Global Pulse

标签： Asia

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  • Angelina Jolie visits Rafah crossing, meets aid workers delivering help to Gaza

    Angelina Jolie visits Rafah crossing, meets aid workers delivering help to Gaza

    Hollywood actress and former UNHCR special envoy Angelina Jolie conducted a high-profile visit to the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Friday, January 2, 2026. The humanitarian mission brought the acclaimed actress to the critical transit point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, where she engaged directly with Red Crescent personnel and aid truck drivers facilitating humanitarian deliveries into the conflict-devastated territory.

    According to eyewitness accounts from AFP journalists present at the location, Jolie’s visit focused on two primary objectives: assessing the medical condition of injured Palestinians being transferred to Egyptian medical facilities and evaluating the logistical challenges facing aid delivery operations. The Rafah crossing has served as the primary gateway for humanitarian assistance entering Gaza amid ongoing regional tensions.

    The visit underscores the continuing international concern regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza, with high-profile advocates like Jolie drawing global attention to the plight of civilians affected by the conflict. Her presence at the border highlights the critical role of humanitarian corridors in conflict zones and the challenges faced by aid organizations in delivering essential supplies under complex geopolitical circumstances.

    Jolie, who has extensive experience in humanitarian work through her former role with the United Nations refugee agency, represents a growing cohort of celebrity advocates using their platform to spotlight international crises. The timing of her visit coincides with increased diplomatic efforts to address the humanitarian situation in the region, though specific outcomes from her assessment remain undisclosed.

  • Dubai Frame, parks host 39,000 visitors on New Year’s Eve

    Dubai Frame, parks host 39,000 visitors on New Year’s Eve

    Dubai concluded 2025 with extraordinary New Year’s Eve festivities that attracted thousands to its iconic landmarks and public spaces. The emirate’s renowned Dubai Frame and municipal parks collectively welcomed approximately 39,000 visitors during the December 31 celebrations, marking one of the most attended public events of the year.

    For the first time in its history, the architectural marvel Dubai Frame presented a special drone display alongside its traditional fireworks exhibition. This technological enhancement created a mesmerizing visual experience that complemented the pyrotechnic spectacle. The drone show represented Dubai’s continued innovation in entertainment technology and event presentation.

    The celebrations extended beyond the Dubai Frame, with coordinated fireworks displays occurring simultaneously across 40 different locations throughout the emirate. This distributed approach to fireworks allowed residents and visitors to enjoy the celebrations from multiple vantage points while reducing congestion at any single location.

    In preparation for the large turnout, Dubai Municipality implemented special measures to accommodate families and ensure comfortable viewing experiences. Fourteen public parks extended their operating hours until 1:00 AM, providing safe and spacious areas for celebration viewing. These extended hours demonstrated the city’s commitment to creating accessible and family-friendly entertainment options during major public events.

    The successful coordination of these celebrations highlighted Dubai’s ongoing capability to host large-scale public events while maintaining safety standards and visitor satisfaction. The combination of traditional fireworks with innovative drone technology also signaled the city’s forward-looking approach to public entertainment and tourism development.

  • UAE, 7 other nations call for urgent aid amid worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza

    UAE, 7 other nations call for urgent aid amid worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza

    A coalition of eight nations has issued a joint declaration expressing profound alarm over the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, where severe winter conditions have exacerbated an already critical crisis. The foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt emphasized that torrential rains and storms have intensified civilian suffering amid persistently limited aid access.

    The ministerial coalition highlighted that nearly 1.9 million displaced Palestinians now face catastrophic living conditions, with many sheltering in inadequate camps where flooded tents, collapsed structures, and freezing temperatures have created life-threatening circumstances. The statement specifically noted that widespread malnutrition and the heightened risk of disease transmission pose particular dangers to children, women, the elderly, and those with pre-existing medical conditions.

    Officials praised the efforts of UN agencies, including the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and other international humanitarian organizations operating under extremely challenging conditions. The ministers stressed the imperative for Israel to permit unimpeded humanitarian access, noting that any obstruction of aid delivery operations remains unacceptable given the critical nature of their mission.

    The coalition reaffirmed support for UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and the comprehensive plan advanced by US President Donald Trump, expressing commitment to contribute to its implementation. They emphasized that the plan offers a viable pathway toward maintaining ceasefire arrangements, ending hostilities, alleviating humanitarian suffering, and advancing Palestinian self-determination aspirations.

