Global Pulse

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  • Threats to US lawmakers spiked after Meta eased moderation: watchdog

    Threats to US lawmakers spiked after Meta eased moderation: watchdog

    A new report from a leading digital accountability watchdog has uncovered a dramatic surge in violent and abusive content targeting U.S. elected officials on Facebook, directly tied to Meta’s 2025 rollback of key content moderation safeguards. The non-profit Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) published its findings Tuesday, detailing how loosened platform rules have created a far more hostile environment for lawmakers across the political spectrum.

    To reach its conclusions, the CCDH analyzed nearly 8 million public Facebook comments mentioning 100 sitting members of Congress, comparing activity across two six-month periods: before and after Meta enacted its controversial policy changes last year. The data tells a stark story: violent threats against lawmakers — including explicit calls for assassination — quadrupled, overall harassment more than doubled, and rates of racist and gendered abuse against officials also saw significant spikes.

    Notably, the report also documented a sharp rise in content inciting violence against former President and current President-elect Donald Trump following the policy shift, including one comment that explicitly claimed Trump “deserves a bullet through his head.” Threats grew against lawmakers from both major political parties, underscoring the broad reach of harm created by reduced oversight.

    Imran Ahmed, chief executive officer of the CCDH, emphasized the broader systemic risk of Meta’s policy choices. “When platforms stop enforcing their own rules against threats, hate, and harassment, they become complicit in normalizing intimidation and harassment of elected officials,” Ahmed said. “The result is a culture where violence feels easier to justify and radicals feel empowered.”

    Meta pushed back against the findings in an official statement. A spokesperson for the Palo Alto-based tech giant noted that the company regularly publishes public reports tracking the prevalence of violating content on its platforms, and claimed “the prevalence of hateful conduct did not increase throughout 2025.” The spokesperson added that the company had not received the CCDH report ahead of its publication, and therefore could not directly address the watchdog’s specific claims.

    The CCDH’s investigation comes in the wake of two high-profile policy changes Meta rolled out in early 2025. First, the company eliminated its network of professional U.S. fact-checkers, shifting the task of debunking viral misinformation to a user-driven “Community Notes” system modeled after the approach adopted by Elon Musk on platform X. This move was widely interpreted as an effort to appease the incoming Trump administration, whose conservative base has long argued that mainstream platform fact-checking disproportionately censors right-wing speech. Meta also rolled back longstanding speech restrictions related to gender and sexual identity, a change that sparked widespread alarm from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.

    The trend of rising threats against U.S. public officials predates Meta’s policy changes, but the watchdog’s findings suggest the company’s choices have amplified an already dangerous crisis. In 2024, Minnesota state legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed in a politically motivated attack. Just months ago in April, a shooting near the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner — which Trump was attending — forced the former president to be evacuated, marking one of dozens of high-profile security incidents targeting public officials in recent years.

    Utah Republican Senator John Curtis called the report’s findings deeply alarming in a statement provided to the CCDH. “When companies reduce oversight in areas like violence, hate, and harassment, it should not be any surprise to see those harms increase,” Curtis said. “Similarly, the reported surge in abusive and threatening content directed at public officials is deeply concerning, particularly in light of recent events.”

    Global fact-checking organizations have already warned that Meta’s policy shift could have catastrophic consequences if expanded beyond U.S. borders. The International Fact-Checking Network has noted that Meta’s current fact-checking program operates in more than 100 countries, and rolling back that infrastructure globally would leave communities worldwide vulnerable to rampant misinformation around public health, elections, and violence. AFP, one of the largest participants in Meta’s global fact-checking partnership, currently collaborates with the program across 26 languages, serving regions including Asia, Latin America, and the European Union.

  • Protesters torch buildings and vehicles, block roads over Belfast stabbing

    Protesters torch buildings and vehicles, block roads over Belfast stabbing

    A wave of violent anti-immigration unrest swept through Belfast, Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening, just 24 hours after a shocking stabbing attack allegedly carried out by a Sudanese refugee that sent shockwaves across the United Kingdom. Hundreds of demonstrators, many wearing masks to conceal their identities, gathered at multiple strategic locations across the city, leaving a trail of destroyed property in their wake. AFP correspondents on the ground confirmed that a passenger bus and multiple private cars were set ablaze, while a commercial and residential building on the edge of Belfast’s city center sustained significant fire damage, forcing all residents to evacuate urgently for their safety.

