Global Pulse

作者： admin

  • Near-zero visibility: UAE residents to face monster fog all this week

    Near-zero visibility: UAE residents to face monster fog all this week

    The United Arab Emirates is currently experiencing a prolonged period of intense fog conditions that have significantly reduced visibility across multiple emirates, creating substantial disruptions to daily life and transportation networks. Meteorological experts indicate this weather pattern will persist throughout the week before gradual improvement begins in early March.

    On Tuesday morning, Dubai residents awoke to severely obscured skylines as thick fog settled over large sections of the emirate. The phenomenon resulted in dramatically reduced visibility that severely impacted road conditions during peak commuting hours. Major highways witnessed vehicles moving at exceptionally slow speeds, while school transportation and office commuters faced considerable delays. Similar challenging conditions were reported throughout Sharjah, with motorists describing the experience as navigating through dense cloud formations.

    The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has identified the specific atmospheric conditions responsible for this persistent fog formation. According to Dr. Ahmed Habib, meteorologist at the NCM, the combination of exceptionally calm wind patterns and a stable high-pressure system affecting both surface and upper atmospheric layers has created optimal circumstances for fog development. These conditions have resulted in cooler surface temperatures that, when combined with existing humidity, generate the thick fog banks currently affecting the region.

    Meteorological projections indicate the fog will continue beyond Wednesday, with particularly dense formations expected in interior regions including Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Dubai. Residents in affected areas should anticipate continued transportation disruptions during morning hours, requiring additional travel time and heightened road safety precautions.

    Weather patterns are forecast to undergo modification later this week, beginning with anticipated cloud formation on February 26th. While fog conditions may persist, meteorological models suggest reduced frequency compared to current levels. Afternoon periods may present alternative challenges as northwesterly winds are predicted to create potentially rough sea conditions. These strengthening winds are expected to gradually diminish fog formation likelihood.

    Dr. Habib emphasized that such weather patterns represent typical seasonal transition phenomena common during this period. The UAE’s winter season traditionally continues until March 21st, with fog episodes frequently occurring during periods of atmospheric stability. Temperature fluctuations are expected throughout the week, with gradual warming projected from March 1st onward following a brief temperature decrease expected on February 27th due to returning northwesterly winds.

  • Sudan’s Hemedti closely linked to Dubai property portfolio

    Sudan’s Hemedti closely linked to Dubai property portfolio

    A comprehensive investigation has uncovered substantial Dubai real estate holdings valued at approximately $1.7 million connected to Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the commander of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group. The findings, documented in a recent report from investigative organization The Sentry, reveal a complex network of property transactions and corporate entities that allegedly serve to conceal the assets of the Sudanese military leader known as Hemedti.

    The investigation identifies three residential apartments in Dubai’s eastern suburbs, purchased by Hemedti in March 2020 near the UAE’s al-Minhad military air base, along with commercial property in the emirate. Although initially acquired under his personal name, these assets were subsequently transferred in July 2022 to Prodigious Real Estate Management Supervision Services, a UAE-registered entity.

    Prodigious is wholly owned by Abo Zer Abdelnabi Habiballa Ahmmed (also known as Abozer Habib), whom the US Treasury sanctioned in 2025 as owner of the Capital Tap group. This conglomerate has longstanding connections to the RSF, with constituent companies allegedly providing financial and military equipment to the paramilitary force.

    The report estimates the three Dubai properties associated with Hemedti at nearly $1 million, while Prodigious maintains additional commercial holdings worth approximately $670,000. Between 2023 and 2025, these properties generated minimum annual rental income of $80,000 from tenants unaware of their landlords’ connections to the Sudanese conflict.

    The investigation utilized leaked Dubai property records from 2020 and 2022 obtained by the Centre for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS), with verification support from the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).

    These findings emerge amid mounting evidence of substantial ties between the UAE and the RSF, despite official denials from Abu Dhabi. The relationship predates Sudan’s April 2023 conflict, with Hemedti previously acknowledging that Sudan provided 30,000 fighters—primarily from RSF ranks—to support the UAE and Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

    The report further details a sophisticated gold smuggling operation from RSF-controlled territories in Sudan’s Darfur region to UAE markets through multiple transit routes. Companies including US-sanctioned Al-Junaid, along with UAE-based Glow Gold and AZ Gold, facilitate this trade that international statistics indicate has recently experienced a ‘massive surge’ through Kenya.

