分类： world

Twin crises have struck Asia with devastating force, as catastrophic flooding in Indonesia claims hundreds of lives while India’s aviation sector faces urgent safety concerns.

In Indonesia, rescue operations continue amid one of the deadliest flood disasters in recent memory. The national disaster agency confirmed the death toll has surpassed 200 victims, with many more injured or missing. Torrential rainfall triggered flash floods that submerged entire communities, destroyed critical infrastructure, and displaced thousands of residents. Emergency response teams are battling challenging conditions to deliver aid and locate survivors, while meteorological warnings suggest further precipitation could hamper recovery efforts.

Simultaneously, India’s aviation regulator has issued a sweeping directive affecting the country’s commercial airline operations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has mandated that all domestic carriers immediately cease operations of Airbus A320 family aircraft until specific modifications are completed. This emergency measure follows emerging safety concerns regarding potential system vulnerabilities that require urgent addressing. The grounding affects numerous flights across India’s aviation network, potentially disrupting travel for thousands of passengers until compliance is verified.

The dual emergencies highlight contrasting yet equally critical aspects of disaster management—responding to sudden natural catastrophes while proactively addressing technological safety concerns before they escalate into human tragedies.

A recently released Palestinian medical worker has provided a harrowing account of her alleged abduction and subsequent detention by Israeli authorities, revealing claims of systematic pressure tactics and mistreatment targeting healthcare professionals and their families.

Tasneem al-Hams, a 22-year-old nurse from Gaza, regained her freedom in Khan Younis on Thursday following nearly two months in Israeli custody. According to her testimony to local media, her ordeal began when members of the Israel-backed Popular Forces militia—commonly known as the Abu Shabab gang—seized her from a medical facility in southern Gaza where she worked.

“I was abducted by Yasser Abu Shabab’s group, then they handed me over to the Israelis east of Khan Younis,” al-Hams stated, describing a transfer that allegedly placed her directly into military custody.

The young nurse’s detention appears connected to her father’s earlier capture. Dr. Marwan al-Hams, who oversees field medical operations throughout Gaza, was reportedly taken by undercover Israeli special forces three months prior to his daughter’s abduction. During her imprisonment, Tasneem alleges she was deliberately used as leverage against her father during interrogation sessions, noting they had only minimal contact despite being held at the same Ashkelon prison facility.

Her account details transfers between multiple detention centers, including Damon Prison, where she reportedly witnessed deteriorating conditions for female detainees. She described practices including forced removal of religious garments, chemical agent exposure, nutritional deprivation, and physical violence resulting in serious injuries among prisoners.

These allegations emerge amid broader concerns regarding Israel’s treatment of Palestinian detainees. According to Palestinian health officials, over 1,500 medical workers have been killed and 360 detained since the conflict’s escalation. Rights organizations have documented systematic abuses in detention facilities, with healthcare professionals reportedly facing particularly severe treatment.

The Israeli military has alleged Dr. al-Hams maintains connections to Hamas and possesses knowledge regarding a deceased soldier’s remains—claims that remain unverified by independent sources. The release of Tasneem al-Hams coincides with recent ceasefire negotiations and prisoner exchanges, though she continues advocating for her father’s freedom and that of approximately 50 female detainees she encountered during her imprisonment.

A catastrophic fire that erupted on November 26, 2025, at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district has drawn an outpouring of international sympathy and support. The blaze, which consumed seven of eight apartment blocks in the residential complex built in 1983, has resulted in 128 confirmed fatalities as of November 28.

The international response has been swift and comprehensive. Over thirty governments, including their consular representatives in Hong Kong, have extended formal condolences to the victims’ families while expressing solidarity with the injured and affected communities. Russian President Vladimir Putin conveyed his sympathies through an official Kremlin statement, while Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese personally addressed the tragedy during a press conference, stating: ‘My heart goes out to the people who have lost their lives and the people who are searching and concerned about loved ones.’

Harvey Rouse, head of the European Union Office to Hong Kong and Macao SARs, specifically commended the emergency responders, expressing support for Hong Kong’s firefighters, paramedics, and medical personnel battling the aftermath.