    Local residents described scenes of chaos as the unrest unfolded. Eemran, an Indian-origin engineer who has resided in Belfast for just over a year, recalled how the violence escalated rapidly. “By 7:30 pm, they started setting bins on fire… we heard police cars and sirens. More and more people started coming, they began throwing petrol bombs. Suddenly the fire spread, and we had smoke inside our building. Firefighters came in and ordered everyone to evacuate immediately,” he explained. Camila, a 36-year-old Chilean national who only relocated to Belfast one month prior, described the experience as deeply unsettling. “It’s scary. Of course I’m not used to this. I understand people feel rage, but there are far more peaceful ways to air grievances,” she noted.

    Law enforcement responded with a major show of force, deploying police helicopters to patrol over the city while local businesses shut their doors early to avoid potential damage. Michelle O’Neill, First Minister of Northern Ireland, issued a sharp rebuke of the violence and made a public appeal for de-escalation. “Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice,” she wrote on social platform X. “Racism, intimidation and violence are wrong wherever they occur. There can be no excuse and no justification for these attacks tonight. No one wants to see this on our streets, and I again appeal for calm.” Smaller crowds of demonstrators also assembled in Antrim, a town located roughly 25 kilometers west of Belfast.

    The unrest came in direct response to a stabbing attack that took place a day earlier, which was captured in a graphic video that circulated widely across social media. The 30-year-old suspect, whose identity has not been released to the public, was charged late Tuesday with three counts: attempted murder, possession of a bladed weapon in a public space, and making threats to kill. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Wednesday. UK authorities later confirmed that the suspect is a Sudanese refugee who entered the United Kingdom in 2023 via Paris and Dublin, and was granted a residence permit valid through 2028. Northern Ireland Police Chief Jon Boutcher confirmed the suspect had no prior national security flags and was not previously known to local law enforcement.

    The victim, a man in his 40s, was rushed to hospital with severe life-altering injuries, including significant damage to his eyes and deep slash wounds across his face and back. A kitchen knife believed to be the weapon used in the attack was recovered at the scene. Graphic footage of the attack shows the suspect straddling the victim on a public street and slashing repeatedly at his head and neck, a moment far-right groups have falsely framed as an attempted beheading. Multiple bystanders intervened to stop the attack, with one person wielding a traditional Irish hurling stick to tackle the suspect before police arrived.

    Anti-immigration public figures have seized on the attack to stoke tensions, with high-profile names like Nigel Farage, leader of the hard-right Reform UK party, and Rupert Lowe of Restore Britain demanding the release of additional details about the suspect. Elon Musk, the US tech billionaire and owner of X, also amplified calls for continued action, retweeting a post from controversial anti-immigration activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (known professionally as Tommy Robinson) and adding: “Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!!”

    Tensions around immigration have been simmering across the UK for weeks, following violent clashes last week in the southern English city of Southampton linked to the fatal stabbing of a young white student by a British Sikh man. On Tuesday, dozens of protesters gathered outside a hotel that houses asylum seekers in Southampton, carrying banners reading “no racism, just patriotism” and “enough is enough”.

    UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer labeled the original Belfast stabbing “horrific” and “sickening” in a post on X. The leaders of Northern Ireland’s five largest political parties issued a joint statement condemning the attack, stressing that “there is no place in our society for this kind of brutality.” Both political leaders and law enforcement urged the public not to share the graphic attack footage, noting that its violent content would only serve to retraumatize victims and those affected by the incident. Despite this appeal, dozens of far-right and anti-immigration social media accounts have circulated the footage widely, using it to mobilize supporters to protest the UK’s current immigration policies.

    Immigration has emerged as one of the most divisive hot-button issues in UK politics in recent years, a factor that has driven a sharp rise in polling support for the hard-right Reform UK party ahead of upcoming elections.

  • Italian astronaut to pilot Artemis III mission

    Italian astronaut to pilot Artemis III mission

    In a landmark moment for international space cooperation, veteran Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano has been named lead pilot of NASA’s Artemis III mission, scheduled for launch in 2027. The mission, which will see the crew test two next-generation lunar modules in cislunar space near Earth, marks one of the most high-profile roles for a European astronaut in NASA’s modern lunar exploration program.

