At least 90 people died after a gas explosion at a coal mine in China’s Shanxi province on Friday night. The blast happened at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county while 247 workers were underground. More than 200 workers were rescued safely, while rescue teams continued search operations. Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered authorities to carry out full rescue efforts and provide treatment to the injured. He also asked officials to investigate the cause of the accident and take strict action against those responsible. Company executives connected to the mine have reportedly been detained as investigations continue. (PC: Xinhua)

A man linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been arrested for allegedly plotting to kill Ivanka Trump, the daughter of US President Donald Trump and his former adviser. The suspect, Mohammad Baqer Al-Saadi, was arrested in Turkey and later extradited to the US. Officials said he wanted revenge for the 2020 killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike. Investigators found a blueprint of Ivanka’s Florida home during his arrest. Al-Saadi is also accused of involvement in attacks on US and Jewish targets in Europe and Canada. Authorities are continuing the investigation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed retaliation after accusing Ukraine of carrying out a deadly drone strike on a student dormitory in Starobilsk, an occupied town in Ukraine’s Luhansk region. Russia said six people were killed, 39 injured and 15 remained missing after the overnight attack. Ukraine’s military said it targeted the headquarters of Russia’s elite Rubicon drone unit in Starobilsk but did not confirm whether the dormitory was hit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of targeting civilians throughout the war, allegations Moscow continues to deny. (PC: BBC)

Tulsi Gabbard has resigned as Director of National Intelligence in President Donald Trump’s administration amid growing tensions over U.S. policy toward Iran. While Gabbard officially cited her husband Abraham Williams’ rare bone cancer diagnosis as the reason for stepping down, reports suggest disagreements with the White House over Iran’s nuclear threat assessment and military strategy also contributed to her exit. Her resignation follows increasing internal conflicts within the administration during the ongoing Iran crisis. Trump praised Gabbard’s service and announced that Deputy DNI Aaron Lukas would serve as acting intelligence chief until a replacement is appointed. (PC: Wikipedia)

A new batch of declassified UFO files released by the US Department of War has reignited interest in unexplained aerial phenomena and historic space mission accounts. The documents include audio from the 1969 Apollo 12 mission, where astronauts Pete Conrad, Richard Gordon, and Alan Bean described seeing mysterious “streaks of light” while in deep space. The release also features over 220 files, videos, and reports involving glowing orbs, unidentified aircraft movements, and military encounters worldwide. While the Pentagon says many incidents remain unresolved, NASA previously attributed some Apollo-era visual phenomena to internal eye-related effects rather than extraterrestrial activity. (PC: NASA)

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a special plan to make FIFA World Cup matches more affordable for residents. The city will offer 1,000 tickets for $50 each along with free round-trip bus rides to MetLife Stadium. The tickets will be given through a lottery system for seven World Cup matches. Mamdani said the aim is to help working-class people enjoy the tournament. Ticket prices for the World Cup have become very expensive, with many costing hundreds of dollars. The programme is a joint effort between the city and the NY/NJ World Cup host committee. (PC: X)

The United States has paused a proposed $14 billion weapons sale to Taiwan to ensure enough military supplies are available for operations linked to the Iran conflict. Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao confirmed the decision during a Senate hearing, saying the pause was needed to maintain munitions for the joint US-Israel operation known as “Epic Fury”. Taiwan’s presidential office said it had not received official notice of any change. The move comes as President Donald Trump weighs final approval of the arms package amid tensions with China over Taiwan. (PC: BBC)

The Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruptions have triggered a global fertiliser crunch, forcing farmers to seek unconventional alternatives including chicken manure, biofertilisers and even processed human urine. Around one-third of globally traded urea originates from the Gulf region, pushing prices to multi-year highs after supply chains were hit. Farmers in Britain, Malaysia, Thailand and the US are increasingly experimenting with waste-based and microbial products to reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers. French startup Toopi Organics reported a 25% sales jump for its urine-based bacteria feed products. The UN warned prolonged disruptions could weaken harvests, raise food prices and push 45 million more people into acute food insecurity amid rising global agricultural uncertainty worldwide. (PC: Bloomberg)

Israeli security officials fear Iran may launch a surprise missile and drone attack targeting Israel and Gulf countries amid ongoing US-Iran ceasefire negotiations, according to reports cited by the Jerusalem Post. The possibility of a preemptive Iranian strike was discussed during a high-level security assessment involving senior military officials and Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. Officials reportedly warned Tehran could act before Washington and Jerusalem conclude diplomacy has failed and shift toward military action. The reported threat emerges amid growing differences between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over strategy toward Iran during the fragile ceasefire negotiations. (PC: X)

A rare albino buffalo nicknamed “Donald Trump” has become a major attraction at a livestock farm in Narayanganj, Bangladesh, ahead of Eid al-Adha celebrations. The 700-kilogram buffalo belongs to farmer Zia Uddin Mridha, who said visitors compared the animal’s long blond hair to the hairstyle of US President Donald Trump. Families, influencers and residents from nearby districts have travelled to see and photograph the buffalo. Caretakers wash and groom the animal several times daily. Bangladesh livestock officials said albino buffaloes are extremely rare because of low melanin production. Mridha said the buffalo has lost weight due to heavy public attention.