Author: OMN AI

FDA Declines to Accept Seasonal Flu Shot Filing The US Food and Drug Administration refused to accept Moderna’s application to review its first mRNA seasonal flu vaccine. The company confirmed the decision on Tuesday. The refusal represents another hurdle for mRNA vaccine development in the United States. Several officials in the Trump administration have recently criticized the technology. The FDA said the application lacked an adequate and well-controlled trial. The agency said the control group did not reflect the best available standard of care in the United States during the study. Moderna said regulators did not raise any safety or…

Traditional Nepali foods could help reverse a growing type 2 diabetes epidemic, researchers say.Doctors point to lentils and rice replacing western junk foods as a low-cost solution. Around one in five Nepalis over 40 lives with type 2 diabetes.Medication often remains unaffordable, worsening health and economic hardship. A pilot study in Kathmandu placed patients on a calorie-controlled traditional diet.Forty-three percent achieved remission within months. A wider community trial shows similar results, with modest weight loss.Researchers say Asian populations need less weight loss to reverse diabetes. The project is led by the University of Glasgow with Dhulikhel Hospital.It uses local foods…

Fifth Amendment Standoff on Capitol Hill Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, refused to answer questions from the US House Oversight Committee on Monday as lawmakers pressed forward with renewed investigations into Epstein’s abuse network. Appearing via video link from a federal prison camp in Texas, Maxwell repeatedly invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, declining to engage with questions about who may have enabled Epstein’s crimes. Clemency Offer Raises Political Firestorm Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, signaled through her attorney that she would be willing to testify if granted clemency by President…

Discord will soon require users worldwide to verify their age before accessing adult content. Users must confirm their age with a face scan or upload an official ID. The platform says it has more than 200 million monthly users. The company says the new safety system will place all users into a teen-appropriate environment by default. Discord already requires age checks in the UK and Australia to comply with safety laws. The platform will roll out the system globally from early March. Savannah Badalich, Discord’s policy head, said teen safety remains a top priority. She added that teen-by-default settings strengthen…

Warming Waters Open the Arctic to More Ships As global temperatures rise, Arctic sea ice is melting faster than ever, opening waterways that were once frozen year-round. This has triggered a surge in shipping traffic through the region, from cargo vessels to fishing boats and cruise liners. While these new routes shorten travel times between continents, they come with a hidden cost: black carbon, or soot, released from ship engines. When it settles on snow and ice, it darkens the surface, absorbs more sunlight, and accelerates melting — creating a dangerous feedback loop. “It ends up in a never-ending cycle…

Drinking a couple of teas or coffees a day may lower the risk of dementia and slightly slow cognitive decline, scientists say. A large US study found that people who regularly drank two to three cups of caffeinated coffee or one to two cups of caffeinated tea had a 15–20% lower risk of dementia over four decades than those who avoided the drinks. The research analysed health data from more than 130,000 participants and was published in Journal of the American Medical Association. Caffeinated coffee drinkers also showed marginally better performance on some cognitive tests than those who drank decaf,…

The Seattle Seahawks overpowered the New England Patriots with a dominant defensive performance, winning the Super Bowl 29-13 at Levi’s Stadium. The victory gave Seattle its second championship in franchise history. Two of the NFL’s most formidable defences met in the season’s biggest game, and Seattle controlled the field from the first play. Briton Aden Durde became the first overseas coach to lift the league’s top prize in the United States. Dark Side Defence Rules the Super Bowl Seattle’s 46-year-old defensive coordinator has built the NFL’s most feared unit, nicknamed “the Dark Side.” On Super Bowl Sunday in Santa Clara,…

Landslide win for the LDP Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is on track for a decisive victory in Sunday’s snap elections, with early estimates suggesting her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has captured roughly 300 of 465 seats in the lower house. If confirmed, this would mark the party’s strongest showing since 2017 under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The projected two-thirds majority could allow the LDP to govern independently, without relying on its junior partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP). LDP Secretary General Shunichi Suzuki said voters endorsed Takaichi’s proactive fiscal policies and efforts to strengthen national defense. Meanwhile,…

BP faces renewed pressure from shareholders as it prepares to publish full-year results expected to show weaker profits. Analysts forecast earnings of about $7.5bn, down from nearly $9bn in 2024, after falling oil prices dragged crude below $60 a barrel late last year. Investors want reassurance that BP can move beyond years of strategic turbulence, especially after its recent shift back toward fossil fuels. Incoming chief executive Meg O’Neill will face demands to outline a clear long-term strategy. Activist investors, including the group Follow This, want BP to explain how it will create value as global demand for oil and…

Zillow and Redfin predict gradual improvement in the housing market in 2026. Analysts say mortgage payments are lower than last year, while inventory, home prices, and sales are beginning to stabilize. This shift could create new opportunities for buyers and make homeownership more accessible. Homebuyers are seeing a market that is less competitive than in previous years. Inventory is slowly growing, giving families more choices when shopping for homes. At the same time, price growth is moderating. While homes are still valuable, they are not rising as quickly, which may ease pressure on buyers who have been waiting for affordability…