Global Pulse

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  • ‘Beautiful, vibrant’ Disney star Carla Jeffery dies at 33

    ‘Beautiful, vibrant’ Disney star Carla Jeffery dies at 33

    Carla Jeffery, the United States actress best known for her breakout role across Disney Channel’s beloved *Zombies* film franchise, has passed away at 33. No details surrounding the cause of her death have been released to the public as of this reporting.

    Jeffery first earned widespread recognition for her portrayal of Bree, a warm-hearted high school cheerleader, in Disney’s 2018 original movie *Zombies*, and went on to reprise the fan-favorite role in the franchise’s 2020 and 2022 sequels. Before her rise to fame with Disney, she held a recurring role on the hit comedy series *Curb Your Enthusiasm*, where she appeared as a member of the Black family that moved in with protagonist Larry David in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

    The news of Jeffery’s passing was first confirmed by her agent, Carla Alexander, who remembered the young star as a deeply gifted and joy-filled presence. “She was a beautiful, vibrant and incredibly talented woman whose radiant smile could light up any room,” Alexander said in a statement.

    Her talent management firm, Alexanders Talent, shared an official public tribute on Instagram that expressed the team’s profound grief. “Our hearts are broken as we mourn the loss of our beloved Carla Jeffery,” the post read. “For more than 20 years, Carla was part of the Alexanders Talent Management family, and watching her grow from a talented young girl into the beautiful, vibrant woman and actress she became was an incredible privilege.”

    The statement added: “We will remember her infectious smile, her laughter, her talent, and the beautiful light she carried everywhere she went. Our deepest love and condolences are with Carla’s family and loved ones. We ask that their privacy be respected during this incredibly difficult time. Rest beautifully, Carla. You will be deeply missed and forever loved.”

    Jeffery’s twin brother, Carlon Jeffery – himself also a working actor – shared the management team’s statement to his own social media, alongside additional personal tributes: a candid clip of the actress enjoying time on a beach, and a screenshot of an undated text message he had sent her. “Hey Sis, call me back when you get this. I was just calling to see how your day went! I love you to the moon & back sis,” the text opened.

    It continued: “I just want you to know how proud I am of you. Your resilience, your grace, your infectious smile that lights up a room. You are truly a light that shines bright. Don’t let anyone dim that light, even yourself. The light you carry is special and must be protected at all times. You are the best sister a brother could ask for. Pray we continue to grow closer to one another along this journey. I got your back in this life and the next.”

    Jeffery’s *Zombies* co-stars also opened up about their grief and shared heartfelt remembrances of the actress. Chandler Kinney, who portrayed Willa in the franchise, wrote that the news of Jeffery’s death “doesn’t feel real.” “Carla. The sweetest, most sparkly gal. You made every day better and brighter with your infectious positivity,” Kinney said. “I think part of why you brought such effervescence to Bree (aside from your immense talent) is because that’s really who you were in your heart; a bubbly, vivacious heart-of-gold cheerleader who loved nothing more than to uplift those around her.”

    Milo Manheim, who led the franchise as zombie football player Zed, shared a carousel of personal photos of the pair alongside a short, tender caption: “Love you Carlaboo, the sweetest, kindest, most loving person.”

  • Algerians battle deadly wildfires as Tebboune seeks death penalty for arson

    Algerians battle deadly wildfires as Tebboune seeks death penalty for arson

    A devastating and historically unmatched outbreak of wildfires has swept across northern Algeria, leaving widespread death, ecological destruction, and political upheaval in its wake. The inferno has carved a continuous line of flames from central Algeria all the way to the country’s far eastern border, forcing emergency responders to mount a desperate, resource-stretched battle to contain the blaze.

    This week, Civil Protection teams backed by army units continued to fight reignited flare-ups in the eastern provinces of Sétif and Guelma, where thousands of hectares of old-growth forest have already turned to ash. The worst-hit region is Jijel, a popular coastal province located 120 miles east of the capital Algiers, once celebrated for its pristine sandy shorelines, clear turquoise waters, and rolling hills covered in olive groves, fruit orchards, and ancient cedar forests. Today, the entire 1,200-square-kilometer expanse of Jijel’s forests is reduced to smoldering cinders and blackened stumps.

