Global Pulse

作者： admin

  • Ecuadorian court hands down max sentences to 11 soldiers in case of 4 disappeared minors

    Ecuadorian court hands down max sentences to 11 soldiers in case of 4 disappeared minors

    An Ecuadorian court has delivered landmark sentences against eleven military personnel for the abduction and torture of four children, marking a significant moment in the nation’s ongoing struggle with security forces accountability. The soldiers received 34-year prison terms for the forced disappearance of the victims—brothers Ismael and Josué Arroyo, along with their friends Saúl Arboleda and Steven Medina, aged 11 to 15—whose charred remains were discovered near a Guayaquil military base in December 2024.

    The case emerged when the children failed to return from a soccer match in the port city of Guayaquil on December 8, 2024. Security footage later revealed military patrols detaining the children and forcing them into a pickup truck. Initially, the military claimed drug gangs were responsible for the killings, but Judge José Suárez’s investigation determined that soldiers executed the children ‘in a cruel fashion’ after subjecting them to brutal beatings with rifles and forced labor.

    The ruling mandates each convicted soldier to pay $10,000 in reparations to the victims’ families and issue public apologies. Additionally, the military must conduct a formal ceremony acknowledging institutional responsibility and install a memorial plaque at the involved base. Five cooperating soldiers received reduced sentences of 2.5 years.

    This case occurs amid President Daniel Noboa’s controversial militarization initiative, launched in January 2024 to combat Ecuador’s spiraling drug violence. While homicide rates have tripled since 2021 due to gang conflicts over cocaine smuggling routes, human rights organizations have documented widespread abuses by security forces, including extrajudicial killings and mass arbitrary detentions.

    The Defense Ministry stated it would comply with the court’s decision, affirming ‘respect for the law.’ The convicted soldiers will face separate murder trials next year.

  • ‘Treated as criminals’: Gaza fishermen risk everything at sea

    ‘Treated as criminals’: Gaza fishermen risk everything at sea

    Ismail Farhat, a Gaza fisherman, endured over two months of brutal detention and torture by Israeli forces after being apprehended at sea—a testament to the systematic targeting of Palestinian fishermen amid Israel’s complete naval blockade of the Strip.

    Despite having his original fishing boat destroyed in previous Israeli bombardments, Farhat continued venturing out on a small handmade punt to feed his family. On October 8, his routine fishing expedition turned into a nightmare when an Israeli naval vessel intercepted him near Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.

    According to Farhat’s account to Middle East Eye, soldiers forced him to strip and swim to their vessel before subjecting him to repeated interrogations. After initially being released, he was abruptly recaptured minutes later when soldiers called him by name and ordered him back into the water.

    “They began insulting and beating me,” Farhat recounted. “As usual, they accused every fisherman of being affiliated with Hamas. They told me I was Hamas and pretending to be a fisherman.”

    Farhat was transported to the notorious Sde Teiman detention facility, where approximately 150 Palestinian detainees were held under severe conditions. For 50 consecutive days, he remained handcuffed around the clock, forbidden from speaking, leaning, or sleeping on anything but iron mesh. Any unintentional movement resulted in punishment, including forced standing for hours.

    Medical care was virtually nonexistent. Requests for painkillers were routinely denied, with detainees subjected to lengthy procedures for even single doses of medication. Farhat described nighttime raids by commando units throwing stun and smoke grenades at prisoners, who were often forced to remain kneeling.

    His experience reflects a broader pattern of systematic suppression of Gaza’s fishing industry. According to Zakaria Bakr, head of the Fishermen Union Committees in Gaza, Israeli forces have destroyed over 95% of Gaza’s fishing sector through killing fishermen, destroying boats, and targeting vital infrastructure including storage facilities, the ice factory, Gaza Port, and the fish market.

    The Palestinian Fishermen Syndicate reports at least 230 fishermen killed since October 2023, with 65 shot dead while actively working at sea. Despite theoretical rights to access up to 20 nautical miles under the Oslo Accords, Israel has imposed a complete naval closure reducing the permitted fishing area to zero.

    Before the war, approximately 4,500 registered fishermen operated in Gaza, with another 3,500 working under temporary permits or in related sectors. Today, only 400-500 remain, using makeshift platforms reconstructed from destroyed boats and refrigerator doors. Daily catches have plummeted from pre-war levels of up to 15 tonnes to just 16 kilograms collectively.

    “No one is allowed to enter the sea,” Bakr stated. “This is collective punishment.”

    Farhat was released on December 16 as part of ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Palestinian factions, but countless fishermen remain detained without charge, their families deprived of both livelihoods and loved ones in what human rights organizations describe as a deliberate strategy of maritime suppression.

