Global Pulse

作者： admin

  • Man killed by 13ft great white shark in Western Australia

    Man killed by 13ft great white shark in Western Australia

    A devastating fatal shark attack has shaken Western Australia, after a 4-meter great white shark killed a 38-year-old man at a popular recreational marine site off the state’s coast. Local law enforcement confirmed that the bite occurred shortly before 10 a.m. local time on Saturday, which translates to 3 a.m. British Summer Time, at Horseshoe Reef. This location sits northwest of Rottnest Island, a top tourist draw near Perth famed for its pristine white sand beaches and world-renowned surf breaks.

    Local public broadcaster ABC shared details of the immediate emergency response, releasing aerial footage that shows first responders rushing the injured man back to shore by private vessel. Emergency medical teams and police carried out cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the man at Geordie Bay’s jetty in a desperate attempt to save his life. In a formal statement confirming the tragedy, a police spokesperson said, “Sadly the man was unable to be revived.”

    Western Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development confirmed to AFP that it had received official confirmation the attack was carried out by a great white shark. In the wake of the incident, the department issued a urgent public advisory urging all water users to exercise “additional caution” when entering the ocean along the entire stretch of coast surrounding the attack site.

    This event marks the first fatal shark attack recorded in Western Australia since March 2023, when a surfer was killed in a mauling at a remote outback beach. Australia has one of the highest rates of documented shark interactions globally: official records dating back to 1791 show nearly 1,300 confirmed shark attacks across the country, with more than 260 of those incidents ending in a fatality.

    Just earlier this year, in January, the east coast state of New South Wales saw a sharp spike in shark incidents, with four separate attacks reported across its coastline over just a 48-hour period. One of those victims was 12-year-old Nico Antic, who was attacked by a suspected bull shark after jumping from a rock outcrop into Sydney Harbour. The young boy died from his injuries a week after the attack, leaving his family devastated. In a joint statement released after his passing, his parents said they were utterly “heartbroken” by their loss.

  • China-US summit boosts focus on California-China trade ties

    China-US summit boosts focus on California-China trade ties

    In the lead-up to the high-profile 2026 China-US summit, business leaders, trade policymakers, and industry stakeholders from China and California gathered in Los Angeles for the 2026 China-Californian Business Forum on May 12, where they united in calling for expanded bilateral economic collaboration amid growing global economic uncertainty. The forum, held one day before the US president’s state visit to China, centered on unlocking new opportunities through free trade zones, targeted industrial partnerships, and streamlined investment facilitation — all measures participants framed as critical to stabilizing global supply chains and strengthening two-way trade ties between the world’s two largest economies.

    During a panel session focused on trade and investment opportunities in free trade ports and zones, Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, underscored the urgent need for sustained commercial engagement between China and the United States, even amid ongoing global headwinds ranging from geopolitical tensions to shifting tariff policies. “These are the two largest economies in the world, making sure that we continue to trade and build up business to new heights is my hope for this week’s dialog,” Seroka told reporters on site. “We have a lot of work to do around policy and tariffs.”

    As the busiest container port complex in the United States, the Port of Los Angeles and its neighbor the Port of Long Beach have long served as the primary gateway for US trade with Asia. Seroka highlighted that the ports’ existing Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) infrastructure and bonded warehouse facilities already help thousands of importers and exporters mitigate tariff-related cost pressures. Currently, the Port of Los Angeles manages roughly 5,400 acres of FTZ-designated land, with dozens of operational units and subzones strategically located near major transportation and industrial hubs surrounding Los Angeles International Airport. “In a very small way, the ports can assist in bringing down some of those tariff costs for importers,” Seroka explained. He added that demand for these specialized facilities has surged in recent years as companies reconfigure their supply chains to adapt to changing trade conditions, noting that “right now, these facilities are very highly subscribed.”

    Seroka also tied the need for stable bilateral relations to broader global challenges, including ongoing geopolitical conflict in the Middle East and soaring global fuel prices. “While there are many geopolitical issues happening around the world today, including the war in Iran, it is our goal that the two presidents, the two leaders of the world’s two largest economies, can make some progress,” he said.

    For California’s business community, the upcoming high-level summit between Beijing and Washington sends a much-needed positive signal to industries across the state that rely heavily on cross-border trade and investment. Stephen Cheung, president and CEO of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation and World Trade Center LA, emphasized that Los Angeles — one of America’s most vital international trade hubs — reaps substantial economic benefits from deep cooperation with China. “We’re so dependent on international trade and foreign direct investment, we see this opportunity between the US and Chinese government getting together as a positive step,” Cheung said.