    Hemedti’s corporate empire reportedly extends beyond real estate and gold to include livestock, construction, tourism, and banking sectors, with previous connections to multinational companies such as UAE-based Tradive General Trading and Aoun Commercial Brokers.

  • Trump, Zelensky speak before Ukraine-US talks in Geneva

    Trump, Zelensky speak before Ukraine-US talks in Geneva

    In a significant diplomatic development preceding crucial peace talks, former U.S. President Donald Trump engaged in a substantive telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The discussion, lasting approximately thirty minutes according to Ukrainian presidential advisor Dmytro Lytvyn, focused on coordinating strategies for upcoming multilateral negotiations aimed at resolving the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict.

    President Zelensky publicly acknowledged the exchange via social media, expressing gratitude for Trump’s ‘active involvement’ in peace efforts and recognizing contributions from Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who participated in the call. The dialogue specifically addressed agenda items for the bilateral meeting between Ukrainian lead negotiator Rustem Umerov and Trump’s representatives scheduled for Geneva, alongside preparations for comprehensive trilateral negotiations with Russia anticipated in early March.

    The Geneva discussions represent the latest iteration of Trump-mediated diplomacy that has thus far yielded limited progress in ending Europe’s most devastating military confrontation since World War II. The conflict, ignited by Russia’s full-scale invasion four years prior, has resulted in catastrophic human casualties and widespread territorial destruction across eastern and southern Ukraine.

    Central to the diplomatic impasse remains the disputed status of Donbas, with Russia demanding complete control over Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region under threat of military escalation. Ukraine maintains its refusal to concede territorial sovereignty while insisting on robust international security guarantees to prevent future aggression. Both leaders expressed support for elevating negotiations to the head-of-state level, with Zelensky reiterating that direct engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin remains essential for resolving the conflict’s most complex issues.

  • Antonio Tejero, former Spanish lieutenant colonel who led failed military coup, dies at 93

    Antonio Tejero, former Spanish lieutenant colonel who led failed military coup, dies at 93

    MADRID — Antonio Tejero, the former Spanish lieutenant colonel whose audacious 1981 parliamentary seizure became the most dramatic challenge to Spain’s democratic transition, passed away Wednesday evening at age 93. His death in Alzira, eastern Spain, was confirmed by his family’s legal representatives at A. Cañizares Abogados, who noted he died peacefully surrounded by family after receiving last rites.

    In a remarkable historical coincidence, Tejero’s demise occurred on the very day Spain’s government released previously classified documents pertaining to the February 23, 1981 coup attempt. The former military officer had led approximately 200 armed civil guards in storming the Spanish Congress of Deputies during a pivotal parliamentary session to install Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo as prime minister.

    The attempted takeover, characterized by Tejero’s iconic patent leather tricorn hat and pistol-waving commands of “Everyone, freeze!”, represented the final serious effort to reverse Spain’s democratic evolution following General Francisco Franco’s 1975 death. Television cameras captured unforgettable scenes of officers firing weapons and lawmakers sheltering beneath parliamentary benches during the 18-hour siege.

    The coup ultimately collapsed after King Juan Carlos I delivered a televised address denouncing the rebellion and urging military loyalty to Spain’s nascent constitution. Tejero subsequently served nearly 16 years of a 30-year sentence for military rebellion before dividing his later years between Málaga and Madrid.

    Despite his incarceration, the imagery of Tejero’s parliamentary invasion remains indelibly etched in Spain’s collective consciousness, symbolizing both the fragility of young democracies and their ultimate resilience against authoritarian threats.

  • Pelé’s 1966 World Cup jacket draws new fans after Bad Bunny wears it at concerts in Brazil

    Pelé’s 1966 World Cup jacket draws new fans after Bad Bunny wears it at concerts in Brazil

    SAO PAULO — A historic piece of football memorabilia has unexpectedly become the centerpiece of a cross-cultural tribute in Brazil. Pop icon Bad Bunny, during his inaugural performances on Brazilian soil, incorporated a jacket once worn by football legend Pelé during the 1966 World Cup into his concert wardrobe.

