Global Pulse

标签： Asia

亚洲

  • Kids riding e-scooter, bicycles in UAE: Why parents must be extra careful during winters

    Kids riding e-scooter, bicycles in UAE: Why parents must be extra careful during winters

    With the arrival of cooler winter temperatures and school holidays, UAE neighborhoods are witnessing a surge in children utilizing electric scooters and bicycles. However, this seasonal spike in outdoor activity is raising significant safety concerns among authorities and road safety experts, who are issuing urgent calls for increased parental supervision.

    Road safety specialist Mustafa Aldah emphasized the critical role parents play in assessing their children’s readiness for independent riding. “Parents possess an intimate understanding of their child’s maturity level and must exercise judgment in permitting such activities,” Aldah stated. He further stressed that parental responsibility extends to ensuring children are fully equipped with necessary safety gear before operating any motorized vehicle.

    The warnings follow several tragic incidents, including fatalities in Dubai and Sharjah involving young riders. Experts highlight a dangerous trend of reckless riding in street centers, often without adult oversight. Resident testimonies corroborate these concerns; Mariam A. from Sharjah reported a near-collision with a group of unsupervised children aged 8-9 years while driving at low speed.

    Legal repercussions are escalating alongside safety concerns. UAE police authorities have repeatedly cautioned against using these vehicles on public roads, with some jurisdictions taking legal action against parents for negligence. In a notable case, Dubai Public Prosecution referred parents of a 13-year-old girl injured while riding an e-scooter across a road.

    The situation reached a tragic peak earlier this month with the death of a 10-year-old boy in an e-scooter accident in Umm Al Quwain. These incidents underscore the urgent need for responsible supervision and adherence to safety protocols to prevent further tragedies during the winter holiday period.

  • Beijing further eases curbs on home buying to stabilise property market

    Beijing further eases curbs on home buying to stabilise property market

    In a significant policy shift aimed at revitalizing its struggling real estate sector, Beijing municipal authorities announced substantial easing of home purchase restrictions on Wednesday. The new measures represent the capital’s most aggressive intervention to date as it battles persistent declines in property values.

    The revised regulations reduce the mandatory income tax payment period for non-local residents seeking homeownership from two years to just one year, dramatically expanding potential buyer eligibility. Additionally, multi-child families now receive authorization to purchase supplementary residences within Beijing’s central districts—a notable departure from previous limitations.

    Financial barriers have been simultaneously reduced through revised lending protocols. Prospective buyers utilizing China’s housing provident fund for secondary properties now face reduced down payment requirements of 25%, down from the previous 30% threshold.

    These interventions arrive amid sustained downward pressure on Beijing’s housing market. Official data reveals consistent month-on-month depreciation throughout the past quarter, creating urgency for municipal intervention. The current measures build upon August’s partial deregulation that lifted purchase restrictions in suburban territories while maintaining constraints within the Fifth Ring Road central district.

    National authorities have concurrently pledged intensified stabilization efforts for 2026, emphasizing city-specific approaches to optimize housing supply and reduce excessive inventory. Market anxieties intensified recently when state-backed developer China Vanke sought bond repayment extensions totaling approximately $285 million, highlighting persistent sector-wide vulnerabilities despite governmental support measures.

  • 6.0-magnitude earthquake rocks Taiwan, says US Geological Survey

    6.0-magnitude earthquake rocks Taiwan, says US Geological Survey

    A significant seismic event measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale rattled southeastern Taiwan on Wednesday evening, according to the United States Geological Survey. The tremor occurred at 5:47 PM local time (0947 GMT) with a shallow depth of approximately 10 kilometers in the Taitung county region.

    Despite the substantial magnitude, initial assessments from Taiwan’s National Fire Agency indicated no immediate reports of structural damage or disruptions to the island’s critical transportation infrastructure. The seismic activity was perceptible across considerable distances, reaching as far north as the capital city Taipei, where multiple high-rise buildings experienced noticeable swaying.

    Local media broadcasts captured dramatic footage from affected areas, showing merchandise toppling from retail shelves and shattering on the ground in Taitung. Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration provided a slightly divergent magnitude assessment of 6.1, though both monitoring agencies confirmed the earthquake’s significant intensity.

