Global Pulse

标签： Asia

亚洲

  • NHS mental health trust withdraws from counter-terror police programme

    NHS mental health trust withdraws from counter-terror police programme

    A significant NHS mental health trust in England has formally withdrawn from a contentious counter-terrorism initiative that permitted police access to confidential patient medical records, including those of young children identified as potential extremism risks. The Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (BSMHFT), serving 1.3 million residents across the West Midlands, terminated its participation in the Counter Terrorism Clinical Consultancy Service (CTCCS) effective April 1, 2025.

    The CTCCS program, established in 2016 as a collaborative effort between Counter Terrorism Policing and the NHS in England and Wales, enabled mental health professionals to assess individuals flagged by police as potential security threats, frequently without any criminal activity having occurred. The initiative created pathways for counter-terrorism authorities to obtain sensitive medical information for risk assessment purposes under the guise of clinical consultation.

    BSMHFT’s spokesperson confirmed the March 2025 decision resulted from the program’s misalignment with the trust’s strategic priorities. This departure marks the first publicly acknowledged withdrawal from a program that critics argue has surreptitiously integrated counter-terrorism operations within mental healthcare systems.

    The program initially operated through ‘Vulnerability Support Hubs’ that assessed individuals, including children as young as six, referred through policing channels for perceived susceptibility to extremism. Mental health professionals working within these units underwent rigorous police vetting procedures to access highly sensitive intelligence.

    Over a five-year period, more than 3,000 individuals, predominantly teenagers, were referred to hubs located in London, Birmingham, and Manchester. Common referrals included individuals with psychotic disorders, personality disorders, mood disorders, autism spectrum disorders, and learning difficulties.

    The program faced substantial criticism for blurring the boundaries between healthcare and surveillance, undermining patient consent protocols, and repurposing NHS expertise for intelligence-led policing. Researchers documented that CTCCS clinicians routinely contacted healthcare providers to request sensitive medical information, including diagnoses and treatment compliance records, which were then utilized to inform counter-terrorism decisions without patient knowledge.

    Professor Charlotte Heath-Kelly, an international security scholar at the University of Warwick, noted the program’s disproportionate impact on Muslim communities, with research indicating Muslims were assessed at a ratio of 28:1 compared to white British referrals. The program allegedly bypassed established NHS safeguards and violated patient privacy rules by sharing medical information with counter-terrorism case officers without patient consent.

    Campaign group Medact, which first exposed the program in 2021, welcomed BSMHFT’s withdrawal, describing the program as ‘unethical and Islamophobic.’ Research manager Hil Aked stated: ‘Mental health workers should be providing patients with care, not spying on them for police,’ while calling on remaining participating NHS trusts to follow suit.

    BSMHFT had served as one of three foundational NHS trusts supporting the program since its inception, processing all referrals from the Midlands and Wales. The trust maintained a dedicated team working exclusively on the program for several years before its strategic reversal.

    NHS England, British Counter-Terror Police, and the Home Office had not responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.

  • China’s railways brace for highest peak of Spring Festival holiday return trips

    China’s railways brace for highest peak of Spring Festival holiday return trips

    China’s extensive railway infrastructure is currently managing the most intense return migration period following the conclusion of the Spring Festival holiday season. According to the China State Railway Group Co Ltd., February 23rd marked the anticipated peak travel day, with projections indicating approximately 18.5 million passenger journeys throughout the national railway network on this single day.

    This substantial passenger volume continues the pattern established on the previous day, which recorded nearly 18.3 million journeys. To accommodate this massive movement of travelers, railway authorities implemented significant capacity expansion measures, adding 2,297 extra trains to the regular schedule to meet the extraordinary demand.

    Major metropolitan centers including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen experienced substantial bidirectional passenger flows, with both arrivals and departures reaching critical volumes simultaneously. Local railway departments across China have activated comprehensive service measures to maintain operational efficiency and passenger safety during this period of extreme congestion.

    The 2026 Spring Festival, traditionally known as the Chinese New Year, occurred on February 17th, with the official holiday period spanning nine days beginning February 15th. This annual migration pattern represents the world’s largest periodic human movement, with hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens traveling to reunite with family before returning to their workplaces and cities of residence.