    Cheung shared key data illustrating the deep economic ties between the region and China: Chinese-invested enterprises currently operate 756 business locations across California, supporting more than 23,500 local jobs and generating an estimated $4 billion to $5 billion in annual worker wages. These investments, he noted, are concentrated in sectors that form the backbone of California’s long-term economic growth, including advanced manufacturing, clean energy technology, logistics, trade, and technological innovation.

    Chinese trade officials and investment representatives at the forum highlighted a wealth of untapped collaboration opportunities created by China’s ongoing market opening reforms, the expansion of national pilot free trade zones, and the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port. Zhao Feng, vice-governor of China’s Hainan province, outlined deepening industrial collaboration between Hainan and US partners across high-growth sectors including the digital economy, healthcare, information technology, and high-end consumer goods. Over recent years, Zhao said, multiple leading US enterprises have set up local operations in Hainan, driving growth in digital services, data processing, and cross-sector technological innovation. In the healthcare space, cross-border medical projects have strengthened research and clinical cooperation between Chinese and American institutions, while leading US consumer brands have expanded access to the vast Chinese consumer market through the annual China International Consumer Products Expo. “These projects reflect the growing industrial synergy between Hainan and the United States and underscore the broad potential for mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides,” Zhao said.

    Li Zhiping, deputy director-general of Hainan’s Department of Commerce, added that the Hainan Free Trade Port is intentionally positioned as a high-standard platform for international openness and cooperation at a time of global economic uncertainty. “Hainan is using institutional opening-up to offset uncertainties in the international landscape,” Li said, noting that the province has implemented consistent policy reforms to protect the legal rights and interests of American and all foreign investors operating within its borders.

    Representatives from Shanghai, another of China’s core economic hubs, also outlined ongoing reforms to improve market access and the business environment for overseas investors, pushing back against common misperceptions about operating in China. Wu Yiyuan, chief representative of the San Francisco Office of Shanghai Foreign Investment Development Board, noted that many California business leaders still hold outdated views of China’s market access rules. “One common misconception is that market access to China is still highly restricted,” Wu said. She explained that China’s modern negative list system allows foreign investment in all sectors except those explicitly restricted, and the scope of restricted sectors has shrunk consistently in recent years. Wu added that Shanghai’s latest round of opening-up measures is focused specifically on sectors that align with California’s core industrial strengths: healthcare, finance, artificial intelligence, telecommunications, and advanced manufacturing. She also pointed to recent upgrades to cross-border data governance frameworks and streamlined administrative processes that have made doing business in Shanghai far more efficient for foreign firms. “Once companies gain a clearer picture of the market and better local support, many of the initial concerns become much more manageable,” Wu said.

    Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) representatives also emphasized the critical role that trade facilitation programs like FTZs play in supporting cross-border trade for smaller businesses. David Harlow, president and CEO of ITC Diligence International, explained that FTZ programs give California-based manufacturers significant operational flexibility when importing components from China for final production, while also supporting export-oriented business models. “The FTZ program offers a tremendous amount of flexibility,” Harlow said, adding that these structures allow businesses to minimize disruptive delays to manufacturing, assembly, and global distribution processes. Harlow shared the example of a California client that imports the vast majority of its production components from China, completes final manufacturing in Southern California, and exports finished goods to markets around the world. “Ninety-five percent of our consumers do not exist in the US, but exist around the world,” Harlow noted. “For US businesses to be able to compete globally, utilizing programs like the FTZ become essential.”

  • Tragic details emerge as couple found dead together at home

    Tragic details emerge as couple found dead together at home

    A quiet, tight-knit rural community in southern Tasmania is reeling from an unfathomable tragedy this week, after the bodies of an elderly married couple were discovered at their remote property in what investigators have classified as a murder-suicide linked to family violence.

    Emergency response teams were dispatched to the residence on Native Corners Road in Campania, a township of just 1,000 residents located roughly 40 minutes’ drive north of the state capital Hobart, early Friday morning. The call for assistance came after the dead male victim reached out to a close relative, who immediately alerted state police to the unfolding emergency.

    Speaking to media following the discovery, Tasmania Police Detective Inspector David Gill outlined the preliminary findings of the ongoing investigation. “A male person appears to have ended his own life and the female resident received injuries causing her death,” Gill stated. “Investigations thus far have indicated that it is a family violence case and we are treating this as a murder-suicide.”

    Autopsy and timeline assessments suggest the deaths took place shortly after the initial alert was placed to emergency services, Gill confirmed. Both victims, confirmed to be the couple who owned the property, are in their 60s. In a striking detail that has deepened the shock across the community, Gill added that the pair had no prior contact with law enforcement and were not known to police for any incidents before the tragedy.

