Global Pulse

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  • Mother of Savannah Guthrie, NBC News anchor, missing in Arizona

    Mother of Savannah Guthrie, NBC News anchor, missing in Arizona

    Authorities in Arizona have launched an intensive search operation for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of prominent NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie, who vanished from her Tucson residence under circumstances described as deeply concerning by law enforcement.

    Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos disclosed that Nancy Guthrie was last confirmed seen at her home after 9:00 PM local time on Saturday. The family officially reported her disappearance on Sunday afternoon, triggering an immediate law enforcement response. Sheriff Nanos emphasized that evidence collected at the residence raised serious alarms, prompting the unusual involvement of homicide detectives in the investigation.

    While authorities refrained from specifying the exact nature of the concerning evidence, Sheriff Nanos confirmed that foul play hasn’t been eliminated from the investigation parameters. The case has been classified as a missing persons investigation with suspicious circumstances, deviating from standard protocol due to the nature of findings at the scene.

    Nancy Guthrie, according to official statements, suffers from compromised physical health but maintains normal cognitive function without reported memory issues. The Guthrie family has collaborated closely with Pima County Sheriff’s Department, issuing a formal statement through NBC News acknowledging the ongoing investigation.

    Savannah Guthrie, co-host of NBC’s flagship morning program Today, was notably absent from Monday’s broadcast as the network addressed the developing situation. The program shared a personal statement from Guthrie expressing gratitude for public support while emphasizing the family’s primary focus on her mother’s safe recovery.

    Search efforts continue throughout the Tucson area with law enforcement pursuing multiple investigative avenues to locate the missing octogenarian.

  • Beijing criticises Dalai Lama Grammy win as ‘manipulation’

    Beijing criticises Dalai Lama Grammy win as ‘manipulation’

    China has issued a stern diplomatic condemnation following the Grammy Awards’ recognition of the Dalai Lama, characterizing the accolade as a form of political weaponization against Chinese interests. The Tibetan spiritual leader received the award in the Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording category for ‘Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.’

    Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian articulated Beijing’s position during a press briefing, stating: ‘We firmly oppose relevant parties using art awards as a tool for anti-China political manipulation, and this position is consistent and clear.’ The declaration reinforces China’s longstanding view of the Dalai Lama as a separatist figure seeking to undermine Chinese territorial integrity.

    The 90-year-old Nobel Peace Laureate, who has resided in exile in Dharamshala, India since fleeing Tibet during the 1959 uprising, accepted the honor with measured diplomacy. In a social media statement, he noted: ‘I receive this recognition with gratitude and humility. I don’t see it as something personal, but as a recognition of our shared universal responsibility.’ Musician Rufus Wainwright accepted the award on his behalf during the ceremony.

    The Grammy recognition coincides with heightened tensions regarding succession plans for the spiritual leadership. The Dalai Lama’s previous statements indicating his reincarnation would occur in the ‘free world’ outside China directly contradict Beijing’s insistence that any succession must adhere to Chinese laws and receive government approval. This disagreement has amplified concerns among Tibetan exile communities that China might attempt to control the succession process to strengthen its governance over Tibet, which China has administered since 1950.

  • Australian woman dies after becoming snagged in ski lift in Japan

    Australian woman dies after becoming snagged in ski lift in Japan

    A devastating incident at Tsugaike Kogen Mountain Resort in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture has resulted in the death of a 22-year-old Australian woman following a catastrophic ski lift malfunction. The tragedy occurred around 9:00 AM local time on Friday when the victim’s backpack became entangled in the chairlift mechanism during disembarkation.

    According to official statements from resort management, an unfastened buckle on the woman’s backpack hooked onto the chair while the chest strap remained secured, creating a dangerous entanglement that suspended her mid-air. The immediate trauma triggered a cardiac arrest, with emergency responders unable to revive her despite rapid medical intervention.

    Tsuneo Kubo, Chief Executive of Tsugaike Mountain Resort, issued a profound apology expressing his “deepest condolences to the bereaved family” while confirming a comprehensive investigation has been launched in coordination with local authorities. The resort’s emergency protocols were activated when an attendant triggered the emergency stop mechanism, followed by immediate first aid administration and ambulance transportation to a nearby medical facility.

    The incident occurred on the Tsuga No. 2 Pair Lift, a two-person chairlift that serves as a primary access point to the resort’s extensive skiing terrain. Japanese police have initiated a thorough examination of the equipment and are interviewing resort staff as part of their official inquiry into the mechanical failure and safety procedures.

    Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed the tragic death of their citizen and is providing consular support to the grieving family. The popular Hakuba Valley resort, renowned among international visitors for its extensive winter sports facilities, has pledged to implement enhanced safety measures and conduct a complete review of all lift operations to prevent future tragedies.

  • Trump threatens to sue Trevor Noah over Epstein joke at Grammys

    Trump threatens to sue Trevor Noah over Epstein joke at Grammys

    Former US President Donald Trump has threatened legal action against South African comedian Trevor Noah following a controversial joke made during the Grammy Awards ceremony. While hosting the prestigious music event, Noah quipped: “Song of the Year – that is a Grammy that every artist wants almost as much as Trump wants Greenland, which makes sense because Epstein’s island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out with Bill Clinton.”

    The remark prompted an immediate response from Trump via his Truth Social platform, where he vehemently denied any association with Epstein’s private island and characterized Noah’s comments as “false and defamatory.” Trump stated: “Noah said, INCORRECTLY about me, that Donald Trump and Bill Clinton spent time on Epstein Island. WRONG!!! I can’t speak for Bill, but I have never been to Epstein Island, nor anywhere close.” The former president concluded with a direct threat: “Get ready Noah, I’m going to have some fun with you!”

    Historical context reveals that Trump had acknowledged a previous association with Jeffrey Epstein but maintains they had a falling out around 2004, well before Epstein’s criminal activities came to light. No evidence has emerged placing Trump at Epstein’s private retreat, Little St James Island, and he has not been accused of any crimes by Epstein’s victims. Similarly, a spokesperson for former President Bill Clinton stated in 2020 that he had “never been” to Epstein’s island, and Clinton has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

    Epstein died in his New York prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, following his earlier conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. His private island, purchased in 1998, has been described by multiple survivors as a location where they were trafficked and abused.

    This incident continues Trump’s pattern of legal confrontations with media figures and organizations, including recent multi-billion dollar lawsuits against the BBC and ongoing disputes with the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Trevor Noah, the subject of Trump’s latest legal threat, gained prominence as host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central for seven years before stepping down in 2022.

  • Germany detains 5 men accused of illegally exporting goods to Russian defense companies

    Germany detains 5 men accused of illegally exporting goods to Russian defense companies

    German federal prosecutors have executed a major operation against an illicit procurement network allegedly supplying Russian defense companies, resulting in five arrests across northern Germany. The operation targeted individuals accused of systematically violating EU sanctions imposed following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

    The detained suspects, all German nationals with two holding dual Russian citizenship and one additional Ukrainian citizenship, face charges of criminal organization membership and breaching Germany’s Foreign Trade and Payments Act. Law enforcement conducted simultaneous raids in Lübeck and Lauenburg district, with additional searches executed at multiple properties nationwide. Five additional suspects remain at large according to official statements.

    At the center of the investigation is Nikita S. (identified under German privacy conventions), a German-Russian dual national who operates a trading company based in Lübeck. Prosecutors allege this enterprise served as the primary vehicle for procuring and exporting goods to Russian defense industries. The sophisticated operation employed fabricated companies within Lübeck and established fictitious clients both inside and outside the EU to conceal transactions and circumvent sanctions.

    Evidence indicates Russian state agencies orchestrated the network, which supplied at least 24 Russian defense contractors. The scale of operations involved approximately 16,000 separate shipments to Russia with an estimated value exceeding €30 million ($35.5 million). While prosecutors have not disclosed the specific nature of the exported goods, the investigation highlights ongoing challenges in enforcing sanctions against Russia’s military-industrial complex.

  • From charity to connectivity: China remaking global public health

    From charity to connectivity: China remaking global public health

    The United States’ scheduled withdrawal from the World Health Organization in January 2026 has initiated a fundamental transformation in global health governance that extends far beyond immediate financial concerns. While the $260 million funding gap and reduced management capacity present immediate operational challenges, the more significant evolution is structural and ideological in nature.

    China is strategically capitalizing on this power vacuum through its Health Silk Road initiative, fundamentally altering the paradigm of international health assistance. Rather than merely assuming America’s vacant position, Beijing is architecting an entirely new operational framework that prioritizes infrastructure development over traditional aid models. This represents a historic transition from charity-based donor-recipient relationships to investment-driven partnerships focused on building sustainable local capacity.

