UK Edition - Today's top story: E1: the illegal settlement at the heart of the UK’s West Bank trade ban September 10, 2026 UK Edition   When his government announced a trade ban on goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, UK prime minister Andy Burnham was quick to point out that the sanctions “are not about the Israeli people”. They are about “the unacceptable policies of the Israeli government,” he added, “and the suffering they cause Palestinians.” Burnham’s remarks relate to the sharp escalation in settlement construction in recent years. One such settlement is the E1 bloc on the outskirts of Jerusalem which, as Rory McCarthy of Durham University points out in this piece, would suffocate any future Palestinian state. The government’s condemnation marks a dramatic change in tone, having previously moderated its criticism of Israel’s policies towards the Palestinian people. And new research has found that fatigue in teenage girls may be linked more to heavy periods and lifestyle than iron deficiency, as previously thought.   Sam Phelps Commissioning Editor, International Affairs   Israeli soldiers provide security at a new Israeli settlement near the West Bank village of Dura on August 31. Abir Sultan / EPA E1: the illegal settlement at the heart of the UK’s West Bank trade ban Rory McCarthy, Durham University The international community has long seen the construction of E1 as a red line. Ed Miliband announces the UK government’s plan to sanction trade in goods and services with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Sepember 2026. PA Images UK plan to sanction Israel’s illegal West Bank settlements is a historic shift in tone and policy Mohamed Ibrahim Hafez, Nottingham Trent University The government’s move is a direct cricitism of the Netanyahu government. Teenage girls are particularly prone to iron deficiency. MAYA LAB/ Shutterstock Fatigue in teenage girls linked to heavy periods and lifestyle – not iron deficiency Moa Wolff, Lund University; Anna Stubbendorff, Lund University Overlooking the key causes of fatigue may mean missing important opportunities to support teenage girls’ health and wellbeing. Politics + Society What Patriot Platform tells us about how the far right in the UK is changing its tactics William Allchorn, Anglia Ruskin University It’s becoming more mobile, networked and potentially vigilante – and draws on Christian symbolism. ‘Peaceful’ Sweden once sought nuclear weapons. That legacy still shapes defence planning Björn Lundberg, Lund University Geopolitical tensions and Nato membership have put the nuclear question back on the table. Arts + Culture Call My Agent! The Movie: why this much-loved French TV series fails as a film Ginette Vincendeau, King's College London Faithful fans are sure to enjoy this film-about-a-film romp, but those unfamiliar with the series might find it less engaging. Business + Economy How cash-in-hand businesses can get stuck in the informal economy Danny Buckley, Loughborough University; Natalia Vershinina, Audencia The hardest part of leaving the cash economy can be the expectations of loyal customers. Education Pisa results: what they tell us about reading standards in Welsh schools – and what they don’t Manon Jones, Bangor University; Cameron Downing, University of York Pisa should be seen as a warning light, rather than a diagnosis of what is wrong with Welsh education. Environment Virtually trying on clothes using AI can help cut fast-fashion waste, study reveals Rebecca Beech, Oxford Brookes University Virtually trying on clothes could persuade more people to experiment with renting clothes. The Anthropocene was rejected as a geological epoch – but the idea is still changing how we see the world Jan Zalasiewicz, University of Leicester; Colin Waters, University of Leicester; Martin J. Head, Brock University New research argues no other concept reflects our planet-wide transformation in its proper context of deep time. Health The weight-loss drug divide: private prescribing is lowest where need is greatest Rachel Woods, University of Nottingham; University of Lincoln GLP-1 drugs can produce major weight loss, but their wider impact will depend on affordable treatment and appropriate support. Science + Technology How ‘positive’ stress could improve the welfare of zoo animals Paul Rose, University of Exeter You can have too much of a good thing. 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