As a result of climate change, almost half the world’s population lives in areas where they may contract dengue or chikungunya, viruses that were previously found only in tropical regions.

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While both dengue and chikungunya can be deadly in some cases, symptoms range from fever to headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and a skin rash, Politico.eu reported.

The tiger mosquito is moving progressively closer to other countries in the region as the world warms up from emissions of greenhouse gases.

The Lancet Planetary Health paper analyzed the effect of various influences, including climate change, on the growing prevalence of dengue and chikungunya in Europe during the past three and a half decades.

The study revealed that outbreaks have become more common and more intense over the last decade as global temperatures have increased.

“Our findings highlight that the EU is transitioning from sporadic outbreaks of Aedes-borne diseases towards an endemic state,” as per the study.

Furthermore, in 2024, the hottest year on record, a total of 304 dengue cases were reported in the EU, which is “a historic peak compared with the combined total of 275 cases in the previous 15 years,” the study mentioned.

Also, countries such as Italy, Croatia, France, and Spain have all experienced outbreaks where “the trend suggests a progression from sporadic cases towards endemicity in these countries.”

A report published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in June 2022 showed that cases of locally acquired dengue virus had more than doubled in the EEA and EU from 2010 to 2021, increasing from 71 in the previous decade to 130 in 2023, Politico.eu reported.

The research predicts that the cases of dengue and chikungunya could rise to five times their current levels in 2060, assuming the most extreme climate conditions.

The post Global Warming Escalates Mosquito-Borne Diseases, Threatening US appeared first on Fitness Blue Prints.

Apple’s decision is a response to a lawsuit where users claimed the company collected and provided their voice recordings to third-party contractors for quality purposes in 2019. 

Accidental Activations Exposed 

According to the lawsuit, Siri would sometimes turn itself on by accident, silently listening to and recording private conversations. 

Back then, reports showed that some of the audio material exposed private medical records and those involved in the conversation. 

Although Apple states that nothing wrong happened, the company has opted for an out-of-court settlement. 

It was reported by The Verge that, according to the company, the privacy of users was considered, and their recordings were never sold or used by Apple in any advertising. 

As a result of the settlement, US users who meet the rules can claim part of the payout. 

Apple is paying up to Rs 8,500 per user as part of its Siri lawsuit settlement, here is how to claimhttps://t.co/W4OmaUct4y

— IndiaTodayTech (@IndiaTodayTech) May 14, 2025

Eligible Users Can Claim  

If a user meets the defined qualifications, they can earn a maximum of USD 100 for each device. 

To take part in the promotion, people need to have used Siri on any Apple device from September 17, 2014, until December 31, 2024. 

Some of the products in this product line consist of iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, Apple Watches, HomePods, iPod Touch, and Apple TV. 

The claim applies to customers who had Siri turned on by accident while having a private talk. You can get a maximum of USD 20 per device, and you can claim a maximum of five devices, giving you a total payout of USD 100. 

What is the deadline to File Claims? 

The deadline to make a claim is July 2, and it needs to be done at the official settlement website – “opezvoiceassistantsettlement.com.” 

Those who are qualified would have already received a notice through email with the subject “Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement.” 

But, as per indiatoday.in reports, even without a notification, users could still file a claim by paying a visit to the official settlement portal, and filling out the necessary details. 

The post Siri Betrayed Users’ Trust—Apple Settles for USD 95M  appeared first on Fitness Blue Prints.

The New York researchers advise consumers to be ‘cautious’ about including taurine, found in drinks like Red Bull and Celsius, in their diets. 

They found for the first time that amino acid is used as fuel for the leukemia cancer cells that develop in bone marrow, the spongy material found in the center of bones. 

Leukemia Cells Feed on Taurine 

Our bodies create taurine naturally, and it’s been tried as a supplement to help decrease side effects in people receiving chemotherapy for leukemia, dailymail.com reported. 

Taking more nutrients than needed could cause blood cancer to become more severe, warns the team from the University of Rochester. 

