If you’re trying to quit smoking, vapes containing nicotine are more effective than nicotine gum, pills or patches. But while experts say vaping is far safer than smoking, that doesn’t mean vaping is risk-free…
The theme of the event is “On Your Doorstep”, looking at the support available within our local communities and the difference community-based services can make to older people and carers.
It should be a really engaging event, with the Older People’s Commissioner hosting a lived experience panel, contributions around dementia and carers, information about the support available across our communities, and a Dementia Choir performing.
Most importantly, we want older people and carers themselves to be part of the event, so it would be great to get the invitation out as widely as we can across Cardiff and the Vale.
Gary Siders Sr has been deemed unfit to stand trial(Image: Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail)
An elderly man in Ohio has been ruled unfit to stand trial after officers found 16 of his grandchildren living in squalor in his home.
Cops swarmed the run-down three-and-a-half square metre home in June this year where 16 “feral” children were found living “like livestock” among “human waste”.
It is said many of the children, aged between 18 months to 18 years, couldn’t talk, weren’t enrolled in school, and neighbours said they’d never even seen them.
The 73-year-old grandfather, Gary Siders Senior, was charged with 16 counts of child endangerment related to the children, who were rescued on June 30 from the home in Hamden about 80 miles (129 kilometres) south of Columbus.
He appeared in court in a wheelchair on Wednesday with his attorney Dorian Baum telling the judge his mental health has been declining for years and is “not restorable”, reports The Express.
Baum said: “It’s not really a surprise to any of us that he’s not been found competent at this point. He doesn’t fully understand or appreciate what’s going on.”
Siders’ wife, Christina Siders; son Gary Siders Jr, and daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Siders, the children’s mother, have pleaded not guilty.
Court records show that the eldest child was born in May 2008, two months after Gary Siders Jr., then 18, and Elizabeth, then 15, crossed into West Virginia to marry at the Mason County Courthouse with her parents’ consent.
Since then Elizabeth has been pregnant most years.
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson described the shocking conditions the children were found in as ‘pure evil’.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has today confirmed a total of 549 cases – a jump from 528 last Thursday.
The owner of Primark has announced plans to launch home delivery in Great Britain in a bid to bolster the retailer’s online offering. Associated British Foods (ABF), which also runs large food, sugar and agriculture operations, said it had bought a new warehouse in Sheffield to support the plans.
The company did not specify when home delivery would start but said it would come “in the future” for England, Scotland and Wales. The Sheffield warehouse, which is highly automated, has been acquired from the Debenhams Group in a £90 million deal, and is not expected to have an impact on people’s jobs.
It comes after Primark has grown its “click and collect” offering for people to shop and make purchases online and then collect in stores. It recently unveiled price cuts on hundreds of fashion items, which the company said had led to positive sales momentum particularly for nightwear, leisure and fitness ranges.
ABF is preparing to separate Primark from its food business and list it on the FTSE 100 as a standalone entity by the end of 2027. In a trading update to investors, ABF said Primark sales are expected to have dipped by 2.6% over the past financial year, which ends on Saturday, when compared like-for-like with the year before.
The decline has been driven by weaker sales in continental Europe, whereas sales in the UK are estimated to have edged up by 0.6% year-on-year. Primark sales started the summer season strongly but were then impacted by the prolonged hot weather, which delayed the transition to buying autumn clothing ranges, according to the business. Trading has improved in the more recent weeks that temperatures have cooled, it said.
ABF’s chief executive George Weston said: “Our priority focus areas, the UK and womenswear, continued to outperform our other markets and categories.
“Primark has made significant progress in building its digital capabilities and will continue this through both growing click & collect and by offering home delivery in Great Britain in the future. There is now an opportunity for incremental and profitable growth through this channel.”
ABF owns a roster of brands in the grocery sector like Kingsmill, Twinings, Jordans, Patak’s and, following a recent acquisition, Hovis.
It warned that adjusted operating profits for the division are expected to be slightly lower than previous expectations, for the full year, partly because of Twining sales being dampened by the heatwaves reducing demand for hot tea.
It also has a sugar business which has been impacted by higher gas costs linked to the Middle East conflict and the prolonged spell of hot and dry weather affecting the UK beet crop.
The company is expecting to report an adjusted operating loss for the full year for the division towards the “higher end” of its guidance range of £25 million to £60 million.
Shares in ABF were down by around 9% in early trading on Thursday.
The DWP has clarified the rules around medical consultations for PIP assessments in a new Parliamentary update. PIP is the main disability payment in the UK, helping with everyday tasks and extra living costs for people with a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability.
Current regulations mean the DWP attempts to conduct assessments by reviewing medical evidence and speaking to a claimant via telephone or video call. However, if the DWP is unable to assess someone through telephone or video call, they will arrange a face-to-face medical assessment. Citizens Advice guidance emphasises it is vital people prepare properly as the DWP will use evidence from the assessment to determine whether a claimant is eligible for PIP.
A health professional will conduct the assessment. They will subsequently produce a report and forward it to the DWP.
