Global Pulse

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  • ‘The Pitt,’ ‘Hacks’ lead Emmy nominations

    ‘The Pitt,’ ‘Hacks’ lead Emmy nominations

    The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, the most prestigious honor in the television industry, unveiled its full list of nominations on Wednesday, with gritty Pittsburgh-set medical drama *The Pitt* and hit intergenerational comedy *Hacks* claiming the top two spots in total nods, capping a standout year for streaming platform HBO Max, home to both fan-favorite series.

    *The Pitt*, the real-time medical thriller that blends the urgent hospital stakes of classic series *ER* with the ticking-clock tension of *24*, secured an impressive 25 total nominations, including a nod for Outstanding Drama Series. A follow-up to last year’s drama winner, the series follows overstretched emergency department staff through high-stakes 60-minute shifts, weaving searing commentary on divisive contemporary issues ranging from abortion access and immigration enforcement to gun violence and mass public shootings. After a low-key premiere, the show grew into a viral word-of-mouth sensation, earning widespread critical acclaim for its unflinching look at American healthcare. Lead star Noah Wyle, who first rose to global fame as a core cast member of the original *ER*, already claimed an Emmy for his role on the series and is once again in the running for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series this year.

    Not far behind, the fifth and final season of *Hacks* locked in 24 nominations, including a spot in the Outstanding Comedy Series category. The beloved comedy follows legendary Las Vegas stand-up Deborah Vance, played by Jean Smart, as she rebuilds her career alongside her sharp, dysfunctional young millennial writer Ava Daniels, portrayed by Hannah Einbinder. Smart, a four-time Emmy winner for her portrayal of Vance, earned another lead acting nomination, while Einbinder – who took home her first Emmy for the role last year – also secured a repeat nod. The one-two nomination finish for *The Pitt* and *Hacks* marks a major victory for HBO Max, which has reemerged as a dominant force in prestige television this awards cycle.

    The next most-nominated drama series is *Pluribus*, the highly anticipated post-apocalyptic thriller from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, which picked up 18 nominations for Apple TV+. Set in a world where an alien virus has transformed nearly all of humanity into a docile collective hive mind, the series follows the 13 remaining immune outliers fighting to hold onto their individual identities. Lead actress Rhea Seehorn, who already claimed a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award for her role on the series earlier this year, is widely considered the early favorite to take home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Rounding out the Outstanding Drama Series lineup are political thriller *The Diplomat* starring Keri Russell, acclaimed British spy series *Slow Horses*, and the *Game of Thrones* prequel *A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms*.

    In the comedy category, *Hacks* faces stiff competition from breakout horror-comedy newcomer *Widow’s Bay*, which earned 19 nominations – the third-highest total across all categories this year – for Apple TV+. Starring Matthew Rhys as an eccentric small-town New England mayor working to boost tourism on a remote island locals believe is haunted, the freshman series has already made a major splash with audiences and critics. Other top contenders include Apple TV+’s therapist drama *Shrinking*, starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, and the third and final season of Chicago restaurant-set dark satire *The Bear*, which has claimed 21 Emmys over its run including two lead acting awards for Jeremy Allen White – though White notably missed out on a nomination this year.

    In the limited and anthology series race, Netflix’s *Beef* topped the field with 16 nominations. For its second installment, the acclaimed anthology casts Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan as one half of a pair of couples locked in an explosive, toxic dynamic that unravels over the course of the season. Controversial limited series *Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette*, which revisited the couple’s public romance and tragic early deaths, generated massive audience attention and tabloid drama but only secured six total nominations.

    The Emmy Awards gala is scheduled to take place on September 14 in Los Angeles, with long-time *Law and Order: SVU* star Mariska Hargitay set to host the ceremony, marking her first time leading the industry’s biggest night for television.

  • WHO warns movement of infected people driving Ebola outbreak in DRC

    WHO warns movement of infected people driving Ebola outbreak in DRC

    The world is facing a growing public health emergency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where an Ebola outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain continues to expand unchecked, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed in a Tuesday media briefing. Despite ramped-up intervention efforts by global and local health authorities, cross-population movement remains the primary catalyst for sustained virus transmission, keeping the epidemic far from stabilization.

