Author: OMN AI

Researchers tested VER-01, a cannabis-based extract, on adults with persistent lower back pain. Patients reported meaningful improvements in pain scores within months. Unlike smoking cannabis, the extract delivers controlled doses without exposing patients to harmful combustion or recreational effects. Scientists designed VER-01 to reduce pain while avoiding addiction or serious side effects. Chronic lower back pain affects over 619 million people worldwide, making it the leading cause of disability. Existing treatments, including opioids and NSAIDs, often carry severe risks or fail to provide adequate relief. Many patients endure ongoing pain due to limited safe options. Clinical Trial Demonstrates Significant Benefits…

New Zealand’s fastest bird, the threatened kārearea falcon, has soared to victory in the country’s beloved Bird of the Year competition. Capable of reaching speeds of 200km/h as it dives for prey, the kārearea is New Zealand’s only endemic falcon and has now joined an exclusive club of double winners, having also taken the crown in 2012. Small, tawny and armed with powerful talons, the kārearea hunts other birds, lizards and even small mammals. With just 5,000 to 8,000 left in the wild, the species faces ongoing threats from introduced predators such as stoats, cats and hedgehogs that target their…

Wandering the supermarket aisles of 2025, you’ve likely stumbled across colourful cans promising “calm” or “focus.” Known as functional beverages, these drinks are infused with ingredients such as ashwagandha, lion’s mane mushrooms, L-theanine and magnesium – compounds marketed as natural boosters of mental wellbeing. The sector has exploded, with the global functional drinks market forecast to hit €212bn by 2030. A generational shift away from alcohol is fuelling growth, with 44% of Britons aged 18–24 now preferring low- or non-alcoholic alternatives, according to YouGov. “These products fit perfectly into today’s wellness culture, where people are more aware of their mental…

Germany aims to make the Bundeswehr Europe’s strongest conventional army, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced in May. The government must fill personnel shortages and equip troops with modern weaponry quickly. Berlin plans €83 billion in defense procurements, prioritizing European manufacturers while limiting US purchases to eight percent. Officials intend to complete 154 major projects between September 2025 and December 2026. Europe tripled arms imports from the US between 2020 and 2024. Germany’s imports rose 334 percent, mostly from the United States. Berlin now emphasizes “Buy European” to reduce dependency on US systems and strengthen domestic arms production. US Dependence and the…

Around 50,000 people marched through Berlin to support Palestinians and condemn the Gaza conflict. Protesters chanted “free, free Palestine” and demanded an immediate end to Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. Police deployed 1,800 officers to monitor the march from Alexanderplatz to the Victory Column in Tiergarten. Demonstrators called on Germany to stop selling weapons to Israel and urged the EU to impose sanctions. Fifty organizations, including Amnesty International and Die Linke, coordinated the rallies, though some protests faced police intervention. Clashes and Counter-Protests In Kreuzberg, police broke up a pro-Palestine demonstration after participants shouted anti-Israel slogans. About 100 people gathered in Berlin…

Jennifer Lawrence received the Premio Donostia 2025 Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival, becoming the youngest actor to earn the honor. The 35-year-old star, known for The Hunger Games and Don’t Look Up, used her platform to warn about threats to free expression in the US. “Our freedom of speech is under attack in America, including in the world of film,” she told reporters. Lawrence presented her new film Kill Me Love, also her first as a producer, and encouraged young filmmakers to persist in chasing their dreams. Reflecting on women’s place in Hollywood, she praised figures like Greta…

Early findings from a Cambridge-led trial suggest a promising new approach to treating multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers found that combining a common diabetes drug, metformin, with the antihistamine clemastine may help repair myelin, the protective coating around nerves that is damaged in MS. The CCMR Two trial, funded by the MS Society, recruited 70 patients with relapsing MS. Over six months, those given the drug combination showed small but measurable improvements in nerve signal transmission compared with those on a placebo. Although the improvement – 1.3 milliseconds faster electrical signals between the eyes and brain – was too subtle for…

Interpol, which includes 196 countries, coordinated a large-scale cybercrime crackdown across Africa.Authorities arrested 260 suspects linked to online romance scams and sextortion during July and August.Investigators targeted criminals who built fake romantic relationships to extort money or blackmail victims with explicit content.The scams reached over 1,400 victims, who collectively lost nearly $2.8 million (€2.4 million).Cyril Gout, Interpol’s acting executive director of police services, said digital crimes, especially sextortion and romance scams, are surging.He added that criminals exploit online platforms, causing severe financial and psychological harm to victims. Local Authorities Crack Down on Fraud Rings Ghanaian police arrested 68 suspects who…

Women who miss their first breast cancer screening appointment are 40% more likely to die from the disease, according to new research. A study from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, published in the British Medical Journal, tracked about 500,000 women who received their first screening invitation between 1991 and 2020. They were monitored for up to 25 years. The findings show that almost one in three women (32%) did not attend their first mammogram. Those who skipped it were less likely to attend later screenings, more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage, and had higher death rates from breast cancer…

Aid groups recovered five decomposed bodies in eastern Libya, 550 kilometers south of Tobruk.Authorities transported the remains to Tobruk, calling it part of the deadly “death journey.”Abreen, a local NGO, identified the victims as likely Sudanese and shared images of the recovery operation. Migrants Face Extreme Desert and Sea Dangers Migrants cross Libya from Africa and the Middle East, fleeing war and poverty, to reach Europe.Most travel by desert or sea, risking dehydration, starvation, or drowning.In December, 61 migrants, including women and children, drowned near Zuwara.In May, seven Sudanese died after their vehicle broke down in the desert for 11…