Global Pulse

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  • Iran says World Cup base moved to Mexico from US

    Iran says World Cup base moved to Mexico from US

    As the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico draws near, the Iran men’s national football team has secured conditional approval to shift their pre-tournament training base from the United States to Mexico, according to the top official of the country’s football governing body.

    Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), announced Friday that FIFA has signed off on the federation’s request to move the team’s camp from Tucson, Arizona, to the northern Mexican border city of Tijuana, following a series of in-person and virtual negotiations with global football’s governing body. The announcement came as Iran continues its pre-tournament preparation at a dedicated training camp in Antalya, southern Turkey, where the squad has been fine-tuning tactics ahead of their Group stage matches.

    Taj detailed the approval process in comments from the Istanbul negotiations, noting that after formal requests, face-to-face talks with FIFA and 2026 World Cup organizing committee officials in the Turkish city, and a subsequent webinar with FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom from Tehran, the relocation request was formally accepted. “We will be based in the Tijuana camp, which is near the Pacific Ocean and sits right on the border between Mexico and the United States,” Taj said, adding that the new location offers a major logistical advantage for the team’s scheduled matches. Iran is set to play all three of their Group stage games in North American cities: against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, both in Los Angeles, and a final group match against Egypt on June 26 in Seattle. Travel from Tijuana to Los Angeles will only take a 55-minute flight, a fraction of the travel time required from the original base in Tucson, Taj explained.

    While Taj confirmed FIFA’s approval, FIFA has not yet made an official public statement confirming the change. BBC Sport has reached out to FIFA for additional comment on the relocation and the ongoing visa issues facing the Iranian delegation.

    The shift away from a U.S.-based training camp comes amid widespread uncertainty around Iran’s participation in the tournament, driven by escalating regional tensions in the Middle East and persistent visa complications for Iranian players and federation officials. Earlier this month, Taj revealed that many Iranian squad members were still waiting for U.S. entry visas ahead of the tournament, which kicks off on June 11. The FFIRI has submitted 10 formal conditions to FIFA to secure Iran’s full participation, a key demand being that players, coaches and delegation members who previously completed military service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) be guaranteed entry to host countries.

    U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has previously stated that Iranian players would be welcome to enter the U.S. for the tournament, but individuals with confirmed links to the IRGC would be subject to existing entry restrictions. The visa issue has already disrupted FFIRI operations earlier this year: in April, Taj was among a group of FFIRI officials denied entry to Canada ahead of the FIFA annual congress in Vancouver, after Canadian authorities canceled his visa over documented links to the IRGC, Canada’s immigration minister confirmed to parliament.

    As of this week, a subset of the Iranian squad has traveled to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, to submit visa applications for the tournament, though full approval for all members of the delegation remains pending.

  • Turkey’s main opposition party in standoff over court-ordered leadership

    Turkey’s main opposition party in standoff over court-ordered leadership

    A tense political impasse is unfolding in Turkey’s capital Ankara this Sunday, as the bulk of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the country’s largest opposition bloc, remains locked in a standoff blocking the new court-ordered interim leadership from entering the party’s central headquarters. The standoff stems from a controversial appeals court ruling issued last Thursday, which annulled the party’s November 2023 internal congress that saw Ozgur Ozel win election to succeed long-time CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

  • What are the Enhanced Games – or the ‘Olympics on steroids’?

    What are the Enhanced Games – or the ‘Olympics on steroids’?

    A controversial new international athletic competition, dubbed the ‘Enhanced Games’ and widely nicknamed the ‘Olympics on steroids’, is preparing to welcome dozens of top-tier competitors for its first-ever edition — with a groundbreaking, divisive rule: all athletes will be permitted to use performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) during competition.

    Unlike traditional elite sporting events such as the Olympic Games, which have enforced strict anti-doping policies for decades to preserve fair play and protect athlete health, this new framework upends decades of global sports governance norms. Organizers of the event have framed the competition as a radical reimagining of elite athletics, arguing that removing doping restrictions allows athletes to push the absolute boundaries of human physical capability, creating a new category of sport that celebrates unconstrained human performance.