  • Arizona toddler found alive in hospital morgue after declared dead from drowning

    Arizona toddler found alive in hospital morgue after declared dead from drowning

    A shocking case of medical error has emerged from the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert, Arizona, where an 18-month-old toddler was incorrectly pronounced dead following a near-drowning incident, only to be discovered alive hours later in a medical examiner’s cold storage facility, newly unsealed police records confirm.

    The incident unfolded on February 8, as the toddler’s extended family had gathered at the home to watch the annual NFL Super Bowl. At roughly 5:30 p.m. local time, panicked family members discovered the young child floating face-down in the property’s unmonitored swimming pool and immediately placed an emergency call to law enforcement. First responders arrived on scene within minutes, initiated advanced resuscitation efforts, and rushed the unconscious toddler to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center for urgent care. Roughly an hour after the child arrived at the hospital, attending physician Dr. Aryan Toosi declared the 18-month-old dead at 6:20 p.m.

    Body camera footage captured by responding Gilbert police officers, later obtained by local NBC affiliate 12 News, records the declaration of death: after officers noted that they still observed faint signs of life, Dr. Toosi dismissed their concerns, telling officers “please do your thing and let me do my thing. I went to medical school for a reason.” He then formally marked the time of death as 18:20 and called for a moment of silence before the child’s body was transferred to the hospital’s morgue to await pickup by the county medical examiner’s office.

    Five hours after the death was declared, a transporter from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office arrived at the hospital to collect the remains. When the transporter opened the cold storage unit holding the toddler, he made the startling discovery that the child was still breathing. The toddler was immediately airlifted to a specialized pediatric care facility for emergency treatment, and in a stunning turn of events, made a full recovery and was later released to family members.

    Full medical details of the toddler’s condition and the misdiagnosis have not been released to the public, as medical records were not included in the unsealed police report, leaving many questions unanswered about the sequence of events that led to the incorrect death declaration. Scott Holden, attorney for Dr. Toosi, told the Associated Press that the public narrative released so far omits critical contextual and medical details, noting “there is much more to this case, both factually and medically, than has been reported thus far.” The BBC has reached out to Holden for additional comment on the case, but has not yet received a response.

    Alongside the internal hospital review, law enforcement has opened a separate investigation into the circumstances that allowed the toddler to access the pool unsupervised. Investigators reported detecting a strong odor of marijuana inside the home at the time of the incident, and Gilbert Police have formally recommended filing negligence charges against the toddler’s parents. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has not yet announced whether it will move forward with formal charges, and is still reviewing the case file.

    Mercy Gilbert Medical Center released a public statement following the revelation of the incident, confirming that the facility has launched a full organizational review of the toddler’s care. “We conducted a thorough review of all aspects of the care provided to learn what happened and to make meaningful changes to strengthen our care,” the statement read, adding that “this is a heartbreaking situation” and declining to share further details due to patient privacy regulations.

  • With Le Pen sentencing, France’s presidential election veers into the extraordinary

    With Le Pen sentencing, France’s presidential election veers into the extraordinary

    PARIS – France’s 2025 presidential election, already one of the most consequential political contests in the European Union this cycle, has taken an unprecedented turn after far-right leader Marine Le Pen confirmed she will stand for the nation’s highest office for the fourth consecutive time – a bid that became possible only after a Paris appeals court revised a prior conviction that threatened to end her political ambitions.

  • World Cup quarterfinals: It’s Messi, Morocco, and 6 teams from Europe. And that’s not unusual

    World Cup quarterfinals: It’s Messi, Morocco, and 6 teams from Europe. And that’s not unusual

    MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached its final eight teams, and the competition’s historic power dynamic remains largely intact. Six of the eight remaining quarterfinalists call Europe home, with just one spot filled by a South American side and one by an African representative. Unless Morocco can pull off two consecutive upset wins to claim the trophy, the world championship will once again go to a nation from either Europe or South America — a trend that has held for nearly 100 years of World Cup history.

    Since the first tournament kicked off in 1930, 22 editions of the World Cup have concluded. All 22 championships have been split exclusively between European and South American teams: 12 titles have gone to European sides, while 10 have been claimed by South American squads. No nation from any other confederation has ever reached the top of the podium. This year’s quarterfinal lineup, with only two non-European/South American teams in the field, does little to upend that long-standing status quo.

