Author: OMN AI

Big Tech may stand at the edge of its Big Tobacco moment. A major social media addiction trial has begun and could reshape the technology industry. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before a jury for the first time over allegations that social media harms young people. His testimony came more than four years after leaked internal documents suggested the company knew its platforms could harm users. Internal documents presented in a Los Angeles courtroom seemed to confirm what many critics long suspected. Meta knew preteens used its apps. The company aimed to maximize scrolling time. It also ignored expert advice…

China has overtaken the United States as Germany’s largest trading partner, with total trade reaching €251bn in 2025.The figure marks a 2.2% increase from the previous year and comes as Chancellor Friedrich Merz prepares for his first official visit to Beijing. Germany imported €170.6bn in goods from China but exported only €81.3bn, highlighting a wide trade imbalance.Trade with the US fell to €240bn, a 5% drop partly linked to American tariffs. Merz will meet Premier Li Qiang and President Xi Jinping during the two-day trip.He is expected to discuss Ukraine, human rights and economic relations.A delegation of business leaders, including…

Budapest Blocks Sanctions Until Pipeline Restored Hungary has announced it will block the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia until Ukraine resumes oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline, damaged in a Russian strike. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told a meeting of the Energy Security Council that the EU would also withhold approval for the €90 billion war loan to Ukraine while supplies remain halted. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó confirmed the sanctions package, scheduled for discussion by EU foreign ministers, will not be supported until pipeline repairs are completed. Energy Exports and Regional Tensions The council also addressed electricity supplies to…

The European Union faces mounting criticism after a report revealed massive financial support for foods that worsen climate change. Experts call on the EU to implement a Plant-Based Action Plan to encourage sustainable diets and help farmers shift away from meat and dairy. Red meat and other climate-harming foods receive disproportionate support from EU subsidies, raising concerns over misuse of taxpayer money. Charity Foodrise published a report showing the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) allocated far more funding to high-emission animal foods than to plant-based options in 2020. Animal-sourced foods captured roughly 77 percent of total CAP subsidies, totaling €39…

The European Union faces strong criticism after a report revealed massive subsidies for foods that damage the climate. Experts urge the EU to implement a Plant-Based Action Plan to encourage sustainable diets and help farmers move away from meat and dairy. Climate-harming foods, especially red meat, receive enormous support from EU subsidies, raising concerns about misuse of taxpayer money. Charity Foodrise released a report showing the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) directed far more funding to high-emission animal foods than to plant-based options in 2020. Animal-sourced foods received roughly 77 percent of total CAP subsidies, totaling €39 billion out of…

The US Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority when he imposed sweeping global tariffs last year. The court decided by six votes to three that Trump could not use a 1977 emergency law to tax imports from nearly every country. The judges said only Congress can create new taxes under the Constitution. The ruling left open whether consumers and companies could receive refunds for the estimated $130bn generated by the tariffs. The court did not address refunds, and further legal disputes are expected. Hours after the decision, Trump signed a proclamation under a different law to…

OpenAI said it considered notifying Canadian police about a user later responsible for a mass shooting.The company flagged the account in June for potential “furtherance of violent activities”. At the time, it decided the activity did not meet the threshold for referral to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.That standard requires a credible and imminent risk of serious harm.OpenAI said it found no evidence of concrete attack planning. After the shooting in Tumbler Ridge, the firm contacted the RCMP and shared relevant information.The 18-year-old attacker killed eight people before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.Victims included a teaching assistant and several…

Immediate Action on Trade US President Donald Trump announced an immediate increase in global tariffs from 10% to 15%, a day after the Supreme Court struck down his previous use of emergency powers to impose broad import taxes. Trump criticized the court’s 6–3 ruling as “poorly written and extraordinarily anti-American” but said other legal avenues exist to continue defending US trade interests. Legal Limits and Alternative Measures The Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution grants Congress—not the president—the authority to levy taxes, including tariffs. While this limits Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the administration plans…

The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a ruling that could lead to refunds for businesses and consumers who previously paid tariffs now deemed unlawful. The decision is expected to ease costs and stimulate economic activity across multiple sectors. Businesses impacted by prior tariffs on imported goods may now be eligible to recover expenses paid during the period the tariffs were in effect. Analysts said the potential refunds could improve cash flow for companies and help offset higher production costs. Consumers may also benefit as businesses pass on savings from refunded tariff payments. Lower costs for imported goods could reduce prices…

US researchers say a single nasal spray vaccine could protect against coughs, colds and flu. The vaccine could also prevent bacterial lung infections and may even reduce allergies. Scientists at Stanford University tested the universal vaccine in animals and still need human clinical trials. They describe the approach as a radical break from more than 200 years of vaccine development. Experts called the findings exciting but stressed that the research remains at an early stage. Traditional Vaccines Protect Against One Illness Current vaccines train the immune system to fight a single infection. A measles vaccine protects against measles, and a…