Global Pulse

标签： Asia

亚洲

  • Syrian army announces stop to Aleppo offensive, but Kurdish fighters deny halt

    Syrian army announces stop to Aleppo offensive, but Kurdish fighters deny halt

    The Syrian military declared a suspension of its offensive operations in Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsud district on Saturday, though Kurdish forces immediately contested the claim, reporting continued fierce combat. The violence erupted earlier this week following stalled negotiations to integrate the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the national government framework.

    The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) published an official statement indicating the cessation of all military activities would take effect at 3:00 PM local time. Concurrently, the military announced plans to transfer surrendering Kurdish fighters to the northeastern city of Tabaqa, under the supervision of the interior ministry. State television documented the transportation process, showing at least four buses accompanied by security forces departing the conflict zone.

    However, the SDF vehemently denied both the ceasefire declaration and government assertions that they controlled most of Sheikh Maqsud. Kurdish officials characterized the army’s statements as a “blatant attempt to mislead public opinion” while reporting they were actively repelling attacks. The fighting has exacted a severe humanitarian toll, with at least 21 civilian fatalities confirmed and approximately 155,000 residents displaced from their homes, according to Aleppo’s governor.

    The conflict stems from unresolved disagreements regarding the implementation of a March 2023 integration agreement. Kurdish demands for decentralized governance structures have particularly hampered progress. Elham Ahmad, a senior Kurdish administration official, accused Damascus of “choosing the path of war” and undermining previously established agreements.

    International attention has intensified, with US envoy Tom Barrack confirming discussions with Jordan’s foreign minister regarding ceasefire consolidation, safe SDF withdrawal from Aleppo, and civilian protection. Both parties emphasized the urgent need to implement the integration agreement to achieve lasting stability.

  • 6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes Indonesia, NCM says

    6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes Indonesia, NCM says

    A substantial seismic event measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale occurred off the coast of Indonesia’s Talaud Islands on Saturday evening, according to multiple seismic monitoring agencies. The German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) reported the earthquake struck at approximately 6:00 PM UAE time, with its epicenter located offshore in the seismically active region.

    The temblor originated at a considerable depth of 77 kilometers (approximately 47.85 miles) beneath the earth’s surface, which typically reduces surface impact while still representing significant geological activity. Indonesia’s National Seismic Network, operated by the National Center of Meteorology, independently confirmed the earthquake’s magnitude and timing.

    Indonesia, situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, experiences frequent seismic activity due to the convergence of multiple tectonic plates. The Talaud Islands region, located north of Sulawesi, has historically experienced moderate to strong earthquakes, though this particular event’s deep focus may have mitigated potential damage.

    Seismologists continue to monitor the region for aftershocks, which commonly follow earthquakes of this magnitude. No immediate tsunami warnings were issued following the event, as subduction zone earthquakes at this depth typically don’t generate significant tsunami activity. Local authorities are assessing potential impacts on coastal communities while residents reported feeling moderate tremors across the archipelago.

  • ‘Hermès of durian’: The luxury fruit cashing in on China’s billion-dollar appetite

    ‘Hermès of durian’: The luxury fruit cashing in on China’s billion-dollar appetite

    The humble Malaysian town of Raub, once renowned for its gold mining heritage, has undergone an extraordinary economic transformation driven by China’s insatiable appetite for durians. This small community now proudly identifies as the heartland of Musang King—a premium durian variety celebrated as the “Hermès of durians” among Chinese connoisseurs.

    Driving through Raub’s mountainous terrain, the presence of the spiky fruit is unmistakable. Fragrant trails follow durian-laden trucks along winding roads, while public art and signage proudly proclaim the town’s newfound identity. This visual and olfactory landscape tells the story of an agricultural revolution reshaping Southeast Asia’s farming communities.

    China’s durian imports skyrocketed to a record $7 billion in 2024, representing a threefold increase since 2020. This massive demand now absorbs over 90% of global durian exports, creating unprecedented economic opportunities across the region. “Even if only 2% of Chinese consumers purchase durians, that represents enormous business potential,” notes Chee Seng Wong, factory manager at Fresco Green, a Raub-based exporter.

    The economic shift has been dramatic. Where farmers once replaced durian trees with oil palms during 1990s economic struggles, they now reverse this process, sacrificing cash crops to cultivate the prized fruit. This agricultural recalibration reflects durian’s extraordinary market value—while common varieties sell for under $2 in Southeast Asia, premium Musang King specimens command $14 to $100 per fruit depending on quality and season.

