Mexican referee Cesar Ramos (C) shows a yellow card to Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo/ Source: AFP

A rule that decides who plays and who doesn’t play in the biggest matches is set to change in the FIFA World Cup 2026, and it will apply to all 48 teams in the expanded tournament.Spanning the United States, Canada and Mexico, the competition is larger than any held before the World Cup. It is no longer a 32-team tournament that moves quickly from the group stage to a compact knockout bracket, but a 48-team tournament with more matches, more rounds and a longer path to the final.This expanded structure is the reason why FIFA is rethinking how yellow cards are taken and removed once the tournament begins.

How the 2026 Format Really Works, Step by Step

The tournament begins with the 48 teams divided into twelve groups, Group A to Group L, each consisting of four teams. Each team plays three matches in this stage, facing the other teams in its group once each. From there, qualification into the knockouts takes place at two levels. The first part is simple: the first and second placed teams advance automatically in each group, which consists of 24 teams. The second part is where this format differs from earlier World Cups. All twelve third-place teams are placed in the same table and ranked using their results, first points, then goal difference, then goals scored, and the best eight of those twelve also advance. This gives you 32 teams, this is where the knockout stage begins. This is a straight elimination bracket. The Round of 32 is effectively the first knockout round, where those 32 teams are paired and half of them are eliminated in one match. The 16 winners move on to the Round of 16, which works in the same way, reducing the field to eight teams for the quarter-finals. From there, the tournament narrows down to four teams in the semifinals, and finally two teams compete in the finals.

fifa world cup 2026 groups/fifa

Because of that additional round of 32, the teams that reach the final now play eight matches instead of seven, and the entire tournament stretches to 104 games. That extra match before the quarter-finals is a small structural change that has forced FIFA to rethink the way it deals with yellow cards.

What does a yellow card actually do, and what does “wipe” mean?

A yellow card is a formal warning given by the referee for foul or misconduct. A yellow card does not in itself suspend a player, but it remains on their record for the duration of the tournament. If a player accumulates two yellow cards in different matches, he is suspended for the next game. The phrase “wiping” or “wiping” yellow cards simply means that prior cautions are erased from the player’s total. Once a wipe occurs, the player effectively starts over with a clean slate, and any previous yellow cards no longer count toward the suspension. Without that reset, yellow cards will continue to stack over multiple rounds, making it easier for a player to reach that two-card limit over a longer period of matches.Must read: Everything needs to go right for Messi and Ronaldo to meet for the last time in the World Cup

what happened in the last world cup

In earlier editions of the World Cup, before 2010, yellow cards were reset after the group stage rather than the knockout round. This means that any booking made after the Round of 16 will continue for the rest of the tournament, increasing the risk of suspension in the knockout stage.Under those rules, a player who received two yellow cards in the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals would face a one-match suspension, even if it meant missing the final. There was no late-stage reset to protect the players, so a single caution in the semi-final could prove decisive if it followed an earlier booking.That system has led to some of the most painful moments in World Cup history. In the 2002 tournament, Michael Ballack had already been booked in the knockout stage, receiving his first yellow card in the round of 16 against Paraguay. When he drew another caution for a tactical foul on Lee Chun-soo in Germany’s semi-final against South Korea, the automatic suspension was triggered.

Swiss referee Urs Meier (right) gives a yellow card to Germany’s Michael Ballack (left) in the World Cup semi-final match against South Korea in Seoul on 25 June 2002. Ballack will miss the World Cup final due to suspension after picking up two yellow cards. Germany won 1–0 and will play in the World Cup final on June 30.

Germany lost 2–0 to Brazil in the final and Ballack, arguably their most influential midfielder, could only watch from the sidelines. His absence became one of the defining examples of how the old system could affect the biggest match, and it later contributed to FIFA making rule changes from 2010, when yellow cards began to be sanctioned after the quarter-finals to prevent similar situations. It’s the kind of scenario the system has always risked: a player missing the biggest match because of two warnings in different rounds.

Why doesn’t the old system fit into the new format?

The expansion to 48 teams introduces an additional knockout round, meaning more matches will be played before reaching the quarter-finals. Under the old rules, a player could now pick up two yellow cards in five matches, three in the group stage, again in the Round of 32 and the Round of 16, and be suspended before the tournament even reached the final stage. FIFA’s concerns, as reported athletic And bbc sportThis means that many players will book during the competition and miss out on key knockout matches as the accumulation window has become longer.