    The detective also acknowledged the heavy toll the incident has taken on first responders, describing the scene inside the home as “extremely confronting” for the officers and paramedics who first arrived at the property. A major crime scene designation was put in place immediately after the bodies were found, to allow for forensic examination of the site.

    Out of respect for the couple’s surviving family, Gill declined to release further specific details about the incident or the victims. Investigators are now asking any members of the public who have information relevant to the case that they have not yet shared with police to contact the Tasmania Police non-emergency line on 131 444, referencing incident number ESCAD 114-15052026 to assist with the ongoing probe.

  • Spain’s Eurovision boycott over Israeli participation leaves contest fans torn

    Spain’s Eurovision boycott over Israeli participation leaves contest fans torn

    The 2025 Eurovision Song Contest grand final is unfolding in Vienna this week, but for millions of Spanish viewers and long-time fans, the beloved annual celebration of music looks drastically different this year. For the first time in seven years, Madrid resident Silvia Díaz will not gather her close group of friends for their traditional viewing party, complete with shared snacks, friendly banter and collective excitement over each competing performance. The annual gathering was canceled after Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE pulled out of the iconic contest, joining a growing boycott of the event over the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) decision to allow Israel to compete amid its ongoing military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. While Díaz plans to stream the final on YouTube if her schedule allows, she says the experience will never measure up to the group tradition. “It’s not the same watching it alone at home as it is with friends. That’s the only thing that upsets me,” she shared.

    Eurovision, a five-day international song competition that draws global audiences far larger than many major U.S. sporting events, recorded 166 million total viewers in 2024 – outpacing average viewership for the annual Super Bowl. For Spaniards, Eurovision has long been a deeply ingrained cultural tradition, even though the country has not claimed the top prize since 1969. In typical years, Spain’s competing entry gets months of heavy airplay on national radio and television, watch parties draw crowds in private homes and bars across the country, and the contestant’s performance dominates front-page news the day after the final. Fans who travel to the event famously show national pride by waving Spanish flags, dressing in the country’s iconic red colors, and even donning traditional bullfighting costumes for the crowd.

    Spain first announced its boycott in December, shortly after the EBU confirmed Israel would be permitted to participate in this year’s contest. Spain has since been joined by four other European public broadcasters: Ireland, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Iceland. The boycott has triggered a full media blackout of the event on state-controlled airwaves in each boycotting nation, altering how fans can engage with the iconic contest.

    RTVE has repeatedly voiced its public opposition to Israel’s inclusion in this year’s lineup. During 2024’s semifinal round, RTVE commentators paired their introduction of Israel’s competing artist with a mention of Palestinian civilian casualties in the Gaza war. Ahead of last year’s grand final, the network also displayed a clear on-screen message reading “Peace and justice for Palestine” on a black background for hundreds of thousands of Spanish viewers tuning in. This year, instead of airing Eurovision’s final from Vienna, RTVE will broadcast a retrospective tribute to the network’s long musical history, headlined by the two artists it would have sent to represent Spain at the contest: Tony Grox and Lucycalys. Other boycotting nations have replaced Eurovision with alternate programming: Ireland’s public broadcaster will air a documentary following a couple’s quiet life in the Irish countryside, while Slovenian public television will broadcast an episode of a 10-part documentary series focused on Palestinian life. While frustrated fans can still access the contest via the EBU’s official YouTube channel, the absence of national broadcasters, homegrown competitors and native-language commentators has stripped much of the passionate, patriotic energy that draws casual and diehard fans alike each year.

    Israel has competed in Eurovision for 50 years, claiming four championship titles over that span. For Israeli audiences, participation in the contest is widely viewed as a marker of international acceptance and normalcy; each year’s competing artist becomes an instant national celebrity, and a strong showing – even one that stops short of a win – is a widely celebrated source of national pride.

    Across Spain, the boycott has deeply divided the country’s tight-knit community of Eurovision fans, splitting them between those who back the political stand and those who argue the beloved music event should remain separate from global geopolitics. For 42-year-old Madrid marketing executive Rebeca Carril, a lifelong fan who revisits classic contest performances from the 1960s and 1970s, the decision to support the boycott came after years of growing discomfort with Israeli sponsorship of the contest. “I have Palestinian friends and I began to understand a little better how things worked,” she explained, noting she did not want to support Israeli-linked marketing efforts by tuning in.

