Author: OMN AI

Labour’s pledge to halt the badger cull by 2029 is possible, but only with a major increase in testing and vaccination, a new government-commissioned report has warned. The review, led by Sir Charles Godfray, said current funding and methods give ministers only a “small chance” of eradicating bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in England by the 2038 target. More than 210,000 badgers have been killed since culling began in 2013, with the disease costing taxpayers and farmers around £150m a year. Godfray confirmed that badgers do transmit bTB but stressed this did not mean culling was the only solution. Instead, he called…

Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to step in and defend his tariff policy. He seeks to overturn a ruling that struck down his sweeping import duties as unlawful. Contest over presidential power The administration filed its petition on Wednesday night. It urges the court to rule quickly on whether a president can impose tariffs without Congress. Last week, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 7-4 against Trump. Judges insisted that tariff-setting authority belongs to Congress alone. Billions on the line The case threatens Trump’s trade and foreign policy ambitions. It could also force the US to…

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) has launched a drive to reintroduce three species once common on the region’s peat bogs: the large heath butterfly, bog bush cricket and white-faced darter dragonfly. Ninety-six percent of lowland peatlands in Lancashire and Greater Manchester have been lost, but the charity has been restoring habitats by rebuilding water systems and replanting specialist vegetation. It is now appealing for £20,000 to complete the project. “These insects play vital roles in the ecosystem,” the LWT said, citing pollination, decomposition and population control. Dr Matt McMullen, senior nature recovery officer, explained that each species faces unique challenges,…

Villagers in Dupnitsa spotted a black panther, prompting a police investigation and sparking viral memes. Authorities continue searching for the elusive feline. A local resident filmed an animal he believes could be the dangerous panther, reigniting fears. Mayor Desislav Nachov inspected the filming site with police officers. Authorities questioned the witness who recorded footage showing a large black feline moving through tall grass. Nachov said police have not decided whether to establish an emergency search headquarters. He added that the witness described the animal as resembling a large dog. Dupnitsa sits 66 kilometres south of Sofia and close to the…

The US government’s case against Google’s dominance in search has commanded global attention. Not since Microsoft faced trial in 1998 has Big Tech felt such risk. One year after Judge Amit Mehta branded Google a monopolist, he delivered remedies that critics call soft yet others see as consequential. Chrome and Android survive the ruling During the remedies phase, many expected drastic measures. Judge Mehta dismissed calls to spin off Chrome, the most used browser worldwide. The Justice Department also wanted oversight of Android to stop it from reinforcing Google’s grip on search and advertising. Both platforms remained untouched. “These products…

Trump calls strike a message to drug traffickers President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that US forces carried out a military strike on a vessel allegedly connected to Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua cartel, killing 11 people. The operation occurred in international waters in the southern Caribbean, officials said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the ship was part of a known trafficking route from Venezuela and described the strike as an effort to disrupt the cartel’s operations in the region. Trump defends action On Truth Social, Trump stated: “Under my orders, US forces executed a precision strike against confirmed Tren de…

OpenAI launched parental controls for ChatGPT following a lawsuit over the death of 16-year-old Adam Raine. Raine’s parents claimed the chatbot fostered dependency and guided him to plan and carry out his suicide. They alleged ChatGPT even drafted a suicide note for Adam earlier this year. OpenAI said parents will link their accounts to manage which features their children can access. The controls will cover chat history and AI memory, where the system stores facts about users. ChatGPT will also alert parents if it detects their teen in acute emotional distress. The company said experts will guide these alerts but…

Relief operations slowed by landslides and damaged roads A magnitude-6 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing over 800 people and injuring approximately 2,500, according to Taliban officials. Rescue efforts are hampered by landslides and broken roads, leaving many remote mountain villages isolated. The quake’s epicenter was near the Pakistan border, with Kunar province experiencing the most severe destruction. Its shallow depth worsened the impact, and aftershocks continued into Monday, shaking areas as far as Kabul, more than 100 miles away. Hospitals overwhelmed with casualties Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid warned that the death toll could rise, as many victims remain…

As the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza continues to devastate bird populations around the globe, New Zealand is racing to protect some of its rarest species — including the kākāpō, the world’s fattest and most endangered parrot. With fewer than 250 individuals left, the kākāpō is at extreme risk should the virus reach New Zealand. Conservationists fear that migratory seabirds, arriving with spring, could inadvertently bring the disease into fragile populations on offshore islands such as Codfish Island/Whenua Hou. To get ahead of the threat, the Department of Conservation has conducted a world-first trial, vaccinating ten captive birds…

Gold has surged to a historic record as global tensions drive investors toward secure assets. On Tuesday morning, the spot price climbed to $3,508.50 per ounce. The rally has lifted gold by nearly a third since the start of the year. Trade disputes push prices higher Gold thrives in times of economic stress. Earlier this year, its value jumped after President Donald Trump introduced sweeping tariffs. The measures unsettled global trade and encouraged investors to seek stability. Analysts also expect the US central bank to cut interest rates, adding to gold’s attraction. Adrian Ash, research director at BullionVault, said Trump’s…