Author: SKYNEWS

Microplastics have been found in penises for the first time, with scientists raising questions about their impact on sexual health.A study, published in science journal Nature, assessed the tissue from six men who had undergone surgery treating erectile dysfunction. In 80% of the samples, seven types of microplastics were identified, with some as small as two micrometres – or two thousandths of a millimetre.”The detection of microplastics in penile tissue raises inquiries on the ramifications of environmental pollutants on sexual health,” scientists said in the study. Almost half of the microplastics found were polyethylene terephthalate, commonly used to make clothes…

Jeremy Vine has said the apology and £75,000 Joey Barton has agreed to pay him in damages is “not the final outcome” in his defamation case against the former footballer.On Tuesday Barton, 41, published an apology and agreed to pay the Radio 2 presenter, 59, the sum after Vine sued him for libel and harassment in the High Court over online posts in which he used a number of slurs and made unfounded allegations. But in a later tweet, Vine said: “The news of Joey Barton’s apology and commitment to pay damages and costs is not the final outcome of…

UK inflation has eased to 2% – increasing the prospect of an interest rate cut within months.The consumer prices index (CPI) rate for the year to May was confirmed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Wednesday. The figure indicates that prices are still rising, but at the slowest pace since July 2021.The ONS said the drop was largely down to falling food prices, while the cost of motor fuel rose slightly.Officials added that core inflation, which strips out volatile elements such as food and energy, fell to 3.5% in May, in line with expectations. However, some commentators expressed…

With help from artificial intelligence, researchers have identified a biological signature of Parkinson’s disease they hope could lead to a simple blood test for the condition at least seven years before symptoms appear.A predictive test for Parkinson’s could be game changing. The progressive condition affects more than 150,000 people in the UK and is currently the world’s fastest-growing neurodegenerative disorder.Parkinson’s is a broad spectrum of conditions, but the most common symptoms are slowness of movement, tremors, and muscle stiffness.There are currently no drugs that slow or stop Parkinson’s, and efforts to develop preventative treatments are hampered by the ability to…

Justin Timberlake’s mugshot has been released after he was charged with drink-driving. The SexyBack singer had been in Long Island, New York state, reportedly having dinner with friends, before he left a restaurant and was pulled over by police, who arrested him.Sag Harbor Police chief Robert Drake said in a statement Timberlake had failed to stop at a stop sign and could not stay in his lane while driving a 2025 BMW at 12.37am on Tuesday.Court documents filed added the former boy band star’s eyes were “bloodshot and glassy” when he was pulled over by police.It then said: “A strong…

McDonald’s is ending its AI drive-thru trial after customers reported errors in their orders – including bacon being added to ice cream. The fast food chain’s AI ordering system, developed by IBM, uses voice recognition to process orders and has been rolled out at more than 100 McDonald’s locations in the US since 2021. However, the technology’s reliability has been called into question in recent months, with members of the public sharing videos of order mix-ups on social media.As well as topping a dessert with bacon, the AI drive-thru assistant added $211 (£166) worth of chicken nuggets to another customer’s…

Microsoft has been dramatically toppled as the world’s most valuable public company.Nvidia, which had only overtaken Apple for the number two spot earlier this month, dethroned Microsoft during trading on Tuesday as its shares rose by more than 3%. The stock has risen more than 170% this year given the chipmaker’s leading position in the artificial intelligence (AI) race with 80% of the processor market.Money latest:Big inflation moment forecast for tomorrowThe latest upward move took its market value to $3.326trn. It had hit $2trn in February.The company’s meteoric rise marks another milestone in the tech sector, which Apple had dominated…

Sir Ian McKellen has thanked NHS staff and said he’s “looking forward to returning to work” after suffering a fall during a West End performance. The Lord of the Rings actor, 85, is currently starring as John Falstaff in a production of Player Kings at London’s Noel Coward Theatre. During Monday night’s show, he suffered a fall and was taken to hospital for medical treatment – and the theatre subsequently announced Tuesday and Wednesday night’s shows had been cancelled.Sir Ian has now addressed the matter in a post on X which began with the Gandalf star thanking “everyone for their…

Two of the leading investors in Wefox, the troubled insurance technology company, are proposing to lead a €25m (£21.1m) capital injection to thwart a rival proposal from insurer Ardonagh to buy large chunks of the company.Sky News has learnt that London-listed Chrysalis Investments and Target Global submitted a term sheet to Wefox in recent days that they argue would preserve value for its broader shareholder base. The €25m investment, which would also include funding from a number of other Wefox shareholders, would act as a bridge until the group is able to sell Assona, a subsidiary which provides insurance for…

Self-driving cars are safer than those driven by humans, except when it is dusk, dawn, or the vehicle is turning, according to a new study.Autonomous vehicles are involved in fewer accidents than cars driven by humans, researchers from the University of Central Florida have found. However, although the research generally showed self-driving cars to be safer, it did discover they seem more prone to accidents in specific situations.During low-light conditions at dawn or dusk, they were more than five times more likely to have an accident than a human-driven car.While turning, self-driving cars were nearly two times more likely to…