    On the other side of the divide is Guillermina Bastida, a 47-year-old communications professional from Asturias province who drove three and a half days with her two daughters in a van to attend last year’s contest in Basel – her third time attending the event in person. Bastida holds her own critical views of Israel’s military campaign, but argues politics have no place at a global music celebration. “It’s a song festival, period,” she said. “I also have my own stance, which is critical, but not to the point of boycotting the festival.” This year, she will watch the final on YouTube after making the difficult decision to skip the in-person event.

    Eurovision’s official motto is “United by Music,” and organizers have long framed the event as an apolitical space that brings diverse European nations together through art. But in recent years, that effort to keep politics out of the competition has repeatedly failed. Just months after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EBU disqualified Russia from the contest, and the country has not been permitted to rejoin since. Official contest rules already ban overtly political lyrics or symbols, and organizers emphasize the competition is a contest between national broadcasters, not national governments.

    Jose García, co-director of a popular Spanish Eurovision news website with a combined social media following of nearly 100,000, notes that the boycott carries tangible costs for both sides. As one of Eurovision’s “Big Five” countries – the group of nations that provide the largest financial contributions to the contest – Spain’s withdrawal means the event loses not only substantial broadcasting rights revenue but also significant domestic publicity, which García argues erodes the contest’s credibility across the region. Even so, he says most diehard Spanish fans will still find a way to watch. “It has marked the television and personal history of many people, and fans will watch it via international channels or YouTube. But it’s one thing to be able to watch it and another to agree with what’s happening,” García explained.

    On the ground in Vienna, the absence of the boisterous, high-energy Spanish fan contingent is already noticeable to attendees. Vicente Rico, a 40-year-old Madrid perfumery owner who is attending his 18th consecutive Eurovision, said that Spanish fans are famously one of the most visible and lively groups at the annual event. “We’re a group that, just like at other events, makes its presence felt — we’re among the happiest, the loudest and the most fun,” he noted. Rico said he struggled deeply with his decision to make his annual pilgrimage to Vienna this year, even though he agrees the boycott is morally justified. He argues that Eurovision has become an unfair scapegoat for broader political inaction on the Gaza conflict, pointing out that no similar boycotts have been called for other major upcoming international events, including the FIFA World Cup scheduled to begin in just one month. With no Spanish competitor to root for, Rico says he and many other Spanish fans in Vienna have adopted a simple rule for this year’s contest: “This year, we’re rooting for everyone except Israel.”

  • Sister of Eurovision star bursting with pride

    Sister of Eurovision star bursting with pride

    As the 70th Eurovision Song Contest grand final prepares to kick off in Vienna this Saturday, the family of the UK’s representative is overflowing with excitement and pride for the hometown musician set to take the global stage. Performing under the stage name Look Mum No Computer, experimental electronic artist Sam Battle – originally named Sam Bartle and raised in the small Cambridgeshire village of Yaxley near Peterborough – will go head-to-head with 24 other competing acts from across the continent in one of the world’s most watched live music events.

    Battle’s older sister Jodie Bartle shared her overwhelming joy in an interview with BBC, saying she has long believed her brother was born for a massive break in the music industry. “Sam’s always been destined for something massive, and I’m so happy that he’s finally been given the opportunity for the world to see how unbelievably talented he is as an individual,” Bartle said. Even as the family celebrates his Eurovision selection, Bartle admitted that the opportunity to compete on the iconic contest stage came as a happy surprise.

    What sets Battle apart from many other contemporary pop acts is his distinctive artistic niche: he hand-builds one-of-a-kind, unconventional electronic instruments that blend vintage tech with unexpected playful elements. Some of his most famous creations merge the deep, resonant tone of traditional organ pipes with dozens of retired Furby interactive toys and retro handheld Game Boy consoles, creating a signature sound that has earned him a dedicated global fanbase.

    Battle’s journey to Eurovision began decades ago in his home county of Cambridgeshire, where he cut his teeth playing live gigs in the 2000s. Early in his career, he performed both as a solo artist and as a member of local bands Yellow Snow and Zibra, building a reputation for energetic, unpredictable sets that caught the attention of BBC Introducing, the network’s platform for emerging UK talent. That early recognition helped propel his career toward bigger opportunities, culminating in this year’s Eurovision selection.

    In a remarkable twist, Battle takes the Vienna stage just five weeks after welcoming his first child, a son named Max. Bartle says the milestone makes the moment even more special for the whole family: “He’s got a five-week-old baby at the moment that in the future is going to be able to say ‘my dad’s done Eurovision’, which is absolutely epic.”

    Speaking to BBC Radio Cambridgeshire presenter Dotty McLeod, Battle shared that his competing entry, the upbeat electro-pop anthem *Eins, Zwei, Drei*, came together in roughly 12 days of writing and refining. For the artist, the contest is as much about personal joy as it is about competition: “I am just going to try my hardest for the UK, for me and my mates and family,” he said.

