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Fast-food joint near school overruled

Planning permission to open a fast-food outlet near a secondary school running a ‘healthy eating’ drive has been revoked by the High Court.

London firm Leigh Day & Co successfully argued that the proximity of the school should have been taken into account by councillors when voting on takeaway firm Fried & Fabulous’ application.

Advice outlets and legal aid increase in Scotland

Applications for civil legal aid increased by almost 25% over the last year to 22,000, the highest number since 1999, according to statistics from the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

The increase, following on an increase of 12 per cent rise on last year, was accompanied by a 5 per cent increase in the number of civil advice and assistance cases, which rose to 95,000

Combat PTSD may be linked to dementia

War veterans who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are almost twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease as veterans without PTSD, a study shows

The study by Deborah Barnes, of the University of California, is the first to link combat-related PTSD to dementia later in life, but it is not clear if having PTSD increases the risk for late-life dementias or if recurring PTSD is an early symptom of dementia in older veterans.

Secondhand smoke may harm your mental health

It is accepted that other people's smoke is bad for your lungs and heart, and new research suggests it could be damaging your mental health, too.

Researchers found that non-smokers exposed to regular secondhand smoke were 50 percent more likely to suffer from psychological distress than those not exposed.

Experts double estimate of oil spill

BP's chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg has been summonded to the White House next week to meet President Obama and other US officials. The British company is coming under increasing pressure from the American administration as the extent and severity of the oil spill in the Gulf Coast becomes clearer. It is now thought the amount of oil that has leaked into the gulf could be double previous estimates. Oil has been leaking into the Gulf since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded on April 20th and sank off the coast of the Louisiana, killing 11 workers.