World

U.S. defense chief hospitalized, transferring duties to deputy

Feb 12, 2024

Washington [US], February 12: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was hospitalized on Sunday "for symptoms suggesting an emergent bladder issue," said the Pentagon.
The secretary was transported by his security detail to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center around 2:20 p.m. (1920 GMT) Sunday, according to the statement from the Department of Defense.
Austin transferred his duties to his deputy, according to a Pentagon statement.
The Pentagon chief was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December and hospitalized.
Source: Xinhua

More news

Study by Indian Body, Center for Chronic Disease Control Reiterates Link Between Lower Salt Intake and Reduced Hypertension & Cardiovascular Disease

New Delhi [India], December 5: A new study by the Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC) for the first time concurrently estimated the daily salt and iodine consumption levels of the adult population in India and examined the effect of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended salt intake levels on iodine levels. The study demonstrated that in India, where universal salt iodization is mandatory, a reduction in salt intake to the Government of India's National Multisectoral NCD Action Plan and WHO-recommended levels of <= 5 g/d does not compromise the level of iodine intake. This was measured by the gold standard method of collecting and analysing 24-hour urine samples for salt intake and iodine intake by measuring Urinary Iodine Concentration (UIC) and urinary iodine excretion (UIE). These findings provide strong support for the current recommendations to reduce population salt intake to prevent hypertension and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which are rapidly increasing in India. Notably, salt reduction is unlikely to impact iodine supplementation efforts, indicating compatibility between the two interventions, which should be continuously monitored through robust surveillance. The study can be accessed here.

Dec 05, 2025