Global Pulse

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  • Secretary of Iran’s top security body says to visit Oman on Feb 10

    Secretary of Iran’s top security body says to visit Oman on Feb 10

    In a significant diplomatic development, Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, announced plans to lead a high-level delegation to Oman on February 10th. The visit comes amid ongoing mediation efforts by the Gulf sultanate between Tehran and Washington regarding nuclear negotiations.

    According to an official statement released through Larijani’s Telegram channel on Monday, the Iranian delegation will engage in comprehensive discussions with Omani senior officials covering the latest regional and international developments alongside bilateral cooperation across multiple domains. This diplomatic initiative follows the recent resumption of US-Iran dialogue in Oman last Friday—the first such engagement since the 12-day military confrontation between Iran and Israel in June last year, which saw limited participation from American forces.

    The timing of Larijani’s visit underscores Oman’s continuing role as a crucial diplomatic intermediary in one of the world’s most volatile geopolitical relationships. The Gulf state has historically facilitated backchannel communications between Tehran and Western powers, particularly regarding Iran’s nuclear program and regional security concerns.

    This diplomatic movement occurs against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions and reflects ongoing efforts to establish frameworks for de-escalation and mutual understanding. The agenda is expected to address not only bilateral cooperation but also broader security architecture in the Middle East, where both nations maintain significant strategic interests.

  • UAE leads region in industrial exports in 2025, says Sheikh Mohammed

    UAE leads region in industrial exports in 2025, says Sheikh Mohammed

    The United Arab Emirates has achieved a landmark position as the Middle East’s foremost industrial exporter, according to official 2025 data announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. The nation’s industrial sector demonstrated remarkable growth with a 25% annual increase, culminating in total exports valued at Dh262 billion.

    The export portfolio showcased significant technological advancement, with technology products constituting Dh90 billion of the total exports. Sheikh Mohammed attributed this economic milestone to the strategic alignment between government policies and private sector initiatives, emphasizing the critical role of legislative support for industrial enterprises.

    Key infrastructure developments were highlighted as fundamental to this success, particularly the nation’s exceptional digital infrastructure and robust financial ecosystem. The integrated approach has created an environment conducive to industrial expansion and international market competitiveness.

    The achievement positions the UAE prominently within global economic landscapes, demonstrating successful economic diversification beyond hydrocarbon dependencies. This export performance represents a significant step in the nation’s strategic vision for sustainable economic development and technological leadership in the region.

  • Discord to start requiring face scan or ID to access adult content

    Discord to start requiring face scan or ID to access adult content

    Discord is instituting a comprehensive global age verification system requiring facial scans or identity documentation for users seeking access to adult-oriented content. Starting in early March, the communication platform with over 200 million monthly active users will mandate these checks worldwide, expanding existing protocols currently limited to the UK and Australia.

    The verification process offers two pathways: users may submit photographic identification or complete a video selfie analyzed by artificial intelligence to estimate facial age. Discord emphasizes that biometric data from facial scans will not be retained, and uploaded identification documents will be promptly deleted following verification completion.

    This initiative establishes a ‘teen-appropriate experience’ as the platform’s default setting, fundamentally altering content visibility and communication capabilities. Verified adults will gain access to age-restricted communities and sensitive material, while unverified users will face limitations in both content visibility and direct messaging functionality.

    Savannah Badalich, Discord’s Head of Policy, stated: ‘Our safety initiatives prioritize teenage users above all. Implementing teen-by-default settings globally enhances our existing protective architecture while maintaining flexibility for verified adults.’

    The announcement follows Discord’s appearance at a contentious 2024 US Senate hearing regarding child safety measures, placing the company alongside other social media giants facing increased regulatory scrutiny. Industry analyst Drew Benvie of Battenhall noted that while the safety intention is commendable, implementation across Discord’s millions of communities presents significant operational challenges.

    Privacy advocates have expressed concerns about data security, particularly following an October incident where approximately 70,000 user identification images were potentially compromised through a third-party verification provider. The platform’s safety overhaul coincides with reports of potential public share offerings and mirrors similar protective measures adopted by Meta, TikTok, and Roblox.

