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for 25 minutter siden

Doctor previously banned from complex surgery in NSW given senior clinical safety role with Queensland Health

A spokesperson says Dr Michael Byrom no longer has any conditions placed on his practising and cited a ‘rigorous recruitment process’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A cardiothoracic surgeon previously restricted from performing major heart and lung surgery by the New South Wales medical regulator has been appointed to a senior Queensland government clinical safety position. On Tuesday the deputy director general of Clinical Excellence Queensland, Dr Helen Brown, announced Dr Michael Byrom as the inaugural surgical medical lead for the organisation, which focuses on healthcare quality, safety and efficiency. Continue reading...

for 3 timeer siden

Mitch McConnell admitted to hospital with ‘flu-like symptoms’

Statement says Republican senator, 83, checked himself into local hospital and that prognosis is ‘positive’ The Republican senator Mitch McConnell was admitted to a hospital on Monday night due to “flu-like symptoms”, his office said in a statement. “In an abundance of caution, after experiencing flu-like symptoms over the weekend, Senator McConnell checked himself into a local hospital for evaluation last night,” the statement reads. “His prognosis is positive and he is grateful for the excellent care he is receiving.” Continue reading...

for 5 timeer siden

One in six autistic pupils in UK have not attended school at all since September

Data comes as government prepares to publish plans to overhaul Send system in England One in six autistic pupils have not been to school at all since the start of this academic year, according to a new survey which found that mental health issues were often behind high levels of school absence. Nearly half (45%) of the parents and children who responded to the UK-wide survey by the Ambitious About Autism charity said they felt “blamed” by the government for the absences. Continue reading...

for 5 timeer siden

How will Labor’s Thriving Kids work and who is still eligible for the NDIS?

New services will move children under nine with mild developmental delays and autism off the NDIS. Here’s what you need to know Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The Albanese government has unveiled the model for its new program to move children under nine years old with mild developmental delays and autism off the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Called Thriving Kids, the program will be run with the states and territories from October this year. Continue reading...

for 6 timeer siden

Three-quarters of cancer patients in England to survive by 2035 under new plans

Government to invest £2bn in NHS cancer services in England as figures show diagnosis made every 75 seconds in the UK Three in four cancer patients in England will beat cancer under government plans to raise survival rates, as figures reveal someone is now diagnosed every 75 seconds in the UK. Cancer is the country’s biggest killer, causing about one in four deaths, and survival rates lag behind several European countries, including Romania and Poland. Three-quarters of NHS hospital trusts are failing cancer patients, a Guardian analysis found last year, prompting experts to declare a “national emergency”. Continue reading...

for 10 timeer siden

Life expectancy of LGB+ people a year lower than heterosexual’s, ONS finds

LGB+ men in England and Wales have 1.2 years lower life expectancy than straight men, at 59.4 years and 60.7 years respectively Life expectancy for people who identify as gay, bisexual, or another sexual orientation in England and Wales was approximately a year lower than their heterosexual counterparts, according to the first-ever analysis of its kind by the Office for National Statistics. The life expectancy for men who identified as LGB+ was 1.2 years lower than men who identified as straight, at 59.4 years and 60.7 years respectively. Continue reading...

for 22 timeer siden

Aid cuts could cause 22m avoidable deaths by 2030, study finds

Modelling suggests 5.4m children under five among those who could die if budgets of donor countries such as UK and US continue to be slashed Aid cuts could lead to more than 22 million avoidable deaths by 2030, including 5.4 million children under five, according to the most comprehensive modelling to date. In the past two decades there have been dramatic falls in the number of young children dying from infectious diseases, driven by aid directed to the developing world, researchers wrote in the Lancet Global Health. But that progress was at risk of reversal because of abrupt budget cuts by donor countries, including the US and the UK. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

Emergency pneumonia cases surge to half a million a year in England

There were 579,475 instances of emergency hospitalisation being needed in the year to March 2025, analysis finds The number of people requiring emergency care for pneumonia has risen by a quarter over two years to reach more than half a million cases, new figures show, amid warnings that preventable cases are adding pressure on overstretched A&E departments. Analysis of the most recent NHS England data from between April 2024 and March 2025 found that there were 579,475 cases of pneumonia requiring emergency hospitalisation, and this was likely to have risen further since, according to the charity Asthma + Lung UK. There were 461,995 cases between April 2022 and March 2023. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

RFK Jr announces $100m in grants to address homelessness and substance use

Kennedy’s pilot program to offer funding for long-term recovery after Trump signed order related to addiction Robert F Kennedy Jr announced on Monday $100m in new grants for a pilot program aimed at addressing homelessness and substance use recovery in eight cities, building on an executive order Donald Trump signed last week related to addiction. The funds will be distributed as part of the Safety Through Recovery, Engagement, and Evidence-based Treatment and Supports (Streets) program, which will be managed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Samhsa) within the Department of Health and Human Services. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

Florida couple sue fertility clinic after being implanted with wrong embryo

Couple say they love their daughter immeasurably but have a moral obligation to try to find child’s biological parents A couple is suing a Florida fertility clinic after learning that they were implanted with the wrong embryo, and are going public with their attempts to find their child’s biological parents. Tiffany Score and Steven Mills have filed a lawsuit against IVF Life Inc, which operates as the Fertility Center of Orlando, and its lead physician, Dr Milton McNichol. The suit, which was initially filed under pseudonyms to protect their family’s privacy, states that three viable embryos were created with Score’s eggs and Mills’s sperm, and an embryo was successfully implanted in April 2025. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

Lack of mental health beds contributed to UK teenager’s death, inquest finds

Poor communication also cited as factor in death of Ellame Ford-Dunn, 16, on Worthing hospital’s grounds A shortage of mental health beds and poor communication between agencies contributed to the death of a teenage girl on hospital grounds, an inquest has found. Ellame Ford-Dunn, 16, who had a history of self-harm, died in March 2022 after absconding from an acute children’s ward where she had been put because of a dearth of appropriate mental health beds. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

Resident doctors in England vote to continue industrial action for another six months

British Medical Association members back further action as part of long-running row over pay and jobs UK politics live – latest updates Resident doctors in England have voted in favour of continuing industrial action over the next six months, the British Medical Association has announced. Ninety-three per cent of medics voted in favour of continuing industrial action in a new ballot. The turnout was 53%. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

