Health

Nine die after flash flood devastates Nepal-China border, road to border port reopens

The section of the National Highway 216 leading to Gyirong Port in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, which was damaged due to the flash flood which hit the region on Thursday, was reopened on Friday.

Funding disruption can lead to 6 million more HIV infections by 2029, alerts UN

Devastating funding cuts from international donors are hitting countries hardest affected by HIV — but many are showing remarkable resilience and determination to keep progress alive.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, other Axiom 4 crew to undock from space station on July 14: NASA

Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other crew members of Axiom 4 will begin their return journey to Earth on July 14, NASA has announced.

Tremors felt in Delhi-NCR after earthquake of 4.4 magnitude strikes Haryana's Jhajjar

New Delhi/IBNS: Strong tremors were felt in the Delhi-NCR region after an Earthquake of 4.4 magnitude struck Haryana's Jhajjar on Thursday morning, media reports said.

Anaemia threatens women’s health and economic futures in South Asia, warns UN agencies

Anaemia remains one of South Asia’s quietest but most pervasive health crises, disproportionately affecting the region’s poorest women and girls – and with 18 million more cases projected by 2030, experts say urgent, unified action is critical.

SBI employees, family members donate over 89,000 units of blood nationwide as part of 70th Foundation Day

Public sector lender State Bank of India commemorated its 70th foundation day with a nationwide blood-donation drive.

Caffeine has potential to slow cellular ageing: Study

Caffeine has long been linked to potential health benefits, including reduced risk of age-related diseases, a new study said.

Shubhanshu Shukla enters iconic cupola inside ISS

Indian Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who made history by reaching the International Space Station (ISS), was clicked in the iconic cupola, a moment the countrymen will cherish forever.

ICMR-AIIMS conducted study finds no link between COVID-19 vaccination and sudden deaths

Studies conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and AIIMS found that there is no direct link between COVID-19 vaccination and the reports of sudden deaths in the country.

How green is my city

According to a new research paper, there are associated health benefits to adding more nature in cities, but where you add it matters. More green spaces in densely populated areas save the most human lives, followed by green spaces in areas with the least amount of nature. The study included five Indian cities, where increasing green spaces by just 1% could prevent at least 875 deaths, comparable to the annual death toll in Bengaluru due to road accidents. Mongabay India writer Nikhil Sreekandan reports

WHO says 100 people die of loneliness-related causes every hour

One in six people are affected by loneliness, with significant implications for health and well-being, according to a new report from the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

Mumbai hospital starts India's first weekly clinic to help patients prepare a 'living will'

A Mumbai-based private hospital has launched India's first weekly clinic to help patients and families prepare a 'living will' following a 2018 Supreme Court verdict recognising the same.

DR Congo: New initiative to eliminate HIV in children ‘a beacon of hope’, says UN

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has launched a bold new national initiative aimed at eliminating AIDS among children by 2030 – a move hailed by the United Nations as “a beacon of hope” amid growing global funding constraints.

Tide of change in Philippines as women revive watersheds and livelihoods

In the coastal town of Sasmuan, Philippines, life flows with the river’s tide. At dawn, slender boats glide through calm waters as fishing nets are cast beneath the warming sky.

'Feeling lightheaded, but that's nothing compared to the excitement': Shubhanshu Shukla from ISS

Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is feeling "lightheaded" but "that is nothing compared to the excitement" as the Axiom-4 Mission carrying him and three other astronauts successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) this evening.

Monsoon set to cover India ahead of schedule, boosting crop sowing prospects

Mumbai: India’s annual monsoon is poised to blanket the entire country within the next three to four days, over a week earlier than its usual timeline, media reports said.

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, 3 others enter ISS as Axiom-4 Mission successfully docked

The Axiom-4 Mission carrying astronaut and Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other specialists entered the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday.

India Space Congress 2025 opens with historic launch, global partnerships and a push for private investment

New Delhi: The fourth edition of the India Space Congress (ISC 2025) began on Wednesday in New Delhi with a strong message: India is not just reaching for the stars, but steadily claiming its space among global leaders. Held under the theme “Pioneering Innovations in Space Technology: India’s Journey Towards Global Partnership”, the three-day event brings together over 800 delegates from more than 40 countries, showcasing India’s growing stature in space diplomacy, innovation, and policy.

Axiom-4 Mission launched: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla becomes 1st Indian to travel to space in 40 years

Astronaut and Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the first from the South Asian country to travel to space in 40 years as the Axiom-4 Mission was launched from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday after multiple delays.

Axiom-4 Mission: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's space expedition to be launched today

Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will create history with NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX gearing up to launch the much-awaited mission to space on Wednesday.

Asia is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world: WMO

In April 2024, China broke the average temperature record that month. The following month, it was the same - and then again in August. And September. And November.

WHO study says tobacco control efforts protect three-quarters of the world’s population

Tobacco use still claims over seven million lives a year, the World Health Organization warned on Monday, calling for greater efforts to limit its use amid rising interference from the global tobacco industry.

A new study has found that coffee consumption is linked to a lower risk of mortality.

In a new observational study, researchers from the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University found the association between coffee consumption and mortality risk changes with the amount of sweeteners and saturated fat added to the beverage, reported Tufts Now.

NASA-ISRO's NISAR satellite set to be launched in July

NASA and India's ISRO's joint effort, NISAR satellite, the $1.5 billion Earth-observing mission, is expected to be launched in July.

Gaza’s health system is at breaking point, says WHO

Gaza’s health system is at breaking point, overwhelmed time and again by scores of people killed or injured near aid distribution sites, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

Women who work night shifts are more likely to have asthma, study finds

Women who work night shifts are more likely to suffer with moderate or severe asthma compared to women who work in the daytime, according to a University of Manchester study published today (Monday) in ERJ Open Research.

ISRO forced SpaceX to fix Falcon-9 flaw that could have risked lives of four astronauts: Report

A potentially catastrophic fuel leak in the Falcon-9 rocket—tasked with flying four astronauts including Indian Air Force pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla—was detected and rectified only after the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) demanded stringent due diligence, NDTV has reported in an exclusive.

Global push to end plastic pollution gains ground in Nice conference

Behind closed doors, in a domed conference pavilion steps away from the historic port of Nice, more than 40 ministers gathered on Tuesday to tackle one of the planet’s fastest-growing environmental threats: plastic pollution.

Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 Mission launch postponed due to rocket 'repair'

The Axiom-4 mission, which will carry Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to space, has been deferred on Wednesday.

Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 mission launch to space postponed by a day due to bad weather

The launch of the Axiom-4 mission, which would carry India's second astronaut, Shubhanshu Shukla, to space, has been postponed by a day due to inclement weather.