    Discrepancies over the official death toll have emerged as a major point of tension following the disaster. The Algerian Interior Ministry initially reported a national death toll of 12, all from Jijel, when the crisis escalated in late August. But on-the-ground accounts and social media footage suggest the actual number of fatalities is far higher. Videos posted online show dozens of coffins lined up alongside open mass graves, awaiting burial as high temperatures accelerate decomposition of remains.

    “After 40 years in Civil Protection fighting wildfires, I have never seen a catastrophe on this scale — human, environmental, and material. There are hundreds of dead,” Lieutenant Djabri Said told the Associated Press in an on-site interview. One high-profile case underscores the scale of the tragedy: Abdelwahab Boukrouh, a journalist with the Algerian presidency’s communications department, announced via Facebook that 12 members of his own family were killed when the fire swept through their mountain village of Ouled Riyah on the night of August 22–23, with three more relatives still unaccounted for. The victims included women, children, and elderly residents trapped in their small rural homes before they could escape. Thousands of livestock — cattle, sheep, goats, mules and donkeys — also perished in the flames, their charred remains scattered along the steep mountain paths leading to destroyed villages, where little remains of residential structures except smoking piles of rubble.

    All private and public media in Algeria operate under state oversight, and most have stuck to the official 12-death toll in their coverage, while focusing heavily on ministerial visits and state-led relief efforts. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune cut short his summer vacation to oversee the response, visiting burn victims in specialized Algiers hospitals, declaring a three-day national period of mourning, and calling an emergency Cabinet meeting. The meeting designated the Jijel region a disaster zone and unlocked emergency funding for response and recovery operations.

    A spontaneous grassroots movement of national solidarity has emerged across the country, with convoys of private and volunteer trucks carrying emergency food, medication, bottled water, and clothing streaming into fire-ravaged mountain villages. Tebboune has also announced state-funded compensation for all affected families and pledged that the government will cover the full cost of rebuilding destroyed homes. Priority has been given to repairing damaged schools to ensure they are ready for the new academic year scheduled to begin September 21.

    The disaster has sparked a heated national political debate over the president’s proposal to reinstate capital punishment for anyone found guilty of arson connected to the wildfires. Tebboune has dismissed unsubstantiated claims of organized intentional sabotage, known locally as conspiracy theories, and instead aligned his explanation with global scientific consensus: he noted that numerous Mediterranean countries, including France, Spain, Portugal and Italy, all faced extreme wildfire outbreaks this summer, driven by rising temperatures and arid conditions linked to climate change. Climate researchers have repeatedly warned that human-caused global warming is increasing both the frequency and intensity of heatwaves and droughts across the Mediterranean basin, creating ideal conditions for destructive wildfires.

    Even so, Tebboune acknowledged that “criminal hands” may have played a role in starting some blazes, and announced that all investigations are ongoing. He went on to announce that anyone convicted of arson in connection with the fires will face the death penalty, confirming that the country will end a moratorium on executions that has been in place since 1993. That year marked Algeria’s last confirmed executions, when three Islamist militants were put to death for a deadly attack at Algiers International Airport.

    Reaction to the announcement has split sharply along political lines. Parties that support Tebboune’s administration, including major Islamist political groups, have backed the proposal. However, opposition parties linked to Algeria’s pro-democracy movement and multiple leading human rights organizations have condemned the move, describing it as a dangerous retreat into authoritarian practice and a deliberate distraction from perceived failures in government wildfire management and prevention.

  • Argentine league to pause games to honour Messi

    Argentine league to pause games to honour Messi

    One of the greatest footballers in history, Lionel Messi, is set to receive a heartfelt tribute from his home nation’s top football league following his formal retirement from international football. All matches held across Argentine domestic competitions this coming weekend will grind to a halt at the 10-minute mark to hold a full minute of applause, honoring the decorated forward’s legendary decades-long career with Argentina’s men’s national team. The 39-year-old icon, who famously wore the number 10 shirt for his country throughout his international tenure, announced his decision to step away from national team duty on Monday.

    Messi’s final outing for the Albiceleste came in July’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final, where Argentina fell to Spain in a match that brought an end to a historic international run that included some of the biggest highs in the nation’s modern football history. A statement released by the Argentine Football Association confirmed the honor, saying, “In tribute and homage to Lionel Messi’s career with the Argentina national team, at the 10th minute of play in all matches the referees will stop the game and a general minute of applause will be held. We look forward to seeing you on the fields – join us in this recognition!”

