Author: OMN AI

A South Korean cryptocurrency exchange accidentally sent customers more than 40 billion dollars in bitcoin. The mistake briefly turned some users into multimillionaires. The company planned to send a small reward of 2,000 won, worth about 1.37 dollars. Instead, it sent 2,000 bitcoins to customers on Friday. The platform Bithumb apologised for the error and described the incident. The company said it quickly noticed the mistake and recovered almost all missing tokens. It restricted trading and withdrawals for 695 affected customers within 35 minutes of the glitch. Exchange Retrieves Nearly All Mistaken Bitcoin Bithumb said it recovered 99.7 percent of…

Projects in Italy and Germany Cancelled Automotive Cells Company (ACC), a European battery venture backed by Stellantis, TotalEnergies, and Mercedes-Benz, has officially shelved plans to build gigafactories in Italy and Germany. The Italian metalworkers’ union UILM confirmed the news on Saturday, saying ACC’s Termoli project, along with its German counterpart, will not move forward. Both projects had been paused since 2024 amid slower-than-expected growth in electric vehicle demand. Slower EV Market Forces Strategic Shift ACC cited the need to rethink its approach as demand for electric vehicles in Europe has not met earlier projections. The company has also been considering…

Researchers say a menstrual blood test could offer a simple alternative to cervical cancer screening.A sanitary pad fitted with a sample strip can detect HPV, the virus causing most cervical cancers.Women could use the test at home without a clinician. The study, published in BMJ, analysed data from more than 3,000 women in China.Researchers compared pad-collected menstrual blood with clinician-taken cervical samples. The pad test detected serious cervical abnormalities with 94.7% sensitivity.This matched the accuracy of clinician-collected samples. Researchers say the method could improve screening uptake among women who avoid appointments.Experts welcomed the findings but stressed the test needs larger…

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that threatens new tariffs on countries that continue to trade with Iran. The order does not set a fixed rate but uses 25 percent as an example. It says the tariff could apply to goods imported into the United States from any nation that directly or indirectly buys goods or services from Iran. Trump did not comment directly on the order but repeated that Iran must not obtain nuclear weapons. He spoke from Air Force One while senior US and Iranian officials held talks in Oman after weeks of escalating threats…

A major review finds that most listed statin side-effects are not caused by the drugs.Researchers published the analysis in The Lancet after reviewing 19 trials involving 124,000 participants.Evidence supports only muscle pain, diabetes risk, and four minor effects, including liver test changes.Researchers found no strong evidence linking statins to memory loss, depression, sleep problems, or nerve damage.Statins significantly reduce heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular deaths, with benefits outweighing risks for most patients.Lead author Christina Reith said the findings should reassure patients and doctors.Experts called for clearer drug labels to reflect the evidence and counter misinformation.

The European Union has warned TikTok to change its platform design or face serious financial penalties. The European Commission said the video platform breached EU online safety rules. Officials reached this conclusion after an investigation launched in February 2024. Regulators examined how TikTok’s design affects user behaviour. The Commission said TikTok failed to properly assess risks to mental wellbeing. Investigators focused on autoplay and endless content delivery. They said these features can harm users, especially children. Regulators also said TikTok did not implement effective measures to reduce these risks. TikTok rejected the findings through a company spokesperson. The firm described…

Lawmakers Call for Equal Standards Starting January 2027, companies importing oil and gas into the European Union will have to follow strict monitoring, reporting, and verification requirements tied to methane emissions from their suppliers. A group of 24 US lawmakers has urged the EU not to grant exemptions to American energy producers if domestic standards fail to meet the bloc’s level of enforcement or accuracy. In a letter obtained by Euronews, the lawmakers describe methane—a potent greenhouse gas up to 30 times stronger than carbon dioxide over the short term—as a key target for preventing wasteful venting and flaring of…

Alphabet Stumble Pulls Wall Street Lower US markets slid sharply on Thursday after Alphabet shares dropped more than 4%, setting off a broad sell-off across major indexes. The S&P 500 fell 1.2%, marking its sixth decline in seven sessions since hitting a record high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 606 points, while the Nasdaq lost 1.5% by mid-morning trading. Alphabet weighed heavily on the market despite reporting quarterly profits that beat expectations. Investors instead focused on the company’s warning that spending on equipment and long-term investments could surge to about $180 billion this year — far above analyst…

Hidden-market sellers promote unlicensed weight-loss drugs through WhatsApp and Telegram giveaways.They offer injectable medicines such as retatrutide as competition prizes. The Guardian found groups using countdowns and giveaways to drive demand.Experts warn these tactics pose serious health risks. Retatrutide remains unapproved anywhere in the world.Other prizes include Glow pens and melanotan II, which lack UK approval. UK law restricts weight-loss injections to prescription-only supply.Unlicensed drugs cannot be legally sold or advertised. Some sellers disguise drug sales as fitness or coaching programmes.Researchers say this marketing trivialises risks and bypasses safeguards. Telegram and Meta state that their platforms ban illegal drug sales.

China is increasing its duty-free shopping options at key travel hubs. Beijing and other major cities will open 41 new duty-free shops. The move aims to enhance retail experiences for tourists and encourage more inbound travel. Officials said the new stores will be located in airports, train stations, and popular city centers. This expansion is part of a larger strategy to make China a top shopping destination for international visitors. Duty-free shopping has become a key tool for attracting tourists. Travelers can purchase luxury goods and popular items without paying import taxes. By adding more stores, China hopes to keep…