    Even for Europe, this tournament has delivered stronger-than-expected results, according to some of the continent’s top stars. Erling Haaland, the talismanic Norwegian striker, notched a brace to lead his nation past Brazil and secure Norway’s first-ever World Cup quarterfinal berth — a result he called surprising. “I thought it was not possible to do some things,” Haaland said. “I guess I’m wrong.” Haaland’s unexpected success stands in sharp contrast to the disappointment suffered by this year’s joint tournament hosts, the United States, Mexico, and Canada, all from the North American, Central American and Caribbean Football Confederation (CONCACAF).

    Expanded to 48 teams for the first time, this World Cup gave North America three chances to break the European-South American stranglehold on the late stages of the tournament. All three hosts navigated the group stage and the newly introduced round of 32 with impressive form, posting a combined 9 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss across those early matches while outscoring their opponents by a 20-goal margin. Early optimism quickly evaporated when the round of 16 kicked off, however.

    England eliminated Mexico 3-2, Belgium rolled to a lopsided 4-1 win over the U.S., and Morocco cruised to a 3-0 shutout of Canada. All three hosts exited the tournament in that round, finishing with a combined 0-3 record and being outscored by seven goals across their three knockout matches. The result extended a long drought for CONCACAF: no North American side has reached the World Cup quarterfinals since Costa Rica’s 2014 run, and the region’s most recent deep run before that was the U.S.’s historic third-place finish in 1930, followed by a quarterfinal appearance in 2002. Canada has never advanced past the round of 16, while Mexico has reached that stage eight times in its last nine World Cup appearances — and never moved further.

    “We need to get over that next hurdle,” U.S. star Christian Pulisic said in a post-elimination televised interview. “Trying to compete and beat the world’s best, that’s our next step … There’s still another step that we have to take.” Mexico midfielder Erik Lira echoed that sentiment, saying “Everyone gave everything. But, in the end, it wasn’t enough.”

    That refrain has become a familiar one for every region outside of Europe and South America. Only once in the last two decades has the quarterfinal field featured broad representation from across the globe: the 2002 tournament saw five different confederations — Europe, South America, Asia, Africa, and North America — all claim spots in the final eight. That tournament remains a rare outlier: across the six World Cups held since 2002, Europe has claimed 30 of 48 total quarterfinal spots, South America has taken 14, Africa has earned three, and North America has secured just one.

    This year, Africa entered the knockout stage poised for a potential breakthrough, sending 10 teams to the expanded tournament with nine advancing to the round of 32. Morocco is the only African side that remains, after most other African nations were eliminated by late, devastating goals. Ivory Coast, South Africa, and Congo all conceded match-deciding goals in the 86th minute or later to bow out of the competition. Cape Verde’s surprising run ended with an own goal against defending champion Argentina in extra time. Senegal and Egypt suffered particularly heartbreaking exits: both held 2-0 leads late in the second half, only to collapse to 3-2 defeats at the hands of Belgium and Argentina, respectively.

    Egypt’s coaching staff has alleged that biased officiating cost their team the win. “Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said. “Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the competition.” For Argentina and Messi, the comeback win simply延续了 the consistent success that elite powerhouses have enjoyed at the World Cup. Messi’s side has reached the quarterfinals in five of the last six tournaments, a reminder that some hierarchies remain hard to shift.

    “It wasn’t easy to come back from a 2-0 deficit in a World Cup knockout match — especially given how games are going these days, where no one gives you anything for free,” Messi said after the match. “But thank God, we did it once again.” As the tournament enters its final two weeks, all eyes will be on Morocco to see if it can finally rewrite the World Cup’s long-standing narrative.