    The announcement of the inaugural Games has sparked fierce debate across the global sports community. Critics warn that the event normalizes harmful drug use, puts athlete long-term health at severe risk, and undermines decades of progress in creating clean, fair international competition. Supporters, meanwhile, argue that current anti-doping systems are inconsistent and unfair, and that the Enhanced Games offer a space for athletes to make their own autonomous choices about their bodies and competitive careers. For its first outing, the event has already attracted dozens of elite athletes who have opted to compete under its unorthodox drug policy, setting the stage for a historic and deeply controversial moment in international sport.

  • Blast targeting train kills at least 20 in Pakistan

    Blast targeting train kills at least 20 in Pakistan

    On a Sunday morning in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s restive western province of Balochistan, a powerful explosion targeted a shuttle train carrying military personnel and their families, leaving at least 20 people dead and 70 more injured, according to official and witness accounts. The blast struck as the train passed through Chaman Phatak station, triggering significant structural damage to the rail cars: railway sources confirmed to BBC Urdu that three passenger coaches and the train’s engine derailed, while two additional cars overturned completely.

    Most of the passengers on the service were service members and their relatives traveling home for the Eid holiday, making the attack an even deadlier disruption to long-awaited family gatherings. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group active in the region, has claimed responsibility for the incident, stating it was carried out as a suicide bombing. Pakistani government officials have not yet verified the militant group’s claim as of the latest updates.

    Graphic photos from the attack site show charred, twisted remains of train carriages, damaged nearby civilian vehicles, and visible structural damage to a neighboring building from the force of the blast. Local resident Naseer Ahmed described the shock of the explosion to the BBC, noting that his entire family was asleep at the time of the Sunday morning blast, and the force was powerful enough to shatter all the glass windows in his home.

    Both a senior Balochistan police officer and a civil administration official confirmed the current death toll of 20 to BBC Urdu, and warned that the number of fatalities could climb as first responders continue to clear debris and assess the extent of casualties. Emergency protocols have been activated at all local hospitals treating victims, to speed up care and mobilize additional medical resources for the injured.

    Additional official details clarify that the shuttle had been traveling from a nearby military encampment toward Quetta’s main railway station, where passengers were set to board a connecting train to Peshawar before heading to their hometowns across the country for the holiday. This attack is not an isolated incident: the BLA has a documented history of targeting rail infrastructure in Balochistan, having carried out multiple attacks on the Jaffar Express, a major intercity train route, over the past two years. Most recently, in March 2025, BLA militants hijacked the same train and held multiple passengers hostage while it traveled toward Peshawar.

    The separatist group has long framed its armed campaign around claims that the Pakistani federal government extracts and exploits Balochistan’s rich natural mineral resources without sharing economic benefits with the local population. Geopolitically, Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by area, covering roughly 44% of the country’s total landmass, with a population of just 5% of Pakistan’s 240 million total residents. It shares unstable border regions with both Iran and Afghanistan, and also holds a portion of Pakistan’s Arabian Sea coastline, giving it significant strategic importance for the country.

    Tensions and violent clashes between BLA fighters and Pakistani security forces have surged in recent months: in early February 2026, coordinated attacks across Quetta and other areas of the province left 31 civilians dead. Following Sunday’s attack, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a strong condemnation of the bombing, saying that “such cowardly acts of terrorism cannot weaken the resolve of the people of Pakistan.” He added that “the entire nation stands in solidarity with the people of Balochistan in this hour of grief.”

  • Spearfisher mauled on Great Barrier Reef in Australia’s second fatal shark attack in a week

    Spearfisher mauled on Great Barrier Reef in Australia’s second fatal shark attack in a week

    Australia’s iconic coastal waters have once again been marked by tragedy, as a second fatal shark attack in just over a week has claimed the life of a local spearfisher at the Great Barrier Reef, bringing the total number of fatal shark encounters in the country to three so far in 2026.

    Queensland Police Inspector Elaine Burns confirmed the details of Sunday’s attack: the 39-year-old victim, a permanent resident of Cairns, was spearfishing alongside three friends who had anchored their boat at Kennedy Shoal, a popular remote recreation spot around 60 kilometers south of Cairns. The shallow coral outcrop, known for its 19th-century Lady Bowen shipwreck that draws divers and recreational anglers year-round, has a documented history of bull shark sightings reported by local fishers prior to the attack.

