Author: OMN AI

New Zealand scientists are testing whether vaccination can shield critically endangered species, including the kākāpō, the world’s fattest parrot, from H5N1 bird flu. The virus has wiped out millions of wild birds worldwide, but has not yet reached Oceania. In a world-first trial, the Department of Conservation vaccinated 10 captive birds from five rare species. Four showed strong, lasting antibody responses, raising hopes of protecting core breeding populations. Experts caution that vaccinating wild flocks is impractical, so efforts will focus on captive breeding programmes and managed island populations. Similar measures have been taken in the US, where California condors were…

Gold has reached a historic peak as investors search for stability in unsettled markets. On Tuesday morning, the spot price rose to $3,508.50 per ounce. The rally has driven the metal up by nearly a third this year. Tariffs and trade tensions boost interest Gold often gains when the global economy faces disruption. Earlier this year, prices jumped after President Donald Trump introduced sweeping tariffs. The measures unsettled global trade and increased demand for safer assets. Analysts also expect the US central bank to cut interest rates, adding to gold’s appeal. Adrian Ash, research director at BullionVault, said Trump’s policies…

Blocked roads and rugged terrain slow urgent rescue efforts A magnitude-6 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan overnight Sunday, killing over 800 people and injuring around 2,500, Taliban officials confirmed. Rescue operations remain stalled as landslides and collapsed roads have cut off mountain villages. The tremor, centered near the Pakistan border, devastated Kunar province and was felt in Kabul, over 100 miles away. Its shallow depth made destruction more severe, while repeated aftershocks rattled the region into Monday. Hospitals at breaking point Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid reported the rising death toll, warning more victims remain trapped beneath mud and stone homes. In…

Scientists confirmed Yersinia pestis caused the Justinian Plague, the earliest recorded pandemic, 1,500 years ago. Researchers located the bacterium’s epicenter for the first time, solving a long-standing historical mystery. Unearthing Biological Evidence in Jordan Researchers discovered Yersinia pestis traces in a mass grave beneath Jerash’s ancient ruins in Jordan. DNA analysis of human teeth provided the first direct biological proof of the plague’s presence in the empire. “For centuries, we relied only on written descriptions without biological evidence,” said study lead Rays HY Jiang. Jiang emphasized that the findings offer a genetic window into how the pandemic unfolded at the…

A simple cheek swab could transform the early detection of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), a genetic heart condition responsible for more than 10% of sudden cardiac deaths in children, according to new research presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Madrid. ACM is caused by abnormalities in proteins between heart cells, disrupting both the structure and electrical activity of the heart. Often striking without warning, it can cause palpitations, fainting, breathlessness, abnormal rhythms, and in severe cases, sudden death. Researchers at Great Ormond Street Hospital and City St George’s, University of London have shown that the same protein abnormalities…

Shares of Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD fell by up to 8% on Monday. The decline followed weaker profits, driven by heavy discounting in a fiercely competitive market. Profits fall short of expectations On Friday, BYD reported net profit of 6.4bn yuan ($900m; £660m) for April to June. The result marked a 30% fall compared with the same period last year. The company admitted that intensifying price competition across the EV sector has hurt its performance. Rivals cut deeper into margins The Shenzhen-based automaker faces mounting pressure from domestic rivals Nio and XPeng, as well as Tesla from the US.…

Court steps in after lawyers warn of unlawful removals A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Sunday blocked the Trump administration from deporting Guatemalan minors, granting an emergency order after attorneys argued that the government was rushing to place the children on flights out of the country. Ten minors named in suit, ruling extends to all in custody The petition was filed on behalf of 10 children between 10 and 17 years old, who, according to their lawyers, were just hours away from being flown to Guatemala late Saturday. Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan halted their removal for 14 days and…

Russia launched 142 attack and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, Ukraine’s Air Force reported on Telegram. Explosions shook Kherson, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro during the assault. Ukrainian forces intercepted and shot down 126 drones, but 16 struck 10 different locations. Kherson authorities confirmed two deaths and 14 injuries after drones damaged houses, schools, a hospital, cars, and a gas station. Odesa Suffers Blackout After Drone Strikes Local reports confirmed one person injured in Odesa, with Chornomorsk experiencing the heaviest destruction. District Governor Oleg Kiper said the attack crippled energy infrastructure, leaving 29,000 residents without electricity. He added that crews immediately…

Oscar Piastri strengthened his grip on the Formula 1 title race with a dominant victory at Zandvoort, while teammate and main rival Lando Norris suffered a devastating retirement just seven laps from the finish. The Australian was untouchable from pole, controlling the race through light rain and three safety-car restarts to secure a flag-to-flag win. But as he celebrated, Norris was left sitting disconsolately on the Dutch dunes, his McLaren smoking from an oil leak that cruelly ended what had looked like a certain second place. The retirement leaves Piastri 34 points clear in the drivers’ standings — a swing…

Beer sales in Germany continue to decline, while alcohol-free options are on the rise. According to the federal statistics office, sales of alcohol-free beer have climbed by 109 percent since 2013. At the same time, overall beer sales have reached their lowest level in more than three decades. For the first time, total sales slipped below four billion liters in a half-year period. From January to June 2025, breweries sold about 3.9 billion liters. That marks a fall of 6.3 percent, or 262 million liters, compared with the same period in 2024. breweries adapt to the shift The Erdinger brewery…