Global Pulse

作者： admin

  • Senegal introduces legislation to boost minimum sentence for homosexuality to 5 years

    Senegal introduces legislation to boost minimum sentence for homosexuality to 5 years

    LAGOS, Nigeria — The Senegalese government, led by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, has initiated a significant legislative push to intensify penalties for same-sex relations. On Tuesday, Sonko presented a bill to parliament that proposes increasing the minimum prison sentence for homosexuality from one year to at least five years.

    The proposed legislation aims to expand the legal definition of ‘unnatural acts,’ reinforcing a law that has criminalized homosexuality since the nation gained independence from France in 1960. However, the government has opted not to reclassify the offense from its current status as a misdemeanor to a more serious felony. Prime Minister Sonko defended this decision, stating, ‘We can achieve the intended objectives without going so far as to elevate the acts.’

    This legislative action aligns with a key promise from Sonko’s political campaign and arrives amidst reports from domestic human rights organizations of a worsening climate for the LGBTQ community. These groups report a concerning escalation in arrests, with at least a dozen individuals detained in recent weeks on allegations of homosexuality, a trend they say has been ongoing since 2018.

    The bill’s passage now rests with the National Assembly, where Sonko’s ruling PASTEF party holds a majority, signaling a high likelihood of the law being enacted and marking a further tightening of restrictions in the conservative West African nation.

  • Drone strike in eastern Congo kills senior rebel official, escalating tensions

    Drone strike in eastern Congo kills senior rebel official, escalating tensions

    A senior spokesperson for the Rwanda-supported M23 rebel faction operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has been confirmed killed in a drone strike, according to anonymous sources from both the United Nations and local human rights organizations. The incident occurred near the mining town of Rubaya in North Kivu province during predawn hours on Tuesday.

    Willy Ngoma, recognized as a key operational figure within the M23 leadership structure, was targeted in an attack that struck a known rebel enclave. The strike represents a significant escalation in regional hostilities following the collapse of recent peace negotiations. Both the UN official and rights coordinator provided information under strict anonymity due to legitimate security concerns for their personal safety.

    This development occurs against the backdrop of intensified fighting between Congolese armed forces, supported by Wazalendo militia groups, and the M23 insurgents. The conflict, which spans decades, entered a particularly violent phase in January 2022 when rebels achieved unprecedented territorial gains, including advances toward the strategic cities of Goma and Bukavu.

    While responsibility for the drone strike remains unclaimed, the attack underscores the deteriorating security situation despite diplomatic interventions from international mediators including the United States and Qatar. Both conflicting parties have exchanged accusations regarding violations of previously established ceasefire agreements facilitated by foreign and regional partners.

  • China sees 2.8b cross-regional trips during Spring Festival holiday

    China sees 2.8b cross-regional trips during Spring Festival holiday

    China witnessed an unprecedented movement of people during the recent Spring Festival period, with official data revealing over 2.8 billion cross-regional journeys made throughout the holiday season. This staggering figure represents a new historical benchmark for travel volume during China’s most important traditional celebration, underscoring the massive scale of human mobility that characterizes the annual Lunar New Year migration.

    The Spring Festival travel rush, known as ‘Chunyun,’ typically triggers the largest annual human migration globally as millions journey to reunite with families. The 2026 period demonstrated remarkable resilience in travel demand despite various economic and logistical challenges. Transportation networks nationwide operated at near capacity to accommodate the enormous flow of passengers moving between cities and provinces.

    Concurrent reports indicated China’s railway system alone handled approximately 121 million passenger trips during the same period, while nearly 17.8 million cross-border journeys were recorded. The extensive travel activity reflects both recovering economic vitality and the enduring cultural significance of family reunification during traditional holidays. Accompanying visual documentation from Guangzhou showed heavily utilized expressway networks managing substantial vehicle flows during the peak travel period.