  • How the former Prince Andrew could be removed from Britain’s line of succession

    How the former Prince Andrew could be removed from Britain’s line of succession

    The British government has initiated formal considerations to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the royal line of succession, potentially marking the first such constitutional alteration in nine decades. This development follows the arrest of King Charles III’s younger brother on suspicion of misconduct in public office, though he was subsequently released without charge after eleven hours in custody.

    The controversial royal, who was stripped of his princely title and military affiliations in October due to his associations with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, currently maintains the eighth position in succession to the British throne. The allegations against him intensified following the recent release of millions of documents from the U.S. Justice Department’s Epstein investigation, which suggest he may have shared confidential trade information during his tenure as UK trade envoy from 2001 to 2011.

    Darren Jones, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief secretary, confirmed to Parliament that the government remains open to taking action regarding the succession line once police investigations conclude. The process would require a complex legislative procedure involving not only the UK Parliament but also the cooperation of approximately a dozen Commonwealth nations where King Charles serves as head of state.

    Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has already expressed support for excluding Andrew from succession, describing the allegations as “grave” and emphasizing the necessity of a full investigation. Other Commonwealth realms including Canada, New Zealand, and several Caribbean nations have yet to formally communicate their positions.

    Constitutional experts note that the procedure would be historically significant and legally intricate, potentially requiring years of diplomatic coordination. The last comparable adjustment occurred in 2013 with the Succession to the Crown Act, which established gender-neutral succession rules and required two years of multinational negotiations.

    The potential removal raises additional questions about the status of Andrew’s daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, who currently occupy the ninth and twelfth positions in the line of succession. Historical precedent suggests legislation could be crafted to exclude Andrew without necessarily affecting his descendants, similar to the treatment of King Edward VIII following his 1936 abdication.

    While Buckingham Palace has not issued an official statement regarding the potential constitutional change, sources indicate the royal family would not obstruct parliamentary decisions on the matter, with the monarch emphasizing that “the law must take its course.”

  • ‘I will go’: Bengalis in Pakistan hope for family reunions

    ‘I will go’: Bengalis in Pakistan hope for family reunions

    A renewed diplomatic warming between Pakistan and Bangladesh has ignited long-dormant hopes among Pakistan’s estimated one-million-strong Bengali community for family reunions after decades of separation. The resumption of direct flights after a 14-year hiatus marks a significant breakthrough in bilateral relations, which had remained frosty since the nations’ bitter 1971 partition.

    In Karachi’s Bengali markets, stories of separation echo through crowded alleyways. Shah Alam, a 60-year-old dried seafood vendor, embodies this narrative—stranded in Pakistan for nearly three decades after what was intended as a brief visit. ‘I wanted to go back, but there was no way. The relationship was not good. I had no money,’ Alam told AFP, now planning his return to Bangladesh after Eid al-Adha to reunite with surviving family members.

    The geopolitical shift follows Bangladesh’s 2024 student-led uprising that brought new leadership under Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, who pledged to warm relations with Islamabad. This diplomatic progress continues under newly elected Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, creating unprecedented opportunities for people-to-people connections.

    Yet beneath this optimism lies complex reality. Many Bengali families in Pakistan’s slum settlements like Machhar Colony face statelessness—deprived of national identity cards, education access, and economic opportunities. ‘I am a Pakistani, but I don’t have my identity card,’ lamented 22-year-old Ahmed, whose family cannot prove pre-1971 residency.

    Community representatives note the cultural transformation undergone by Pakistani Bengalis, with many adopting Urdu and local customs. ‘We don’t have our own culture now,’ acknowledged lawyer Hafiz Zainulabdin Shah, though he expressed optimism about the improved bilateral relationship.

    The diplomatic breakthrough, including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s 2025 Dhaka visit—the first by a Pakistani official since 2012—signals a potential new chapter not only in state relations but in healing personal wounds that have festered for generations.

  • Tejas crash: Indian Air Force grounds fleet following third accident in two years

    Tejas crash: Indian Air Force grounds fleet following third accident in two years

    The Indian Air Force has initiated a comprehensive grounding of its entire Tejas light combat aircraft fleet following a third significant incident within a two-year period. The preventive measure comes after a February 7th training mission incident where the domestically manufactured fighter jet experienced a suspected brake failure upon returning to base, resulting in substantial airframe damage.

