Global Pulse

标签： Asia

亚洲

  • Xi’an workshop lets tourists hand-make their own Terracotta Warriors

    Xi’an workshop lets tourists hand-make their own Terracotta Warriors

    A unique cultural workshop in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, has emerged as a major tourist attraction, particularly during the recent Spring Festival period. Located near the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Terracotta Army, this specialized facility enables visitors to create their own miniature terracotta figurines through hands-on pottery sessions.

    The workshop provides an immersive historical experience where tourists learn ancient pottery techniques to craft personalized replicas reminiscent of the original Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) warriors. Participants engage in the entire creative process, from molding the clay to applying finishing touches, under the guidance of skilled artisans.

    This innovative approach to cultural tourism has gained significant popularity among both domestic and international visitors seeking more interactive experiences beyond traditional sightseeing. The workshop’s timing during Spring Festival proved particularly strategic, as many travelers look for meaningful activities during the holiday season.

    The experience not only offers entertainment but also serves as an educational opportunity, providing insights into China’s rich historical heritage and ancient craftsmanship techniques. Visitors leave with not just photographs but tangible, self-created souvenirs that represent a deeper connection to Chinese history.

    Tourism experts note that such interactive experiences represent a growing trend in cultural tourism, where visitors seek active participation rather than passive observation. The workshop’s success demonstrates how historical sites can develop complementary attractions that enhance visitor engagement while promoting traditional arts.

  • BNP wins majority in first free and fair Bangladesh election for two decades

    BNP wins majority in first free and fair Bangladesh election for two decades

    Bangladesh has witnessed a historic political transformation with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) achieving a decisive victory in parliamentary elections, marking the nation’s first genuinely free and fair electoral process in nearly two decades. According to official results released by the election commission on Friday, the BNP secured a commanding majority with at least 212 of the 299 parliamentary seats.

    The opposition coalition, spearheaded by Jamaat-e-Islami, obtained 77 seats in the newly constituted parliament. This electoral outcome positions BNP leader Tarique Rahman to assume national leadership, continuing a powerful political dynasty as the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and assassinated former President Ziaur Rahman.

    In a remarkable demonstration of restraint, the victorious BNP explicitly prohibited celebratory processions or rallies despite their substantial margin of victory, instead encouraging supporters to offer prayers in acknowledgment of their success.

    This political shift concludes a period of significant turbulence that began with the ousting of long-serving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 following widespread student-led protests. Hasina, currently residing in exile in India, presided over an administration widely criticized for suppressing political opposition, silencing dissent, and committing human rights violations during her tenure from 2009 until her removal. In November, an absentia court verdict sentenced her to death for crimes against humanity related to lethal crackdowns on student protesters, resulting in her Awami League party’s exclusion from the electoral process.

    Since Hasina’s departure, Bangladesh has been governed by an interim administration under Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus. Although Jamaat-e-Islami’s coalition, which included youth activists from the National Citizen Party, anticipated stronger performance, the party acknowledged defeat while expressing dissatisfaction with vote counting procedures in certain constituencies. Despite this setback, Jamaat achieved its highest parliamentary representation with 70 seats, marking its return to electoral politics after being banned by Hasina’s government in 2013.

    Rahman’s impending leadership represents a significant milestone as Bangladesh prepares to welcome its first non-interim male prime minister in over 35 years. His return from a 17-year exile in London last December preceded a campaign focused on job creation, protection for low-income households, and ensuring fair pricing structures for agricultural producers. For many observers, Rahman’s ascendancy perpetuates the dynastic political tradition that has characterized Bangladeshi governance since the nation’s independence in 1971.

    International responses have begun emerging with India, Pakistan, and the United States extending congratulations to the BNP. The relationship between Bangladesh and India, traditionally close allies, has experienced recent strain primarily due to New Delhi’s refusal to extradite the exiled Hasina.

    Voter participation was reported at approximately 60 percent during the elections, which coincided with a constitutional referendum advocating significant political reforms. Championed by interim leader Yunus, these proposed amendments include implementing two-term limits for prime ministers, enhancing judicial independence, increasing female representation in government, establishing neutral interim administrations during election periods, and creating a new second parliamentary chamber. Although official results remained pending by Friday afternoon, media projections indicated comfortable passage with over 65 percent approval for these measures designed to prevent future autocratic leadership and government overreach.

  • Valentine’s Day gifts in UAE priced up to Dh40,000; sales set to grow up to 40%

    Valentine’s Day gifts in UAE priced up to Dh40,000; sales set to grow up to 40%

    The United Arab Emirates is witnessing an extraordinary surge in Valentine’s Day expenditures, with premium gifts reaching unprecedented price points of nearly Dh40,000 and online sales projected to grow by 35-40% year-on-year. Market analysts project the UAE’s gifting market will expand to $6.38 billion by 2030, reflecting the nation’s evolving consumer behavior during romantic celebrations.

