Author: Lester Holt

Study reveals disproportionate health impacts on communities of color A new study finds that air pollution from oil and gas operations causes over 90,000 premature deaths annually in the United States and contributes to widespread illness, with communities of color bearing a disproportionate share of the burden. Researchers estimate that more than 10,000 pre-term births each year are linked to fine particulate matter from oil and gas activities. The study also attributes 216,000 cases of childhood-onset asthma annually to nitrogen dioxide emissions from the sector, along with 1,610 lifetime cancer cases related to hazardous air pollutants. The states experiencing the…

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has escalated the state’s crackdown on abortion pills by sending cease-and-desist letters to two organizations and a doctor, warning of potential lawsuits if they continue allegedly distributing the medication. Paxton targeted Plan C, a website providing information on obtaining abortion pills; Her Safe Harbor, a telemedicine abortion provider; and Dr. Rémy Coeytaux, accused of mailing abortion pills to Texans. “These abortion drug organizations and radical activists are not above the law, and I have ordered the immediate end of this unlawful conduct,” Paxton said in a statement. The state of Texas effectively bans nearly all…

Case Reported in South Lake Tahoe Health officials in El Dorado County, California, confirmed that a South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for the plague. The individual is currently recovering at home under medical supervision. Authorities believe the infection likely resulted from a flea bite while camping in the area, a popular outdoor recreation destination. Plague Transmission and Precautions Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and is usually spread through the bites of fleas that have fed on infected rodents, such as squirrels and chipmunks. Dogs and cats can also carry infected fleas into homes. El Dorado…

Virus Found in Air and Dairy Farms Avian influenza continues to spread throughout the United States, with the virus now detected in airborne particles as well as on farms. Since the first U.S. outbreak in dairy cows in March 2024, infections in both livestock and humans have risen. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 70 human cases and one death have been reported. The agency continues to classify the risk to public health as low, noting that no human-to-human transmission has been documented. Authorities have put several measures in place. Cows must now be screened for…

Women with Alzheimer’s disease have significantly lower levels of omega fatty acids in their blood compared with healthy women, according to new research. The finding was not observed in men, suggesting important sex-related differences in how the disease develops. Key Findings An international team led by King’s College London analysed blood samples from more than 800 participants, including Alzheimer’s patients, people with mild cognitive impairment, and healthy controls. Results showed that women with Alzheimer’s had up to 20% lower levels of unsaturated fats, including omega fatty acids, than healthy women. At the same time, they displayed higher levels of saturated…

Children Most Affected by the OutbreakSomalia is experiencing a sharp rise in diphtheria cases, with health officials warning that the majority of those infected are children. More than 97% of the cases involve minors, highlighting the vulnerability of young people to this vaccine-preventable but deadly bacterial infection. Hospitals Report Soaring NumbersDr Abdulrazaq Yusuf Ahmed, director of Demartino public hospital in Mogadishu, said the situation has worsened dramatically. “In 2024 we treated around 49 patients, but in just the last four months of 2025 we’ve admitted 497,” he explained. Deaths have also climbed from 13 last year to 42 so far…

Extreme heat fuels destruction in Spain and Portugal Southern Europe is facing widespread devastation as soaring temperatures drive intense wildfires. In Spain, one in four weather stations recorded 40C on Sunday, with Cádiz reaching 45.8C, according to Aemet. Authorities issued warnings of “very high or extreme fire danger” across most of the country. Thousands displaced, fatalities reported This year alone, flames have consumed 348,000 hectares in Spain and 216,000 in Portugal, Copernicus data showed. Four people in Spain, including a firefighter in a vehicle crash, have died, while two fatalities were reported in Portugal. More than 31,000 residents in Spain…