WA DC pols & staff def gonna hate 2 read dis cuz dey drink several cans of Celsius daily! Doctors issue urgent warning over ingredient found in popular drinks that turbocharges CANCER. https://t.co/4SE9ezfubg

— willwinforever (@willwinforever) May 14, 2025

“Since taurine is a common ingredient in energy drinks… our work suggests that it may be of interest to carefully consider the [risks and] benefits of supplemental taurine in leukemia patients,” as the study stated. 

Furthermore, they also stated that while the research is still early, they are ‘very excited’ as targeting taurine production from leukemia cells “may be a possible avenue for treatment of these aggressive diseases.” 

By preventing taurine from moving into the cells, researchers observed a slower disease progression in mice and human leukemia models. 

The new study, presented in the journal Nature, is part of research aimed at finding if any additional cancers, like colorectal cancer, might be treated with taurine. 

Taurine is naturally present in your body’s bone marrow, brain, heart, and muscles. We also get B vitamins from meat and fish, and some beverages add them to help improve cell energy and mental focus. 

Some believe it assists with the control of nerve cell calcium and reduces inflammation, dailymail.com reported. 

A new study looked at mice that had an SLC6A6 gene, which helps move taurine through the body. 

After exploring, the team found that cells in bone marrow, where leukemia occurs, can make taurine by themselves. 

After that, the SLC6A6 gene brings taurine to the leukemia cells from the bone. 

They claim that taurine has never been seen in bone marrow before, and that it makes leukemia, a cancer affecting 67,000 in America and 10,000 in the UK, worse. 

The post Deadly Sip? Doctors Warn Ingredient in Popular Energy Drinks  appeared first on Fitness Blue Prints.

What is the “Popcorn Lung” condition? 

Formally detected as bronchiolitis obliterans, popcorn lung is a condition characterized by an irremediable and serious disease that affects the small air tubes of the lungs, thus causing prolonged coughing and wheezing, fatigue, and short breath. 

The name “popcorn lung” emerged in the first decade of the 21st century when a few workers of a microwave popcorn factory developed a lung problem due to inhalation of a chemical called diacetyl -the same ingredient that gives popcorn its rich, buttery taste. 

Diacetyl or 2,3-butanedione is a flavoring agent that becomes a toxic inhalant once it is aerosolized, scitechdaily.com reported. 

It leads to inflammation and scarring of the bronchioles (the smallest branch in the lungs), thus making it harder for air to pass as time goes by. The result: permanent, often disabling lung damage. 

Vaping’s Legal Loopholes and Hidden Threats 

Diacetyl is formally outlawed in e-cigarettes in the EU and UK, yet not in the US and other jurisdictions. 

And there are the illegal vapes that may not follow the regulations, it is common too. 

Another toxic chemical that can trigger the popcorn lung is the volatile carbonyls, such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, both of which have also been identified in e-cigarette vapours. 

Popcorn lung bears no cure. Only symptomatic treatment is possible when the lungs are damaged. 

This could range from the use of bronchodilators, steroids, and in severe cases, lung transplantation. 

Inhaling the Unknown is a threat 

Prevention, therefore, and not treatment, is the best and only defense. And still, for young vapers, prevention does not seem all too simple. 

Vaping is particularly popular among teenagers and adolescents, which may be attributed to the thousands of vape flavours, ranging from bubblegum to cotton candy and mango ice. 

However, such fruity, candy-like flavors come at a cost of chemicals. Although nicotine is present in e-liquids, a chemical cocktail targeting the users’ needs is also contained in them, scitechdaily.com reported. 

Most of these flavor agents are approved for use in foods. That does not make them safe to inhale. 

Here’s why that matters: Eaten chemicals pass through the digestive system and are then detoxified by the liver before they get into the blood. 

That journey minimizes their possible harm. However, when chemicals are inhaled, they entirely go beyond this filtration system. 

They go right into the lungs – and then straight into the bloodstream and into vital organs, like the heart and brain, within seconds. 

Those are the reasons why the original popcorn factory cases were tragicomedies. Eating butter-flavored popcorn? Totally fine. 

Breathing in the buttery chemical? Devastating. 