  • Israel kills Gaza elder tasked with broadcasting Egypt-Argentina game

    Israel kills Gaza elder tasked with broadcasting Egypt-Argentina game

    A deadly Israeli airstrike in central Gaza City has killed a senior Egyptian aid official and two other civilians, including a child, drawing sharp diplomatic pushback from Cairo amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations hosted by the Egyptian capital. The Tuesday attack targeted a civilian vehicle traveling through the al-Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City, claiming the life of Mohamed Fawaz al-Wahidi, who held dual leadership roles as public relations director for the Egyptian Relief Committee (ERC) and head of the committee’s Office of Mukhtars and Community Elders at its Gaza City headquarters, according to multiple regional news outlets including the Palestinian Information Center and Arabi Post. Two additional passengers in the vehicle — one a minor — also died in the strike, and several bystanders sustained injuries. Wounds
    The timing of the attack carried unusual resonance: it unfolded mere hours before the ERC was set to host a free public screening of the World Cup match between Egypt and Argentina, a popular community event the aid organization had organized across multiple Gaza locations. Prior to the strike, Wahidi had just wrapped up work at a local neighborhood reconciliation meeting, a role he was widely recognized for across the Gaza Strip. ERC spokespeople described Wahidi as a deeply respected community figure who dedicated his career to mediating local disputes and supporting Palestinian families in need. The al-Sabra strike pushed the total death toll from Israeli strikes across all of Gaza on that Tuesday to at least seven people, with an additional 20 people injured, according to casualty tallies from local medical sources. Additional drone strikes were confirmed Tuesday in the southern city of Khan Younis and across northern Gaza, local sources told Israeli outlet Haaretz and medical teams at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza. Founded under the direction of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the ERC is a key humanitarian actor in blockaded Gaza, coordinating a broad range of critical aid operations that include food distribution, rubble clearance after airstrikes, and management of displacement camps for Palestinians displaced by repeated rounds of conflict. The attack comes at a sensitive diplomatic moment: Cairo is currently hosting high-level talks aimed at securing a second phase of a regional ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Following the strike, Egyptian authorities delivered a strongly worded formal protest to Israel, demanding a full explanation for the killing of the Egyptian-affiliated aid worker, Haaretz reported. This strike is far from an isolated incident: Israel has sustained a regular campaign of airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza even after a US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect last October. In the eight months following the ceasefire’s implementation, at least 1,072 Palestinians have been killed and more than 3,460 injured in Israeli actions across the Gaza Strip, according to aggregated casualty data. This report draws on verified on-the-ground sourcing from multiple independent regional and international news outlets covering the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

  • Are Argentina being treated favourably at World Cup?

    Are Argentina being treated favourably at World Cup?

    Defending World Cup champions Argentina have booked their spot in the tournament’s quarter-finals, but their passage has been anything but smooth, and has sparked fierce debate over potential officiating favouritism. La Albiceleste entered the first two knockout rounds as heavy favourites to cruise past Cape Verde and Egypt, but on both occasions they scraped by with identical narrow 3-2 wins. Following their latest last-16 exit at the hands of Argentina, Egypt has launched an official complaint to FIFA, demanding the match officials be removed from the remainder of the tournament, and levelling claims of systemic bias designed to protect the defending champions and their global superstar, Lionel Messi.

    The dramatic nature of Egypt’s defeat has only amplified their frustration. On Tuesday, the African side held a shock 2-0 lead over Argentina with just 11 minutes left on the clock, on the cusp of pulling off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history and securing the first quarter-final spot in their nation’s history. But Argentina launched a stunning late comeback, overturned the deficit, and scored the match-winning goal in stoppage time. Egypt has pinned its elimination on serious refereeing errors and inconsistent decision-making from French referee Francois Letexier and his team.

    Key contentious calls include a disallowed Egyptian goal chalked off after VAR intervention. Mostafa Zico’s well-taken strike was ruled out following a foul call on Marwan Attia for stepping on the foot of Argentina’s Lisandro Martinez in the build-up. Egypt also argues Argentina’s stoppage-time winner should have been ruled out, and that two clear penalty appeals for their side were ignored. Hamdi Fathy went down under a challenge from Alexis Mac Allister, while star forward Mohamed Salah claimed he was tripped by Julian Alvarez. While the decisions were controversial, BBC Sport’s analysis finds no concrete evidence to back the theory of a deliberate plot to favour Argentina.

    This dispute is not the only question mark over officiating and preferential treatment for the defending champions at this tournament. Ahead of Thursday’s high-profile quarter-final clash between France and Morocco, FIFA’s appointment of an all-Argentine on-field officiating team – the first of the tournament – has raised eyebrows. While top Argentine referee Facundo Tello is a highly experienced official who officiated at the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals and would be expected to uphold full professional integrity, critics argue the appointment creates a problematic perception of bias, given Argentina’s clear interest in seeing tournament favourite France eliminated earlier.