  • Indian students in Iran seek help as March exams prevent return amid tensions

    Indian students in Iran seek help as March exams prevent return amid tensions

    Hundreds of Indian medical students pursuing education in Iranian universities find themselves caught between academic obligations and safety concerns as regional tensions persist. Primarily hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, these scholars report mounting anxiety as their crucial March examinations approach without postponement announcements from academic institutions.

    The academic impasse presents students with a difficult choice: either remain in Iran to complete their examinations or return home and potentially sacrifice an entire academic year. Despite operational flight services, uncertainty regarding the evolving geopolitical landscape has created significant distress among both students and their families back in India.

    The All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) has formally intervened by petitioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration for diplomatic assistance. The association specifically requests government engagement with Iranian authorities and educational institutions to negotiate examination postponements, thereby enabling concerned students to return home without academic penalty.

    Bilal Bhat, a medical student currently in Iran, conveyed via digital communication that while daily life continues normally, the underlying tension has substantially increased anxiety levels. ‘We want to return home since our families are naturally concerned,’ Bhat stated. ‘However, without exam postponement clarity, we risk compromising our entire academic progress.’

    Another student, identified as Musafid, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the community’s dual focus on safety and educational continuity. Mohammad Momin Khan, President of J&K AIMSA, clarified that students seek diplomatic mediation rather than immediate evacuation, hoping for academic schedule adjustments that account for the current exceptional circumstances.

    Families across India maintain vigilant observation of developments, hoping for resolution that ensures both student safety and educational preservation. The student community remains in a cautious waiting pattern, balancing academic responsibilities against growing safety apprehensions.

  • Cuba says four shot dead on US-registered speedboat

    Cuba says four shot dead on US-registered speedboat

    A lethal maritime confrontation has resulted in four fatalities after Cuban border guards intercepted a US-registered speedboat in contested waters. The incident occurred Wednesday morning near Cayo Falcones, an island within Cuba’s Villa Clara province on its northern coastline.

    According to an official statement released by Cuba’s Interior Ministry through diplomatic channels, the Florida-registered vessel (FL7726SH) was detected operating within Cuban territorial waters. When a coast guard patrol boat carrying five personnel approached for standard identification procedures, the suspected vessel allegedly initiated fire against Cuban authorities.

    The exchange of gunfire resulted in critical injuries to the Cuban vessel commander and culminated in four casualties among the speedboat’s occupants. Six additional individuals sustained injuries during the armed confrontation. Cuban authorities confirmed that medical evacuation and treatment were provided to all injured parties despite the hostile nature of the incident.

    The national identities and specific objectives of the vessel’s passengers remain undetermined pending formal investigation. The Cuban government has emphasized its commitment to conducting thorough investigations to establish the precise circumstances surrounding this violent encounter.

    This maritime clash occurs during a period of heightened diplomatic strain between Washington and Havana. The Trump administration’s intensified pressure campaign against Cuba includes restricting Venezuelan oil shipments to the island nation, exacerbating existing fuel shortages. Cuban officials explicitly referenced these tensions in their statement, reaffirming the nation’s determination to protect its maritime sovereignty against external challenges.

    The incident coincides with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s diplomatic mission to Saint Kitts and Nevis, where discussions concerning regional policy toward Cuba feature prominently on the agenda. The White House and State Department have not yet issued official responses to requests for commentary regarding this developing situation.

  • Cuba coastguard kills 4 on Florida-registered boat

    Cuba coastguard kills 4 on Florida-registered boat

    A fatal maritime confrontation erupted between Cuban authorities and a US-registered vessel on Wednesday, resulting in four fatalities and six injuries. According to an official statement from Havana’s Interior Ministry, the incident occurred when Cuban coastguard vessels detected the Florida-registered speedboat operating illegally approximately one nautical mile from Falcones Cay in Villa Clara province.

    Cuban officials reported that their patrol boat initiated standard interception procedures to identify the suspicious vessel when crew members aboard the American boat opened fire. The exchange of gunfire resulted in injuries to the Cuban vessel’s commander, prompting retaliatory measures from the coastguard.