Volunteers race to contain suspected bird flu outbreak among swans

Rising case numbers and dozens of dead birds in Thames Valley raise fears spread is wider than recorded Members of the public and charity volunteers are working to contain a suspected outbreak of bird flu among swans in the Thames Valley, amid signs that confirmed cases are continuing to rise. Since October, 324 cases of bird flu in swans have been recorded by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha), which is sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Of these, 39 were recorded in the first four weeks of 2026 alone. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

Public health crisis unfolding in Minneapolis as residents avoid healthcare

Providers are arranging home visits and telehealth as neighbors pick up prescriptions, groceries and diapers A public health crisis is unfolding in Minnesota as people targeted by federal agents are afraid to seek healthcare while some healthcare staff are also fearful for their safety at work. Community organizations and health providers are now arranging home visits, telehealth appointments and other alternate care. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

Broadcaster James Valentine retires from ABC after nearly 40 years due to cancer

‘I need to focus on getting better, on being with family and friends and making sure that I’m giving my health my best shot’, Afternoons host says Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Broadcaster and saxophonist James Valentine is retiring from the ABC after almost 40 years, due to cancer, ending 25 years of hosting Sydney’s Afternoons program on ABC Radio. Valentine has been a fixture on the public broadcaster since he joined as host of the Afternoon Show for kids on ABC TV in 1987 after a decade of playing in bands including The Models. Continue reading...

for 2 dager siden

‘Deadly postcode lottery’ restricting new cancer treatments in England, doctors say

Patients missing out on effective new radiotherapies widely used in other countries, health secretary told Cancer patients are being denied access to cutting-edge treatments on the NHS because of a “deadly postcode lottery” in access, doctors have warned. Patients in England are missing out on two innovative forms of radiotherapy that are known to be effective against several forms of the disease and are widely available in other countries, due to “red tape” and lack of funding. Continue reading...

for 2 dager siden

NHS patients put at risk by ‘sham investigations’, says ex-CEO of hospital

Exclusive: Dr Susan Gilby, who won £1.4m bullying payout, says whistleblower protections must be strengthened Patients are being put at risk by NHS bosses launching “sham investigations” into whistleblowers to shut down concerns, a former hospital chief executive who won a £1.4m bullying claim has said. Dr Susan Gilby took over as chief executive at the Countess of Chester hospital in 2018 after it was rocked by the Lucy Letby case. She was awarded the payout – one of the biggest in NHS history – last month after a tribunal ruled she had been unfairly dismissed after raising concerns about alleged bullying and harassment by the chair of the hospital board. Continue reading...

for 2 dager siden

Florida Republicans advance bill to weaken vaccine protections for children

But effort fell short of state surgeon general’s promise to end Florida’s immunization mandates altogether Republicans advanced a bill in the Florida legislature this week to weaken vaccine protections for children, but it fell well short of state surgeon general Joseph Ladapo’s promise made last year to end immunization mandates. The proposed new law, introduced by Jacksonville state senator Clay Yarborough, and which narrowly passed the chamber’s health policy committee on Monday in a 6-4 vote, seeks only to expand exemptions for parents who do not want their school-age children vaccinated. Continue reading...

for 2 dager siden

Death of patients at Glasgow hospital to be investigated, prosecutors confirm

Seven cases are to be looked at after inquiry heard evidence of serious infections at Queen Elizabeth university hospital The deaths of seven patients at Glasgow’s landmark super-hospital are now being investigated, prosecutors have confirmed. The revelation that another two deaths were being examined after cancer patients, many of them children, contracted infections linked to Queen Elizabeth university hospital’s (QEUH) contaminated water supply and ventilation system, comes after Scottish Labour made public further evidence of political pressure being applied to open the campus in April 2015, just before the general election. Continue reading...

for 2 dager siden

Death toll from Crans-Montana bar fire rises to 41

Eighteen-year-old Swiss national injured in blaze at Swiss ski resort died on Saturday A teenager injured in the fire that engulfed a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana during new year celebrations has died in hospital, taking the death toll from the blaze to 41. The Wallis canton’s public prosecutor, Beatrice Pilloud, said in a brief statement on Sunday: “An 18-year-old Swiss national died at a hospital in Zurich on January 31. The death toll from the fire at Le Constellation bar on January 1 2026 has now risen to 41.” Continue reading...

for 2 dager siden

Man convicted of child sexual abuse working as NSW touch football referee for juniors thanks to legal ‘loophole’

Safety advocates want laws strengthened to ensure child sexual abuse offenders cannot referee children’s sport Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A man convicted of two child sexual abuse offences has been able to work as a referee for Touch Football NSW for more than a decade, including for junior teams, with the organisation citing a legal “loophole” for his continued employment. The New South Wales government passed new laws in September to strengthen the working with children check scheme and the Office of the Children’s Guardian is currently reviewing the framework to assess whether it is “fit for purpose”. Child safety advocates say the laws need to be further strengthened to ensure child sexual abuse offenders cannot referee children’s sport. Continue reading...

for 2 dager siden

US committee is reconsidering all vaccine recommendations

Move is dramatic departure for advisory group under Kirk Milhoan, who says he doesn’t like the term ‘established science’ All vaccine recommendations are being reconsidered by the US’s vaccines committee, according to its top adviser, who in recent interviews slammed vaccination requirements for attending school and said vaccines should be taken on the advice of an individual’s doctor. The stance from Kirk Milhoan, chair of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), represents a dramatic departure for the group tasked with making US vaccine recommendations for decades, signaling an increasingly hostile approach from the Trump administration to routine vaccines. Continue reading...

for 2 dager siden

Ex-British army chief calls on ministers to back MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans

Nick Carter says easing controls on MDMA will allow drug to be used as alternative treatment for those with PTSD A former head of the British military is calling for the government to ease restrictions on the party drug MDMA so that it can be tested more cheaply as a treatment for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Sir Nick Carter, who was chief of the defence staff until 2021, said existing regulations meant a single gram of “medical grade” MDMA cost about £10,000 compared with a street price of about £40, inflating the cost of trials. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Nico Antic, 12, dies in hospital after being attacked by a shark in Sydney

