Author: OMN AI

Economic Growth Holds Steady The US Federal Reserve decided to leave its key interest rate unchanged at roughly 3.6% on Wednesday, halting further cuts after three reductions last year. Officials highlighted a stabilizing job market and upgraded their growth outlook from “modest” to “solid.” With hiring steady and the economy showing healthy expansion, the Fed sees little urgency to lower rates further for now. Inflation and Diverging Views While most policymakers anticipate additional rate cuts later this year, many are waiting to see inflation move closer to the Fed’s 2% target. According to the central bank’s preferred gauge, inflation was…

Amazon revealed a fresh round of global job cuts after an internal email was sent in error.Workers at Amazon Web Services received a cancelled meeting invite containing a draft redundancy message.The email wrongly stated affected staff in the US, Canada, and Costa Rica had already been informed.It was signed by Colleen Aubrey, a senior vice-president at AWS, and referenced layoffs called Project Dawn.Amazon announced 14,000 corporate job cuts in October and continues to reduce pandemic-era hiring.Chief executive Andy Jassy has warned AI may replace some white-collar roles.Amazon declined to comment, as United Parcel Service also announced up to 30,000 job…

Lawmakers Call for Clear Rules and Investment MEPs from the European People’s Party are urging the EU to treat nuclear fusion as more than just a research project. In a declaration released Tuesday, they called on the European Commission to establish a clear and predictable regulatory framework to attract private investment, noting that the costs of developing fusion energy will be enormous. “Fusion has reached a turning point,” the declaration reads. “European industrial capability and private investments are converging toward deployment. What is now required is clear political backing and effective mechanisms to attract private capital.” Lawmakers stressed that fusion…

Scientists have launched DinoTracker, an AI-powered app that identifies dinosaurs from fossilized footprints.Researchers trained the system using 2,000 unlabeled footprint silhouettes to avoid inherited classification errors.The AI groups prints by shared shape features such as toe spread, heel position, and ground contact.It matches expert human classifications about 90% of the time.The study was led by Prof Steve Brusatte from the University of Edinburgh and Dr Gregor Hartmann from Helmholtz-Zentrum.The findings appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.The system supports evidence that some ancient tracks appear birdlike, long before known bird fossils.Researchers say the app will help scientists…

A high-profile trial over alleged social media addiction starts Tuesday in California. Senior executives from major technology firms are expected to testify. The case could redefine legal accountability for digital platforms. The plaintiff is a 19-year-old woman identified as KGM. She claims platform algorithms caused addiction and damaged her mental health. She says these designs encouraged compulsive use during her teenage years. The defendants include Meta, owner of Instagram and Facebook, TikTok owner ByteDance, and YouTube parent Google. Snapchat reached a settlement with the plaintiff last week. The remaining companies now head to court. The trial will take place at…

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has agreed to dismiss its enforcement lawsuit against the cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, founded by billionaire twins Tyler Winklevoss and Cameron Winklevoss, after investors in its lending program recovered their assets in full. Court filings in Manhattan show the SEC and the exchange, formally known as Gemini Space Station, jointly moved to end the case, citing the complete return of crypto assets to Gemini Earn customers through the Genesis Global Capital bankruptcy process in 2024. The regulator had already signalled last year that it intended to resolve the matter once investors were made whole. The…

Eight Countries Secure SAFE Funding The European Commission has approved defence investment plans from eight EU nations under its new €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme. Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Finland will share €74 billion in loans, with Poland alone requesting €43.7 billion. This marks the second round of approvals after eight other countries — Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain, Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, and Romania — were granted €38 billion in funding earlier in January. SAFE is a key part of the EU’s Readiness 2030 strategy, designed to channel up to €800 billion into defence…

Gold prices climbed above $5,000 (£3,659) an ounce for the first time, extending a historic advance. The metal has risen more than 60% during 2025, delivering one of its strongest years. Growing geopolitical and financial tensions have fueled the surge. Disagreements between the United States and Nato over Greenland have shaken confidence. Investors have grown wary about broader global stability. US President Donald Trump has heightened unease with forceful trade policies. He recently threatened a 100% tariff on Canada. The warning targets any Canadian trade agreement with China. Safe havens regain centre stage Investors typically buy gold during turbulent periods.…

The World Bank Group has opened its first-ever office in Doha, signaling a new chapter in its relationship with Qatar and reinforcing cooperation on development finance, private investment and support for fragile economies across the region. The office was officially inaugurated on Sunday and reflects the steady expansion of ties between the World Bank Group and Qatar, as the country continues to position itself as a key player in global development and finance. Based at the headquarters of the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and working closely with the Ministry of Finance, the Doha office will act as a focal…

Coca-Cola has sued Vue after the cinema operator ended a 25-year partnership and moved to PepsiCo as its exclusive soft drink supplier. Vue, which runs more than 220 cinemas across Europe, selected PepsiCo last year on a deal lasting until at least 2030. The switch followed a competitive tender process and ended Coca-Cola’s long-standing supply agreement. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Great Britain has filed legal action to recover alleged unpaid debts dating from the contract’s termination. Vue said Coca-Cola also owed it money but confirmed the dispute has since been resolved. Vue’s chief executive, Tim Richards, criticised the legal move, saying…