Migrant communities, particularly affected due to the dense concentration of foreign domestic workers in the area, have received targeted assistance. The Philippine Consulate General reported one injured national and one missing among 24 confirmed safe Filipinos, while Indonesian authorities established emergency hotlines and coordination mechanisms with local agencies. Various migrant support organizations including the Mission For Migrant Workers, Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge, and the International Migrants Alliance have established on-ground operations at Kwong Fuk Estate Podium providing medical aid, psychological counseling, and temporary shelter arrangements.

The International Social Service Hong Kong Branch has activated cross-border support mechanisms for affected families who were on the Chinese mainland during the incident, establishing a special relief fund and deploying ethnic minority outreach teams to address language and cultural barriers in assistance distribution.

Sri Lanka is confronting a severe humanitarian and environmental crisis in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, which made landfall on Friday. Official figures from the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) confirm a tragic toll of 46 fatalities, with an additional 23 individuals reported missing as intensive search and rescue missions continue.

The cyclone’s most devastating impact stemmed from catastrophic landslides, triggered by torrential rainfall that dumped over 300 mm (11.8 inches) of water on the island nation within a 24-hour period. The eastern and central provinces bore the brunt of the destruction. Nationwide, the scale of displacement is significant, with emergency services evacuating nearly 44,000 citizens to public shelters, including schools. In the most severely affected villages, families were left stranded on rooftops, awaiting assistance.

Infrastructure and public life have been severely disrupted. All schools have been shuttered, national train services are suspended, and the Colombo Stock Exchange halted trading early in response to the ongoing severe weather. Brigadier S. Dharmawickrema, Emergency Operations Director at the DMC, outlined the challenges faced by rescue teams, noting that access to some isolated villages remains impossible due to roads blocked by landslides.

The crisis has also impacted international travel. The Sri Lankan government has announced contingency plans to divert flights from the primary Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to airports in South India, such as Trivandrum and Cochin, should conditions deteriorate further. Local media has already reported the diversion of several international flights originating from hubs including Dubai, Muscat, New Delhi, and Bangkok.

With meteorological departments warning that the storm could intensify as it moves across the island, authorities are racing against time to reach all affected populations and mitigate further disaster.

Thailand’s government has confirmed a tragic escalation in the human cost of severe flooding across its southern regions, with the official death toll reaching 145 individuals. The announcement was made by official spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat during a press briefing held on Friday, November 28th, 2025.

The province of Songkhla has borne the brunt of the catastrophe, accounting for over 100 of the confirmed fatalities, underscoring the concentrated severity of the flooding in that area. The disaster has inflicted widespread damage to infrastructure, homes, and livelihoods throughout the southern provinces, prompting a large-scale emergency response effort.

While the spokesperson provided the updated casualty figures, the full extent of the economic impact and the displacement of residents remains under assessment. The floods, triggered by a period of exceptionally heavy seasonal rainfall, have submerged vast tracts of land, isolating communities and hampering rescue and relief operations. The government continues to coordinate efforts to provide aid to affected populations and begin the arduous process of recovery and rebuilding in the hardest-hit zones.

An overnight Israeli military operation in southern Syria has resulted in significant casualties and confrontations, with Syrian state media reporting at least nine fatalities including two children. The incident marks one of the most serious border clashes in recent months between Israeli forces and Syrian residents.

According to SANA, Israel’s pre-dawn raid targeted the town of Beit Jinn in Quneitra province on Friday, where troops stormed the area and detained three individuals. The military action triggered widespread displacement as numerous families fled to neighboring villages for safety. Syrian correspondents reported that Israeli artillery initiated the assault at approximately 3:40 AM local time, followed by ground troop movements.

The situation escalated dramatically when local residents confronted the Israeli forces, leading to intense firefights that Syrian media described as “fierce clashes.” During the confrontation, Israeli drones maintained persistent aerial surveillance while casualties were transported to Al-Golan National Hospital in Al-Salam city.

Israeli military officials acknowledged injuries to six soldiers during what they characterized as an operation targeting members of Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya. According to Haaretz, two officers were among three soldiers listed in serious condition, with others sustaining moderate and light injuries. The military stated that a unit from the 55th Paratroopers Brigade had detained two brothers allegedly linked to the group when gunfire erupted during their withdrawal.

In response to the resistance, Israel deployed fighter jets and drones to strike positions they identified as being used by local gunmen. An Israeli Humvee was reportedly hit during the exchange and subsequently struck again by Israeli fire. Additionally, Israeli warplanes dropped incendiary balloons over the area while aircraft intensified patrol operations.