    Despite its divisive aroma—often compared to cabbage, sulfur, or sewers—durian has cultivated a sophisticated Chinese fanbase. It functions as an exotic luxury gift, social media status symbol, and culinary innovation ingredient, appearing in everything from durian chicken hotpot to pizza. This cultural embrace has turned the once-maligned fruit into a diplomatic tool, with Beijing signing numerous trade agreements positioning durian exchange as celebration of bilateral ties.

    Malaysia’s durian industry has created remarkable success stories. Farmers like “Uncle Thing” Lu Yuee Thing have achieved millionaire status through family-operated enterprises where sons handle transportation while daughters manage finances. “Durian has significantly contributed to our local economy,” acknowledges Uncle Thing, though he emphasizes the physical demands of farming despite the financial rewards.

    The durian boom carries complex consequences. Food safety concerns emerged when Chinese authorities detected carcinogenic dyes in Thai imports, while Vietnamese coffee farmers switching to durian cultivation have contributed to rising global coffee prices. In Raub, legal conflicts have erupted over thousands of durian trees allegedly planted illegally on state land.

    Meanwhile, China pursues “durian freedom” through domestic cultivation in Hainan province, where experimental harvests reached 2,000 tonnes in 2025. While currently representing less than 1% of China’s consumption, this domestic production potential introduces uncertainty for Southeast Asian producers who have built their economies around Chinese demand. Yet Raub’s farmers remain confident in their product’s superiority, focusing on quality and yield while monitoring China’s agricultural developments.

  • India: Small aircraft crash lands in Odisha, 6 passengers injured

    India: Small aircraft crash lands in Odisha, 6 passengers injured

    A regional commuter flight operated by IndiaOne Air was forced to make an emergency landing in an open field near Kansor, Odisha, on Saturday afternoon, resulting in minor injuries to all six occupants but no fatalities. The Cessna Grand C208B aircraft, registration VT-KSS, was conducting a scheduled flight from Bhubaneswar to Rourkela when the incident occurred.

    According to official statements from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the crew declared a ‘MAYDAY’ emergency to Rourkela Air Traffic Control at approximately 13:14 hours IST before executing a controlled forced landing in an open area approximately 15-20 kilometers short of their destination airport. The aircraft carried four passengers and two crew members, all of whom were promptly transported to medical facilities for evaluation and treatment.

    Odisha’s Commerce and Transport Minister BB Jena confirmed the incident, stating, ‘By the grace of God, this is not a major accident. The passengers have sustained minor injuries and are stable.’ The landing site was identified as near Jalda, approximately 10 kilometers from Rourkela.

    Rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the location following the emergency landing. Minister Jena confirmed that state authorities have notified the DGCA about the incident, and the state’s director would soon visit the accident site for preliminary assessment.

    IndiaOne Air, a scheduled commuter operator based in Bhubaneswar, maintains a fleet of three Cessna Grand C208B aircraft and has provided regional connectivity within Odisha and to neighboring Tier-3 cities since 2022 with Viability Gap Funding support from the Government of Odisha. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has assumed responsibility for conducting a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the emergency landing.

  • ICC reveals over 1,300 pieces of evidence against ex Philippine President Duterte

    ICC reveals over 1,300 pieces of evidence against ex Philippine President Duterte

    The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecution has delivered a substantial evidentiary package exceeding 1,300 items to the defense team of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, according to a December 2025 document recently made public. This disclosure represents a critical development in the ongoing case concerning alleged crimes against humanity linked to Duterte’s controversial anti-drug campaign.

    Court records indicate that between July 7 and December 18, 2025, the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) transferred a total of 1,303 evidentiary pieces to Duterte’s legal representatives. The evidence breakdown reveals 906 items categorized as incriminating (INCRIM), 389 classified under Rule 77 evidence accessible to defense review, and eight potentially exonerating (PEXO) materials.

    While the OTP maintained confidentiality regarding specific details, official documentation confirms the incriminating evidence encompasses fatalities occurring during barangay clearance operations and the deaths of designated ‘high-value targets’ throughout Duterte’s presidential tenure from 2016 to 2022. The evidence disclosure process, initiated in March 2024, represents a pivotal phase in ICC proceedings that could substantially influence the case’s trajectory.

    The recently shared evidence will not feature in upcoming confirmation of charges hearings, which remain unscheduled after being postponed from original September dates. ICC Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang formally signed the disclosure document, underscoring the procedural gravity of this development.

    Duterte currently remains detained at the Scheveningen prison facility in The Hague, Netherlands, facing charges of murder as a crime against humanity. The allegations stem from widespread killings associated with his administration’s aggressive narcotics suppression strategy that resulted in thousands of fatalities during its implementation.