The issue has come under scrutiny this week as questions have been raised about the process when it concerns certain conditions. James McMurdock, Independent MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, asked the Department for Work and Pensions “what steps the Department is taking to ensure that Personal Independence Payment assessors have appropriate training to assess complex and less widely understood medical conditions.”
Sir Stephen Timms – Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)- has now issued a response. In a statement released on Tuesday, September 8, he said: “Personal Independence Payment assessments are not medical consultations and do not require health professionals (HPs) to diagnose conditions or recommend treatment. Instead, they are functional assessments designed to evaluate how an individual’s health conditions or impairments affect their ability to carry out daily living and mobility activities.
“All HPs undertaking assessments on behalf of the department must be registered practitioners; they receive comprehensive training in disability analysis, including how to assess the impacts of medical conditions on people’s day-to-day activities, as well as awareness training in a range of conditions, symptoms and disabilities.
“Assessment suppliers are required to demonstrate that HPs meet all our requirements before they are approved to carry out assessments on behalf of DWP.
“HPs have access to a wide range of Core Training and Guidance Material (CTGM), which offers detailed and quality assured clinical and functional information on a range of conditions. There are thousands of unique clinical conditions, most of which have a range of functional effects where disability can vary from nil to profound. It would be impossible to have specific training on all conditions. There are over 23,000 rare diseases alone listed in the Orphanet directory.
“As of 9 September 2024, DWP assumed responsibility for the CTGM used within the Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS); this information is provided by DWP to the HAAS assessment suppliers. Following the transfer of responsibilities to DWP, all training and guidance materials are currently undergoing a comprehensive review and update.
“A newly established team is leading this work, ensuring that all materials are aligned with national best practice standards. To support this, independent clinical experts are being engaged to provide external quality assurance, helping to ensure the accuracy, relevance, and consistency of the content.”
The Benefits and Work website contains details on who carries out the assessments. It states that The Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS) took over the provision of PIP assessments from Capita and Atos (IAS) on 7 September 2024. HAAS operates as part of the DWP. The site notes: “It provides training, guidance and software for assessors. But the assessors themselves work for private sector companies.”
Four companies are involved in conducting benefits assessments: Maximus covers Northern England and Scotland (though PIP has been replaced by ADP in Scotland and is not part of the contract); Capita covers the Midlands, Wales and Northern Ireland; Serco covers South West England and South Central England; and Ingeus covers South East England, London and East Anglia.
Additionally, a small number of assessments are conducted directly by the DWP. A comprehensive list of all postcodes and their respective HAAS provider can be found on the .gov.uk website.
The Turn2Us website, which regularly publishes guidance on benefits, offers advice on what to expect during assessments. It explains that the health professional will ask how your health condition or disability affects your day-to-day life.
They should have already reviewed your completed PIP form and any supporting documents you submitted. It is important to inform them of anything that may have changed since you filled in your form.
The site explains that the health professional may ask you to complete straightforward tasks such as: recalling three objects in the room simply from hearing their names (without them being pointed out); working out how much change you would receive from £1 after purchasing something costing 75p; counting backwards from 100, subtracting 3 each time. The health professional may conduct a physical examination.
The site says they will only request you perform basic movements such as: placing your finger in your hand; pushing against the health professional’s hand with your own hand or foot. Turn2Us advises: “Only do what you feel able to do. Do not push yourself or do anything that causes pain.
“Tell the health professional if an activity is difficult, painful, or could affect you afterwards. If you cannot do a movement, explain why. For example, tell them if it causes pain or could make your condition worse later.”
A Government-backed review of the disability benefits system is scheduled to publish its findings later this year. The review, led by work and pensions minister Sir Stephen Timms, was launched after a Labour backbench rebellion at plans under Sir Keir Starmer to limit PIP eligibility.
The Benefits and Work website says many worry the Timms review will be used as a justification to make cuts to the PIP system. The Timms review published its interim report in July.
It described the existing PIP system as overly complex and difficult to navigate.
A hospital A&E has been plunged into crisis, as a damning report has exposed the “sustained and significant pressure” experienced by staff. A Health Inspectorate Wales [HIW] inspection discovered crowded waiting rooms, a threat to patient dignity, absent equipment and declining staff morale at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan.
The unannounced three-day inspection, which occurred in May 2026, revealed patients and staff grappling with lengthy waiting times, corridor care and also a lack of confidence in senior managers.
Following this, HIW announced in June that the department had been classified as a Service Requiring Significant Improvement (SRSI) – the most serious level of escalation available under its “service of concern” process.
You can read more here.
The two infants whose deaths have been linked to measles have been named – as controversy over the fatalities continues to mount.
Newborn baby Ivan S Miller, from Strasburg Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, who died on August 14, was the first, according to a coroner’s report obtained by local media.
His cause of death was listed as a ruptured spleen, a life-threatening condition that can lead to major internal bleeding, with measles listed as a contributing factor.
The second victim was reported to be Mary S Stoltzfus, a six-week-old baby who died in Fulton Township, also in Lancaster County, on August 18.
Her cause of death was cardiac arrest due to measles.
It was also noted that she had Amish lethal microcephaly, a fatal genetic condition found in the Amish community that causes children to die within five to six months of birth.
