Stephen Mifsud

‘Ticking timebomb’: sea acidity has reached critical levels, threatening entire ecosystems – study Ocean acidification has already crossed a crucial threshold for planetary health, scientists say in unexpected finding * More on this story: The scientists warning the world about ocean acidification – ‘evil twin’ of the climate crisis The world’s oceans are in worse health than realised, scientists have said today, as they warn that a key measurement shows we are “running out of time” to protect marine ecosystems. Ocean acidification, often called the “evil twin” of the climate crisis, is caused when carbon dioxide is rapidly absorbed by the ocean, where it reacts with water molecules leading to a fall in the pH level of the seawater. It damages coral reefs and other ocean habitats and, in extreme cases, can dissolve the shells of marine creatures. Continue reading...

‘Ticking timebomb’: sea acidity has reached critical levels, threatening entire ecosystems – study

Alcohol causes cancer, and less than 1 drink can increase your risk − a cancer biologist explains how Alcohol is the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the US, accounting for tens of thousands of cancer deaths per year.

🧪”Alcohol is the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually. In comparison, alcohol-related vehicle crashes cause around 13,500 deaths each year in the U.S.”

theconversation.com/alcohol-caus...

Brexit a key factor in worst UK medicine shortages in four years, report says Nuffield Trust says supply chains have shifted, with drugs for epilepsy and cystic fibrosis among those now scarce Drug shortages in the UK have risen to their worst level for four years, official figures show, with Brexit considered a key reason so many medications are scarce. Drug companies notified the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) about disruptions to supply 1,938 times during last year – the highest number since the 1,967 seen in 2021. Continue reading...

Brexit a key factor in worst UK medicine shortages in four years, report says

measles rash

Measles Can Damage the Immune System for Years www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/w...

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀: CanadaHealthwatch.ca/newsletter 🍁

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control detected 620,000 Chikungunya virus cases and 213 deaths last year.

Today, we approved a vaccine against the virus for individuals over 12 years old.

→ europa.eu/!XvkvCk

Doctors in London cure blindness in children with rare condition Four children can now see shapes, find toys, recognise their parents’ faces and some can read and write

“We have, for the first time, an effective treatment for the most severe form of childhood blindness, and a potential paradigm shift to treatment at the earliest stages of the disease.”

How amazing - how lives can be changed when we support science

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Smaller EU states risk being left behind in critical medicines market, says Belgian MEP Sommen - Euractiv Belgian MEP Liesbet Sommen spoke with Euractiv about critical medicines shortages, EU Pharma Package progress, and SANT's evolving role.

Belgian MEP Liesbet Sommen spoke about critical medicines shortages, EU Pharma Package progress, and SANT’s evolving role. 🩺

www.euractiv.com/section/heal...

NIH cuts billions of dollars in biomedical funding, effective immediately The move halts a large slice of money for most universities and research institutions virtually overnight, imperiling vital research in everything from cancer to heart disease.

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

What good are medicines and new medical technologies when they can’t be accessed by people? As we say in MSF, medicines and medical tolls and now medical care shouldn’t be a luxury !

Four lessons COVID taught us about the immune system In the midst of pandemic upheaval, researchers have gained fundamental insights about how the body fends off infections.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

‘Move closer to Europe – not Trump’ voters tell Starmer in major UK poll Pressure growing on Labour to improve trade with EU as Rachel Reeves admits Brexit damaged UK

🚨NEW B4B & @yougov.co.uk MEGAPOLL: All GB constituencies favour trade with the EU over the US.

Including Nigel Farage's Clacton constituency - and Boston & Skegness, which had the highest Leave vote in the 2026 referendum.

Read more from @theguardian.com👇
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Public Health Success Is Fragile - The Return Of Measles Is Proof Measles is surging and vaccine hesitancy is up. In his book "Booster Shots," Dr Adam Ratner explains why measles is back and how we can control this deadly infectious killer.

"Public health successes can be fragile. Politics, education, trust in science – these things all matter, and with the fraying of trust that is unfolding in front of us, we risk losing that hard-won progress" - @adamratnermd.bsky.social

www.forbes.com/sites/madhuk...

“Ecological bomb” — Another Russian tanker, this time drifting off the coast of France, raises alarm

▪️A Russian tanker broke down and is drifting in the Bay of Biscay off the coast of France. The ship, named Unity,lost power in stormy conditions on January 23,according to the publication Splash247

Microplastics block blood flow in the brain, mouse study reveals Real-time imaging shows how plastic-stuffed cells form clumps that affect mouse movement.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Are Cell Phones Really Destroying Kids’ Mental Health? Jonathan Haidt once heralded an “ultrasocial” world. Now he’s one of social media’s most prominent critics.

This by @sivav.bsky.social is really good

“It’s possible that everything else in society is amplifying or even causing so much of the distress, and constant phone use is a symptom and often necessary response.” newrepublic.com/article/1903...

Together with Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef we are running for WOŚP on Sunday in Brussels. Join us! #BeActive

W niedzielę w Brukseli razem z Komisarzem ds Sportu Glenn’em Micallef biegniemy dla WOŚP ! Dołącz do nas!

wosp.be/19-bieg/

Trump rollback jeopardises EU-US data transfers: privacy activist says First-day executive orders signed by the new US president could make it impossible for thousands of EU businesses and public bodies to use US cloud providers such as Google, Microsoft and Amazon witho...

