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Michael Douglas Reveals the Throat Cancer Sign He Noticed First

Michael Douglas Reveals the Throat Cancer Sign He Noticed First

Updated 16:20 7 Oct 2026 GMT+1Published 15:15 11 Mar 2026 GMTDouglas opened up about one symptom especially which stuck out for himMichael Dougals has opened up about the signs of throat cancer, including one symptom in particular, as well as the condition's link to oral sex.In 2010 the star of Basic Instinct revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer, though he divulged only that it had been caused by Human Papillomavirus, or HPV, three years after this.HPV is more widely known for its connection to cervical cancer, and can be transmitted by any skin to skin contact with the genitals, including oral sex.Douglas said he consulted a doctor in 2010 after a sore throat which had lasted unusually long, only for his doctor to be left stunned after finding a 'walnut-sized' tumour at the bottom of Douglas' tongue.AdvertIt was determined that he had stage VI squamous cell carcinoma oral cancer, and immediately started an eight-week-long course of treatment including chemotherapy and radiation therapy, during which he lost some 20kg from the brutal treatment program.Douglas said that the condition had been from oral sex, and HPV can be passed from skin to skin contact.Happily, Douglas went into remission from his cancer.Here are some symptoms of oral HPV which you should watch out for.Michael Douglas is now cancer-free after discovering he had a tumour which he said was caused by oral sex (Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)Symptoms of oral HPVIt is important that you see a doctor if you notice these symptoms persisting, or if they are starting to worry you:Long-lasting sore throatHoarsenessEar achesSwollen lymph nodesPain when swallowingUnexplained weight lossSome people have no symptoms, according to the US Centres For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), though serious cases of HPV can cause warts or cancer.Having swollen lymph nodes can be a sign of throat cancer (Getty Stock Image)How severe can HPV be?HPV is the single most common sexually transmitted infection in the US.There are over 100 types of the virus, and 40 of those can spread through direct sexual contact to the genital areas, as well as the mouth and throat, according to The Oral Cancer Foundation.Oral HPV is transmitted to the mouth by oral sex, among other ways.How is HPV transmitted through oral sex?It is estimated that 10 per cent of men and 3.6 per cent of women have oral HPV, while the CDC claim that all sexually active people will get at least one type of HPV at some point in their lives, though most people are cleared of the virus in just one to two years.In the US, it is estimated that HPV causes 60 to 70 per cent of oropharyngeal cancers.There are more than 100 types of HPV (Getty stock images)Speaking to The Conversation, Dr Hisham Mehanna explained: "Those with six or more lifetime oral-sex partners are 8.5 times more likely to develop oropharyngeal cancer than those who do not practice oral sex."80 per cent of adults reported practicing oral sex at some point in their lives, but only a small number of those people develop oropharyngeal cancer."He pointed out that most of us who catch HPV infections will be 'able to clear them completely' over time, but explained: "A small number of people are not able to get rid of the infection, maybe due to a defect in a particular aspect of their immune system."Dr Mehanna said that the virus can replicate continuously in these patients, integrating in random positions in their DNA, which can cause host cells to become cancerous.What happened after Douglas's cancer diagnosis?After his diagnosis and treatment, which he described as being 'like the seven circles of hell', Douglas said he was 'just happy to be alive', adding to the Daily Mail: "I was ecstatic. It feels like a rebirth after you go through cancer and you come out of it. You feel like you’re a child.“You see priorities differently. You have a much deeper appreciation of marriage, of your children – you see everything a little bit clearer, and a little brighter.”Douglas spoke about how his revelation affected his wife of 25 years, Catherine Zeta-Jones (Samir Hussein/WireImage)However, the Ant-Man star said he regretted the 'embarrassment' the story caused his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, whom he married in November 2000.He said: "I was trying to make a public service comment. It was one of those things... and I so regretted any embarrassment that it caused Catherine. And her family."Douglas also revealed in 2013 that he had tongue cancer, as he told Samuel L. Jackson on This Morning that he was advised to 'just say it's throat cancer' as it was 'before I had to go on a big tour for Wall Street'."So we kind of said there's no way we can cancel the tour and say we don't feel well … You've got to tell them," he said. "I said you've just got to come out and just tell them I've got cancer and that's that."Featured Image Credit: Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty ImagesTopics: Cancer, Celebrity, Health, Michael Douglas