    Parmitano, who already has his eye on bringing a signature touch of Italian culture to the mission, says iconic Italian cuisine is almost guaranteed a spot on the crew’s menu. During a recent interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP), he recalled that Artemis II’s April 2025 flight already included a jar of the popular Italian spread Nutella, which went viral when it was spotted floating through the Orion capsule during a live space broadcast. “I do expect something Italian to show up on the menu, and I don’t even have to bring it up because Italian food is a treasure of UNESCO,” Parmitano said Tuesday. “Everybody wants some Italian food.”

    Beyond his contribution to the mission’s culinary lineup, Parmitano brings decades of elite space experience to the Artemis III crew. A former colonel in the Italian Air Force, he was first selected as an astronaut by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2009 and has already completed two long-duration missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS). During his ISS tenure, he carried out multiple complex spacewalks, including one that tested his courage and training after a critical suit failure left his helmet filling with water, a near-fatal emergency he navigated successfully to return safely to the station.

    As lead pilot, Parmitano will share mission responsibilities with NASA commander Randy Bresnik, a fellow test pilot. “We are both test pilots, and the spacecraft needs a crew of 2 to fly it, so we share the responsibilities,” Parmitano explained. The 49-year-old father of two said he was both shocked and deeply honored by his appointment. “It was unexpected because I didn’t know that I was in the run for that position,” he said. “I am also very humbled by the task in front of us. It’s a very complex mission.”

    Parmitano regularly wears a uniform embroidered with both the Italian flag and the ESA mission patch, framing the partnership between Italy, ESA and NASA as a model of global collaboration. “When NASA chooses a European astronaut to be a pilot, it is sending a strong message that our leadership is understood, that our cooperation is valued, and that our technical expertise – both in our constructions, because Europe builds part of the spacecraft, but also our personnel – is solid,” he said.

    The Artemis III crew boasts a diverse makeup of backgrounds and experience levels. Rounding out the four-person team are Andre Douglas, an African American NASA astronaut who will make his first spaceflight on the mission, and Frank Rubio, a US astronaut of Salvadoran descent who already has extensive ISS experience. Parmitano noted he has known commander Bresnik for his entire career, and said the full team bonded quickly after their assignment was announced. He added that the mix of ages, nationalities and professional backgrounds “just enriches the crew in general,” creating a dynamic that will serve the ambitious mission well.

  • Trump-endorsed Brit Steve Hilton advances in California governor’s race

    Trump-endorsed Brit Steve Hilton advances in California governor’s race

    After seven days of ongoing ballot counting from California’s June 2 gubernatorial primary, US media projections have confirmed that Steve Hilton, a former senior advisor to ex-United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron and one-time Fox News host, will advance to the November general election as one of the two remaining candidates.

    Hilton narrowly bested Democratic billionaire climate campaigner Tom Steyer to claim his place on the general election ballot. He will now face off against Xavier Becerra, who served as Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Biden administration, for California’s top executive office this fall.

    The candidacy has earned the public backing of former President Donald Trump. Should Hilton claim victory in November, he will become the first Republican governor to lead the heavily Democratic-leaning state in 15 years, marking a major political shift for California.

    The primary race drew an unprecedentedly large field of more than 60 candidates, the vast majority of whom were Democrats vying to replace incumbent Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who is barred from seeking re-election due to state term limits. Newsom, who has long been named as a potential Democratic contender for future presidential campaigns, built a high-profile profile as one of the most prominent critics of Trump’s policy agenda during his tenure. California repeatedly clashed with the Trump White House over a sweeping range of policy issues, from immigration regulation to environmental and climate action.

    Over the coming months, Hilton and Becerra will campaign across the state, competing to win the governorship — a role that carries responsibility for managing a state budget worth hundreds of billions of dollars, supervising a workforce of tens of thousands of public employees, and overseeing hundreds of separate state agencies that touch nearly every aspect of life for California’s 39 million residents.

  • With no team in World Cup, China fans rally around a red card-happy referee

    With no team in World Cup, China fans rally around a red card-happy referee

    As the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off this week, China finds itself in a familiar position: absent from the competition’s national team bracket for the third consecutive tournament after its only appearance in 2002. This time around, however, one Chinese figure has captured the hearts and attention of domestic football fans across the country: 46-year-old veteran referee Ma Ning, who is set to become the first Chinese referee to officiate at a World Cup in 20 years, earning his place as China’s unlikely breakout star of the tournament.

