A new five-minute ‘super jab’ that helps to treat 15 different types of cancer is being rolled out across the country.
The NHS is the first in Europe to offer the new injection.
The health service is rolling out an injectable form of immunotherapy, called nivolumab, which means patients can receive their fortnightly or monthly treatment within just five minutes, instead of up to an hour via an IV drip.
The new jab can be used to treat 15 cancer types, including skin cancer, bladder, and oesophagus, and it’s estimated around 1,200 patients in England per month could benefit.
Following the approval from the UK’s medicines regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), it’s said that the roll-out will save more than a year’s worth of treatment time for patients and NHS teams annually, and enable patients to spend less time in hospital while freeing up staff capacity to deliver more appointments and treatments.
The NHS is introducing a new five-minute injection for 15 types of cancer, including skin, bladder and oesophageal.
NHS staff administering the jab could save around 1,000 hours of treatment time for patients and clinicians every month.
In clinical trials, patients were found to be ‘highly satisfied’ with the under-the-skin injection, which takes up to five minutes maximum to administer, and said they much preferred it to the IV form of the drug which takes 30 to 60 minutes every two weeks or four weeks, depending on the cancer type.
Around two in five patients who currently receive IV nivolumab – which is one of the most widely used cancer treatments – should be eligible for the new jab, the NHS has confirmed.
On top of this, most eligible new patients are also expected to begin on the injectable form of nivolumab, rather than the IV.
The NHS is rolling out five-minute ‘super jab’ to treat 15 different types of cancer / Credit: Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
Going forward, NHS cancer services will now be preparing to treat the first patients with the new treatment from next month, which is when supplies of the product are received in the UK, as this will help with the capacity demands in cancer day units, where the drug is currently administered.
“Immunotherapy has already been a huge step forward for many NHS patients with cancer, and being able to offer it as an injection in minutes means we can make the process far more convenient,” commented Professor Peter Johnson, who is NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Cancer.
“This treatment is used for 15 different types of the disease, so it will free up thousands of valuable clinicians’ time every year, allowing teams to treat even more patients and helping hospital capacity.
“And this is just the latest development in the NHS’s ongoing commitment to provide patients with the latest cancer therapies and treatment options that truly transform lives”.
Featured Image – Gustavo Fring (via Unsplash)
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Chester Zoo’s viral new snow leopard cub ventures outside for the first time
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo’s adorable baby snow leopard who went viral last week could very well be about to go viral again.
That’s because new footage of it venturing outside for the first time have been released.
After arriving to first-time parents Nubra and Yashin, who are both three-years-old, last month (10 June 2025), keepers at Chester Zoo said mum and cub had mostly spent their time quietly tucked away in a cosy den, away from the eyes of the onlooking public – but now, it’s time for the little one to see what the outside world is all about.
Now, at seven-weeks old, the cub has gained in strength and confidence, and experts expected that it could venture outside at ‘any moment’.
Zookeepers are still yet to confirm the sex of the cub, and will be able to do soon once it has undergone its first health check-up with the vets.
We can also expect to hear one the little one’s name is very soon too.
If you’re unfamiliar with snow leopards, they are classed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and it’s believed there are as few as 4,000 now remaining in the wild.
Nicknamed the ‘ghosts of the mountains’, these elusive – but adorable – big cats are found in the rugged, remote regions of Central Asia and the Himalayas – but sadly, despite being known for living in desolate, harsh environments, they continue to face threats from habitat loss, climate change, poaching, and retaliatory killings by farmers.
Chester Zoo’s viral new snow leopard cub ventures outside for the first time / Credit: Chester Zoo
The cub’s birth follows the opening of Chester Zoo’s Himalayan habitat in May 2024, which is a vast, rocky environment that authentically recreates the mountainous terrain of Central Asia.
“This is the first snow leopard cub to be born at Chester Zoo,” commented Dave Hall, who is the Team Manager of carnivores at Chester Zoo, last week when the adorable hidden den cam footage was first released to the public.
“It’s a truly historic moment and a real cause for celebration – not just for our teams here, but also for the future of this magnificent species globally.”
Although it’s still early days, carnivore experts at the zoo say Nubra is showing ‘excellent maternal instincts’ by nursing her new arrival every few hours and always keeping close by.
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
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Rochdale man, 20, found guilty of assaulting police officers and the public at Manchester Airport
Emily Sergeant
A man from Rochdale has been found guilty of assaulting a man and two female police officers at Manchester Airport last year.
20-year-old Mohammed Fahir Amaaz has been convicted of common assault and two counts of actual bodily harm following a four-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court in relation to a high-profile incident that took place at Manchester Airport on 23 July 2024.
The first attack on the member of public – of which extensive footage of was shared with the court over the course of the trail – took place in a largely public area of the Airport, but despite claims made to the contrary, Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) investigation found no evidence of any ‘prior threatening’ or ‘unacceptable behaviour’ by the victim aimed towards Amaaz or his family.
Three GMP officers – one male and two female – responded to the initial assault, and as they proceeded to detain and arrest Amaaz at the Terminal 2 car park pay station for assault, they suffered a number of injuries – such as concussion, a broken nose, and bruising and swelling.
CCTV played to the jury during the trail showed Amaaz throwing 10 punches, two ‘elbow strikes’, and one kick in what was described as a ‘prolonged and violent’ attack.
This conviction follows a thorough investigation of all available footage to understand the full context to the incident.
Our officers have been supported throughout and continue to be supported.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) July 30, 2025
An investigation, led by a team from GMP’s Serious Crime Division, was subsequently launched following the incident.
Police were said to have worked ‘diligently and expediently’ through all the moving footage, including CCTV and body worn camera recordings, complemented by the testimonies of witnesses to the incident, which allowed them to present a clear and accurate picture of the facts of the events to the jury.
A jury convicted Amaaz of assaults on the two female officers, but a decision is still inconclusive regarding the incident with the male police officer.
GMP now says it will be working with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in support of a re-trial for these inconclusive counts.
A CCTV image of the brawl in action / Credit: CPS
“Whilst assaults on police officers are sadly not uncommon, such attacks can never be justified,” commented Sir Stephen Watson, who is the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, following the trial.
“Our officers are decent people who routinely place themselves in harm’s way to protect the public, and they deserve our respect and support.
“I am particularly grateful to those many members of the public who have contacted the force in order to pass on their best wishes to the officers affected.”
Emily Sergeant -
1st May 2025 