Oct 07, 2026
Jamaal Howard’s Surprising Reaction to Christa Pike’s Botched Execution

Jamaal Howard’s Surprising Reaction to Christa Pike’s Botched Execution

Published 12:12 7 Oct 2026 GMT+1His execution is scheduled for 6pm Central Time in TexasA 46-year-old man will today (October 7) become the first person to be executed following the botched execution of Christa Pike, but his spiritual advisor has warned he doesn't understand the drug will likely kill him.Jamaal Howard is set to be put to death today following the 2000 murder of petrol station worker Vicky Swartout.The execution, which will take place at around 6pm in Texas, will go ahead using the same drug, pentobarbital, used in the Pike's failed execution last week.But the killer is not fully aware of what is happening to him, according to his spiritual advisor Dr Jeff Hood, who claimed he is 'intellectually disabled'.AdvertSpeaking with the Metro, he said: "I told Jamaal last week about what happened to Christa. That the drugs didn’t work and she was now in hospital."I thought he would be upset, but I was wrong. He told me, 'I am not worried, because the warden will just come and shoot me in the head', which is clearly not based in reality."Despite his disability, prosecutors have pushed for Howard to be sentenced to death.Aged 20, he was found guilty of stealing his granddad’s gun and firing at Vicky, which ultimately led to her death. Howard was 20 when he committed the murder. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice)However his family, as well as Dr Jeff, claim that Howard was shot in the head.He no longer recognises people he has known for a number of years, and mistakes his advisor for his attorney regularly. "When you talk about the lethal injection drugs," Dr Jeff said, "He thinks you are talking about drugs that would get you high or something."The advisor added: "He really has no idea it will end his life.Pike received life-saving treatment in hospital following the botched execution. (Christa Pike's legal team)"My worst fear is going into the chamber with him today, and him telling me he doesn’t know what’s going on."Pike became the first person in history last week to survive two doses of the so-called lethal injection. Her attorneys confirmed just yesterday that the killer was conscious and speaking following the botched execution just days ago. In an emailed statement shared with The Tennessean, lawyers Randy Spivey and Kelly Gleason said: "Against all odds, Christa Pike is conscious, speaking, and continues to receive critical medical care."Despite the severe damage she endured to her arms, she is still handcuffed and shackled to the bed. Her recovery is medically unprecedented. Her prognosis remains unclear but, at a minimum, we expect a long recovery."Featured Image Credit: Texas Department of Criminal JusticeTopics: Death Row, Christa Pike, US News, Crime

Oct 07, 2026
Sam Vanderpump Shares Difficult Update on His Liver Transplant Wait

Sam Vanderpump Shares Difficult Update on His Liver Transplant Wait

Published 12:35 7 Oct 2026 GMT+1He'd hoped his brother would be able to donate part of his liverSam Vanderpump has provided an update on his health and his wait for a transplant after being diagnosed with 'end-stage liver disease' last year.The Made in Chelsea star last year announced on an episode of the show that he'd been diagnosed and there was 'no hope of my liver getting better'.The 29-year-old had told co-star Ollie Locke that his doctor had told him 'I wouldn’t be having this call with you if I thought you could make it through the next four or five years'.He went in for an assessment on his liver with a view to getting a transplant, and today (7 October) he appeared on Good Morning Britain to provide an update where he said he was still waiting for one.AdvertHe'd hoped that his brother would be a suitable match for donation but it turned out not to be the case, and while a number of his fans have been in touch to offer part of their own liver he's said it involves a lot more than just messaging him with the offer.Sam Vanderpump is still waiting for a liver transplant after his brother wasn't a suitable donor (ITV)Vanderpump said there 'have been lots and lots of messages online' from fans of the reality TV star volunteering to donate part of their own liver and get him the transplant he needs.However, the Made in Chelsea star explained it doesn't quite work like that as there was a 'certain procedure' involved with organ donation and transplants which is not up to the man himself to sort out.He said: "So if someone were interested in being a live donor for me they would have to contact the hospital, King's College Hospital, and go through that route themselves."Right now he's still stuck in limbo waiting for a transplant, explaining to the hosts that when he was first told he'd need one they said 'maybe in the next two years' he could get one, but that was a year ago."Luckily my health hasn't deteriorated, but that is the fear" he said.If his health does deteriorate as he worries will happen it would move him up the transplant list.He said it left him feeling 'caught between a rock and a hard place' where he wants to get further up the transplant waiting list but doesn't want the drop in health that would lead to it.He hoped more people would register their decision to become organ donors so there wouldn't be thousands of people on a waiting list while they worried about their health.The NHS says end-stage liver disease (ESLD) occurs when the organ is damaged beyond repair and can no longer function properly, often due to chronic liver disease or acute liver failure.Symptoms of ESLD can include fatigue, jaundice, abdominal pain and swollen legs.Featured Image Credit: ITVTopics: Celebrity, Health, Good Morning Britain