First-day executive orders signed by the new US president could make it impossible for thousands of EU businesses and public bodies to use US cloud providers such as Google, Microsoft and Amazon without breaching EU privacy.

We have entered a new era of harsh geostrategic competition.

Breaking the bonds in the global economy is in no one’s interest.

Europe will keep seeking cooperation.

With our long-time friends.

And any country we share interests with

Watch my speech live here → europa.eu/!Jw63DJ

Whether it’s juices with more sugar than cola proudly labelled as ‘antioxidant’, salty processed meat enticing consumers with ‘source of protein’ or even biscuits boasting about their fibre content, it's clear that the legislation to #StopDodgyClaims is needed more than ever. https://buff.ly/3CfCpaO

Why a daily glass of milk really could reduce bowel cancer risk—an oncologist explains A glass of milk a day could help keep bowel cancer away—or so finds a study by Oxford University and Cancer Research UK. The research suggests that increasing daily milk intake by as little as one gla...

medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01...

New EU rules on Health Technology Assessment open up a new era for patient access to innovation On Sunday, 12 January, the Regulation on Health Technology Assessment (HTA) will become applicable, bringing a significant improvement in ensuring that innovative and effective health technologies are...

Find out more: europa.eu/!NXXWnw

A modern MRI machine in a bright, clinical setting, featuring a sleek design with glowing blue accents. The room has white walls with blue stripes, and a European Commission logo is visible in the bottom-right corner.

💊 Patients deserve access to innovative, effective health technologies.

New EU law, in force from this month, introduces a permanent EU framework for Health Technology Assessment, helping to ensure faster, broader access to more effective healthcare products and stimulating innovation.

Scientists make disturbing new discovery while studying human urine samples: 'We urgently need to classify [this]' A recent study found high levels of two potentially deadly chemicals in humans' urine, raising concerns about tire pollution.

“It's not easy to be exact, but studies estimate that tires create anywhere from 10-28% of the world's microplastic pollution, according to National Geographic. These particles don't just disappear — they end up in our water, our soil, and our bodies.”

Carlo Buontempo: Director of Copernicus Climate Change Service: ‘It’s likely that 2024 was the hottest of the last 100,000 years’ | Climate The average annual temperature of the planet is a mathematical calculation made with measurements taken around the world over the course of a year. As Carlo Buontempo (Rome, 52 years old), director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service — the European Union’s Earth observation program — points out, the main bodies that monitor the world’s climate use different data and methodologies. However, this week these groups presented their 2024 assessment in near-synchronicity, and the results are “very, very similar.” “These are not opinions, they’re facts,” says the Italian climatologist, who is concerned that society is not taking advantage of the

Carlo Buontempo: Director of Copernicus Climate Change Service: ‘It’s likely that 2024 was the hottest of the last 100,000 years’ | Climate

https://www.byteseu.com/665287/

The average annual temperature of the planet is a mathematical calculation made with measurements taken around the world …

New Research Shows Calorie Labels in Supermarkets and Restaurants Are Ineffective Calorie labels in supermarkets and restaurants have little impact on consumer choices, researchers found, fuelling doubts about whether the practice is worth keeping.The effect of the dietary information is a calorie reduction of about 1.8%, which amounts to removing two almonds from a 600-calorie meal, according to a review by the UK non-profit Cochrane. The researchers aggregated results from 25 studies from countries including the US, UK and France.A new generation of obesity drugs like Novo Nordisk A/S’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly & Co.’s Zepbound is changing the conversation around obesity, its causes and how to cure it.To get better

New Research Shows Calorie Labels in Supermarkets and Restaurants Are Ineffective

https://www.byteseu.com/664030/

Calorie labels in supermarkets and restaurants have little impact on consumer choices, researchers found, fuelling doubts about whether the practice is worth keeping. The effect of …

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Young people are hanging out less — it may be harming their mental health Could the decline of face-to-face interaction tie together several modern mysteries?

www.ft.com/content/2305...

Malta confirmed as part of the Global Offshore Wind Alliance Malta officially joined the Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA), an alliance of around 30 countries and organisations, the government said Saturday. This milestone follows the present government's significant initiatives in advancing the offshore renewable energy sector. GOWA confirmed Malta's membership during an event held as part of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)'s 15th Assembly. Malta's decision to join GOWA reflects its commitment to contributing to collaborative initiatives within the offshore wind energy sector. By engaging with international partners, Malta aims to accelerate the deployment of offshore renewable energy; a crucial element in global efforts to mitigate

Malta confirmed as part of the Global Offshore Wind Alliance

https://www.byteseu.com/663988/

Malta officially joined the Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA), an alliance of around 30 countries and organisations, the government said Saturday. This milestone follows the present …

Labour considering ban on use of NDAs to hush up sexual misconduct at work Ministers prepared to back change in law to prohibit misuse of gagging clauses by employers, it is understood

www.theguardian.com/law/2025/jan...

Truly delighted to kick off my travels for 2025 with a visit to Poland to participate in the CMO/ CNO/ CDO meeting and launch the #EUNursingAction

We look forward to working with our member states, our partners and of course the European Commission which is funding and supporting this action.