标签： Asia

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.