    Further questions have been raised over inconsistent disciplinary treatment of Messi earlier in the tournament. In the group stage, Messi escaped without even a yellow card for a challenge on Algeria captain Aissa Mandi that had clear contact with the opponent’s upper calf. Just days later, United States forward Folarin Balogun was sent off via VAR review for a near-identical challenge against Bosnia. The US has already formally appealed to have Balogun’s suspension overturned, with many pointing to the Messi incident as proof of double standards. Had Messi been sent off in that group stage match, he would have missed subsequent games, wiping out five of the eight goals he has scored at this tournament – which have already made him the World Cup’s all-time leading top scorer with 21 career tournament goals.

    Critics also point to off-field decisions that suggest FIFA has a vested interest in keeping Messi and Argentina in the tournament long-term. They note that FIFA president Gianni Infantino has previously made exceptions to allow Messi to compete in high-profile events, including the 2025 inaugural expanded Club World Cup hosted in the US. Despite MLS play-off winners LA Galaxy earning their spot through competitive merit, host nation berth was given to Inter Miami – Messi’s current club – allowing him to play the opening match of the tournament on home soil at the club’s Hard Rock Stadium.

    Structural tweaks to the 2026 World Cup format have also added fuel to the conspiracy claims. Last December, FIFA adjusted the final draw to ensure the world’s top four ranked teams – France, Argentina, Spain and England – were placed in separate quarter-brackets. This guaranteed that, if they won their groups (which all four did), they would not face each other before the semi-finals. While the official rationale is to keep elite matchups for the later stages of the tournament, the structure has given the top sides far easier routes through the knockout rounds – and none have benefited more than Argentina. So far, Argentina have faced only Cape Verde (ranked 67th globally) and Egypt (29th) to reach the quarter-finals, where they will next face 19th-ranked Switzerland. By comparison, Spain has already beaten 5th-ranked Portugal and will face 9th-ranked Belgium, while France takes on 7th-ranked Morocco in their quarter-final tie. Argentina’s path is by far the softest of the remaining elite sides.

    Disciplinary data also hints at potential favourable treatment for Argentina. Seventeen players across the remaining quarter-finalists are one yellow card away from suspension for a potential semi-final, but only one Argentine starter – Gonzalo Montiel – is at risk of missing the next round. When comparing the ratio of yellow cards issued to total fouls committed, Argentina receives a caution just once every 19.7 fouls. For context, England, who have committed fewer total fouls than Argentina, receive a yellow card once every 7.7 fouls, meaning Argentina have half as many cautions despite more fouls. Only three other remaining sides have a better (higher) yellow-to-foul ratio than Argentina, suggesting the defending champions have been let off far more lightly for foul play than other nations. This pattern echoes Argentina’s 2022 World Cup win, where they received five penalties – more than any other team in a single World Cup in history. At this tournament, they already lead all sides with three penalty awards, though Messi has missed two of them.

  • Bowen: For all his bluster, Trump has no better option than talks with Iran

    Bowen: For all his bluster, Trump has no better option than talks with Iran

    At the NATO summit held in Turkey, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered an unusually harsh verbal attack against Iran, issuing a stark new threat of expanded military action that has sent fresh shockwaves through already tense Middle Eastern geopolitics. In unvarnished remarks, Trump dismissed Iran’s leadership as “scum” and “sick, vicious people,” claiming the regime would immediately use a nuclear weapon if it acquired one, and declaring that diplomatic efforts to resolve the standoff were effectively finished. “It’s over,” he told reporters, before doubling down on the threat of new attacks hours later: “We will probably hit them harder again tonight. I gave them a little warning. We’re going to hit them hard again tonight.”

    Trump’s shifting rhetoric on the conflict has been well-documented: he has alternated between declaring victory over Iran, threatening the complete destruction of Iranian civilization, and signaling openness to negotiated settlement. Even in his latest bellicose remarks, however, the president left the door open for ongoing talks. When asked whether the recent escalation of strikes between U.S. forces and Iran had ended negotiations, Trump noted that his chief negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner could continue discussions if they chose, adding “I don’t care, they can talk. But I think they’re wasting their time,” and labeling Iranian leaders “a bunch of lying guys.”

