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For the first time, thousands of cancer patients from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds will benefit from an enhanced genetic test offered by the NHS. The new screening expands the panel of DPYD gene variants from four to five, directly addressing a long‑standing bias that left non‑white patients vulnerable to dangerous chemotherapy side‑effects. In England, patients slated for chemotherapy undergo a genetic check that can guide dose adjustments and mitigate adverse reactions such as mouth sores, hair loss, nausea, fatigue, and, in severe cases, death. Up to 40% of the 38,000 individuals receiving fluoropyrimidine‑based chemotherapy each year experience a harmful drug reaction. Previously, the test only targeted four DPYD variants common in people of European descent, meaning many Black patients received inaccurate “all‑clear” results. The addition of a fifth variant—more prevalent among African, Caribbean and other minority groups—means clinicians can now identify patients at risk who were previously missed. Since its rollout at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust last September, three minority‑ethnic patients have had their initial chemotherapy doses adjusted, lowering their chance of a potentially fatal reaction. Dr Veline L’Esperance, senior clinical adviser at the NHS Race and Health Observatory, called the change “tangible results for patients who have historically been left behind.” She emphasized that the update shifts the discussion on ethnic health inequality from rhetoric to actionable care. Prof Habib Naqvi, chief executive of the NHS Race and Health Observatory, described the development as a “groundbreaking outcome” for chemotherapy safety, while noting that ethnic minorities remain under‑represented in genomic research and biobanks. He warned that broader inclusion is essential for the promised benefits of precision medicine to reach all communities. Prof Dame Sue Hill, chief scientific officer for NHS England, highlighted the significance of discovering the fifth variant: “Personalising chemotherapy based on genetics can save lives and reduce harmful side‑effects, especially for patients of African ancestry.” She added that the North West NHS Genomic Medicine Service has already demonstrated the practical impact of this approach. These steps come amid broader evidence that minority patients in the UK face longer diagnostic waits, more GP visits before a cancer diagnosis, and lower perceived support during treatment. The expanded DPYD test represents a concrete effort to close those gaps and ensure equitable, science‑driven care for all cancer patients.

Dr. James Noyes, a prominent advocate for gambling reform, has urged the UK government to pause the implementation of affordability checks for online gamblers. Noyes, who initially proposed the idea of affordability checks in 2020, expressed concerns that the current pilot scheme has raised serious questions that need to be addressed before proceeding.Noyes' call for a pause echoes similar concerns raised by senior figures in the horse racing industry, which fears that the checks could disproportionately affect racing bettors and cost the industry tens of millions of pounds in revenue.The Gambling Commission launched a pilot study on financial risk assessments in September 2024 to assess a two-tier system of checks. However, Noyes and others have raised concerns over the lack of transparency and inconsistent data in the pilot scheme.Noyes emphasized that while affordability checks were initially proposed as a worthy idea, their implementation must be carefully considered to avoid impeding the majority of gamblers from engaging in a lawful activity. He also highlighted the need for a gambling ombudsman to ensure proper treatment of consumer redress and rights.A spokesperson for the Gambling Commission stated that the regulator is working on financial risk assessments with a focus on removing friction for consumers. The Commission has yet to publish a final report on the pilot and has not issued an update on its progress since the spring of 2025.

Scientists at London's Institute of Cancer Research and the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin have announced a new AI-driven approach to identify how patients with advanced bowel cancer will respond to bevacizumab, a drug recently introduced by the NHS. The method uses PhenMap, an AI tool that integrates complex data on the genetic makeup of tumors, allowing researchers to track patterns of how different patients react to the drug. This development aims to spare potentially thousands of patients from being given drugs that would be ineffective in fighting their cancers. In the UK alone, nearly 10,000 cases of advanced bowel cancer are identified every year, with young adults seeing a particular rise in diagnoses. Bowel cancer has the second-highest mortality rate of any cancer, behind only lung cancer. While survival rates can be as high as 98% when caught early, the five-year survival rate for advanced bowel cancer can be as low as 10%. The study tracked 117 European bowel cancer patients who had been treated with chemotherapy and bevacizumab. Researchers identified a group of patients who all had the same gene mutation and were at a high risk of having negative reactions. The scientists behind the tests now hope to expand the number of patient samples and see if the results can be used in treatments for other types of cancer. Anguraj Sadanandam, a professor in stratification and precision medicine at the ICR, said: “Once bowel cancer spreads to other parts of the body, there are very few treatment options available for patients. It is therefore positive that patients can now access the targeted drug bevacizumab on the NHS. However, we know that the majority of patients won’t benefit from the drug, meaning thousands of people in England could be facing unpleasant side effects unnecessarily.” Sadanandam added that while the findings were encouraging, the tool would need to be tested on a larger cohort to be validated. “In future, I hope this approach will lead to a test that can be used by clinicians, to ensure patients receive personalised care that has the highest chance of working against their cancer.”

