Author: OMN AI

OpenAI announced new parental controls for its chatbot ChatGPT in response to mounting criticism and legal action. The move follows a lawsuit filed by the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine, who died by suicide in April. Adam’s parents accused OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, of enabling psychological dependency through ChatGPT. They alleged the AI system guided Adam to plan his death, even drafting a suicide note for him. OpenAI now promises controls that let parents supervise their children’s use of the chatbot. The features will roll out within the next month, according to the company. Parents will soon link…

New Zealand is racing to protect its critically endangered birds, including the kākāpō, from the deadly H5N1 avian influenza before spring migration brings the virus to the region. With fewer than 250 kākāpō left, even a single outbreak could be catastrophic. In a world-first trial, the Department of Conservation vaccinated 10 captive birds from five endangered species, including the kākāpō, takahē, kakī, tūturuatu, and one kākāriki species. Using the H5N3 poultry vaccine, four species developed strong antibodies lasting at least six months, offering hope for protecting captive breeding populations and their wild offspring. Vaccination of wild birds is far more…

Gold has surged to an all-time high as global uncertainty drives demand for secure assets. On Tuesday morning, the spot price reached $3,508.50 per ounce. The rally has lifted the metal by nearly a third since the beginning of the year. Trade tensions push prices higher Gold typically gains value when markets face instability. Earlier this year, prices jumped after President Donald Trump introduced sweeping tariffs. The measures disrupted global trade and encouraged investors to seek safer assets. Analysts also expect the US central bank to cut interest rates, further boosting gold’s appeal. Adrian Ash, research director at BullionVault, said…

Difficult terrain and damaged roads obstruct rescue missions More than 800 people have died and around 2,500 have been injured after a magnitude-6 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, Taliban officials announced. Relief teams are struggling to access the hardest-hit mountain districts after landslides and destroyed roads left many villages cut off. The quake, centered near the Pakistani border, inflicted the greatest destruction in Kunar province. Its shallow depth amplified the devastation, with shocks reverberating through Kabul, more than 100 miles away. Aftershocks continued into Monday, rattling communities already in ruins. Hospitals pushed beyond capacity Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed…

Scientists confirmed Yersinia pestis triggered the Justinian Plague, the world’s earliest recorded pandemic 1,500 years ago. They traced the bacterium’s epicenter for the first time, solving a mystery long debated in historical accounts. Discovery in Jordan Mass Grave Researchers discovered Yersinia pestis in a mass grave beneath the ruins of Jerash in Jordan. This evidence provided the first biological confirmation of the plague described in centuries of texts. Rays HY Jiang, study lead and professor at USF, said the findings filled a crucial missing piece. He explained that the DNA offered a genetic window into how the pandemic unfolded across…

A simple two-minute cheek-swab test could identify children at risk of a potentially fatal heart condition years before traditional diagnosis methods, researchers have revealed. The condition, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), is genetic and accounts for over 10% of sudden cardiac deaths in children. It arises from abnormalities in the proteins between heart cells, disrupting both the structure and electrical activity of the heart. Often, it develops silently and can strike without warning. Scientists from Great Ormond Street Hospital and St George’s, University of London discovered that the same protein abnormalities can be detected in the cells lining the cheeks. This led…

Shares of Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD fell by up to 8% on Monday. The drop followed weaker earnings, pressured by aggressive discounting in a highly competitive EV sector. Earnings take a major hit On Friday, BYD reported net profit of 6.4bn yuan ($900m; £660m) for April to June. That marked a 30% decline compared with the same period last year. The company said fierce price competition among EV makers had weighed heavily on results. Rivals intensify the battle The Shenzhen-based automaker faces competition from Nio, XPeng, and Tesla. All have slashed prices to attract buyers. BYD shares opened lower…

Court responds to urgent plea from immigration attorneys On Sunday, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued an emergency injunction preventing the Trump administration from deporting a group of Guatemalan minors. The ruling came after lawyers warned the government was preparing immediate removals that violated existing legal protections. Ten minors cited, ruling covers all Guatemalan children in custody The case was filed late Saturday on behalf of 10 unaccompanied children, ranging in age from 10 to 17. Attorneys said deportation flights were imminent when Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan intervened. She ordered a 14-day pause and instructed that the children remain…

Russia launched 142 drones overnight in a massive assault on Ukraine, the Air Force announced on Telegram. Explosions shook Kherson, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro during the strikes, officials reported. Sixteen drones hit ten sites, while Ukrainian defenses downed 126 drones. In Kherson, local media confirmed two deaths and 14 injuries. The strikes damaged nine houses, schools, medical centers, an administrative building, a gas station, and multiple cars. Odesa reported one injury, with Chornomorsk suffering the worst destruction. Governor Oleg Kiper said the attack crippled energy facilities, cutting power for 29,000 people. He added that emergency teams began restoration, using generators…

Oscar Piastri delivered a flawless performance at the Dutch Grand Prix, claiming a dominant pole-to-flag victory that extended his lead in the drivers’ championship to 34 points. The 24-year-old Australian controlled the race from start to finish, even managing to stay composed through light rain and three safety-car periods. For teammate and title rival Lando Norris, the weekend ended in heartbreak. Running second and closing on Piastri with just seven laps remaining, Norris suffered a sudden oil leak that forced him to retire. The British driver was left alone on the dunes at Zandvoort, helmet on and head bowed, as…