immediately

It was meant to be the start of a family getaway, but it was quickly flooded with concern after they made a horror discovery in the Airbnb where their three young children were staying – ‘It really spooked us’

Checking into an Airbnb to kick-start a holiday is usually filled with excitement, but for one family, their stay was swiftly met with dread.

Content creators Kriss and Kate Hardman booked a gorgeous four-bedroom home on Airbnb for their trip to Australia, Perth, with their three children. But they quickly discovered a camera that appeared to be switched on inside the property.

In a shocking TikTok video, Kriss wrote the caption: “When you book a ‘private’ Airbnb in Perth… and find out maybe it’s not that private…” He then went on to explain: “So we got to our Airbnb last night. It’s a nice place, but there’s one thing I’m not sure about, maybe you can help me out.”

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Kriss walked through the property in the video before panning the camera around to show a video camera placed on a white shelf that appeared to be switched on. He then asked: “Is that allowed in Airbnb’s? Is that standard practice, because I don’t reckon it should be allowed.”

While Kriss was filming, one of his children could be heard playing in the background, and concerned viewers flocked to the comments to share their thoughts. One wrote: “No !!! Disconnect it”, as a second added: “They have to tell you by law”.

A third said: “No way. I wouldn’t be OK with that”, and a fourth noted: “Turn it off or turn it around. It’s not allowed especially if they haven’t told you.”

“Cameras shouldn’t be allowed. You’ve paid for the place. Ridiculous,” another penned.

Later that night, the couple shared an update in another TikTok video and said they “decided to leave the accommodation”. Kriss shared: “It really spooked us and the safety of the family, three little kids is what meant the most.”

His partner Kate went on to explain: “Airbnb fully supported this, they said that we could move and that they would find accommodation equivalent to where we were staying, which was a four-bedroom, placed central to Perth CB.”

The couple explained that the booking company had also promised to pay for a night’s stay in a hotel, while an alternative Airbnb was found for the family, at no additional cost. However, things took a turn when it was found that an alternative Airbnb would cost thousands more for the family.

“Once they found that out, they went quiet,” Kriss claimed. The family were left unsure of where they would be staying for the duration of their trip, as Kate said, “We are yet to find out”.

“They backtracked and Kriss has been dealing with them all day, customer service has not been the best and they’ve gone very quiet,” she added. The couple then asked for help from TikTok users as they said, “They’ve gone quiet, so we need you to be loud.”

Thankfully, by the next day, Airbnb had covered their costs, and they were able to find alternative accommodation with no extra fee. While they were relieved to have it figured out, Kriss said in a video update: “They’ve jumped on board but it’s such a shame that it took the power of social media to reach Airbnb for them to do what is the right thing.

“We’re lucky that we’ve got some followers who are really happy to help us out, but someone who maybe doesn’t have that following, I dread to think the situation they could’ve still been left in now.”

READ MORE: ‘I moved to European country 90 minutes flight away from the UK – I’ll never return’

On the Airbnb website, it states: “We do not allow hosts to have security cameras or recording devices that monitor indoor spaces in homes, even if these devices are turned off. Hidden cameras have always been prohibited and will continue to be prohibited. Hosts are allowed to have exterior security cameras, noise decibel monitors and smart devices in homes as long as they comply with the below guidelines and applicable laws.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Airbnb Australia and New Zealand told the Mirror: “Airbnb does not allow hosts to have security cameras or recording devices that monitor indoor spaces in homes, even if these devices are turned off.

“Airbnb has provided the guest with a full refund and assisted them in rebooking alternate accommodation.

“In the rare event a host or guest feels unsafe or experiences a safety-related issue during an active reservation, we have a safety team that can be reached via our 24 Hour Safety Line, which is available to all users.”

United States President Donald Trump has told the United Nations General Assembly that Israel’s war on Gaza must stop immediately as he called the recent recognition of Palestinian statehood by several Western countries a “reward” for Hamas.

“We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately,” Trump told world leaders in New York on Tuesday, adding that he has been “deeply engaged” in trying to secure a ceasefire.