    Ma’s journey to the 2026 World Cup marks a historic milestone for Chinese football. Having held FIFA certification since 2011 and made his first World Cup appearances four years ago in Qatar as an off-pitch fourth official, this tournament will be his first opportunity to serve as a lead referee on the global game’s biggest stage. He is currently joined by two other Chinese officials – assistant referee Zhou Fei and video assistant referee Fu Ming – at a 10-day pre-tournament referee training camp in Miami, where all selected officials complete final preparations ahead of the opening matches.

    Widely recognized for his uncompromising, strict officiating style, Ma earned the popular nickname “Card Master” early in his career after a 2015 Shanghai domestic match where he issued nine yellow cards and three red cards to enforce on-pitch discipline. That reputation has translated into massive viral popularity among Chinese fans, who have turned memes and discussion of Ma into one of the biggest trending topics across Chinese social media platforms including RedNote (Xiaohongshu) and Weibo, with related topics racking up millions of views in the lead-up to the tournament.

    Two weeks before the tournament began, Ma launched his own official RedNote account to document his World Cup preparations, and quickly amassed more than 197,000 followers in under a fortnight. His first viral post saw him joke about his red-card reputation, pulling a small red notebook – a playful nod to RedNote’s Chinese name and his signature calls – from the front pocket of his referee uniform. Subsequent posts have shown him packing his competition gear, completing gym training, and featured equipment from his brand partners: Ma has already secured major sponsorship deals with leading Chinese tech firms including Lenovo and consumer electronics giant Hisense, a rare level of commercial endorsement for a football referee.

    For many Chinese football fans starved of national team success, Ma’s presence at the World Cup has become a bittersweet talking point. While many fans have rallied around the referee, celebrating his achievement as a win for Chinese football even in the absence of a national team, other posts have reflected the widespread disappointment around the state of the men’s game domestically. Viral memes circulating on Weibo contrast the squads of other participating nations with a single photo of Ma, while popular social media captions highlight the gap: “Other countries get to cheer for their teams, we get to cheer for our referee handing out cards.”

    China’s men’s national team has not qualified for the World Cup since its solitary debut in 2002, where the squad exited in the group stage without earning a single point or scoring a goal. Over the past two decades, Chinese men’s football has been crippled by systemic issues, from widespread match-fixing and corruption that has resulted in lifetime bans for dozens of players, referees and club officials, to ongoing financial instability that has left multiple top-tier clubs on the brink of collapse. Beyond his career as an elite referee, Ma also serves as a lecturer at the Nanjing Sport Institute, where he trains the next generation of Chinese football officials.

    As the tournament prepares to get underway, Ma has struck a confident tone in his public posts: “I take up this appointment with confidence and composure. World Cup, here we come.”

  • Will this scandal-plagued outsider help save or sink the Democrats?

    Will this scandal-plagued outsider help save or sink the Democrats?

    On the eve of Maine’s critical Democratic Senate primary, first-time candidate Graham Platner stood before hundreds of supporters at a Portland town hall, visibly emotional after receiving a handcrafted card emblazoned with the message “We are your Graham-ily, and we’ve got your back.” The moment capped a turbulent week for the political outsider, who had been hit by a string of damaging national investigative reports exposing a pattern of controversial behavior that would have ended the campaigns of most conventional politicians. Yet for the loyal base that has propelled his unlikely rise, none of the scandals have shaken their commitment.

    Platner’s path to the primary has been anything but smooth. Over the past several months, controversies have mounted: a chest tattoo resembling a Nazi-era Totenkopf symbol, unearthed 14-year-old online comments dismissing personal responsibility for rape survivors, leaked allegations of infidelity during his early marriage, and most recently, accusations from three former girlfriends of violent, erratic emotional abuse. His former campaign chief of staff penned a scathing Washington Post op-ed warning that Platner “exhibits a pattern of dishonest behavior that is impossible to ignore,” and a recent poll from the opposing campaign shows his unfavorable rating among Maine voters has jumped 20 points to 49% following the latest allegations.

    But what has made Platner’s campaign a political phenomenon is his ability to retain support despite the growing baggage, a reflection of both Maine’s unique political culture and the deep anger of rank-and-file Democratic voters toward the national establishment. A former Marine Corps combat veteran turned oyster farmer and small business owner, Platner has cut a relatable figure, touring the state in jeans and a baseball cap, speaking openly about his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and his family’s journey with infertility. By his own count, he has hosted more than 80 town halls across the sparsely populated state, where face-to-face retail politics still holds enormous sway. His anti-elite, anti-lobbyist message and left-leaning policy platform — which echoes progressives like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, calling for universal healthcare, free college, and a wealth tax on the ultra-wealthy — has tapped into a deep well of frustration with business-as-usual Washington politics.