    The single-seat aircraft, produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), overshot the runway during landing procedures. The pilot successfully ejected from the malfunctioning system and escaped without physical injuries. While official statements from the IAF remain pending, defense sources indicate that the grounding affects all 30 operational Tejas jets pending extensive technical evaluation and safety verification.

    This latest incident marks the third safety concern involving the Tejas platform since its induction in 2015. The first occurrence was recorded in March 2024 in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district, followed by a tragic November 2025 demonstration at the Dubai Airshow that resulted in pilot fatalities. The Dubai incident prompted an official statement from the IAF expressing profound regret and solidarity with the bereaved family.

    Compounding these operational challenges, HAL faces significant production delays in fulfilling its 83-jet contract with the Air Force. Delivery schedules have reportedly fallen nearly two years behind primarily due to supply chain issues involving GE Aerospace, which provides the aircraft’s propulsion systems. The American manufacturer recently secured a $1 billion agreement in November 2025 to supply 113 F404 engines for the Tejas program.

    The Tejas represents India’s flagship indigenous defense project—a single-engine, multirole fighter designed for high-threat environments with capabilities spanning air defense, maritime reconnaissance, and precision strike missions. The current fleet-wide grounding represents the most significant operational interruption since the aircraft’s commissioning into active service.

  • Israeli settlers attack Palestinian mosque in occupied West Bank during Ramadan

    Israeli settlers attack Palestinian mosque in occupied West Bank during Ramadan

    An Islamic place of worship in the occupied West Bank became the target of a deliberate arson assault early Monday, marking another escalation in settler-led violence against Palestinian communities. The Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Mosque, situated in the village of Tell southwest of Nablus, sustained significant damage to its exterior gates and surrounding grounds from the intentionally set blaze.

    Local residents managed to contain the fire before it could penetrate the mosque’s interior, preventing more extensive structural damage. Investigation revealed that perpetrators had defaced the religious site with racially charged graffiti, including the terms ‘revenge’ and ‘price tag’—a reference to systematic vandalism campaigns targeting Palestinian properties.

    The Islamic Waqf organization, which oversees administration of the mosque compound, confirmed extremist settlers as responsible for the attack and indicated coordination with relevant authorities regarding the incident. Village council leader Naaman Ramadan noted this attack follows numerous previous assaults on the area, all occurring without meaningful intervention from security forces.

    Official condemnation came from the Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments and Affairs, which highlighted that 45 mosques suffered similar attacks throughout 2025. The ministry emphasized that these assaults consistently occur with implicit protection from Israeli military presence.

    Christian Palestinian communities likewise face increasing threats, with over 50,000 residents currently living under heightened risk from both settlers and security forces. Since the beginning of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, documented cases of settler violence have surged dramatically, with official data recording approximately 4,723 incidents during 2025 alone.

    The broader context reveals a distressing human toll: more than 1,000 Palestinian fatalities in the West Bank over two years, including 217 minors, attributable to actions by Israeli troops and settlers operating with widespread impunity.

  • Panama orders occupation of 2 key canal ports after Supreme Court ruling

    Panama orders occupation of 2 key canal ports after Supreme Court ruling

    The Panamanian government has executed a decisive administrative takeover of two critical ports at the entrances to the Panama Canal, following a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the operating concession held by Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison. The Monday decree authorizes the Panama Maritime Authority to occupy all assets at the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals—including cranes, vehicles, and digital systems—citing ‘urgent social interest’ as the legal basis.

    The ports, strategically positioned at the Pacific and Atlantic gateways to the canal, have been operated by CK Hutchison’s subsidiary Panama Ports Company (PPC) since 1997. However, in January, Panama’s Supreme Court declared the concession contract unconstitutional and revoked a 2021 extension, stripping PPC’s operations of legal standing.

    This development occurs against a backdrop of escalating U.S.-China geopolitical competition in Central America. The situation intensified when a proposed sale of the ports to a consortium including U.S. investment firm BlackRock was blocked following intervention by the Chinese government.

    To ensure operational continuity, the Panamanian government has appointed APM Terminals, a subsidiary of Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, as temporary administrator pending a new contract award. Authorities have committed to maintaining port operations and preserving jobs.