Oct 07, 2026
Jamaal Howard’s Execution Faces Urgent Challenge After Christa Pike’s Botched Attempt

Jamaal Howard’s Execution Faces Urgent Challenge After Christa Pike’s Botched Attempt

Published 01:48 7 Oct 2026 GMT+1He's due to be put to death on 7 October but his legal team is fighting for a reprieve following Pike's botched execution attempt Texas death row inmate Jamaal Howard is set to become the first person to be executed following the botched attempt on Christa Pike. Howard is set to be executed on 7 October for the 2000 murder of Vickie Swartout during an attempted robbery. Howard was 20 at the time of the killing and has spent more than two decades on death row. His legal team has attempted to fight the execution and requested an emergency reprieve from Texas Governor Greg Abbott. AdvertHis lawyers claim that Howard, 46, has an intellectual disability and a long history of severe mental illness. Howard’s spiritual advisor Reverend Jeff Hood told 12 News Now that at his trial, psychiatrists who examined Howard found his IQ to be in the 65 to 70 range and described him as functioning at the level of an 11- or 12-year-old.Jamaal Howard is set to be executed on 7 October (State of Texas 356th Judicial Court)His legal team have also raised concerns following Pike’s recent execution attempt that went badly wrong. Pike, 50, survived two doses of pentobarbital at her scheduled execution on 30 September and was rushed to hospital for life-saving treatment. On Tuesday (6 October), her legal team said she is ‘conscious and speaking’. "Against all odds, Christa Pike is conscious, speaking, and continues to receive critical medical care,” they said. "Despite the severe damage she endured to her arms, she is still handcuffed and shackled to the bed. Her recovery is medically unprecedented. Her prognosis remains unclear but, at a minimum, we expect a long recovery."In the wake of the botched execution attempt, the state of Tennessee announced a halt on all scheduled executions. In court filings made by Howard’s lawyers, they note that he is at risk of receiving the same type of lethal injection as Pike. The filing states: “Ms. Pike survived two lethal doses of pentobarbital, the same drug used in executions in Texas, and she reportedly remains hospitalised in critical condition.”Tennessee Department of CorrectionsThe reprieve request continues: “When an execution goes wrong, one of the first questions anyone asks is whether the drug was what the State said it was. “Tennessee’s own officials cannot yet answer that, and the answer lies in records: when the drug was bought, from whom, how it was stored, and what testing was done and when. Texas should not wait until after a failed execution to ask the same questions.“We do not know why Ms. Pike’s execution failed, and we, specifically, do not know whether the failure was due to the pentobarbital’s being ineffective.” In an article for the Texas Observer ahead of the execution, Hood claimed that Howard ‘didn’t understand how executions were carried out’ and that he had not heard of the Pike case. Hood said he told Howard that in Pike’s case the drugs didn’t work, to which he replied: “I guess if the drugs don’t work, they’ll just shoot me in the head.”He said that he told Howard that executions didn’t work but claimed he ‘literally had no understanding of the protocol by which he was going to be executed or what would happen if something went wrong’. Featured Image Credit: State of Texas 356th Judicial CourtTopics: US News, Crime

Oct 07, 2026
Daria Shipilova’s Mother Challenges Russia’s Account of Her Mysterious Death