  • Dubai announces phase 2 of property tokenisation project for secondary market resale

    Dubai announces phase 2 of property tokenisation project for secondary market resale

    Dubai has officially entered the next stage of its pioneering real estate tokenization initiative. The Dubai Land Department (DLD) confirmed the commencement of Phase Two, set to activate on February 20, 2026. This pivotal phase is designed to unlock the secondary market, facilitating the resale of an estimated 7.8 million digitized real estate tokens.

    The project, initially launched as a pilot program in collaboration with the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and technical partners, has now matured beyond its testing grounds. The inaugural phase successfully validated the regulatory, legislative, and technical frameworks required for converting physical property title deeds into secure digital tokens.

    Phase Two will operate within a controlled pilot environment with strategic objectives: evaluating market efficiency, testing operational capabilities, enhancing transparency and governance protocols, and rigorously safeguarding investor rights to ensure absolute transaction integrity. This measured approach underscores Dubai’s commitment to de-risking technological adoption in its vital property sector.

    Early indicators from the pilot have been promising. As previously reported, investments were accessible to UAE residents starting from just AED 2,000. This low barrier to entry fueled significant initial traction, with one platform, Prypco Mint, processing deals exceeding AED 9 million within the first month alone.

    This tokenization effort is part of a broader suite of initiatives by Dubai to stimulate and democratize property ownership. It complements programs like the First-Time Home Buyer (FTHB) Programme—a multi-stakeholder collaboration between DLD, the Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), banks, and developers—which has already enabled over 2,000 residents to purchase their first homes.

    The DLD emphasized that its phased rollout strategy allows for careful assessment of practical outcomes and fosters close cooperation with other regulatory bodies. Ongoing work with VARA and technical partners continues to focus on developing robust standards for the project’s future expansion, cementing Dubai’s position as a global leader in tokenized real-world asset investment.

  • Beyond the commute: How ‘Metro Diaries’ maps the soul of the UAE migrant experience

    Beyond the commute: How ‘Metro Diaries’ maps the soul of the UAE migrant experience

    In Dubai’s ever-evolving urban landscape, the metro system serves as both transportation artery and cultural metaphor for the city’s migrant communities. The performing arts collective +63Kolektib, comprised primarily of Filipino artists, has transformed this daily commute into a powerful theatrical experience titled ‘Metro Diaries,’ set to premiere in Dubai this February.

    The production originated from extensive research and personal documentation, with approximately 90% of its dialogue drawn directly from performers’ journals and real-life observations. Cultural producer Jomel Duran Reyes describes the metro as ‘a liminal representation of the struggles and victories that have led us to where we are now’ – a symbolic journey mirroring the migrant experience of arrival, adaptation, and aspiration.

    Beyond its artistic merit, the performance challenges conventional narratives about migrant workers in the UAE. It specifically addresses the psychological toll of maintaining the ‘resilient migrant’ facade while grappling with work pressures, family expectations abroad, and cultural displacement. Malavika Suresh, a spoken-word artist and researcher involved in the production, notes the universal relatability of these stories across different nationalities.

    The production’s staging incorporates physical movement that communicates narrative even without dialogue, creating a visceral connection with audiences. Previous performances have elicited emotional responses from viewers who recognized their own experiences reflected on stage.

    Scheduled for February 14th and 15th at SIMA Performing Arts in Alserkal Avenue, Metro Diaries aims to foster greater compassion and understanding among Dubai’s diverse residents, encouraging viewers to see fellow commuters not as anonymous workers but as individuals on complex personal journeys.

  • Bangladesh poll rivals rally on final day of campaign

    Bangladesh poll rivals rally on final day of campaign

    With Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12, the nation’s political landscape has reached a fever pitch as rival parties concluded their final day of campaigning on Monday. The electoral contest marks a historic turning point for the South Asian nation, occurring just eighteen months after the mass uprising of August 2024 that ended Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year autocratic rule.

    Tens of thousands of enthusiastic supporters flooded the streets of Dhaka throughout the campaign period, waving party flags and chanting revolutionary slogans that echoed the sentiments of the 2024 pro-democracy movement. The electoral competition has centered around competing interpretations of the uprising’s legacy and divergent visions for the future of this nation of 170 million people.