He reiterated his call for the captives held in Gaza to be returned home. “We have to get it done. We have to negotiate peace. We have to get the hostages back. We want all 20 back,” he said, referring to the 20 of the 48 remaining captives still believed to be alive.

Those who support peace should be united in demanding the release of the captives, he told the leaders gathered for the General Assembly.

“As if to encourage continued conflict, some of this body is seeking to unilaterally recognise the Palestinian state. The rewards would be too great for Hamas terrorists, for their atrocities,” he said.

In contrast, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at a meeting on Sunday at the UN aimed at reviving the two-state solution that statehood for Palestinians “is a right, not a reward”.

Gaza truce offers

Trump called for an end to the war in Gaza, but had little criticism for Israel, instead blaming breakdowns in negotiations on Hamas. He insisted that Hamas, the Palestinian group that governed Gaza, “has repeatedly rejected reasonable offers to make peace”.

On the other side of the talks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has continually been accused of stalling the ceasefire negotiations since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023.

Israel targeted Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital, Doha, this month as the Palestinian leaders were meeting to discuss the latest truce proposal put forth by the US.

The Israeli prime minister broke the last ceasefire with Hamas in mid-March and imposed a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, triggering famine and starvation deaths.

Hamas said it is ready for a truce that will lead to the release of captives and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and a withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza, but Netanyahu has refused to commit to a full withdrawal. This month, Netanyahu decided to seize Gaza City, launching a ground invasion that has killed hundreds of Palestinians and displaced thousands.

More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its war. The US has been heavily criticised for continuing to arm Israel in a war that a UN commission described as amounting to genocide.

Trump also dedicated some of his speech to the General Assembly to Iran, describing Tehran as the “world’s number one sponsor of terror”. He promised Iran would “never possess a nuclear weapon”.

“Three months ago in Operation Midnight Hammer, seven American B-2 bombers dropped 30,000lb [13,600kg] each bombs on Iran’s key nuclear facilities, totally obliterating everything. No other country on Earth could have done what we did,” Trump said.

While the US president claimed the operation demolished Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity, a US defence assessment later suggested the strike only delayed Iran’s nuclear progress by several months.

‘Nobel Peace Prize’

The US president delivered his remarks minutes after Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had spoken, denouncing authoritarianism, environmental destruction and inequality, a contrast in tone to Trump’s focus on unilateral strength, nationalism and grievances.

Trump began his speech by taking aim at the teleprompter and a broken elevator he said he encountered at the UN headquarters before moving on to paint his administration as an economic success story.

At several points, Trump returned to his record on foreign policy, claiming to have brought an end to “seven different wars” and suggesting his achievements warranted the Nobel Peace Prize. “Everyone says I should get a Nobel Peace Prize for these achievements,” he said before adding that he did not care about awards, only “saving lives”.

Taking a dig at the UN, Trump said the world body was not coming close to living up to its potential. “I had to end wars instead of the United Nations,” he said.

As the Ukraine conflict rumbles on, Trump argued the war would “never have started if I was president”. He described his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin as “a good one” but said Moscow’s invasion is “not making Russia look good”.

He criticised Europe for continuing to buy Russian oil and gas despite sanctions, calling the practice “embarrassing”, and he singled out China and India as “primary funders” of Russia’s war effort.

“Everyone thought Russia would win in three days, but it didn’t,” Trump said while urging European Union nations to impose tariffs on Moscow.

Attacks on immigration and the UN

As the UN grapples with what experts describe as one of the most volatile periods in its 80-year history, Trump used the platform to attack the institution itself, accusing the body of “funding an assault on Western countries and their borders”. He claimed the organisation was helping “illegal aliens” enter the US by providing food, shelter, transportation and “debit cards”.

The International Organization for Migration, a UN agency, does provide assistance through disbursement cards and transport programmes but in coordination with governments – not to facilitate irregular border crossings.

On Europe, Trump warned of what he called an “invasion” of migrants and took aim at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, falsely claiming the Muslim politician wants to impose Islamic law.

The US president characterised migration and renewable energy as the biggest threat to the “free world”. He said some countries are “going to hell” over their border policies, while calling climate change “the greatest con job”.