Daria Shipilova’s Mother Challenges Russia’s Account of Her Mysterious Death

Published 02:33 7 Oct 2026 GMT+1Daria's mother disputes the Russian account of how her daughter died, insisting she was 'no amateur' The mother of a Russian lab worker who died after a suspected pneumonic plague infection has spoken out to say authorities ‘let her daughter die.’Victim Daria Shipilova’s mother, Svetlana, told Russian media she and other family members remain in lockdown so are unable to bury the 28-year-old, reports The Sun.Svetlana, who is herself a medic, accused those responsible for her daughter’s treatment of ‘abandoning’ her.She is reported to have said, “I’ve saved plenty of patients, yet they couldn’t save my daughter. They simply let my daughter die.AdvertRussian media claims the victim died after breaking a test tube“I’m waiting for it to become official. It has to be an official document. It’s very hard for me right now. This whole spectacle drags on.”Russian media reported that Daria died after a test tube broke while she was working in a lab in Irkutsk, Siberia, although her mother disputes this.She is thought to have been studying bacteria called Yersinia pestis, which killed millions during the Middle Ages.Daria was reportedly part of an expedition in Buryatia, on Russia’s border with Mongolia – where she studied plague-infested squirrels.The researcher died of what officials have termed ‘pneumonia of unknown aetiology’.Russia has seen cases of the plague (Getty Stock Images)According to France 24, the governor of the Irkutsk region denied anyone died as a result of working with dangerous pathogens, and there have been few details released over how Daria passed away.Officials were quick, however, to place several hospitals and almost 200 people into a strict quarantine lockdown after reports of her death.The World Health Organisation has responded to the death by asking Russia for updates.US President Donald Trump has offered to help Russia, warning that the plague is ‘stronger and smarter’ than current vaccines.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said America would be “watching and monitoring it closely”.Shipilova worked as a lab technician at a plague research institute in Irkutsk, Siberia. (CNN)He said: “There’s very limited travel between the US and Russia, obviously.“But like anything else, something like that gets out and could quickly spread. So we’re watching and monitoring it closely.”Daria’s mother insisted her daughter would not have broken a test tube.“Only an amateur would say something like that,” she said.“It’s simply impossible to spill or break it. They are so heavily protected.”Asked about the lack of a funeral, she said: “Who is going to bury her if we are sitting here imprisoned?“She was such a hard worker. A pure, truly pure soul. It is very difficult to get a job there at Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute.“They destroyed my daughter – abandoned her and destroyed her.”Featured Image Credit: (Getty)Topics: Russia

Oct 07, 2026
Hollywood Mourns Oscar-Winning Star Eva Marie Saint, Dead at 102

Hollywood Mourns Oscar-Winning Star Eva Marie Saint, Dead at 102

Updated 00:29 7 Oct 2026 GMT+1Published 00:19 7 Oct 2026 GMT+1The Hollywood star passed away at her home 'surrounded by family and loved ones' Oscar-winning actress Eva Marie Saint has died aged 102.Saint, who was known for her roles in On the Waterfront and North by Northwest, passed away at her Los Angeles home.A family spokesperson said Saint died of natural causes while ‘surrounded by family and loved ones’ on 6 October.Saint was born on 4 July 1924 in New Jersey and got her first taste of fame as a spokeswoman on the TV game show Campus Hoopla in 1946. AdvertShe then spent several years working across TV and radio before appearing on Broadway in The Trip to Bountiful in 1953. However, Saint is best-known and remembered for her movie roles. She shot to Hollywood acclaim playing Edie Doyle in On the Waterfront, with the role earning her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.Following her Oscar success, Saint was in high-demand and went on to have an impress resume with roles in a slew of movies including, That Certain Feeling, A Hatful of Rain, Raintree County, Exodus, All Fall Down, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians are Coming, Grand Prix, The Stalking Moon, and Cancel My Reservation. She also gave a blistering performance as Eve Kendall in Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic North by Northwest in 1959.Speaking about the role decades later in a 2014 interview with Vanity Fair, she said that Hitchcock had been on-hand to offer some acting tips. She shared: “He didn’t talk about acting. He worked with me from the outside in. My hair, my makeup, my shoes, my jewelry, my purse, my gloves, everything. “And just from creating that exterior for me, he gave me the sense of a spy lady. But we never talked about emotion. He told me not to use my hands — I have a habit of doing that — and to lower my voice. And always, in my scenes with Cary Grant, look directly into his eyes, which was not difficult.”Saint is survived by her two children, Darrell and Laurette, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.More to follow Featured Image Credit: Archive Photos/Getty Image

Oct 06, 2026
Christa Pike Conscious and Speaking After Tennessee’s Failed Execution Attempt

