Author: OMN AI

Around one in 10 people in the UK aged 70 and over may have brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the largest population-based study to date examining how common these changes are in older adults. The findings do not amount to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, but they suggest that more than 1 million people could meet current NHS clinical criteria for treatment with anti-amyloid drugs. This is far higher than previous NHS estimates of about 70,000 potential patients. The study, published in Nature on 17 December, analysed blood samples from nearly 11,500 randomly selected people using a p-tau217…

As Christmas approaches, airport and airline staff across Europe are staging walkouts to protest low wages and poor working conditions.Unions have described the behavior of some employers as “Grinch-style,” accusing them of taking advantage of staff during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.These strikes are not just minor inconveniences—they highlight long-standing frustrations among workers who feel undervalued despite the pressures of the holiday season. For travelers heading home for Christmas or planning a winter holiday, these disruptions have become an increasingly familiar challenge.Strikes are carefully timed to coincide with peak travel periods, giving workers maximum leverage in…

The Trump administration announced a weapons sale to Taiwan valued at about $11bn. The package includes advanced rocket launchers, self-propelled howitzers, and several missile systems. US officials disclosed the plan late Wednesday. Congress must approve the agreement before implementation. The administration described the sale as a necessary security measure. The deal marks the second arms sale to Taiwan since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January. The administration continues to expand military cooperation with Taipei. Officials framed the package as a response to growing regional instability. The sale significantly boosts Taiwan’s defensive capacity. China keeps up military pressure…

A carnivorous pitcher plant has been found to use a toxic nerve agent to incapacitate its prey before digesting it, scientists have discovered. Nepenthes khasiana produces a sweet nectar along the rim of its pitcher-shaped leaves to attract insects, particularly ants. Researchers have found that this nectar contains isoshinanolone, a nerve toxin that disrupts the insects’ nervous systems, slowing movement, weakening muscles and triggering excessive grooming. As the toxin takes effect, affected insects lose coordination, often falling upside down into the pitcher, where some die immediately while others are later drowned and digested in the plant’s acidic fluids. The nectar…

France’s Interior Ministry suffered a cyberattack that lasted several days, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed. The hackers targeted professional email accounts at the Place Beauvau ministry, which employs nearly 300,000 people. The breach allowed unauthorized access to sensitive police files, triggering immediate concern among officials. Nuñez spoke publicly on Wednesday, detailing the attack and assuring that the government acted quickly to contain it once it was detected. The intrusion, he explained, exposed multiple internal email accounts and opened the door to highly confidential information. While the full scope of the attack is still under investigation, authorities are working to understand…

Board prepares rejection guidance Warner Bros Discovery plans to urge shareholders to reject Paramount Skydance’s $108.4bn takeover bid. Reports say the board could issue guidance as early as Wednesday. Directors see significant risks in the proposal. They question value certainty and execution. Paramount says its bid exceeds a $72bn agreement Warner Bros reached with Netflix. That deal covers film and streaming assets. Paramount calls its proposal superior. Warner Bros leaders dispute that claim. Financing doubts take centre stage Warner Bros plans to cite financing concerns as a core reason for rejection, according to the Financial Times. Executives question how Paramount…

The first new treatments for gonorrhoea in decades have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, raising hopes of tackling the rapid rise of drug-resistant strains of the infection. Gonorrhoea causes more than 82 million infections globally each year, with cases rising sharply in Europe and at record levels in England. The World Health Organization has listed it as a priority pathogen amid growing resistance to existing antibiotics. One of the newly approved drugs, zoliflodacin (brand name Nuzolvence), cured more than 90% of genital gonorrhoea infections in clinical trials, matching the effectiveness of current treatments. A second drug,…

US President Donald Trump has filed a five-billion-dollar defamation lawsuit over an edited January 2021 speech. He filed the case in Florida and accused the UK public broadcaster of defamation and trade practices violations. Court documents outline the allegations in detail. The organisation apologised for the edit last month. It rejected demands for compensation. It also denied any legal basis for a defamation claim. Trump’s legal team accused editors of intentionally changing his words. The lawsuit claimed the edit was malicious and deceptive. It argued the changes aimed to damage Trump’s reputation. The broadcaster has not yet responded to the…

Louvre employees closed the museum on Monday, protesting poor working conditions and staffing shortages.The world’s most-visited museum faced a second major blow after October’s jewellery heist.Labour leaders said 400 workers voted unanimously to strike, though the duration remains uncertain. Striking staff gathered at the glass pyramid entrance, waving flags, banners, and placards.The Louvre posted a notice online announcing an exceptional closure and promised ticket refunds.The museum usually closes on Tuesdays, and employees may meet Wednesday to decide next steps. Visitor Lindsey Hall expressed disappointment at missing the museum.She said she had planned a life-changing experience with a friend.Hall acknowledged staff…

iRobot, the US company behind the Roomba robot vacuum cleaner, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and agreed to be taken over by one of its Chinese suppliers. The US-listed firm said it had entered a restructuring deal with Picea Robotics, a subsidiary of its main manufacturing partner, which will acquire the business. The bankruptcy filing was made in Delaware and is intended to allow iRobot to continue operating while it restructures its finances. Once valued at more than $3bn during the pandemic boom, iRobot has struggled in recent years as demand softened, supply chain problems persisted and cheaper…