    Bartle echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that the family’s support does not depend on Battle’s final score. “All I want for him is to just enjoy it,” she said. “We’re proud of him no matter what, and he should be proud of himself as well. The song I think is good enough to get points, and just hopefully the world also agrees with that.”

  • Trump says Islamic State group leader was killed in a joint US-Nigerian mission

    Trump says Islamic State group leader was killed in a joint US-Nigerian mission

    In a targeted joint operation conducted Friday in Nigeria’s volatile Lake Chad Basin, U.S. and Nigerian security forces have eliminated Abu Bakr al-Mainuki, one of the highest-ranking leaders of the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP), U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a late-night social media post. While Trump’s announcement offered few immediate operational details, it marked a major milestone in counterterrorism efforts across the Sahel region, where IS-affiliated militants have expanded their influence in recent years.

  • Drones are making Sudan’s war even deadlier for civilians

    Drones are making Sudan’s war even deadlier for civilians

    Two years into Sudan’s devastating civil conflict between the national military and the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, experts and international monitors warn that remotely piloted drones have emerged as the single deadliest threat to non-combatant populations, with foreign powers continuing to funnel advanced drone technology to both warring sides despite widespread humanitarian outcry.

    United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk confirmed this week that armed drones are responsible for more than 80% of all conflict-related civilian deaths in Sudan, with at least 880 civilians killed by drone strikes between January and April 2025 alone. Most of these fatalities have been concentrated in Sudan’s central Kordofan region, but deadly drone attacks have spread across seven provinces in recent weeks, targeting vulnerable populations and critical civilian infrastructure.

    The Sudanese conflict, which erupted in April 2023, has already claimed at least 59,000 lives, displaced 13 million people, and pushed large swathes of the country into catastrophic famine conditions. Data collected by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) underscores the rapidly growing toll of drone warfare: between 2024 and 2025, drone-related fatalities surged 600%, while the number of drone attacks jumped 81%, leaving 2,670 people dead across both combatant and civilian groups in 2025.

    Unlike the early months of the war, when drone use was limited to the Sudanese military, the RSF has rapidly expanded its drone capabilities over the past 12 months, using the technology to enable offensive operations in contested territory including the North Darfur capital el-Fasher. In the 2024 capture of el-Fasher, RSF drones employed a coordinated “hunter-killer” strategy that targeted civilians attempting to send distress signals, shutting down communications and trapping populations in densely populated areas before launching strikes. United Nations experts have already labeled the violence in el-Fasher as carrying the “hallmarks of genocide,” with at least 6,000 people killed over three days of fighting. Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health, noted that the RSF could not have seized the city without its advanced external drone support.

    Worryingly, both warring parties have systematically targeted protected civilian infrastructure in their drone strikes, including hospitals, dams, schools, public markets, and displacement camps. In one high-profile incident last year, a drone strike on Al Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur killed at least 64 civilians. While the Sudanese military officially denied responsibility for the attack, two anonymous military officials later confirmed the strike had targeted an adjacent police station. Recent on-the-ground reports also document 26 civilian deaths in drone strikes across South and North Kordofan in early May, more than 70 civilian fatalities in Kordofan strikes earlier this year, and 36 people killed in nine separate drone attacks on civilian vehicles over a 10-day period in May 2025. Sudanese human rights group Emergency Lawyers has warned that many drones deployed by both sides are equipped with advanced visual target identification technology, raising the disturbing possibility that attacks on civilians are deliberate, not accidental.

    Multiple independent analysts confirm that neither Sudanese warring party produces its own advanced drones, relying entirely on foreign suppliers to build up their strike capabilities. ACLED’s latest assessment confirms the Sudanese military receives drone technology from Turkey, Russia, Iran, and Egypt, while the RSF obtains drones through transnational smuggling networks linked to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with transit routes running through Ethiopia, Chad, and Libya. Research from The Soufan Center notes that both sides are actively competing to acquire newer, more sophisticated drone models primarily manufactured in China, with satellite imagery from Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab confirming the RSF operates Chinese-built CH-95 and FH-95 drones – large systems comparable in size to small manned aircraft. The UAE has repeatedly denied supplying drones to the RSF, while Ethiopia has also rejected Sudanese government accusations that it facilitated recent RSF drone strikes on Khartoum International Airport and other capital-area targets. Gabriella Tejeda, a research associate at The Soufan Center, however, notes that the allegations are not unfounded, given Ethiopia’s close strategic partnership with the UAE and clear shared interest in shaping the outcome of the Sudanese conflict.