Christa Pike Conscious and Speaking After Tennessee’s Failed Execution Attempt

Updated 23:22 6 Oct 2026 GMT+1Published 22:19 6 Oct 2026 GMT+1Pike is understood to have been unconscious in critical condition since her failed executionChrista Pike is reportedly conscious and speaking after Tennessee’s failed attempt to execute her by lethal injection.In an emailed statement shared with The Tennessean, lawyers Randy Spivey and Kelly Gleason said, “Against all odds, Christa Pike is conscious, speaking, and continues to receive critical medical care, reports The Tennessean. “Despite the severe damage she endured to her arms, she is still handcuffed and shackled to the bed. Her recovery is medically unprecedented. Her prognosis remains unclear but, at a minimum, we expect a long recovery.”Pike was given two doses of the lethal poison pentobarbital by the Tennessee Department of Correction on September 30 but the attempt to execute her failed.AdvertChrista Pike has been on death row for the last 30 years. (Christa Pike’s legal team)She was reported to have been crying, whispering and complaining of the pain in her arm by her lawyers before she fell unconscious in front of shocked witnesses.She was rushed to hospital by ambulance and remained unconscious in critical condition until today.Her lawyers expressed their gratitude to first responders “who treated Christa like a human and have provided exceptional care to her”.Christa Pike survived her executionThe lawyers most recent statement is the first to indicate any recovery on the part of Pike since her failed execution on Wednesday.The Tennessee Department of Correction released a statement saying it could provide no information on her condition except that she had been taken to hospital.Pike received her death sentence after the 1995 murder of her classmate Colleen Slemmer. Her lawyers claimed her arm was left burned and bruised because of the injection and it was feared she would not recover.Colleen Slemmer was tortured before being murdered by Christa Pike and her boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, back in January 1995 (YouTube/WBIR)Dr Joel Zivot, a professor of anaesthesiology and surgery in Atlanta and a consultant to Pike's legal team said the latest development “bodes well for a good recovery”.But he cautioned it could be weeks or months before her exact recovery could be assessed.“She’s still in the ICU,” he said. “She has recovered to a certain degree that she’s able to be off a ventilator and able to speak, but in no way would I announce her free of further serious risk.“There’s still a lot of bad things that can happen here, even when everyone is doing their job well.”Pike’s legal team are due in court on Wednesday as they seek details on the failed lethal injection, including an order for Tennessee to preserve evidence relating to the botched execution.Featured Image Credit: (Police handout)Topics: Christa Pike

Oct 06, 2026
Nidal Hasan in spotlight after Trump approves rare firing squad execution

Nidal Hasan in spotlight after Trump approves rare firing squad execution

Published 19:24 6 Oct 2026 GMT+1Nidal Malik Hasan fatally shot 13 US soldiers in 2009 and injured dozens moreA former solider is set to be killed by firing squad for the first time in decades for a devastating 2009 attack that killed numerous people.In November 2009, Nidal Malik Hasan, a former Army officer and psychiatrist, opened fire on unarmed officers at the Fort Hood military base, located near Killeen, Texas.On the fateful day 17 years ago, Hasan walked into a medical building where soldiers were getting medical check-ups, shouted 'Allahu akbar' – Arabic for 'God is great' – and opened fire with a laser-sighted handgun.Thirteen people were killed and more than 30 injured.AdvertHe said it was an effort to stop them from going to Afghanistan and killing his fellow Muslims and made almost no effort to defend himself at trial.Hasan told jurors that evidence would show he was the shooter and described himself as a soldier who had 'switched sides'.Nidal Malik Hasan murdered 13 unarmed American soliders in 2009 (U.S. Government Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences via Getty Images)The last US military executionsHasan has been on death row ever since and has now been ordered to die by firing squad; a rare means of execution in the US, particularly when it comes to the military justice system. Four men, including Hasan, are currently on the military’s death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.One of the men is Ronald Gray. President George W Bush approved the execution of army specialist Gray in 2008 but it was put on hold by a judge and he remains at Leavenworth.Before today's announcement regarding Hasan's fate, the last military execution carried out by firing squad was that of Pvt. Eddie D. Slovik, says Army Times. Slovik was killed in France on January 31, 1945, for desertion during World War 2.The last execution in general was that of Pvt. John Bennett. He died by hanging at Fort Leavenworth in 1961 after being convicted of raping and attempting to kill a young girl.Donald Trump has consented to Hasan's execution by firing squad (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)What Pete Hegseth said about Nidal Malik Hasan's executionIn a statement shared to social media on October 6, it was announced that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had received President Donald Trump's blessing to order Hasan be killed by firing squad.Sean Parnell, Hegseth's assistant, tweeted: "Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has recommended — and President Donald J. Trump has approved — death by U.S. Army firing squad for convicted terrorist Nidal Malik Hasan, the jihadist who opened fire on unarmed American soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009. He killed 13 people and wounded 32 others while shouting 'Allahu Akbar' during the attack. "The Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution. Judgement day for Hasan has finally come."Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock PhotoTopics: Military, US News, Death Row, Crime

