Author: OMN AI

Precious metals have emerged as some of the standout performers in 2025, fueled by geopolitical tensions, expectations of looser monetary policy and hopes for global economic stability. Gold prices recently surged to record highs, reaching $4,481 (€3,797) per troy ounce — a year-on-year rise of roughly 55–70%, one of the strongest annual gains in decades. Silver, long considered the “lesser metal,” outpaced gold in percentage terms, climbing around 130–140% to near $69 (€58) per ounce by late 2025. Once overshadowed by modern financial assets like currencies, bonds and real estate, precious metals reclaimed their role as safe-haven investments in a…

Serie A has cancelled plans to stage a league match in Australia due to regulatory complications.The fixture between AC Milan and Como was scheduled for Perth on 8 February. Officials said financial risks and late demands made the proposal unworkable.Serie A president Ezio Simonelli cited unacceptable requests from the Asian Football Confederation. The match was approved after San Siro became unavailable due to the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.Uefa had reluctantly cleared the move earlier this season. Serie A viewed the game as a chance to expand its global profile.However, AFC conditions, including control over match officials, derailed the plan. The cancellation…

Bipartisan talks in the U.S. Senate are moving closer to ending a potential government shutdown. Lawmakers are taking action to secure funding and ensure federal programs continue into 2026, easing disruptions for millions of Americans. The legislation under discussion would restore funding for essential programs, including Social Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), healthcare services, and federal employee salaries. Officials say timely approval will prevent service interruptions and provide stability for families and communities that rely on federal support. Senators from both parties emphasized the importance of cooperation to avoid a shutdown. In recent years, government funding gaps have caused delays in…

A car bomb in southern Moscow on Monday claimed the life of Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, a high-ranking official in Russia’s military leadership. The explosion took place in a residential parking lot, according to Russian media reports. Sarvarov, who led the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, was critically injured and later succumbed to his wounds, authorities said. Investigation Launched The Investigative Committee immediately opened a criminal case following Sarvarov’s death, with officials saying the motive is still unclear. While the details of how the device was deployed remain undisclosed, the authorities confirmed that the incident…

Morgan Rogers scored twice as Aston Villa beat Manchester United 2-1 at Villa Park.The win extended Villa’s remarkable run and kept them firmly in the Premier League title race. Villa sit third, three points behind leaders Arsenal, after a seventh straight league victory.Unai Emery’s side dominated long spells, with Rogers producing the decisive moments. Rogers opened the scoring before half-time with a curling finish into the far corner.Manchester United responded in stoppage time through a composed strike from Matheus Cunha. Early in the second half, Rogers struck again after drifting inside and finding the same corner.The goal sparked wild celebrations…

Kylian Mbappé equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid scoring record with a late penalty against Sevilla.The 2-0 win keeps Real one point behind Barcelona at the top of La Liga. Juventus revived their Serie A challenge by beating Roma 2-1 in Turin.The result leaves Roma fourth and Juventus just one point behind them. In Germany, Bayer Leverkusen came from behind to defeat RB Leipzig 3-1 away.The win lifted Leverkusen to third before the winter break. Wolfsburg wasted a hat-trick from Dzenan Pejcinovic in a 4-3 defeat to Freiburg.Eintracht Frankfurt drew with Hamburg, while several Bundesliga matches ended goalless.

Justice Department Publishes Limited Files The US Justice Department released thousands of files on Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, but lawmakers quickly said the release fell far short of expectations. The trove includes photographs, court documents, call logs, and other investigative records, many of which are heavily redacted. Democrats accused the Trump administration of withholding information, arguing that the partial release undermines transparency. The Justice Department stated it plans to continue releasing documents in the coming weeks, promising eventual completion by the end of the year. Much of the public pressure for disclosure stems from years of campaigning for accountability and…

In the mountains of the southern Peloponnese, Greek firs – long considered among the country’s hardiest trees – are turning brown and dying in vast patches. When forest researcher Dimitrios Avtzis inspected a recent fire site, he found hundreds of hectares of dead and dying firs well beyond the burn zone. The scale was unlike anything he had seen before. Experts say the die-off is being driven by multiple pressures acting together. Prolonged drought has weakened the trees, while declining winter snowfall has reduced vital moisture in soils. This stress has left firs vulnerable to bark beetles, which have spread…

Late on Thursday night, EU leaders quietly conceded that their most ambitious financial plan for Ukraine could not succeed. Months of negotiation and political maneuvering could not bridge the gap between idealism and practical constraints. The proposal had aimed to turn frozen Russian central bank assets into a zero-interest reparations loan, a scheme supporters hailed as both morally urgent and strategically bold. Critics, however, warned it carried enormous financial and legal risks, leaving leaders hesitant to take unprecedented steps. As discussions reached their final hours, caution overtook ambition, and governments returned to a solution they understood: joint debt issuance. Instead…

Around one in 10 people in the UK aged 70 and over may have brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s disease, according to a large population-based study published in Nature. The findings are not a diagnosis but suggest more than 1 million people could meet NHS criteria for anti-amyloid treatments, far above previous estimates. Researchers analysed blood samples from nearly 11,500 people using a newly approved biomarker test that can detect Alzheimer’s changes earlier than before. The prevalence of these changes rose sharply with age, reaching about two-thirds of people over 90. Experts say the results could transform early detection, but…