Lasers, ladders and a leap: Photos of the week from around the world

Researchers have confirmed the existence of an ancient black hole using spectroscopy, identifying extremely fast-moving gas around it, indicative of a black hole's presence. The black hole is located in a galaxy known as CAPERS-LRD-z9, part of the "Little Red Dots" class, which may provide insights into early universe conditions and the formation of such massive black holes. Want More Context? 🔎

Avid hikers Alan and Agnieszka Forbes were rescued from quicksand after inadvertently straying onto a live Army firing range while walking near Formby, Merseyside. Despite the mishap, they continued their adventure, completing their walk and stopping at Wetherspoon pubs, part of their quest to explore UK establishments and trails. Want More Context? 🔎

The Trump administration's withdrawal from the UN Financing for Development conference exemplifies the ongoing struggle between wealthy creditor nations and lower-income debtor countries, highlighted by record debt servicing costs for the Global South. To secure necessary resources, debtor nations may need to form a Borrower’s Club, enabling collective negotiation power and a more equitable debt restructuring framework, as past initiatives have proven inadequate. Want More Context? 🔎

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised alarms over the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, reporting a rise in deaths from malnutrition, including 29 children under five this year. With nearly 12,000 children under five suffering from acute malnutrition in July alone, WHO urges immediate reopening of crossings for humanitarian aid to address the collapsing health system. Want More Context? 🔎

Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, shot five fellow soldiers at Fort Stewart Army base after sending alarming text messages to family expressing despair. Friends and family noted he faced bullying and racism, with a recent disagreement with a coworker preceding the attack; Radford is currently in pretrial confinement as investigations continue. Want More Context? 🔎

New Zealand dominated the second day of the second Test against Zimbabwe, ending at 3-601 and establishing a 476-run lead, with Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, and Rachin Ravindra each scoring centuries. After Zimbabwe's poor first innings total of 125, Nicholls (150 not out) and Ravindra (165 not out) formed a 256-run partnership, leaving Zimbabwe facing a daunting task to avoid defeat. Want More Context? 🔎