    This seismic event occurs against the backdrop of Taiwan’s heightened geological vulnerability, situated precariously along the convergence boundary of two major tectonic plates within the Pacific Ring of Fire. This geographical positioning renders the island particularly susceptible to frequent seismic activity, with the USGS identifying this zone as the world’s most seismically active region.

    The recent tremor inevitably evokes memories of April 2024’s catastrophic 7.4-magnitude earthquake that claimed 17 lives and caused extensive damage to buildings in the Hualien region. That disaster represented the most severe seismic event since the devastating 1999 earthquake that remains the deadliest natural catastrophe in Taiwan’s recorded history.

  • India: Space agency launches its heaviest satellite

    India: Space agency launches its heaviest satellite

    India’s space program marked a monumental achievement on Wednesday as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully deployed its heaviest-ever payload into low-Earth orbit. The landmark launch of the LVM3-M6 rocket, carrying the US-constructed AST SpaceMobile communications satellite weighing 6,100 kilograms, represents a quantum leap in the nation’s aerospace capabilities.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the deployment as “a significant stride” for India’s space sector, emphasizing that the mission “strengthens India’s heavy-lift launch capability and reinforces our growing role in the global commercial launch market.” The successful launch demonstrates India’s evolving prowess in the competitive commercial satellite sector, where telecommunications companies increasingly demand expanded and sophisticated communications infrastructure.

    The mission utilized a modified variant of the launch vehicle that previously carried India’s unmanned lunar spacecraft in August 2023, showcasing technical enhancements to accommodate heavier payloads. This achievement follows ISRO’s earlier deployment of the CMS-03 communication satellite, which weighed approximately 4,410 kilograms, establishing a new benchmark for India’s launch capacity.

    This technological milestone provides substantial momentum to India’s ambitious low-cost space exploration agenda, which includes planned uncrewed orbital missions and human spaceflight operations targeted for the coming years. The world’s most populous nation has dramatically expanded its spacefaring ambitions throughout the past decade, achieving capabilities rivaling established space powers at significantly reduced costs.

    India’s space roadmap now includes an uncrewed orbital mission preceding its inaugural human spaceflight scheduled for 2027, with Prime Minister Modi additionally announcing ambitious plans for an Indian astronaut to reach the Moon by 2040.

  • Ex-senior army officers urge UK to ‘cut all military collaboration with Israel’

    Ex-senior army officers urge UK to ‘cut all military collaboration with Israel’

    In a significant development, four distinguished former British military commanders have formally urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to implement a comprehensive arms embargo against Israel and immediately suspend all defense collaborations with Israeli-linked firms. The high-ranking veterans, possessing decades of combined service, argue that despite the current ceasefire in Gaza, maintaining military ties is untenable given evidence of Israeli war crimes.

    The signatories, including John Deverell—a veteran of over thirty years who served as defense attache in Saudi Arabia and Yemen during 9/11—alongside former UK Defence Academy Director General Andrew Graham, retired Major General Peter Currie, and ex-Afghanistan commander Charlie Herbert, delivered their forceful appeal via letter. They explicitly challenged the UK Defense Ministry’s previous assertion that Israeli military protocols closely mirror Britain’s rigorous standards.

    Citing Israel’s deployment of indiscriminate munitions leading to ‘exceptionally disproportionate civilian fatalities and widespread infrastructure destruction,’ the officers condemned the ongoing military cooperation. They emphasized that documented evidence of war crimes is so compelling that continued collaboration risks British complicity. Their demands extend beyond an arms embargo to include prohibiting RAF and contracted aircraft from supporting Israeli military operations and suspending all military technology transfers.

    This call for stricter sanctions emerges amid revelations that UK arms exports to Israel have dramatically increased under the current Labour government. Recent export data shows approvals for military aircraft, radars, targeting equipment, and explosive devices between October-December 2024 surpassed total arms licenses granted throughout the entire 2020-2023 Conservative administration.

    The controversy deepens as the British army prepares to award a £2 billion training contract, with a subsidiary of Israeli defense giant Elbit Systems participating in one bidding consortium. Meanwhile, Palestinian health authorities report over 400 fatalities since the October ceasefire violations, adding to the staggering death toll exceeding 70,000 Palestinians—mostly women and children—since hostilities began in October 2023.

