10th July 2026

Twelve people were reported to have died and six injured in a wildfire in Almeria in southern Spain. Around 150 firefighters battled the blaze which broke out amid soaring temperatures. Roads were closed as the fire spread. According to emergency services 1,000 residents were evacuated with about 50 people sheltered in a cultural centre.  The cause of the fire is not yet established, however, witnesses told officials the blaze may have started after a power line fell, igniting dry vegetation. Antonio Sanz, Andalusia's health and emergencies minister, said the fire had been complex and rapid.  According to the Copernicus climate service, Climate change is driving up temperatures around the world, and Europe is the fastest warming continent, heating up twice as fast as the global average, with experts warning that more frequent and severe fires across Europe are likely to continue in the future. 

Loving God, be with our neighbours in Almeria. May your presence be a comfort to all who mourn the deaths of those they love. Place your healing hands upon all who are injured, may they recover fully and swiftly. Wrap your protection around all fighting the fire and guide them to extinguish it without further loss of life.  Bless the medical teams and all providing shelter to people injured or displaced.  We thank you for their love and commitment towards their neighbours. May the leaders of nations heed the warnings of the Copernicus climate service and move swiftly to stop global temperatures from further increasing.  In  the name of Jesus we pray,  Amen.  

Medicine Sans Frontières (MSF) working in collaboration with the Kano State Ministry of Health in Nigeria has completed a three-year emergency response to the diphtheria outbreak in Kano State after supporting the vaccination of more than 835,000 children against the disease. The initiative is helping to address one of Nigeria’s largest recorded diphtheria outbreaks. The outbreak largely affected children between the ages of five and 14, many of whom were only partially vaccinated or completely unvaccinated. Persistent gaps in routine immunisation, overcrowded living conditions, delayed healthcare-seeking and limited access to quality healthcare contributed to the continued spread of the disease.MSF Project Coordinator in Kano, Abdoul-Aziz Djibrilla, said although the outbreak had eased significantly, diphtheria remained a serious public health threat. However, the disease continues to blight communities. Djibrilla called for sustained investment in routine immunisation, disease surveillance and timely access to quality treatment. “Continued commitment from health authorities and partners to sustain high immunisation coverage, strengthen surveillance and ensure timely access to quality treatment will be critical to preventing future outbreaks and protecting the lives of children in Kano,” he said. 

Psalm 65: 1 & 9 - 13

Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion,

and to you shall vows be performed.

You visit the earth and water it;

you greatly enrich it;

the river of God is full of water;

you provide their corn,

for so you have prepared it.

You water its furrows abundantly,

settling its ridges,

softening it with showers,

and blessing its growth.

You crown the year with your bounty;

your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.

The pastures of the wilderness overflow,

the hills gird themselves with joy,

the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,

the valleys deck themselves with corn,

they shout and sing together for joy.