2026 News Archive

Children's lung capacity caught up with their peers in less polluted areas once a clean air zone came in, a study shows.

The war in Ukraine has spurred people to consider putting vital infrastructure underground.

Study of long-clawed shrew skulls from Japan shows that while skulls get smaller in winter, snouts elongate Humans turn to heated blankets and fluffy socks to cope with winter, but long-clawed shrews have a very different adaptation: they increase the size of their snouts. Researchers have previously discovered that certain small mammals, including the common shrew and European mole, reversibly shrink their body mass, skull size and brain mass in winter, with regrowth seen in the spring – a strategy that has been named Dehnel’s phenomenon...

The end of "roadless rule" protections would open millions of acres of pristine forests to commercial use. Supporters say it will lead to better managed forests.

Meta argued social media addiction does not exist, as a trial stemming from a major lawsuit brought by US states started.

Amid race with Anthropic, firm plans to overhaul research and training and require more safety parameters after hack OpenAI on ⁠Tuesday said it had slowed down the ⁠pace of ⁠its ​AI development while it overhauled its ⁠research and training systems. The company’s researchers were ⁠caught unaware last month ​when an ‌AI agent ‌under testing hacked another AI ‌firm, Hugging Face...

Cedric Lodge, 58, sentenced in December to eight years in prison for stealing and selling body parts in national scheme Harvard University has agreed to pay a $53m settlement to resolve civil lawsuits stemming from the illegal theft and sale of human remains that had been donated to its medical school for scientific research. A former Harvard medical school morgue manager, Cedric Lodge, 58, was sentenced in December last year to eight years in prison after he had pleaded guilty in May to stealing and selling human body parts in a nationwide scheme. Prosecutors said this had involved the theft and sale of organs, skin, brains and dissected heads from cadavers donated to Harvard from 2018 through at least March 2020...

The rule to require efficient replacement tires was praised by environmentalists. But manufacturers warned that the change would hurt American companies and increase tire prices.

Through sheer determination, Neena Nizar has become the first patient in a clinical trial testing a treatment for her disease — one so rare it affects just 30 people worldwide.

As global fuel prices surge, electric vehicle adoption is breaking records around the world. These charts tell the story.

Claims that Meta made its platforms addictive are now being tested in court. But what separates a bad scrolling habit from an addiction, and what can people do about it?

Findings highlight importance of sleep health during middle age, particularly for those with lower socioeconomic status Sleep that is extremely disrupted or that goes on too long could mean a loss of nine months from working life after the age of 50, a study has found. It also found that women with no sleep disturbances had a longer working life from 50 to 68 than their male equivalents...

A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration broke the law when it approved a deal to allow a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.

An Australian woman, Erin Patterson, was found guilty of murdering three of her husband’s relatives and trying to kill a fourth by serving them deadly mushrooms.

Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada was less definitive about what the intense talks produced, saying ‘important work’ remained.

Damascus called the attacks "an unjustified act of aggression" that imperilled regional security.

Annual war games between South Korea and the United States will end around a week earlier than planned, both countries said on Wednesday, after US President Donald Trump ordered the "inappropriate and hostile" drills scaled back.

Effects of global heating in NT worsened by ‘dangerous and fire-promoting buffel grass’, expert says Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Fire authorities have warned large parts of the Northern Territory are facing heightened fire danger throughout spring, with above average fuel loads leaving much of the territory vulnerable. Low soil moisture has also led to elevated fire risk for parts of New South Wales, including some areas that were badly burned during the black summer fires, and south-east Queensland as an El Niño system continues to strengthen in the country’s south-east...

Dr. Overton is a fierce opponent of abortion rights and a supporter of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again agenda.

Trump announces pause on 50 percent duty on Canadian exports shortly before midnight deadline.

US President Donald Trump said he will delay imposing new tariffs on a wide array of Canadian goods for three days as the countries firm up a trade deal.

Donald Trump has announced he has paused the imposition of 50% tariffs on more goods from Canada.

South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise would end on 21 August at the request of the US South Korea’s military has confirmed that joint military drills with the US will be cut short, days after Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back the exercises. In a statement on Wednesday, South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said at the request of the US side, the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise – which began on Monday would end on Friday, six days earlier than originally planned...

The witness said he had little love for the man on trial for the rapper's murder, but refused to answer questions that he thought would send Duane "Keffe D" to prison.

US official says Venezuela is sending 500,000 of its 1.25 million barrels per day output to Gulf Coast refineries.

Shares in the world's biggest humanoid robot maker started trading on Shanghai's Star market on Wednesday.

Martial law has been in place in Ukraine since February 2022, under which elections are suspended.

Israel and Syria agreed to a status quo in security matters, which Syria was on the verge of breaching by permitting Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo, said Benjamin Netanyahu

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee says Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank

Two French nationals have been detained in Togo since July 27 and are under judicial investigation, France's foreign ministry said on Tuesday. The pair are journalist-directors working for a French production company, according to local media. Paris did not provide details on the investigation or reasons for their arrest.

