Author: Trainee Reporter

United Kingdom: More than half of UK companies have planned to raise prices in the next three months due to escalating costs and taxes, as revealed by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). According to a survey of nearly 5,000 firms, business confidence has dropped to its lowest point in two years, with nearly two-thirds of respondents expressing concerns about the rise in national insurance contributions (NICs) set to take effect in April. The BCC’s findings highlight that 63 percent of businesses are worried about the impact of higher taxes, the highest level of concern recorded since 2017. The national…

United States: 1st Lady Melania Trump of the United States, is set to be the executive producer of a new documentary on Amazon Prime Video, slated for release later this year. The project, which began filming in December 2024, is expected to hit theaters and streaming platforms in the second half of 2025. While details about the documentary remain scarce, Amazon Prime has expressed enthusiasm about sharing “this truly unique story” with viewers worldwide. The exact extent of Mrs. Trump’s involvement is unclear, but her role as executive producer indicates she will have significant editorial control over the project. Directed…

United Kingdom: Stargazers worldwide were fascinated as Venus shone brilliantly above a crescent Moon in a spectacular celestial alignment. The stunning sight was observable to the naked eye across regions spanning from the UK and the US to Turkey and China. Often referred to as the Evening Star or Morning Star, Venus stands out as one of the brightest objects in the night sky, rivalling only the Moon in its brilliance. The cosmic show isn’t over yet. Astronomers expect more celestial wonders in January 2025. Venus and Saturn are set to take centre stage, appearing just 2.2° apart in the…

United States: US President Joe Biden has blocked the $14.9 billion Japan’s Nippon Steel takeover of US Steel, a move he says is necessary to protect national security and protect the domestic steel industry. The decision fulfils a campaign promise but has flashed backlash from Japan and raised concerns among foreign investors. Biden argued that keeping US Steel under American ownership is critical to keeping strong supply chains for industries like defence, infrastructure, and manufacturing. Biden stated that, “Without domestic steel production and domestic steelworkers, our nation is less strong and less secure.” The United Steelworkers union, which opposed the…

United States: Tahlequah, the Southern Resident killer whale that made global headlines in 2018 for carrying her dead calf for 17 days, is once again mourning the loss of a newborn. The Centre for Whale Research has confirmed that the whale, also known as J35, was seen off the coast of Seattle, pushing the body of her dead calf. This marks the second time Tahlequah has lost a calf, both of which were female. Out of her four documented calves, only two have persisted. The death is particularly heartbreaking due to the endangered status of the Southern Resident killer whales…

London: Former UK Deputy Prime Minister Sir Nick Clegg has resigned as President of Meta’s Global Affairs, the social media giant. In a post on Meta’s Facebook page, Sir Nick announced his decision to leave the company after nearly seven years, marking the end of his term at one of the world’s most influential tech firms. Sir Nick will be succeeded by his deputy, Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican and former deputy chief of staff in the George W. Bush administration. Kaplan, known for handling Meta’s relationships with Republican leaders, will take over as Chief Global Affairs Officer. The transition…

Las Vegas: Authorities are investigating after a rented Tesla Cybertruck packed with fuel canisters and firework mortars exploded outside the Trump Hotel, leaving one person dead and seven others injured. The explosion occurred at approximately 8:40 AM PT, near the hotel’s glass entrance, where the truck had been parked. Police say the injuries sustained by viewers were minor. Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Police Department described the scene as “chaotic,” showing footage of the fiery blast and photos of the charred remains of the vehicle. The incident comes just hours after a fatal truck attack in New Orleans,…

China: Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD has ended 2024 on a high note, selling 207,734 EVs in December and boosting its annual EV sales to 1.76 million units. The surge, driven by subsidies and discounts, positions BYD as Tesla’s closest competitor in the race to evolve into the world’s top-selling EV maker. Tesla is set to release its quarterly sales data later, following a narrow lead in the previous quarter. However, BYD has been closing the gap, fueled by growing domestic demand and aggressive pricing strategies. BYD’s total vehicle sales skyrocketed by over 41 percent in 2024, compared to…

United States: Tech billionaire Elon Musk has stirred fresh conspiracy by changing his name on the social media platform X to “Kekius Maximus,” alongside a profile picture featuring the controversial meme character Pepe the Frog. The sudden rebranding has sparked speculation, though Musk has not explained the move. The new profile image depicts Pepe in Roman military attire, holding what appears to be a game console. Observers have illustrated connections to “Kek,” an internet slang term for laughter with ties to gamer culture and, more controversially, to the alt-right. The term also represents a name with an Egyptian god of…

Puerto Rico: Nearly 90 percent of Puerto Rico’s 1.5 million electricity customers were left in darkness on New Year’s Eve following a nearly island-wide blackout, according to Luma Energy, the territory’s primary power distributor. Over 700,000 customers, including essential services such as Puerto Rico’s water and sewer company and 16 hospitals, had their power restored. However, frustration scaled as the outage reignited debates over the island’s chronic power issues that have persisted since Hurricane Maria in 2017. Luma spokesperson Hugo Sorrentini stated that, “A cascading failure arising from an electric line at the Costa Sur power plant was recognised as…