“In closing, I just want to repeat that immigration and the high cost of so-called green renewable energy is destroying a large part of the free world and a large part of our planet,” he said.

He also renewed attacks on climate policies and accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of aiding drug smuggling.

Later on Tuesday, Trump is scheduled to meet Guterres as well as leaders from Ukraine, Argentina, the EU, and a group of Middle Eastern and Asian states. He will host a reception for more than 100 world leaders before returning to Washington, DC.

WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Thursday blocked President Trump’s administration from immediately deporting Guatemalan migrant children who came to the U.S. alone back to their home country, the latest step in a court struggle over one of the most sensitive issues in Trump’s hard-line immigration agenda.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly comes after the Republican administration’s Labor Day weekend attempt to remove Guatemalan migrant children who were living in government shelters and foster care.

There was already a temporary order in place preventing the removal of Guatemalan children. But that was set to expire Tuesday.

Kelly, who was appointed by Trump, granted a preliminary injunction extends that temporary protection indefinitely, although the government can appeal.

There are also temporary restraining orders in separate cases in Arizona and Illinois, but those cases are much more narrow in the scope of children they cover.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Palestinian group Hamas to immediately release hostages held in Gaza, warning that “things will change rapidly,” Anadolu reports.

“Tell Hamas to IMMEDIATELY give back all 20 Hostages (Not 2 or 5 or 7!), and things will change rapidly. IT WILL END!” Trump wrote on his social media company, Truth Social.

The president did not elaborate on what measures he would take if the hostages were released or what “end” he was referring to.

Around 250 hostages were taken to Gaza following the cross-border attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Tel Aviv estimates there are 50 Israeli hostages still in Gaza, including 20 alive. Meanwhile, rights groups say more than 10,800 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons under torture, starvation, and medical neglect.

READ: US support to Israel limits EU leverage to halt war in Gaza: EU foreign policy chief

Israel has killed nearly 64,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

International efforts for a ceasefire since Israel shattered a truce in March have so far failed.

READ: Protests against Israeli team intensify at Spain’s La Vuelta cycling race

HE’S HERE. Racing’s Messiah. The saviour.

Lord Allen has today taken over as BHA Chairman, and, according to racing’s leaders, he will take the sport to a new era of prosperity.

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The celebrations have already started.

Betting and Gaming Council chief executive Grainne Hurst said: “The appointment of Lord Charles Allen as chair of the BHA is great news for the sport.

“Charles will bring the kind of authority and leadership that racing has been crying out for.”

Will he? Do you believe that? Evidence for this is what?

Firstly, don’t get me wrong here. I want Charles Allen to be the special one. And if he can do it working the odd day here and there then fair play.

But how could Hurst possibly know if what she says is factual or not? Basically it’s just words.

It’s just what people say when someone takes over a job of supposed authority.

Indeed, we haven’t only heard it before, we have heard it time and time and time and time again.

What was said about former BHA chief executive Julie Harrington on her arrival at BHA?

Well, chair Annamarie Phelps enthused: “This is a vital leadership role for the organisation and British racing.

“Julie’s hands-on knowledge of horseracing, coupled with her governance and business experience, make her the ideal person to carry on with the task of restoring sustainable prosperity after the Covid crisis.

“We’ve got the right person, for the right job, at the right time.”

Really? Laughable.

How about Nick Rust, another BHA chief executive?

BHA Chairman Steve Harman said: “I am delighted that Nick Rust is able to join us early in the New Year. I know he will do a great job.”

And then there was chief executive Paul Bittar.

Paul Roy, another Chairman of the British Horseracing Authority, said: “Paul Bittar is a racing enthusiast through and through.

“He combines keen management and financial skills with love for the sport and a well-informed understanding of the challenges that British Racing must overcome at this time.

“After a prolonged and painstaking search, the selection team was unanimous in putting him forward for the job.”

I’m not slagging these people. It’s up to you to decide whether racing has thrived under their tenure.

The point I’m making is the quotes are all the same. More Messiahs than George Frideric Handel!

And I like Handel.

Anyone who has worked in racing for a reasonable period, knows exactly how difficult it is to change its format and its funding mechanism.