  • Severe floods in southeast Brazil kill at least 25 and force hundreds to evacuate

    Severe floods in southeast Brazil kill at least 25 and force hundreds to evacuate

    SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL — Catastrophic flooding has struck the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, resulting in at least 25 confirmed fatalities and leaving 43 individuals unaccounted for, according to official statements released Tuesday. Meteorological authorities have issued warnings of additional rainfall expected to batter the region in the coming days, exacerbating an already critical situation.

    The devastating downpours commenced on Monday, primarily affecting the municipalities of Juiz de Fora and Uba, located approximately 310 kilometers north of Rio de Janeiro. The unprecedented rainfall volume, which local officials reported as double the anticipated February precipitation, triggered massive evacuations with approximately 440 residents forced to abandon their homes amid rapidly rising waters.

    Rescue operations led by Minas Gerais’ fire department are underway, though responders anticipate a protracted and meticulous search process. Firefighter Demetrius Bastos Goulart, 47, emphasized the challenges: “The enormous volume of mud from landslides requires extremely precise operations to avoid endangering potential survivors.”

    Urban infrastructure has been severely compromised, with viral footage from emergency services showing thoroughfares completely submerged and a local river dramatically diverting from its natural course. Authorities have urgently cautioned residents to avoid areas susceptible to additional mudslides.

    President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has publicly confirmed the deployment of security forces to assist with rescue missions and provide immediate aid to affected communities. The crisis response is further complicated by geographical factors, as Brazil’s meteorology institute Inmet noted the region’s proximity to hills, valleys, and slopes increases vulnerability to additional rainfall impacts.

    With Juiz de Fora’s population of 560,000 and neighboring Uba’s 107,000 residents facing ongoing threats, regional officials continue to monitor the situation closely as weather patterns show no immediate signs of improvement.

  • Trump considers new national security tariffs after Supreme Court ruling, WSJ reports

    Trump considers new national security tariffs after Supreme Court ruling, WSJ reports

    The Trump administration is actively developing a new series of national security tariffs targeting multiple strategic industries, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Monday. This initiative comes directly in response to last week’s Supreme Court decision that invalidated substantial portions of the President’s second-term tariff program.

    The proposed tariffs would be implemented under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which authorizes the imposition of trade barriers based on national security considerations. These measures would represent a separate initiative from the comprehensive 15% global tariff that President Trump announced over the weekend.

    Industry sources familiar with the administration’s planning indicate the new national security tariffs would potentially affect six key sectors: large-scale battery production, cast iron and iron fittings manufacturing, plastic piping systems, industrial chemical production, and critical power grid and telecommunications equipment.

    The Supreme Court’s recent ruling specifically struck down Trump’s previously established tariffs that had been pursued under legislation intended for national emergency situations. In immediate reaction to this judicial setback, the President imposed an interim 10% tariff on all U.S. imports, with plans to increase this blanket tariff to 15% in the near future.

    Neither the White House nor relevant administrative officials have provided official confirmation or commentary regarding these reported tariff plans. Reuters news agency noted that their requests for confirmation remained unanswered at the time of reporting.

  • Jailed Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan gets eye treatment, is clinically stable: Hospital

    Jailed Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan gets eye treatment, is clinically stable: Hospital

    Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan underwent specialized eye treatment at Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, while remaining imprisoned on corruption charges. The hospital confirmed Khan received his second dose of eye injections and described his condition as “clinically stable.” This development occurs amidst growing international concern regarding the 73-year-old former cricket star’s deteriorating eyesight, with his legal team reporting he has lost approximately 85% of vision in his right eye.

    Khan’s press adviser, Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari, immediately raised objections regarding medical access, stating authorities continued to deny visitation rights to Khan’s personal physician and family members. These concerns were amplified last week when more than a dozen international cricket captains jointly appealed to the Pakistani government to ensure adequate medical treatment for the former premier.

    The political context remains deeply contentious. Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 until his removal via no-confidence vote in 2022, has been incarcerated since 2023. He and his wife were subsequently sentenced to 17 years imprisonment on corruption allegations that both vehemently deny. Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, maintains all legal proceedings represent politically motivated persecution orchestrated by the current administration and Pakistan’s powerful military establishment.