    In response, CK Hutchison has initiated arbitration against Panama under International Chamber of Commerce rules and threatened legal action against APM Terminals if it assumes control. The company is simultaneously seeking a negotiated resolution with the government.

  • Indian woman held for overstaying UAE visa returns home after legal help

    Indian woman held for overstaying UAE visa returns home after legal help

    A migrant worker from Kerala’s Thrissur district has safely returned to India following her detention in the United Arab Emirates for visa violations, culminating a complex international legal rescue operation. The woman, identified as originating from Arimpur, had initially traveled to Sharjah under a housemaid visa arrangement after making substantial payments to a recruitment agent.

    After completing nearly two years of domestic service, her legal residency status expired when the same agent demanded an additional AED 9,000 (approximately ₹220,000) for visa renewal—a sum beyond her financial capacity. Forced to continue employment without valid documentation, she subsequently faced an absconding complaint filed by her sponsor with UAE immigration authorities.

    The situation escalated when authorities apprehended her during a routine supermarket visit, leading to detention pending resolution of her immigration status. Her family in India initiated missing person proceedings, triggering intervention from Manalur MLA Murali Perunelli, who partnered with UAE-based Yab Legal Services.

    Under CEO Salam Pappinisseri’s direction, the legal firm executed rapid emergency procedures, securing an official outpass within 48 hours and coordinating travel arrangements. The collaborative effort between Indian political representation and Emirati legal expertise successfully navigated complex international jurisdictional protocols, culminating in her repatriation.

    This case highlights ongoing challenges within transnational labor migration systems, particularly regarding visa sponsorship mechanisms and migrant worker protections in the Gulf region. It also demonstrates effective cross-border cooperation mechanisms that can resolve immigration crises through diplomatic and legal channels.

  • 1 Chinese killed in bus accident in C. Nepal

    1 Chinese killed in bus accident in C. Nepal

    A devastating bus accident in central Nepal’s Dhading district resulted in significant casualties early Monday, with local authorities confirming nineteen fatalities and twenty-five individuals injured. The tragic incident occurred when a passenger bus traveling from Pokhara to Kathmandu veered off the highway and plunged into the Trishuli River.

    The Chinese Embassy in Nepal verified that among the victims was one Chinese national who perished in the accident. Another Chinese citizen sustained injuries and is presently undergoing medical treatment at a nearby hospital. According to preliminary reports, the vehicle was carrying approximately 45 passengers at the time of the catastrophic plunge.

    Rescue operations were immediately launched following the incident, with local emergency services working tirelessly to extract survivors from the wreckage. The challenging terrain and river conditions complicated recovery efforts in the mountainous region. This tragedy highlights ongoing transportation safety concerns in Nepal’s difficult geographical landscape, where road accidents remain unfortunately common due to narrow highways and challenging driving conditions.

    The Nepalese administration has initiated a comprehensive investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident, examining factors ranging from potential mechanical failure to road conditions and driver error. The incident has drawn international attention to infrastructure and safety standards in the region, particularly as Nepal continues to develop its tourism industry and transportation networks.

  • No immediate casualties reported after 5.1-magnitude earthquake hits China’s Xinjiang

    No immediate casualties reported after 5.1-magnitude earthquake hits China’s Xinjiang

    A significant seismic event measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale struck northwestern China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Monday, with preliminary assessments indicating no immediate casualties or structural damage. The earthquake occurred at precisely 12:12 local time, with its epicenter pinpointed in Yuli County at coordinates 40.88 degrees north latitude and 84.17 degrees east longitude, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

    The tremor originated at a depth of 15 kilometers, generating substantial ground shaking that was strongly felt throughout the affected area. Local authorities from the Yuli county government confirmed the immediate deployment of emergency response teams and firefighting personnel to assess potential impacts. Rescue units were promptly dispatched toward the epicentral region to conduct comprehensive evaluations.

    Critical infrastructure including transportation networks, power supply systems, and telecommunications operations remained fully functional following the seismic activity. Daily life and commercial activities throughout the county continued without interruption, demonstrating the region’s resilience and effective emergency preparedness measures. The swift organizational response and absence of immediate damage reports reflect the evolving seismic monitoring capabilities and disaster response protocols in China’s western regions.