Author: OMN AI

“Life is becoming more expensive,” says Alexander, an advertising specialist from Moscow who works for a large corporation. His monthly food budget jumped by more than 22% within one month, rising from 35,000 roubles to 43,000 roubles. Russia’s economy now sits between stagnation and decline, and many citizens feel the financial impact of the war in Ukraine as it approaches its fourth year. Alexander noticed price increases for almost all essential goods in supermarkets, including eggs, chicken fillets, and seasonal vegetables. Journalists changed all names in this report to protect sources. Even his daily Americano on the way to work…

Brussels Signals Independent Action The European Union is prepared to impose a full ban on maritime services for Russian oil tankers, even if G7 allies cannot reach a consensus, Valdis Dombrovskis said. EU officials are pushing to approve the 20th sanctions package by 24 February, marking four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. If enacted, the ban would effectively override the G7’s existing oil price cap within the EU. European companies would be forbidden from servicing Russian tankers regardless of the price of Urals crude, which is currently capped at $44.10 per barrel. Dombrovskis emphasized that coordination with G7…

Senior UK banking figures will meet this week to begin work on a domestic card payments network.The project aims to reduce reliance on US-owned systems run by Visa and Mastercard. The talks will be chaired by Vim Maru of Barclays and involve major lenders and payment firms.City investors will fund the new company, known as DeliveryCo, with government support.The Bank of England is preparing the technical blueprint. Concern about geopolitical risk has accelerated the long-running plan.About 95% of UK card transactions currently depend on the two US networks.Executives warn that losing them would severely disrupt the economy as cash use…

US President Donald Trump said he will be indirectly involved in talks between Iran and the United States starting later Tuesday in Geneva. He spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One and said he believes Iran wants to reach a deal on its nuclear programme. The second round of talks in Switzerland follows repeated military threats against Iran over its deadly crackdown on anti-government protests and the ongoing dispute over its nuclear programme. On Monday, Iran’s foreign ministry said it believes the US position has moved toward a more realistic stance. Iran Targets Sanctions Relief While US Pushes Wider Issues…

Volkswagen is preparing a new restructuring drive to cut costs by 20% by 2028.Plant closures are reportedly being considered as competition from Chinese carmakers intensifies. Chief executive Oliver Blume and finance chief Arno Antlitz presented the savings plan to senior managers.The goal is to secure stable profits despite weak sales, high costs and rapid industry automation. The group had already announced a major overhaul that will cut 35,000 jobs by 2030 and save €10bn.It says earlier measures have produced savings in the double-digit billion-euro range. Pressure is rising as the EU’s trade deficit with China grows and Chinese brands expand…

A Personal Bond Framed as Political Support U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio used his visit to Budapest to deliver a clear message from Donald Trump: Washington wants Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to succeed. Standing alongside Orbán after the Munich Security Conference, Rubio emphasized the personal relationship between the Hungarian leader and Trump, describing it as central to strong bilateral ties. He said the U.S. president is “deeply committed” to Orbán’s success, arguing that Hungary’s prosperity aligns with American national interests. Rubio also pointed to Hungary’s one-year exemption from U.S. sanctions on importers of Russian oil, granted last November, as…

Big Tech companies are accelerating artificial intelligence development with unprecedented capital expenditure. They plan spending above 700 billion dollars in 2026, equal to about 590 billion euros. This represents a roughly 75 percent increase compared with 2025. Several companies released earnings reports and outlined their spending plans. Analysts confirmed these projections and stressed their strategic importance. Wall Street focuses heavily on the combined capital expenditure figure. The market tracks more than 700 billion dollars flowing into AI infrastructure this year. That amount exceeds Sweden’s nominal GDP for 2025, according to IMF estimates. Global chip sales are expected to reach one…

Is the West in Decline — or Reinventing Itself? This year’s gathering at the Munich Security Conference exposed a widening divide in how leaders on both sides of the Atlantic see the future of the West. Senior officials from the United States, Ukraine and across Europe arrived with a shared agenda — security and the war in Ukraine — but left with clear differences over identity, values and responsibility. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that the West is drifting into decline and called on European allies to help reverse what he described as a dangerous trajectory. He warned…

The shift from injections to tablets is pushing weight-loss drugs further into the mainstream.New daily pills that mimic the appetite hormone GLP-1 could broaden access and demand.Analysts predict the sector could reach $200bn by the end of the decade. Melody Ewert switched from Zepbound to the new oral Wegovy after her insurance costs surged.She had already lost weight with medication and lifestyle changes.She now reports steadier appetite control with the daily pill.Other patients say tablets are simpler and avoid injections. Novo Nordisk launched the first GLP-1 weight-loss pill in the US in December.Prescriptions quickly reached about 50,000 a week.The drug…

Health agencies warn that measles still pose a major challenge in Europe, despite a decline in cases in 2025 compared with the previous year’s record. Experts urge immediate action to counter vaccine hesitancy and prevent renewed outbreaks across the continent. Measles often fade from public attention, but they continue to spread in several countries. Europe reported 127,350 measles cases in 2024, which marked the highest total since 1997. Cases declined in 2025, but infections still doubled compared with 2023, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Sabrina Bacci, head of the ECDC programme on vaccine-preventable diseases and…