    Over his 21-year international career, Messi rewrote the Argentina national team record book. He holds the nation’s all-time record for appearances with 207 senior caps, and has scored 125 international goals – the second-highest total in men’s international football history, trailing only long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, who has netted 146 times. Across World Cup tournaments, Messi notched 21 goals, one behind current leader Kylian Mbappé of France for the all-time tournament scoring record.

    This is not the first time Messi has walked away from international football, though this retirement is expected to be permanent. He first announced a departure from the national side in 2016, following a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Chile in the Copa America final – a result that marked Argentina’s fourth major final loss in just nine years, after Messi missed his spot kick in the deciding shootout. He reversed that decision just months later, and went on to lead Argentina to long-awaited glory: a 2021 Copa America title, followed by the nation’s third World Cup championship in Qatar 2022, where he captained the side to a dramatic penalty shootout win over France in one of the most iconic finals in tournament history.

    Messi’s path to stardom took him away from his native Argentina as a teenager, when he moved to Spain at 13 to join FC Barcelona’s famed La Masia youth academy. He never played senior club football in Argentina during his long professional career, and currently plies his trade with Major League Soccer side Inter Miami in the United States, where his contract runs through the end of the 2028 season. He will continue to play club football for Miami, despite his international retirement.

    The decision to retire permanently was cemented by a personal loss for Messi earlier this summer. In August, the footballer revealed he had been evaluating his entire football future following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, who passed away at age 68 after a prolonged battle with illness. When announcing his international retirement, Messi confirmed that his father’s passing left him “even more convinced than before” that stepping away from national team duty was the right choice for this next chapter of his life and career.

  • South Korean police seek indictment of K-pop mogul behind BTS

    South Korean police seek indictment of K-pop mogul behind BTS

    South Korean law enforcement has moved forward with a high-stakes fraud investigation into one of the most powerful figures in the global K-pop industry, calling on prosecutors to indict Bang Si-Hyuk, the billionaire chair of Hybe — the entertainment agency behind global phenomenon BTS. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced Thursday that it has referred the case against Bang to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office, pushing for an indictment on charges of violating South Korea’s Capital Markets Act. Alongside Bang, police also referred four additional individuals — including current Hybe executives and officials from the involved private equity firm — to prosecutors for indictment, according to local South Korean media reports. The investigation centers on allegations dating back to 2019, when Bang is accused of intentionally misleading existing early investors about Hybe’s impending plans for an initial public offering (IPO). Prosecutors claim that Bang falsely stated the company had no immediate plans to go public, which convinced those early stakeholders to sell their shares to an unnamed private equity fund at a discounted price, mere months before Hybe launched its much-anticipated public market listing. Beyond the misleading investor communications, police have alleged that the private equity fund struck an undisclosed side deal with Bang that could have netted him as much as 200 billion South Korean won, equal to roughly $147 million. This agreement reportedly guaranteed Bang a 30% cut of any profits the fund generated from selling its Hybe shares after the IPO. Bang has forcefully denied all wrongdoing through his legal and corporate representatives. In an official statement released Thursday, Bang’s legal team pushed back against the allegations, saying: “We have consistently responded to the allegations with objective evidence and facts. We expect the allegations to be fully and transparently resolved through the legal process.” Hybe, the company Bang founded, has also stood by its chair amid the ongoing investigation. The case has already seen significant procedural twists: police previously submitted two separate requests to arrest Bang in April and May of this year, but both requests were rejected by prosecutors, who cited a lack of sufficient evidence to justify an arrest warrant and noted that investigators had failed to complete additional probes requested by prosecutors. Independent legal observers have noted that this pattern means prosecutors could opt to send the case back to police for further investigation rather than moving forward with an immediate indictment, extending the legal uncertainty surrounding one of South Korea’s most high-profile corporate leaders. The latest development in the legal case comes at a sensitive moment for Hybe and the K-pop giant at its core: the global supergroup BTS returned to active performances earlier this year, launching a sold-out, highly anticipated world tour after spending nearly four years on a staggered hiatus to allow the band’s seven members to complete their mandatory South Korean military service.

  • Embattled Spanish PM Sánchez insists no prior warnings before Ceuta crisis

    Embattled Spanish PM Sánchez insists no prior warnings before Ceuta crisis

    As widespread protests backed by Spain’s main opposition movement swept across the country, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stood before the national parliament Thursday to push back against growing criticism of his administration’s response to an unprecedented mass migrant influx into the North African Spanish exclave of Ceuta.

