EU Packaging & PFAS: New EU rules start reshaping food-contact packaging by tightening limits on PFAS “forever chemicals,” with added labeling and producer responsibility aimed at safer, less wasteful takeout and grocery materials. Wildfire Smoke Health: WHO warns wildfire smoke can travel far and harm people with asthma, heart and lung disease, with kids, older adults, pregnant people and responders at higher risk even when smoke isn’t obvious. Portugal Healthcare Strain: Reports highlight long waits in Portugal’s public emergency departments, with staffing shortages and summer demand pushing some patients past a day for first assessment. Child Health Literacy: A Germany study finds many preschoolers can argue against false causal claims and use refuting information by age 4–5.5, pointing to early gains in critical thinking. Diet Quality Debate: A review links higher ultra-processed food intake with lower blood levels of key nutrients, while stressing the findings are associations, not proof of cause. UK Welfare Politics: Reform UK proposes stripping foreign nationals (including EU settled status) of most benefits, raising health and access concerns alongside wider political fallout. Vaccines in MS: New analysis reports strong effectiveness of the shingles vaccine in adults with multiple sclerosis, supporting protection against herpes zoster. Heat & Public Risk: Britain braces for another possible heatwave, as extreme temperatures continue to strain health and transport systems.