Family confirms boy has died, describing him as possessing the ‘most kind and generous spirit’ A 12-year-old boy has died in hospital after being mauled by a shark in Sydney Harbour earlier this week, his family has confirmed. The boy, named as Nico Antic in an online fundraiser, had been fighting for his life after being bitten on both legs on 18 January at a harbour beach in Vaucluse, in Sydney’s east. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Sea lion recovering in LA after marine center found two bullets in his head

Sea lion named Confetti was rescued early January and has ‘really great chance’ of being released, marine biologist says A rescued sea lion is recovering in Los Angeles after a marine care center discovered he had two bullets in his head. The sea lion, named Confetti, was rescued from Ballona creek, a watershed connected to the Santa Monica bay, on 5 January, the Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles announced on Thursday. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Great Ormond Street hospital cleaners win racial discrimination appeal

Claim by 80 workers that they were subjected to ‘indirect race discrimination’ by wait for NHS pay terms upheld Black cleaners at Great Ormond Street hospital were subjected to “indirect race discrimination” by the wait for NHS pay terms and conditions after their services were brought in-house, a tribunal has found. A case against the London children’s hospital brought by 80 cleaners – the majority of whom are from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds – was dismissed by an employment tribunal in 2024. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Scandal-hit Glasgow hospital must publish latest patient safety reviews, says Sarwar

Scottish Labour leader calls for transparency after ‘worst scandal in the history of the Scottish parliament’ The Scottish government must publish up-to-date patient safety reviews for every ward at the super-hospital at the heart of the “worst scandal in the history of the Scottish parliament”, Anas Sarwar has said. The Scottish Labour leader was speaking alongside families of children and adults who died after contracting infections while undergoing cancer treatment at the Queen Elizabeth university hospital (QEUH) campus in Glasgow. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

CDC seeks to block ‘never use alone’ messaging used by overdose prevention groups

The phrase is part of ‘harm reduction 101’, which has led to significant declines in overdose fatalities in the US Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested overdose-prevention funding recipients may no longer be allowed to promote the message to “never use alone”, according to details of a meeting held this month the Guardian obtained. The purpose of the meeting was to bring recipients of Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) CDC funding into compliance with Trump’s executive orders, according to a grant note the Guardian reviewed. The most salient is the July order “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets”. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

New York nurses continue to strike in frigid weather as Mamdani shows support

New York mayor was joined by Senator Bernie Sanders at a Tuesday rally with nurses as strike entered second week New York City may be experiencing some of its coldest weather of the winter, with sub-zero temperatures biting fingers and nipping cheeks, but that hasn’t prevented thousands of nurses from taking to the picket line for what is the largest nurses strike in the city’s history. Almost 15,000 nurses who work for three separate hospital systems have been on strike since 12 January, holding out for increased staffing, better safety in hospitals, and improved healthcare benefits. The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) has pointed to the giant pay packages that hospital CEOs have received, at a time when nurses say there are too few of them to adequately care for patients. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Piper James autopsy finds ‘evidence consistent with drowning and injuries consistent with dingo bites’

Canadian backpacker, 19, was found dead on K’gari island earlier this week surrounded by pack of wild dingoes The autopsy of Piper James, whose body was found on K’gari surrounded by a pack of dingoes, has found “physical evidence consistent with drowning and injuries consistent with dingo bites”. The Canadian backpacker’s trip to Australia ended in tragedy when the 19-year-old was found dead on a beach on Monday on the world heritage-listed island and tourist destination formerly known as Fraser Island off the Queensland coast. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

‘Molly never got to hear it’: fury as denials finally end on Glasgow hospital infections

Families accuse health board of ‘deceit and cowardice’ after years-long battle to prove contaminated water was linked All Molly Cuddihy wanted was recognition of what she had gone through. That was what she told the Scottish hospitals inquiry in 2021, where she described the “frightening” fits and rigors she had suffered after contracting a bacterial infection at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth university hospital while undergoing chemotherapy. “I was made sicker by the environment,” the 19-year-old said in her evidence. Molly had been 15 and revising for her National 5 exams when she was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer. She was treated at the Royal hospital for children and the adjacent QEUH, which are both part of a six-year public inquiry that reached its final stages and heard devastating new admissions this week. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

ADHD waiting lists ‘clogged by patients returning from private care to NHS’

NHS trust warns that people with ADHD in England are facing gaps in care caused by difficulties with private assessments Waiting lists for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in England are being clogged by patients returning to NHS care after difficulties with private assessments, a trust has warned. The major NHS trust said people referred by GPs to private clinics using health service funding were increasingly asking to be transferred back after care stalled. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

US health insurance executives testify before Congress about increasing costs of healthcare

CEO of UnitedHealth Group said his company will return profits earned from Affordable Care Act plans to customers Executives from five of the country’s largest health insurance companies appeared before Congress on Thursday as lawmakers examined why healthcare has become increasingly harder for Americans to afford. In one effort to address the affordability crisis, the CEO of UnitedHealth Group, Stephen Hemsley, announced that the nation’s largest insurance company will rebate profits made this year from its Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans to customers, while adding it was a relatively small participant in the ACA individual market. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Rural and coastal areas of England to get more cancer doctors

Government says plan will help end postcode lottery in access to diagnostic tests and treatment Hospitals in rural and coastal parts of England will get more cancer doctors to help tackle stark inequalities that mean people in some areas are far more likely to die from the disease. The plan is part of a government drive to end the “patchy” nature of NHS cancer care, which is characterised by wide postcode lotteries in access to diagnostic tests and treatment. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

NIH ends funding of research that uses human fetal tissue from abortions

Fetal tissue has been used to advance research into diabetes, Alzheimer’s, infertility and vaccines The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will no longer fund research that uses human fetal tissue obtained from “elective” abortions, the world’s biggest public funder of biomedical research announced on Thursday. The ban marks the latest, and most dramatic, effort by Donald Trump’s administration to end research that uses fetal tissue from abortions – a goal that anti-abortion advocates, who oppose the research, have sought for years. In 2019, during Trump’s first term in office, the NIH stopped funding internal research that involved the tissue and implemented a review committee to evaluate research proposals from scientists outside the government. Joe Biden ended that policy in 2021. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Inquest opens into mysterious death of Belfast schoolboy Noah Donohoe

Fourteen-year-old was found dead in a storm drain in June 2020 six days after setting off from home on his bike Six years after Noah Donohoe’s bike ride across Belfast ended in a tragedy that mystified Northern Ireland, an inquest is seeking answers. Opening statements at Belfast coroner’s court on Thursday marked the formal start of an attempt to fathom what happened to the 14-year-old schoolboy, who left his home on 21 June 2020 and was found six days later dead in a storm drain. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

