Health

A Bournemouth University-led report says faster, accurate autism diagnosis and tailored mental health support are needed to help reduce suicide risk; the study analysed more than 4,000 responses and notes autistic people face a higher risk of suicide.

Mount Sinai's unionized nurses voted to ratify new three-year contracts, ending a monthlong walkout. CEO Brendan Carr said nurses will begin returning to work on Saturday.

A National Child Mortality Database analysis of 13,045 child deaths in England from 2019–2023 found that 926 (7%) involved parents who were close blood relatives; the report notes higher proportions among children from Asian backgrounds and in the most deprived areas.

A coroner's inquest concluded the June 2023 deaths of a family in Prince Rupert were a murder‑suicide, and testimony noted the father's prior head injury and worsening mental health.

NHS Wales is rolling out the QuicDNA blood test for later-stage lung cancer after a Welsh trial, and extra funding aims to expand the testing to other cancer types.

At the annual La Juta pilgrimage near Naples, femminielli — a traditional Neapolitan third-gender group — attended a Candlemas Mass that mixed Catholic rites with local folklore, and this year transgender women were invited to take part in church readings.

The RCMP named an 18-year-old as the suspect in the Tumbler Ridge secondary school shooting and said he died at the scene; authorities report multiple fatalities and several injured. Local schools are closed and hospitals are treating the wounded.

A US observational study of 1,939 people (average age 80) followed for about eight years found that higher lifetime engagement in reading, writing and other mentally stimulating activities was associated with a 38% lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and later average onset of symptoms.

Actor James Van Der Beek posted a photo with his daughter and father on January 25; his family confirmed he died after a two‑year battle with colorectal cancer at 48.

Dr Kristen Holmes says sexual activity releases hormones linked to relaxation, and recent sleep-tracker research reported shorter wake times and slightly higher sleep efficiency on nights with partnered or solo sexual activity.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists warns that 550,610 children and young people are on NHS mental health waiting lists and that long delays may lead some to seek support from publicly available AI chatbots.

Early-stage CRISPR studies that target liver genes such as ANGPTL3 and PCSK9 have lowered LDL and triglycerides in small groups, and larger, longer trials are being planned.

Angelina Jolie said her double mastectomy scars 'are a choice' and that she is grateful to have been able to make proactive health decisions; she also called for wider access to BRCA testing and screening.

CMS administrator Dr Mehmet Oz urged Americans to receive both MMR doses amid a large measles outbreak centered in South Carolina; federal two-dose coverage is reported at 93 percent, below the CDC's 95 percent threshold.

BMA Scotland resident doctors voted 97.1% in favour of a £133 million package that delivers a cumulative 8.16% pay increase over two years and removes the immediate prospect of strike action.

A Kinsey Institute survey of 10,036 single adults aged 18–99 found 30.3% reported falling in love twice and 14.2% said they had never experienced passionate love.

Dr Tara Suwinyattichaiporn tells The Independent that daily masturbation, especially in the morning, can support mood and aspects of sexual wellbeing; she also describes three pillars of sexual wellness: relational, social and personal.

Ellis Pears, a 19-year-old Aberystwyth law student, was concussed in a November 2024 car crash and said he lost the ability to speak Welsh days later; by June 2025 his Welsh and mood had largely improved.

WA Police released the triple-zero call made by 13-year-old Austin Appelbee after his family were swept out to sea; police later located his mother and two siblings and commended his calmness during the emergency call.

Sam and his wife Alice have welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Marmaduke, who was reported born on 9 February at the Kensington Wing of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

Modelling of the UK's proposed 'smoke-free generation' law — which would ban tobacco sales to people born in 2009 or later from 2027 — suggests smoking among 12–30-year-olds could fall below 5%, and projects about 88,000 additional healthy life years by 2075 compared with no new law.

The government and the Royal College of Nursing have agreed measures to raise graduate nurse pay and introduce a national preceptorship. Employers will review Band 5 roles and extra funding is pledged to support any resulting pay uplifts.

Authorities say a shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia left at least 10 people dead and about 25 injured, and police report searches and an investigation are ongoing.

A 25-year-old British woman was arrested on the Costa del Sol after her eight-month-old baby reportedly tested positive for cocaine while they were camping, and Spanish authorities have opened an investigation.

The Care Quality Commission rated Navigo Health and Social Care CIC's older people inpatient services in Grimsby as "outstanding" after a November 2025 inspection, noting staff compassion, low use of restraint and positive ward design.

Bruno Peek is selling six items used by Queen Elizabeth II at a Bonhams auction to raise money for Cancer Research UK after being diagnosed with an incurable blood cancer.

Private tutors are being hired at up to £250 an hour to support children’s anxiety and special educational needs during school entrance preparation, and the Department for Education has said a white paper due in the coming weeks will expect inclusion units in all secondary schools.

A review of 63 studies published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found aerobic activities such as running, swimming and dancing had the largest effects on symptoms of depression and anxiety. The review also linked group workouts to greater reductions in depression, especially for people aged 18–30 and postnatal women.

Researchers analysed 63 published reviews involving nearly 80,000 people and report that aerobic group exercise produced the largest reductions in mild depression and anxiety, with especially strong effects in young adults and new mothers.

Maxim Naumov said he felt the presence of his late parents during his Olympic debut in Milan and scored 85.65 in the short programme.