Researchers find capacity stunted by pollution was restored after introduction of ultra-low emission zone Children’s lungs grew bigger and stronger after the most polluting vehicles were restricted from entering London, a study has found. Examinations of London schoolchildren before and after the introduction of the city’s ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) found a restoration of lung capacity that had been stunted by exposure to pollution...

Leader of Canadian province's secessionist party says debate over independence stymied by turbulence in US politics.

Human-caused climate change was the main driver of record-breaking sea temperatures around Europe this summer, scientists said on Wednesday, warning of severe risks to marine ecosystems and coastal communities. The Mediterranean averaged a record 27 degrees Celsius in July, while waters near Mallorca reached 33 C in early August.

Harvard Medical School has agreed to pay $53 million to families who alleged the school mishandled the donated remains of loved ones.

Lawmakers question whether conditions on the aircraft carrier indicate a 'pattern' of poor planning amid the Iran war.

Thousands are still displaced on Indonesia’s Flores Island after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake killed at least 70 people.

Trump says no talks with Tehran scheduled; Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claims US 'begging' for negotiations.

Several thousands of Vinted users say they have been wrongly suspended or permanently banned from the preloved app.

Nine in 10 mobile wallet users have their debit card loaded as their default payment method, new data shows.

A statement on the blues-rock band's website said he died on Monday in hospice

Mason Greenwood struck a second-half equaliser as Fenerbahce fought back to draw 1-1 at home to Lyon in their Champions League play-off first leg on Tuesday. Lois Openda put Lyon ahead before Greenwood levelled. Viking Stavanger rallied from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw at Dinamo Zagreb.

State Attorney General Keith Ellison has called for the transfer of ICE agent accused of lying about nonfatal shooting.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday there were no talks planned with Iran and insisted the Strait of Hormuz remained open, despite limited traffic and a reported attack on a ship. Trump also threatened Oman as it sought to broker a shipping agreement with Tehran, regional officials said.

Five-time Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo became the first Black African to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday, marking a milestone for African music. The Beninese-French singer was honored at a ceremony in Los Angeles attended by film stars and leading figures from the music industry.

Critics said I was attacking motorists. It’s more important for me that the city’s children are no longer breathing dangerous levels of pollution Ulez led to better lung size and function among London children, study finds When I introduced London’s clean air zone – the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) – more than seven years ago, no city had ever attempted anything quite like it. At the time, the scheme in central London provoked fierce opposition. When I decided to expand it – first in 2021, to inner London, and then again in 2023 to the whole city, making it the biggest clean-air zone in the world – my detractors were louder still. I had, they claimed, declared war on drivers in blind pursuit of a policy that may not even work. All the mainstream political parties, including my own, were opposed. In recent years, though, those critics have gone quiet. There is now a mountain of evidence to show that the Ulez has slashed air pollution and improved air quality across London, and research published by Imperial College London earlier this year showed that this is already saving lives. Between 2019 (when I first introduced the Ulez) and 2024, estimated deaths associated with air pollution in the capital fell by around 40%. But a new, independent study published by Queen Mary University of London today goes further still, showing how – by helping to clean up the capital’s air – the Ulez is improving the lungs and lives of London’s children. Sadiq Khan is mayor of London..

The move followed a long battle with regulators over the company’s tight controls of its App Store.

Arrest comes after attack on activist Nadia Beller, who says she was targeted for her opposition to corruption.

Advice and guidance services for doctors in England found to be creating risk of missed or late detection of illness Cancer diagnoses have been missed or delayed because of a system designed for GPs to seek specialist advice before referring patients to hospital, according to an investigation. The Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) identified patient risks linked to how advice and guidance (A+G) services have been implemented across England...

The long-running mail-order business Columbia House, which became famous for its record and CD clubs before focusing on DVDs, has announced it'll take its final orders next month.

Pentagon contracts defence manufacturer to increase output of cruise missiles.

US Agriculture Department says rescinding 2001 rule will help reduce wildfire risk and return control to local managers.

Officials warn they are continuing to identify new chains of transmission, which need to be broken to stop the spread.

UN watchdog reports that it found large amounts of material at undisclosed sites in Syria.

The agency joins a growing number of workplaces and groups to ban Meta’s devices, which have spurred privacy concerns.

US president hits out as states bordering the Strait of Hormuz continue talks on managing the strategic waterway.

A day after President Trump’s envoy, Jared Kushner, visited Israel to advance a stalled plan for demilitarizing and rebuilding Gaza, the Israeli military said it targeted Hamas commanders.

The World Health Organization says the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo can be brought under control in three months.

The first group of 20 deportees is expected to arrive in the coming days.

The U.S. is scheduled to impose more tariffs on Canada, hitting about $20 billion dollars worth of goods, as trade negotiations between the two neighboring countries hit an impasse.

Concern over the security of Europe's largest nuclear plant has been rife since Russia launched its full-scale war.