‘Manosphere’ influencers pushing testosterone tests are convincing healthy young men there is something wrong with them, study finds

Researcher points to ‘medicalisation of masculinity’ after investigating how men’s health is being monetised online “If you’re not waking up in the morning with a boner, there’s a large possibility that you have low testosterone levels,” an influencer on TikTok with more than 100,000 followers warns his viewers. Despite screening for low testosterone being medically unwarranted in most young men, this group is being aggressively targeted online by influencers and wellness companies promoting hormone tests and treatments as essential to being a “real man”, a study published in the journal Social Science and Medicine has found. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

New wood-burning stoves to carry health warnings in UK plan

Pollution from wood burners kills thousands but proposed emissions limit would cut toxic particles by 9% New wood-burning stoves will carry a health warning highlighting the impact of the air pollution they produce, under UK government plans. Ministers have also proposed cutting the limit on the smoke emitted from wood burners by 80%. However, the measure would only apply to new stoves, most of which already meet the stricter limit. The new limit would only cut the annual toxic emissions from wood burning in the UK by 9% over the next decade, according to the consultation. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Australia’s worst heatwave since black summer made five times more likely by global heating, analysis finds

Extreme heat ‘is getting worse and whether we like it or not … there’s ultimately a limit to what we can actually physically cope with,’ scientist says Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Human-caused global heating made the intense heatwave that affected much of Australia in early January five times more likely, new analysis suggests. The heatwave earlier this month was the most severe since the 2019-20 black summer, with temperatures over 40C in Melbourne and Sydney, even hotter conditions in regional Victoria and New South Wales, and extreme heat also affecting Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Search for single-tusked elephant after 22 killed in India rampage

Eastern region on high alert as authorities try to track animal tearing through villages in Jharkhand after apparently becoming separated from herd Forest officials in India are on the hunt for an elephant that has killed more than 20 people in a days-long rampage through the eastern state of Jharkhand. Since the beginning of January, 22 people have been killed by a single-tusked elephant that has been tearing through forests and villages in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

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Andre meieriprodukter går også unna. Proteintrend og slankemedisiner gir industrien et etterlengtet løft.

for 1 måned siden

‘Truly humbling’: inside the centre where UK medics are helping Ukrainian amputees

British military doctors and therapists provide support at base where innovative treatments aid recovery of those who have lost limbs At a specialist treatment centre in Ukraine, as other amputees play volleyball nearby, Vladislav shows a video on his phone of how he lost his left leg. He found the footage – of a drone closing in rapidly on a buggy, Vladislav standing exposed at its rear – on a Russian military social media channel. The 31-year-old, an arbitration lawyer before Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, makes a double whistling noise to describe the drone’s ominous progress. “That’s me,” he says, pointing at the video, filmed from a fibre optic drone, chasing him down with terrifying ease as the vehicle slows for a corner. Then the screen goes blank. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

UK children to get chickenpox vaccine with measles, mumps and rubella jab

NHS to administer combined immunisation in move in line with approach in US, Canada, Australia and Germany Children in the UK are to be immunised against chickenpox at the same time as measles, mumps and rubella. The NHS across the UK’s four home nations will administer a combined vaccine to young children to protect them against all four diseases from Friday. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

Trump says he takes more aspirin than recommended but his ‘health is perfect’

President tells Wall Street Journal in interview that his doctors encouraged him to take lower dose but he declined Donald Trump takes “more aspirin” than his doctors recommend but he says “my health is perfect”, according to an interview given to the Wall Street Journal after the outlet recently questioned the 79-year-old president’s health. Trump told the Journal that the large dose of aspirin he take daily has causes him to bruise easily and he has been encouraged by his doctors to take a lower dose – but he declined the advice because he has been taking it for 25 years. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

US federal employees file complaint against ban on gender-affirming care

Complaint argues Trump administration denying coverage of gender-affirming care is sex-based discrimination The Trump administration is facing a new legal complaint from a group of government employees who are affected by a new policy going into effect Thursday that eliminates coverage for gender-affirming care in federal health insurance programs. The complaint, filed Thursday on the employees’ behalf by the Human Rights Campaign, is in response to an August announcement from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that it would no longer cover “chemical and surgical modification of an individual’s sex traits through medical interventions” in health insurance programs for federal employees and US Postal Service workers. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

Call for routine high blood pressure testing of UK children as cases almost double

Exclusive: Identifying teenagers at risk could help prevent organ damage, strokes and heart attacks in early adulthood, doctors say Leading doctors have called for a national UK programme to monitor schoolchildren for high blood pressure amid concerns that rising rates in adolescents will increase cases of organ damage, strokes and heart attacks. Rates of high blood pressure have nearly doubled among children in the past 20 years, but no routine testing is performed in the UK, leaving doctors in the dark about the extent of the problem and which children need most help. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

Le Constellation bar fire in Switzerland: what we know so far

Investigators say no indication of terrorism or arson after 40 people die and 100 are injured in blaze Switzerland resort explosion – latest updates Dozens of people are presumed dead and about 100 injured, most of them seriously, in a fire at a bar in the Swiss Alps during a new year’s celebration at a luxury ski resort. The blaze ripped through the packed bar, Le Constellation, early on Thursday in Crans-Montana, one of the top-ranked ski destinations in Europe, which lies about 40km north-west of Zermatt near the Italian border. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

Police officer pays tribute to his wife and two children killed in Gloucestershire fire

Tom Shearman ‘cannot begin to describe anguish’ of Boxing Day house blaze in which his wife, Nu, children aged four and seven and dog died A police officer whose wife and two children died in a fire on Boxing Day morning has paid tribute to “three of the greatest humans to ever grace our presence” and asked for everyone to tell those close to them that they are loved. Tom Shearman, a serving Gloucestershire officer, said he was “humbled beyond comprehension” by the response of his local community and the general public, who have so far donated more than £300,000 to support him. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

More women reporting abuse in Norway as member of royal family to go on trial for rape

