Author: OMN AI

Rescue efforts slowed by damaged roads and landslides A magnitude-6 earthquake has struck eastern Afghanistan, leaving more than 800 people dead and approximately 2,500 injured, Taliban authorities reported. Emergency teams are struggling to reach remote mountain villages, with landslides and blocked roads hindering relief operations. The quake hit near the Pakistan border late Sunday, with Kunar province experiencing the heaviest destruction. Its shallow depth worsened the impact, while aftershocks continued into Monday, shaking areas as far away as Kabul, over 100 miles from the epicenter. Hospitals overwhelmed as casualties rise Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the death toll continues to…

Scientists confirmed Yersinia pestis, later causing the Black Death, triggered the Justinian Plague 1,500 years ago. They traced the bacterium to Jerash, Jordan, marking the first identification of the pandemic’s epicentre. Researchers discovered Y pestis DNA in a mass grave beneath the ancient Roman ruins. Lead author Rays HY Jiang said the study provides the first genetic evidence showing how the outbreak unfolded. Justinian Plague’s Deadly Impact The Justinian Plague began in 541 CE and swept through the eastern Mediterranean and Byzantine Empire. Historians estimate the outbreak killed 15 to 100 million people over two centuries of recurring waves. Researchers…

A simple cheek-swab test may be able to detect a potentially fatal heart condition in children up to five years before conventional diagnosis, new research suggests. The condition, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), is often genetic and responsible for over 10% of sudden cardiac deaths in children. It arises from abnormalities in the proteins between heart cells, which disrupt both the structure and electrical activity of the heart. ACM can develop silently and strike without warning. Researchers discovered that these protein abnormalities can also be detected in the cells lining the cheeks, paving the way for a two-minute, non-invasive test. The findings…

Shares of Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD dropped by up to 8% on Monday. The decline followed weaker earnings, pressured by steep discounts across a fiercely competitive market. Quarterly profits under pressure On Friday, BYD reported net profit of 6.4bn yuan ($900m; £660m) for April to June. That marked a 30% fall compared with the same period last year. The company said aggressive price competition among EV brands had weighed on overall results. Rivals drive prices down The Shenzhen-based automaker faces rising competition from Nio, XPeng, and Tesla. Each has cut prices to attract buyers. BYD shares opened lower in…

Emergency court order halts removal plan A federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued an urgent injunction on Sunday stopping the Trump administration from deporting a group of Guatemalan children. The ruling came after attorneys warned that planned flights to return minors to their home country were unlawful. Ten children targeted, order applies to all in custody The legal challenge centers on 10 unaccompanied children, aged 10 to 17, who lawyers said were scheduled for immediate deportation late Saturday. Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan blocked their removal for 14 days and instructed that the children remain in facilities managed by the Office…

Russia launched 142 attack and decoy drones overnight, hitting Kherson, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro, Ukraine’s Air Force reported. Ukrainian forces shot down 126 drones, but 16 reached 10 different locations. Kherson authorities reported two deaths, 14 injuries, and damage to houses, schools, a hospital, a gas station, and cars. Odesa Faces Energy Blackout After Strikes Officials reported one person injured in Odesa, with Chornomorsk suffering the most destruction. District Governor Oleg Kiper said the assault damaged energy infrastructure, leaving 29,000 residents without electricity. Crews immediately began restoration, and generators power critical facilities, Kiper added. Zelenskyy Confirms Heavy Russian Losses President…

Oscar Piastri delivered a flawless performance at the Dutch Grand Prix, taking a dominant pole-to-flag victory that opened a significant gap in the drivers’ championship. The 24-year-old Australian showcased calm precision throughout the race, handling light rain and three safety-car restarts with unflappable composure. For teammate and closest rival Lando Norris, the weekend ended in heartbreak. Running second and eyeing every point for the championship, Norris’s race came to an abrupt halt with just seven laps remaining due to an oil leak. The British driver climbed from his car and sat alone on the dunes at Zandvoort, visibly dejected. “It…

Beer drinking in Germany is falling, while alcohol-free options are becoming increasingly popular. The federal statistics office reports that sales of alcohol-free beer have risen by 109 percent since 2013. At the same time, overall beer sales have reached their lowest level in more than 30 years. For the first time, total sales fell below four billion liters in a half-year period. Between January and June 2025, German breweries sold around 3.9 billion liters. That represents a decline of 6.3 percent, or 262 million liters, compared with the same period in 2024. breweries adapt to evolving preferences The Erdinger brewery…

A new large-scale analysis in the United States has found that children aged four and five with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often prescribed medication immediately after diagnosis, rather than following recommended guidelines. Medical guidance advises that young children first undergo six months of behavioural therapy before starting medication. The study, published in JAMA Network Open and including more than 9,700 children, revealed that 42.2% of young patients were prescribed ADHD medication within one month of diagnosis, while only 14.1% began treatment after the recommended six-month period. Lead author Dr Yair Bannett, an assistant professor of paediatrics at Stanford University, called…

Washington, August 30, 2025 — Senator Bernie Sanders has publicly called on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign from his role as health secretary, citing serious risks to public health under his leadership. Criticism of Kennedy’s Leadership In an op-ed for The New York Times, Sanders accused Kennedy of compromising the health and safety of Americans and demanded his immediate resignation. While acknowledging the administration’s slogan “Make America Healthy Again,” Sanders argued that Kennedy’s actions have run counter to this message by undermining scientific guidance and public health initiatives. He pointed to the recent firing of CDC director Susan Monarez,…