    His rise has already upended the state’s Democratic race: party establishment favorite Governor Janet Mills was pressured by national leaders to enter the race, but she dropped out earlier this spring after falling far behind in fundraising and polling, stunned by Platner’s early viral momentum. Even some voters who acknowledge discomfort with Platner’s past say they have no choice but to back him to defeat long-serving Republican incumbent Susan Collins, who has held the seat for three decades. “I would vote for him exclusively to keep Susan Collins from winning,” explained Portland voter Ann Oliver, echoing a sentiment shared by many anti-Collins Democrats who prioritize party control over candidate perfection.

    The outcome of Tuesday’s primary carries national stakes. A Platner victory would leave the pivotal general election race in play, with control of the U.S. Senate hanging in the balance. National Democrats fear a repeat of the Tea Party era, where grassroots enthusiasm elevated unelectable candidates that cost the party winnable seats. If Platner wins, he will face off against Collins, a formidable moderate Republican with deep Maine roots, a $20 million campaign war chest, and a history of winning over cross-party voters in a state that has not backed a Republican presidential candidate since 1988. Collins’ operation is already preparing to flood the airwaves with negative ads focusing on Platner’s scandals, while national Republicans have already called his candidacy a gift that could help them hold the seat.

    Yet for his supporters, Platner’s authenticity outweighs any past missteps. “He’s got a little bit of baggage, but who gives a shit? He is a saint here to me,” said Kevin Claik, a retiree who drove 48 kilometers to attend Sunday’s town hall. Autumn Crisovan, a Portland recreational sports worker who opposes lobbyist influence in politics, said Platner’s grassroots campaign signals a much-needed shift for the country: “It’s nice to see there are people who are trying to fight and that it gets the ball rolling for everyone else.”

    Platner has leaned into the anti-establishment framing, echoing the scandal-resilience playbook that worked for Donald Trump, framing the attacks as a coordinated effort by elite media and party insiders to defeat the people’s candidate. “What everybody fails to understand is they think this is a race about me,” he told supporters Sunday night. “What they don’t understand is this is a race about us. It’s about the people of Maine. It’s about the recognition that only in each other, only in our communities, do we find the power necessary to take back our politics.”

    Political analysts note that Platner’s working-class, rugged nonconformist image resonates deeply with rural Maine voters, a demographic that has drifted toward Republicans in recent presidential elections that Platner could potentially flip. “He is straight out of central casting for a firebrand politician who doesn’t take any bullshit,” noted Colby College political science professor Nick Jacobs. “There is a deep connection to place that seems genuine, because it is quite pervasive throughout his style and substance.”

    Platner has attempted to frame past controversies as stories of redemption, apologizing for each misstep: he removed the Nazi-resembling tattoo, explaining he got it drunk on vacation with fellow Marines without knowing its meaning; he asked voters to forgive his old rape comments as the words of a younger man on his worst day; and he acknowledged his past infidelity, saying he and his wife have worked through the issue and strengthened their marriage. Even some national progressives have stood by him, though with caveats: California Congressman Ro Khanna, who campaigned with Platner last week, acknowledged the abuse allegations were “wrong, was misogynistic, was toxic or volatile” but said Platner has expressed shame for his actions.

    As Maine voters head to the polls Tuesday, the race remains unresolved, with national political observers watching closely to see if a political novice with a long list of scandals can pull off an upset that would reshape the balance of power in Washington for years to come.

  • Turkey advances historic Hejaz railway project with Saudi Arabia deal

    Turkey advances historic Hejaz railway project with Saudi Arabia deal

    On Tuesday, Turkey and Saudi Arabia formalized a new step in deepening bilateral infrastructure collaboration by signing two distinct memorandums of understanding focused on expanding railway development and cross-border connectivity. This agreement marks Saudi Arabia’s entry into the multi-country project to revive the centuries-old Hejaz Railway, a historic transport route that will link Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia once completed.

    The deal was signed during an official working visit by Turkish Transportation Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu to Riyadh, where he held in-depth strategic talks with his Saudi counterparts. At the signing ceremony, Uraloglu emphasized the urgent priority of securing unbroken trade and supply chain operations amid the heightened geopolitical uncertainty currently roiling the Middle East. “At this sensitive time our region is going through, the uninterrupted functioning of trade and the logistics chain has become more critical than ever. In this period, removing the obstacles facing the transportation sector is a strategic necessity,” he stated. The minister also outlined Ankara’s broader strategic goal: to reactivate dormant overland transport routes running through Syria, Jordan, and Iraq, opening up new corridors for regional trade.