    In late May, more than 72,000 migrants crossed the border from Morocco into Ceuta, one of the only two European Union land border outposts on the North African mainland. When addressing lawmakers, Sánchez rejected widespread claims that his government had advance knowledge of the surge and intentionally failed to act, calling such accusations “absurd”. He also doubled down on previous claims that there was no concrete proof the Moroccan government orchestrated the mass crossing, emphasizing that Madrid and Rabat had maintained “close coordination” on migration management throughout the incident.

    Sánchez’s stance conflicts with a recent internal Spanish police report that noted the “total permissiveness” shown by Moroccan security forces towards migrants attempting the crossing, though senior Spanish officials have moved quickly to clarify the document does not officially accuse the Moroccan government of direct involvement. To date, more than 90% of the arriving migrants have been repatriated to Morocco, but roughly 5,000 people, including an estimated 1,400 unaccompanied minors, remain stranded on Ceuta’s public streets and beaches, creating a strained humanitarian and administrative situation for the small exclave.

    Multiple independent reports have confirmed that Spanish officials received advance warnings of an expected surge in border crossings after a Spanish court ruling was widely misinterpreted by migrants as a guarantee that they would not be pushed back if they successfully crossed into Ceuta. Though Sánchez has long avoided public criticism of Morocco, he broke his silence to denounce what he called “unacceptable” comments made by two Moroccan ministers regarding both Ceuta and its sister Spanish exclave Melilla.

    The Spanish government’s handling of the crisis has already sparked friction with other European Union member states. Italy, which has long struggled with its own migrant arrivals, moved quickly to implement new border restrictions for travelers coming from Spain in response to the Ceuta incident.

    During his parliamentary address, Sánchez defended the actions of Ceuta’s local police force, praising officers for prioritizing “the defense of human life” over rigid border enforcement when the mass crossing began. He also reiterated that close bilateral cooperation with Moroccan authorities allowed for the repatriation of more than 90% of migrants within just 72 hours of the crisis beginning.

    Acknowledging the severe disruption the influx has caused for Ceuta’s local residents, Sánchez framed the events of late May as a complex incident shaped by multiple overlapping actors and interests. He repeated his earlier claims that hoaxes and false rumors spread across social media platforms were a key trigger for the mass migration, a position that has already drawn significant criticism. Previously, Sánchez drew condemnation from both Russia and Israel after he blamed trafficking gangs and suggested social media accounts linked to both countries, alongside an international far-right movement, had fueled the crisis. He told lawmakers Thursday that while there is no evidence of direct state involvement from any country, he stood by his claims that linked social media accounts tied to Russia and Israel helped spread destabilizing misinformation.

    Sánchez closed his address by describing the situation in Ceuta as both a pressing humanitarian crisis and a major administrative challenge for the Spanish state, as authorities work to find long-term solutions for the thousands of migrants still remaining in the exclave.

  • Another White House renovation? A look at Trump’s new helipad

    Another White House renovation? A look at Trump’s new helipad

    A new infrastructure proposal from the Trump administration has sparked fresh debate over alterations to the White House complex, with plans to construct the first dedicated helipad on the property’s historic South Lawn drawing sharp criticism from heritage preservation groups and political opponents alike.

    For decades, presidential travel by helicopter has relied on temporary landing zones on the South Lawn, where Marine One — the standard call sign for any U.S. Marine Corps aircraft carrying the sitting president — touches down for departures and arrivals. The new proposal would replace these ad-hoc arrangements with a permanent, purpose-built helipad, a first for the White House grounds.

    Critics argue that the construction of a permanent helipad represents an unnecessary alteration to a National Historic Landmark that has retained much of its original landscape design dating back to the early 19th century. Heritage advocates note that the White House and its grounds are protected under the National Historic Preservation Act, and any significant modification requires rigorous review to ensure the property’s historical integrity is not compromised. Opponents also question the timing and cost of the project, pointing out that the estimated multi-million dollar expense comes as the administration faces scrutiny over other discretionary infrastructure spending.

    Supporters of the project counter that a permanent helipad will improve presidential safety and travel efficiency, eliminating the need to set up temporary landing barriers and security perimeters every time the president travels by helicopter. They note that current temporary arrangements require frequent rearrangement of landscaping and security equipment, which over time can cause more wear and tear on the historic grounds than a single, well-planned permanent installation.