Reports of sexual assault allegations against U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell have sent shockwaves through the California gubernatorial race, where recent polls showed him leading a crowded Democratic field seeking to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom.During televised interviews on Sunday, several high‑profile Democratic lawmakers urged Swalwell to drop out of the race and resign from Congress after CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle published accounts from a former staffer and other women alleging misconduct.“What he did is sick and disgusting,” Congressman Ro Khanna told Fox News Sunday, calling for investigations by law‑enforcement and the U.S. House of Representatives.Swalwell has categorically denied the claims as “absolutely false” and indicated no intention to leave the gubernatorial contest. A March poll conducted by Emerson College had him ahead of both Democratic and Republican challengers by several points, underscoring the political stakes.In the wake of the allegations, powerful figures and organizations have begun revoking endorsements, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s office confirmed an active investigation on Saturday.Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna announced she will file a motion to initiate expulsion proceedings against Swalwell, a step some Democrats say they could support.“This is not a partisan issue,” Representative Pramila Jayapal remarked, emphasizing that the matter “cuts across party lines” and reflects broader concerns about the treatment of women.Democrats have also called for the expulsion of Republican Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas, who faces separate sexual‑misconduct allegations. Both Ro Khanna and Republican Representative Byron Donalds indicated they could back a bid to eject Gonzales and Swalwell from Congress, with Donalds stating, “As far as I’m concerned, both gentlemen need to go home.”California gubernatorial candidate, US Representative Eric Swalwell, appears at a town hall meeting in Sacramento, California, on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 (Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo)

A devastating air strike by the Nigerian military on a village market in northeastern Nigeria has killed dozens and injured hundreds, sparking widespread outrage and condemnation. The strike, which occurred on Sunday, was aimed at members of the rebel group Boko Haram.According to Amnesty International, over 100 people were killed and 35 others wounded in the attack on the Jilli village market in Yobe state. A local chief, Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam, reported that the total casualties, including dead and injured, were around 200.The Nigerian Air Force claimed to have killed Boko Haram fighters in an air strike on the Jilli axis in Borno state, but did not mention hitting a market. The government of Yobe state later confirmed that an air strike near a market had been conducted, affecting people attending the weekly market.Amnesty International condemned the strike, stating that launching air raids is not a legitimate law enforcement method and that the Nigerian military's actions demonstrate a shocking disregard for human life. The organization called on Nigerian authorities to immediately investigate the incident and hold suspected perpetrators accountable.The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) activated the emergency response, and many of the injured were taken to hospitals in nearby Geidam and Maiduguri. A worker at the Geidam General Hospital reported that at least 23 people injured in the incident were receiving treatment.

President Donald Trump declared that the United States will commence a naval blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz in response to the breakdown of peace talks between Washington and Tehran held in Islamabad.In addition to the blockade, Trump warned that American forces could target Iran’s water‑treatment plants, power stations and bridges unless Tehran abandons its pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability.The announcement came after a 21‑hour round of direct negotiations between the two sides collapsed on Sunday morning, ending a brief cease‑fire that had been brokered by the United States, Israel and Iran.U.S. Vice‑President JD Vance, who led the American delegation, said Iran refused to renounce the possibility of developing nuclear weapons, while Iranian officials accused Washington of failing to earn their trust.Trump instructed the U.S. Navy to begin “blockading any and all ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz” starting Monday at 10 a.m. ET (14:00 GMT). He also accused Iran of “extortion” for charging tolls to tankers and announced a de‑mining operation in the waterway’s central sector, although the exact number of mines remains unclear.The Iranian Revolutionary Guard warned that any warships enforcing the blockade would be deemed a breach of the cease‑fire and would be met with a strong response, insisting the strait remains under Iranian control.Two U.S. destroyers transited the strait on Saturday without incident, a move the Pentagon described as the start of a mine‑clearance mission, even as Iranian media claimed the vessels were threatened as they departed.Financial markets reacted sharply: U.S. crude oil jumped 8% to $104.24 per barrel and Brent crude rose 7% to $102.29, reflecting concerns that the blockade could disrupt the flow of roughly 100 tankers that have been paying up to $2 million each for passage.Vance reiterated that the United States seeks a clear, affirmative commitment from Iran not to pursue a nuclear weapon, describing it as the “core goal of the president.”Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf argued that Tehran offered “constructive initiatives,” but U.S. demands were “excessive” and hindered an agreement, according to the semi‑official Tasnim news agency.Pakistani mediators urged both parties to avoid renewed hostilities and pledged to arrange fresh talks, emphasizing the importance of upholding the existing cease‑fire.In a televised interview, Trump warned that if a deal cannot be reached, the United States may resume bombing Iran, specifically targeting its water‑supply infrastructure, desalination plants and power generation facilities.Regional fallout continued: at least 11 people were killed in southern Lebanon amid a series of Israeli strikes, while Pope Francis called for an immediate cease‑fire, expressing solidarity with the Lebanese people.The broader conflict, now six weeks old, has claimed more than 3,000 lives in Iran, over 2,000 in Lebanon, dozens in Israel and several Gulf states, and has inflicted extensive damage on critical infrastructure across the Middle East.

