Global Pulse

标签： Oceania

大洋洲

  • Israel military says remains of last Gaza hostage Ran Gvili returned

    Israel military says remains of last Gaza hostage Ran Gvili returned

    Israel has confirmed the identification and repatriation of Ran Gvili, the last hostage held in Gaza, concluding a nearly two-year ordeal that began with Hamas’ October 2023 assault. The Israeli military announced Monday that Gvili’s remains had been returned for burial, marking the resolution of a complex diplomatic and military effort to recover all 251 captives taken during the cross-border attack.

    The repatriation fulfills Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pledge to bring home “everyone back… down to the very last captive.” President Isaac Herzog noted this moment represents the first time since 2014 that no Israeli citizens remain hostage in Gaza, acknowledging that “an entire nation prayed and waited for this moment.”

    Gvili, a 24-year-old motorcycle enthusiast and elite police officer, was on medical leave for shoulder surgery when Hamas attacked. Despite his injury, he grabbed his personal weapon and raced toward the conflict zone to engage militants, where he was ultimately killed in combat near Alumim kibbutz.

    The recovery operation involved Israeli forces searching cemeteries in northern Gaza, with the discovery occurring amid U.S.-brokered ceasefire negotiations. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem characterized the body’s return as demonstrating the group’s “commitment to all requirements of the ceasefire agreement.”

    The ceasefire’s second phase had faced opposition from Gvili’s family until his remains were recovered. The agreement also includes reopening Gaza’s Rafah crossing, though initially for pedestrian travel to Egypt only.

    Remembered as “the Defender of Alumim” by his community, Gvili was described by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum as “a true friend, loved by everyone” who “carried a powerful yet calm presence.” His father recalled him as always being “the first to help and the first to jump in,” even while injured.

    The conflict that began with Hamas’ attack (which Israeli figures indicate killed 1,221 people) has resulted in extensive destruction across Gaza, with the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry reporting over 71,660 fatalities—figures the UN considers reliable.

  • Trump sends top official to Minneapolis after killing sparks backlash

    Trump sends top official to Minneapolis after killing sparks backlash

    President Donald Trump has dispatched top border security official Tom Homan to Minneapolis following escalating civil unrest and political backlash over federal immigration enforcement tactics. The deployment comes amid growing national outrage surrounding two fatal shootings by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during protests against the administration’s intensified immigration crackdown.

    The crisis reached a critical juncture as federal judges prepared to hear arguments Monday regarding whether the deployment of heavily armed, masked federal agents violates Minnesota’s state sovereignty. Simultaneously, Congressional Democrats threatened to block government funding unless significant immigration enforcement reforms are implemented.

    ICE has undergone a dramatic transformation under Trump’s administration, emerging as the nation’s most heavily funded law enforcement agency. However, recent polls indicate mounting public anger over its increasingly aggressive tactics. The situation escalated when ICE agents shot and killed two American citizens during separate protest incidents: Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, on January 7th, and Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, two days later.

    Despite Pretti being legally licensed to carry the firearm found at the scene, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison condemned Trump’s narrative suggesting the nurse intended to shoot police as “flat-out insane.” The president maintained his position in a Wall Street Journal interview, stating he “doesn’t like any shooting” but expressed concern about protesters carrying “powerful, fully loaded guns.”

    The standoff has created unprecedented rifts between federal and local authorities, with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz even considering deploying the state’s National Guard against federal agents. Notably, Republican lawmakers including House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer have broken ranks with the administration, suggesting federal agents should withdraw from Minneapolis—a significant departure from the party’s typical lockstep support for Trump’s immigration policies.

  • White Winter Olympics beckons as snow falls in Italian Alps

    White Winter Olympics beckons as snow falls in Italian Alps

    The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics have received a meteorological reprieve as substantial natural snowfall blanketed competition venues in the Italian Alps, alleviating concerns about spring-like conditions during the winter sports spectacle. Meteorological expert Mattia Gussoni confirmed the timely precipitation less than two weeks before the February 6 opening ceremony, with venues from Bormio to the Antholz valley experiencing intense snowfall.

    The Games, scheduled from February 6-22 across northern Italy’s mountain regions, will utilize venues situated between 1,200 and 1,800 meters above sea level in the Dolomites—elevations that historically guaranteed reliable snow cover. However, climate change has reduced Alpine snowpack by 50% over the past century, creating apprehension among organizers about adequate winter conditions.

    Despite the natural snowfall, organizers will still employ artificial snow production systems. The 2026 organizing committee plans to generate 2.4 million cubic meters of artificial snow requiring approximately 948,000 cubic meters of water—significantly less than the 890,000 cubic meters used solely for alpine skiing at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, with an additional 1.9 million cubic meters deployed for other snow sports.