  • Major incident declared over giant hole at canal

    Major incident declared over giant hole at canal

    A significant infrastructure failure has triggered a major emergency in Whitchurch, Shropshire, where a substantial segment of the historic Llangollen Canal collapsed early Monday morning. The incident, officially classified by engineers as an “embankment failure,” resulted in a massive cavity swallowing sections of the waterway and leaving multiple narrowboats either submerged or precariously perched on the edge of the newly formed chasm.

    The collapse occurred approximately at 04:00 GMT, with emergency services receiving the first reports around 04:20. According to Scott Hurford, Area Manager at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, approximately fifty firefighters were deployed to the scene. Their immediate response facilitated the safe evacuation of about fifteen individuals from affected vessels, with no reported casualties according to local police authorities.

    Engineers from the Canal and River Trust, the organization responsible for maintaining the waterway, have clarified that initial characterizations of the event as a “sinkhole” were inaccurate. Mark Durham, the Trust’s Principal Engineer, explained that the failure occurred in a man-made embankment engineered over two centuries ago to elevate the canal. This structure catastrophically failed, causing water to torrent into adjacent fields and the canal bed to drop away, creating a trench estimated by witnesses to be approximately 15 feet (4 meters) deep and 150-180 feet (45-55 meters) long.

    Eyewitness accounts describe a terrifying experience. Residents aboard moored boats reported being awakened by unusual noises, violent shaking, and the sensation of their vessels being pulled by sudden currents. Lorraine Barlow, a liveaboard boater on The Singing Kettle, described feeling “something amiss” with bubbling sounds and unusual currents before her boat began tilting dangerously. Paul Storey, another resident, recounted being awoken by the crash of belongings sliding from cabinets and the tremendous roar of rushing water.

    The environmental impact was immediate and significant, with an estimated million gallons of canal water flooding into surrounding fields. Fire crews successfully installed a flood gate to prevent further water loss and potential flooding in the town, stabilizing the situation. The recovery phase, which involves salvaging the affected boats and assessing the damage, is now underway. However, the Canal and River Trust has stated it is too early to determine either the cause of the embankment failure or a timeline for the complex reconstruction project.

    Local officials expressed shock at the scale of the devastation. Whitchurch councillor Sho Abdul described the scene as “insane,” comparing the crater to something created by an explosion rather than a natural sinkhole. The community has been advised to avoid the area in Chemistry, Whitchurch, while investigations and repairs continue. The Trust has committed to supporting affected boaters and investigating its inspection protocols, with engineers confirming the embankment had recently been inspected with no signs of imminent failure detected.

  • Paw patrol: UK government vows to end puppy farming

    Paw patrol: UK government vows to end puppy farming

    The UK government has unveiled sweeping animal welfare reforms targeting the eradication of cruel puppy farming practices and enhancing protections for the nation’s pets. Announced on Sunday by the Labour administration, these measures represent the most significant overhaul of animal welfare regulations in recent years.

    Puppy farms—large-scale breeding operations prioritizing profit over animal wellbeing—typically maintain dogs in severely cramped conditions, resulting in widespread health complications for the animals. The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Ministry stated these ‘inhumane practices often result in puppies suffering from long-term health issues.’

    Quantifying Britain’s puppy farm problem presents challenges, as animal rights charities note these operations predominantly function without licenses and operate covertly. With approximately 10.6 million pet dogs in the UK according to 2024 PDSA veterinary charity data, the scale of potential abuse is substantial. Current regulations mandate licenses only for breeders producing three or more litters annually.

    The British Veterinary Association reports alarming consumer behavior patterns, with an estimated five million pet owners (approximately one in four) admitting to conducting no research before acquiring animals. This lack of due diligence frequently results in unwitting support for puppy farms where dogs are often overbred and separated prematurely from their mothers.

    Sonul Badiani-Hamment, country director for animal welfare organization Four Paws, endorsed the government initiative, stating that ‘tackling the scourge of puppy farming’ could ‘significantly reduce animal suffering in the UK.’

    The comprehensive Animal Welfare Strategy, targeted for implementation by 2030, extends beyond puppy farming to include several additional protections. Proposed measures include new licensing requirements for rescue and rehoming organizations, potential bans on electric shock collars, and prohibitions on trail hunting—a practice that mimics traditional fox hunting using animal-based scents.

    The government asserts that trail hunting, which remained legal after the 2004 fox hunting ban, serves as a ‘smokescreen’ for the continued chasing and killing of wild animals. These reforms follow recently enacted legislation combating puppy smuggling, which limited pet transporters to five animals per vehicle and banned imports of cats and dogs under six months old.