  • Turkey: Ankara city hall says water cuts due to ‘record drought’

    Turkey: Ankara city hall says water cuts due to ‘record drought’

    Ankara’s municipal government has confirmed that ongoing water rationing measures across the Turkish capital result from the most severe drought conditions witnessed in fifty years, compounded by rapid urban population growth. Reservoir levels supplying the city have plummeted to a critical 1.12 percent capacity, prompting authorities to implement scheduled water shut-offs across various districts daily.

    The city’s water authority director, Memduh Akcay, provided alarming data showing water inflow to dams dropped dramatically to 182 million cubic meters in 2025, compared to historical averages of 400-600 million cubic meters. This represents the lowest precipitation levels recorded since modern measurements began.

    Political tensions have emerged as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized opposition-led municipal authorities as “incompetent” in handling the crisis. City officials counter that climate change effects and Ankara’s population explosion—doubling since the 1990s to nearly six million residents—are primary factors overwhelming water infrastructure.

    Akcay explained that reduced precipitation, irregular rainfall patterns, diminished snowfall, and rapid urban runoff due to construction have severely impaired dam replenishment capabilities. While emergency pumping systems have temporarily suspended cuts for the weekend, officials warn that sustainable solutions remain dependent on sufficient rainfall that has yet to materialize.

    The crisis extends beyond Ankara, with Izmir—Turkey’s third-largest city—implementing daily water restrictions since summer 2025 amid a nationwide historic drought.

  • Qatari restaurant chain suspends cash payments after major internal theft

    Qatari restaurant chain suspends cash payments after major internal theft

    In a decisive response to a significant internal security breach, Qatar’s popular restaurant chain Poori & Karak has implemented a temporary suspension of all cash payments across its eight locations. The company confirmed through its official Instagram channel that multiple employees orchestrated a sophisticated theft operation, resulting in substantial financial damages described as the chain’s most severe operational setback of 2025.

    The management characterized the incident as their ‘largest internal theft incident’ of the year, though specific financial figures remain undisclosed. The fraudulent activities specifically targeted cash transaction processes, prompting the immediate transition to exclusive bank card and digital payment acceptance. This measure, according to company statements, aims to safeguard corporate assets, enhance financial transparency, and ensure the integrity of ongoing operations.

    Poori & Karak, with establishments in prominent locations including Qatar Sports Club and Al Wakra, emphasized that the payment policy shift is temporary while internal controls undergo comprehensive review and strengthening. Restaurant management separately expressed strong confidence in their remaining workforce, acknowledging staff cooperation and commitment during the transitional period.

    This incident occurs against the backdrop of accelerating digital payment adoption across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Younger demographics in particular are driving this transformation, valuing the enhanced security, convenience, and operational efficiency that electronic transactions provide. The region’s rapidly expanding digital infrastructure continues to facilitate this shift toward cashless economies, with businesses increasingly prioritizing financial security mechanisms.

  • Indonesia suspends Musk’s Grok AI over explicit content

    Indonesia suspends Musk’s Grok AI over explicit content

    Indonesia has become the first nation to impose a comprehensive ban on Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot Grok, citing serious concerns about the platform’s capability to generate non-consensual explicit content. The decisive action was announced on Saturday by Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid, who characterized the move as necessary for public protection.

    The suspension follows international scrutiny of Grok’s image generation feature, which reportedly enabled users to create sexually explicit depictions of women and children through simple text commands. This functionality has sparked global condemnation from digital rights advocates and government officials alike.

    Minister Hafid emphasized the government’s position in an official statement: “To safeguard women, children, and the general public from the dangers of AI-generated fake pornographic material, the administration has instituted a temporary blockade of the Grok application.” She further noted that Indonesian authorities consider non-consensual deepfake production “a grave infringement upon human rights, personal dignity, and digital security.”

    In parallel with the ban, Indonesian officials have summoned representatives from social media platform X, which hosts Grok, to provide clarification regarding the controversial AI tool. Despite the restrictions, AFP correspondents in Jakarta observed that Grok’s official X account remained operational and responsive to Indonesian-language inquiries as of Saturday evening.

    The controversy extends beyond Indonesia’s borders. European regulators and technology activists have criticized xAI’s previous response—limiting Grok’s availability to premium subscribers—as insufficient addressing fundamental concerns about sexually explicit deepfake content. Musk previously stated that Grok users creating illegal content would face consequences equivalent to those uploading prohibited material directly.

    xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup responsible for developing Grok, had not issued an immediate response to Indonesia’s regulatory action at the time of reporting.