What changes in 2026, and how it works in practice

According to reports, to deal with this, FIFA is planning to introduce a second reset point. Yellow cards will now be erased at the end of the group stage and again after the quarter-finals. In simple words, the tournament has been divided into two different blocks for disciplinary purposes. Three group-stage matches form a block. If a player is booked twice within those three games, they will be suspended, but after the group stage ends, those yellow cards will be completely cleared. The knockout rounds from the round of 32 to the quarter-finals form the second block. A player who picks up two yellow cards in that sequence will also be suspended, but those bookings will be wiped out again after the quarter-finals. This shortens the window in which yellow cards can accumulate. Bookings in the group stage no longer take a player to the knockouts, and bookings at the start of the knockout stage no longer take a player to the semi-finals.

Why does FIFA believe this is more appropriate?

The principle has not changed, two yellow cards still lead to a suspension, but the context for counting those cards has been tightened to match the longer format. Instead of penalizing a player for cautions spread across an entire tournament, the system now focuses on smaller, more immediate sequences of matches. This reduces the chances of key players missing out on decisive knockout games while maintaining a clear disciplinary line. In a tournament that has grown in size, length and complexity, it is a small rule change, but it is designed to put the biggest matches on the pitch rather than being decided by players out of caution weeks in advance.

Fred Baer (Image via Getty)

Fred Bear caused chaos at the NFL Draft after coming on stage and trying to announce a fake pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 24-year-old YouTuber later shared the entire prank in a behind-the-scenes vlog, showing how he used fake credentials to enter a restricted area inside the Acrisure Stadium.The stunt immediately turned serious. Security barred him from the stage, police officers escorted him out, and the NFL banned him indefinitely from all league events. The letter made it clear that if he tried to attend an NFL game or event again, law enforcement would be called. Even with serious warnings, that strange night ended with two police officers asking her for photos.

Fred Baer stormed the NFL Draft stage and announced his fake Pittsburgh Steelers pick before being removed by security

In his YouTube vlog, Baer explained how he planned everything leading up to the draft. They printed fake media credentials and used them to gain access to a special backstage area where only authorized people were allowed.At one point between official draft selections, he calmly walked onto the stage with a microphone. He started off by saying he was announcing the “67th pick” for the Steelers. Before he could finish speaking properly, the production staff immediately cut off his microphone.This did not stop him. Standing at the front of the stage, he loudly shouted that the Steelers had selected “Luke Maxer”, which appeared to be a joke related to the popular “lookmaxing” phrase of the dominant clavicle.Security personnel immediately arrived and pulled him away from the stage. He was then taken aside, where an event official interrogated him directly.“Why did you think you could go there?” the officer asked. “Because I wanted Luke Maxer to be drafted by the Steelers,” Beare replied. The officer replied, “No, it doesn’t work.”Their fake certificates were taken away and police officers were called to handle the situation. Before he was given an official NFL letter regarding his punishment, two officials escorted him from the venue.“The ban is league-wide and will be strictly enforced,” the letter said. “If you are found at an NFL game or event, law enforcement will be called and you will be arrested.We sincerely hope that you will use this opportunity to reflect on your actions.” Despite the ban, the moment ended in an unexpected way. After escorting him outside, the two police officers asked Baer if they could take a photo with him, making the already strange night even more unforgettable.

A rare Roman calibration plate was unearthed in Nezamyslis and Kojetin during extensive rescue excavation work associated with the construction of the high-speed railway line. The Archaeological Center of Olomouc (ACO) is carrying out rescue excavations for the project. This exceptionally well-preserved artifact is believed to have been used to make wire through the wire-drawing technique. All excavation sites yielded over 1,000 archaeological features ranging from the Early Bronze Age to the Roman Imperial period. Experts predict that this unique tool will provide important insights into ancient manufacturing methods, as well as possibly explaining how Roman legionnaires made their famous chainmail. Current research is being conducted on the artefact at ACO to determine its metallurgical composition and learn about its connection to trade networks in areas outside the formal northern borders of the Roman Empire.