    Uraloglu confirmed that two successful trial runs of the proposed route, starting from Turkish territory and traversing Iraq to reach Saudi Arabia, have already proven that the corridor is logistically and commercially feasible. Turkey first publicly announced its ambition to restore the Hejaz Railway last year, and has steadily advanced the project through diplomatic and bilateral agreements in the months since.

    The long-term vision for the revived railway extends far beyond the original historic route, with planners envisioning an extension all the way to Oman and the Indian Ocean coast. The core strategic objective of the project is to create a major alternative trade corridor that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most congested and geopolitically vulnerable chokepoints for global energy trade. If the project is fully realized, Turkey is positioned to emerge as a central transit hub connecting Gulf states to European markets, a regional railway logistics base, and a critical junction where both energy and commercial trade corridors converge.

    This latest bilateral deal follows a broader trilateral agreement signed in April between Turkey, Syria, and Jordan that established a comprehensive framework for boosting regional connectivity, integrating national transportation systems, and streamlining cross-border movement of goods and people. That earlier accord covers cooperation across all modes of transport—road, rail, maritime, air, and multimodal logistics—and addresses key areas including infrastructure investment, alignment of technical standards, digitalization of transport systems, workforce capacity building, private sector engagement, and coordinated management of cross-border corridors.

    The original Hejaz Railway was first launched as an ambitious infrastructure vision in 1900 by Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II, who sought to connect Istanbul, the seat of the Ottoman Empire, directly to Mecca, one of Islam’s holiest sites located in what is now western Saudi Arabia. The railway takes its name from the Hejaz region of the Arabian Peninsula, which hosts both Mecca and Medina, the two holiest sites in Islam. Remarkably, the project was built at impressive speed for the era and funded entirely by donations from Muslim communities across the world, mixing voluntary contributions with mandatory religious levies. At its peak operation, the main line stretched from Istanbul through Damascus all the way to Medina, with a spur branch connecting the network to the port of Haifa in historic Palestine.

  • Catalonia’s famed human tower climbers greet Pope Leo in Barcelona

    Catalonia’s famed human tower climbers greet Pope Leo in Barcelona

    On June 9, 2026, as Pope Leo XIV kicked off a prayer vigil during his seven-day official visit to Spain at Barcelona’s Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium, a centuries-old cultural tradition delivered a one-of-a-kind Catalan welcome to the pontiff. At the peak of a nearly 33-foot human tower, or “castell” in the local Catalan language, stood 8-year-old Bruna Vall Galán, the youngest member of the famed Vilafranca del Penedes casteller collective selected to perform for the Pope.

    Castells, recognized as a defining cultural treasure of northeastern Spain’s Catalonia region, are far more than a breathtaking display of physical balance, collective strength, and precise coordination. For Catalan communities, these towering human structures are a core pillar of regional cultural identity, binding generations together through shared practice and collective pride. The Associated Press was granted exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Castellers de Vilafranca — one of the region’s most decorated castell groups — documenting the entire journey from the pre-performance bus ride to post-performance celebration.

    More than 130 group members traveled 50 kilometers from their hometown of Vilafranca del Penedes, a small town nestled in Catalonia’s renowned Cava wine region, to Barcelona for the performance. Dressed in the collective’s iconic uniform: jade green shirts, white trousers, fitted black sashes, and red polka-dot bandanas, the team prepared for the high-stakes performance. The sashes and bandanas are not just decorative: they provide critical grip for climbers as they ascend and descend the structure built entirely of interconnected human bodies.

    Ernest Gallart Pérez, president of the Castellers de Vilafranca, emphasized the inclusive ethos that lies at the heart of the castell tradition. “A fundamental richness of castells is that anybody can take part, independently of their age, their culture, their weight or height, their beliefs or ideologies. Every person has their place on the structure,” he explained.

    For many members, castells are more than a cultural practice — they are a multigenerational family legacy. Bruna’s mother Maria Vall Camell joined the collective at 18, and later met her husband within the group’s tight-knit community. Aida Ibañez Sadurní, who performed alongside her father Xavier Ibañez Sanz, described the deep emotional bond the tradition fosters. “It’s union, family, strength,” she said. “When we get everybody down, we hug each other crying, and it’s the biggest emotion.”

