Breaking news live updates, May 16: Firefighter killed, 11 injured in lumber mill explosion and massive fire in Maine

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) charged five people, including alleged mastermind Anand Kumar Singh alias Munna Singh, in a case linked to human trafficking and cyber slavery operations in Cambodia.

According to news agency ANI, Anand and four co-accused were booked under relevant sections in a chargesheet filed before the NIA Special Court in Patna, Bihar.

Three of the accused — Abhay Nath Dubey from Uttar Pradesh, Abhiranjan Kumar from Bihar and Rohit Yadav from Uttar Pradesh — were arrested in February after arriving in New Delhi from Cambodia. The fifth accused, identified as Prahlad Kumar Singh, is currently out on bail, the NIA said.

The case pertains to alleged trafficking networks that lured individuals to Cambodia and forced them into cybercrime-related activities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings to the people of Sikkim on the occasion of the state’s Statehood Day, highlighting the Himalayan state’s contribution to India’s development as it marks 50 years of statehood.

“Greetings to my sisters and brothers on their Statehood Day. The contribution of Sikkim to India’s development is deeply valued. Wishing the people of the state good health and prosperity,” Modi said in a post on X.

Referring to the ongoing 50th Statehood Day celebrations, the Prime Minister said he recently had “the good fortune” of visiting the state and praised the warmth shown by its people.

“The warmth I received in Sikkim will remain a part of my memory. The Central Government will keep supporting Sikkim’s growth trajectory in the times to come,” he added.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police has cracked two separate cases of alleged GST fraud, uncovering a network of shell companies accused of layering funds through multiple bank accounts.

According to officials, the accused used victims’ credentials to carry out the multi-crore financial fraud operation. Investigators said the racket involved complex transactions aimed at concealing the movement of illicit funds.

Further details in the case are awaited.

Berkshire Hathaway sharply increased its investment in Alphabet and bought more than $2.6 billion in Delta Air Lines shares under new CEO Greg Abel. The company also sold stakes in Visa, Mastercard and Amazon. The moves mark a shift from former CEO Warren Buffett’s traditionally cautious approach towards technology investments.

Syria has appointed Abdul Hamid Raslan as the new central bank governor following last week’s partial government reshuffle. President Ahmed al-Sharaa replaced Abdul Qadir al-Hasriya, who will become ambassador to Canada. Hasriya had overseen currency reforms, including redesigned banknotes without images of former president Bashar al-Assad and the removal of two zeros from bills.

Around 3,000 Mexican public school teachers marched in Mexico City on Teacher’s Day, demanding higher pay and threatening major protests during the football World Cup from 11 June. While the government agreed to a nine per cent rise, dissident union members want a 100 per cent increase. Protesters criticised World Cup spending, warning industrial action could disrupt roads and airport access.

The US Supreme Court on Friday rejected an emergency appeal by Virginia Democrats seeking to restore a voter-approved redistricting plan ahead of November’s midterm elections. The decision preserves existing congressional maps after Virginia’s top court ruled lawmakers failed to follow constitutional procedures. The case highlights intensifying nationwide battles over electoral boundaries, as Democrats and Republicans vie for control of the House of Representatives.

A massive fire and explosion at a lumber mill in Maine’s midcoast region killed a firefighter and injured 11 others on Friday. The blast occurred at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont while emergency crews battled the flames. Ten victims were hospitalized in Portland, while one remained in critical condition in Bangor. Authorities are investigating the cause, and officials urged residents to avoid the area.