5 h. ago Brain damage, blindness and death: the global trail of trauma left by methanol

Methanol, a cheap relative of ethanol, is entering the supply chain, causing thousands of deaths around the worldFor Bethany Clarke, poison tasted like nothing. There was no bitter aftertaste, no astringent sting at the back of the tongue. If anything, she thought in passing, the free shots she and her friends were drinking at a hostel bar in Laos had probably been watered down – she wasn’t detecting a strong vodka flavour through the veil of Sprite she had mixed it with.All in all, Clarke remembers drinking about five of those shots, sitting with her best friend, Simone White, and a crowd of others at the hostel’s happy hour. CCTV footage shows the group laughing in the warm air of the open bar in the town of Vang Vieng, green and red lights dancing over their shoulders. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago 'Dementia gene' now linked to another devastating neurological disease, study shows

A key gene known for its role in Alzheimer's disease has been found to play a second, damaging role in a different brain condition.

Politics

4 d. ago How Jimmy Cliff rose from grinding poverty to become reggae legend who blazed a trail for Bob Marley

REGGAE legend Jimmy Cliff lived by the words of one of his most famous songs: You Can Get It If You Really Want. The Jamaican’s feelgood anthems I Can See Clearly Now, Wonderful World, Beautiful People and The Harder They Come were global hits — blazing a trail for Bob Marley. Tributes to the reggae...

Politics

1 week ago Child left with nightmares and trauma by man's sickening actions

Justice finally caught up with Stephen Heap

Events

2 w. ago South Carolina executes man by firing squad, in state’s third such killing in year

Stephen Bryant, 44, convicted over 2004 murder, was shot dead despite growing backlash against ‘barbaric’ methodSouth Carolina executed a man by firing squad on Friday, marking the third time the state has used gunfire to kill a person on death row despite growing backlash against the method.Stephen Bryant, 44, had been sentenced to death for the October 2004 killing of Willard “TJ” Tietjen and pleaded guilty to two other murders. Bryant’s lawyers had argued in final appeals that the sentencing judge had been unable to consider his brain damage from his mother’s alcohol and drug use during pregnancy, but South Carolina’s supreme court declined to halt the execution on Monday. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Cambridge professor cleared of faking poor IQ test in £1m compensation claim

Dr Mohamed Atef Hakmi argued that medical errors had left him with brain damage

Economics

2 w. ago Dame Jilly Cooper's heartbreaking cause of death with children blindsided by tragedy

Riders author Jilly Cooper died unexpectedly at the age of 88 after a fall at home with her children left in 'complete shock'

Events

3 w. ago Stephen Bryant’s lawyers cite brain damage in final appeal to stop death row execution

Bryant is on death row for killing Willard “TJ” Tietjen in his home in October 2004

Events

3 w. ago Lawyers for Stephen Bryant make final appeal over brain damage to stop South Carolina execution

Lawyers for a South Carolina death row inmate are trying to stop his execution later this month

Events

3 w. ago 'Choking' in porn has become the new normal. Here’s why a new UK law banning it is so vital | Clare McGlynn

Strangulation during sex damages young women’s brain health and breeds deep gender inequality. But the real test will be its enforcementThis week marks a turning point in the UK’s approach to violent porn. The government has announced it will make publishing or possessing pornographic depictions of strangulation or suffocation – often known as “choking” – illegal. This bold move could transform the porn that appears on porn sites and social media platforms.Strangulation in porn was once niche. Indeed, studies investigating the content of porn 20 years ago found hardly any instances of it. Yet an independent review of pornography released this year found that it was rife on the most popular porn sites. This summer the children’s commissioner released a report revealing that 58% of young people had seen strangulation in pornography, even though only 6% had searched for it. As renowned porn producer Erika Lust puts it, strangulation has become the “alpha and omega” of “any porn scene”....

Events

4 w. ago Health officials urge parents to vaccinate children amid ‘deeply worrying’ rise in meningitis cases

Meningitis can cause life-threatening sepsis and result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves if not treated quickly

Society

4 w. ago Gogglebox legend left with brain damage after stroke amid devastating health ordeal

The Malone family have been a firm favourite on Gogglebox since they first appeared on the Channel 4 show back in 2014, but they were faced with a health scare when son Shaun fell ill

Economics

4 w. ago Gogglebox Malone member hospitalised in coma with brain damage amid health battle

A Gogglebox legend previously opened up about nearly dying of brain disease and having “less than 10 per cent chance of living”

Events