Global Pulse

作者： admin

  • Swiss reject right-wing plan to cut licence fee for public broadcaster

    Swiss reject right-wing plan to cut licence fee for public broadcaster

    Swiss citizens have delivered a decisive verdict in a national referendum, rejecting a proposal to drastically cut funding for public broadcasting. Initial projections indicate that 62% of voters opted to maintain the current licence fee structure for the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), dealing a significant defeat to the cost-cutting initiative.

    The controversial measure, championed by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, sought to reduce the annual household fee from 335 Swiss francs (£320; $435) to just 200 francs (£190; $260), while completely exempting businesses from the contribution. Proponents argued that the existing fee placed an excessive burden on households amid rising living costs, noting that Switzerland’s broadcasting contribution exceeds that of neighboring countries like Austria and Germany.

    However, the government and all other parliamentary parties mounted a successful defense of the current funding model. They emphasized that the licence fee is essential for maintaining Switzerland’s unique multilingual broadcasting landscape, ensuring proper representation for all four national languages: French, German, Italian, and Romantsch. Advocates also warned that funding reductions would jeopardize foreign news coverage and sports programming.

    In a related development, Swiss voters overwhelmingly approved a separate constitutional amendment guaranteeing access to cash. Approximately 70% endorsed the government’s proposal requiring the Swiss National Bank to ensure cash availability, rejecting a more stringent initiative from the ‘Cash is Freedom’ movement that sought explicit constitutional protection for ‘coins and banknotes.’

    The broadcasting fee victory comes despite planned gradual reductions already approved by the government, which will lower the contribution to 300 Swiss francs by 2029 while expanding exemptions for certain companies.

  • China-India relations have improved, must be maintained, foreign minister says

    China-India relations have improved, must be maintained, foreign minister says

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has emphasized the critical importance of maintaining positive momentum in China-India relations, highlighting recent diplomatic progress between the two Asian powers. Speaking at a press conference during the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress in Beijing on Sunday, Minister Wang articulated a vision of strengthened cooperation through correct strategic perception and neighborly friendship.

    The top diplomat noted that bilateral relations experienced a significant reset during the Kazan meeting, with subsequent improvements achieved at the Tianjin meeting. Wang stressed that mutual trust and collaboration between Beijing and New Delhi directly benefit both nations’ development trajectories, while division and confrontation would negatively impact Asia’s broader rejuvenation.

    Minister Wang positioned enhanced China-India cooperation as crucial for substantiating BRICS collaboration and providing renewed hope for Global South nations. His comments reflect China’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilize relations with its southern neighbor amid complex geopolitical dynamics. The emphasis on development-focused partnership suggests both economic and strategic considerations in managing one of Asia’s most consequential bilateral relationships.

    The address comes as both nations navigate border tensions while seeking expanded economic cooperation. Wang’s framing of the relationship emphasizes shared interests in regional stability and development, positioning constructive China-India relations as beneficial for broader Asian prosperity and South-South cooperation initiatives.

  • South Korea edges Australia for top spot in Group A at Women’s Asian Cup. Philippines ousts Iran

    South Korea edges Australia for top spot in Group A at Women’s Asian Cup. Philippines ousts Iran

    In a spectacular display of women’s football, South Korea narrowly clinched the top position in Group A of the Women’s Asian Cup following an electrifying 3-3 draw against tournament hosts Australia. The Sunday showdown at Sydney’s Stadium Australia attracted a record-breaking crowd of 60,279 spectators—the largest attendance in the tournament’s history—creating an electric atmosphere for the dramatic contest.

    The match unfolded as a tale of two halves with relentless back-and-forth action. South Korea initiated the scoring in the 13th minute through Mun Eun-ju, who capitalized on a swift counter-attack orchestrated by Jeon Yu-gyeong. Australia responded with determination as Alanna Kennedy netted the equalizer in the 32nd minute, followed by Chelsea superstar Sam Kerr giving the Matildas a 2-1 advantage just before halftime.

    South Korea’s strategic substitutions proved decisive in the second half. Kim Shin-ji emerged as the game-changer, converting a penalty in the 53rd minute before delivering a precise cross to Kang Chae-rim, who scored just four minutes later to establish a 3-2 lead for the Korean side. The dramatic conclusion arrived deep into stoppage time when Kennedy secured her second goal of the night, leveling the score at 3-3 but ultimately leaving Australia second in the group on goal difference.

    In simultaneous Group A action, the Philippines maintained their quarterfinal hopes with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Iran in challenging wet conditions at Gold Coast Stadium. The match saw 38-year-old Iranian goalkeeper Raha Yazdani deliver an exceptional performance with multiple crucial saves, but ultimately succumbed to goals from Sara Eggesvik (29th minute) and Chandler McDaniel (82nd minute).