    Jalale Getachew Birru, ACLED’s senior East Africa analyst, explained that drones have transformed the trajectory of the Sudanese civil war, acting as a “force multiplier” that allows both sides to expand strikes into densely populated residential areas, secure contested territory, disrupt enemy mobilization, and spread widespread insecurity across rival-held regions. The proliferation of foreign-supplied drones has not only driven a catastrophic rise in civilian deaths, experts warn, but has also complicated international peace efforts and stoked fears that the conflict could escalate into a full-blown regional proxy war. With foreign backers continuing to invest in military capabilities and both warring parties ramping up their battle tempo, analysts say there is little indication either side is willing to pursue a negotiated end to the conflict.

  • Some see ‘King of the North’ as UK government’s savior. First he needs a seat in Parliament

    Some see ‘King of the North’ as UK government’s savior. First he needs a seat in Parliament

    The United Kingdom’s ruling Labour Party is facing its deepest internal crisis in years, with embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer clinging to power amid plummeting public approval, a devastating local election rout, and growing calls from within his own party for his resignation. At the center of the growing push for change is one of the party’s most popular figures — Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester — who just secured a path to challenge Starmer, though the road to Downing Street is still lined with major obstacles.

    To mount a formal leadership challenge, Burnham must first win a seat in the House of Commons, a requirement he currently fails to meet after 16 years as a Member of Parliament ended when he stepped down to take the Greater Manchester mayoral role in 2017. That path opened earlier this week: sitting Labour MP Josh Simons announced he would resign his safe Labour seat of Makerfield, located roughly 20 miles west of Manchester, to clear the way for Burnham’s by-election run. On Friday, Labour’s national executive committee confirmed it would not block Burnham from contesting the vote, which is scheduled to take place within the next two months.

    Widely known by his popular nickname the “King of the North” — a moniker inspired by the *Game of Thrones* character that nods to his fierce advocacy for northern England’s working-class communities and his distance from the London-centric political establishment — Burnham has emerged as Starmer’s most formidable potential rival. The 56-year-old politician, who leans further left than the centrist Starmer, has notched three consecutive mayoral election victories since 2017, proving his broad appeal to voters. His tenure as mayor has reshaped both his public image and political skill: out of office in Westminster, he swapped formal suits and ties for a approachable smart-casual look often paired with sneakers, a small change that helped him build closer rapport with working-class voters. More significantly, his profile rose dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he became the de facto voice for northern England, repeatedly criticizing then-Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson for his government’s London-focused pandemic response that shortchanged northern communities.

    This is not Burnham’s first attempt at the Labour leadership: he ran unsuccessfully twice before, in 2010 and 2015, and was widely criticized for his stiff, unpolished campaign style. But supporters argue his time outside Westminster has turned him into the party’s most effective communicator, a skill Starmer has notably failed to master amid his current slump.

    The Makerfield by-election will be far from a guaranteed win for Burnham, however. Two years ago, Simons took the seat for Labour by a 5,400-vote margin during Labour’s 2024 national landslide that ended 14 years of Conservative rule. But the political landscape has shifted dramatically since then: Starmer’s government has suffered heavy losses in recent local elections, driven by the rise of the right-wing anti-immigration Reform UK party. All local wards in the Makerfield constituency were won by Reform in this month’s local elections, and Reform leader Nigel Farage has already pledged the party will “throw absolutely everything at” defeating Burnham.

    Burnham has acknowledged the steep challenge ahead. “I truly do not take a single vote for granted and will work hard to regain the trust of people in the Makerfield constituency, many of whom have long supported our party but lost faith in recent times,” he said in his announcement.

    Political analysts note the by-election is more than a simple parliamentary race — it is a critical test of Burnham’s national viability. “Andy Burnham is a big name in the northwest. There will be a lot of people who would like to see him get back into Parliament, not least to take down Keir Starmer,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. “In some ways, it’s a useful test for Burnham because if he can’t beat Reform in that constituency, then quite frankly, he’s not much use to the Labour Party as leader.”

    If Burnham does win the by-election, the path to a leadership contest will open quickly. Under Labour rules, any MP can trigger a leadership challenge if they secure the support of one-fifth of the Parliamentary Labour Party — 81 out of Labour’s 403 current MPs. Right now, more than 80 MPs have already called on Starmer to step down, and one senior cabinet member, former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, has already resigned. Streeting, who was widely expected to announce his own leadership bid after resigning, instead pulled back and endorsed Burnham on Friday, writing on X that Labour “needs its best players on the pitch.” Other potential candidates include former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Defense Secretary Al Carns, and former Labour leader Ed Miliband, all of whom have been reported to be considering a run if a contest opens.

