When the sun is out after a long winter, every one loves it. But not the people of Canary Islands. Tourists there are being warned about the "unusually high risk" of UV rays this week. The Ministry of Health for this holiday destination has urged both, residents and visitors to take extra precautions and preventative measures to limit the impact of sun exposure over their body and skin.

The Ministry observed Aemet, Spain's national weather agency for the forecast which showed higher than normal UV or ultraviolet radiation levels in the region. It is in this backdrop that everyone in the region are requested to be extra careful when they are out in the sun. UV levels are set to reach 7, which is a 'high risk' in La Palma, El Hierro, La Gomera and Gran Canaria. Other regions like Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are expected to reach a level 6, which is also classed as 'high risk'.

UV Index Explained

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), a UV index is a measure of the level of UV radiation, which ranges from zero upward. The higher the UVI, the greater potential for damage to skin and eye and the less time it takes for harm to occur, notes WHO.

The range 1 to 2 represents a low risk, 2 to 5 is moderate, 6 to 7 is at high risk, 8 to 10 is at very high and anything over 11 is extremely risky for anyone to stay out.

UV radiation levels fluctuate throughout the day, with the highest values occurring during the four-hour period around solar noon. The reported UV Index (UVI) typically reflects this daily peak. Depending on geographic location and the use of daylight saving time, solar noon falls between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. In some countries, sun protection advisories are issued when UV levels are expected to reach 3 or higher, as exposure at these levels increases the risk of skin damage, making protective measures essential.

What happens to you when you are out in sun for too long?

While sun bathing is good, being out in the sun when the UVI indicates a high or very high risk, may cause you health concerns. It can lead to sunburn, premature skin aging, incresed risk of skin cancer, eye damage and in severe cases, heat related disease.

Sunburn

It is one of the most common skin injury which happens when there is excess exposure to UV radiation from the sun. This happens when the UV radiation directly damages the DNA skin cells. These damaged cells die and shed, this is why people experience peeling after getting a sunburn.

Dehydration

This is also a common occurrence when your body loses too many fluids or electrolytes. It can also interfere with your normal body functions. You may feel dehydrated, especially when you are out in the sun, but not well hydrated. The most common symptoms are dizziness, fatigue and headache on hot days.

Hyponatremia

This is an electrolyte disorder in which your body experiences low sodium in blood. The symptoms could lead to nausea, confusion and even weakness. There are extreme cases when one may have seizures, slip into coma or die.

Heat Exhaustion

This is one of the most common consequence of being out under the hot sun. Dehydration with prolonged heat exposure can lead to heat exhaustion.

Heatstroke

When you are out under the sun and your body's core temperature cross 104°, heatstroke may occur. This is also known as sunstroke. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it causes more than 600 deaths each year in the United States.

Former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker faces a potential ban from boxing after testing positive for cocaine, casting a shadow over his October 26 fight with Briton Fabio Wardley. As reported by BBC Sport, the 33-year-old New Zealander returned a positive result for a recreational drug, not a performance-enhancing substance. The sample was collected a day earlier by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA).

His promoter, Queensberry Promotions, acknowledged the “adverse finding” but said no further comment would be made while the matter is being investigated. Parker’s UK manager Spencer Brown told Reuters they were “in total shock” and intend to get to the bottom of the development.

Parker could face a ban ranging from three months to two years, depending on circumstances. Although UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) and the British Boxing Board of Control will determine sanctions, UKAD did not administer the test and must conduct its own inquiry before issuing any decision.

The case comes amid broader debates on how recreational drug use should be penalized in elite sports. Sanctions have varied widely in recent years, from a four-year ban for boxer Liam Cameron in 2019 to a three-month ban for rugby league player Adam Rusling in 2024.

Parker, who held the heavyweight world title from 2016–2018, had hoped to work his way toward a fight with undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk before his surprise loss to Wardley.

Why the Distinction Matters

Parker’s positive test for cocaine has reignited discussion around an important but often misunderstood issue: the difference between recreational drugs and performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). While both categories are prohibited in competitive sport, their purpose, impact, and penalties differ significantly.

Recreational Drug Use in Sports

Recreational drug use reflects broader social trends. Studies in Western countries show that up to 38% of people have used an illicit drug at least once, with even higher rates among young adults. This behavior inevitably spills into sport, where athletes, like anyone else, may be exposed socially or recreationally.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) classifies prohibited substances into categories such as stimulants, narcotics, cannabinoids, beta-blockers, and more. Among athletes, the most commonly misused recreational substances include alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis, particularly among adolescents and collegiate players.

Why Athletes Use Them

• Recreational use in sports can be driven by:
• Social environments
• Stress or pressure to perform
• Age segregation and peer dynamics
• Motivation to relax or cope

In some sports, especially high-contact ones, alcohol use has been shown to be more prevalent.

Testing and Consequences

Although these drugs do not enhance performance, they raise concerns about athlete safety, decision-making, and conduct. Penalties vary widely, as seen in recent cases: some athletes have received multi-year bans, while others served suspensions as short as three months.

Performance-Enhancing Drugs (PEDs)

PEDs are substances deliberately used to boost strength, stamina, speed, or recovery beyond natural limits. Their misuse is far more dangerous and directly threatens fair play.

Common PED categories include:

• Anabolic steroids
• Growth hormone and peptide hormones
• Erythropoietin (EPO)
• Stimulants
• Blood doping agents

These substances are often abused to gain a competitive edge, and their health consequences can be severe.