    International skiing and biathlon federations mandate snow production equipment availability at all competition venues. Meteorologists remain cautiously optimistic about long-term conditions throughout the Games, noting the changeable nature of extended weather forecasts and the difficulty predicting snowfall patterns across the multi-week event.

  • Perth plaza evacuated after man throws device into crowd

    Perth plaza evacuated after man throws device into crowd

    Australian authorities have apprehended a 31-year-old male suspect following an attempted attack during a contentious national holiday observance in Perth. The incident unfolded at approximately 12:30 PM local time on Monday in Forrest Place, a pedestrian square where thousands had gathered for an Invasion Day rally advocating for Indigenous rights.

    According to Western Australia Police Commissioner Col Blanch, the suspect threw a rudimentary explosive device toward a stage area where speakers were addressing the crowd. The mechanism, approximately the size of a medium coffee cup, contained ball bearings and screws wrapped around an unidentified liquid within a glass container. Forensic experts are currently analyzing the substance while the suspect remains in custody.

    Commissioner Blanch confirmed the device failed to detonate and no injuries were reported. He stated authorities “do not believe there is any ongoing threat to the community” despite the seriousness of the incident.

    The attack occurred on Australia Day, a national holiday marking the 1788 arrival of Britain’s First Fleet that many Indigenous Australians and supporters commemorate as Invasion Day due to its association with colonization. These annual protests typically draw significant crowds across major cities and frequently generate heated public discourse.

    Western Australia Premier Roger Cook condemned the act as “completely unacceptable,” emphasizing that “We can’t let hate win” and highlighting the importance of respecting diverse viewpoints in Australian society.

    This security scare follows closely on the heels of December’s Bondi Beach attack that killed 15 people during a Jewish festival. Australia’s national terror threat level currently remains at “probable,” the third-highest classification on the country’s five-point scale.

    Several Australia Day events were modified or canceled this year due to extreme heat conditions exceeding 40°C in some regions, adding another layer of complexity to the already tense national observance.

  • Bradman baggy green cap sets record fee at auction

    Bradman baggy green cap sets record fee at auction

    A piece of cricketing history was secured for posterity when a pristine ‘baggy green’ cap worn by Sir Donald Bradman during his final Australian Test series achieved a record-breaking auction price of A$535,900 (including buyer’s premium). The iconic headgear, worn during the 1947-48 home series against India, surpassed all previous valuations for caps belonging to the legendary batsman.

    The cap’s remarkable provenance traces back to Bradman himself, who gifted it to Indian all-rounder Sriranga Wasudev Sohoni as a memento of their sporting camaraderie. For seventy-five years, Sohoni’s family maintained custodianship of the artifact under extraordinary conditions—preserving it in near-pristine condition while limiting viewings to brief, ceremonial family inspections once members reached sixteen years of age.

    Lee Hames, Chief Operating Officer at Lloyds Auctioneers, revealed the cap had never been publicly exhibited prior to the sale. ‘This represents three generations of meticulous preservation,’ Hames noted. ‘Family members were only permitted five-minute viewings upon turning sixteen—such was the reverence for this artifact.’

    The successfully auctioned cap bears dual inscriptions—’D.G. Bradman’ and ‘S.W. Sohoni’—on its interior lining, confirming its authentic connection to both cricketers. Its final hammer price of A$460,000 (A$535,900 with premium) exceeded the previous record set by another Bradman cap from the same series that sold for A$479,700 in 2024, despite that item showing significant sun fading and insect damage.

    The anonymous winning bidder has committed to placing the cap on permanent public display at an Australian museum, ensuring future generations can appreciate this tangible link to cricketing history. The 1947-48 series itself marked multiple historic milestones: Bradman’s final home Tests, India’s inaugural tour as an independent nation, and a dominant Australian performance where Bradman averaged 178.75 with three centuries including his 100th first-class ton.

  • Rights group says Iran protest toll nears 6,000 dead

    Rights group says Iran protest toll nears 6,000 dead

    A US-based human rights organization has reported that nearly 6,000 individuals have been confirmed dead during widespread protests in Iran, while Tehran issued stern warnings against American intervention in its internal affairs. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) disclosed on Monday that its verified death toll had reached 5,848, including 209 security personnel, with an additional 17,091 potential fatalities under investigation.

    The protest movement, initially sparked by economic discontent in late December, rapidly evolved into a broad challenge against Iran’s Islamic republic system, culminating in massive street demonstrations beginning January 8. Rights organizations have condemned authorities for implementing an unprecedented crackdown, alleging security forces fired directly at protesters while maintaining an internet blackout that has persisted for 18 consecutive days.

    Iranian authorities provided their first official casualty figures last week, claiming 3,117 deaths with the majority characterized as security forces or innocent bystanders killed by ‘rioters.’ Independent monitors note the internet shutdown has severely obstructed accurate documentation of casualties, with Netblocks confirming the ongoing blackout is ‘obscuring the extent of a deadly crackdown on civilians.’