    The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman who returned from 17 years of exile in December, has emerged as a frontrunner in the parliamentary race. The 60-year-old leader, widely known as Tarique Zia, assumed control of the party following the December passing of his mother, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. At a Sunday rally in Dhaka’s Mirpur neighborhood, Rahman urged supporters to back local BNP candidate Shafiqul Islam Milton, promising representation that would genuinely serve constituents’ interests.

    Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman addressed packed crowds in the Dhaka-11 constituency, a significant flashpoint during the 2024 uprising. Leading a coalition of Islamist parties under the symbol of weighing scales, Rahman accused the former ruling party of systematic repression while warning that new forms of abuse had emerged following its ouster. “A section of the oppressed turned into oppressors just a day after August 5,” he asserted, alleging widespread extortion and corruption by returning political figures.

    Jamaat-e-Islami, ideologically aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood, has formed an alliance with the National Citizen Party (NCP) founded by student leaders who spearheaded the 2024 uprising. NCP leader Nahid Islam accused major political parties of covertly sharing what he described as “businesses of extortion and crime” for decades.

    The electoral atmosphere has been charged with revolutionary fervor, with supporters repeatedly chanting “Long live the revolution!” and engaging in call-and-response cries of “Slavery or freedom?” answered by thunderous shouts of “Freedom, freedom!”

    Voters expressed diverse motivations for their electoral choices. Mohammed Harun, 65, revealed he hadn’t voted in 17 years but would support the Jamaat-led alliance hoping for a “just, corruption and violence-free country.” First-time voter Abdullah-al-Rahat, a 21-year-old Dhaka University student who participated in the 2024 uprising, expressed preference for a unity government should no party secure a majority.

    The Awami League, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party, has been banned from participating in the elections by the interim government—a move criticized by various human rights organizations. Hasina, now 78, was sentenced to death in absentia last November for crimes against humanity related to her government’s deadly crackdown on protesters during her final bid to maintain power. She remains in hiding in India.

    The election represents not merely a political transition but a profound test of Bangladesh’s democratic institutions and its ability to channel revolutionary energy into sustainable governance structures.

  • Indian priest arrested for cultivating marijuana worth Rs7 million within temple

    Indian priest arrested for cultivating marijuana worth Rs7 million within temple

    In a startling breach of religious sanctity, authorities in India’s Telangana state have uncovered a sophisticated marijuana cultivation operation operating within a temple’s sacred grounds. Avuti Nagaiah, a 48-year-old priest serving at Panchagam village temple, has been taken into custody following a coordinated raid by local police and excise officials.

    The investigation revealed that Nagaiah had transformed the temple garden into an elaborate camouflage for illicit activities. Among legitimate marigold plants—chosen specifically for their visual and olfactory similarity to cannabis—the priest cultivated nearly 700 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of Rs7 million (approximately Dh285,000).

    The discovery has sent shockwaves through the local community, with villagers expressing profound dismay at the exploitation of their place of worship. Law enforcement officials are now conducting an expanded investigation to identify potential accomplices and determine the distribution network that supported this operation.

    This incident coincides with heightened drug enforcement activities across Telangana, where police recently apprehended three additional suspects and confiscated over 16 kilograms of cannabis in operations throughout Hyderabad, the state capital. The case highlights growing concerns about innovative drug cultivation methods being employed in unexpected locations across India.

  • Tanzania opposition leader returns to court for treason trial after monthslong delay

    Tanzania opposition leader returns to court for treason trial after monthslong delay

    NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Tanzanian opposition figure Tundu Lissu made his first court appearance in months on Monday, facing treason charges that carry potential capital punishment. The highly anticipated hearing was abruptly adjourned after Lissu, who is representing himself legally, formally objected to prosecutors’ plans to utilize concealed witnesses testifying from a specially secured chamber.

    Lissu has remained incarcerated for ten months following his arrest at an opposition rally where he demanded constitutional and electoral reforms prior to Tanzania’s contentious 2025 election. The political veteran argued that anonymous testimony from isolated witnesses creates unacceptable judicial risks and would almost certainly prejudice his right to a fair trial.