    The result eliminates Iran from the tournament with three consecutive losses, with the team facing an uncertain return to their conflict-ridden homeland. Meanwhile, the Philippines must await outcomes from other groups to determine their quarterfinal fate as one of the two best third-place teams.

    The tournament continues with defending champion China set to face three-time winner North Korea to decide Group B supremacy, while two-time champion Japan leads Group C following their dominant 11-0 victory over India.

  • AFL 2026: St Kilda coach Ross Lyon says Nick Daicos, Scott Pendlebury didn’t decide the game

    AFL 2026: St Kilda coach Ross Lyon says Nick Daicos, Scott Pendlebury didn’t decide the game

    St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has pinpointed his team’s operational inefficiency as the decisive factor in their Opening Round loss to Collingwood, rather than his tactical choice not to directly tag Magpies superstar Nick Daicos. The match, held at the MCG, concluded with a 12-point victory for Collingwood, largely propelled by Daicos’s stellar performance of 41 disposals and 11 score involvements.

    Contrary to external expectations, Lyon expressed confidence in his team’s systemic approach, emphasizing a pre-game strategy that relied on collective accountability over assigning a dedicated shutdown player to Daicos. The coach dissected the loss post-game, suggesting that a review of the match tape might provide further clarity but maintaining his initial stance that Daicos, while influential, was not the sole architect of the result.

    The narrative extended to another Collingwood veteran, Scott Pendlebury. Operating on managed minutes, Pendlebury delivered a masterclass in efficiency, contributing five direct goal assists despite a delayed entry into the game. Lyon acknowledged the quality of the champion’s touches but downplayed his overarching impact on the final scoreline.

    The match also served as the anticipated debut for several high-profile St Kilda recruits, including Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni. While Lyon noted positive individual moments from the new signings, the collective outcome was marred by inefficiencies and compounded by an injury to key player Rowan Marshall, who sustained a concussion and will be unavailable for the upcoming fixture against Melbourne.

  • National lawmakers: birth-friendly policies must extend beyond childbirth

    National lawmakers: birth-friendly policies must extend beyond childbirth

    In a significant policy shift, three female National People’s Congress deputies are championing expansive reforms to transform China’s approach to demographic challenges. The lawmakers argue that establishing a truly birth-friendly society requires moving beyond narrow fertility incentives to address systemic gaps in women’s healthcare, workplace protections, and long-term social support systems.

    The legislative proposals represent a fundamental evolution in China’s gender policy framework—transitioning from basic rights protection to safeguarding women’s “full life cycle” needs. This comprehensive approach encompasses everything from reproductive healthcare and prenatal services to postpartum career development and long-term professional advancement opportunities.

    Amid mounting demographic pressures including an aging population and declining birth rates, these recommendations deliver a crucial message: meaningful support must extend far beyond the childbirth moment. The deputies emphasize that without addressing structural barriers—including workplace discrimination, inadequate healthcare access, and limited social safety nets—mere birth incentives will prove insufficient in reversing demographic trends.

    The proposed measures highlight the interconnected nature of reproductive policies and women’s broader socioeconomic participation. By advocating for policies that support women throughout their professional and personal lives, the lawmakers aim to create sustainable conditions where family planning decisions aren’t constrained by systemic limitations.

  • Iran soccer team exits Women’s Asian Cup and faces the prospect of a return home

    Iran soccer team exits Women’s Asian Cup and faces the prospect of a return home

    GOLD COAST, Australia — Iran’s women’s national football team concluded their Asian Cup campaign with a 2-0 defeat against the Philippines on Sunday, eliminating them from the tournament amidst growing concerns about their safety upon returning to a nation engulfed in military conflict. The team’s participation in the continental championship has been overshadowed by geopolitical tensions following recent military strikes on Iran by U.S. and Israeli forces.

    The squad’s ambiguous political stance has drawn significant attention throughout the competition. Players remained silent during the national anthem before their opening match against South Korea, a gesture interpreted by observers either as silent protest or mourning. However, in subsequent matches against Australia and the Philippines, the team performed both the anthem and customary salutes.

    The Australian Iranian Council has initiated urgent diplomatic efforts, addressing a formal letter to Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke requesting protection for team members during their stay. Accompanying this appeal, an online petition has garnered substantial public support, accumulating over 50,000 signatures before Sunday’s decisive match. The petition urges Australian authorities to provide independent legal counsel, interpreter services, and ensure no player is compelled to return while credible safety concerns persist.

    Team members have largely maintained silence regarding the domestic situation, though forward Sara Didar emotionally expressed concerns for family and compatriots during a mid-week press conference. The petition emphasizes that ‘silence is not a neutral position when athletes face potential persecution, imprisonment, or coercion upon return,’ particularly noting intensified repression during current wartime conditions.

    Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong acknowledged the team’s predicament without confirming specific governmental contacts, stating Australia stands in solidarity with Iranian women against systemic oppression. The symbolic jersey exchange between Australian and Iranian players was highlighted as a particularly meaningful gesture of support.

    Local Iranian-Australian activist Tina Kordrostami emphasized the necessity for government-assisted safe spaces where players can freely express their needs and concerns without external pressure.

    The team’s competitive exit eliminates the potential protective extension that advancement to quarterfinals would have provided, leaving immediate return arrangements uncertain amid ongoing diplomatic and humanitarian considerations.

  • Iran’s border with Turkey offers a way out, but few are leaving for good

    Iran’s border with Turkey offers a way out, but few are leaving for good

    KAPIKOY BORDER CROSSING, Turkey — As Iran’s airspace remains shuttered following recent military strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces, the land border crossing near Turkey’s Van province has emerged as a vital lifeline connecting Iranians to the global community. The Kapikoy border gate, nestled within mountainous terrain, has witnessed a steady flow of travelers with existing connections to Turkey through employment, family ties, or dual citizenship arrangements.

    Contrary to expectations of mass exodus, border activity reveals a more nuanced reality. Most travelers are accelerating prearranged visits rather than abandoning their homeland permanently. Reza Gol, a 38-year-old plastic surgeon traveling from Urmia to Istanbul for medical consultations, exemplified this trend: ‘It’s not clear whether we will leave Iran for good, but I can clear my head a little bit in the meantime. Everyone is staying in their houses—people are not running away.’

    The journey remains fraught with complications. Pooneh Asghari and her Iranian-Canadian husband face reluctant relocation to Canada despite having established lives in Iran. ‘All our life is there,’ Asghari lamented, hoping for a brief absence. Economic constraints prevent widespread departure, as noted by Fariba (identifying partially for security): ‘People are very poor now. So they are staying at home, and they are scared.’

    Border logistics have become increasingly complex. While Turkey initially suspended day-trip crossings, regular transit has resumed for Iranians and third-country nationals. Official figures indicate balanced movement, with 2,032 entries versus 1,966 departures recorded recently. Travelers typically proceed to Van airport for connecting flights, though weather disruptions and cancellations create additional hurdles.

    Mehregan, a 26-year-old student stranded en route to China, described her ordeal: ‘If I can’t get on a flight tomorrow from here I will miss my flight to China’—potentially losing nonrefundable tickets. The regional economy suffers concurrently, with hotels and shops anticipating significant losses during normally bustling Nowruz holidays.

    Turkey maintains preparedness for potential refugee influx, having constructed 380 kilometers of concrete walls and numerous surveillance towers along its Iranian border. Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci confirmed contingency plans involving tent camps and buffer zones, though significant refugee movements have not yet materialized.

    Harrison Mirtar, a 53-year-old Iranian-Canadian returning from parental visits in Tehran, expressed resentment toward foreign intervention but contextualized the crisis: ‘They are in their homeland. Life is going on, but with some bombs.’ This sentiment captures the resilient pragmatism characterizing most Iranians’ response to the escalating conflict.

  • Grassroots voices key to crafting law

    Grassroots voices key to crafting law

    In a significant demonstration of China’s evolving democratic mechanisms, Shanghai National People’s Congress deputy Sheng Hong has emerged as a pivotal advocate for enhanced public participation in legislative processes. Serving as Party secretary of a residential compound in Hongqiao subdistrict, Sheng represents one of China’s pioneering grassroots legislative contact points established by the NPC Standing Committee’s Legislative Affairs Commission in 2015.

    These contact points, which have expanded to 60 nationwide as of December 2025, function as critical conduits between ordinary citizens and China’s highest legislative body. The Hongqiao subdistrict facility alone has reviewed 117 draft bills spanning environmental protection, urban governance, livelihood security, and ethnic unity, submitting approximately 5,800 suggestions with over 430 receiving official adoption.

    The legislative process involves comprehensive consultation meetings that bring together grassroots government units, social stakeholders, and subject matter experts. A recent gathering focused on draft legislation regarding childcare services featured representatives from local government departments, childcare institutions, kindergartens, legal professionals, and policy experts.

    Sheng, with 14 years of community service experience, emphasizes her role as a governmental liaison who systematically collects and channels public opinion to national legislative bodies. “From understanding legislation to participating in it and then promoting it, residents have formed a broad network of public opinion,” she noted, highlighting how participatory processes strengthen democratic engagement and public satisfaction.

    During the current political sessions, Sheng has proposed institutional enhancements for collecting and responding to public opinions, advocating for more effective feedback mechanisms that transform public suggestions into governance measures. She has additionally recommended strengthened internet protection for minors, including clear content grading systems, restricted social features for children under 8, and usage limitations for users under 16.