    Starmer has repeatedly vowed to fight to keep his job, and would automatically be included on the ballot to defend his leadership if a challenge is called. But political observers say a Burnham win in Makerfield would likely force Starmer to step down before a contest even begins. “Were Burnham to win the by-election, it’s unlikely that Keir Starmer will actually stand in that leadership contest,” Bale noted. “If Burnham fails, then Starmer might feel he has a chance against Streeting and Rayner.” For now, the entire future of Britain’s government hinges on the outcome of one high-stakes by-election in the northwest of England.

  • These women are training to represent the US in an Olympic sport they’d never heard of

    These women are training to represent the US in an Olympic sport they’d never heard of

    When 27-year-old Los Angeles screenwriter Rylee White first stumbled across a TikTok about open tryouts for the U.S. Women’s Olympic Handball Team — a sport she had never even heard of — with no prior experience required, she knew immediately she had to show up. White was far from alone. Buoyed by the video’s viral spread across the platform, more than 150 aspiring female athletes turned out for the January tryouts, marking a five-fold jump in turnout compared to previous recruitment cycles.

    Five months after that fateful open call, White is one of a small group of recruits who have relocated to Florida to join USA Handball’s national residency program, putting everything on hold in pursuit of a spot on the 2028 Summer Olympics roster, to be held right in her home city of Los Angeles.

    Unlike in much of Europe, where handball ranks among the most watched, high-participation competitive sports, it has remained largely obscure in the United States for decades. The fast-paced full-contact sport pits two teams of six outfield players plus a goalkeeper against each other, with athletes using a resin-coated ball to pass and score. Introduced to the Olympic program for men in 1936 and women in 1976, it regularly draws tens of thousands of fans to top matches in powerhouses like Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, and the Balkan nations of Southeastern Europe, which almost always claim the top Olympic medals in the sport.

    As the 2028 host nation, the U.S. automatically qualifies for a spot in every Olympic event, meaning the women’s handball team will return to the Games for the first time since Atlanta 1996. But building a competitive roster from a tiny domestic talent pool has long been a steep challenge; for years, the U.S. team has primarily relied on dual citizens who play professional handball in Europe to fill its ranks. Unlike most Olympic sports where athletes begin training in childhood, U.S. handball recruits almost always switch to the sport later in life, often coming from other competitive athletic backgrounds.

    For White, that switch came after injuries derailed her planned college career playing basketball and lacrosse, requiring multiple knee surgeries that kept her sidelined from high-level competition. Handball offered a second chance to pursue elite sport. “I think a lot of people would describe me as the most competitive person they’d ever met,” White said. “I definitely was raised in a house where we had big, big dreams.” After her tryout, she told head coach Sarah Gascon she was ready to commit fully, telling her partner she would bring him along to Europe if she earned a professional contract overseas, the end goal for many residency athletes. The final 2028 Olympic roster won’t be finalized until a few months before the Games, and only 14 to 18 spots are available out of dozens of current training athletes — making the entire journey a high-stakes gamble.

    Gascon, a long-time veteran of the U.S. women’s national handball team who recently took over as head coach, has made rebuilding the struggling program her top priority. “We’ve had great successes in my career and some really great moments but still didn’t get an opportunity to play in the Olympic Games because we just weren’t good enough,” she explained. Gascon has found that multi-sport athletes make the strongest handball recruits, as the sport borrows core skills from other popular games: basketball builds ball handling, volleyball teaches blocking, and softball or rugby develop throwing technique. “It’s really about their athleticism,” she said. “Do they have a good foundation that we could build upon? And how are they able to adapt with learning something new at 22 or 23 years old?”

    Despite the wave of new enthusiasm sparked by the viral TikTok, the biggest barrier to the program’s success remains a crippling lack of funding. Gascon confirmed that USA Handball is the only national governing body for an Olympic sport that receives no funding from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and the women’s team is entirely cut off from core support including elite athlete health insurance. The USOPC did not respond to a request for comment from the Associated Press on the matter. Gascon and all her coaching staff are unpaid volunteers, and athletes must hold full-time jobs while balancing the demands of elite training. “Some of our best athletes haven’t been able to go to tournaments or go to events because they can’t afford it,” Gascon said.

    For new recruits like 30-year-old Devyn Holbrook, who had also never heard of handball before the viral tryout announcement, the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is worth the risk. A self-described “queen of side quests” who trained in ballet, soccer, basketball, softball, and javelin throw growing up, Holbrook became obsessed with the sport after just a few days of play. “I just loved it and then I couldn’t stop watching videos online of past Olympic Games,” she said. “You don’t get a lot of chances to do like women’s team sports later in life. There will never be a chance again that I could go to the Olympics in this capacity. So why not give it everything that I have? And if I don’t make it, then I don’t make it.”