    Ministers called for immediate expansion of early recovery efforts, including provision of permanent shelter solutions to protect vulnerable populations from harsh winter conditions. They urged the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities by pressuring Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately lift restrictions on essential supplies including medical aid, clean water, fuel, and sanitation support.

    The joint statement concluded with an urgent appeal for immediate, full, and unimpeded humanitarian aid delivery through United Nations agencies, rehabilitation of critical infrastructure and hospitals, and the reopening of the Rafah crossing in both directions as outlined in President Trump’s comprehensive plan.

  • Israel’s arms manufacturers benefit from EU funding for cutting edge civilian research

    Israel’s arms manufacturers benefit from EU funding for cutting edge civilian research

    The European Union has systematically channeled millions in civilian research funding to Israeli defense manufacturers despite explicit prohibitions against military and dual-use applications, according to financial records and policy analysis. Public documentation reveals that Israeli military contractors have consistently participated in EU-backed research initiatives, including the Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020 programs, which are ostensibly dedicated to civilian innovation.

    Between 2014 and 2025, these programs allocated over $15 million to projects involving Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), a state-owned defense conglomerate manufacturing drones, missile systems, and surveillance technology deployed in Gaza and the West Bank. The EU’s Framework Programmes, which pool research funding from member states, have historically maintained strict restrictions against research that could be repurposed for military applications. However, Israel’s research ecosystem operates without such civilian-military separation, creating structural vulnerabilities in the funding system.

    The scale of involvement is substantial: EU databases indicate approximately 2,500 projects with Israeli partners receiving roughly $2.55 billion in total funding. Even seemingly benign research in data analysis, pharmaceuticals, or environmental technology risks being utilized by Israel’s defense sector due to this institutional integration.

    In a significant policy shift, the European Commission has recently dismantled long-standing dual-use restrictions that were foundational to previous Framework Programmes. High-level policy reviews in 2024 argued that European research should more directly serve defense objectives, leading to the abandonment of the civilian-only ethos. When the next Framework Programme launches in 2028, an entire pillar will be dedicated to military research, while remaining sectors will no longer exclude projects based on potential dual-use applications.

    European Parliament members have raised serious concerns about this trajectory. A parliamentary question revealed that between October 2023 and October 2024 alone, Horizon Europe funded 130 Israeli-involved projects worth approximately $147 million, without adequate screening for military implications. The Commission has declined to disclose how many projects have direct or indirect military applications or whether screening procedures were enhanced during the Gaza conflict.

    The policy shift contrasts sharply with the EU’s treatment of Russia, whose research participation was immediately frozen following the invasion of Ukraine. Critics argue the changes effectively accommodate Israel’s integrated military-civilian research model while creating complicity in human rights abuses. As the EU moves toward normalizing dual-use research, academics may lose control over how their work is ultimately deployed in military contexts, with Israel positioned to disproportionately benefit from the blurred distinctions between civilian and military innovation.

  • BTS announces March comeback date, putting an end to a nearly four-year hiatus

    BTS announces March comeback date, putting an end to a nearly four-year hiatus

    The global music landscape is set for a seismic shift as K-pop phenomenon BTS officially confirms their long-awaited group comeback scheduled for March 20, 2026. This announcement marks the end of an unprecedented nearly four-year hiatus during which all seven members—RM, Jin, Jimin, V, Suga, Jung Kook, and j-hope—fulfilled South Korea’s mandatory military service requirements.

    The confirmation came through an official social media communiqué from BigHit Music, the group’s entertainment company, posted on platform X (formerly Twitter). The completion of military obligations concluded with rapper Suga’s discharge in June 2025 from his role as a social service agent, an alternative military service option he reportedly pursued due to a shoulder injury. The remaining six members completed their service through conventional military channels.

    The strategic staggering of enlistments enabled BTS members to pursue individual creative endeavors while maintaining the group’s structural integrity. This carefully orchestrated approach has now culminated in preparations for their first collective project since the hiatus began.

    Initial plans for the comeback emerged during summer 2025 when the group hinted at both a new album and accompanying world tour. The forthcoming spring 2026 release will represent their first studio album since 2020’s ‘Be,’ following the 2021 Japanese compilation ‘BTS, the Best’ and 2022’s anthology project ‘Proof.’ In official statements, the group emphasized their collaborative approach to the new material, noting the album will incorporate each member’s artistic perspectives while reconnecting with their original creative ethos.