    Retailers across the Emirates are preparing for their busiest 72-hour period leading to February 14th, characterized by a significant spike in last-minute purchases. Luxury floral arrangements have emerged as standout offerings, with one retailer featuring a spectacular 2-meter heart-shaped bouquet comprising 5,000 red roses priced at Dh39,999—the highest-priced item in their Valentine’s collection.

    According to Flowwow, an online marketplace specializing in flowers, cakes, and gifts, the average UAE consumer is expected to spend between Dh410 and Dh430 per gift—approximately 1.5 times higher than typical January order values. The platform reported a remarkable 100% increase in Valentine’s gift orders last year, with peak demand occurring on Valentine’s Day itself.

    Akshay Sardana, Vice President of Strategy & International Development at the Continental Group, notes that while this spending surge isn’t structural to the economy, it generates substantial profitability for well-positioned businesses. “The perceived downside of ‘under-delivering’ emotionally outweighs the financial premium,” Sardana explained, highlighting how emotional considerations frequently surpass budgetary concerns.

    Marketing experts observe a significant transformation in gifting psychology, where thoughtfulness increasingly defines luxury rather than mere expense. Tatiana Laudati, Marketing Consultant and Board Member of the Middle East Social Media Digital Association, emphasizes that “‘luxury’ doesn’t always mean expensive. It means thoughtful.”

    The contemporary Valentine’s celebration in the UAE has expanded beyond romantic partnerships to include self-gifting, friendships, and family relationships. Successful retailers are capitalizing on this trend through ready-to-gift bundles, limited editions, and personalized offerings that create deeper emotional connections.

    Anis Abdul Razak Kalsekar, Founder of fragrance brand Canéza, observes that consumers are increasingly purchasing experiences rather than mere products. “Consumers are not simply buying a product; they are buying a moment, a memory, or a statement of intent,” Kalsekar noted, adding that strategic value creation through curated gift sets and experiential positioning naturally reduces price sensitivity.

    Digital marketing strategies have become crucial for capitalizing on the last-minute demand surge, with targeted campaigns, retargeting efforts, and clear same-day delivery messaging driving substantial results during the critical final week before Valentine’s Day.

  • Xinjiang’s Changji welcomes visitors with festive Spring Festival flavors

    Xinjiang’s Changji welcomes visitors with festive Spring Festival flavors

    The Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has transformed into a vibrant hub of cultural celebration during the Spring Festival period, offering both culinary delights and traditional festivities to visitors nationwide. The region’s night markets and snack streets have become central attractions, where the authentic flavors of local cuisine merge with joyful communal activities.

    At the heart of this festive atmosphere lies Changji’s renowned snack street, where Ma Dianying’s cake shop draws crowds seeking authentic fried cakes—a local specialty that has become a culinary landmark. ‘Many travelers specifically visit our prefecture to experience these traditional flavors,’ Ma explained, emphasizing her commitment to preserving the genuine taste that has characterized the region’s cuisine for generations.

    Evening festivities come alive with cultural performances that invite active participation. Dancers at the night market enthusiastically welcome visitors to join traditional dances, creating spontaneous cross-cultural exchanges between locals and tourists. These interactions showcase Xinjiang’s rich ethnic heritage while fostering communal harmony during the holiday season.

    The Spring Festival celebrations in Changji demonstrate how traditional Chinese holidays serve as bridges between diverse cultures, with food acting as a universal language that transcends regional differences. The prefecture’s successful integration of culinary tourism with cultural preservation offers a model for sustainable cultural promotion that benefits both visitors and local communities.

    This festive environment not only boosts regional tourism but also strengthens local pride in traditional customs and cuisine. The ongoing celebrations highlight how China’s ethnic autonomous regions maintain their unique cultural identities while participating in national traditions, creating a multifaceted tapestry of cultural expression during important holidays.

  • Gaza: 8,000 bodies remain under the rubble, Civil Defence says

    Gaza: 8,000 bodies remain under the rubble, Civil Defence says

    Gaza’s Civil Defence agency revealed on Thursday that approximately 8,000 Palestinian victims of Israel’s military offensive remain buried beneath massive rubble deposits, despite extensive recovery efforts. The disclosure highlights the staggering hidden death toll extending beyond officially confirmed casualties.

    Spokesperson Mahmoud Basal further indicated that over 3,000 individuals are officially classified as missing, with their status—whether alive, deceased, or detained—remaining undetermined. Recovery operations have faced severe complications, with Basal confirming the disappearance and decomposition of hundreds of bodies during search efforts.