    The victim sustained critical, fatal injuries to the head during the assault. His companions brought him back by boat to the coastal tourist town of Hull Heads, where emergency paramedics were staged to meet the group by noon. A Queensland Ambulance Service statement later confirmed the man’s injuries were unsurvivable, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

    This attack follows closely on the heels of another fatal incident just over a week ago off Western Australia’s coast. On May 16, 38-year-old Steve Mattabonni, a Perth resident, was killed by a shark while at a coral reef off Rottnest Island, a popular holiday destination 18 kilometers off the state’s southwest coast. Witnesses brought Mattabonni ashore to the island by boat, but first responders were unable to resuscitate him. Investigators suspect a 5-meter great white shark was responsible for that attack.

    The first fatal shark attack of 2026 occurred in mid-January, when 12-year-old Nico Antic was attacked by a suspected bull shark off a Sydney metropolitan beach. Antic succumbed to his injuries and died in hospital several days after the encounter.

    Wildlife data shows that Australia has long averaged more than three fatal shark attacks per year over recent decades. Experts note that the convergence of increased human recreational activity in coastal waters and natural shark migration patterns contributes to this steady rate of incidents, though fatal encounters remain statistically rare compared to the millions of coastal recreation trips Australians take annually.

  • Customers spending less as businesses pinched by Iran war crisis

    Customers spending less as businesses pinched by Iran war crisis

    Fresh data from Australia’s leading business industry body has highlighted a persistent downward trend in domestic consumer spending, even as the most severe disruptions from the Middle East fuel supply crisis have eased following a breakthrough diplomatic announcement. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s latest bi-monthly analysis of fuel crisis impacts reveals that a growing share of businesses across four of Australia’s most populous states are reporting weaker customer demand, despite government interventions to lower fuel prices and a de-escalation of geopolitical tensions.

    In the survey, which polled more than 700 businesses across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland between April 6 and 20, 55% of participating firms recorded weaker customer spending in April. This marks a notable 12 percentage point increase from the 43% of businesses that reported lower spending in March, a shift that occurred even after a temporary cut to Australia’s federal fuel excise took effect on April 1.

    While the share of businesses facing severe or major financial strain from elevated fuel costs dropped to 29% in April from 46% in March, an overwhelming 94% of respondents still reported experiencing at least some degree of negative impact from persistently high fuel prices. David Alexander, acting chief executive officer of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, noted that the combination of elevated fuel prices and successive interest rate increases has eroded household confidence, leading Australian consumers to pull back sharply on non-essential discretionary purchases.

    The survey also laid bare the widespread strain the fuel crisis has placed on Australian business operations. The share of companies that have chosen to absorb higher fuel costs rather than pass all increases on to consumers rose from 61% in March to 69% in April. Meanwhile, the proportion of businesses delaying planned investment or expansion projects climbed to 38% from 31% in the prior month, and more than 60% of all surveyed firms have cut their own non-essential operational spending to offset rising costs.

    Alexander warned that the economic fallout from global fuel supply disruptions is far from over, and will continue to drag on Australian business performance for the foreseeable future. “This is a worrying signal. Businesses pulling back on investment will impact economic growth in the months and years ahead,” he said.

    The survey’s release came just ahead of a landmark announcement from former U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday evening, who confirmed an impending peace agreement with Iran that includes the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic waterway, which carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s total crude oil shipments, was closed by Iran amid escalating tensions, triggering a sharp spike in global fuel prices that hit Asia-Pacific markets particularly hard. The closure also sparked widespread fears of prolonged supply shortages for key products including refined diesel and agricultural fertilizer.

    The new report from the business chamber has called on Australian policymakers to maintain targeted support for affected businesses, to ensure that recent temporary drops in fuel prices translate into long-term improvement in business conditions and broader national economic activity. Additional findings from the survey show that 63% of businesses have seen transport and freight costs surge due to higher fuel prices, 43% have reported intensifying cash flow pressures, and 36% have ultimately passed at least part of their increased fuel costs through to end consumers.

  • Man killed in shark attack off Australia’s north-east coast

    Man killed in shark attack off Australia’s north-east coast

    Australian law enforcement has officially confirmed that a 39-year-old man has become the second person killed by a shark attack in Australian waters within a 14-day window, following an incident off the Cassowary Coast in Queensland’s northeastern region.