A rare 2,000-year-old Roman metallurgical tool uncovered that shows advanced technology

As for the local manufacture or repair of advanced military equipment such as chainmail in the area occupied by Germanic tribes, the important discovery of a special metal calibration plate from the dig site is of great importance in providing evidence of advanced Roman metalworking technology being transmitted or put into use outside the Empire, as noted. Archaeological Center Olomouc (ACO).

A multi-millennium record of the Hana River valley

ACO carried out rescue excavation of the area, which extended by more than 1.2 kilometers in length as a result of the construction upgrade of the Brno–Přerov railway line, especially the section of the high-speed railway line from Nezamyslice to Kojetin. In addition to Roman period tools, the site contained a large number of remains that demonstrated the history of human occupation in the Hana River valley for thousands of years, and evidence of the Vetsov and Urnfield cultures was discovered at the site. Archaeologists have also recorded a variety of historical features, including the remains of later houses, lime kilns, and several ritual sites.

Mapping economic networks through Bronze Age evidence

The Archaeological Center of Olomouc is now home to all the artefacts that have been recovered, including calibration plates, stone casting molds and crucibles. Due to the large number of objects, they are now being prepared for conservation and study. Experts are performing spectrometric analysis on calibration plates to look for traces of materials produced by the objects, which could help show that the object was used to make the wire. The researchers are also examining stone molds collected during this project and correlating them with local workshops to understand whether they were production centers for specialized bronze objects, thus creating a better understanding of how ancient communities engaged in larger economic and technological systems.

A California man posed as a US immigration officer to swindle huge sums of money from vulnerable immigrants. He pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges, NBC San Diego reports.David George Brand Jimenez, 55, admitted in a Los Angeles court this week that he impersonated a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent to defraud immigrants seeking legal status in the United States.Brand Jimenez targeted undocumented members of the Latino community, promising to help them secure work permits, legal residency and citizenship, and even green cards. Despite having no authority or ability to provide such services, they charged each victim between $10,000 and $20,000.According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), he pleaded guilty to charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, identity theft and illegal use of government seals, as well as 10 counts of falsely impersonating a federal official. Sentencing is scheduled for July 16, and he could face up to 117 years in prison, as well as a $4 million fine and more than $152,000 in compensation to at least 25 victims.Brand Jimenez not only claimed to be an ICE agent, but also misrepresented himself as a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official. In some cases, he told victims he was a “G-18” officer, a position that does not exist. He never filed valid immigration applications on behalf of his victims. Instead, he created fake documents using their names along with forged Homeland Security symbols to make his claims appear genuine. In one instance, he even presented a fabricated order withholding deportation to make a victim believe they would not be deported.Despite paying large fees in hopes of securing a better future, the scheme left dozens of victims penniless and without any legal immigration benefits. This case is one of several frauds targeting immigrant communities, particularly those seeking legal pathways to live and work in the United States.

A 21-year-old graduate, who spent almost £100,000 (about Rs 1 crore) on his UK education, says the job market is “broken” after applying for 500 jobs without securing a single offer.Khalid Sharif, who graduated top in his class in digital media technology from Kingston University near London in 2025, has received less than 20 interview calls so far and remains unemployed despite his academic performance. New York Post Informed.Sharif described the experience as “really stressful”, saying, “I graduated top of my class, but I didn’t get anything.”Sharif, who was born in Egypt and grew up in Qatar before moving to Britain at the age of 18, hoped studying in Britain would open up global career opportunities.Instead, he says he has been forced to expand his search beyond his field into sales and other roles that don’t interest him.

‘Flooded’ job market, less openness

He believes that the graduate job market is overly saturated. “The system is flooded with applicants,” he said, adding that companies are also hiring less due to cost pressures, post-pandemic uncertainty and increased use of AI tools.According to him, though he can easily get a job in a supermarket, he wants to work in the field for which he has studied.Despite securing interviews, Sharif says the results were disappointing. “They say I passed the first round, but I got rejected after the second round,” he said.In one instance, he passed several rounds at a multinational tech firm, only to be told that the graduate program had been scrapped.Visa confusion escalates conflictsSharif also believes that his international background may work against him. Although he lives in the UK through his mother and does not need work sponsorship, he says recruiters may think otherwise because of his education history in Qatar.“They probably think I need sponsorship and don’t read the entire application,” he said.