They would also know it’s a nigh on impossible task to unite the different factions.

Let’s face it, most are in it for themselves. Few truly care if horse racing is thriving 50 years after their death.

So the Messiah is here. Just like the Messiahs before him. Let’s hope Lord Allen sparks a vibrant racing future.

He has the chance to do so instantly and can start with two things.

Sorting the expected Racing Tax and getting to grips with the nonsensical affordability checks.

Do that straight away. Or, essentially, fail.

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Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chases their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

United States President Donald Trump has increased pressure on Ukraine to accept an agreement to end Russia’s war, claiming that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could choose to end the conflict “almost immediately”.

Addressing Zelenskyy a day before his high-stakes visit to the White House on Monday, Trump warned that the return of Russian-occupied Crimea and Ukrainian membership of NATO would be off the table in any negotiated settlement.

“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Sunday.

“Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!”

Trump’s comments came as European leaders were set to accompany Zelenskyy on his visit to Washington, DC, on Monday amid concerns in Brussels and Kyiv that the US president could sign off on a deal that is overly favourable to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Speaking shortly after Trump’s comments on Sunday, Zelenskyy said that previous concessions to Moscow, including in Crimea, had only emboldened Putin to wage more war.

“We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. And peace must be lasting,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

“Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East – part of Donbas – and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack. Or when Ukraine was given so called ‘security guarantees’ in 1994, but they didn’t work.”

Zelenskyy added that Crimea “should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022”.

“Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their independence,” he said.

While Trump has indicated that a deal with Moscow would involve “some swapping, changes in land” between Russia and Ukraine, Zelenskyy has repeatedly ruled out handing over Ukrainian territory to “the occupier”.

In a bid to press Trump to maintain support for Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are attending Monday’s talks at the White House.

Macron said on Sunday that European leaders and Zelenskyy would aim to present a united front in the face of Russian aggression.

“If we show weakness today in front of Russia, we are laying the ground for future conflicts,” Macron said.

Despite Trump dismissing the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO, US special envoy Steve Witkoff said earlier on Sunday that Putin had agreed to support a US-backed security guarantee resembling the 32-member transatlantic alliance’s collective defence mandate during last week’s meeting with the US president in Alaska.

“We were able to win the following concession: That the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO,” Witkoff told CNN’s State of the Union.

Under Article 5, an armed attack against a NATO member nation is considered an attack against all members of the alliance.

Still, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday sought to temper expectations, saying an agreement to end the war was “a long ways off”.

“We’re not at the precipice of a peace agreement,” Rubio told ABC News’s This Week.

“We made progress in the sense that we identified potential areas of agreement, but there remain some big areas of disagreement.”

The US president has repeatedly called on the top central banker to step down amid disagreement over interest rates.

United States President Donald Trump has repeated his call for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to step down, the latest in a series of attacks that have raised concern about the independence of the US central bank.

Trump made the call for Powell to “resign immediately” on Wednesday after his administration’s top housing regulator urged the US Congress to launch an investigation into the central banker.

Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, said in a post on X that Powell should be investigated for his “political bias” and “deceptive testimony” about renovations at the Federal Reserve headquarters in Washington, DC.

In a Truth Social post responding to Pulte’s comments, Trump said “Too Late” – a nickname used to lambast Powell for not lowering rates faster – should resign.

Trump’s latest broadside comes days after he sent Powell a letter demanding that the central banker lower the benchmark interest rate, which is currently set at a range of 4.25 percent to 4.5 percent, by “a lot”.

The US president has repeatedly criticised Powell for not backing faster rate cuts, arguing that the central banker’s cautious stance is holding back economic growth and that concerns about inflation are overblown.

Lower interest rates reduce the cost of borrowing for businesses and consumers, helping boost economic growth.

But rate cuts also have the effect of increasing inflation, which central banks typically wish to keep low, and Trump’s sweeping tariffs are generally expected to put upward pressure on prices.

On Tuesday, Powell told a panel discussion at the European Central Bank Forum in Portugal that the central bank had taken a wait-and-see approach to rate cuts in order to gauge the impact of Trump’s tariffs, many of which are in limbo ahead of a July 9 deadline.

