Conditions

Technique that examines fragments of foetal DNA in mother’s bloodstream could limit need for invasive screening, according to researchersA new maternal blood test that can detect thousands of serious genetic conditions in the developing foetus could limit the need for invasive screening during pregnancy, according to scientists.The test, to be described at the European Society for Human Genetics conference in Gothenburg on Saturday, relies on detecting tiny fragments of a foetus’s DNA that circulate in the mother’s bloodstream during pregnancy. Using advanced sequencing techniques, scientists were able to identify a very high proportion of genetic conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, that are currently only reliably diagnosed using amniocentesis or other invasive tests. Continue reading...

Inspector of custodial services says inmates are sleeping on the floor and denied basic entitlements due to ‘a systemic failure across multiple prisons’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastInmates in Western Australia are sleeping on mattresses on the floor of overcrowded cells and subjected to “cruel, inhuman and degrading” conditions, prompting the jails watchdog to call for urgent reform.Most of WA’s correctional facilities are in crisis, with an increased level of harm observed across the system, the state’s inspector of custodial services, Eamon Ryan, said in a report tabled in parliament on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Inmates in England and Wales live among vermin while gangs control entire wings, monitors warn, with failures ‘at risk of becoming normalised’The independent monitoring board’s annual report of conditions across the prison estate of England and Wales is stark and unflinching.Men and women are held for long periods in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, often living alongside vermin. Continue reading...

• President Zelensky met with his closest European allies to establish a framework for potential peace negotiations. • The allies have outlined five specific conditions that must be met before peace talks can commence. • This diplomatic push occurs as U.S. President Donald Trump shifts his primary focus toward the ongoing conflict with Iran.

• Asia's diverse economic stories across countries are generating attractive opportunities in fixed income markets despite geopolitical headwinds. • Regional credit markets have shown strong resilience weathering recent stresses related to US-Iran ceasefire uncertainties and oil price volatility. • Investors are targeting these discrepancies for yield advantages as central banks navigate inflation and rate paths differently.

San Diego Humane Society finds 400+ animals at Julian site, with malnutrition and injuries amid bankruptcy disputeAuthorities in California have rescued more than 400 animals, including horses, cats, dogs and goats, from a now shuttered sanctuary in San Diego county.The San Diego Humane Society conducted the massive operation last week at Villa Chardonnay, a sprawling facility in Julian that had operated since 2003. Continue reading...

• U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui formally apologized to Cole Allen, the suspect accused of attempting to assassinate President Trump and administration officials, for his treatment at the D.C. jail. • Allen's defense raised concerns over overly restrictive and punitive jail conditions, including placement on suicide watch and in a padded cell. • The apology marks a significant development in the high-profile case involving allegations of assassination conspiracy against the president and multiple officials.

• The World Food Programme declared a humanitarian emergency in Ethiopia's Somali and Afar regions Friday, warning that sustained drought has destroyed crops and livestock herds, leaving 9.4 million people facing acute food insecurity. • Local authorities reported a 60% crop failure compared to last year; malnutrition rates among children under five have climbed to 18%, approaching famine thresholds, WFP spokesperson stated. • The organization called for immediate international funding to deliver emergency rations and establish feeding centers, noting that conflict in neighboring regions has already strained Ethiopia's humanitarian response capacity.

Detainees tell of abuse at sprawling Texas facility whose giant generators gobble energy and fuel climate crisisDust was everywhere, covering people’s blankets and clogging their airways inside Camp East Montana, the huge tent facility for immigration detention in west Texas, said D, a young Venezuelan man who was held there.The air conditioning blasted constantly, keeping the living areas inside tents the length of two football fields at what felt like near-freezing temperatures despite the balmy weather outside, and rain leaked through the tarps, so people awoke on wet mattresses, he recalled. Continue reading...

