A U.S. appeals court has halted a lower court ruling that would have shut down southeast Alaska’s Chinook salmon troll fishery for the summer to protect endangered orca whales that eat the fish

Cardio isn’t so bad if you take it in small steps. Climbing at least 50 stairs each day could significantly slash your risk of heart disease, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal Atherosclerosis, found that ascending more than five flights of stairs daily could reduce the risk of cardiovascular ailments by about 20 per cent. Cardiovascular diseases such as Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) along with coronary artery disease and strokes are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. “Short bursts of high-intensity stair climbing are a time-efficient way to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and lipid profile, especially among those unable to achieve the current physical activity recommendations,” said co-author Dr Lu Qi, HCA Regents Chair and professor at Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans. “These findings highlight the potential advantages of stair climbing as a primary preventive measure for ASCVD in the general population.” For the study, researchers used data from a UK Biobank of 450,000 adults and participants were analysed based on their family history of cardiovascular disease as well as their genetic risk factors and established risk factors. Participants were also asked about their lifestyle habits and their frequency of climbing stairs, with the median follow-up time being 12.5 years. The results revealed that climbing more stairs daily reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease in those who were less susceptible, with Dr Qi saying the increased risk of heart disease in more susceptible people could be “effectively offset”. “This study provides novel evidence for the protective effects of stair climbing on the risk of ASCVD, particularly for individuals with multiple ASCVD risk factors,” Dr Qi added. ‘A significant training effect’ Dr Nicolas Berger, a senior lecturer in sport and exercise at England’s Teesside University, who was not a part of the study, says walking up staircases has more benefits than walking on a flat surface because it “requires the use of more muscles as well as some balance and gross motor skills.” He says even though these may be in “short bursts”, it still “requires a lot of activity from your cardiovascular system and that is why people often find themselves out of breath whilst climbing stairs. “These short, intermittent bursts of activity have large benefits in terms of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. They can significantly increase your heart rate and oxygen uptake and cause positive adaptations in the body,” Dr Berger adds. Although 50 steps a day might not seem like much “it can have a significant training effect.” This type of movement activates muscles such as the glutes, quads, hamstring and calves, as well as muscles in the core, Dr Berger says. If you are not much of a runner, Dr Berger suggests taking stairs may be a useful option. “It’s an attractive alternative to just walking or running for many, due to the easy access for most people in their houses or when out. “If there are no stairs available, walking up and down steep gradients also has similar benefits and demands. Getting up off the floor or low ground has benefits in terms of strength and balance, but not so much for the cardiovascular system. “Overall, incorporating this activity into daily habits for sedentary people, people at risk or anyone trying to stay healthy is a good suggestion,” he adds. Read More How many steps a day can cut risk of early death (and it’s not 10,000) Tread carefully: Do we really need to walk 10,000 steps a day? What I gained (and lost) by walking 10,000 steps each day for 5 months Is a four-day week a good idea? | You Ask The Questions 9 science-backed ways to lose weight without going on a diet A Japanese doctor who studied longevity — and lived to 105 — said if you must retire, do it well after 65

Max Verstappen finished fastest as Carlos Sainz crashed out of a rain-hit final practice for the Canadian Grand Prix. Verstappen has won five of the first seven races of the season and even a wet track in Montreal could not slow the Dutchman down. The world champion, already 53 points clear of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in the championship standings, finished 0.291 seconds clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque was the only driver within one second of Verstappen. Fernando Alonso took third for Aston Martin, 1.3 sec off the pace. Lewis Hamilton, fastest in Friday’s dry running at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, finished 10th in the rain, 1.98 sec slower than Verstappen, with George Russell 15th in the other Mercedes. In the greasy conditions, Sainz spun after he stepped on to the white line under braking for the opening left-right chicane. Sainz was sent out of control and into the wall, sustaining significant damage to the front of his scarlet car. The Ferrari man escaped unharmed from the high-speed shunt which saw the one-hour session suspended for eight minutes. But his mechanics will now face a race against time to repair his machine for qualifying which is due to start at 16:00 local time (21:00 BST). Sainz was also summoned to the stewards for blocking Williams’ Alex Albon at the final chicane. Albon was forced to take evasive action to avoid slamming into the back of the Spaniard. Hamilton headlined the order here on Friday, but the seven-time world champion was not at ease with his black-liveried car on a sodden surface. “Grip is very poor,” said Hamilton after he ran off the road at the first corner and failed to trouble the top of the time sheets. Elsewhere, Kevin Magnussen finished an impressive fourth for Haas, one spot ahead of Sainz, who set his speediest lap moments before his accident. British driver Lando Norris was 13th, one spot behind his rookie McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, while Perez finished a lowly 17th, 2.7 sec behind Verstappen. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Lewis Hamilton fastest as practice for Canadian Grand Prix finally gets started Max Verstappen closes in on ‘amazing achievement’ of matching Ayrton Senna Lewis Hamilton plays down talk of imminent new Mercedes deal

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