    Constructing a stable 10-meter castell requires months of dedicated training and coordination, though the full structure goes up in mere minutes. The process begins with a large, solid base: dozens of members stand pressed shoulder-to-shoulder in tight concentric circles, arms intertwined and heads rested against neighboring shoulders to distribute weight evenly. Successive smaller groups of climbers then ascend, forming stable standing rings layer by layer, until the “anxaneta” — the young child who serves as the tower’s symbolic peak — claims the top position. On Tuesday, that role fell to Bruna, who waved to the crowd of 40,000 from the summit before making the safe descent.

    When the entire team reached the ground safely and the castell was disassembled without incident, Pope Leo XIV broke into a broad smile, and the stadium erupted in cheers as loud as a top-tier professional football match. Àngel Grau, the group’s head coach or “cap de colla”, spoke to reporters after the performance, still sweaty from the physical effort, beaming with pride. “It’s a relief, I’m very happy, very joyful,” he said, as the team made their way back to the buses for the return trip. “There were a lot of people watching us from around the world, and whether you believe a lot or believe less, it’s such an occasion for pride for us.”

    Beyond high-profile events like the Pope’s visit, castells are woven into the fabric of everyday Catalan life, featured at patron saint festivals, regional competitions, and community gatherings that draw hundreds of participants annually. As Maria Vall Camell noted on the bus ride to Barcelona, the tradition captures the core of Catalan community values. “The human towers are like the skyline of Catalonia. They are an identity, very important for our culture, and they represent very well our society, that we work together as a team,” she said.

    This coverage of religion and culture is part of an AP collaboration with The Conversation US, supported by funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The Associated Press holds sole editorial responsibility for this content.

  • UK court allows Allianz to sue pro-Palestine activists

    UK court allows Allianz to sue pro-Palestine activists

    A landmark ruling from London’s Central London County Court has cleared the way for German insurance multinational Allianz to move forward with a high-stakes civil lawsuit against six pro-Palestine activists that could push the defendants into lifelong bankruptcy, even as criminal proceedings against the group remain pending.

    The group, dubbed the “Allianz6”, staged two separate office occupations at Allianz locations in Guildford and central London between 2024 and 2025 to protest the company’s former insurance coverage of Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. During the demonstrations, activists spray-painted the office interiors with water-soluble red paint, causing what Allianz claims is more than £79,000 in physical damage.

    Criminal charges of criminal damage, aggravated trespass, and obstruction were initially filed against the six activists, though those charges have since been narrowed to a single count of criminal damage. The criminal trials are currently scheduled to begin in October 2026 and January 2028, respectively.

    On Monday, Judge Alan Johns rejected the activists’ request to put the civil case on hold until after the criminal proceedings conclude. The ruling allows Allianz to pursue a total claim of £289,604 in damages plus additional legal fees, a figure that grew substantially after the company added £200,000 in symbolic “reputational damage and commercial embarrassment” damages earlier this year. The additional damages were tacked on after the activists asked Allianz to delay the civil suit to align with criminal proceedings.

    Activists argue the expanded claim amounts to an unfair “protest licence fee” designed to intimidate them out of exercising their right to political demonstration. One defendant, community worker Seren John-Wood, told Middle East Eye that the group targeted Allianz specifically because of its ties to Elbit Systems, which supplies roughly 85% of the drones used by the Israeli military. In a notable development, Allianz reportedly dropped its coverage of Elbit Systems late last year.

    John-Wood emphasized that Allianz’s push for an early civil trial is a deliberate strategic choice to avoid a jury trial, a right only available in UK criminal courts.

    “This attempt to move the case away from the criminal courts, where we are not able to access financial support for legal representation and have our cases heard by juries, is as appalling as it is unprecedented,” John-Wood said.

    The defendants, all ordinary members of the public, lack the financial resources to hire legal representation for the civil suit, where the burden of proof is far lower than in criminal court. By contrast, Allianz reported a $20.1 billion operating profit in 2025, highlighting the stark power imbalance between the corporate claimant and the individual defendants. If Allianz wins the civil suit, the damages would be seized from the activists’ personal savings and future earnings, a outcome that would almost certainly leave them facing permanent financial ruin.

    John-Wood argued that the ruling exposes a calculated effort to stifle pro-Palestine protest. “Allianz has seen that there is a groundswell of support for Palestine actions and there is a precedent for juries acquitting pro-Palestine activists,” she explained. “We took action and are prepared to face legal consequences in a criminal court as we believe we are not guilty. But this attempt to avoid a jury trial is unacceptable.”