Risks and Health Damage

PEDs can cause:

• Hypertension, arrhythmias, stroke, heart attacks
• Liver toxicity
• Infertility, hormonal damage, genital changes
• Psychiatric effects such as aggression, depression, mania
• Addiction and withdrawal symptoms
• In extreme cases, death

Steroids are regulated as Schedule III substances, and many PEDs banned in sport are also restricted in general medicine. To ensure athletes can receive legitimate medical treatment, WADA allows Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) under strict criteria.

Actor Jarryd Nurden, a known name in theatre has finally made his return to the West End stage six months after his surgery that removed half of his lung due to a rare cancer.

Jarryd first thought he had nothing more than a stubborn winter bug. In late 2022, he came down with what felt like a “very bad flu,” pushing through fatigue and discomfort while performing in a Christmas pantomime. He assumed it was simply illness made worse by long rehearsals and a busy stage schedule. But the symptoms persisted, and further medical checks revealed something far more serious than a seasonal infection.

A Flu That Turned Out To Be A Lung Cancer

What Jarryd thought was flu turned out to be a rare form of lung cancer. The doctors re-examined the old medical scans, which had shown minor scarring, which was thought to be form a childhood drowning accident. This is when the doctors discovered a tumor had doubled in size, and it grew from two to four centimeters.

In January 2023, the same day he received news that he had secured a role in We Will Rock You, Jarryd attended an appointment at Guy’s Hospital, where doctors told him about the tumor. “When I had that phone call, that’s when my world crashed,” he told The Independent. “I was like: ‘I’m properly screwed.’”

The Diagnosis Of The Rare Lung Cancer

After months of tests and a keyhole surgery in August 2023 to examine the tumor, doctors confirmed it was primary malignant neuroendocrine neoplasm of the lung (atypical carcinoid), a rare form of lung cancer.

“That phone call I’ve always described as being underwater,” he said to The Independent. “Everything just slows down, and you’re like: ‘Oh, I have cancer’… I don’t drink, I don’t smoke… How’s this happening?”

Though the tumor was removed, some cancerous cells remained. Jarryd was given a choice: chemotherapy and radiotherapy, or a major operation to remove part of his lung. He chose surgery.

In October 2023, he underwent a completion lobectomy, removing the entire lower lobe of his left lung. The recovery was brutal. “Recovery was really hard… I think it was touch and go at one point,” he shared with The Independent. Complications meant four months in hospital, a second open surgery due to infections, and enduring the most intense pain he had ever felt.

Despite the hardship, the Actors’ Trust helped support him financially while he was unable to work. He underwent additional treatment in July 2024 to insert stents into a chest fistula and continued healing.

Way Back To The Stage

Against all odds, just three months after his last surgery, Jarryd accepted an offer to join the international tour of Chicago, covering the role of Mary Sunshine. He rehearsed for one day in London, flew to China, had a two-hour rehearsal, and stepped onstage.

“It was do or die… The challenge was intense,” he told The Independent. Taking his bow afterward was overwhelming. “It was immense gratitude… for being back on stage… being with such a supportive company.”

He added, “I think when you go through something very life-changing, you stop sweating the small stuff… You do have that second chance at life, essentially.”

Texas reported more than 3,500 cases of whooping cough or pertussis in this year, revealed the state figures. This is four times the number as last year and the highest since 2013. This is not the first time it is happening in Texas, in fact, last year, Texas had experienced a high number of cases. The state has witnessed high year-over-year increases in reported pertussis cases. Right now, only seven weeks are left in the year, and the numbers are likely to grow.

What Is Whooping Cough?

As per the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), whooping cough is a respiratory illness that is caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. The disease is only found in humans. Whooping cough bacteria attach to the cilia, which are the tiny, hair-like extensions that line part of the upper respiratory system. The bacteria release toxins (poisons), which damage the cilia and cause airways to swell.

What Are The Symptoms Of Whooping Cough?

The CDC notes that it usually takes 5 to 10 days for symptoms to show up after the person is exposed to the bacteria that causes whooping cough. Sometimes, symptoms do not develop for as long as 3 weeks.

Whooping cough appears similar to a common cold early on. Healthcare providers often don't suspect or diagnose it until more severe symptoms appear.

Early symptoms can last for 1 to 2 weeks and usually include:

• Runny or stuffed-up nose
• Low-grade fever (less than 100.4°F)
• Mild, occasional cough
• Babies may struggle to breathe: many babies with whooping cough do not even cough at all. This means they have apnea or life-threatening pauses in breathing. This apnea cause cyanosis, or to turn blue or they may struggle to breathe.

Later symptoms of whooping cough

• Make a high-pitched "whoop" when they inhale after a coughing fit
• Vomit during or after coughing fits
• Feel very tired after the fit, but usually seem well in-between fits
• Have difficulty sleeping at night
• Struggle to breathe
• Fracture (break) a rib

What Is Happening In Texas?

Reported cases in Texas and nationwide dropped during and right after the COVID-19 pandemic, but have surged again in recent years.

Texas logged only 340 cases in 2023, but that number jumped to 1,907 last year, with more than half reported in November and December, according to provisional data. It marks the second year in a row that the state’s health agency has issued a health alert.

cases this year have been reported in children, though no deaths have occurred.

The rapid rise in infections coincides with falling vaccination rates in Texas and across the country. Infectious disease specialists stress that immunization remains the most effective way to prevent the disease and curb its spread.

About 92% of kindergarteners nationwide were vaccinated against whooping cough in the 2024–25 school year, down from roughly 95% before the pandemic, according to federal data.

Does Vaccination Help?

Vaccination doesn’t fully prevent infection, but it usually leads to much milder symptoms, the Texas alert notes.

Infants and children receive the DTaP vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. The CDC currently recommends five doses: at 2, 4, and 6 months; a fourth dose at 15–18 months; and a fifth between ages 4 and 6.