    The scale of destruction presents unprecedented challenges. According to a United Nations Environment Programme assessment, Gaza is buried under at least 61 million tonnes of debris, with approximately 15% potentially contaminated with hazardous materials including asbestos, industrial waste, and heavy metals. UNEP noted that nearly two-thirds of this rubble accumulated during the first five months of hostilities, with destruction accelerating significantly before the current ceasefire.

    Recovery operations confront multiple obstacles: continued Israeli demolitions and shelling, widespread unexploded ordnance, and restrictions on importing essential equipment and machinery. Recent reports document ongoing military activities, including large-scale demolition operations in Khan Younis and shelling in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood, alongside indiscriminate firing along coastal areas.

    An Al Jazeera investigation published Monday added another dimension to the tragedy, alleging Israel’s use of internationally prohibited thermal and thermobaric weapons that reportedly caused over 2,800 cases of “evaporated” Palestinian bodies. Since the October ceasefire took effect, recovery teams have located over 700 bodies, but hundreds of Israeli violations have been recorded, resulting in nearly 600 additional fatalities and over 1,500 injuries.

    The overall devastation encompasses approximately 90% of Gaza’s infrastructure destruction and over 72,000 fatalities throughout the two-year conflict, creating a recovery operation of historic proportions with profound humanitarian implications.

  • Guizhou seed specialist helps Nigerian farmers develop rice cultivation

    Guizhou seed specialist helps Nigerian farmers develop rice cultivation

    A decade-long agricultural collaboration between China and Nigeria has yielded remarkable results in rice production, with yields tripling in Nigeria’s Jigawa region thanks to specialized knowledge transfer from Guizhou province. Yang Xiugang, a rice seed-production specialist, has been instrumental in this transformation since first arriving in 2017 through a seed company assignment.

    When Yang began his work, local farmers were harvesting approximately 200 kilograms per mu (0.067 hectares). Through the introduction of high-quality hybrid varieties and adapted cultivation techniques, average yields have now surged to between 600-650 kilograms per mu—a dramatic improvement that local technicians and farmers directly attribute to Yang’s comprehensive approach.

    The specialist implemented a phased knowledge transfer program, beginning with fundamental techniques like land preparation and seedling management before progressing to sophisticated fertilization, pest control, and water management systems tailored to Nigeria’s specific soil and climate conditions. Rather than imposing standardized solutions, Yang emphasized adaptive learning, teaching farmers methodological principles and judgment skills developed through his experience at Cengong county, Guizhou’s only national-level hybrid rice seed production base.

    This agricultural transformation has extended beyond production metrics to influence dietary patterns across the region. Many families in Yang’s service area have transitioned from coarse grains to rice as their primary staple, reflecting both increased availability and changing food preferences.

    The success in Nigeria represents part of a broader international outreach from Cengong county, which produces approximately 8 million kilograms of seeds annually across 10 townships. Over the past two decades, more than 20 agricultural technicians from the region have shared their expertise in over 10 countries including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Thailand, creating a global network of agricultural knowledge exchange that supports food security and sustainable farming practices worldwide.

  • Chinese scientists awarded for sci-tech innovation and leadership in frontier research

    Chinese scientists awarded for sci-tech innovation and leadership in frontier research

    In a prestigious ceremony held in Beijing, twenty-two of China’s most brilliant scientific minds received the 2026 Tan Kah Kee Science Awards, celebrating exceptional contributions to technological innovation and international frontier research. The awards, comprising both the established Tan Kah Kee Science Award and the younger-focused Tan Kah Kee Young Scientist Award for researchers under 40, represent China’s highest recognition for scientific excellence.

    The accolade’s namesake, patriotic overseas Chinese leader Tan Kah Kee, embodies the spirit of scientific dedication the awards seek to promote. Since its 1988 inception and the 2010 addition of the young scientist category, these honors have been bestowed upon 182 distinguished researchers.

    CAS Vice-President Wang Keqiang emphasized the awards’ dual significance: recognizing groundbreaking scientific merit while aligning with national strategic priorities. This year’s recipients made transformative advances in critically important domains including semiconductor technology, novel material development, and quantum computing systems.

    Among the laureates, Academician Zhang Tao of the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics pioneered single-atom catalysis, revolutionizing catalytic efficiency by achieving near-perfect metal atom utilization. His conceptual breakthrough, first introduced in 2011, has spawned a global research movement with thousands of international teams producing over 5,000 publications in 2025 alone. Zhang attributes this success to China’s sustained investment in fundamental research and cumulative scientific knowledge.

    Professor Pan Qingsong from the Institute of Metal Research developed innovative metallic material engineering strategies that overcome traditional limitations in strength-ductility trade-offs. His spatially ordered unit approach enables tailored gradient dislocation structures with applications spanning aerospace, terrestrial engineering, and deep-sea exploration.