Freelancing, the startup route after struggling to find a job

Not finding full-time opportunities, Sharif has continued to work as a freelance videographer and photographer – skills he developed during college.Reflecting on his education, he admitted that most of his practical knowledge came from real-world experience rather than classroom learning. “To be honest, I didn’t learn much at university. Most of it was YouTube and volunteering,” he said.He now regrets not choosing filmmaking earlier, but says he put it off due to fear of limited job prospects.He said, “I wish I had done filmmaking, but I thought the opportunities would be limited.”

Launched a clothing brand

Sharif has now started her own clothing label, Zoque, which means “my style” in Arabic, combining her interests in fashion and photography.He says the experience has been discouraging but not so discouraging as to give up completely. “More opportunities have to be created,” he said, adding that many other graduates were facing similar struggles in the UK job market.

Details of every scenario that could ultimately bring Messi and Ronaldo together for one last meeting at the 2026 World Cup

For almost two decades, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have defined an era of football that spans leagues, continents and competitions, yet the one stage that has never brought them together in a competitive match is the FIFA World Cup. They have played each other only twice at international level, both in friendly matches in 2011 and 2014, and despite participating in every World Cup since 2006, Portugal and Argentina have never met each other in the tournament. This absence remains quietly in the background of their rivalry, and with 2026 expected to be the last World Cup for both, Ronaldo is 41 and Messi is close to 39, the prospect of one last meeting now depends on a very specific series of results, formats and routes aligning in a newly expanded tournament. Before getting into those scenarios, it helps to understand how this World Cup is actually structured, as the format itself makes these possibilities both more open and more complex.

How the 48-team World Cup actually works

The 2026 tournament, held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, is expanded from 32 to 48 teams, changing the entire tone of the competition. Instead of eight groups, there are now twelve groups, labeled Group A to Group L, and each group has four teams. Argentina have been drawn in Group J with Algeria, Austria and Jordan, while Portugal have been drawn in Group K with Colombia, Uzbekistan and DR Congo.

FIFA World Cup 2026 (via Getty Images)

The way forward from these twelve groups works in two layers. First, the direct part: the first and second placed teams in each group automatically qualify for the knockout stage. It includes 24 teams. After this comes the part which was not present in the last World Cup. All twelve third-placed teams throughout the tournament are compared on points, goal difference and goals scored, and the best eight of them also qualify. With this, the total number of teams reaching the knockout has become 32.

fifa world cup 2026 groups/fifa

From there, the tournament moves straight into an elimination bracket, starting with the Round of 32, then moving on to the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semi-finals, and finally the final. A team that advances all the way will now play eight matches instead of seven, reflecting the expanded structure, and the tournament will expand to 104 matches in total. This format makes sense because it creates multiple entry points into the knockout bracket, where a Ronaldo-Messi meeting becomes possible.

The weight of both the teams will remain till 2026

Argentina arrived as defending world champions after lifting the trophy at Qatar 2022, a moment that reshaped Messi’s international legacy after years of near-misses, including a World Cup final defeat and three Copa America final defeats before 2021 success. Since then, Argentina have captured another Copa America title and head into 2026 with continuity, depth and a team built around their captain. The story of Portugal has been different. Ronaldo, the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football with 143 goals, has won the European Championship and two UEFA Nations League titles, but the World Cup has remained out of his reach. Portugal’s best performance in the Ronaldo era came in 2006, when they reached the semi-finals, and since then they have twice been eliminated in the round of 16 in 2010 and 2018, exited the group stage in 2014, and reached the quarter-finals in 2022, where they were eliminated by Morocco, while Ronaldo was largely used as a substitute in the knockouts.

Messi and Ronaldo are set for a possible final World Cup in 2026, marking a potentially final chapter in football’s greatest-ever rivalry/ (Image via Getty)

Individually, Messi has played 26 World Cup matches and scored 13 goals, while Ronaldo has played 22 matches with eight goals, and both are expected to attend their sixth World Cup, with Messi yet to officially confirm his participation. All this context boils down to the simple fact that they are now in different groups, Argentina in Group J and Portugal in Group K, meaning any meeting can only take place after the knockout rounds begin.

Group stage expectations and prospects

Argentina are widely seen as strong favorites to top Group J, with projections placing their chances of finishing first at around 75% to 77%, reflecting both their status as defending champions and the relative balance of the group which also includes Austria, Algeria and Jordan. Austria is considered the primary challenger, with an estimated 20% to 22% chance of winning the group.