    The geopolitical dimension intensified as the United States deployed military assets to the region, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. President Donald Trump maintained that military intervention remains ‘an option’ while stating his preference to avoid conflict. Iran’s foreign ministry responded with warnings of a ‘comprehensive and regret-inducing response to any aggression,’ with spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei asserting that American naval presence would not diminish Iran’s defensive resolve.

    In Tehran’s Enghelab Square, new anti-American billboards depicted destroyed aircraft carriers accompanied by the prophetic warning: ‘If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.’ Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in his last public appearance on January 17, vowed authorities would ‘break the back of the seditionists.’

    Meanwhile, Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon organized rallies supporting Iran against ‘American-Zionist sabotage and threats,’ signaling regional alignment behind Tehran’s position. The convergence of domestic suppression and international posturing creates a volatile situation with implications extending beyond Iran’s borders.

  • EU opens probe into Musk’s Grok over sexual AI deepfakes

    EU opens probe into Musk’s Grok over sexual AI deepfakes

    The European Union has initiated a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence platform Grok, citing serious concerns over its capacity to generate sexually explicit deepfake imagery. This regulatory action, announced on Monday, represents a significant escalation in the international response to AI-generated content abuses.

    European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered a firm statement regarding the probe, emphasizing that the EU “will not tolerate unthinkable behaviour, such as digital undressing of women and children.” She further clarified the bloc’s position, stating, “We will not hand over consent and child protection to tech companies to violate and monetise. The harm caused by illegal images is very real.”

    The investigation follows disturbing revelations that Grok’s technology enabled users to create sexualized depictions of women and minors through simple text commands. Phrases including “put her in a bikini” and “remove her clothes” reportedly triggered the AI system to generate inappropriate content.

    EU Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen outlined that the probe will assess whether X, Musk’s social media platform that hosts Grok, has complied with its legal obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This comprehensive legislation is specifically designed to regulate major internet platforms and protect users from harmful content. Virkkunen stressed that the rights of women and children within the EU should not become “collateral damage” of X’s services.

    The scope of the investigation includes examining whether X adequately mitigated “risks related to the dissemination of illegal content in the EU, such as manipulated sexually explicit images, including content that may amount to child sexual abuse material.”

    According to research published by the nonprofit watchdog Center for Countering Digital Hate, Grok allegedly generated approximately three million sexualized images of women and children within just days of its availability. This finding has contributed to the EU’s decision to expand an existing investigation into X that began in December 2023 regarding the spread of illegal content and information manipulation.

    The current investigation builds upon previous regulatory actions against X. In December, Brussels imposed a €120 million ($140 million) fine on the platform for violating DSA transparency obligations. These violations included the deceptive design of its “blue checkmark” verification system and failure to provide adequate access to public data for researchers.

    The EU has maintained its commitment to enforcing digital regulations despite potential diplomatic pressures, particularly from the United States where the Trump administration has previously expressed opposition to such measures.

  • Pauline Hanson slams ‘un-Australian’ opponents amid surge in poll support

    Pauline Hanson slams ‘un-Australian’ opponents amid surge in poll support

    In a significant shift within Australian politics, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has capitalized on surging poll numbers to deliver a blistering critique of newly enacted hate speech legislation. The controversial figure, whose party now outperforms the Coalition in primary voting intentions according to recent Newspoll data, addressed enthusiastic supporters during Australia Day rallies where “Pauline 4 PM” signage signaled growing momentum.

    The Brisbane gathering, characterized by its festive atmosphere with music, flags, and widespread cheering, served as the platform for Hanson’s multifaceted address. She launched particularly sharp criticism against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whom she labeled “the worst prime minister I have ever seen,” while attributing Australia’s mass migration challenges to his leadership.

    Central to Hanson’s rhetoric was a vehement rejection of recently passed hate speech laws, which she argued could be weaponized to suppress minority parties and stifle crucial debates on immigration and multiculturalism. “We can never give up our freedom of speech,” she declared to applauding supporters. “I will not let them stop me. I will keep going.”

    Despite her inflammatory statements regarding climate change skepticism and calls to wind back environmental policies, Hanson concluded her address with an unexpected plea for national unity. She emphasized that Australia belongs to all who embrace its values, whether native-born or migrant, while maintaining her signature criticism of what she perceives as divisive identity politics.

    The event drew immediate condemnation from Greens Senator Larissa Waters, who attended a nearby Invasion Day protest and accused Hanson of employing racist dog-whistle tactics. Waters challenged Hanson’s populist narrative by highlighting her voting record on affordability issues, claiming the One Nation leader “votes with the one per cent” rather than ordinary Australians.

    Hanson dismissed these criticisms as coming from “un-Australian” opponents filled with hatred, setting the stage for continued ideological clashes as Australia approaches its next federal election.