    The Western approach, historically led by the United States and European Union, operated primarily through multilateral organizations and NGOs delivering essential health commodities—vaccines, antiretroviral drugs, and preventive materials—to developing nations. In contrast, China’s model emphasizes constructing the physical infrastructure that enables countries to manufacture their own medical solutions, as demonstrated by recent agreements establishing insulin production facilities in Nigeria and antimalarial factories throughout West Africa.

    This strategic shift resonates powerfully with developing nations seeking to overcome the perceived paternalism often associated with Western aid conditionality. China frames its engagement as ‘South-South cooperation’ grounded in mutual respect and commercial partnership rather than donor dependency.

    The complexity of this transition manifests in what analysts term a ‘bifurcated system’—a financially constrained WHO continues setting global health standards while China’s bilateral engine builds the physical architecture of healthcare delivery. This fragmentation risks creating incompatible technical standards for digital health, AI diagnostics, and vaccine production that could undermine global pandemic preparedness.

    America’s withdrawal represents not merely a financial shortfall but an ideological abdication, allowing China to redefine ‘global public goods’ according to its state-centric governance philosophy. Through dispatching medical teams to 77 countries and embedding experts within institutions like the Africa CDC, China is executing health policy as foreign policy with unprecedented efficiency.

    The emerging global health landscape will likely evolve as a hybrid system where nations adopt Western standards when available but increasingly rely on Chinese infrastructure. This new pragmatism necessitates that Western powers compete not through increased charity but through smarter investments in local capacity building. As Beijing paves this new road in global health governance, the absence of American leadership ensures it becomes the primary pathway forward.

  • Grammys 2026 red carpet: Who wore what; from ‘ICE out’ to classic black and white

    Grammys 2026 red carpet: Who wore what; from ‘ICE out’ to classic black and white

    The 68th Grammy Awards red carpet at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena transformed into a spectacular showcase of sartorial excellence and subtle activism on Sunday evening. Music’s elite converged, presenting a visual narrative that oscillated between timeless elegance and contemporary daring.

    Monochromatic sophistication dominated the event, echoing Truman Capote’s legendary 1966 Black and White Ball. Puerto Rican sensation Bad Bunny, who secured two awards that night, made a striking impression in a Schiaparelli velvet tuxedo featuring a tailored jacket and distinctive white lapel flower. Lady Gaga embraced dramatic artistry with a high-necked black feather gown from Matieres Fecales, complemented by her platinum-bleached hair and eyebrows. British newcomer Olivia Dean, celebrating her Best New Artist victory, radiated elegance in a Chanel creation combining a sequined black bodice with a voluminous white skirt.

    The sheer trend that has permeated this awards season maintained its prominence. Sabrina Carpenter, nominated for six awards, selected an ethereal Valentino gown adorned with floral appliques and delicate ruffles. K-pop phenomenon Rose redefined structural elegance in a Saint Laurent ensemble that layered a black mini dress beneath an expansive cream fabric overskirt. Colombian superstar Karol G captivated observers in a sea foam green sheer dress that accentuated her silhouette, while the members of girl group Katseye coordinated in revealing white lace gowns by Ludovic de Saint Sernin.

    Beyond fashion, the red carpet served as a platform for political expression. Numerous artists, including music icon Joni Mitchell, Justin Bieber, and Hailey Bieber, displayed ‘ICE OUT’ pins protesting President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies. This silent demonstration mirrored similar activism seen at recent awards ceremonies, blending fashion with social consciousness.

    The evening ultimately presented a multifaceted portrait of the music industry—celebrating artistic achievement while acknowledging contemporary societal concerns through the powerful language of style and symbolism.

  • EU’s foreign policy chief says a Europe-wide army could be ‘extremely dangerous’

    EU’s foreign policy chief says a Europe-wide army could be ‘extremely dangerous’

    BRUSSELS — European Union Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas has issued a stark warning against proposals for a European army, characterizing the concept as “extremely dangerous” during a security conference in Norway on Monday. Her remarks come amid intensified discussions about European security autonomy following shifting U.S. geopolitical priorities.

    Kallas systematically dismantled the European army proposition, emphasizing practical military command structures as her primary concern. “Those advocating for a European army may not have thoroughly considered the practical implications,” she stated. “When already integrated within NATO, establishing a separate military force becomes fundamentally unworkable.”

