Author: Tara Whitman

People regularly exposed to secondhand smoke carry significantly higher levels of cadmium — a toxic metal linked to kidney, lung and prostate cancers — in their blood than those who live in smoke-free environments, a new study has found, adding fresh evidence to the case for reducing passive smoke exposure. The research, published in the journal Biological Trace Element Research, found that adults with heavy passive smoke exposure had around 1.5 times more cadmium in their blood than those with no exposure, though the study did not assess whether this directly translated into higher cancer rates. Active smokers carried more…

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have backed the government’s incoming ban on social media for under-16s, but warned that the measure “does not fix the problem at its source” and called on tech companies to take greater responsibility for the harm their platforms cause to children. In a statement published on their Sussex.com website, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: “We welcome the UK Government’s announcement of new measures to better protect children online. The stories shared through The Lost Screen Memorial remind us that behind every debate about technology and regulation are real families whose lives have been…

Health experts are warning that a recent decision by the US Food and Drug Administration to authorise certain fruit-flavoured e-cigarettes for adults could risk reversing years of progress in reducing teen vaping, as parents are urged to talk openly with their children about the dangers of e-cigarettes. The FDA’s policy shift, which followed months of lobbying from the vaping industry directed at President Donald Trump, allows fruit-flavoured vapes to be marketed to adults seeking to quit or cut down on traditional cigarettes. However, an FDA memo released this week acknowledged that these fruit-flavoured products are not significantly more effective at…

Dispelling misleading social media claims about supplements such as turmeric, St John’s wort and magnesium has become a routine part of frontline NHS work, according to new research published ahead of Cancer Prevention Action Week, which begins on Monday. Polling conducted by YouGov for the World Cancer Research Fund found that two out of five frontline health workers encounter patients raising inaccurate or misleading information about supplements at least once a week, with the figure rising to 53 per cent among nurses and midwives. The WCRF surveyed 795 NHS staff for the research, and says false information about nutrition and…

King Charles and Queen Camilla departed Buckingham Palace this morning, travelling along The Mall in an Ascot Landau carriage purchased during the reign of Queen Victoria, as the annual Trooping the Colour celebrations marking the King’s official birthday got underway. The King is wearing the uniform of the Grenadier Guards, the regiment trooping the colour today. His uniform features the cypher of Queen Elizabeth II, reflecting his former role as personal aide-de-camp to his mother — an honorary position held only by members of the Royal Family with military rank. He is also wearing a number of medals, ranging from…

Painted lady butterflies have begun arriving in unusually large numbers and earlier than usual this year, raising hopes among naturalists for one of the spectacular “painted lady summers” that occur only occasionally when conditions align for a mass migration from North Africa. The first sighting in Weardale came in mid-May, after tantalising reports of early arrivals in Wales and Cumbria had circulated on social media from mid-April onwards. Since then, the orange, black-tipped, white-spotted butterflies have appeared in striking numbers, basking on footpaths baked hard by recent heatwave conditions and nectaring on dandelions in groups rather than as isolated individuals…

Health experts have issued a fresh warning over the risks posed by trendy “raw” unpasteurised cheeses, after a man died from listeria poisoning linked to an artisan cheese box and his widow launched a six-figure lawsuit against the producer. West Sussex painter Roger Parkes fell seriously ill and died in February 2023, days after eating cheeses from a “Valentine box” purchased by his wife Carina. An inquest concluded he died from multiple organ failure and meningitis linked to a listeria infection. Following his death, Wiltshire-based producer The Old Cheese Room recalled batches of its Baronet Reblochon. Carina Parkes is now…

Taylor Swift became the youngest woman ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday night, delivering a 21-minute acceptance speech in New York City that left her in tears as she paid tribute to the sacrifices her parents made for her career. The 36-year-old Grammy winner was supported at the star-studded ceremony by fiancé Travis Kelce. She was introduced by director Steven Spielberg and received a tribute performance from Sombr before taking the stage to reflect on her journey through the music industry, according to Variety. The most emotional moment of the speech came as Swift addressed her…

Doctors are urging parents to lock away medication cabinets after three children in Connecticut died following exposure to diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in Benadryl, amid concerns the dangerous “Benadryl Challenge” social media trend may be resurfacing. The challenge, which first gained widespread attention several years ago, encourages participants to take doses of the over-the-counter allergy medication far beyond the recommended amount in an attempt to induce hallucinations or a high. Medical experts warn the consequences can be severe and potentially fatal. “You can get a lot of things, seizures, and cardiovascular effects; those sorts of things can cause death in…

Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and once widely seen as a potential heir to the throne, has died at the age of 47 after spending nearly four years in a coma, the Royal Palace announced on Thursday. The Thai Royal Household said the princess, affectionately known to many Thais as “Princess Bha,” died peacefully at Chulalongkorn Hospital at 19:48 local time on Thursday 11 June, according to The Royal News Organisation. The palace said her death came after years on life support, with a recent “severe” and “uncontrolled” infection spreading through her body and worsening…