Oct 06, 2026
Benjamin William Day Admits Murder in Dexter-Style Airbnb ‘Kill Room’

Benjamin William Day Admits Murder in Dexter-Style Airbnb ‘Kill Room’

Updated 20:30 6 Oct 2026 GMT+1Published 20:26 6 Oct 2026 GMT+1University of Worcester undergraduate Benjamin William Day, then 19, was arrested wearing a Dexter-style khaki topA 20-year-old forensics student obsessed with Dexter has admitted to murdering a sex worker who he lured to a plastic-lined ‘kill room’ in an Airbnb in the West Midlands.Benjamin William Day, a University of Worcester undergraduate, was 19 when he inflicted 78 knife wounds on Maria Saceanu, 24, and started to dismember her body, a murder trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.Some 20 miles from his home in Redditch, Worcestershire, prosecutor Rachel Brand KC said the defendant spent several hours preparing the so-called kill room at the three-bed Airbnb on Barncroft Road, Tividale.He then left the £40 rental home at about 12.30am on 21 December, walked some distance away and then called 999 at 12.50am asking for medical help.AdvertDay changed his plea to guilty after discussions with his lawyer on the second day of his trial on Tuesday (6 October).Day was arrested wearing a Dexter-style khaki top (Dan Littlejohn/CBS via Getty Images)The decision came around three hours after jurors were shown footage of Day claiming to have been attacked by a ‘wild dog’ or fox.Jurors were shown footage of police officers helping Day with a hand injury, which was wrapped in duct tape, at the junction of Highview Street and Brewery Street in Dudley.Addressing Mr Justice Bryan before the trial judge decided to delay sentencing for further psychiatric assessments, defence barrister Gurdeep Garcha KC said of Day: “He is well aware of the nature and inevitability of the sentence that must follow.“It seems to us that given his age and the absence of (previous) criminal offending, the court would be assisted by a pre-sentence report.”Day has changed his plea to guilty (Google Maps)Prosecutor Rachel Brand KC said: “He lured Maria Saceanu to a room that he had rented via Airbnb.“He had prepared himself to kill her.“He had planned to dispose of her body without leaving signs of what had happened, and he planned to get away with it.“But it all went wrong and he was caught.”After Day was taken to Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, he was arrested on suspicion of murder at 3.42am while laying on a bed in hospital in a Dexter-style khaki top, the court heard.Brand told the court that on 18 November last year, Day had made a ‘shopping list’ on his phone of things that were required for the killing, including knives, scissors, a mask, an apron, disposable gloves, plastic sheeting, duct tape, a staple gun, a T-shirt, trousers, cleaning chemicals, microscope slides, a pipette and ‘hefties’ – a word used by Americans to describe heavy-duty black bin bags.Previously expected to claim self-defence, it was though that Day was setting up the room to film a 'tribute' to Dexter which he could post on TikTok.Featured Image Credit: West Midlands PoliceTopics: UK News, Crime