No images of either child have been released.
Their deaths are the first measles-linked fatalities to be reported this year and come after three deaths from the virus were registered in 2025, including two in school-age children in Texas.
The two patients who were the first deaths from measles this year have been identified
So far this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 3,134 measles cases, the most in three decades and 845 more cases than last year, when there were 2,289 cases.
Almost all the infections have been reported in people who have not received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
The coroner in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, released the reports to WGAL8 following a right-to-know request.
A webpage was posted for Miller by Reynolds Shivery Funeral Home, which has locations in Lancaster County. The page is no longer live and currently returns an error.
For Stoltzfus, a webpage was posted by the same funeral home. It lists her parents, brother, grandparents and great-grandparents and says that her funeral took place on August 20.
The measles-linked deaths were first announced on August 25 in a press conference where state governor Josh Shapiro blamed them on federal government messaging surrounding MMR vaccines.
Speaking to the media, he said there were ‘real-life consequences’ to ‘spreading misinformation’ and suggested that administration officials had engaged in ‘scaring people and not relying on actual doctors to provide unbiased information.’
Shapiro also said he had a phone call with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr who ‘launched into a tirade’ and, according to the governor, even claimed ‘it would be better if we went back to “natural measles.”‘
The above map shows the states in the US that have the most measles cases nationwide
The above shows the number of measles cases reported by year in the US
Within hours of his statement, Republican Lancaster County Commissioner Josh Parsons had suggested online that the deaths were not caused by measles.
In a post on Facebook, he said ‘false’ information had been published by state officials, adding that it was ‘important to know whether these people died OF measles or WITH measles’.
In a long post on his social media account that evening, Kennedy also slammed Governor Shapiro.
He posted information about how the MMR vaccine has been manufactured and said he disputed allegations that he was spreading misinformation.
In a highly unusual move, the CDC then did not list the deaths.
That Friday, August 28, the agency delayed its weekly measles data update. When it was finally posted on Sunday, it did not include the fatalities in Pennsylvania but added an asterisk to its table on deaths with the following note: ‘At this time, available information does not establish whether measles caused or contributed to the (Pennsylvania) deaths or whether the individuals died from other causes while infected with measles.’
The spleen is a vital organ on the left side of the body just below the ribcage that filters blood and holds white blood cells.
During a measles infection, it can become enlarged or swollen. If pressure is put on the organ, such as during childbirth, this may raise the risk of it rupturing and causing life-threatening internal bleeding. Emergency surgery is needed to close the organ when it ruptures.
In Amish lethal microcephaly, infants are born with an unusually small head and underdeveloped brain. They may have seizures and difficulty maintaining their body temperature.
The condition is severe and predisposes infants to infections, including measles, that could lead to their deaths.
Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known to man and is a particularly serious infection for young children.
One out of every 1,000 children who develop a measles infection suffers brain swelling, which can cause brain damage, the CDC says, while one to three out of every 1,000 die from complications linked to the infection.
Two doses of the MMR vaccine, administered ONCE at age 12 to 15 months and again at four to six years, slashes the risk of a measles infection by 97 percent.
Official data released last month showed MMR vaccination rates among kindergarteners had dropped to 92.4 percent, down 0.1 percent from the year prior and more than 2 percent on a decade ago.
South Carolina is at the epicenter, having recorded 670 infections in 2026 – the most out of any state, followed by Pennsylvania, 557 cases, and Utah, 526 cases. Almost every state has recorded at least one measles case this year.
In Pennsylvania, Lancaster County has reported the most cases in the state, or a total of 268 infections.
Disqualified driver Georgie Norris from Barry took police on a high-speed chase through the streets of Newport after officers spotted him in a Skoda Octavia on cloned plates.
The 42-year-old defendant made off at a “very high and dangerous speed” when he was approached by officers on Kingsway in the city centre.
He kept on going despite police using a stinger device to deflate his tyres and only came to an abrupt halt when he crashed.
This is Norris’ fourth conviction for dangerous driving, which he pleaded guilty to.
He also admitted driving whilst disqualified as well as fraudulently using a registration mark/registration document.
The offences occurred on Thursday, May 21.
Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court was told how Norris has 34 previous convictions for 88 offences.
As well as having dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified on his record, there are matters of taking a vehicle with the owner’s consent, aggravated vehicle taking and failing to provide a specimen.
He has served custodial sentences for driving matters in the past.
Norris’ barrister Kirsten Murphy told the court that her client has struggled with addiction to crack cocaine and is working to rid himself of the habit.
The defendant has a close relationship with his family and was a carer for his mother.
“He is remorseful for his actions,” his lawyer added.
Judge Jeremy Jenkins told Norris: “You represent a very high risk – you are an accident simply waiting to happen.
“Sooner or later, you are going to cause very serious injury or death to someone because of the way you drive.”
He added: “You drove off at a very high and dangerous speed to avoid the police.
“Officers tried to box you in.”
Norris, of Holton Road, was jailed for 16 months and disqualified from driving for five years from his release from prison.
A victim surcharge must also be paid.
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