Health

A Spanish research team reports an experimental three‑drug therapy removed pancreatic tumours in several mouse models, and the study's authors say the results support designing human clinical trials.

An NHS survey reports a rising share of adults are avoiding alcohol, while campaigners say millions still drink at levels linked to health risks; the NHS recommends not exceeding 14 units a week.

Aaron's family said he suffered a spinal stroke and is 'alert, aware and recovering.' Earlier reports and his manager said he was hospitalized and receiving medical care while doctors run tests.

A FedEx worker in Grimes, Iowa, unexpectedly gave birth during her shift and both she and the newborn were taken to hospital and reported healthy.

Newborn hearing screening led to hearing aids being fitted at eight months and to vents being inserted months later, avoiding a long paediatric ENT waiting list that the Department of Health reports includes more than 4,000 children with a typical 18-month wait.

Sanford and Joan Weill donated $120 million to the University of California, Davis veterinary school after the school's hospital treated their dog, with funds designated for a new small-animal teaching hospital and research.

Prebiotics are non-digestible fibres that pass to the colon to feed beneficial gut bacteria and are found in many plant foods and some supplements; experts report that tolerance varies and people with IBS or SIBO may not tolerate them.

Anthony Joshua thanked supporters and paid tribute after the deaths of his long-time strength coach Sina Ghami and friend and trainer Latif 'Latz' Ayodele in a December road crash; their funerals were held in London on January 4.

The UK medicines regulator says there is a small risk of severe acute pancreatitis reported with GLP‑1 weight‑loss medications and has updated guidance after an increase in reports to the Yellow Card scheme.

A new study published in Science reports that about 50% of the variation in human lifespan could be attributed to genetics after accounting for deaths from external causes. The researchers used a model calibrated with historical twin records and data on siblings of centenarians to separate extrinsic mortality from biological ageing.

Emergency services were called to Hopton early on Saturday and a 15-year-old girl later died; two 18-year-olds have been charged with supplying MDMA, remanded in custody and are due to appear at Norwich Crown Court on 25 February.

A West Lothian woman says she was 'sobbing with joy' after a maternal-assisted Caesarean at University Hospital Wishaw, reported as the first time the procedure has been used in Scotland.

Bryony Gordon describes a long struggle with bulimia and later recovery, and says the diet culture that helped trap her in the 1990s still exists today, sometimes appearing in the form of weight‑loss injections that users report cause intense hunger when stopped.

Surgeons at Northwestern University report a 33-year-old man with severe lung damage was sustained on a temporary artificial lung for two days until donor lungs became available, and he later received a double lung transplant and has since returned to daily life.

A Great Ormond Street Hospital review concluded that 94 children were harmed by orthopaedic surgeon Yaser Jabbar between 2017 and 2022, including 36 who suffered severe harm. The surgeon is understood to live abroad and no longer holds a UK licence.

A three-year Neighbourhood Early Diagnosis Fund, included in ring-fenced cancer funding for 2026-27, will support local NHS partnerships to reduce screening inequalities and promote earlier cancer diagnosis in deprived and underserved areas.

Santander will close 44 UK branches, putting about 291 branch-based workers at risk, and says the move follows a shift to digital banking while it awaits regulatory approval for its £2.6bn takeover of TSB.

A City of London Corporation consultation of more than 38,000 people found strong support—around 86–90%—for retaining trans‑inclusive access at Hampstead Heath bathing ponds, and current admission rules will remain while committees review the findings.

Two Upper Tribunal judges ruled that severe hair loss in women can constitute a disability in a VAT dispute over specialist wigs, and the tribunal reversed a previous First Tier ruling in a case tied to a £277,083.10 tax demand.

Family and friends say Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis VA intensive-care nurse who was fatally shot by federal immigration agents, was generous and patriotic; bystander video and witnesses reported he was filming and not holding a gun.

A Cambridge-led study of nearly 125,000 women, including about 11,000 MRIs, found reduced grey matter in brain regions tied to memory after menopause; the authors report HRT did not prevent this loss and experts say the evidence on dementia risk remains mixed.

The Care Quality Commission rated Castle Lodge Independent Hospital in Bransholme, Hull, outstanding for being caring and well‑led after a September inspection; the 15‑person facility was rated good in the safe, effective and responsive categories.

U.S. life expectancy rose to 79 years in 2024, the CDC reported as the highest on record. Preliminary counts for 2025 suggest a slight further improvement.

Li Xia, a 36-year-old with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, runs four hydroponic greenhouses remotely from his bed using a computer programme he developed and a trackball controlled by his one movable finger; his mother carries out manual tasks in the greenhouses.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed rules to strengthen oversight of organ procurement organizations and to encourage greater use and tracking of medically complex (less-than-perfect) organs; the proposal is expected to be finalized later this year.

A mouse study found a pathway in the insular cortex that appears to sustain chronic pain, and suppressing that pathway reduced pain responses in the animals. Researchers say further study is needed to determine whether the same mechanism applies in humans.

A Brazilian study published in Nutrition reported that chia oil and chia flour altered gene expression tied to satiety and improved the brain's response to leptin in rats fed a high-fat, high-fructose diet.

Amplify Legal filed a lawsuit on behalf of four Arkansas women who say they were denied abortions under the state's near-total ban, alleging the laws are vague, dangerous and violate the state constitution; the governor's office says it will defend the state's laws in court.

Wes Streeting said he wants to introduce prostate cancer screening on the NHS after meeting charities and experts; the UK National Screening Committee will issue its final recommendation in March.

Authorities say a pregnant woman was found dead in a Downers Grove home that had been set on fire; a 19-year-old has been arrested and is due in court for a detention hearing.