  • UAE offers condolences over victims of school bus accident in Colombia

    UAE offers condolences over victims of school bus accident in Colombia

    The United Arab Emirates has formally expressed its profound condolences and solidarity with the Republic of Colombia following a devastating school bus accident that claimed multiple lives. Through an official statement released by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the UAE government conveyed its heartfelt sympathies to the families of the victims, the Colombian people, and its wishes for the swift recovery of those injured in the tragic incident.

    The fatal accident occurred when a bus carrying high school students plunged approximately 40 meters into a ravine in a rural, northern region of Colombia. The victims were identified as 16 students, aged between 16 and 18 years old, who were celebrating their recent graduation, along with their bus driver. The group was returning from a trip to a Caribbean beach on the Colombian coast. According to reports from Agence France-Presse (AFP), an additional 20 individuals sustained injuries in the devastating plunge.

    The students were from an educational institution in the municipality of Bello, located near the city of Medellin. The incident, which transpired last week, has cast a pall of mourning over the local community and drawn international attention and expressions of sympathy from nations worldwide, highlighting the global resonance of the tragedy.

  • December’s momentum is building as Big Ticket begins the countdown to Dh30 million

    December’s momentum is building as Big Ticket begins the countdown to Dh30 million

    As winter settles across the UAE, Big Ticket’s annual prize extravaganza gains momentum with multiple high-value draws throughout December, culminating in a historic Dh30 million grand prize drawing scheduled for January 3, 2026—the largest cash reward in the organization’s 2025 calendar.

    The December campaign features weekly electronic draws with five winners each week claiming Dh100,000 prizes. This structure provides multiple winning opportunities for participants who enter early, allowing them to benefit from several prize draws before the main January event.

    Adding to the excitement, Big Ticket has launched The Big Win Contest, automatically entering customers who purchase two or more cash tickets in a single transaction between December 1-24. Four selected participants will receive invitations to attend the live January draw with guaranteed cash prizes ranging from Dh50,000 to Dh150,000. Finalists will be announced on January 1 via Big Ticket’s official website.

    The Dream Car Series further enhances the prize portfolio, with a brand-new BMW 430i awarded during the January 3 draw and a BMW X5 scheduled for distribution on February 3, providing additional incentives for participants seeking luxury vehicles.

    With cooler weather encouraging social gatherings and year-end planning, December has emerged as a particularly active period for Big Ticket enthusiasts. The combination of weekly prizes, luxury vehicles, and the record-breaking jackpot creates sustained excitement throughout the holiday season.

    Tickets remain available through Big Ticket’s online portal at www.bigticket.ae and at physical counters in Zayed International Airport and Al Ain Airport, ensuring accessible participation for residents and visitors alike.

  • Xi presents orders to promote two military officers to rank of general

    Xi presents orders to promote two military officers to rank of general

    In a formal ceremony held in Beijing on Monday, President Xi Jinping, serving as Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), conferred promotion orders elevating two senior military officers to the esteemed rank of general—the highest active-duty rank within China’s military structure. The promoted officers are Yang Zhibin, Commander of the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), and Han Shengyan, Commander of the PLA Central Theater Command. The event underscores the continuous strategic command developments within the world’s largest active military. Vice-Chairman of the CMC, Zhang Youxia, announced the promotion orders, which were formally signed by President Xi. Another CMC Vice-Chairman, Zhang Shengmin, presided over the ceremonial proceedings. President Xi extended his personal congratulations to the newly promoted generals, highlighting the significance of their new roles in safeguarding national security and military modernization efforts. The promotion of theater commanders is viewed as a routine yet critical procedure in maintaining leadership continuity and operational readiness within the PLA’s expansive command apparatus.

  • US in ‘pursuit’ of third oil tanker in Caribbean, says official

    US in ‘pursuit’ of third oil tanker in Caribbean, says official

    The United States Coast Guard has initiated an active pursuit operation targeting a third sanctioned oil tanker in Caribbean waters, according to an official statement received by AFP on Sunday. This development represents the latest escalation in Washington’s intensified pressure campaign against Venezuela’s crucial petroleum industry.

    The vessel in question has been identified by maritime authorities as the Bella 1, an oil tanker that has been subject to American sanctions since 2024 due to its purported connections with Iran and Hezbollah. The US official, who requested anonymity, characterized the ship as operating under a false flag while being part of Venezuela’s “illegal sanctions evasion” network and subject to a judicial seizure order.

    This maritime operation follows the dramatic seizure of the Chinese-owned, Panama-flagged tanker Centuries just one day earlier. According to TankerTrackers, a specialized vessel monitoring service, the Centuries had loaded approximately 1.8 million barrels of crude oil at a Venezuelan port earlier this month before being intercepted and escorted beyond Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone on December 18.

    The current pursuit marks the third such intervention within a two-week period, demonstrating the implementation of President Donald Trump’s December 16 announcement establishing a blockade against “sanctioned oil vessels” traveling to and from Venezuela. The administration maintains that these measures are necessary to recover allegedly stolen US assets from the oil-rich South American nation.