    The judicial panel announced it would deliberate on this procedural challenge and deliver a ruling on Wednesday. This legal development occurs against the backdrop of ongoing political turbulence stemming from last October’s disputed elections, which triggered widespread civil unrest, internet blackouts, and significant casualties.

    President Samia Suluhu, who secured a second term with an overwhelming 97% majority amid an opposition boycott, previously attributed the violent outbreaks to foreign interference. While Suluhu has apologized for the communications shutdown and established a reconciliation commission, opposition party Chadema continues demanding accountability for protest-related fatalities.

    Chadema’s deputy leader John Heche simultaneously called for Lissu’s “unconditional release,” alleging governmental offers of freedom contingent on the critic’s permanent exile. Lissu, having survived a 2017 assassination attempt and multiple exiles, represents the most prominent challenge to the ruling CCM party’s decades-long dominance.

  • Yunnan researchers reveal Cambrian vertebrates may have had ‘four eyes’

    Yunnan researchers reveal Cambrian vertebrates may have had ‘four eyes’

    Paleontologists from Yunnan University have made a groundbreaking discovery that challenges conventional understanding of early vertebrate evolution. Their research indicates that the earliest known vertebrates from the Cambrian Period, approximately 518 million years ago, may have possessed not two but four camera-type eyes.

    The study, published in the prestigious journal Nature, examines jawless vertebrates known as myllokunmingids that inhabited Earth’s oceans during a critical evolutionary period. Led by Academician Xu Xing from the School of Life Sciences and Researcher Cong Peiyun from the Institute of Paleontology, the team analyzed exceptionally preserved fossil specimens from the Chengjiang biota in Yunnan province.

    These fossils reveal a remarkable anatomical feature: a smaller pair of round, dark structures positioned between the conventional lateral eyes. Through meticulous analysis, researchers determined these structures were preserved as organic carbon films containing melanin-bearing melanosomes—characteristics that closely match the retinal pigment epithelium found in modern vertebrates.

    The most significant finding emerged when researchers identified traces of lenses within these additional ocular structures. The precise positioning and proportional size of these lenses relative to the retinal tissues mirror the anatomical relationship observed in functional camera-type eyes, strongly suggesting these organs possessed image-forming capabilities.

    This extraordinary dorsal pineal complex, located atop the animals’ heads, represents a previously unknown visual system configuration in early vertebrates. The discovery provides unprecedented insights into how these ancient creatures perceived their environment and enhances our understanding of sensory evolution during the Cambrian explosion—a period of rapid biological diversification.

    The research not only expands scientific knowledge of vertebrate visual system origins but also offers fresh perspectives on the survival strategies employed by animals during one of Earth’s most biologically creative eras.

  • US boards tanker in Indian Ocean it ‘tracked and hunted’ from Caribbean

    US boards tanker in Indian Ocean it ‘tracked and hunted’ from Caribbean

    In a dramatic transcontinental operation, United States military forces successfully boarded and inspected the oil tanker Aquila II in the Indian Ocean after tracking the vessel across thousands of miles from the Caribbean Sea. The Department of Defense confirmed the interception, characterizing it as enforcement of a quarantine against sanctioned vessels operating in Caribbean waters.

    The defense department stated via social media that the vessel attempted to evade enforcement measures, prompting an extensive pursuit. ‘It ran, and we followed,’ officials declared, adding that ‘by land, air, or sea, our Armed Forces will find you and deliver justice.’

    This operation represents at least the seventh oil tanker seizure by U.S. authorities since last year as part of broader efforts to control Venezuelan oil exports, the South American nation’s primary economic resource. The enforcement action follows the December apprehension of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and implementation of a comprehensive oil shipment blockade.

    Visual documentation released by the defense department shows U.S. service members in military fatigues conducting a helicopter boarding operation as the aircraft hovered above the tanker. Defense officials emphasized their determination to enforce sanctions regardless of distance, stating that ‘nothing will stop the U.S. military from enforcement, even in oceans halfway around the world.’

    The sustained blockade has significantly impacted Venezuela’s oil export capabilities, reducing shipments to approximately 400,000 barrels per day in January—roughly half of previous levels. According to industry analysis from Kpler, only vessels associated with Chevron and destined for U.S. ports continue to operate without interruption amid the ongoing enforcement measures.