Author: OMN AI

The United States has begun tentative discussions with Cuba, President Donald Trump said over the weekend, even as his administration ramps up economic pressure on the communist-run island by tightening restrictions on oil supplies. Speaking to reporters while flying to Florida on Saturday night, Trump offered few details but said simply, “We’re starting to talk to Cuba.” Pressure Campaign Targets Energy Supplies Trump’s comments come after a series of moves aimed at squeezing Cuba’s access to oil. In recent weeks, the US cut off shipments from Venezuela following the ouster of President Nicolás Maduro and moved to block oil supplies…

The United Nations is facing a serious financial crunch that could leave it unable to operate by midyear, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Friday, as unpaid dues from member states continue to pile up. Guterres said the organisation could run out of cash as early as July unless countries meet their financial obligations or agree to reform how the UN is funded. Unpaid Dues Push UN to the Brink At the heart of the problem are chronic delays and shortfalls in mandatory contributions. While more than 150 member states have paid what they owe, others have failed to pay in…

West Ham United banned a season-ticket holder after he helped display an anti-board banner at a home match.Joshua Wood received a five-game ban for holding an “oversized” banner during the game against Sunderland.The banner urged owners David Sullivan and Karren Brady to sell the club.West Ham said the ban related to stadium regulations, not the message itself.Wood denied bringing the banner into the ground and plans to appeal the decision.

AI-supported breast cancer screening cut later cancer diagnoses by 12% and boosted early detection, a Swedish study found.The trial involved 100,000 women randomly assigned to AI-assisted mammography or standard double readings.AI helped triage low- and high-risk scans and flagged suspicious findings for radiologists.Published in The Lancet, the study showed higher early-stage detection and fewer aggressive cancers.Researchers from Lund University said AI could ease radiologist workload but must be introduced cautiously.

Donald Trump warned that doing business with China posed serious risks for the UK as Sir Keir Starmer arrived in Shanghai. The prime minister reached the city on the third day of his official visit to China. Trump reacted to agreements aimed at expanding trade and investment between Britain and China. Officials announced those deals after Sir Keir met President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Trump made the remarks while attending a documentary premiere about his wife, Melania, on Thursday. He described Xi as a friend and said he knew the Chinese president very well. Trump offered no further details about…

Hong Kong’s government has pushed back strongly against a decision by Panama’s top court to void a long-standing concession that allowed CK Hutchison to operate ports at both ends of the Panama Canal, calling the ruling unjustified and harmful to legitimate business interests. The Supreme Court ruling, delivered late Thursday, declared the concession unconstitutional following an audit by Panama’s comptroller that flagged alleged irregularities in a 25-year extension granted in 2021. Hong Kong pushes back against Panama ruling In a statement released Friday, Hong Kong’s government said it “strongly disapproves of and firmly rejects” the court’s decision. It warned against…

Google DeepMind launched AlphaGenome, an AI tool that helps identify genetic mutations driving disease.The system predicts how DNA changes disrupt gene regulation across different cells and tissues.AlphaGenome can analyse up to one million DNA letters simultaneously.Researchers trained it using public human and mouse genetics databases.Scientists believe the tool could accelerate cancer research and gene therapy development.Experts say it marks a major advance in understanding the genome’s non-coding regions.

How banned goods allegedly slipped through Europe Russia has been exploiting a logistics operation in Berlin to get around EU sanctions, quietly funneling restricted goods to Moscow through international mail, according to an investigation by German newspaper Bild. Reporters tracked test packages fitted with GPS devices and containing sanctioned items. The parcels reportedly moved without obstruction through a logistics warehouse near Berlin Brandenburg Airport before traveling onward via Poland and Belarus to Russia. The shipments allegedly used labels from Uzbekistan’s state postal service, despite the fact that Germany’s Federal Network Agency has not authorized that operator to work in the…

Central Bank Keeps Rates Steady The US Federal Reserve decided to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday, pressing pause after cutting rates three times last year. The benchmark rate remains at around 3.6%, a move that reflects growing confidence in the strength of the economy. In its statement, the Fed said the job market appears to have stabilised and described overall economic growth as “solid,” upgrading its earlier assessment of “modest” growth. With hiring holding up and no clear signs of slowdown, policymakers see little urgency to push borrowing costs lower right now. Inflation Still the Sticking Point While most…

Amazon revealed a new round of global job cuts after an internal email circulated in error.Workers at Amazon Web Services received a cancelled meeting invite containing a draft layoff message.The email wrongly stated affected staff in the US, Canada, and Costa Rica had already been informed.Senior vice-president Colleen Aubrey signed the message, which described the cuts as “Project Dawn”.Amazon previously announced 14,000 corporate layoffs in October.The company aims to reduce costs after pandemic-era overhiring.Chief executive Andy Jassy has warned AI may replace some white-collar roles.The news followed job cut plans from United Parcel Service, a major Amazon partner and rival.