It is even a murkier situation with vaping. Although diacetyl is not contained in each vape, its substitutes – acetoin and 2,3-pentanedione – might be equally as harmful. 

The experts predict that there are over 180 different flavoring agents in e-cigarette products today. 

When heated, a lot of these chemicals decompose to form new compounds, some of which have never been tested for inhalation safety. 

That’s a major concern. Although the extent of risks is unknown, there is a history of medically declared cases of those who got popcorn lung after vaping. 

Since the lungs of the vapers are exposed to a large number of chemicals, it is impossible to assign the direct-causing role of diacetyl for the disease in a particular case. 

That does not take away from the proven dangers of inhaling it, though. 

The post Deadly Vape Habit Gives Teen Incurable “Popcorn Lung”  appeared first on Fitness Blue Prints.

CDC and FDA Urge Caution  

The pause for US patients was started on Friday by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), while the two federal agencies investigate “postmarketing reports of serious adverse events, including neurologic and cardiac events, in individuals who have received the vaccine” Ixchiq, otherwise known as live “Chikungunya Vaccine,” as per a a safety communication by the US FDA. 

In November 2023, the FDA approved Ixchiq to prevent disease due to the chikungunya virus in patients 18 years and above, upi.com reported. 

Health officials said on Friday that after 80,000 doses of Ixchiq were distributed worldwide, the FDA is to conduct an updated benefit-risk assessment for the use of Ixchiq in people aged 60 years and older. 

Chikungunya Virus is spreading fast 

The EU-backed European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says that in 14 countries or territories, about 80,000 cases and 46 CHIKV-related deaths have been reported since the start of this year. 

FDA officials reported 10 days ago that globally, there were 17 “serious adverse events” reported in people over the age of 62, coming out of people who got Ixchiq, with two deaths. 

Six out of the 17 reports were made in the United States, but American health officials did not say whether any of the reported cases were in the country or not. 

THE US CDC states that the virus is transmitted by mosquitoes, and its symptoms can persist from a week to several months. 

Chikungunya virus is also similar to dengue fever; it results in high fever, rashes, headache, and joint pain, upi.com reported. 

And although the majority of patients get better in days, the joint pain can last for months, which can be alleviated with pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory drugs. 

But although it may render a victim temporarily disabled, it cannot too often lead to death. 

Single-Dose Vaccine Approval Under Scrutiny 

The single-dose shot given the approval by the federal government in November 2023 was to serve in adults with an increased likelihood of exposure to the chikungunya virus. 

It has been demonstrated by research that mosquitoes, simultaneously, are carriers of the Zika and chikungunya viruses; they also may lead to fatal brain infection, which affected 24 victims by November 2015. 

The disease was viewed and defined in patients of the US who had arrived from the Caribbean region to Georgia and North Carolina, presumably in May of 2014, as chikungunya struck Cuba. 

Chikungunya, a disease that is caused by a virus which is transmitted through the bites of mosquitoes but not by direct contact from person to person, is now in the Americas, near the end of 2013, having travelled at breakneck speeds to other Caribbean countries, Africa, and Asia. 

The post Chikungunya Vaccine Linked to Deaths, Brain Events, FDA Warns  appeared first on Fitness Blue Prints.

Resistance to antibiotics in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S Typhi)—the causative agent of this illness—continues to rise. 

It is uncommon in developed countries, yet typhoid consistently causes challenges in developing regions, primarily South Asia. 

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For the past thirty years, S Typhi has become increasingly resistant to antibiotics and has spread accordingly. 

Genomic sequencing of 3,489 S Typhi strains gathered from Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India between 2014 and 2019 revealed a significant increase in extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid strains. 

The findings suggest that S Typhi has become resistant not only to the leading antibiotics such as ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, but also to fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins. 

Due to unexpectedly rapid evolution, the new typhoid strains present in South Asia are pushing aside less resistant forms. 

According to the infectious disease specialist Jason Andrews from Stanford University, “The speed at which highly-resistant strains of S Typhi have emerged and spread in recent years is a real cause for concern,” dailygalaxy.com reported. 