  • Palestine Action-linked hunger striker hospitalised for fifth time

    Palestine Action-linked hunger striker hospitalised for fifth time

    A health emergency is unfolding within the British prison system as pro-Palestine activists on prolonged hunger strikes face severe medical deterioration. Kamran Ahmed, detained on charges related to the direct action group Palestine Action, has been hospitalized for the fifth time after refusing food for over 50 days.

    Ahmed is among eight activists who initiated their hunger strike last year after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood failed to respond to their concerns regarding prison treatment. Their demands encompass immediate bail, cessation of interference with personal communications, and the removal of Palestine Action from the UK’s list of proscribed organizations. The group alleges UK complicity in Israel’s actions in Gaza, which they characterize as genocide.

    Medical conditions among the strikers have become critical. Ahmed’s sister, Shamina Alam, reported his body’s inability to heal properly, with developing sores at blood extraction sites and potential flu complications creating dangerous health combinations. Simultaneously, fellow striker Heba Muraisi, now 60 days without food, has reported losing coherent speech capabilities and suffering from constant body aches and bruising.

    The situation has drawn international concern, with seven independent UN human rights experts warning of imminent organ failure and death among the activists. The experts emphasized that hunger striking represents a “measure of last resort” for those believing their protest rights have been exhausted. The group included Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur for occupied Palestinian territories, and Gina Romero, special rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly.

    UN experts highlighted concerning allegations regarding prison practices, including delayed medical care, excessive restraint during hospital treatment, and restrictions on family and lawyer communications. They stressed that the state’s duty of care toward hunger strikers is “heightened, not diminished,” requiring authorities to ensure timely emergency care and refrain from retaliatory actions.

    The protests occur within a broader context of restricted pro-Palestine activism in Britain, including counterterrorism powers and the proscription of Palestine Action under terrorism legislation. While four strikers have paused their action, four others continue despite deteriorating health.

    The legal battle intensifies as prisoner representatives launch action against the UK government after Justice Secretary David Lammy refused urgent negotiation meetings. The eight detainees, held in five prisons, face charges related to break-ins at factories owned by Israeli arms company Elbit Systems and a Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire, all of which they deny.

  • Watch: Cars crash due to distracted driving; Abu Dhabi police warn of Dh1,000 fine

    Watch: Cars crash due to distracted driving; Abu Dhabi police warn of Dh1,000 fine

    Abu Dhabi authorities have launched a stark public safety campaign highlighting the grave consequences of distracted driving through compelling visual evidence. The emirate’s police force released a gripping compilation of surveillance footage capturing multiple vehicular collisions at intersections, all stemming from driver inattention.

    The educational video demonstrates how momentary distractions cause sudden lane deviations and catastrophic accidents. Officials specifically identified mobile phone usage—including internet browsing, social media engagement, calling, and photography—as particularly dangerous behaviors that compromise road safety.

    Police emphasized that any activity diverting attention from driving is “extremely dangerous,” urging motorists to maintain constant vigilance toward pedestrians, road signage, and traffic conditions. The campaign reinforces the critical importance of obeying traffic police instructions to prevent avoidable accidents.

    The warning comes with serious legal ramifications: Running red lights under Abu Dhabi’s Vehicle Impoundment Law No. (5) of 2020 carries a Dh1,000 monetary penalty, 12 traffic points, and mandatory vehicle confiscation for 30 days. Additionally, drivers face a six-month license suspension from the date of revocation.

    Vehicle retrieval requires a substantial Dh50,000 release fee, with impounded automobiles held for up to three months pending payment. Failure to settle outstanding dues within this period results in the vehicle being referred for public auction.

    The initiative represents the latest effort by UAE authorities to enhance road safety through public education and stringent enforcement of traffic regulations.

  • Interest in Turkiye soars among Chinese tourists after introduction of visa-free entry

    Interest in Turkiye soars among Chinese tourists after introduction of visa-free entry

    A seismic shift in travel patterns is underway as Turkey’s newly implemented visa exemption policy for Chinese passport holders triggers an extraordinary surge in travel interest. Effective January 2, 2026, the landmark agreement permits Chinese citizens carrying ordinary passports to enter Turkey for tourism or transit purposes without visa requirements, allowing stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

    The policy change has generated immediate and substantial market response. Leading Chinese travel platform Qunar reported remarkable spikes in flight searches within hours of the announcement. Istanbul-bound flights witnessed a staggering 630% increase in search volume compared to the previous week, while inquiries for Antalya and Izmir routes grew by 130% and 100% respectively. Competing platform Trip.com simultaneously recorded over 50% year-on-year growth in user engagement regarding Turkish travel options.

