diff --git a/public/images/stars.webp b/public/images/stars.webp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..11dcdc6
Binary files /dev/null and b/public/images/stars.webp differ
diff --git a/src/components/ui/globe.tsx b/src/components/ui/globe.tsx
index 6facf72..d6fc975 100644
--- a/src/components/ui/globe.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ui/globe.tsx
@@ -16,23 +16,56 @@ const GLOBE_CONFIG: COBEOptions = {
   phi: 0,
   theta: 0.3,
   dark: 0,
-  diffuse: 0.4,
+  diffuse: 0.25, // softer shading for premium look
   mapSamples: 16000,
-  mapBrightness: 1.2,
-  baseColor: [1, 1, 1],
-  markerColor: [1 / 255, 94 / 255, 255 / 255],
-  glowColor: [1, 1, 1],
+  mapBrightness: 1.1,
+  baseColor: [0.8, 0.8, 0.8], // sleek dark gray globe
+  markerColor: [0.3, 0.6, 1], // soft, elegant blue
+  glowColor: [0.8, 0.8, 0.85], // subtle glow
   markers: [
-    { location: [14.5995, 120.9842], size: 0.03 },
-    { location: [19.076, 72.8777], size: 0.1 },
-    { location: [23.8103, 90.4125], size: 0.05 },
-    { location: [30.0444, 31.2357], size: 0.07 },
-    { location: [39.9042, 116.4074], size: 0.08 },
-    { location: [-23.5505, -46.6333], size: 0.1 },
-    { location: [19.4326, -99.1332], size: 0.1 },
-    { location: [40.7128, -74.006], size: 0.1 },
-    { location: [34.6937, 135.5022], size: 0.05 },
-    { location: [41.0082, 28.9784], size: 0.06 },
+    // --- Core Global Markers ---
+    { location: [14.5995, 120.9842], size: 0.03 }, // Manila
+    { location: [19.076, 72.8777], size: 0.1 }, // Mumbai
+    { location: [23.8103, 90.4125], size: 0.05 }, // Dhaka
+    { location: [30.0444, 31.2357], size: 0.07 }, // Cairo
+    { location: [39.9042, 116.4074], size: 0.08 }, // Beijing
+    { location: [-23.5505, -46.6333], size: 0.1 }, // São Paulo
+    { location: [19.4326, -99.1332], size: 0.1 }, // Mexico City
+    { location: [40.7128, -74.006], size: 0.1 }, // New York
+    { location: [34.6937, 135.5022], size: 0.05 }, // Osaka
+    { location: [41.0082, 28.9784], size: 0.06 }, // Istanbul
+    { location: [48.8566, 2.3522], size: 0.08 }, // Paris
+    { location: [51.5072, -0.1276], size: 0.08 }, // London
+    { location: [52.52, 13.405], size: 0.07 }, // Berlin
+    { location: [35.6895, 139.6917], size: 0.06 }, // Tokyo
+    { location: [-33.8688, 151.2093], size: 0.06 }, // Sydney
+    { location: [-1.2921, 36.8219], size: 0.05 }, // Nairobi
+    { location: [-34.6037, -58.3816], size: 0.07 }, // Buenos Aires
+    { location: [37.7749, -122.4194], size: 0.08 }, // San Francisco
+    { location: [1.3521, 103.8198], size: 0.06 }, // Singapore
+    { location: [28.6139, 77.2090], size: 0.08 }, // New Delhi
+    { location: [13.7563, 100.5018], size: 0.06 }, // Bangkok
+    { location: [59.9343, 30.3351], size: 0.05 }, // St. Petersburg
+    { location: [33.6844, 73.0479], size: 0.05 }, // Islamabad
+    { location: [25.276987, 55.296249], size: 0.07 }, // Dubai
+    { location: [60.1699, 24.9384], size: 0.05 }, // Helsinki
+    { location: [43.6532, -79.3832], size: 0.07 }, // Toronto
+    { location: [6.5244, 3.3792], size: 0.08 }, // Lagos
+    { location: [50.1109, 8.6821], size: 0.06 }, // Frankfurt
+
+    // --- 12 New US + European Cities ---
+    { location: [34.0522, -118.2437], size: 0.08 }, // Los Angeles
+    { location: [41.8781, -87.6298], size: 0.07 }, // Chicago
+    { location: [29.7604, -95.3698], size: 0.07 }, // Houston
+    { location: [25.7617, -80.1918], size: 0.07 }, // Miami
+    { location: [45.5017, -73.5673], size: 0.06 }, // Montreal
+    { location: [47.6062, -122.3321], size: 0.06 }, // Seattle
+    { location: [40.4406, -79.9959], size: 0.05 }, // Pittsburgh
+    { location: [41.3851, 2.1734], size: 0.06 }, // Barcelona
+    { location: [45.4642, 9.19], size: 0.06 }, // Milan
+    { location: [52.3676, 4.9041], size: 0.06 }, // Amsterdam
+    { location: [38.7169, -9.139], size: 0.05 }, // Lisbon
+    { location: [59.3293, 18.0686], size: 0.05 }, // Stockholmx
   ],
 };
 
@@ -47,12 +80,11 @@ export function Globe({
   let width = 0;
   const canvasRef = useRef<HTMLCanvasElement>(null);
   const pointerInteracting = useRef<number | null>(null);
-  const pointerInteractionMovement = useRef(0);
 
   const r = useMotionValue(0);
   const rs = useSpring(r, {
     mass: 1,
-    damping: 30,
+    damping: 35, // slightly smoother motion
     stiffness: 100,
   });
 
@@ -66,16 +98,13 @@ export function Globe({
   const updateMovement = (clientX: number) => {
     if (pointerInteracting.current !== null) {
       const delta = clientX - pointerInteracting.current;
-      pointerInteractionMovement.current = delta;
       r.set(r.get() + delta / MOVEMENT_DAMPING);
     }
   };
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const onResize = () => {
-      if (canvasRef.current) {
-        width = canvasRef.current.offsetWidth;
-      }
+      if (canvasRef.current) width = canvasRef.current.offsetWidth;
     };
 
     window.addEventListener("resize", onResize);
@@ -86,7 +115,7 @@ export function Globe({
       width: width * 2,
       height: width * 2,
       onRender: (state) => {
-        if (!pointerInteracting.current) phi += 0.005;
+        if (!pointerInteracting.current) phi += 0.004; // slightly slower rotation for elegance
         state.phi = phi + rs.get();
         state.width = width * 2;
         state.height = width * 2;
@@ -103,7 +132,8 @@ export function Globe({
   return (
     <div
       className={cn(
-        "absolute inset-0 mx-auto aspect-[1/1] w-full max-w-[600px]",
+        // Radial gradient background that fades to pure black at edges
+        "absolute inset-0 mx-auto aspect-[1/1] w-full max-w-[600px] rounded-full bg-[radial-gradient(circle_at_center,rgba(10,10,10,1)_0%,rgba(0,0,0,1)_100%)]",
         className,
       )}
     >