    This mixed messaging underscores a core reality: despite months of joint military operations by the U.S. and Israel, the two countries have failed to topple the Islamic regime in Tehran, leaving diplomacy as the only viable path forward for Washington. The current crisis comes amid a period of national mourning in Iran, which this week held funeral rites for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a U.S.-Israeli airstrike on the first day of the war on February 28. Negotiations had already been paused to accommodate the funeral period, and the new round of threats has dealt a significant blow to already fragile diplomatic efforts.

    Mediators working to broker a negotiated settlement described the recent escalation as “a setback for sure,” noting the atmosphere between the two sides is “very tense.” The deep lack of trust between Washington and Tehran means even minor escalations can derail progress, as neither side believes the other will uphold the terms of any final agreement. No one disputes that the U.S. retains overwhelming military capacity to inflict massive damage on Iranian targets, but successive strikes have failed to break the Iranian regime’s resolve to defend its core strategic demands, chief among them full Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz.

    The strait remains the central sticking point in all negotiations. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s global oil and gas supplies pass through its waters, giving Iran unparalleled leverage over the global economy – a far more practical strategic asset than an unbuilt nuclear program. Tehran has made clear it will not surrender authority over the strait, even if that means walking away from a proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) that includes significant economic incentives for Iran, such as the unfreezing of billions in overseas assets and the lifting of restrictions on Iranian oil exports. The regime has been emboldened by the failure of U.S. and Israeli forces to eliminate it, and Khamenei’s well-attended funeral demonstrated that the Islamic government retains a strong base of domestic support. While domestic opposition to the regime still exists, a brutal crackdown on mass protests in January that killed thousands of demonstrators has forced opposition groups into hiding, eliminating any immediate domestic challenge to Tehran’s leadership.

    The framework for a potential final agreement has already been outlined by mediators. In exchange for international recognition of Iran’s authority over the Strait of Hormuz, the unfreezing of overseas assets, and the normalization of Iranian oil exports, Tehran would agree to new limits on uranium enrichment, allow the return of United Nations nuclear inspectors, and account for existing stockpiles of highly enriched uranium – which Trump has labeled “nuclear dust.” Even as the broad outlines of a deal remain on the table, however, the past 24 hours of escalation have underscored how difficult it will be to bridge the gap between the two sides and reach a lasting, stable resolution to the conflict.

  • Teenager arrested after two girls, 13, seriously injured in German school attack

    Teenager arrested after two girls, 13, seriously injured in German school attack

    A violent attack at a German secondary school has left two young teenagers seriously injured and sparked a large-scale emergency response in the small town of Schongau, Upper Bavaria. Law enforcement authorities have confirmed that a 16-year-old suspect has been taken into custody following the Wednesday incident at Welfen-Gymnasium, a local public secondary school with deep community roots stretching back to its founding in 1887.

    According to official statements from German police, responding officers found the suspect in possession of both a knife and a firearm when they arrived at the scene. Investigators currently believe the suspect acted alone in carrying out the attack, though many details about the incident remain under active investigation as of Wednesday afternoon.

    The two victims, both 13-year-old female students at the school, suffered severe wounds in the attack. Police confirmed that while their injuries are serious, they are not currently considered life-threatening. However, authorities have noted that they are still working to confirm whether additional people were hurt, and are still assessing the full scope of harm from the incident.

    Early in the response, a police spokesperson told AFP that the type of weapon used had not yet been confirmed, and declined to confirm initial reports of a stabbing. Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann later told local public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk that he believed the two girls had been stabbed, though this detail has not yet been formally confirmed by law enforcement.

    Multiple key details about the suspect remain unconfirmed, including their full identity and their connection to the school. Herrmann told reporters that the suspect had received prior psychiatric treatment, and there are unconfirmed reports that the individual is a former student of Welfen-Gymnasium. Police have publicly classified the incident as a “rampage” as their investigation continues.

    Local authorities have moved quickly to support affected families and community members in the wake of the violence. A dedicated support and contact point for parents, relatives of students, and witnesses has been set up at the town’s local fire station to provide information and mental health resources.

