标签： Asia

The China-Europe Youth Dialogue 2025 convened in Beijing on Monday, uniting over 100 young representatives from 30 European countries and China. This landmark event highlighted the pivotal role the younger generation will play in fostering bilateral relations over the next half-century. Participants engaged in dynamic discussions, sharing their visions for the future and strategies to actively contribute to this evolving partnership. The dialogue underscored the importance of youth-driven initiatives in addressing global challenges and strengthening cross-cultural understanding. As the world faces unprecedented changes, the event emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to build a sustainable and inclusive future. The insights and aspirations shared during the dialogue are expected to influence policy-making and international cooperation in the years to come.

A devastating fire erupted in the southern Japanese city of Oita late Tuesday, engulfing a residential area and spreading to a nearby forested mountain. The blaze, which remains uncontained, has forced the evacuation of 175 residents from 115 households, with one individual still unaccounted for. Firefighters have been battling the ferocious flames throughout the night, as footage captured the inferno turning the sky red and consuming homes. Witnesses described the fire as unprecedented, with strong winds exacerbating its spread. ‘The mountain was burning, the one behind,’ one resident recounted, adding that he only managed to grab his driver’s license and smartphone before fleeing. The fire has affected at least 170 buildings and caused a power blackout in 300 houses. Oita’s governor has sought military assistance to aid in the crisis. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as efforts to extinguish the fire persist.

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesian authorities escalated the alert status for Mount Semeru, the tallest volcano on Java Island, to its highest level on Wednesday following a series of intense eruptions. The volcanic activity, which began midday and continued into the evening, produced avalanches of scorching ash clouds, molten rock, and gas, traveling up to 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) down its slopes. A towering column of hot ash rose 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) into the atmosphere, according to a statement from Indonesia’s Geology Agency. The eruptions blanketed nearby villages with ash, prompting authorities to raise the alert level twice within a single day. No casualties have been reported so far. Over 300 residents from three high-risk villages in Lumajang district were evacuated to government shelters, as confirmed by Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency. Mount Semeru, also known as Mahameru, has a history of eruptions spanning over two centuries. Despite the risks, tens of thousands of people continue to inhabit its fertile slopes, a common scenario across Indonesia’s 129 active volcanoes. The nation, home to more than 270 million people, lies along the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire,’ a seismically active region prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.