Even though most documented XDR typhoid cases originate in South Asia, with Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India as major sources, resistance to XDR has now spread to multiple other regions. 

Approximately 200 cases of these strains traveling internationally have been recorded since 1990, with spread documented in Southeast Asia, East and Southern Africa, and even higher-income nations like the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. 

The fast spread of these strains indicates the problem is worldwide and reveals that all countries may be at risk from drug-resistant typhoid. The movement of these resistant strains internationally brings attention to an important public health problem, dailygalaxy.com reported. 

Furthermore, “the recent emergence of XDR and azithromycin-resistant S Typhi creates greater urgency for rapidly expanding prevention measures,” as the authors stated. 

The global reach of these resistant strains supports the possibility that, without action, many more countries would soon have to manage hard-to-control outbreaks. 

With the rise in treatment resistance, the number of good treatments for typhoid fever continues to decrease. 

The post Drug-Resistant Typhoid Invades US and UK, Alarming Experts  appeared first on Fitness Blue Prints.

Pakistan has given a “measured but forceful response,” threatening a wider war that endangers everyone. 

Global Catastrophe in the Making 

In India and Pakistan, there are about 170 nuclear weapons each. A nuclear war between India and Pakistan would result in smoke from fire in cities and industrial areas. 

That smoke would rise up to the stratosphere, the upper atmospheric layer where we live, and which has no rain to wash out the smoke. 

From our research, the smoke will block the sun outside, making it cold, dark, and dry at Earth’s surface for five years or more, choking the agriculture of the world. 

The consequence would be worldwide famine. Whether we like it or not, humanity is still under the threat of a nuclear dagger over our throats. 

Path Forward: US Leadership Toward Disarmament 

However, there is another alternative, beginning with the US. If we remove our land-based missiles from hair-trigger alerts and negotiate with Russia to reduce our arsenal, and they follow, then we will be setting an example to the rest of the world. 

Provided that we sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons one day, the US can be an example to Iran and other countries with an interest in nuclear arsenal. 

A lot of people assume that there will never be another nuclear war, because it has now been 80 years and several generations since the last one. 

They have also been told that nuclear deterrence must be maintained in order to make us safe. 

But the threats to use nuclear weapons from Russia and North Korea, and even from the US president, have terrified many. 

The New START treaty, the last arms control agreement between the US and Russia, will end next year. China is expanding its nuclear arsenal quickly. 

According to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), that led the effort to get this Treaty, was awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize “for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons,” scientificamerican.com reported. 

The post Is Humanity Sleepwalking Into a Nuclear Crisis?  appeared first on Fitness Blue Prints.

Trump spoke on the matter some hours after India said its armed forces had launched attacks against Pakistan at the early hours of Wednesday morning. 

“It’s terrible,” as Trump stated about the conflict. 

Trump Offers Mediation 

“My position is I get along with both,” Trump stated in the Oval Office after swearing in former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia as US ambassador to China. 

“I know both very well, and I want to see them work it out,” as per the president. 

“I want to see them stop, and hopefully they can stop now,” he added. 

The US president insisted that America has good relations with both countries, and he is willing to see the “tit-for-tat” stop. 

“If I can do anything to help, I will be there,” Trump noted. 

Furthermore, Trump on Tuesday night stated to reporters at the White House that India and Pakistan have been fighting for “a long time” and implied the rising tensions may have been foreseen “based on a little bit of the past,” CNBC reported. 

India Launches Strikes in Retaliation  

India has accused Pakistan of the April 22 massacre of 26 civilians in the Indian controlled portion of the Himalayan Kashmir. 

Both India and Pakistan insist our country is rightfully theirs, as all of Kashmir belongs. 

The post Trump Offers to Mediate as India-Pakistan Tensions Explode  appeared first on Fitness Blue Prints.

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India claims that 16 Indian civilians, including three women and five children, have also been killed as Pakistan started shelling across the de facto border between the two South Asian countries in the disputed Himalayan state of Kashmir since Wednesday. 