  • Black box recovered from Libyan general’s crashed plane

    Black box recovered from Libyan general’s crashed plane

    Turkish authorities have successfully recovered the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from the crashed private jet carrying Libya’s armed forces commander, Lieutenant General Mohammed Al Haddad. The military aircraft went down near Ankara on Wednesday, claiming the lives of all eight occupants including General Haddad and four senior aides.

    The Falcon 50 executive jet had departed from Turkey’s capital when it reported critical electrical system failure minutes after takeoff. The aircraft was returning to Tripoli following high-level military discussions between Libyan and Turkish defense officials. Contact was lost after the emergency landing request, with wreckage subsequently located across a three-square-kilometer area in Haymana district.

    Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed recovery operations at the crash site, stating: “The examination and evaluation processes of these devices have been initiated.” A comprehensive investigation involving 408 emergency personnel from AFAD disaster agency, police, and medical services is underway, with drone surveillance providing real-time imagery of the operation.

    Aviation expert Tolga Tuzun Inan from Bahcesehir University noted that multiple contributing factors likely combined with meteorological conditions to cause the tragedy. While analysis of the black boxes may require several months, the data is expected to reveal the precise sequence of events leading to the catastrophic failure.

    The incident has drawn international attention to Libya’s fractured political landscape. General Haddad had served as army chief of staff since August 2020 under the UN-recognized government in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah who expressed “deep sadness and great sorrow” over the deaths.

    Turkey maintains significant strategic ties with Tripoli’s administration, providing both economic and military support. Recent diplomatic outreach to eastern commander Khalifa Haftar’s rival administration had suggested potential reconciliation efforts, though this tragedy may complicate regional power dynamics.

    A 22-member Libyan delegation including relatives of the deceased has arrived in Ankara as investigation continues under the supervision of Ankara’s prosecutor office.

  • Journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem arrested in Syria

    Journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem arrested in Syria

    Syrian authorities have arrested American journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem following his vocal criticism of President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s administration, according to sources speaking with Reuters. The detention occurred Monday in al-Bab, located in northern Aleppo province, though official confirmation from Damascus remains pending.

    Abdul Kareem, who previously contributed to Middle East Eye and has resided in Syria since 2012, transitioned from stand-up comedy to become a significant voice within Syrian opposition circles. His recent commentaries have sharply criticized President al-Sharaa, the former rebel leader who overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. The journalist particularly condemned what he perceived as excessive moderation of Islamic principles to gain international favor and denounced the government’s refusal to grant citizenship to foreign opposition fighters.

    In his final social media post before detention, Abdul Kareem explicitly opposed Syria’s participation in the US-led coalition against Islamic State. The video, published shortly after a suspected IS attack killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter, contained statements describing the United States as ‘the enemy of the Syrian people’ and questioning the legitimacy of US military presence in the region.

    The journalist brings extensive experience working with major international networks including CNN, BBC, Sky News, and Channel 4. This incident marks his second significant detention in recent years, following a six-month imprisonment in 2020 by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) for allegedly inciting against the rebel group. Although previously maintaining positive relations with HTS—the organization instrumental in overthrowing Assad and formerly led by al-Sharaa—tensions escalated following Abdul Kareem’s reports about torture within HTS detention facilities.

    Abdul Kareem has additionally claimed being placed on a US ‘kill list’ and surviving five assassination attempts, though legal proceedings have thus far failed to substantiate these allegations.

  • Sharjah Desert Police Park allows entry for only govt employees on weekends until Jan 5

    Sharjah Desert Police Park allows entry for only govt employees on weekends until Jan 5

    Sharjah’s Desert Police Park has instituted a temporary access policy reserving weekend admissions exclusively for government employees and their immediate families. This measure, effective immediately through January 5, 2026, responds to unprecedented visitor turnout during peak periods.

    The park administration announced on December 24, 2025, that Fridays and Saturdays will be designated for public sector workers seeking recreational opportunities. This strategic allocation aims to manage crowd density while recognizing the contributions of government personnel.