  • Iran blocks internet and deploys IRGC as widespread protests continue

    Iran blocks internet and deploys IRGC as widespread protests continue

    Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a stark warning, declaring the protection of national security an inviolable ‘red line’ as the nation experiences its most significant civil unrest in years. The elite military force, operating separately from Iran’s conventional army, pledged on Saturday to defend both the nation’s security apparatus and the foundational achievements of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

    The IRGC has attributed recent violence to ‘terrorist elements,’ accusing them of orchestrating attacks on military and law enforcement installations during overnight demonstrations. These alleged assaults reportedly resulted in casualties among both citizens and security personnel, alongside significant property destruction through arson attacks.

    Parallel to the IRGC’s statements, Iran’s conventional armed forces—similarly under the command of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—vowed to safeguard national interests, critical infrastructure, and public property from further damage.

    The protests, now entering their third week, initially emerged as economic demonstrations against spiraling inflation but have rapidly evolved into explicitly political movements. Some participants have openly called for the dismantling of the Islamic Republic itself, representing the most substantial challenge to Tehran’s authority since the 2022 ‘Woman Life Freedom’ demonstrations.

    Medical professionals in Tehran reported alarming casualty figures, with just six capital hospitals documenting at least 217 protester fatalities, predominantly resulting from live ammunition injuries. Healthcare facilities described being overwhelmed by the influx of casualties.

    Digital evidence suggests Iranian authorities have implemented a comprehensive internet blackout lasting over 36 hours, according to internet monitoring organization Netblocks. This digital suppression strategy has drawn criticism from prominent Iranian cultural figures, including filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof and Jafar Panahi, who condemned the measures as attempting to conceal state violence against demonstrators.

    Protesters interviewed by Middle East Eye described an economic collapse that has rendered basic subsistence unmanageable for ordinary households. ‘In just a few days, prices have multiplied. How can it be this disastrous?’ questioned Mani, a 27-year-old demonstrator from Mashhad. Another protester, Mehdi from Isfahan province, expressed generational despair: ‘Our lives and our youth have been wasted under the Islamic Republic.’

    The human rights organization Hrana documented at least 65 confirmed deaths as of Friday, including 50 protesters and 15 security personnel. State media broadcast funeral processions for security officers allegedly killed in Hamedan, Qom, and Shiraz, while the IRGC reported three members of its Basij security force killed in confrontations with ‘armed rioters’ in Gachsaran.

    International responses have escalated significantly, with U.S. President Donald Trump issuing a veiled threat of intervention if security forces employ lethal measures against protesters. European leaders from Germany, France, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement condemning the violence and urging Tehran to exercise restraint, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio explicitly expressed support for Iranian demonstrators.

  • UAE calls on citizens in UK to exercise caution amid heavy snowfall, strong winds

    UAE calls on citizens in UK to exercise caution amid heavy snowfall, strong winds

    The United Arab Emirates has issued an urgent advisory for its citizens residing in the United Kingdom as severe weather conditions continue to batter Northern Europe. Storm Goretti, which made landfall on Friday, January 9th, has brought unprecedented snowfall, powerful winds, and torrential rainfall across multiple regions, prompting the UAE Embassy in London to activate emergency protocols.

    According to meteorological reports, the storm has created hazardous travel conditions and disrupted essential services throughout affected areas. The embassy specifically emphasized the importance of adhering to all safety directives issued by local authorities, including weather advisories and travel restrictions. Officials warned that the extreme conditions could persist throughout the weekend, potentially exacerbating existing challenges.

    In response to the crisis, the UAE diplomatic mission has activated its emergency response system, urging citizens to register with the ‘Twajudi’ consular service platform for real-time assistance. The service provides critical support coordination and ensures timely intervention for Emirati nationals requiring aid during emergencies. For immediate assistance, citizens have been directed to contact UAE emergency numbers: +971 800 24 or +971 800 44444.

    The impact of Storm Goretti has been substantial across Northern Europe. French power provider Enedis reported approximately 380,000 households without electricity, primarily in Normandy and Brittany regions. Meanwhile, Britain’s National Grid confirmed power outages affecting 57,000 homes, compounding existing challenges from a week of freezing temperatures. Educational institutions across Scotland and central England have announced widespread closures, while rail operators have suspended services and advised against non-essential travel.

    The UAE’s proactive warning system demonstrates the government’s commitment to citizen welfare abroad, particularly during extreme weather events that have become increasingly common in recent years. Meteorological experts note that Storm Goretti represents one of the most significant winter systems to affect the region this decade, with recovery operations expected to continue throughout the coming week.