Country’s largest women’s health organisation says case of Marius Borg Høiby encouraging people to seek help Staff at Norway’s largest women’s health organisation have seen a rise in the number of women reporting abuse and sexual assault at the hands of their partners ahead of the rape trial of a member of the royal family, saying they hope the case helps to “break taboos”. Marius Borg Høiby, the 28-year-old son of the Norwegian crown princess, is due to stand trial in February on 32 charges including four counts of rape, the domestic abuse of a former partner and the illegal filming of a number of women without their knowledge or consent. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

Ethnic minorities in England less likely to have access to diabetes tech – study

‘Concerning’ disparities in access to continuous glucose monitors despite black and south Asian people being more likely to live with condition People from ethnic minority backgrounds in England are less likely to have access to the latest diabetes technology, despite being more likely to live with the condition, according to analysis. Devices such as a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) can help people check their blood glucose levels in order to better manage the disease. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

Woman dies after being swept into ocean from Sydney beach in early hours of New Year’s Day

Police said 25-year-old woman hit by a wave near a tidal rock pool at Maroubra, and another swimmer missing at Coogee Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A woman has been found dead after being swept out into the ocean from a Sydney beach in the early hours of New Year’s Day, as authorities issue a warning about dangerous surf conditions on the NSW coast. Later in the morning another swimmer went missing in the water at Coogee. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

Children in England to be offered vaccines in their own homes

Exclusive: Pilot scheme launches as one in five start primary school with no protection against deadly diseases Health visitors will be sent door-to-door to deliver vaccines to children in England amid alarm that one in five start primary school with no protection against deadly diseases, the Guardian can reveal. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that at least 95% of children should receive vaccine doses for each illness to achieve herd immunity. However, not a single one of the main childhood vaccines in England hit the target in 2024-25. There were also sharp differences in uptake across the country. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

Waitrose urges customers not to drink Deeside water over shards of glass risk

Food Standards Agency issues product alert for still and sparkling 750ml bottles of Waitrose No 1 Deeside mineral water Waitrose customers are being urged to return and not drink large bottles of Deeside mineral water over fears they could contain shards of glass. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a consumer alert over the still and sparkling 750ml bottles of Waitrose No 1 Deeside mineral water because of the possibility of glass fragments, making them unsafe to drink. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

€1m Picasso portrait up for grabs for €100 in charity raffle

Artwork by one of the most influential artists of 20th century raffled to fund Alzheimer’s research His work is consistently ranked among the world’s most expensive art, with paintings fetching more than a $100m at auction. But you no longer need to be a multimillionaire to own a Picasso – for €100, anyone in the world has the chance to walk away with a painting by one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. The French charity Alzheimer’s Research Foundation announced recently it was raffling Picasso’s 1941 portrait, Tête de femme, which is worth more than €1m, to a single winner. Proceeds from the tickets will help fund Alzheimer’s research, one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

Damien Martyn, former Australian Test cricketer, in induced coma with meningitis

The 54-year-old was admitted to hospital on Boxing Day Martyn played total of 67 Tests between 1992 and 2006 The former Australian Test cricketer Damien Martyn has been admitted to hospital and placed in an induced coma after being diagnosed with meningitis. The sporting community is rallying around the 54-year-old, who “is in for the fight of his life”, according to the former AFL player Brad Hardie, who revealed Martyn’s condition on 6PR on Tuesday. Continue reading...

for 1 måned siden

Jair Bolsonaro undergoes second procedure to treat persistent hiccups

Former Brazilian president underwent a phrenic nerve block while temporarily released from prison for surgery Jair Bolsonaro underwent a second “phrenic nerve block procedure” on Monday to treat persistent hiccups. The treatment went well and the former Brazilian president’s condition is stable, according to his medical team. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Beware flammable skincare, too many sprouts and overindulging in cheese this Christmas, say health experts

Some foods can interact negatively with certain medication while medical moisturisers can make clothes more flammable Christmas might be a season of comfort and joy but health experts have warned of lurking dangers, ranging from the fire risk posed by skin creams to the possibility of festive foods interacting with certain medications. People using medical moisturisers known as emollient creams, often used for eczema and other dry skin conditions, should stay away from heat sources including candles and open flames because such creams can soak into fabrics and make them more flammable, according to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Get shucking: South Australians urged to eat oysters and donate shells for reef restoration project

Shrimp soundtrack will be played under water to lure baby oysters in program aimed at fighting algal blooms Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast South Australians are being urged to feast on local oysters and then donate the shells to restore native reefs, which will filter ocean water and help fight harmful algal blooms. The program will also involve lumps of limestone being sunk in the ocean, with a soundtrack of snapping shrimp playing on underwater speakers to lure baby oysters in. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Victoria could become first Australian state to ban unnecessary surgery on intersex children

Exclusive: Legislation would prohibit deferrable, irreversible procedures until child can give informed consent, bringing state in line with ACT Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Victoria will become the first Australian state to ban unnecessary surgeries on intersex children, with legislation to be introduced to parliament to ensure procedures are deferred until patients are old enough to consent to them. The health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas, will on Tuesday introduce the health safeguards for people born with variations in sex characteristics bill, which if passed would prohibit deferrable, irreversible procedures and treatments on intersex infants and children until they can provide informed consent. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

How the cuts have shaken HIV/Aids care to its core and will mean millions more infections ahead

Reports highlight devastating impact of slashed funding, especially in parts of Africa, that could lead to 3.3m new HIV infections by 2030 In Mozambique, a teenage rape victim sought care at a health clinic only to find it closed. In Zimbabwe, Aids-related deaths have risen for the first time in five years. In Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), patients with suspected HIV went undiagnosed due to test-kit stocks running out. Stories of the devastating impact of US, British and wider European aid cuts on the fight against HIV – particularly in sub-Saharan Africa – continue to mount as 2025 comes to an end, and are set out in a series of reports released in the past week. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Mental health warning issued for weight-loss drugs including Ozempic in Australia

TGA also issues separate warning around Mounjaro and potential reduced effectiveness of contraception The medicines regulator has added two new safety warnings around mental health and contraception for people taking high profile diabetes and weight loss drugs. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) says because suicidal behaviour and ideation have been reported with these relatively new GLP-1 receptor agonists, doctors should “monitor patients for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or behaviours, and/or any unusual changes in mood or behaviour”. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Dignitas founder ends his own life through assisted death