Oct 06, 2026
Why Baba Vanga’s Plague Prediction Is Getting Attention in Russia

Why Baba Vanga’s Plague Prediction Is Getting Attention in Russia

Published 14:45 6 Oct 2026 GMT+1Baba Vanga was sure that 2027 would present the world with a big changeBaba Vanga’s foresight is no joke, considering she reportedly knew there would be a resurgence of the Plague decades before Russia was forced to lock down its hospitals. Right now, the current state in Russian territories is proving to be worrisome, as approximately 200 people are being monitored in Siberia after a laboratory worker's death ignited fears of a plague outbreak in Russia. Reports have since confirmed a second person has allegedly died of the plague in the Irkutsk region, this time at Irkutsk district hospital. However, Russia has been adamant that the first victim, 28-year-old Darya Shipilova, died of 'unidentified pneumonia' after working at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute. AdvertShe reportedly told medical staff she had accidentally smashed a test tube containing live bacteria, leading to her and her contacts to be quarantined. Russia has seen cases of the plague (Getty Stock Images)When she was with colleagues in Buryatia, near Mongolia, she became ill and was placed on a ventilator on September 29 before dying on October 2 in Shelekhov. Reports came out to claim she had personally worked with Yersinia pestis, the bacterium behind the plague and neighboring areas have been tightening their borders in response. According to the Express, a total of five hospitals has been closed for quarantine purposes in Siberia alone. According to reports from the news company Baikal People, hospitals in Russia's Irkutsk region have been placed under a three-week quarantine after Shipilova’s death. Despite this being quite a shocking turn of global events, Baba Vanga may have predicted the outbreak in Russia long ago. The Bulgarian mystic died in 1996, but as someone who allegedly predicted both the September 11 attacks and the Chernobyl disaster, her words have been taken seriously by many people over the years since her death. One social media user who follows her work revealed: “Baba Vanga predicted an ancient pathogen which was frozen would be released in Siberia and spread globally. She also predicted that the same year would see the start of water scarcity issues and NHI interactions.” Her 2027 claim states that people would undergo biological changes and display superhuman abilities, too. The plague is a pathogen spread by wild rodents, such as rats and fleas and is believed to have started in Central Asia before being spread around the world through trade routes. Baba Vanga's prophecies have gained many followers (Getty Stock Images)As reported by the Daily Mail, the supposed prophecy doesn’t talk about the apparent ‘superhuman’ abilities or how the change would occur, leading to conspiracies about secret gene editing and biological warfare being potential causes. It also leaves things unclear whether the event would result from a natural outbreak, a deliberate attack, or an accidental laboratory release. Regardless, you wouldn’t want to catch the pneumonic plague, which causes a severe lung infection, with fever, shortness of breath, and coughing blood three to seven days after making contact. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pneumonic plague is rare, but also a severe, and rapidly progressing form of pneumonia that can be transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets. Featured Image Credit: NDTVTopics: Russia, Health, Baba Vanga

Oct 06, 2026
Danni Duncan Reveals Three Bowel Cancer Warning Signs She Nearly Dismissed

Danni Duncan Reveals Three Bowel Cancer Warning Signs She Nearly Dismissed

Updated 17:29 6 Oct 2026 GMT+1Published 16:00 6 Oct 2026 GMT+1"Your gut is your second brain. Listen to it".The C word is terrifying to us all, there's no doubt about that, but one fitness fanatic is hoping to inspire the world to listen our bodies.Meet Australia's Danni Duncan, a health coach with over 150,000 followers on Instagram; less than a month ago she revealed that she'd once been diagnosed with Stage 2 bowel cancer.Still in her 30s, the news hit her like a train, but she's now turning the whole experience into something positive and wants anybody who'll listen to take tiny changes in their body seriously - it might just save your life."I got bowel cancer in my 30s, here are three symptoms you should never ignore," she captioned a clip of herself posing in the mirror.AdvertBut what were the cancerous identifiers she spotted before pursuing medical assistance?Danni noticed three things that just weren't right (Instagram/@danni___duncan)"I was dizzy, anxious"Duncan went on to write: "Fatigue that isn't normal for YOU. My runs were slow, I couldn't finish sets at the gym. I couldn't get my heart rate down, I was dizzy, anxious."This wasn't your normal 'I need a nap' tired. I was 4 months postpartum with my 4th baby. I dismissed it as that initially."This was different. I was so anemic my doctor said I should've been bleeding out in front of her, yet I didn't even have my period back and was breastfeeding."Unexplained bloatingAs for the fitness influencer's second symptoms, she'd been dealing with inexplicable bloating."I eat 90% whole foods, drink 3-4 litres of water a day, limit alcohol (especially when breastfeeding), my stress was low, people tried to help by saying to go easy on myself, I'd just had my 4th baby and was nearing 40. It wasn't sitting right with me," she shared.UK bowel cancer stats (LADbible)"I just knew something was wrong"Then came a 'gut instinct' as opposed to an official symptom."Your gut is your second brain. Listen to it," Duncan encouraged. "I just knew something was wrong. I knew my body and something didn't feel right."You MUST listen to that instinct and advocate for your health. YOU know your body better than anyone. I knew I looked after myself better than anyone I know. Loved it, nourished it, honoured it. Yet I could tell something was up."The Australian pointed to the more obvious symptoms connected to bowel cancer too, including bloody stools and uncharacteristic constipation or diarrhoea.She signed off with: "The best thing you can do is take care of yourself NOW. Be the fittest, healthiest version of you, so if the worst is to come tapping - like it did with me - you're in the best shape to fight it."In the comments, Duncan's words were music to the ears of many, proving that everyone's personal story can be inspiring."Wow this is so interesting and inspiring. Thank you for sharing your story," read one message."Thank you, all your advocacy made me book in for colonoscopy," revealed a second fan. "My Dr removed two polyps really early stages, one came back as an aggressive one which would likely develop into bowel cancer in years to come. Thank you."Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@danni.duncan_Topics: Instagram, Health, Australia, Bowel cancer, Cancer