    The Estonian diplomat highlighted the critical importance of clear command hierarchies during security crises. “The paramount military asset in any emergency situation remains the chain of command—establishing unequivocally who issues orders to whom,” Kallas explained. “Creating parallel structures between a European army and NATO would result in catastrophic coordination failures, with critical decisions falling between institutional gaps.”

    Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre echoed Kallas’ position despite Norway’s non-EU membership status. “NATO maintains an established decision-making process among allies that, while complex, undergoes continuous operational training,” Støre noted, unequivocally rejecting European army proposals as “not a road we should travel.”

    The debate resurged following recent NATO tensions triggered by former President Donald Trump’s controversial suggestions regarding Greenland’s status. Adding strategic perspective, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte recently asserted that European self-defense without U.S. support remains currently unachievable. Rutte told EU lawmakers that Europe would need to more than double existing military spending targets to approach autonomous defense capabilities, bluntly stating that those believing otherwise should “keep on dreaming.”

  • France’s budget set to clear the way for Macron’s military spending boost

    France’s budget set to clear the way for Macron’s military spending boost

    PARIS — After months of political discord, France’s delayed annual budget is poised for final approval on Monday, paving the way for substantial increases in defense expenditure as pledged by President Emmanuel Macron. The budgetary process, characterized by parliamentary fragmentation and governmental instability, ultimately required Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to invoke special constitutional powers to bypass legislative gridlock and enact the legislation without a formal vote.

    The defense allocation represents a significant departure from broader austerity measures, with the military sector receiving an exceptional €6.7 billion ($7.9 billion) augmentation compared to 2025 levels. This financial injection will facilitate the acquisition of advanced military assets including a nuclear-powered attack submarine, 362 armored vehicles for army modernization, and new Aster surface-to-air missile systems. Concurrently, France is launching an expanded voluntary military service program targeting thousands of young citizens aged 18-19.

    Macron’s administration is pursuing deficit reduction targets aiming to decrease the budget deficit from 5.4% to 5% of GDP, while implementing spending cuts across most government departments. This fiscal consolidation occurs amid pressure from European Union institutions and credit rating agencies concerned about France’s debt sustainability within the Eurozone’s second-largest economy.

    The budgetary process revealed the government’s precarious parliamentary position, forcing concessions including the suspension of Macron’s controversial pension reforms that would have raised the retirement age. Corporate taxation will see increases, with an additional levy on large companies projected to generate €7.3 billion ($8.7 billion) in revenue.

    As Macron approaches the final year of his presidency, his attention has increasingly shifted toward international affairs and defense strategy. Recent diplomatic initiatives include advocating for security guarantees for Ukraine, demonstrating European solidarity with Greenland, and supporting the designation of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization by the EU. The president’s foreign policy stance gained particular attention during the Davos summit, where his remarks expressing preference for ‘respect over bullies’ were widely interpreted as a rebuke to former President Donald Trump’s tariff threats.

  • Balloons from Belarus cross into Polish airspace for a third night

    Balloons from Belarus cross into Polish airspace for a third night

    WARSAW, Poland — For the third consecutive night, Polish authorities have documented unauthorized balloon incursions originating from Belarus, marking a significant escalation in hybrid operations along the EU’s eastern frontier. The Polish Armed Forces Operational Command characterized these events as deliberate attempts by Minsk to test Warsaw’s aerial defense readiness and reconnaissance capabilities.

    Military spokesperson Jacek Goryszewski revealed that balloon-related incidents have surged dramatically in early 2026 compared to the same period last year. While the exact motivation remains unclear, officials suggest the increase could stem from either political directives within the Belarusian government or sophisticated adaptation by criminal smuggling networks evading enhanced border security measures.

    Although the Polish military maintains these aerial violations pose no direct threat to national airspace security, temporary flight restrictions have been imposed over the Podlaskie region bordering Belarus as a precautionary measure. The Belarusian embassy in Warsaw has not responded to requests for commentary regarding these allegations.

    This development occurs within the broader context of what NATO members Poland and Lithuania describe as coordinated hybrid warfare tactics employed by Belarus and its ally Russia. These tactics previously included manufacturing migration crises, alleged sabotage operations, and systematic espionage activities targeting Western nations.

    The balloon incidents follow earlier security breaches including Russian drone penetrations of Polish airspace in September and a November explosion on passenger rail infrastructure that Warsaw attributes to Moscow. Lithuanian authorities faced similar aerial provocations in December when meteorological balloons from Belarus forced repeated shutdowns of Vilnius International Airport, creating massive travel disruptions that officials labeled as deliberate hybrid attacks.