    The debate over the helipad comes amid a longer history of modifications to the White House complex, with every modern administration carrying out renovations and infrastructure updates to accommodate evolving presidential needs. What sets this project apart is its location on the iconic historic grounds, a space that has remained largely unchanged in its core layout for more than two centuries, making even a small infrastructure project a matter of national public discussion.

  • Why did this Canadian ‘island’ seemingly vanish and reappear miles away?

    Why did this Canadian ‘island’ seemingly vanish and reappear miles away?

    A bizarre natural phenomenon off Canada’s Pacific coast has captured global attention after a landmass that looked like a small island abruptly vanished from its long-time location, only to reemerge miles away. To untangle this puzzling event, BBC Verify launched an investigation using time-lapse satellite imagery to trace the unusual movement of the feature off the coast of British Columbia.

    What many observers initially mistook for a stationary, permanent island turned out to be a massive floating mass of vegetation, sediment, and peat that broke free from its original mooring in shallow coastal waters. These rare floating landmasses, sometimes called “drifting islands,” form when accumulated organic matter and soil detach from shoreline wetlands or shallow bays due to a combination of erosion, shifting water levels, and storm activity.

    Satellite data analyzed by the verification team confirms that after separating from its original location, the large floating island drifted with coastal currents and wind patterns over several weeks, eventually coming to rest miles from where it was first mapped. The unexpected disappearance and reappearance of the feature sparked widespread curiosity and speculation on social media, with many users questioning whether the event was linked to climate change-driven coastal shifts or unusual geological activity.

    Climate researchers note that more frequent intense storm systems and rising sea levels along British Columbia’s coast are increasing the likelihood of such floating landmasses breaking free, as eroding shorelines weaken the anchors that hold accumulated organic sediment in place. While floating islands are not a new geological phenomenon, the high-profile tracking of this one through open-source satellite data has given scientists and the public a rare opportunity to observe how these mobile landforms move through coastal ecosystems.

  • ‘Humble but ambitious’ – the return of fallen giants Schalke

    ‘Humble but ambitious’ – the return of fallen giants Schalke

    In the industrial city of Gelsenkirchen, Germany, matchdays bring local life to a standstill. Every road, tram and sidewalk leads to the 62,000-seat Veltins-Arena, where crowds clad in the club’s iconic blue and white flood in to cheer on their beloved FC Schalke 04. This unbreakable bond between the club and its community has been tested more than ever over the past six years, a period marked by two promotions, two relegations, near-insolvency and constant upheaval – but it has only grown stronger through every crisis.

    The chaos of recent years traces back to a pattern of reckless financial decision-making. Years of overspending to chase instant success, combined with missed opportunities to qualify for lucrative European competitions and the financial shock of the Covid-19 pandemic, left Schalke drowning in massive debt. When the club dropped to the second-tier Bundesliga 2 for the first time in 21 years, even the worst-case scenario of total insolvency felt like a real possibility. Through it all, one thing remained certain: the fans never wavered.

    That fierce loyalty is more than just casual support – it is woven into the identity of Gelsenkirchen’s working-class community. “It’s a kind of religious feeling that people have towards Schalke,” explained Professor Frank Eckardt, who grew up in the city’s Schalke-Nord neighborhood. “It feels like people think, ‘OK, we don’t have anything else, but we have Schalke. It’s our club.’ If you go to graveyards, for example, you will find that people have Schalke on their graves in one way or the other. So it is really something deep. You can take everything from us, but you will never take Schalke from us. That’s what they really believe.”

    Even after the 2021 relegation, the club bounced back to the Bundesliga at the first attempt in 2022, giving fans hope that their struggles were over. That joy proved short-lived: a dismal campaign sent Schalke back to the second tier just 12 months later, where they would spend the next three seasons stagnating. A 10th-place finish was followed by an even grimmer 14th-place result in 2024, leaving the club just two spots above the drop to the third division.

    German football analyst Mark Lovell argues that Schalke’s repeated struggles were largely self-inflicted, brought on by the weight of unmet expectations and years of living beyond their means. “They were expected to basically walk the league every season despite having huge financial problems,” Lovell noted. “There’s sympathy for Schalke, but they’ve been their own worst enemies by chasing success and extending themselves too far. When you do suffer relegation something has to give, and they haven’t been able to buy their way out. They had to live more to their needs, get rid of their best players, and then sort of start again with a real skeleton type operation.”

