURAI 4, which emanates live from the historic Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday, October 17.

Arsenal's Max Dowman has been presented with three official Guinness World Records certificates following his breakthrough into English and European football. The 16-year-old has titles for: Youngest football player to win the Premier League at 16 years 144 days; youngest goalscorer in the English Premier League at 16 years 73 days, and youngest player in the Uefa Champions League at 15 years 308 days. His achievements have also earned him the opening player profile in the Guiness World Records' Football Edition 2027's Class of '27. He features alongside the likes of Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Kylian Mbappe. Tom Beckerlegge, Senior Editor of Guinness World Records Football Edition 2027, said: "The youngest player on our list, Max sums up what the Class of '27 is all about. To have already achieved three Guinness World Records titles before turning 17 is extraordinary, and his story captures exactly why this generation of players is so exciting. "