“In effect, we went on hold when we saw the size of the tariffs, and essentially all inflation forecasts for the United States went up materially as a consequence of the tariffs,” Powell said.

“We didn’t overreact. In fact, we didn’t react at all; we’re simply taking some time.”

Trump has repeatedly demanded that Powell, whose term does not expire until May 2026, step down or be removed since coming into office in January.

Last week, Trump told reporters that he would “love” for Powell to step down “if he wanted to”.

In April, Trump said that Powell’s “termination cannot come fast enough,” before backing off his threat after stocks and the US dollar dipped sharply.

Under US federal law, the US president is only permitted to fire the Fed chair “for cause”, a provision widely interpreted to mean specific misconduct, not policy decisions.

In May, the US Supreme Court reaffirmed precedent limiting the president’s ability to remove the top central banker in a ruling that singled out the Federal Reserve as having a distinct status compared with other independent agencies.

Trump earlier on Tuesday told reporters that he had “two or three” choices in mind to succeed Powell without elaborating on who is under consideration.

US President Donald Trump said Iran and Israel “should talk immediately” about de-escalating their conflict “before it’s too late.” Speaking at the G7 summit in Canada he said Tehran is “not winning this war.”

Making the one change not only saves you time and money but also helps the environment

UK airports are keen to ditch the 100ml liquids rule for anyone carrying hand luggage through security this summer. However, until that happens, travellers must continue to limit and pack any liquids from their hand luggage in a clear bag for security reasons.

This has led to a surge in the use of disposable clear plastic bags for toiletries and other liquids across the country. Some UK airports have relaxed the rules around liquids in hand luggage, reducing the need for these plastic bags. However, others still enforce the rule.

The lack of consistency across the UK means many holiday-goers will continue to rely on putting their 100ml liquids in a disposable plastic bag. Even though the UK is eager to abolish the rules as soon as possible, thanks to advanced scanners, you may find that the airport you’re returning from still insists on bagged 100ml liquids.

Fresh data from plastic waste experts at BusinessWaste.co.uk suggests that a staggering 235 million single-use plastic bags could be used in 2025. The data also reveals that an astonishing 3.5 billion bags have been used since the rules were first introduced in 2006, reports the Liverpool Echo.

The 100ml liquid regulation at airports, which mandates that liquids be stored in transparent, resealable plastic bags, was put in place in 2006 after a terror plot to blow up transatlantic flights was prevented. This plot involved the use of liquid explosives that were concealed as soft drinks in carry-on luggage.

With an estimated 313 million passengers expected to pass through UK airports this year, the number of single-use plastic liquid bags used and discarded could hit 235 million. That’s enough to fill two Olympic-sized swimming pools in just one year in the UK.

Data projections indicate that a staggering 3.5 billion bags may have been used at UK airports over the last 19 years. When arranged end to end, this quantity of bags equates to 18 journeys around the Earth’s equator or four times the height of Mount Everest when piled up.

Why does it matter?

These bags are crafted from soft plastics, which are rarely recyclable. They frequently end up in landfill sites, where they can take as long as 1,000 years to decompose.

As these plastic items deteriorate, they can generate minuscule particles known as microplastics. Studies reveal that these pose a threat to both human and animal health. The energy and materials needed to manufacture these bags are depleting our planet’s natural resources, with 98% of single-use plastic products made from fossil fuels or virgin feedstock.

What steps can you take?

Firstly, make sure you’re familiar with the regulations of your departure airport. With many soon to adjust to new rules, there might be no need to bag liquids at all. If you’re checking in luggage, avoid placing any liquids in your hand luggage. This eliminates the requirement for any small plastic bags and could also save you time at security checks, as many will wait until they arrive at security to bag up their liquids, which adds to the queue.

If reusable options aren’t feasible, BusinessWaste is requesting travellers ditch single-use clear plastic bags in favour of reusable ones at UK airports this summer. The company recommends switching to reusable ones and says there is an array of reusable choices available online and in stores, like Boots and Superdrug. However, just make sure they measure 20cm x 20cm, are transparent, have a capacity no greater than one litre, comply with airport regulations, and can be securely sealed (by a zipper).