  • Legends of Winter Olympics: heroes of the slopes

    Legends of Winter Olympics: heroes of the slopes

    As the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics approach their February 6 opening, the spotlight turns to legendary alpine skiers whose Olympic triumphs and personal journeys have shaped winter sports history.

    Toni Sailer, Austria’s ‘Blitz from Kitz’, revolutionized alpine skiing during his brief but spectacular career. At just 20 years old during the first televised Winter Games, Sailer achieved an unprecedented triple victory in slalom, giant slalom, and downhill events. His dominance extended to the combined championship, earning him additional recognition. Though narrowly missing a repeat sweep at the 1958 World Championships, Sailer transitioned to a multifaceted post-athletic career encompassing film work as James Bond’s stunt double, music recording, ski equipment entrepreneurship, and sports administration. His legacy was cemented as Austria’s ‘Sportsman of the Century’ in 1999.

    Jean-Claude Killy mirrored Sailer’s achievement under controversial circumstances during the 1968 Grenoble Olympics. After overcoming health challenges that hampered his 1964 Olympic performance, Killy dominated the World Cup circuit for two consecutive seasons. His Olympic triple crown was secured amid dramatic foggy conditions during the slalom event, where officials disqualified competitors Karl Schranz and Hakon Mjoen for missed gates after reviewing television footage. The French skier’s triumph sparked such public euphoria that authorities required helicopter extraction to escape adoring crowds. Killy later diversified into motor racing, co-chaired the 1992 Albertville Olympics, and joined the International Olympic Committee, though his association with Vladimir Putin later attracted criticism.

    Hermann Maier’s narrative embodies extraordinary resilience. Initially rejected for his small stature, the Austrian developed into a powerfully built competitor through bricklaying work and regional competitions. His Olympic debut featured a spectacular downhill crash that saw him somersault through safety barriers, followed by remarkable super-G and giant slalom victories just days later. After equaling Killy’s World Cup record, Maier survived a motorcycle accident that nearly cost him his leg, missing the 2002 Games but returning to claim additional Olympic medals in 2006.

    Sweden’s Ingemar Stenmark established unparalleled dominance in technical events with a record 86 World Cup victories between 1974-1989. Despite limited Olympic appearances due to eligibility controversies, Stenmark capitalized on his 1980 Lake Placid opportunity with dramatic come-from-behind victories in both giant slalom and slalom events. His sponsorship-related exclusion from the 1984 Sarajevo Games underscored the sport’s transition from amateurism, yet his victory record endured until Mikaela Shiffrin surpassed it in 2023.

  • ‘So little we know’: in submersibles revealing the deep sea

    ‘So little we know’: in submersibles revealing the deep sea

    Beneath the waves off Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, a state-of-the-art submersible descends into the abyss, carrying scientists on a mission to document unknown species and uncover potential medical breakthroughs from the deep. AFP recently joined OceanX’s research expedition aboard the advanced OceanXplorer vessel, funded by billionaire Ray Dalio and his son, which represents a new paradigm in marine exploration.

    The expedition focuses on a previously mapped seamount chain where Indonesian researchers are conducting biodiversity surveys using two specialized submersibles. The Neptune is equipped for scientific collection with hydraulic arms and suction tubes, while the Nadir features high-end cameras for media documentation—reflecting OceanX’s philosophy that compelling imagery makes scientific research more accessible and impactful.

    At 200 meters depth, sunlight vanishes completely, leaving only the submersible’s lights to illuminate the eternal darkness. Researchers like Husna Nugrahapraja of Institut Teknologi Bandung experience both anxiety and wonder during their first descent into this alien environment. The beams reveal ‘marine snow’—continuous showers of organic debris—and extraordinary bioluminescent displays triggered by the vessel’s lights.

    The team encounters fragile comb jellies with pulsating illuminations, translucent siphonophores resembling abstract art, and silver fish no larger than fingernails. On the seafloor, delicate sea stars and fronded soft corals thrive in complete darkness under immense pressure.

    For deeper exploration down to 6,000 meters, OceanX employs a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) controlled from a mission center resembling NASA mission control. Operators in gamer-style chairs maneuver hydraulic arms to collect specimens including a bone-white lobster, horned sea cucumber, and a hermit crab living inside a deceased sea star.

    The expedition operates under strict safety protocols, with submersibles regularly inspected according to industry standards—a pointed contrast to the tragic Titan submersible implosion of 2023. Each dive vehicle carries four days of emergency life support as backup systems.

    Despite technological advances, much of the deep ocean remains unmapped and unexplored. Researchers like crustacean specialist Pipit Pitriana discover potentially new species, including pearl-sized barnacles, highlighting how little humanity knows about deep-sea biodiversity even as threats from plastic pollution, rising temperatures, and acidification intensify.