Not ‘reasonable’ to impose that Siena Hopper, 25, with no criminal history, should be excluded from City of Sydney except for work or to attend courtFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA judge has overturned the bail conditions imposed by police on a Sydney anti-Herzog protester with no criminal history, saying the conditions were not “reasonable”.Lawyer Wael Skaf made an application before the Downing Centre local court to vary Siena Hopper’s bail conditions, which barred her from attending any “unlawful protests” and included a condition that she not enter the City of Sydney except for work or to attend court. Continue reading...

Record temperatures led to colourful displays of tulips, hyacinths, wisteria and daffodils as gardeners prepare for showsColourful tulips, hyacinths, wisteria and daffodils have made a remarkable display across England after a heatwave followed by a cold snap caused excellent conditions for spring blooms.There were record temperatures last week in many parts of the UK as the country recorded one of the hottest April days in the last 80 years. Continue reading...

• Arizona State University's Extreme Environments Lab tests semiconductor technologies under harsh conditions mimicking those in low Earth orbit, where temperatures swing from minus 85°F to over 250°F and radiation exposure exceeds 100 times natural Earth levels annually. • The lab supports the Southwest Advanced Prototyping (SWAP) Hub, serving government and industry partners designing technologies for demanding applications including space stations, missile defense systems, and geothermal energy equipment. • This research capability extends to supporting radiation therapy, nuclear energy systems, and advanced scientific tools such as quantum computers, addressing critical reliability challenges for space-based microchips that cannot be serviced for a decade or more.

Judge says in verdict against Ben Jamal and Chris Nineham that conditions imposed were lawful and necessaryTwo prominent leaders in the Palestine solidarity movement in Britain have been found guilty of breaching protest conditions.Ben Jamal, 62, the director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), and Chris Nineham, 63, vice-chair of the Stop the War Coalition, were accused of failing to comply with conditions imposed on a protest on 18 January 2025. They were subsequently charged with public order offences. Continue reading...

Forthcoming rules mean debilitating conditions may not meet strict ‘severe and lifelong’ eligibility criteria, say disabled people’s organisationsHundreds of thousands of severely ill and disabled people making new claims will have their benefits cut if the government assesses that their condition might improve, charities have said.In April, the health element of universal credit – an extra payment for people assessed as too unwell to work or prepare for work – will be reduced to £50 a week and frozen for new claimants unless their condition is found to be terminal or severe and lifelong with no prospect of improvement. Continue reading...

International researchers find ‘very little evidence’ medical form of the drug can treat anxiety, anorexia and other disordersCannabis is not an effective treatment for common mental health conditions despite the global surge in patients using it for that purpose, a review has found.Researchers concluded there was “very little evidence for its efficacy” in treating anxiety, anorexia nervosa, psychotic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder or opioid use disorder. Continue reading...

Heat warnings are in effect across region as record-high temperatures are forecast in California, Nevada and ArizonaSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxMillions of people in the western US are preparing for extreme heat as unprecedented temperatures are forecast across California, Nevada and Arizona.The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a heat advisory for California’s Bay Area and central coast regions as temperatures are expected to reach up to 90F (32C). Continue reading...

Rain fell between 1 and 2in hourly in Maui, Molokai and the Big Island while tens of thousands are without powerRain continued falling in Hawaii on Sunday where a strong storm brought flash flooding, blizzard conditions and landslides to the islands as residents reported collapsed roads and one home washing away in rising waters.Flash flooding has been a major problem in recent days in places such as Maui, Molokai and the Big Island, where rain had been falling between 1 and 2in (2.5 and 5cm) an hour overnight, according to the Hawaii emergency management agency. Continue reading...

• The United States recorded its second-warmest winter on record from December 2025 to February 2026, despite frigid conditions in the East, according to federal data reported by AP News on March 9. • New attribution research links a warmer climate to larger hail, with extra atmospheric heat turning thunderstorms into producers of dangerous softball-sized hailstones. • This extreme weather pattern underscores accelerating climate impacts, challenging public perceptions amid regional cold snaps.