Ludwig Minelli, whose work had lasting influence on Swiss law, dies just days before his 93rd birthday The head of the Swiss right-to-die organisation Dignitas has ended his life through an assisted death, the group has said. Ludwig Minelli, who founded the group in 1998, died on Saturday, days before his 93rd birthday, Dignitas said. It added: “Right up to the end of his life, he continued to search for further ways to help people to exercise their right to freedom of choice and self-determination in their ‘final matters’ – and he often found them.” Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Gen Z Australians are attempting suicide and self-harming more than previous generations, study finds

Exclusive: Separate research shows number of young children having suicidal thoughts has risen at ‘alarming’ rate Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Young Australians aged 16 to 25 are attempting to kill themselves, self-harming and experiencing suicidal thoughts in greater numbers and at earlier ages than previous generations, a landmark study has found. It comes as Kids Helpline data provided exclusively to Guardian Australia shows the proportion of young children experiencing suicidality is increasing at “alarming” rates and being expressed by children as young as six. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Maha movement helps to kill bill seeking US food-safety rollbacks

Public health advocates praise rewrite of legislation backed by big-food influence operation AFIT A bipartisan group of public health advocates have defeated a proposal to kill state food safety laws that was pushed by what some critics have called a “faux Maha” big-food influence operation. The industry-funded group, called Americans for Ingredient Transparency (AFIT), suggests it is part of a grassroots Make America Healthy Again (Maha) movement, but opponents say it is waging a campaign on behalf of big food companies that Maha figures typically criticizes – ConAgra, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Hormel, and Nestlé among other food giants. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Davina McCall reveals she has undergone surgery for breast cancer

Presenter says she feels ‘in a much more positive place’ after having lumpectomy and catching the cancer early Davina McCall has revealed she has undergone surgery for breast cancer. In a video posted to Instagram, the presenter said she was “very angry” when she found out, but feels in a “much more positive place” after a lumpectomy. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Nationwide recall of alfalfa sprouts linked to ‘unusual strain’ of salmonella after dozens infected across Australia

Health authorities urge consumers not to eat affected products sold in supermarkets and grocers across Australia Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Health authorities have issued a nationwide recall of alfalfa sprouts, urging people not to eat affected products, after at least 44 people across Australia contracted an unusual strain of salmonella. The recall applied to 125g packets of sprouts produced by Parilla Fresh, which included: Aussie Sprouts Alfalfa Sprouts, Hugo’s Alfalfa Onion & Garlic Sprouts, Hugo’s Alfalfa & Radish Sprouts, Hugo’s Alfalfa & Onion Sprouts, Hugo’s Salad Sprouts, Hugo’s Alfalfa & Broccoli Sprouts and Hugo’s Trio Sprouts Selection. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

One-year-old girl dies after being struck by freight train in NSW

The toddler was treated by paramedics at the scene in the tiny village of Baan Baa on Friday night but later died in hospital Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A toddler has died after being struck by a freight train near Narrabri in New South Wales. Emergency services were called to Baranbah Street in the tiny village of Baan Baa in the state’s north at 7.50pm on Friday. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

James D Watson, co-discoverer of DNA’s twisted-ladder structure, dies aged 97

Nobel prize winner shaped medicine, crimefighting and genealogy but later years marred by racist remarks James D Watson, whose co-discovery of the twisted-ladder structure of DNA in 1953 helped light the long fuse on a revolution in medicine, crimefighting, genealogy and ethics, has died, according to his former research lab. He was 97. The breakthrough – made when the brash, Chicago-born Watson was just 24 – turned him into a hallowed figure in the world of science for decades. But near the end of his life, he faced condemnation and professional censure for offensive remarks, including saying Black people were less intelligent than white people. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

UK troops treated for hearing problems in final tests of Ajax armoured vehicle

The £5.5bn model was classified as fit for army deployment in September but soldiers continue to raise health fears Soldiers had to be given medical treatment for hearing problems this summer during final testing of the British army’s new Ajax armoured vehicle, whose introduction has been delayed for several years amid concerns about deafness. The model, which costs £5.5bn for 589 vehicles, was nevertheless classified as fit for deployment in September. An investigation concluded there were “no systemic issues” – but there remain health concerns among the troops involved. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Italy’s centenarians grow in number as another 2,000 reach the milestone

Southern European country has more than double the number of people aged over 100 than it did in 2009 The number of people in Italy living to aged 100 continues to grow sharply, with more than 2,000 reaching the milestone age in 2025, the vast majority of them women. There are now 23,548 residents in Italy who are 100-years-old or over, compared with 21,211 in 2024, according to the latest figures from Istat, the national statistics agency. Italy has more than double the number of centenarians than it did in 2009, Istat said. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Qantas business lounge passenger set on fire after power bank explodes in his pocket

About 150 people evacuated from Melbourne airport lounge after device overheats and ignites, burning the man’s leg and fingers Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Qantas says it has reopened its business class lounge at Melbourne airport after it was evacuated due to a passenger being set on fire by an exploding power bank in his pocket. The man was in the lounge in the airport’s international terminal on Thursday morning when the overheated power bank ignited, burning his leg and fingers and creating smoke in the room. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

NHS to take over state-of-the-art hospital from private health group in ‘windfall’

Nuffield Health to close London hospital after anticipated demand for private care fails to materialise An NHS trust is taking over a state-of-the-art hospital from a leading private healthcare group after it failed to attract enough paying patients to use it. Barts Health trust in London will turn Nuffield Health’s facility into a dedicated NHS breast cancer diagnosis and treatment centre when it gains control next month. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Canada pushes on with ‘complete depopulation’ plan to cull 400 ostriches

Country’s top court declines to block controversial cull of hundreds of birds amid fears of an avian flu outbreak Canada’s food inspection agency says it plans to begin a “complete depopulation” of hundreds of ostriches at a farm after the country’s top court declined to block the controversial cull. On Thursday, the supreme court said it would not take up a case that has catalyzed a fierce protest by the farm owners and protesters – as well as senior figures in the Trump administration, who have decried the public health effort as government overreach. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Peloton recalls more than 800,000 US exercise bikes over faulty seat post

Shares fall as users urged to stop using bikes immediately and warned assembly poses risk of falls and injuries The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Thursday that Peloton Interactive is recalling about 833,000 units of its Original Bike+ Model PL02 after reports that the seat post assembly could break during use, posing a risk of falls and injuries. The consumer safety regulator said the fitness products maker has received three reports of the seat post breaking and detaching during use, including two incidents that resulted in injuries from falls. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Trump announces plan to cut cost of weight loss drugs and expand access