    Fellow defendant and writer Renee Eshel echoed those concerns, framing the civil action as an intimidation tactic intended to silence opposition to Allianz’s past business practices. “Allianz ordering us to civil courts while our criminal cases are pending indicates they are using intimidatory fear tactics to bully us into submission and to deter future activists from exposing their complicity in war crimes through Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people,” Eshel said.

  • ‘I should be out for six weeks’: Jacob Kiraz reveals all as Bulldogs star lifts lid on major injury mystery

    ‘I should be out for six weeks’: Jacob Kiraz reveals all as Bulldogs star lifts lid on major injury mystery

    One of the National Rugby League’s most puzzling injury stories of the 2024 season has finally been unravelled, with Canterbury Bulldogs star Jacob Kiraz opening up about his secret Grade 2 calf tear and the incredible mental grit that allowed him to take the field weeks earlier than doctors predicted.

    The injury occurred unexpectedly during the pre-game warm-up ahead of the Bulldogs’ Round 13 clash against the Wests Tigers, when Kiraz tore the calf muscle in his left leg. Instead of pulling out of the fixture, he hid the severity of the injury from the public and even shrugged off medical concerns to suit up for the match — just nine days after the initial tear, he delivered a career-best performance that helped power his team to victory.

    Against the Tigers, Kiraz turned in a dominant display from the fullback position, racking up 261 running metres, breaking seven tackles and setting up six offload opportunities for his teammates. He was only substituted off the field with three minutes remaining in the match, as the side pushed for a late match-winning try. After the game, when reporters spotted his absence from a Tuesday training session, Kiraz downplayed concerns, attributing his early exit from the Tigers match to hamstring cramps — a claim he now says was completely factual, not a cover-up.

    In the lead-up to the next fixture against the Parramatta Eels, rumours began to spread that Kiraz had suffered a serious calf injury that would rule him out for at least a month. But once again, the winger defied expectations: he not only took the field, he delivered another star performance, running 195 metres, breaking nine tackles and making seven offloads in a scrappy Bulldogs win. The team’s captain Stephen Crichton also turned out for the match despite playing through a persistent shoulder injury, adding to the side’s story of resilience.

    Now, with the NRL bye week coming up to give him time to recover, Kiraz has shared the full details of his injury and recovery. Medical scans after the Tigers match confirmed he had suffered a Grade 2 calf tear, which standard medical guidance says requires a minimum four to six weeks of rest on the sidelines. But Kiraz insisted on preparing for the Eels match, saying he was willing to push through any pain to help his team.

    “It happened in the warm-up before the Tigers game. I told the physios straight away that I’d hurt my calf, but I said it felt fine and I wanted to play,” Kiraz explained from the Accor Stadium sheds last week, still walking with a noticeable limp after the back-to-back matches. “After the game we got scans, and we knew I’d done something, but we didn’t realize how bad it was. When the physios told me it was a Grade 2 tear, I just said nothing had changed — I still wanted to play.”

    Kiraz admitted that sitting out most of the training week between the Tigers and Eels matches was frustrating, especially since he is a player who prioritises regular team training. “It was really sore, but I told them I don’t care about the pain. I’ll take the pain as long as I can run out on the field and do my job,” he said.

    Addressing the confusion around his injury status after the Tigers match, Kiraz — a deeply religious person — says he never lied to the media. “When I said I came off because of cramps, that was the truth. I actually got annoyed that I got taken off because of those cramps, I thought I should have stayed on for the final push, so that part wasn’t a lie at all,” he said, adding that he even had to ask his own teammates to stop asking about his status, as fantasy SuperCoach players were desperate for inside information on his availability.

    He also explained why he chose not to disclose the injury publicly ahead of the Eels match. “I’m not going to go to a press conference and tell the other team I’m hurt, that doesn’t make any sense. On top of that, I was trying to convince myself it was nothing, too. I’ve learned through past injuries how powerful the mind can be,” he said.

    Kiraz credits his strong religious faith for his ability to recover faster than expected. “Doctors all said I should be out for six weeks, but every time I get injured I come back early. It’s not that I’m forcing anything, I just get my mind in the right place and I pretend the injury isn’t there. It might not be the best choice for my body long-term, but I give all the credit to God. We’ve got the bye coming up now, so it worked out perfectly.”