Virgin

From the days of the Vietnam War to the most recent US confrontation with Iran, I have spent much of my life wondering why leaders choose to send their troops into war, creating destruction, misery and suffering for millions. History has shown that most wars have been futile and costly wars of aggression.

Luke Johnstone was living in a shed in his parents’ garden when he started building what would become PACK’D. He had grown up on a council estate, received free school meals and was coaching football to make ends meet while trying to turn an idea into a business. Today, the frozen smoothie brand turns over more than £7 million a year and sits on the shelves of major UK retailers. It is the kind of story Britain loves to tell about entrepreneurship: talent finding a way against the odds.

It’s impossible to overstate just what an unmitigated disaster the US war with Iran has been. Six months on, Trump has accomplished none of the objectives that prompted him to go to war. Iran’s nuclear program, damaged already by last year’s airstrikes, had not posed an immediate threat, even by the assessments of the US intelligence community.

When I sat down with former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, I knew it was going to be a profound moment. President Motlanthe has lived through some of the most difficult periods in South Africa’s history. Involved in the anti-apartheid movement as a young man, he spent almost a decade imprisoned on Robben Island alongside Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners for his role in the struggle against apartheid.

The war in Ukraine has entered a new phase in recent weeks, as Russia has intensified its airborne assault on targets within the country. Particularly concerning is the sharp increase in the use of ballistic missiles and Ukraine’s lack of interceptors to counter the threat at scale. Ukraine’s allies must think creatively and collaboratively now to provide the systems needed and build on the war’s shifting momentum.

For a growing number of young people, Results Day is no longer just about deciding which university to attend. While university has long been seen as the traditional next step, the way young people are building their careers is changing.

Imagine if the people who’ll live longest with the consequences of climate change had a bigger say in the decisions being made today. Young people make up around half of the world’s population, but they’re 100% of the future. Yet too often their voices are missing from the decisions that will shape the world they’ll inherit. That’s exactly what the UK Government’s new Youth Climate and Nature Panel aims to do.

Launched in 2023, Local Legends is a £1,000,000 fund managed by Virgin Unite – the independent, non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group – to support charities that are tackling unacceptable issues in the UK. Hot on the trail of Local Legends’ fourth round (during which Virgin Unite awarded grants to 34 charities), Local Legends Round 5 launched in January 2026 and it was the largest round yet – with 59 nominations from colleagues across the Virgin Group! The applications were incredibly strong.

You might read this headline and think, “hey, I thought he didn’t drink much?” Well, you’d be right, but occasionally I enjoy a glass of fizz or even a tequila on the rocks. And I’m partial to an ambient setting where you can catch up with friends after a long day - even if I’m just sipping on soda water with lemon. The best bars I've been to all have a common element: they create a space where people feel relaxed but also special, and let the rest take care of itself.

Imagine being innocent but being confined to four concrete walls in 2x2 metre cell for 23 hours each day. In Venezuela, hundreds of political prisoners remain behind bars. Detained without judicial warrants. Passports confiscated. Facing made-up charges of treason, conspiracy, and terrorism-related offenses, without access to a lawyer. One of them is Daniel Echenagucia. Daniel and his family have bravely shared their story - risking their safety and freedom in the process.