    Northwestern Polytechnical University’s Professor Wang Zhen received recognition for groundbreaking work in game intelligence theory and AI applications. His research team developed an original analytical framework over fifteen years that now supports systematic studies in rapidly evolving fields like cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

    Collectively, these scientists exemplify China’s growing emphasis on original innovation and technological self-reliance. Their achievements demonstrate how strategic research investment, interdisciplinary collaboration, and courageous problem-solving can position China at the forefront of global scientific advancement.

  • DP World replaces Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem amid UAE tycoon’s links to Epstein

    DP World replaces Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem amid UAE tycoon’s links to Epstein

    In a seismic leadership shakeup, Dubai-based global logistics giant DP World has abruptly terminated Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem from his dual roles as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The decision follows intense international scrutiny over his extensive professional and personal connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

    The company announced on Friday that Essa Kazim would assume the chairman position while Yuvraj Narayan takes over as CEO. The corporate statement made no reference to Sulayem’s future within the organization, leaving his potential transition to another role uncertain.

    This executive overhaul comes amid mounting pressure from major financial partners. Quebec’s La Caisse pension fund, which holds a substantial 45% stake in DP World Canada, publicly declared it would suspend future investments until the company implemented ‘necessary actions.’ Simultaneously, British International Investment (BIO), the UK’s development finance agency, similarly halted future capital commitments due to the Epstein associations.

    Recently disclosed correspondence from the US Department of Justice reveals a disturbing pattern of communication between Sulayem and Epstein spanning from 2007 until weeks before Epstein’s 2019 prison death. The emails demonstrate Sulayem’s visits to Epstein’s private Caribbean island, with the Emirati executive writing in June 2013: ‘I really had a very nice time at your island.’

    Beyond social connections, the correspondence reveals substantive business collaborations. Epstein facilitated introductions between Sulayem and influential figures including former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, right-wing strategist Steve Bannon, and former British lawmaker Peter Mandelson. Notably, Epstein assisted Sulayem in lobbying Mandelson regarding a £1.8 billion port development project on the River Thames, which DP World ultimately secured and currently operates as London Gateway.

    Perhaps most damaging are the emails’ personal content, which include lewd jokes, discussions about women in degrading terms, and exchanges about escort services. In one particularly troubling message reported by Bloomberg, Sulayem wrote about his efforts to meet a supermodel: ‘After several attempts for several months we managed to meet in NY. there is a misunderstanding she wanted some BUSINESS! while i only wanted some PUSSYNESS!’ Epstein responded: ‘Praise Allah, there are still people like you.’

    The 71-year-old Sulayem, born into a well-connected Dubai family with ties to the ruling Al Maktoum dynasty, had led DP World since 2007 as chairman and assumed the CEO role in 2016. Under his leadership, the company grew to handle approximately 10% of global container trade and contributes significantly to Dubai’s economy, accounting for over 36% of its GDP.

    Despite the extensive email evidence showing a decade-long relationship, there remains no suggestion that Sulayem participated in any criminal activities. DP World and Sulayem did not respond to requests for comment regarding the Epstein connections as the corporate leadership transition unfolds.

  • Bilingual tour guide turns passion into dream career

    Bilingual tour guide turns passion into dream career

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  • Danube Properties launches ‘Serenz by Danube’ in Jumeirah Village Circle

    Danube Properties launches ‘Serenz by Danube’ in Jumeirah Village Circle

    Dubai’s real estate sector witnesses another landmark development as Danube Properties introduces ‘Serenz by Danube,’ a premium residential complex in the heart of Jumeirah Village Circle. The project was officially launched by Danube Group’s leadership, including founder Rizwan Sajan and managing director Adel Sajan, alongside cricket icon and brand ambassador Brett Lee.

    Rising as a distinctive 75-story architectural marvel, Serenz occupies a strategic position between Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Al Khail Road, offering unprecedented connectivity with its unique ‘2-minutes-in, 2-minutes-out’ access system. The development represents a comprehensive urban living ecosystem spanning over 120,000 square feet of meticulously designed lifestyle spaces – the first of its scale in Dubai.

    The residential complex introduces over 40 premium amenities catering to diverse demographic needs. These include a resort-style serenity pool, dedicated children’s aqua park, extensive landscaped gardens, comprehensive spa facilities, state-of-the-art fitness centers, multiple sports courts, childcare facilities, meditation zones, and dynamic social spaces.

    Rizwan Sajan emphasized the project’s philosophy: ‘Serenz embodies our commitment to creating holistic living environments that transcend conventional housing. Our fully furnished residences integrate comfort, wellness, and luxury while maintaining accessibility through our innovative financial solutions.’

    The development features premium furnished apartments starting from AED 850,000, positioned within JVC’s family-oriented community known for robust rental demand and substantial investment potential. A distinctive aspect of the offering is Danube’s signature one percent monthly payment plan, designed to enhance affordability while maintaining the developer’s reputation for quality construction and timely project delivery.