    Founded more than 135 years ago, Welfen-Gymnasium began as an almost entirely all-girls school before shifting to a co-educational model roughly 40 years ago, according to information posted on the school’s official website. The incident has shocked the quiet small town community, with a large police operation still ongoing in the area surrounding the school as investigators collect evidence and piece together the full sequence of events.

  • IMF cuts 2026 world growth forecast, flags risks from new Mideast fighting

    IMF cuts 2026 world growth forecast, flags risks from new Mideast fighting

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has once again downgraded its 2026 global economic growth projection, citing heightened geopolitical uncertainty and rising risks spurred by the resumption of hostilities in the Middle East. In its latest World Economic Outlook update released Wednesday, the fund cut the 2026 global growth forecast to 3.0 percent, down 0.1 percentage points from its April prediction. This marks the second downward adjustment to global growth expectations this year, and represents a gradual cooling of economic expansion from 2025 levels.

    Crucially, the revised projections were finalized before recent cross-border military exchanges between the United States and Iran reignited open conflict in the region. Petya Koeva Brooks, deputy director of the IMF’s research department, emphasized that the rapid escalation of tensions overnight underscores the profound uncertainty hanging over the global economic outlook. “We’re going to be monitoring developments very closely,” she told reporters, speaking shortly after former U.S. President Donald Trump announced an end to the temporary U.S.-Iran ceasefire and warned of imminent heavy strikes on Iranian targets.

    Inflation projections have also been revised upward, with the IMF now forecasting global inflation will hit 4.7 percent in 2026, higher than earlier estimates. While Koeva Brooks projected that any disruptions from the conflict would normalize gradually over a nine-month period, she warned that sustained shocks pushing up oil prices and unanchoring inflation expectations could cause further damage to global economic activity.

    Despite the downgrade, the downward revision remains modest, as booming growth in the artificial intelligence sector has partially offset the economic drag from the Middle East war. The IMF projects global growth will rebound to 3.4 percent in 2027, a recovery Deniz Igan, division chief at the IMF’s research department, describes as a “V-shaped recovery”. Delayed post-conflict normalization, prolonged supply chain disruptions and elevated energy costs are the core factors dragging down 2026 global growth, Igan told Agence France-Presse.

    The economic fallout from the conflict varies dramatically across different national economies, the fund notes. Energy-exporting countries outside the active conflict zone benefit from improved terms of trade driven by higher oil prices, while economies integrated into the AI-led technology expansion have recorded stronger activity even if they rely on energy imports. By contrast, energy-importing economies with limited participation in global technology value chains have seen a pronounced slowdown in economic activity.

    The current conflict traces back to February 28, when U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran prompted Tehran to retaliate by effectively blocking traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. The closure sent global oil prices soaring, putting immediate pressure on major economies around the world. A temporary U.S-Iran truce later reopened the waterway and resumed oil and gas flows, but hostilities have now reignited.

    While the global economy has weathered the conflict’s initial shocks better than many analysts initially feared, the IMF warns the aggregate global outlook masks stark divergence across regions and countries. For example, retail gasoline prices rose 30 percent in emerging Asia after the conflict began, compared to just a 15 percent increase in Latin America. The U.S. economy is still projected to grow 2.3 percent in 2026, but growth for the Middle East and Central Asia region has been cut by 1.2 percentage points to just 0.7 percent. The euro area also saw a downward revision, with 2026 growth now pegged at 0.9 percent; France’s growth forecast was cut 0.3 percentage points to 0.6 percent.

    China, the world’s second-largest economy, saw a small upward adjustment to its 2026 growth projection, which now stands at 4.6 percent. Even so, the IMF warns the full economic impact of the renewed conflict has not yet filtered through to global data. The release of strategic petroleum reserves has temporarily eased energy market pressures, but weakening growth remains a distinct possibility going forward. The conflict could also accelerate global trade fragmentation, pushing up prices for key goods across the board.

    There are some bright spots amid the gloom, however. Major economies central to global technology supply chains have posted stronger-than-expected performance, even amid their exposure to conflict-related disruptions. The world’s four largest net exporters of AI-related hardware — Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia — have all recorded resilient growth this year. Igan added that the upward revision to 2026 inflation forecasts only represents a temporary pause in the global disinflation trend, rather than a permanent reversal.