Author: News Desk

London: Senior doctors in Britain have warned that the impact of social media on children should be treated as seriously as public health risks such as smoking and road safety, and they called on lawmakers to strengthen protections for young people online. The concerns were raised by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges in its submission to the UK government’s consultation on online child safety. The organisation represents 23 royal medical colleges and faculties across the UK and Ireland. The medical body said excessive and unrestricted exposure to technology and digital devices is increasingly affecting the physical and mental well-being…

Stanford: Researchers have developed a wearable ultrasound patch designed to continuously monitor babies in the womb, a breakthrough that could help doctors identify pregnancy complications earlier and improve maternal and foetal care. The scientists behind the innovation explained that existing ultrasound monitoring methods have several limitations. Current systems used to continuously track foetal heart rates and uterine contractions often produce high levels of false alarms, while traditional handheld ultrasound scans can only provide limited snapshots during scheduled hospital visits and require trained professionals to operate them. Sheng Xu, a senior author of the study from Stanford University, said current diagnostic…

Raglan, New Zealand: A World Surf League New Zealand Pro event was abruptly suspended on finals day after a water photographer was bitten by an unidentified sea creature during the competition near Raglan on the North Island’s west coast. Australian photographer Ed Sloane was attacked shortly before 8:30 am while covering the men’s semi-finals at Manu Bay. Sloane suffered puncture wounds to his ankle and lost one of his flippers during the incident, though authorities said his injuries were minor. The exact animal responsible for the attack remained unclear, with officials unable to confirm whether it was caused by a…

Manila: Rescuers in the Philippines have recovered two more victims from the rubble of a collapsed building under construction, raising the death toll to three as search and rescue efforts continue in Angeles City, north of Manila. According to officials, one of the victims was still showing signs of life when pulled from the debris but later died, while another suffered cardiac arrest while trapped beneath the wreckage. Authorities said rescue crews are also working to recover another body buried under the rubble, though it will only be included in the official death toll once retrieved. Maria Leah Sajili, an…

California: Nearly 40,000 residents across Southern California were ordered to evacuate after emergency crews responded to a hazardous chemical threat involving a large storage tank in Orange County. Authorities issued evacuation orders for residents living in six cities after a tank containing around 7,000 gallons (26,500 litres) of methyl methacrylate began showing signs of failure the previous evening. The chemical is highly flammable and commonly used in plastic manufacturing. The affected tank is one of three located at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, situated roughly 49 kilometres from Los Angeles. The company produces aerospace components for major aviation…

Beijing/New Delhi: Severe weather conditions have caused widespread disruption across parts of Asia, with deadly flooding reported in southern and central China, while northern India continues to battle an intense heatwave. Heavy and persistent rainfall across several regions in China has triggered warnings for flash floods, landslides, and severe waterlogging. The rain system stretched across nearly 1,000 kilometers and gradually moved eastward on May 19. Meteorologists said that the slow-moving rainfall band developed from the convergence of weather systems originating from the Bay of Bengal, the South China Sea, and the Pacific Ocean. Combined with weak wind conditions, the system…

London: The number of people diagnosed with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has surpassed 20,000 annually in the UK for the first time, according to new figures released by Cancer Research UK. The latest data showed that 20,980 new melanoma cases were recorded in 2022, the highest figure ever documented in the country. The charity warned that the number of cases could continue rising and may reach 26,500 annually by 2040. Experts say prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and sunbeds is a major contributing factor behind the increase. Cancer Research UK urged people to…

London: Cases of Lyme Disease in England increased by more than 20 percent in 2025, according to new figures released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), as scientists and pharmaceutical companies continue developing vaccines and anti-tick treatments to combat the growing health concern. Data published in the UKHSA’s One Health vector-borne disease surveillance report showed there were 1,168 laboratory-confirmed Lyme disease cases in England in 2025, compared with 959 cases recorded in 2024, marking a 22 percent increase. However, the number remains close to the 1,151 cases reported in 2023. Health officials also identified two probable cases of tick-borne…

Kathmandu: A record 274 climbers successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest from the Nepali side on May 20, marking the highest number of ascents ever recorded in a single day, according to Nepalese hiking officials. Standing at 8,849 metres (29,032 feet), Mount Everest lies along the border between Nepal and China’s Tibet region and can be climbed from either side. Rishi Bhandari, Secretary General of the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal, said the new figure surpasses the previous record of 223 climbers who summited from the Nepali side on May 22, 2019. “This is the highest number of climbers…

London: Online safety campaigners have called on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to prevent under-16s from accessing social media platforms that fail to meet strict child-safety standards, instead of introducing a broad Australia-style ban on social media use for children. The appeal was made in a joint letter signed by organisations including NSPCC, Molly Rose Foundation, and Smartphone Free Childhood. The groups argued that technology companies should not be permitted to offer ‘risky’ features to teenagers, including infinite scrolling, disappearing messages, and push notifications. The letter urged the government to require technology platforms to meet strict safety standards before continuing…