    This diplomatic development builds upon strengthened aviation connections established between the two nations. In May 2025, China and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding that dramatically expanded flight capacity, increasing weekly passenger flights from 21 to 49. This enhanced connectivity provides the necessary infrastructure to support the anticipated tourism boom.

    Travel analytics expert Yang Han from Qunar’s Big Data Research Institute noted that Turkey had already established itself as an increasingly popular destination throughout 2025. ‘The visa-free entry policy effectively eliminates significant travel barriers,’ Yang explained. ‘When combined with the extended nine-day Spring Festival holiday in 2026, we anticipate substantially amplified demand for Turkish tourism during the peak travel period.’

    The convergence of simplified entry procedures, expanded flight availability, and favorable holiday scheduling creates ideal conditions for a transformative period in Sino-Turkish tourism relations, potentially establishing Turkey as a premier destination for Chinese travelers seeking international experiences.

  • Swiss ski resort fire: 17-year-old Dubai student reportedly among victims

    Swiss ski resort fire: 17-year-old Dubai student reportedly among victims

    A devastating fire that erupted at the Le Constellation bar in the renowned Crans-Montana ski resort of Switzerland during the early hours of New Year’s Day has resulted in a significant loss of life, with over 40 fatalities and more than 115 individuals injured. Among the victims is a 17-year-old student from Dubai, whose identity is being withheld by media outlets pending official confirmation and out of respect for the grieving family.

    The young man, described as a talented and passionate golfer who regularly participated in UAE golfing circuits, had recently competed in the UAE Cup in December. The Italian Golf Federation issued an official statement expressing profound condolences, honoring him as an athlete who embodied authentic values and genuine passion for the sport. Tributes have poured in from prominent figures within the UAE’s golf community, reflecting the profound impact of his loss.

    Authorities face a painstaking identification process that could extend for days or even weeks due to the severity of the injuries sustained. Witness accounts describe scenes of utter chaos as patrons, including many young people, attempted to escape the blaze by breaking windows. The bar’s popular basement nightclub was reportedly crowded at the time of the incident, though the exact number of attendees remains unverified.

    International casualties have been reported with Italy’s foreign ministry confirming 16 nationals missing and 12 injured, while France reported eight citizens unaccounted for, with potential fatalities among them. One Australian citizen was among the injured. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with preliminary witness reports suggesting sparklers or flares in champagne bottles as potential ignition sources.

  • Seven people killed by Saudi air strikes in southern Yemen, say separatists

    Seven people killed by Saudi air strikes in southern Yemen, say separatists

    Saudi Arabia has conducted a series of airstrikes against positions held by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in southeastern Yemen, resulting in significant casualties and escalating tensions within the fragile coalition. According to STC officials, seven aerial assaults targeted a camp in al-Khasah, killing at least seven individuals and wounding more than twenty others.

    The military action follows the launch of what Saudi-backed authorities termed a “peaceful operation” to reclaim territory seized by the separatist group during its rapid offensive in December. Governor Salem al-Khanbashi of Hadhramout province, granted full military and administrative authority by Yemen’s internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), described the initiative as a “precautionary measure to protect security and prevent chaos” rather than a declaration of war.

    However, STC leadership has vehemently condemned Saudi actions as deceptive and contradictory. Amr al-Bidh, the STC’s special representative for foreign affairs, accused Riyadh of deliberately misleading the international community by announcing peaceful intentions while simultaneously preparing military strikes. “Their actions indisputably prove otherwise,” al-Bidh stated regarding Saudi claims of seeking de-escalation.

    The conflict emerges amid deepening fractures within the PLC, an eight-member governing body originally established with both Saudi and Emirati support. Half of the council’s members reportedly support the southern separatists, creating significant internal divisions.

    In a related diplomatic development, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen publicly accused STC chairman Aidarus al-Zubaidi of refusing landing permission to a Saudi delegation seeking de-escalation talks at Aden’s airport. Ambassador Mohammed al-Jaber characterized Zubaidi’s unilateral decisions as “dangerous,” particularly his leadership of military operations in Hadhramout and al-Mahra provinces.

    The tensions reflect broader regional complexities, including recently strained relations between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Earlier this week, Saudi forces targeted an Emirati shipment in southern Yemen and explicitly criticized UAE support for the southern separatists—a notable escalation in rhetoric. Abu Dhabi rejected these accusations as containing “fundamental inaccuracies” while subsequently announcing the withdrawal of its limited forces from Yemen following a request from PLC leadership.