  • Bulgaria wins the 70th Eurovision song contest with the party anthem ‘Bangaranga’

    Bulgaria wins the 70th Eurovision song contest with the party anthem ‘Bangaranga’

    VIENNA, May 17 — The 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest wrapped up Saturday at Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle arena, with Bulgaria securing its first-ever victory in the contest’s seven-decade history. Singer Dara’s high-energy party anthem “Bangaranga” outperformed 24 competing acts, winning over both professional national juries and global public viewers with its infectious rhythm and tightly choreographed stage performance.

    Hosted in the Austrian capital, this year’s anniversary competition brought together 25 finalist acts from across Europe and beyond, showcasing a wildly eclectic range of musical styles that has become the event’s signature. From Finnish fiery violin-pop and Moldovan folk-infused rap to Serbian heavy metal and Italian classic crooning, the 2026 contest delivered the over-the-top stage production and diverse talent that has made it a global cultural phenomenon, drawing hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide.

    While the celebration of music took center stage, the 2026 contest was overshadowed for the third consecutive year by growing political controversy over Israel’s participation, amid ongoing conflict in Gaza. Five longstanding participating nations — Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia — withdrew in protest of Israel’s inclusion, marking one of the largest coordinated boycotts in the contest’s modern history.

    Israel’s contestant Noam Bettan ultimately finished in second place with his multilingual rock ballad “Michelle,” though his appearance was met with mixed reactions from the audience: loud cheers from supporters were punctuated by scattered boos, and four attendees were ejected earlier in the week after attempting to disrupt his semifinal performance. Street protests unfolded in Vienna in the lead-up to Saturday’s final, with hundreds of demonstrators marching near the arena holding signs reading “Block Eurovision” and organizers hosting an alternative “No stage for genocide” outdoor concert. “Inviting Israel to this beautiful stage is an affront to everyone who believes in humanity, love and togetherness,” said Congolese-Austrian artist Patrick Bongola, one of the protest organizers. Demonstrations were smaller in scale than those seen at the 2024 contest in Malmo, Sweden and the 2025 event in Basel, Switzerland.

    Despite the political tensions, the 2026 final showcased the genre-blending creativity that defines Eurovision. Finnish duo Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen entered the final as pre-show betting favorites with “Liekinheitin” (Flamethrower), a high-octane blend of pop vocals and virtuosic classical violin backed by dramatic pyrotechnics. Other standout acts included Moldova’s Satoshi, whose upbeat party rap “Viva, Moldova” framed as a love letter to Europe from the aspiring EU member; Greek artist Akylas’ playful commentary on post-crisis economic inequality with “Ferto”; and Australian star Delta Goodrem’s showstopping performance of her ballad “Eclipse,” which featured Goodrem lifted above a glittering grand piano for the song’s climax. Female solo artists dominated the 2026 lineup, with standouts including Germany’s empowering power ballad, Poland’s gospel-infused R&B, Ukraine’s ethereal folk-pop, and Sweden’s pulsing techno-pop. The contest also featured strong male solo performances, from Malta’s R&B to Norway’s rock, plus a retro-techno set from Austrian hometown favorite Cosmo.

    For long-time observers of the contest, political friction is far from a new development. “Eurovision has always had its share of political controversy,” said Eurovision historian Dean Vuletic. “The first boycott came back in 1969, ironically by Austria, which refused to participate in the contest hosted by Franco’s fascist Spain. Every politicized edition in recent years has faced similar tension, but Eurovision persists.” Vuletic added that the contest has always been a platform for underdogs: “It’s never been a competition for already established global superstars. Fans love seeing rising artists, and artists from smaller, less wealthy nations, claim the spotlight.”

    As has become tradition, the winner was selected through a combined voting system that weights scores from professional national juries and public viewer votes. Viewers in participating nations can vote up to 10 times for acts outside their home country, while fans in non-participating nations including the U.S. can cast votes online through the official Eurovision website. The winning nation earns the right to host the following year’s contest.

    The boycott has created tangible headwinds for the event, which drew 166 million global viewers last year, with organizers expecting losses to both viewership and advertising revenue. Even so, the Eurovision organization is moving forward with expansion plans: a new spinoff competition, Eurovision Song Contest Asia, is scheduled to launch in Bangkok this November. Contest director Martin Green urged global audiences to set political disagreements aside ahead of the final, framing the 2026 event as a “brilliant, wonderful, heartfelt celebration of music that brings people across the continent together.”