Injectable versions of GLP-1s from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk will see reduced prices and broader coverage Donald Trump announced a plan on Thursday to reduce the costs of some weight loss drugs for certain patients and expand access to them for people on public health insurance. The agreement will make oral version of GLP-1s, which aren’t yet to market but are expected to be approved in the coming months, available at $150 per month for starting doses. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Misleading UK adverts for ’very low emission’ wood-burning stoves banned

ASA action won approval of clean air campaigners, who said some ‘seriously misleading myths’ had been debunked Adverts claiming that wood-burning stoves are “very low emissions” have been banned by the Advertising Standards Agency for being misleading and not substantiated. The claims were made on the website of the Stove Industry Association, which represents the makers and sellers of stoves in the UK. Campaigners against air pollution said they were glad the ASA had debunked some “seriously misleading myths”. Continue reading...

for 2 måneder siden

Pollution from Ineos’s Antwerp plastic plant ‘will cause more deaths than jobs created’

Lawyers challenge €4bn Project One development, saying emissions and health impacts vastly underestimated The deaths from pollution caused by Europe’s biggest plastic plant, which is being built in Antwerp, will outstrip the number of permanent jobs it will create, lawyers will argue in a court challenge issued on Thursday. In documents submitted to the court, research suggests the air pollution from Ineos’s €4bn petrochemical plant would cause 410 deaths once operational, compared with the 300 permanent jobs the company says will be created. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Spot the difference: parents warned that fake Labubu dolls could contain lead and pose choke risk

Australian consumer watchdog’s safety warning says counterfeit dolls – called Lafufus – can have wrong number of teeth and ears that are too wide Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Does your Labubu have exactly nine teeth? Are its ears narrow? Or do its body parts – eyes, feet and hands – detach from its grimacing face? The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued a warning to fans of the it-dolls, stating that a burgeoning market of counterfeit Labubus could pose safety risks to young children. Counterfeit items could have small detachable parts like eyes, feet or hands. Lafufu’s could have poor stitching or use cheap fabrics. Authentic Labubus have exactly nine teeth. Fake items could have ears that are too wide. Counterfeits are often sold at much lower prices. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Resident doctors’ strike to go ahead after Wes Streeting’s last-ditch offer is rejected

Resident doctors in England to strike for five days next week, saying health secretary’s latest offer is too limited Wes Streeting has failed in an attempt to end the long-running resident doctors’ dispute with a new offer to them, which means their five-day strike next week is expected to go ahead. The health secretary tabled a new offer to resident doctors – formerly junior doctors – in England on Wednesday in a move intended to avoid the strike, their 13th. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Boys who cling to stereotypically ‘manly’ traits are more likely to hurt others – but they are in the minority, study finds

The Men’s Project finds most young people don’t hold strict ideas about masculinity and look to real-life role rather than online models Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Adolescent boys who cling to stereotypically masculine traits are far more likely to hurt others, and be hurt themselves, a major study has found, but it also found that overall those boys were in the minority. Through The Men’s Project, 1,401 male, female and non-binary adolescents aged 14 to 18 were surveyed about masculinity by Jesuit Social Services (JSS). Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Almost 30% of people abused as children, England and Wales data shows

ONS data, which includes emotional, physical and sexual abuse as well as neglect, suggests 13.6 million people affected Nearly a third of women in England and Wales were abused as a child, along with just over a quarter of men, according to new figures which for the first time include emotional, physical or sexual abuse as well as neglect. The data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates 31.5% of women and 26.4% of men experienced some form of abuse as a child, a total of 13.6 million – almost three in 10 – people. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Monique Ryan urges Australia to fast track medical innovation funding as Trump guts research

‘Releasing MRFF funds not only secures the future of Australia’s research sector; it delivers better health outcomes’, Kooyong MP says Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Australian scientists and independent MP Monique Ryan are urging Labor to speed up funding for cutting-edge Australian medical innovation, taking advantage of the growing vacuum caused by Donald Trump’s gutting of government-funded research in the US. Ryan, the Kooyong MP and paediatric neurologist, is urging the Albanese government to release more of the earnings from the $20bn Medical Research Future Fund, above the annual disbursement amount of $650m. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Footage of guards holding down and putting spit hood on disabled NT prisoner shown at inquest

Wayne Hunt didn’t receive full medical assessment after seizure in cell and died days later, coroner hears Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Confronting footage of a disabled inmate being roughly handled and placed in a spit hood by prison guards after an epileptic seizure has been played at an inquest into his death. Wayne Hunt struggled and yelled as Northern Territory corrections officers pinned him down, held him tightly by the head and put him in handcuffs and a spit hood, the inquest before coroner Elisabeth Armitage has heard. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

NHS staff face ‘ugly’ racism akin to the 70s and 80s, says Wes Streeting

Health secretary and NHS England chief warn of winter pressures and rising levels of abuse An “ugly” racism reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s has become worryingly commonplace again in modern Britain and NHS staff are bearing the brunt of it, Wes Streeting has warned. Incidents of verbal and physical abuse based on people’s skin colour now happen so often that it has become “socially acceptable to be racist”, the health secretary said. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Maine’s largest healthcare system informed still-living patients of their own deaths

More than 500 people received letters from MaineHealth expressing condolences and providing estate instructions Maine’s largest healthcare system accidentally sent condolence letters to more than 500 living patients in effect informing them that they had died. MaineHealth attributed the blunder to a computer system error and apologized. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Listeria outbreak in pasta meals linked to six deaths across 18 US states

Listeria found in pasta sold by Trader Joe’s, Kroger and others as CDC urges people to check fridges and seek care if ill Six people have died and several dozen have been hospitalized across the US after an outbreak of listeria in precooked pasta meals. The outbreak was first declared in June, leading to a wave of recalls of the pasta meals. It has now spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recently said that six people have died and 25 have been hospitalized across 18 states. FreshRealm’s Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo 12.5-oz (sold at Kroger and Walmart) FreshRealm’s Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine 12.3-oz and 32.8-oz (sold at Kroger and Walmart) FreshRealm’s Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce 12-oz. (sold at Walmart) Albertsons Companies store-made deli pasta salads (sold under multiple brand names including Albertsons, Safeway and Vons) Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo 16-oz plastic tray packages Demer Food Group’s Scott & Jon’s Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Bowls 9.6-oz Kroger deli bowtie and penne pasta salads Giant Eagle smoked mozzarella pasta salad Sprouts Farmers Market smoked mozzarella pasta salad Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Prisoners spending entire jail term in police cells as Victoria’s justice system buckles