This incident represents an escalation in Israel’s recurrent cross-border operations in Quneitra province within the occupied Golan Heights and deeper into the Damascus countryside. These military actions have drawn condemnation from Damascus and regional states, with observers noting increased aggression over the past year following Israel’s expanded occupation of southern Syria.

In a solemn display of international solidarity, United Arab Emirates leaders have extended profound condolences to Chinese President Xi Jinping following a catastrophic residential fire in Hong Kong that has resulted in massive casualties. President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zashed Al Nahyan conveyed official sympathies regarding the tragic incident that struck a residential complex in the special administrative region, expressing heartfelt wishes for the recovery of all injured victims.

The message of support was simultaneously echoed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, alongside Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister who chairs the Presidential Court. This coordinated diplomatic response underscores the UAE’s commitment to maintaining strong bilateral relations with China during times of humanitarian crisis.

The devastating inferno, which engulfed a high-density apartment building in Hong Kong, has emerged as the deadliest structural fire incident the city has witnessed in over five decades. Official reports confirm the blaze has claimed at least 128 lives, a death toll that exceeds the tragic 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster in London. Local authorities announced the conclusion of firefighting operations on Friday, though emergency crews continue search and recovery efforts as numerous residents remain unaccounted for following the catastrophe.

A disturbing video capturing the execution of two unarmed Palestinian men by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin has ignited international outrage and accusations of war crimes. The incident occurred on Thursday in the Abu Dhahir neighborhood, where Al-Muntasir Billah Mahmoud Qassem Abdullah, 26, and Yousef Ali Yousef Asa’sa, 37, were shot dead at point-blank range after surrendering with their hands raised and shirts lifted to demonstrate they posed no threat.

The Israeli military and police, conducting joint operations in the area, acknowledged the shootings and promised an investigation. However, historical patterns indicate such internal military inquiries rarely result in prosecutions. Officers involved, reportedly from the Border Police unit, claimed the men failed to follow instructions by returning to a building against orders, justifying their use of lethal force.

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir publicly endorsed the officers’ actions, stating on social media that ‘terrorists must die!’ and that the officers ‘acted exactly as expected of them.’ This stance contrasts sharply with the Palestinian Authority’s condemnation of what they termed ‘brutal field executions’ and a ‘war crime.’ Hamas further characterized the incident as part of a ‘systematic campaign of extermination’ in the West Bank.

The killings occurred during intensified Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank, part of a broader escalation since October 2023. Over the past two years, Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians and arrested thousands across the occupied territory, with recent large-scale operations in Jenin and Tulkarm displacing approximately 30,000 people and causing extensive property destruction. Israeli forces have withheld the victims’ bodies following the killings.

Israeli security forces fatally shot two Palestinian men during a military operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Thursday, despite video evidence showing both individuals appearing to surrender while unarmed. Palestine TV footage captured the disturbing sequence where 26-year-old Montasir Abdullah and 37-year-old Yusuf Asasa exited a building surrounded by armed Israeli troops, lifted their shirts to demonstrate they carried no weapons, and lay prone on the ground in clear surrender gestures.

The visual record shows Israeli forces subsequently directing the men back inside the structure before opening fire at close range. A Reuters journalist confirmed witnessing the surrender sequence and later observed Israeli forces standing near what appeared to be a lifeless body following audible gunshots.

The Israeli military and police issued a joint statement acknowledging an investigation into the incident, stating forces had fired toward suspects who exited a building during an operation targeting individuals wanted for ‘terror activities.’ The statement identified the deceased as wanted individuals affiliated with a ‘terror network’ in Jenin but provided no specific allegations or evidence substantiating these claims.

Jenin Governor Kamal Abu al-Rub condemned the shooting as a ‘cold-blooded execution’ of unarmed civilians, expressing skepticism about the likelihood of a genuine investigation. The incident occurred amid intensified Israeli operations across northern West Bank cities, with another operation launched in nearby Tubas on Wednesday.

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir offered his ‘full backing’ to the involved units, declaring ‘terrorists should die!’ in a social media post. Palestinian group Hamas, while not claiming the men as members, denounced the killings as ‘escalating field executions’ and called for international intervention.