    Khan’s son, Kasim Khan, publicly accused authorities of “medical neglect” during his father’s confinement, asserting via social media platform X that “the responsibility lies squarely with the regime in power, the Army Chief and the puppets enabling this cruelty.” Khan’s initial arrest in May 2023 triggered widespread civil unrest throughout Pakistan, with demonstrations frequently turning violent and resulting in hundreds of arrests.

    The former leader’s health crisis has transformed into both a medical and diplomatic issue, drawing attention from international sports figures and human rights observers who question prison conditions and judicial fairness in Pakistan’s ongoing political turmoil.

  • Nancy Guthrie’s family offers $1m reward to bring home missing mother

    Nancy Guthrie’s family offers $1m reward to bring home missing mother

    In a deeply emotional public appeal, NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie has dramatically increased the reward to $1 million for information leading to the safe return of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, who vanished from her Tucson, Arizona home under suspicious circumstances on February 1st.

    The television journalist, fighting back tears in an Instagram video posted Tuesday, revealed the substantial financial incentive while expressing both hope and resignation about her mother’s fate. ‘We still believe in a miracle, we still believe that she can come home – hope against hope,’ Guthrie stated, while acknowledging the painful possibility that her mother ‘may already be gone.’

    The case, now entering its fourth week, has been classified by the Pima County Sheriff’s Office as a probable abduction, with authorities believing Nancy was ‘taken from the home against her will, possibly in the middle of the night.’ The investigation has generated approximately 40,000 public tips but remains frustratingly unresolved.

    Law enforcement has identified a prime suspect captured on Nancy’s Nest doorbell camera, with CBS News reporting this same individual had appeared at her doorstep on a previous occasion. Despite finding a glove similar to one worn by the suspect near the residence, DNA analysis failed to produce matches in FBI databases.

    In addition to the family’s reward, Guthrie announced a $500,000 donation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The FBI’s Phoenix office has reiterated its call for anyone with ‘firsthand knowledge’ to contact their tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

    Sheriff Chris Nanos has explicitly ruled out all Guthrie family members as suspects, emphasizing that suggestions otherwise are ‘not only wrong, it is cruel.’ The reward previously stood at $200,000 before the family’s substantial increase, reflecting their growing desperation as the search continues without resolution.

  • Brazil court tries politicians over hit on Black councilwoman

    Brazil court tries politicians over hit on Black councilwoman

    Brazil’s Supreme Court has commenced a historic trial examining the alleged political conspiracy behind the 2018 assassination of Rio de Janeiro councilwoman Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes. The proceedings target former federal lawmaker Chiquinho Brazao and his brother Domingos Brazao, a former state legislator, who stand accused of orchestrating the murder that exposed deep-seated connections between political figures and organized crime networks in Rio.

    Marielle Franco, a 38-year-old Black, lesbian activist raised in one of Rio’s favelas, had gained national prominence as an outspoken critic of police brutality and powerful militia groups controlling vast portions of the city. Her political activism directly challenged illegal land seizure operations that these paramilitary organizations profit from.

    The prosecution contends the Brazao brothers ordered the hit in retaliation for Franco’s opposition to legislative measures that would have legitimized illegally occupied territories under militia control. Two former military police officers who carried out the execution have already received substantial prison sentences in 2024.

    Notably, the trial also includes Rivaldo Barbosa, the initial lead investigator accused of deliberately sabotaging the investigation to ensure the perpetrators’ impunity. A former military police officer and an ex-advisor to Domingos Brazao face additional charges.

    The courtroom proceedings commenced under the supervision of Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who recently presided over the conviction of former president Jair Bolsonaro for coup plotting. Moraes emphasized that the prosecution’s case extends beyond the plea agreement with shooter Ronnie Lessa, noting “multiple evidentiary elements, depositions, and documents” corroborate the conspiracy allegations.