FILE – Argentina’s Lionel Messi lifts the trophy after winning the World Cup final football match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar on December 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

Portugal, drawn in Group K, are also expected to lead their group, featuring players like Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix along with Ronaldo. According to leading betting sites, Portugal are strong favorites to top the group at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with an implied probability of around 65% to 71%, although Colombia are seen as a real threat after a strong qualifying campaign in South America, led by Luis Diaz, James Rodriguez and Davinson Sanchez along with other key forwards such as John Córdoba, Jefferson Lerma and Richard Ríos. People have done it.

Portugal team pose starting eleven squad FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers Zona Européen / Image: X

Bracket Reality: Why They Can’t Meet Early

Because Argentina and Portugal were both top seeds in Pot 1 during the draw, FIFA structured the bracket so that teams from the same seeding pot were separated into different routes. In simple terms, this means they cannot meet in the group stage and are set aside up to a certain number of points in the knockout round, depending on how they finish. Their placement in Groups J and K also places them on intersecting sides of the bracket, which is why their meeting depends heavily on specific finishing conditions.

Scenario one: Both win their groups, quarter-final clash

If Argentina finishes first in Group J and Portugal finishes first in Group K, both teams will enter the knockout rounds on a route that brings them together in the quarterfinals in Kansas City on July 11, provided they win their Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches. In that scenario, Argentina’s journey would begin in the round of 32 against the runners-up of Group H, followed by a round of 16 tie against the winners emerging from the clash between the second-placed teams in Groups D and G. Conversely, Portugal will face one of the third-placed qualifying teams in their round of 32 match, before moving on to a round of 16 tie against the winner of the match involving the winner of Group B. Only if both successfully clear those two knockout rounds, the bracket aligns for a Ronaldo vs Messi clash in the quarterfinals.

Scenario two: Both finish in second place, preliminary round of 16 meeting

If both teams finish as runners-up in their respective groups, the structure brings them together much earlier, with a possible round of 16 clash at Arlington on 6 July, again assuming both win their opening knockout matches. In this situation, Argentina will face the winner of Group H in the Round of 32, while Portugal will face the runner-up of Group L, which includes teams like England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama. The main difference here is that finishing second compresses the timeline, creating a path where the meeting takes place exactly one round after the initial knockout stage.

Scenario Three: Split Position, Only the Last Remains

If one of the two teams wins its group while the other finishes second, the bracket separates them completely until the finals on July 19 in New Jersey. In that configuration, they are placed on opposite sides of the knockout draw, meaning they must advance through every round, round of 32, round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, without slipping for a meeting to occur. It is the longest and most demanding route, but also the one offering the most symbolic ending: a World Cup final between two players whose rivalry has defined an era.

Wildcard variable: third-place qualification

The expanded format introduces another layer of uncertainty through the best third-place teams. If Argentina or Portugal finish third, but still qualify among the top eight third-place teams, their exact position in the knockout bracket cannot be determined until all group matches are completed, as those rankings depend on points, goal difference and goals scored across all groups. This makes any Ronaldo-Messi meeting in that scenario unpredictable, as their paths will only become clear once the group stage is over.

Why does this World Cup feel different?

For all the permutations and routes, the underlying reality is simple. This is likely the last time the two players will share the World Cup stage, and the structure of the 48-team tournament makes it possible, but does not guarantee they will eventually meet. For this, Argentina will have to perform as expected, Portugal will have to advance in the competitive group and both teams will have to make it through at least one or two knockout rounds without making any mistakes depending on the route. Only then does the bracket open up in a way that allows the rivalry to reach the stage it has always missed.

A shocking new study suggests that it was not their brains that caused the extinction of Neanderthals. Scientists used to believe that Neanderthals had differences in terms of intelligence and cognitive abilities that resulted in their extinction, but current studies refute the old belief about the extinction of Neanderthals. The reasons may be related to other issues, such as climate change, interactions with other species, including Homo sapiens. Neanderthals, brain size, human evolution, extinction, cognitive abilities, Homo sapiens, archaeology, and paleoanthropology are some of the topics also covered in the new study.