    Local emergency dispatch received a distress call shortly before noon on Sunday, responding to reports of a shark bite at a boat ramp located between the major northern cities of Cairns and Townsville. Witnesses reported the attack occurred while the man was swimming at a shoal located a short distance from shore. First responders pulled the victim from the water, but he could not be saved, succumbing to the injuries he sustained in the encounter.

    This latest fatality comes just one week after another deadly shark attack off the coast of Western Australia, near the city of Perth. That incident claimed the life of a 38-year-old man who was spearfishing in the area when he was bitten on his lower legs; emergency medics were unable to resuscitate him after pulling him from the water.

    Queensland Police have not released any further details about the most recent victim, including the specific nature of his injuries or his personal identity, per standard protocol for cases under coronial review. Law enforcement confirmed it will prepare a full report on the “sudden and non-suspicious” death for the coroner, noting that no additional comments will be made while the matter is officially open.

    While Australia records more shark-human interactions than most other coastal regions globally, fatal outcomes remain relatively rare. Data from the Australian Shark-Incident Database shows that in January of this year alone, four confirmed shark encounters were documented across the country, with only one resulting in a fatality. Most high-traffic coastal areas popular with swimmers and surfers maintain dedicated protective measures to reduce the risk of unprovoked attacks.

  • A powerful bomb has exploded near railway track in southwest Pakistan, killing at least 19 people

    A powerful bomb has exploded near railway track in southwest Pakistan, killing at least 19 people

    On Sunday, a devastating suicide vehicle bombing targeting a passing passenger train near a railway track in Quetta, a southwestern city of Pakistan, has left at least 19 people dead and more than 70 others injured, official sources confirmed to the Associated Press.

    Online footage of the incident shows the extreme force of the detonation flipped two train carriages off the track and ignited a large blaze, with plumes of thick black smoke billowing into the sky over the area. According to witnesses and social media imagery circulating after the attack, the explosion went off in a zone routinely used by Pakistani security forces for deployments. The blast inflicted severe structural damage on multiple nearby buildings and wrecked more than 10 civilian vehicles parked along adjacent roads.

    Local medical facilities confirmed they have received all wounded casualties, with 20 patients currently listed in critical condition. Three anonymous security officials, granted anonymity to speak freely to press, told AP that all remains of the deceased have been transferred to city hospitals for identification and processing.

    The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), an outlawed separatist militant group fighting to secede from Pakistan’s federal government, released a statement to journalists claiming credit for the attack. The organization stated the train was targeted because it was carrying Pakistani security personnel.

    Quetta is the capital of Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, a resource-rich region holding large reserves of oil and critical minerals that has dealt with a persistent low-level separatist insurgency for decades. Militant groups operating in the province have repeatedly carried out attacks targeting security personnel, government infrastructure, and civilian populations both within Balochistan and across other parts of Pakistan.

    Provincial and national leaders across Pakistan have issued unanimous condemnations of the attack. “We strongly condemn the targeting of innocent civilians and are deeply saddened by the loss of precious human lives. Terrorist elements deserve no leniency,” said Shahid Rind, spokesperson for the Balochistan provincial government. Rind added that a full medical emergency has been activated across all Quetta hospitals to respond to the mass casualty event, and a formal investigation into the attack is already underway.

    Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif labeled the bombing a “cowardly act of terrorism” in a public post on X, extending his official condolences to the families of those killed. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also issued a condemnation, noting that the attack killed and injured innocent civilians including women and children, and vowed counter-terrorism forces would hunt down all perpetrators responsible.

    Bugti and Pakistan’s federal government in Islamabad regularly refer to the BLA using the term “Fitna al-Hindustan”, claiming the group receives material backing from the Indian government. India has consistently denied all such allegations. Long-running bilateral tensions have defined relations between Pakistan and India, with the two countries having fought two of their three full wars over the disputed Kashmir region, which both nations claim as sovereign territory in its entirety.

    While Pakistani federal authorities have repeatedly stated they have largely suppressed the separatist insurgency in Balochistan, violent attacks continue to occur on a regular basis. Earlier in 2024, a separate suicide bombing at a Balochistan train station killed 26 people, including 10 active-duty soldiers.

