Author: OMN AI

New Zealand’s fastest bird, the kārearea falcon, has been named the country’s Bird of the Year for 2025, taking the title in a rare scandal-free edition of the beloved national poll. Capable of flying at speeds of up to 200km/h, the kārearea is New Zealand’s only falcon and one of its most formidable hunters. Tawny in colour with powerful talons and striking dark eyes, it can swoop on prey larger than itself after spotting them from high perches. Emma Blackburn, chair of the Kārearea Falcon Trust, called the bird “a stunning predator” and stressed its ecological importance as the country’s…

Insider threats remain one of the most dangerous forms of cyber-crime. Few employees face them. Even fewer speak openly about their experiences. I recently became one of those rare cases. A criminal group approached me with an offer to betray my employer for millions. Unexpected message on Signal The first contact arrived without warning. “If you are interested, we can offer you 15% of any ransom payment if you give us access to your PC.” The sender called themselves Syndicate. They reached me in July via the encrypted app Signal. I did not know them, but I understood immediately what…

Stroll through a supermarket in 2025 and you’ll see cans promising “calm” and “focus” stacked high in pastel colours. These are functional drinks: beverages infused with trendy ingredients such as ashwagandha, lion’s mane mushrooms, L-theanine, and magnesium, all marketed as natural mood-boosters or stress relievers. The global market is booming, expected to hit €212bn by 2030, fuelled by a wider move away from alcohol and toward wellness culture. For many young consumers, they seem like an easy, stylish fix for life’s pressures. But experts caution that the science behind them is less robust than the branding suggests. “Ashwagandha and L-theanine…

Donald Trump has ordered troops to Portland, Oregon, and authorised the use of full force if required to stop protests targeting immigration detention centres. The president said the move would protect immigration facilities from what he described as attacks by Antifa and other domestic terrorists. He portrayed the city as war-ravaged in a post on Truth Social. This order expands military deployments in US cities during his wider crackdown on illegal immigration. pushback from democratic leaders Democratic lawmakers strongly criticised the decision. They argued there was no need for federal troops in Portland. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said the state…

Jennifer Lawrence received the prestigious Donostia Award at the San Sebastian International Film Festival, becoming the youngest actor ever to do so. At 35, she was honoured for a career that includes an Oscar, Golden Globe, and global acclaim for films such as The Hunger Games, Don’t Look Up, and Silver Linings Playbook. Speaking before the ceremony, Lawrence said: “Our freedom of speech is under attack in America, including in the world of film, where we realise that we are all connected and need empathy and freedom.” She also encouraged young filmmakers to keep pursuing their dreams, stressing the importance…

State Department Condemns Petro’s Conduct in New York The United States has withdrawn the entry visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, accusing him of engaging in behavior it labeled “reckless and incendiary.” The decision was announced shortly after Petro’s appearance at a demonstration in New York during the week of the United Nations General Assembly. Washington officials argued that his actions crossed the line of acceptable diplomatic conduct for a foreign leader visiting the country. Outspoken Remarks During Pro-Palestinian Rally At the protest, held near the UN headquarters, Petro urged American military personnel to defy commands and advocated for the…

Jaguar Land Rover has started a phased restart of operations after a major cyber-attack. Some IT systems are functioning again, and the company is clearing overdue supplier payments thanks to expanded invoicing capacity. Cyber-attack halts production lines The August attack forced Jaguar Land Rover to shut down its IT networks and suspend vehicle production. The company’s plants will remain closed until at least next month. The prime minister said the government is working around the clock on a support package for suppliers. Smaller businesses in the supply chain are at risk of collapse as the shutdown continues. Opposition leader Sir…

A Cambridge-led clinical trial has found that a common diabetes drug combined with an antihistamine can partially repair nerve damage in multiple sclerosis (MS), raising hopes for a new class of treatments. The CCMR Two trial tested clemastine, an antihistamine, with metformin, a diabetes drug, in 70 people with relapsing MS. While patients did not notice improvements in symptoms after six months, electrical tests showed faster signal transmission in nerves, suggesting partial repair of damaged myelin sheaths. “It’s smaller than we were hoping for,” said Dr Nick Cunniffe of the University of Cambridge, who led the trial. “The drugs have…

President Donald Trump has announced another round of tariffs on imported products. Starting October 1, branded and patented medicines shipped to the United States will face a 100 percent duty unless the company has manufacturing plants on American soil. The White House will also place a 25 percent tariff on heavy-duty trucks. Kitchen and bathroom cabinets will face a 50 percent duty. Trump introduced the measures on Thursday, calling them crucial to defend US industries. On Truth Social, he claimed that a “flood” of imports was threatening local producers. He insisted the tariffs would provide protection for domestic manufacturers. The…

Officials Suspect Coordinated Operation Late Wednesday into early Thursday, drones were spotted over four Danish airports in what authorities believe was a deliberate attempt to unsettle the public. Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen called the flights highly organized and the work of a skilled operator. Intelligence services highlighted parallels with similar incidents elsewhere in Europe and warned of possible Russian sabotage, though no perpetrator has been identified. Disruptions at Civilian and Military Sites The flyovers led to interruptions at Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sønderborg, and Skrydstrup airports. Aalborg, which doubles as a military installation, faced the longest delays, while Skrydstrup—home to Danish…