Even amid the spillover of hostilities into Thursday, both India and Pakistan declared that they had acted dispassionately, and there are storylines that suggest that security officials of both nations have begun opening the lines of communication, NBC News reported. 

However, experts said that for de-escalation, the two countries would need international mediation and some means to declare victory for both sides. 

India-Pakistan Tensions Escalate After Cross-Border Strikes and Drone Attacks

Summary:

India launched strikes on nine alleged militant camps in Pakistan following a deadly attack on Hindu tourists in Kashmir, triggering cross-border drone shootdowns and retaliatory… https://t.co/BqxakDUGQx pic.twitter.com/Q9X2ryw5Ib

— PiQ (@PiQSuite) May 8, 2025

New Delhi began the strikes following an April 22 terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 people, the majority being Indian tourists, dead. The militants India claims were behind the blast were receiving help from Pakistan. 

Pakistan, which denies any involvement in the attack, has claimed some victory in the Indian assault, claiming to shoot down five Indian fighter jets, as well as 25 Indian drones. India has not validated those reports. 

As per the military spokesperson, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, on Thursday, “Indian drones continue to be sent into Pakistan airspace,” & “will continue to pay dearly for this naked aggression.” 

US Consulate employees in the Pakistani city of Lahore were instructed to shelter in place on Thursday after elements of the news reported a drone explosion, drone downings, and likely airspace intrusions in the area. 

Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar reported that New Delhi has no plans to further escalate the situation, but if Pakistan makes retaliatory strikes, then they will be met with a ‘very very firm’ response, as NBC News reported 

President Donald Trump, who has yet to nominate a US ambassador to either India or Pakistan, stated on Wednesday that he wanted to “see them work it out.” 

“They’ve gone tit for tat, so hopefully they can stop now,” he stated. 

The post US Watches Closely as Airstrikes Kill Dozens in India-Pakistan Clash  appeared first on Fitness Blue Prints.

Trump Condemns India-Pakistan Escalation 

Speaking from the White House, Trump stated, “It’s a shame, we just heard about it,” while addressing the reporter. 

“I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past. They’ve been fighting for a long time,” he added, as Reuters reported. 

He said, “I just hope it ends very quickly.” 

His remarks come as the US government steps up diplomatic engagement. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed he had spoken directly with top national security officials from both India and Pakistan. 

US President Trump issues statement in response to India's missile attack on Pakistan

"It's a shame… I hope it ends very quickly." pic.twitter.com/fNBZmxSukH

— D. Scott @eclipsethis2003 (@eclipsethis2003) May 7, 2025

Rubio posted on X that he was monitoring the situation closely, while adding that Washington would continue to engage the Asian neighbors to reach a “peaceful resolution.” 

Furthermore, the State Department said Rubio spoke to the national security advisers of both nations, while urging “both to keep lines of communication open and avoid escalation.” 

Although no formal mediation has been requested, Washington’s involvement signals concern. India, seen as a key strategic partner against China’s rise, and Pakistan, still a US ally post-Afghanistan, present a complex balancing act for US diplomacy, Reuters reported. 

The April 22 terrorist attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which killed 26 people, triggered the current wave of military actions and countermeasures. While India blamed Pakistan-based militants, Islamabad denied involvement and called for an independent investigation. 

Rubio’s outreach, combined with statements from Trump and diplomatic officials, reflects growing pressure for calm between two nuclear-armed nations with a long and volatile history over Kashmir. Despite this, American officials have so far refrained from assigning blame. 

What does this mean? 

The former president’s comments may be unofficial, but they amplify a rising chorus of international concern. With Washington juggling multiple global crises, including in Ukraine and Gaza, experts caution that South Asia’s volatility could demand greater US engagement if hostilities worsen. 

Stay Informed: 

We’ll continue to monitor this unfolding situation and provide timely updates. With two nuclear powers on edge and diplomacy at a critical juncture, the stakes remain high for regional and global stability. 

The post Trump on India-Pakistan Clash: ‘Hope It Ends Quickly’—Global Concern Mounts  appeared first on Fitness Blue Prints.