Health

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.

Two Nipah virus cases were reported in India and neighbouring countries have increased airport screening; Nipah is a rare bat-associated virus and there is no approved vaccine.

Esther Ghey urged MPs to support an immediate ban on social media for under-16s, saying a planned government consultation could take too long and risk further harm. MPs will debate amendments to the children's wellbeing and schools bill, and the government's consultation is due to report this summer.

A 66-year-old prisoner, Paul Tyler, has been sentenced to an additional 18 years and given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order after pleading guilty to historic sexual offences against two children, following reports made to Humberside Police in 2022.

A six-month pilot of rapid access valve assessment clinics in south London screened 168 patients—55% from minority ethnic backgrounds—and clinicians are calling for the model to be expanded across NHS England to address disparities in diagnosis and treatment.

Walton County officials announced that human remains found in Miramar Beach in October 2022 have been identified as Jacob Lyon, who was reported missing in 2016; the cause of death remains undetermined and the investigation is ongoing.

A report from the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute says many people with mental health and financial problems are not accessing benefits they are entitled to because support to claim them is uneven and overstretched; research group Policy in Practice estimates about £24 billion goes unclaimed each year.

The Princess of Wales joined a wellbeing walk with charity Mind Over Mountains at Curbar Gap in the Peak District, and took part in a mindfulness reflection despite rainy weather.

The University of Lincoln has received almost £11m from the NIHR to open the Lincolnshire Unit for Mental Health Research in May; it is one of five regional hubs being set up to strengthen research in underserved areas.

In-Dependence says alcohol accounted for 69% (75) of its assessments last year and many clients showed reduced risk or distress after treatment. The group has secured Social Investment Fund support for gambling therapy for the next three years, though longer-term funding is uncertain.

The United States has told Gavi to phase out the preservative thimerosal and says it will withhold new funding until a plan for removal is developed and initiated.

A coalition report says emotional distress among children and young people has risen sharply and that mental health services are struggling to meet demand, with many facing long waits or being turned away.

Kanye West has said he keeps a daily checklist of things he said during manic episodes after publishing a full-page apology that linked past antisemitic outbursts to a bipolar diagnosis and a prior head injury.

A homeless woman was found nearly frozen outside an Evans Food Mart in Fort Worth and was taken to hospital; her condition is unknown.

Samantha Womack was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 and lost her rescued dog Lola shortly afterward; she paused work, moved to Valencia to focus on recovery and was reported to be cancer-free five months later.

An inquest in Belfast heard that 14-year-old Noah Donohoe was filmed cycling naked shortly before he disappeared in June 2020 and was later found dead in a storm drain; the hearing is ongoing and is expected to run until the end of March.

An investigation found staff did not wake the mother for observations before the birth, and the newborn, named Sonny Taylor, died three days later; Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board accepted the report's findings and apologised.

A coroner found a newborn's death after a home birth was avoidable, citing staffing and monitoring failures; the senior coroner said she will write to the Health Secretary and national bodies about the lack of home-birth guidance.

At Lincoln Crown Court, prosecutors heard that Deividas Skebas admits killing nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte but denies murder, claiming diminished responsibility; three psychiatrists reported he had schizophrenia and showed psychosis on the day of the attack.

A friend regretted that her mother missed timely palliative care, and the article reports that many older Australians receive specialist palliative support only days before death.