    Her previous recommendation regarding optimized outdoor seating arrangements for small restaurants and cafes, aimed at stimulating consumption, has already yielded tangible results with Shanghai implementing corresponding regulatory frameworks.

    This grassroots legislative model exemplifies what Sheng characterizes as “whole-process people’s democracy,” extending beyond statutory language to actively cultivate democratic capabilities and awareness among citizens.

  • Lawmaker lays stress on plant protection

    Lawmaker lays stress on plant protection

    At the ongoing 14th National People’s Congress, Deputy Song Bao’an has presented a comprehensive proposal advocating for enhanced plant protection measures and new legislative frameworks. The lawmaker, who also serves as President of Guizhou University, emphasized that robust plant protection systems are fundamental to preventing widespread crop pest outbreaks and safeguarding both staple food crops and commercial agricultural products.

    Speaking from a decade of frontline research experience, Song highlighted China’s paradoxical position as an agricultural powerhouse that still grapples with systemic challenges including pesticide overuse and recurrent crop diseases. “Despite numerous efforts in this field, China lacks a high-level legal framework specifically addressing plant protection,” Song noted, referencing the nation’s 2025 food output of 714.88 million metric tons according to National Bureau of Statistics data.

    The proposal calls for establishing clearly defined regulatory bodies and specialized enforcement teams to ensure nationwide plant health monitoring. Song’s research team has pioneered innovative green pest control methods, particularly for tea cultivation—a crucial crop covering approximately 466,667 hectares in Guizhou province. Their breakthrough approach involves deploying natural predator insects to combat tea pests, creating a sustainable biological control system.

    These integrated pest management techniques have demonstrated remarkable success domestically, with implementation expanding across Guizhou, Hainan, and Hunan provinces. The methods have also gained international recognition through the China-Sri Lanka Joint Laboratory for Green Tea Pest Control Technology, established in 2024. Since January 2025, Professors Jin Linhong and Hao Gefei have led repeated technical missions to Sri Lanka, where small family tea farms struggle with extensive management and severe pest problems.

    After one year of trials combining biological control with improved farming practices, demonstration tea gardens reported a 50% reduction in disease incidence and improved soil conditions. Yield increases ranged from 23% to an extraordinary 110%, with the project expanding from initial pilot areas to approximately 333 hectares. The program has also facilitated knowledge exchange, with over 50 Sri Lankan students studying at Guizhou University and implementing these techniques upon returning home.

    Song directly links advanced plant protection to broader national priorities: “Crops from the field end up on people’s plates. Strengthening oversight and legislation concerns not just tea or cash crops but personal health and national food security.” The proposal positions green agriculture—incorporating organic fertilizers, biopesticides, and water-saving irrigation—as essential for addressing soil depletion, water pollution, and climate change challenges through drought-resistant varieties and climate-smart farming practices.

    “China’s agriculture has reached a turning point,” Song concluded. “Matching laws are essential to ensure practitioners can implement technologies correctly and scientifically, making agriculture greener and food safer.”

  • Agricultural innovation goes global

    Agricultural innovation goes global

    A pioneering agricultural development model pioneered by China is poised for international scaling as national legislator Zhang Fusuo proposes its formal integration into the country’s foreign assistance programs. The Science and Technology Backyard initiative, which dispatches graduate students and researchers to provide hands-on technical assistance to farmers, has demonstrated remarkable success domestically with 5,700 installations established across China since 2009.

    The innovative program, which connects academic institutions directly with agricultural communities, has already expanded tentatively to ten countries including Malawi and Kenya through 14 international backyards established since 2019. These pilot projects have contributed significantly to food security in numerous villages across the Global South.

    Professor Zhang, an NPC deputy and academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, emphasizes that the program’s next developmental phase requires systematic incorporation into China’s national foreign aid framework. This institutionalization would address critical challenges including reliance on research funding and the absence of stable financial channels for international operations.

    The current model faces limitations in private sector and non-governmental organization participation, hindering a comprehensive approach that integrates education, technology and industry. Zhang proposes creating standardized operational procedures and dedicated funding streams while offering financial incentives for domestic agricultural companies to partner with overseas backyards.

    The Global Science and Technology Backyard Center in Hainan Province serves as a strategic hub, attracting both Chinese and international agricultural enterprises to establish operations. Researchers in Sanya are transforming high-quality agricultural practices into replicable business models suitable for international expansion, particularly in tropical regions resembling Hainan’s climate.

    Complementing technological transfer, the initiative emphasizes human capital development through expanded scholarship programs for Global South students and a innovative ‘1+1+1’ model combining study in China, practical experience in home countries, and further training in China. A dual-mentor system pairing Chinese and local experts ensures effective adaptation of technology to local languages, cultures, and policies.

    This approach represents an evolution from traditional aid models, shifting from direct implementation toward guidance and capacity building that empowers local communities to sustain agricultural development independently.