    Regular public access continues uninterrupted from Monday through Thursday, maintaining the facility’s availability for general community use during weekdays. The temporary weekend restrictions represent a seasonal adjustment rather than a permanent policy change.

    The timing coincides with increased regional tourism activity during the holiday period, when recreational destinations typically experience heightened demand. Park authorities emphasized this as a capacity management solution rather than an exclusionary measure.

    Government employees must present valid identification confirming their employment status for weekend entry. Family members accompanying eligible personnel will be admitted under the same provisions.

    The Desert Police Park remains committed to serving all community segments while implementing practical solutions for optimal visitor experience and safety standards.

  • Festive lights, security tight for Christmas in Damascus

    Festive lights, security tight for Christmas in Damascus

    The ancient streets of Damascus’s Old City present a study in contrasts this Christmas season, where festive illuminations and holiday decorations coexist with heightened security patrols and pervasive anxiety. This uneasy atmosphere follows a devastating June attack on the Saint Elias church that claimed 25 lives and injured dozens, leaving Syria’s Christian community grappling with trauma while attempting to maintain traditional celebrations.

    The newly established government has publicly recommitted to protecting religious coexistence and involving all sects in Syria’s transitional process. However, these assurances ring hollow for many citizens who have witnessed recent sectarian violence in Alawite regions and major clashes in Druze-majority southern territories.

    Security measures have been substantially intensified throughout the capital, with Interior Ministry forces conducting pedestrian searches, stopping motorcycles, and establishing coordinated security perimeters around churches. An anonymous security official detailed the comprehensive protection strategy: “We’ve implemented a multi-district security plan to ensure safety for all citizens. Protecting both Christian and Muslim communities remains the state’s fundamental duty, particularly during religious observances.”

    Complementing government efforts, civilian-led neighborhood committees comprising local Christians provide additional protective services through coordinated patrols using communication devices. These community-based security initiatives have reportedly increased some residents’ comfort levels regarding public celebrations.

    Demographic shifts underscore the challenges facing Syria’s religious minorities. The Christian population has dramatically declined from approximately one million before the conflict began in 2011 to roughly 300,000 today, with many seeking refuge abroad despite the government’s proclaimed protection stance.

    Amid the security concerns, symbolic acts of remembrance continue. At the site of June’s attack, mourners illuminated a memorial tree adorned with stars bearing victims’ images. Hanaa Masoud, who lost her husband and relatives in the attack, articulated the community’s anguish: “If we cannot find safety in our places of worship, where can we feel secure?”

    Despite these tensions, some younger Syrians like university student Loris Aasaf maintain hope for cross-sectarian celebration and national rebuilding, asserting that “Syria deserves joy and the promise of a new future.”

  • Guizhou gives a new lease of life to idle land

    Guizhou gives a new lease of life to idle land

    In a remarkable environmental transformation, China’s southwestern Guizhou province has successfully revitalized previously unproductive mountainous terrain through comprehensive land rehabilitation initiatives. Aerial photography from Qianxi county reveals the striking metamorphosis of fragmented, erosion-prone fields into neatly organized agricultural plots following systematic conservation efforts.

    The challenging topography of this mountainous region had long suffered from severe runoff issues that consistently washed away vital water resources, nutrient-rich topsoil, and fertilizers, rendering extensive land areas practically unusable for cultivation. This persistent environmental degradation created significant agricultural limitations for local communities.

    In response, regional authorities implemented an integrated approach to watershed management that has yielded dramatic results. The multi-faceted program included constructing engineered stone terraces to prevent soil displacement, establishing specialized forestry systems specifically designed for soil and water conservation, and implementing strategic land-closure measures to facilitate natural recovery processes.

    These coordinated interventions have effectively reversed years of ecological decline, breathing new life into landscapes that had remained dormant and unproductive for extended periods. The successful regeneration represents a significant achievement in sustainable land management practices, demonstrating how targeted environmental policies can transform ecological challenges into agricultural opportunities.

    The project’s success offers valuable insights into addressing similar land degradation issues in mountainous regions worldwide, showcasing practical solutions that balance ecological restoration with agricultural productivity. This transformation stands as a testament to the potential of coordinated conservation efforts to create sustainable farming environments where previously only barren slopes existed.