    The Brazao brothers maintain their innocence and have contested the validity of Lessa’s testimony, in which the convicted shooter claimed he was “blinded” and “driven crazy” by the promise of a million-dollar payment for the assassination.

    Present during the emotionally charged opening were Franco’s sister Anielle Franco, currently serving as Brazil’s Minister of Racial Equality, and widow Monica Benicio, who recently warned that the “criminal ecosystem that killed Marielle continues to operate and extend its tentacles.”

  • Trump denies top US officer warned of Iran strike risks

    Trump denies top US officer warned of Iran strike risks

    President Donald Trump has publicly disputed media reports suggesting that top U.S. military officials expressed reservations about potential military action against Iran. On his Truth Social platform, Trump declared it “100 percent incorrect” that General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had opposed military engagement with Tehran.

    Multiple news organizations, including The Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, had reported that General Caine raised significant concerns during White House and Pentagon discussions about the risks associated with striking Iran. These concerns reportedly included munition shortages, inadequate allied support, potential U.S. and allied casualties, and the depletion of U.S. air defense systems. The Axios news outlet further indicated that Caine warned against the United States “becoming entangled in a prolonged conflict.”

    Despite these reported cautions, Trump asserted that General Caine “only knows one thing: how to WIN” and would lead effectively if commanded to engage Iran militarily. The president emphasized his sole authority in making such decisions, stating he would prefer a diplomatic resolution but warning that without a deal, “it will be a very bad day for that country and, very sadly, its people.”

    The context for these developments includes Trump’s previous order to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities last year and his repeated threats of further military action if ongoing negotiations fail to produce a replacement for the 2018 nuclear deal that he abandoned during his first term. Washington has significantly bolstered its military presence in the Middle East with two aircraft carriers, over a dozen additional ships, and numerous warplanes deployed to the region.

    Diplomatic efforts continue despite the heightened tensions, with a U.S. official confirming that the next round of talks with Tehran is scheduled for Thursday.

  • Priced at over Dh78,000: How was the rare bisht worn by Cristiano Ronaldo made

    Priced at over Dh78,000: How was the rare bisht worn by Cristiano Ronaldo made

    In a powerful fusion of sports and cultural heritage, football icon Cristiano Ronaldo donned an exceptionally rare Saudi bisht valued at over Dh78,000 following Al Nassr FC’s decisive 4-0 victory against Al Hazem on February 21. This sartorial choice carried profound significance, coinciding with Saudi Arabia’s Founding Day celebrations and serving as a tribute to the Kingdom’s rich traditions.

    The garment in question, known as the Al-Ahsa ‘Al-Ma’allama,’ represents the pinnacle of Saudi artisan craftsmanship. Unlike ordinary bishts—traditional cloaks commonly worn across the Gulf region—this particular piece required approximately 30 days of meticulous handcrafting by nine skilled artisans, including the mother of tailor Ali Al Ghawas, who recently detailed the production process in an interview with Al Arabiya.

    What distinguishes the Al-Ma’allama bisht is its exquisite embroidery using gold or silver threads, particularly on the chest and shoulders, blending classical aesthetics with luxurious materials such as natural wool or silk blends. This garment transcends mere clothing; it embodies centuries of cultural heritage and is traditionally reserved for dignitaries during national occasions, symbolizing honor and elegance.

    Ronaldo’s adoption of this attire is not without precedent. The Portuguese superstar, who joined Al Nassr in January 2023, previously wore traditional Saudi clothing during the 2023 Founding Day celebrations, demonstrating his respect for local customs. His latest gesture has amplified global interest in Saudi craftsmanship amid the kingdom’s growing influence in international sports, including its upcoming hosting of the 2034 World Cup.

    The rarity of such bishts stems from their limited commercial availability, reliance on generational craftsmanship techniques, and their significant social value as cultural artifacts. As Ronaldo continues to integrate into Saudi society, his fashion choices have become symbolic bridges between international sports stardom and regional cultural preservation.