Oct 06, 2026
Russia’s Reported Second Plague Death Draws Attention as Coverage Vanishes

Russia’s Reported Second Plague Death Draws Attention as Coverage Vanishes

Updated 14:09 6 Oct 2026 GMT+1Published 13:52 6 Oct 2026 GMT+1Reports of the deaths have allegedly disappeared from several Russian news outlets Roughly 200 people are being monitored in Siberia after a laboratory worker's death raised fears of a plague outbreak in Russia.Now, local media claimed on Tuesday that a second person has died of the plague in the Irkutsk region, at Irkutsk district hospital, after allegedly contracting the disease.Russia insists the first victim, 28-year-old Darya Shipilova, died of 'unidentified pneumonia'. But neighboring Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are tightening border health controls amid reports it was pneumonic plague, with fears she was killed by the bacterium behind the Black Death, which caused millions of deaths in Europe during the Middle Ages.AdvertReports concerning the plague have allegedly been disappearing, including one from Russia's Channel 5 broadcaster and one nationally distributed daily newspaper, Kommersant. Rospotrebnadzor, Russia's federal health agency, has denied there is a plague outbreak in the Irkutsk region. (Getty Stock Image)How did Darya Shipilova die?Shipilova worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute. She reportedly told medical staff she had accidentally broken a test tube containing live bacteria, prompting her contacts to be quarantined.She fell ill during a field expedition with colleagues in Buryatia, beside Russia's eastern border with Mongolia, and was admitted to hospital on September 29 and placed on a ventilator.She died on October 2 in Shelekhov, a satellite city of Irkutsk. She had also personally worked with Yersinia pestis, the bacterium behind plague.Coverage has also been vanishing. The Insider, an independent Russian outlet, said REN TV deleted all five of its publications about the plague in the Irkutsk region, while Channel 5 and Kommersant reports have also allegedly vanished.Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said the public should trust only Rospotrebnadzor, Russia's federal health agency.He said: "One should rely on official statements from Rospotrebnadzor rather than listening to various rumors and speculation."The agency stated on October 4 that Shipilova died of 'pneumonia of an unspecified type' and has denied there is an outbreak.Marco Rubio said on Monday that Washington is 'watching and monitoring it closely'. (Photo by Mark Schiefelbein / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that Washington was monitoring the reports. "I don't think it's cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus and a cause to just keep an eye on it," he told reporters.Trump, also speaking Monday, said the US will 'help' Russia. "The microbes and the germs have gotten stronger disproportionately, but we'll help them," he said.Rospotrebnadzor replied on Tuesday that Russia is ready to assist the US with outbreaks, pointing to 'significantly worsened' measles in three states and a 'fatal case of plague' in New Mexico in June.What are the symptoms of pneumonic plague?Pneumonic plague causes a severe lung infection, with fever, shortness of breath and coughing up blood typically appearing three to seven days after contact. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pneumonic plague is a rare, severe, and rapidly progressing form of pneumonia caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis.It is distinct as the only form of plague that can be transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets.Marco Rubio said on Monday that Washington is 'watching and monitoring it closely'. (Getty Stock Image)Fatalities fall to around 17 percent if treated with antibiotics within the first 24 hours, but it is almost always fatal if left untreated. According to the World Health Organization, it is even more severe than bubonic plague, the form associated with the Black Death.Lyudi Baikala reported that City Clinical Hospitals No. 1, 3 and 10 and the Ivano-Matreninskaya Children's Hospital have been closed for a three-week quarantine, and reports claim drugs used to treat the disease are running out.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image Topics: Russia, Health, News

Oct 06, 2026