  • ‘Party in the back’: Competitors vie for European mullet crown

    ‘Party in the back’: Competitors vie for European mullet crown

    Hundreds of bold-haired enthusiasts flocked to southern Belgium this weekend to compete in the 4th annual European Mullet Championship, a joyful celebration of the iconic divisive hairstyle that has staged a surprising cultural comeback in recent years. Famed for its timeless tagline “business in the front, party in the back”, the mullet balances sharp, cropped sections at the front and sides with long, unapologetically flowing hair at the nape of the neck. First catapulted to mainstream popularity in the 1980s, the style quickly fell out of favor and was widely mocked for decades before reemerging as a subversive, countercultural statement among fans around the world.

    The Belgian competition, inspired by a similar event launched in Australia, drew aspiring contenders from across Europe this year, with participants traveling from as far as France, Spain and England to showcase their takes on the cut. For the community that has rallied around the hairstyle, the mullet is far more than a passing fashion trend—it is a core part of identity and a way of life. “The mullet is open—to others, to difference, to adventure. It has a wild side,” explained event spokesperson David Hubert, who competes under the pseudonym Edgar Funkel.

    Unlike typical hair competitions that judge only technical skill or aesthetic perfection, the European Mullet Championship prioritizes personality and shared values alongside styling. Hopefuls first completed a detailed personal questionnaire to help judges get to know them beyond their hair. “Of course, we choose a great hairstyle, but what we really want is to choose a wonderful person,” said 39-year-old jury member Lolita Demoustiez, who goes by Dalita. “What matters is that the person carrying the mullet truly embodies values such as tolerance, kindness and the freedom to be oneself.”

    For many participants, the cut has had tangible, life-changing impacts. Christine, a 60-year-old Belgian competitor, shared that her striking silver grey mullet helped her navigate a recent period of intense personal hardship. “It feels absolutely brilliant, and I still haven’t taken any antidepressants,” she said, grinning as she showed off her hairstyle. “Long live the mullet!”

    After preliminary selections, roughly 50 finalists took the stage to show off their mullets for a cheering crowd of spectators. Judges awarded titles across multiple categories, including junior mullet, traditional mullet, unusual mullet and veteran mullet, to celebrate the diversity of styles within the community. When the final votes were counted, the 2026 overall European crown went to the duo of 44-year-old Berenice and 46-year-old Samuel, who are known to their fans by their shared nickname BesaMulet.

  • AFL 2026: Collingwood ace Jamie Elliott has an ACL injury

    AFL 2026: Collingwood ace Jamie Elliott has an ACL injury

    Collingwood Football Club’s star forward Jamie Elliott will spend the vast majority of his upcoming contract term sidelined after medical scans confirmed a full anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, a devastating injury that ended his 2025 Australian Football League campaign before it can progress far.

    Elliott suffered the injury in the final minutes of Collingwood’s hard-fought victory against West Coast on Saturday, a result that was overshadowed by the setback even as the club celebrated Scott Pendlebury’s historic 433rd career match, a milestone for the veteran player. In the immediate aftermath of the game, Collingwood’s coaching and medical staff held out cautious hope that the injury would prove less severe, but Sunday’s full imaging revealed the worst-case scenario the club had feared.

    Typically, athletes recovering from a full ACL rupture require a 12-month rehabilitation and strength-building period before they can return to elite competitive play. Elliott, 33, signed a two-year contract extension with the Magpies at the end of 2024, meaning even if his recovery progresses ahead of schedule, he will only have a handful of weeks remaining on his contract when he is eligible to step back onto the AFL field.

    In a media statement following the scan results, Collingwood’s general manager Charlie Gardiner expressed the club’s solidarity with the injured star. “We are all incredibly disappointed for Jamie,” Gardiner said. “Scans confirmed that he has ruptured his ACL and also sustained significant bone bruising in the knee. Across his long career with the Magpies, Jamie has already endured a string of major injury setbacks, so this latest blow is incredibly unfortunate for him, his family, and our entire club.”

    Gardiner emphasized that Elliott remains a core part of the Collingwood program even as he recovers, noting “He is a much-loved and respected leader in our playing group, and the whole club is thinking of him right now. We will certainly miss his impact on the field this season, but there is no doubt he will continue to contribute to our club in meaningful ways throughout his recovery.”

    The injury toll for Collingwood does not end with Elliott. Key defender Darcy Moore is also sidelined with a moderate-grade hamstring strain, while rookie small forward Will Hayes suffered a dislocated shoulder in the final quarter of Saturday’s match, adding three significant injury blows to the Magpies’ post-victory narrative.