Author: Trainee Reporter

Washington: The administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing contingency plans for a proposed new $250 bill that could feature Trump’s portrait, if Congress approves legislation allowing the move. Under existing US federal law, living individuals cannot appear on American currency. However, Republican lawmakers allied with Trump have introduced legislation seeking to create an exception as part of celebrations marking the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026. A spokesperson for the US Treasury Department confirmed that officials are conducting appropriate planning and due diligence in response to the proposal. The measure was introduced by Republican Congressman Joe Wilson of…

Vancouver: Canada has announced a major long-term energy agreement with Germany that will see the first-ever sustained shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Canada to Europe, marking a significant shift in transatlantic energy trade. The deal, unveiled in Vancouver by Canada’s energy minister Tim Hodgson, will involve the export of around one million tonnes of LNG per year from the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG project in British Columbia to Germany’s state-linked utility Securing Energy for Europe (SEFE). Shipments are expected to begin in the early 2030s and continue for up to 20 years. Hodgson called the agreement ‘an exciting…

Gilgil: A devastating fire at Utumishi Girls School in Gilgil, about 120km west of Nairobi, has killed at least 16 students and left 74 others injured, police confirmed. Authorities said the blaze broke out around 01:00 local time while students were asleep in a dormitory housing approximately 220 pupils. Emergency responders, including the Kenya Red Cross, were immediately deployed to the scene. Police commander Masoud Mwinyi described the incident as ‘sad and distressing,’ adding that search-and-rescue operations were still ongoing as some students were unaccounted for after fleeing the building in panic. Masoud Mwinyi stated that, “We are combing the…

London: Household energy bills in the UK are set to increase by around 13 percent from July, after soaring wholesale gas costs triggered by disruptions linked to the US–Israel conflict with Iran pushed up global energy prices. Regulator Ofgem confirmed that the energy price cap rise will add an average of $297 (£221) per year to household bills, bringing the typical annual cost to about $2,503 (£1,862) for gas and electricity combined. The increase will hit millions of homes in England, Scotland and Wales on variable tariffs, while customers on fixed deals will remain temporarily protected until their contracts expire.…

Washington: A massive chemical explosion at a paper mill in Washington state has left at least one person dead, nine others missing, and several injured, authorities confirmed. The blast occurred around 7:15 a.m. local time on May 26, at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility in Longview, located roughly 130 miles south of Seattle. Emergency crews rushed to the scene after a storage tank containing hazardous chemicals ruptured inside the plant. Officials said the explosion involved a tank filled with ‘white liquor,’ a highly corrosive chemical commonly used in paper manufacturing. The substance contains sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, both considered…

Laos: Rescue teams in Laos are battling rising floodwaters and narrow underground passages in a desperate effort to save seven villagers trapped inside a cave for nearly a week in the central province of Xaysomboun. The group entered the cave, searching for gold deposits and wildlife, but heavy rain and landslides blocked the entrance, leaving them stranded deep underground. According to local reports, one member of the group managed to escape and alert authorities, triggering a major rescue operation involving both Lao and Thai emergency teams. Footage released by rescuers shows divers crawling through muddy, water-filled tunnels and squeezing through…

Italy: Luxury sports car giant Ferrari has revealed its first fully electric vehicle, the $640,000 Ferrari Luce, marking a major shift for the iconic Italian automaker as it enters the EV era. The new five-seater model, developed in collaboration with LoveFrom, the design agency founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive breaks away from Ferrari’s traditional styling and performance formula. The company states that the Luce, meaning ‘light’ in Italian, has been in development for five years. Presented in Rome by Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna, the electric supercar features four in-house-built electric motors, one powering each wheel. Ferrari claims…

Hampshire: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has described as ‘appalling’ the decision to spare three teenage boys custodial sentences after they were convicted over the rape of two girls in Hampshire, as pressure mounts for an urgent legal review. The case, heard at Southampton Crown Court, involved two girls aged 15 and 14 who were attacked in separate incidents in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, between November 2024 and January 2025. Two boys, both aged 14 at the time, were convicted of rape, while another boy, then aged 13, was convicted for his involvement in the second assault. Despite the seriousness of the…

Balochistan: At least 20 people were killed and around 70 others injured after a powerful explosion targeted a train carrying military personnel in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan. The blast took place near Chaman Phatak station in Quetta while the train was passing through the area. According to railway officials, the explosion derailed the engine and three coaches, while two additional carriages overturned due to the impact. The shuttle train was reportedly transporting security personnel and their families who were travelling home ahead of the Eid holidays. Authorities in Balochistan blamed the attack on the separatist militant group Balochistan Liberation…

Kyiv: Four civilians were killed and dozens more injured as waves of missiles and drones struck Kyiv, with authorities describing the attack as one of the most intense recent bombardments on the Ukrainian capital. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the city endured a ‘terrible night,’ confirming damage across all districts, including residential buildings, schools, supermarkets and warehouses. Emergency crews were deployed to multiple sites to extinguish fires, clear debris and rescue trapped residents. Officials said three children were among the injured, while rescue operations continued through the morning as teams searched damaged buildings. In the Shevchenko district, one person was…