Prisoners in police cells often have less access to healthcare and less chance of being visited by family and lawyers Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast In winter this year, a young Aboriginal man with a history of self-harm who had been remanded in custody in Melbourne was told he would be moving cells. But he was not shifted across the corridor or to another building nearby: he was driven 300km to the police cells in Wodonga. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Many GPs ‘nervous’ about bulk-billing rollout under new Medicare scheme

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners says doctors concerned at being ‘100% reliant on government funding decisions’ Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Every electorate in the country will have a GP practice that bulk bills every patient after the expanded bulk billing incentive came into effect this month, the health minister has said. The changes mean four out of 10 practices will be fully bulk billing, as the government vows it will bring the number up to nine out of 10 by 2030. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Ny rapport: Konsekvensene av oljesøl kan være kraftig undervurdert

En ny studie viser at dødeligheten for enkelte fiskearter kan være større enn tidligere antatt. Det kan få konsekvenser for nye oljetillatelser, sier forskningssjef.

for 3 måneder siden

Firms not supporting staff through IVF could lose £217m in hidden costs, study shows

Cost of sick leave for appointments, productivity loss and resignations is more than of paid leave, research estimates UK employers who do not formally support staff undergoing fertility treatments could be losing £217.3m a year in sick leave, lost productivity and resignations, research estimates. Companies without fertility leave pay £35,317 per affected employee, compared with a cost of £388 for 10 days’ paid leave when a clear fertility policy is in place, the campaign group Fertility Matters at Work estimated. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

First illegal tobacco stores shut down in Sydney as officials wield new powers

Health minister Ryan Park promises the two closures are ‘just the beginning’ as NSW tries to stem sharp rise in illicit cigarettes and vapes Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Two stores selling illicit tobacco in Sydney have been shut down, the first premises to be closed under new state laws cracking down on black market cigarettes and vapes. The stores on the city’s north shore have been shut down immediately for 90 days and the Minns government can now seek further court orders to close the outlets for 12 months. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Almost 120 flying foxes hospitalised after giant hail smashes Queensland colony

Rescued bats taken to RSPCA wildlife hospital in Brisbane’s south-west with injuries including ‘faces that were smashed and broken wings’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast When a severe hailstorm hit the tiny Queensland township of Esk on the weekend, it wasn’t just people ducking for cover. Almost 120 flying foxes were injured, some critically, before being rescued by volunteers and admitted to the RSPCA wildlife hospital in Wacol, in Brisbane’s south-west. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Two girls injured in fall from ferris wheel at Louisiana fairground

Pair were thrown to the ground after the bucket in which they were seated flipped over Two girls were injured in a fall from a ferris wheel at a Louisiana fairground on Saturday, the latest in a series of similar episodes calling to question the safety of carnival and amusement park rides. The pair were thrown to the ground after the bucket in which they were seated flipped over during the Harvest Festival event at New Roads, 30 miles north-west of Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s capital. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Top FDA official quits amid inquiry into ‘serious concerns’ over his conduct

Lawsuit claims George Tidmarsh, head of FDA drug center, waged personal vendetta against pharmaceutical executive The head of the US Food and Drug Administration’s drug center abruptly resigned on Sunday after federal officials began reviewing “serious concerns about his personal conduct”, according to a government spokesperson. Dr George Tidmarsh, who was named to the FDA post in July, was placed on leave on Friday after officials in the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) office of general counsel were notified of the issues, The HHS press secretary, Emily Hilliard, said in an email. Tidmarsh then resigned on Sunday morning. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Disabled NT man died naked in cell wearing spit hood and cuffs, inquest told

Wayne Hunt was kept in detention after a seizure instead of being taken to hospital, coroner hears Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast An inmate who suffered a seizure was put in handcuffs and a spit hood by prison guards who left him naked in an “at-risk cell” before he died two days later. At an inquest into his death in Darwin on Monday, Northern Territory corrections and health departments apologised to the family of Wayne Hunt for the way he was treated and told the coroner, Elisabeth Armitage, that procedural changes would be made. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

UK’s unregulated pregnancy scan clinics putting lives in danger, say experts

Hospital specialists report cases of missed health problems, misdiagnosed conditions, and women erroneously told their babies had died High street clinics offering pregnancy scans could be putting unborn babies and their mothers in danger through a lack of properly trained staff, UK experts have warned. According to the Society for Radiographers (SoR), high street clinics have seen a huge growth in numbers. However, hospital specialists say they have seen cases of missed health problems, misdiagnosed conditions, and situations in which women were erroneously told their babies were malformed or had died. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Two California officers hospitalized after alleged attack by incarcerated man

Authorities are investigating the incident as an attempted homicide and suspect was placed in restricted housing Two California prison officers were hospitalized after an alleged attack by an incarcerated man, and authorities are investigating it as an attempted homicide, officials said Sunday. The incident happened Saturday at the California state prison in Sacramento as the suspect was being escorted from his cell to allow staff to conduct a search, according to the state department of corrections and rehabilitation. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

Når to do-lista aldri tar slutt

Hvordan håndtere perioder med overveldende mye arbeid på jobb, så man aldri klarer å koble av?

for 3 måneder siden

Has OpenAI really made ChatGPT better for users with mental health problems?

Prompts indicating suicidal ideation got alarming replies, which experts say shows ‘how easy it is to break the model’ An OpenAI statement released this week claimed the company had made its popular service ChatGPT better at supporting users experiencing mental health problems like suicidal ideation or delusions, but experts tell the Guardian they need to do more to truly ensure users are protected. The Guardian tested several prompts indicating suicidal ideation with the ChatGPT GPT-5 updated model, which is now the default, and got alarming responses from the large language model (LLM) chatbot. Continue reading...

for 3 måneder siden

US public health officials vigilant as newer mpox variant detected

Risk to general public is low but cases in California suggest virus is spreading undetected in some communities A newer variant of mpox, the virus formerly known as monkeypox, is now spreading through some communities in the US and Europe. The risk to the general public is low, but community transmission in new places signals greater challenges for public health to detect cases and stop the spread. Continue reading...