    “Following the armed clash, preliminary reports indicate four aggressors were killed and six others sustained injuries,” the ministry’s statement confirmed. All wounded individuals received immediate medical evacuation and treatment according to official accounts. The ministry reiterated Cuba’s unwavering commitment to protecting its territorial waters against unauthorized incursions.

    This lethal encounter occurs amid increasingly strained relations between the United States and the communist island nation, separated by merely 100 miles of ocean at the nearest point. The incident coincides with recent adjustments to US sanctions policy regarding Cuban oil imports.

    The Trump administration had imposed stringent restrictions on Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba in January following the US-backed opposition movement against Nicolas Maduro, Cuba’s primary regional ally and oil supplier. Prior to these sanctions, Venezuela had supplied approximately half of Cuba’s fuel requirements.

    Facing diplomatic pressure from Caribbean leaders concerned about potential economic collapse in Cuba, Washington recently announced exemptions permitting limited Venezuelan oil shipments for “commercial and humanitarian purposes.” This geopolitical context adds complexity to the already tense bilateral relationship between the neighboring nations.

  • Politician brothers convicted in Brazil for ordering murder of prominent councillor

    Politician brothers convicted in Brazil for ordering murder of prominent councillor

    In a landmark ruling that exposes deep connections between political power and organized crime in Brazil, the nation’s Supreme Court has unanimously convicted two prominent politicians for orchestrating the 2018 assassination of Rio de Janeiro councilwoman and human rights activist Marielle Franco. Brothers Domingos Inácio Brazão and João Francisco Inácio Brazão each received sentences exceeding 76 years imprisonment for commissioning the drive-by shooting that killed Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes.

    The verdict culminates an eight-year judicial battle that revealed how Franco’s activism threatened criminal enterprises operating with political protection. As an emerging leader in Brazil’s Socialist Party and a prominent voice for marginalized communities, the 38-year-old black, gay councilwoman had been opposing housing developments in impoverished neighborhoods that served as revenue sources for militia groups.

    Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes delivered a scathing assessment during sentencing, declaring the Brazão brothers weren’t merely connected to paramilitary forces but essentially ‘were the militia.’ The case has exposed alarming collusion between elected officials and criminal organizations in Brazil’s political landscape.

    Justice Carmen Lúcia, the court’s sole female member, expressed profound emotional distress over the proceedings, questioning how many more ‘Marielles’ Brazil would allow to be murdered. The comment underscored the case’s significance in addressing political violence targeting women and racial minorities.

    The conviction follows earlier sentencing of two former police officers directly involved in the shooting. Ronnie Lessa, who confessed to firing the fatal shots, received 78 years and nine months, while Élcio de Queiroz, who drove the assault vehicle, was sentenced to 59 years and eight months. Their plea bargain agreements ultimately identified the Brazão brothers as the intellectual authors of the crime.

    Anielle Franco, Marielle’s sister who now serves as Brazil’s Minister of Racial Equality, attended the verdict and subsequently praised the judicial system on social media for ‘honoring the memory of Marielle and Anderson.’ She characterized the ruling as inaugurating ‘a new historic chapter in confronting political violence based on gender and race’ and emphasized that ‘impunity cannot be part of our democracy.’

    The assassination had triggered massive nationwide protests in 2018, transforming Franco into a symbol of resistance against political corruption and violence targeting human rights defenders. This verdict represents the most significant accountability measure against politically-motivated violence in Brazil’s recent history.

  • Magnitude 5.5 earthquake hits Afghanistan-Tajikistan border

    Magnitude 5.5 earthquake hits Afghanistan-Tajikistan border

    A notable seismic event registering 5.5 magnitude on the Richter scale occurred along the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region on Wednesday, according to data from the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). The substantial tremor originated at a considerable depth of approximately 90 kilometers (56 miles) beneath the Earth’s surface, which typically reduces surface impact while potentially widening the geographical area that experiences the quake. The remote, mountainous terrain where the seismic activity was centered presents significant challenges for immediate damage assessment and emergency response coordination. Earthquakes are relatively common in this seismically active region where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates converge, creating complex geological pressures that periodically release through such events. International seismic monitoring networks continue to track aftershock potential while regional authorities remain on alert for possible infrastructure damage or humanitarian needs in the affected border communities. The depth of this particular quake may have mitigated more severe surface destruction that typically accompanies shallower seismic events of similar magnitude.