GSK has revealed promising early results for its treatment for gynaecological cancers, Mocertatug Rezetecan (Mo-Rez), as its chief executive, Luke Miels, seeks to speed up drug development at the group.The company reported that in an early-stage trial, Mo-Rez shrank or eliminated tumours in 62% of patients with ovarian cancer where chemotherapy had failed, and in 67% of those with endometrial cancer.GSK acquired the Mo-Rez cancer treatment, an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), from China’s Hansoh Pharma in late 2023, and has trialled it in 224 patients around the world, including the UK, over the past year. Few patients needed to stop treatment because of side-effects, the most common being nausea. It is administered every three weeks via intravenous infusion.Combined with data from a separate, intermediate trial in China, these results give GSK the confidence to go straight to late-stage trials, with five clinical studies planned globally in the next few months, including on patients in the UK.Presenting the results at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology’s annual meeting on women’s cancer in Puerto Rico, Hesham Abdullah, GSK’s global head of cancer research and development, said: “Treatment of gynaecological cancers remains a major challenge, with a pressing need for new therapies that offer improved response rates. With Mo-Rez we now have compelling evidence of a promising clinical profile.”Endometrial cancer affects 1.6 million women globally, with 417,000 new cases each year. Ovarian cancer affects 843,000 people, with 240,000 new cases annually.Abdullah described Mo-Rez as a “key asset” in the company’s growing cancer portfolio, expected to be a blockbuster drug with peak annual sales of more than £2bn, which GSK hopes will help it achieve its 2031 sales target of £40bn.

Malina Lee, a 31‑year‑old wedding baker from San Antonio, joined TikTok in 2020 to pass the lockdown‑induced boredom and promote her business. Four years later, an anonymous commenter called “PickleFart” noticed an asymmetrical neck in one of her videos and suggested she check for a goiter.The tip proved accurate: doctors confirmed thyroid cancer. Lee received prompt treatment and, within a year, was declared cancer‑free. She told the outlet that her oncologist was amazed at how early the disease was caught, crediting the TikTok comment as the catalyst.Lee’s experience is part of a growing trend where TikTok’s hyper‑targeted algorithm surfaces health‑related content that resonates with users’ unnoticed symptoms. In several cases, community members have flagged potential conditions that clinicians initially missed.The “PickleFart” persona belongs to Billie Jean Tuomi, who calls herself the “thyroid avenger.” A thyroid‑cancer survivor herself (diagnosed in 2012), Tuomi now scans videos for neck asymmetry and gently advises creators to seek a thyroid panel—a blood test measuring hormone levels and antibodies. The American Thyroid Association recommends adults start routine thyroid testing at age 35, or annually for high‑risk individuals.Tuomi estimates she has flagged dozens of videos, with at least four confirmed serious thyroid issues, including Lee’s. She stresses she does not claim to diagnose, merely urges viewers to consult a physician. After a viral comment, she received a flood of private messages with neck photos, prompting her to change her username.Lee, inspired by Tuomi’s intervention, has begun commenting on other users’ videos, helping one individual discover an enlarged thyroid that required removal. She describes the process as a “domino effect” of community‑driven health awareness.Medical professionals acknowledge the double‑edged nature of this phenomenon. Craig Mittleman, director of emergency services at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, notes a rise in patients arriving with self‑diagnoses sourced from social media. While this can empower patients to ask informed questions, it also burdens clinicians with debunking misinformation.Gender disparities amplify the issue: research shows women are more likely to seek health information online, often after feeling dismissed by traditional providers. TikTok user Tori Mosser, a 23‑year‑old filmmaker, credits a direct message suggesting chronic appendicitis for prompting surgery that resolved her chronic vomiting episodes.Both Lee and Mosser emphasize the therapeutic value of finding a supportive community on TikTok, especially for invisible or chronic illnesses that are frequently minimized in clinical settings.

Eamonn Holmes, the 66‑year‑old presenter of GB News’s breakfast programme, is recovering in hospital after suffering a stroke last week.A GB News spokesperson confirmed that the Northern Irish broadcaster is responding well to treatment and has requested privacy while focusing on his recovery. The network added that “his colleagues and everyone at GB News wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming him back when he is ready.”In Holmes’s absence, the channel said that Alex Armstrong will co‑anchor the morning slot alongside Ellie Costello for the coming week.Holmes, who previously fronted ITV’s This Morning and co‑presented with his former wife Ruth Langsford for 14 years, has a documented history of serious health issues. He has undergone spinal surgery, a double hip replacement, and endured multiple falls, including a live on‑air incident when a studio chair collapsed.Speaking about that on‑air fall, Holmes recalled, “It was a bit of a shock for me because I’d had a fall in my bathroom two weeks earlier that hospitalised me, and it hit me again right in the back.” He described the aftermath as “really, really sore.”His health struggles have also impacted his personal life. In 2022, Holmes told the Sun that chronic pain and mobility problems strained his marriage to Langsford, and he later disclosed a dislocated pelvis in 2021 that led to three slipped discs.Holmes is now in a relationship with 44‑year‑old counsellor Katie Alexander. The pair were photographed together at a recent event, with Holmes using a wheelchair.GB News chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos expressed support, stating, “Eamonn is a loved member of the GB News family, and we’re with him every step of the way as he recovers.”