    That rebuild began in earnest after the 14th-place finish in 2024, when the club turned to a new, unproven leadership team to turn their fortunes around. Tasked with engineering a promotion push was head coach Miron Muslić, a little-known Austrian manager who had just suffered relegation to England’s third tier with Plymouth Argyle. Few gave him a chance to succeed, but he quickly defied every expectation.

    “He is the face of the Schalke promotion. He is the hero because his way of coaching is so powerful. He gave the people the belief back,” explained Robin Haack, a Schalke correspondent for local outlet WAV. “Nobody knew him before. Some Austrian who was relegated to the third league in England – he must be bad. But he proved all the haters wrong in an incredible way. Fans love him like I’ve never experienced a coach has been loved before.”

    Muslić built his side around a high-pressing, hard-working style of play that perfectly aligns with Gelsenkirchen’s blue-collar identity, turning a group of underrated and discarded players into a cohesive promotion-winning unit. Working quietly behind the scenes alongside Muslić was newly appointed sporting director Frank Baumann, a former Germany international and ex-Werder Bremen sporting director who joined the club in June 2025.

    Andreas Ernst, another WAV reporter covering Schalke, described the task Baumann walked into: “He had the whole club, but it lay on the ground. They said do whatever you want to do. But with no money. We have a bad team. But come here – a very great club. Frank Baumann did everything out of nothing.”

    Lovell echoed that praise, noting that Baumann brought the steady, intelligent leadership Schalke had lacked for years: “At Schalke right now there’s some very intelligent football people behind the scenes. Frank Baumann’s a real top football man, and just a decent person, which Schalke didn’t have.”

    Baumann’s most high-profile and impactful signing was experienced veteran striker Edin Džeko, who joined Schalke in January 2025 after a difficult spell at Italy’s Fiorentina. Now 40 years old, Džeko has already proven his worth, netting eight goals in his first 13 appearances for the club, including two strikes in this season’s DFB Pokal cup win.

    For Muslić, Džeko is far more than just a goalscorer – he is an idol and a role model that has lifted the entire squad. “I grew up in Austria, but I’m from Bosnia. And Edin Dzeko for us is Gary Lineker. He’s our Johan Cruyff. He’s our Franz Beckenbauer. He’s just an idol,” Muslić told the BBC’s Euro Leagues podcast. “He’s 40 years old, and he’s still able to perform. That means he was super professional the last 25 years. That’s why he’s a role model and that’s why he will also have his impact and he will leave also his fingerprints in this upcoming Bundesliga season.”

    Schalke defender Christian Fuchs added that Džeko’s biggest contribution has been building a stable, accountable club culture, a vital foundation for long-term success. “Where it’s a player like this… there’s so much respect towards him from his team-mates. It’s so important to build a club culture, to hold players accountable, to keep them all in check,” Fuchs explained. “Even if it’s a small piece in the bigger puzzle, there is so much value that you need to give to that. Dzeko plays an important part in growing stability in the club.”

    While Džeko is a seasoned star rebuilding his legacy at Schalke, the club has also become a fresh start for players who had fallen on hard times. That is perfectly embodied by former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius, who had repeatedly questioned whether to retire from football after years of struggle. At Schalke, Karius has earned a starting spot and emerged as a symbol of the club’s new resilient mindset.

    “He is the face of this new Schalke, the face of this new resilience, this new mindset,” Muslić said. “After tough years behind him, he found a new home. He found new trust – like so many other players from Schalke who had some rough moments in their careers. They found a safe heaven. And then it was just about, let’s do this together and let’s start from scratch and let’s do it in our way.”

    Schalke’s 2025-26 Bundesliga campaign got off to a tough start with a 3-0 defeat away to Augsburg, but even in defeat, the loyalty of the fanbase shone through: 6,000 visiting supporters stayed behind after the final whistle to cheer on the new squad. This weekend, the club will host reigning champions Bayern Munich for their first home game of the season, where a packed Veltins-Arena will create a typically raucous atmosphere.

    Unlike past seasons, where fans and the club expected an immediate push for European football or even the title, expectations are far more grounded this time around. Most supporters are simply hoping the club can avoid relegation and secure a long-term foothold back in Germany’s top flight. It is a far cry from the glory days of the past, but it is a mindset that fits this new, rebuilt Schalke.

    “We know the glory of the past. But we know also the present and the future,” Muslić said. “We are very humble but ambitious. Right now it’s all about playing another year in the Bundesliga.”

    As Fuchs put it, Schalke 04 belongs in the Bundesliga – and after years of chaos, the whole city is ready to prove they are back to stay.