    Meanwhile, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez addressed the situation through social media channels, highlighting that American petroleum giant Chevron had simultaneously dispatched a tanker carrying Venezuelan crude to the United States. Rodriguez emphasized that this shipment occurred “in strict adherence to regulations and in fulfillment of the commitments undertaken by our oil industry,” while notably avoiding direct commentary on the interdicted vessels.

    The geopolitical tension is further compounded by the deployment of a substantial US naval armada to the Caribbean under the stated mission of combating drug trafficking—a justification that Caracas dismisses as pretext for a campaign to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro and gain control over Venezuela’s substantial oil reserves.

    The Trump administration alleges that Venezuela utilizes its primary resource, petroleum, to finance “narcoterrorism,” prompting additional military actions including a series of airstrikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels since September. These operations, which have resulted in over 100 fatalities, have faced scrutiny regarding their legal justification under international law.

  • Critically endangered ‘camel bird’ returns to Saudi Arabia after almost 100 years

    Critically endangered ‘camel bird’ returns to Saudi Arabia after almost 100 years

    In a landmark conservation achievement, the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve has successfully reintroduced the critically endangered red-necked ostrich to Saudi Arabia’s deserts after nearly a century of absence. This ambitious initiative represents a biological replacement for the extinct Arabian ostrich, which vanished from the region in the early 20th century due to excessive hunting and habitat destruction.

    The red-necked ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus), known historically as the ‘camel bird’ and genetically identified as the closest living relative to the Arabian subspecies, has been carefully selected for its remarkable adaptability to arid environments. With fewer than 1,000 individuals remaining worldwide—primarily scattered across Africa’s Sahel region—this reintroduction marks a critical intervention for the species’ survival.

    This project forms part of a comprehensive ecosystem restoration strategy that has already reintroduced 12 of 23 historically occurring species, including the Arabian oryx, Persian onager, and various gazelle species. The 24,500 square kilometer reserve, spanning from the Harrat lava fields to the Red Sea, represents one of the Middle East’s most biodiverse protected areas, encompassing 15 distinct ecosystems while hosting over 50% of Saudi Arabia’s documented species.

    The reintroduction program aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative, which commit to protecting 30% of the Kingdom’s terrestrial and marine territories by 2030. The royal reserve system, established by royal decree and overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, represents a significant national investment in environmental stewardship and biodiversity conservation.

    Ostriches serve as essential ecosystem engineers, contributing to seed dispersal, insect population control, and maintaining healthy rangeland habitats. Their return promises to restore ecological functions lost with the extinction of the Arabian ostrich, while reviving cultural connections to a species celebrated in ancient Arabic poetry and depicted in sandstone petroglyphs throughout the region.

  • Bollywood counts costs as star fees squeeze profits

    Bollywood counts costs as star fees squeeze profits

    The Indian film industry faces an unprecedented financial crisis as extravagant demands from top-tier Bollywood celebrities escalate production costs beyond sustainable levels. Industry veterans report that excessive star entourages, luxury accommodations, and exorbitant personal fees are fundamentally undermining production economics.

    According to producer Ramesh Taurani of the successful Race franchise, the core issue isn’t production quality but rather the disproportionate allocation of resources to star compensation. Leading actors now command fees reaching $22 million per film while arriving on set with entourages of 10-15 personal staff—all billed to production budgets. These demands include multiple private trailers costing up to $18,000 each, first-class travel arrangements, five-star accommodations, and reduced working hours.

    Veteran producer Mukesh Bhatt describes these requirements as ‘obnoxious,’ noting that ‘expansive support teams, premium travel and luxury accommodations often inflate budgets without proportionate creative impact.’ The problem has intensified post-pandemic, when streaming platforms initially offered inflated acquisition prices that temporarily masked the industry’s structural issues.

    Trade analyst Raj Bansal observes that what began as single shared vanity trailers has evolved into competitive status-seeking among stars. The 2024 science fiction film ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ exemplified this crisis, with its $42 million budget—heavily weighted toward star compensation—resulting in financial disaster despite featuring A-list actors Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff.

    Actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan publicly criticized this culture in a September interview, questioning stars’ self-respect when demanding such arrangements. However, some exceptions exist: Kartik Aaryan waived his fee for the underperforming ‘Shehzada,’ while industry veterans like Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar personally cover their entourage costs.

    Producers increasingly advocate for partnership-style compensation models where financial risk and reward are shared collectively. As veteran producer Viveck Vaswani notes, ‘If you think your star is stronger than your script, you are wrong.’ The industry now faces a critical choice: prioritize storytelling economics or continue succumbing to unsustainable star-driven financial models.