Another tip is to use airside click-and-collect services for toiletries. This not only bypasses steep airport prices but also eliminates the need to carry liquids in hand luggage, saving space, money, and benefiting the environment.

If you do take liquids in your hand luggage, at most airports:

• containers must hold no more than 100ml
• containers must be in a single, transparent, resealable plastic bag, which holds no more than a litre and measures approximately 20cm x 20cm
• contents must fit comfortably inside the bag so it can be sealed
• the bag must not be knotted or tied at the top
• you’re limited to one plastic bag per person
• you must show the bag at the airport security point

For those who do bring liquids in their carry-on, Gov.uk advises: “Liquids in containers larger than 100ml generally cannot go through security even if the container is only part full. There are some exemptions. Some airports may allow you to take containers of liquid up to 100ml through security in your hand luggage. Check with the airport before you travel. Also, check the rules at other airports you’ll be travelling through – for example, on your return journey.”

Graham Matthews, a plastic waste expert at BusinessWaste.co.uk, says making the swap from disposable plastic bags to reusable ones for 100ml hand luggage liquids should be done as soon as possible to avoid even more waste building up. He said: “The plastic bags we use to bring liquids through airports are a huge blight on the environment.

“While you may only go on holiday once or twice a year, this quickly adds up as the UK now sees around 300 million air passengers a year. We’re really happy to see the new scanners in place and hope that this reduces the reliance on single-use plastic bags.

“However, old habits die hard, and many people will be nervous to change to the new system, or find that their return airport still requires liquids to be bagged. For anyone in this position, and until the new rules are firmly in place, we strongly encourage passengers to consider utilising hold luggage, switching to reusable options, or making use of airside click-and-collect.”

A DOCTOR has revealed the three household items that should be thrown away “immediately” because of their toxic traits.

Repeated use could lead to high blood pressure, cholesterol and reproductive issues, he warns.

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Gastroenterologist Dr Saurabh Sethi is known for sharing a wealth of health expertise on various social media platforms, including Instagram (@doctor.sethi).

He previously shared three foods he always avoids to protect his liver.

Now, the 42-year-old has revealed three toxic items commonly found in people’s homes, and advises people get rid of them immediately.

In a clip, which has racked up 11.8m views and over 141,000 likes, Dr Sethi’s first warning is over scented candles.

“These contain phthalates, which are known to disrupt hormone levels,” the doctor, from California, US, says.

“And cause respiratory issues.”

Phthalates are chemicals used in synthetic fragrances to help the scent bind to the wax and last longer. 

When candles containing phthalates burn, they release them into the air.

Dr Sethi adds: “Opt for unscented or natural candles made from soy or beeswax.”

Phthalates have been linked to various health risks, including endocrine disruption, reproductive issues, developmental problems, and increased risk of certain cancers. 

Studies have also shown connections between phthalate exposure and asthma, ADHD, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

The second household item Dr Sethi lists as being a danger is plastic cutting boards. 

He says: “These can degrade over time, releasing microplastics into your food, which can accumulate in the body.”

Studies have linked microplastics to a range of potential health issues, including reproductive problems, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological effects. 

They can also contribute to inflammation, cell damage, and disrupt the gut microbiome.

Instead, Dr Sethi advises: “Switch to a wooden one to minimise risk.”

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Last on Dr Sethi’s list is scratched or chipped non-stick pans.

Dr Sethi explains: “These contain PFAS, which have been linked to high blood pressure, cholesterol and reproductive issues.

“Damaged pans can release these particles into your food.”

PFAS are a large, complex group of synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer products around the world since about the 1950s.

Exposure to PFAS has been linked to a range of health problems, including increased risk of certain cancers, altered immune function, liver damage, and reproductive and developmental issues. 

Some studies also suggest links between PFAS and thyroid disease, changes in cholesterol levels, and behavioural problems in children. 

Dr Sethi advises: “So make sure to either replace these pans as soon as they are scratched or chipped.

“Or replace those with safer alternatives, such as stainless steel or cast iron.”