  • Norway seizes Russian vessel to enforce $4.22B Ukrainian arbitration claim

    Norway seizes Russian vessel to enforce $4.22B Ukrainian arbitration claim

    In a landmark move to enforce an international legal judgment against Russia over its 2014 seizure of Ukrainian energy assets, Norwegian authorities have seized a Russian commercial cruise vessel in the Svalbard Arctic archipelago, acting at the request of Ukraine’s state-owned energy giant Naftogaz. This action marks one of the most high-profile asset seizures to date as part of Naftogaz’s global campaign to collect on a $4.22 billion arbitration award granted against Russia three years ago.

    The legal dispute at the heart of the incident traces back to 2014, when Russia illegally annexed Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and seized control of Naftogaz’s energy infrastructure in the region, including natural gas fields and distribution pipelines. In 2023, a permanent arbitration tribunal based in The Hague ruled in Naftogaz’s favor, ordering Russia to compensate the company more than $4 billion for the illegal expropriation of its assets. When Moscow refused to honor the tribunal’s ruling, Naftogaz launched a global legal push, petitioning national courts across multiple countries to grant seizure orders for Russian commercial assets held within their jurisdictions.

    Wednesday’s seizure of the *Professor Molchanov* — a Russian vessel operated for commercial Arctic expedition cruises to Svalbard — was carried out under the authority of a court order issued by Norway’s Nord-Troms District Court on August 31, Svalbard Governor Lars Fause confirmed in an official statement. Following the action, the vessel has been prohibited from departing its current berth in the Svalbard settlement of Barentsburg, Fause added.

    For Naftogaz, the seizure represents a critical milestone in its years-long fight to hold Russia accountable for its actions. “This is another important step towards restoring justice for Russia’s unlawful seizure of Naftogaz assets in Crimea,” Naftogaz Chief Executive Officer Sergii Fedorenko said in a statement after the seizure. “Russia cannot evade responsibility simply by refusing to comply with an international arbitral award. We will continue to pursue Russian assets around the world.”

    Moscow has responded with fierce condemnation of the action. During an appearance at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the seizure of the civilian cruise vessel, paired with recent warnings from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to foreign airlines operating in Russian airspace, “acts of state terrorism.” Zelenskyy had recently warned international carriers that flying over Russian territory would no longer be safe amid Ukraine’s expanding long-range drone campaign against Russian military and infrastructure targets.

    Putin tied both the vessel seizure and Zelenskyy’s airspace warning together, arguing that the incidents significantly complicate any path toward future peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. He also accused Western allies of Ukraine of being “complicit in international terrorism” for their refusal to condemn the developments.

    The seizure comes at a moment of heightened tension between Russia and Nordic nations, as Norway and neighboring Finland ramp up preparedness for potential Russian aggression amid the ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Just this week, Finland launched Europe’s largest civil defense exercise since World War II, held with explicit attention to growing threats from Moscow, and Russia recently announced it would close all German cultural centers within its borders in a tit-for-tat move after Berlin blamed Russian intelligence for a foiled drone plot at a German airport.

  • Were Christians the target of the Palm Sunday attack in Nigeria?

    Were Christians the target of the Palm Sunday attack in Nigeria?

    On March 29, a violent outbreak of gunfire shook the city of Jos, Nigeria, leaving investigators and local communities grappling with a critical question: were Christians specifically targeted for attack on one of Christianity’s most sacred holy days, Palm Sunday?

    The attack, which unfolded in the bustling central Nigerian city, saw unidentified gunmen launch a sudden assault, opening fire on civilian targets before fleeing the scene. In the immediate aftermath of the violence, conflicting reports have emerged about the motivation behind the shooting, with regional security forces yet to release a full breakdown of the attack’s perpetrators, casualties, or underlying motives.

    Jos, located in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, has long been a flashpoint for intercommunal tensions, which often overlap with religious and ethnic divides. The timing of the attack, falling on Palm Sunday – a day that marks the beginning of Holy Week for Christian communities around the world – has fueled speculation that the attack was deliberately planned to target worshippers gathered for religious observances.

    Local security agencies have launched a manhunt for the assailants, while community leaders have called for calm as investigations continue. Nigerian authorities have not yet confirmed whether the attack was religiously motivated, but the incident has already drawn international attention to the persistent security challenges facing the West African nation, where violent attacks targeting civilian populations remain a recurring crisis.