Neanderthal brain size and cognitive ability reconsidered

For many years, Neanderthals were considered to have a lower level of intelligence than Homo sapiens, although Neanderthals had brains of similar size, if not larger. However, a new study questions the notion that larger brain size indicates better intelligence.Article ‘Neanderthal brain size at birth provides insight into the evolution of human life history‘Shows that although Neanderthals had larger brain sizes, there may have been differences in brain structure.As explained by the researchers in the article:“Brain size does not directly translate into cognitive ability; structure and society matter just as much.”Thus, Neanderthals were probably not less intelligent, but simply adapted differently.

New research on Neanderthal extinction factors

The old view that the extinction of Neanderthals was caused by their intellectually inadequate brains has gradually been replaced by more detailed scenarios. These scenarios now suggest both environmental and demographic factors as possible contributing factors.For example, as reported in a study by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America:“The relatively small and fragmented groups of Neanderthals increased their vulnerability to environmental changes and stochastic events.”Environmental instability during the late Pleistocene probably affected available food sources and habitats. Homo sapiens, on the other hand, may be characterized by a wide range of social interactions and strategies for survival.Furthermore, genetic evidence suggests interbreeding between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens.

Social networks and the role of adaptability

Another important difference may be in social organization. Anthropologists claim that Homo sapiens had more extensive and connected social systems, which facilitated communication and innovation.Prominent scientists and anthropologists said:“Not only intelligence, but also the way people communicate, cooperate and share information between groups matters.”Despite being very advanced, Neanderthals probably lived in small and isolated tribes, which prevented them from easily adapting to new environments like Homo sapiens.

What does this mean for evolutionists and further studies

Such findings change the way we look at human evolution. It’s certainly not just a case of “smart people displacing stupid Neanderthals”.Instead, Neanderthals appear to have been an intelligent and adaptable species with a culture. The extinction of the Neanderthals was probably caused by environmental pressure, low population resistance, and competition or even incorporation between Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens.A review in the journal Current Anthropology concludes:“Neanderthals did not fail cognitively. They went extinct as a result of a series of ecological and demographic contingencies.”This new evidence shows us how much has changed in the way we view Neanderthals. Their extinction was apparently not caused by any defect in their brain. Rather, Neanderthals became extinct due to a number of environmental and demographic factors.

A man who stabbed a British tourist to death in a regional Australian town has been found not criminally responsible due to mental illness. Royce Mallett, a 30-year-old father of two from County Durham, was attacked in the car park of a motel in Albury, New South Wales on July 8, 2024.Court proceedings heard that Mallett had just got into his car outside the Hume Inn when David Summers-Smith approached and, without saying a word, reached through the window and stabbed him once in the chest with a steak knife.Despite the efforts of bystanders and paramedics, Mallet died shortly after the attack.

Court found ‘act is proven but not criminally responsible’

During the trial, Summers-Smith pleaded not guilty on the grounds of mental infirmity. Justice Dina Yehia ruled that although she had committed the act, she could not be held criminally responsible because of her condition.In its decision, the court acknowledged that Summers-Smith, who suffers from schizophrenia, was experiencing a severe psychotic episode at the time and was unable to understand that her actions were wrong. The verdict was recorded as “conviction but not criminally responsible”.He has now been ordered to be held in a mental health facility indefinitely, with his situation subject to periodic review by the Mental Health Review Tribunal.

History of schizophrenia and substance use

The court heard the 29-year-old had a long history of schizophrenia, whose symptoms were not responding effectively to treatment. He was under a community treatment order at the time of the incident.Psychiatrists testified that he was experiencing delusions and paranoia and was not aware of his illness. In the lead up to the attack, he was also self-medicating with crystal methamphetamine (“ice”) and cannabis, which may have worsened his mental condition.

Family grief and unanswered questions

Victim impact statements highlighted the devastating impact Mallet had on the family. His partner, Caitlin O’Keeffe, said she was now faced with raising their two children alone, adding that the loss would “impact every moment of the future they were supposed to be a part of.”Mallet’s father described losing not only a son but also his “best friend”, saying he now struggled to find joy or inspiration in daily life.The family also questioned how Summers-Smith was allowed to live in the community given her treatment-resistant schizophrenia.Summers-Smith will remain in secure psychiatric care, with officers monitoring him for any signs of improvement. The tribunal has the power to modify his custody order depending on the progress of his mental health.Justice Yehia said that a single act of violence was “devastating and tragic” that would have lasting consequences for all involved.