Explainer: How UN peacekeepers meet the challenge of escalating conflict in Lebanon
Here is what you need to know about UNIFIL, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon: Security Council mandate UNIFIL was created by the Security Council in March 1978 following Israel’s invasion of Lebanon. Its mandate was to confirm the withdrawal…
‘Families ran for their lives’: Syria receives 250,000 refugees fleeing Lebanon
“Families I spoke with had run for their lives and have no idea what tomorrow may bring after an exhausting, dangerous journey to the border. They arrive with few means and in need of urgent relief,” UNHCR chief Mr. Grandi…
China is oversupplying lithium to eliminate rivals, US official says
LISBON — Chinese lithium producers are flooding the global market with the critical metal and causing a “predatory” price drop as they seek to eliminate competing projects, a senior U.S. official said on a visit to Portugal that has ample…
Skechers opens store in Xinjiang amid scrutiny over Uyghur forced labor sanctions
Washington — Despite ongoing U.S. sanctions targeting Chinese companies linked to Uyghur forced labor in Xinjiang, United States-based footwear and apparel company Skechers opened a new outlet in Urumqi, the region’s capital. The store opened on September 28, days before…
Ukrainian air defenses down 18 Russian drones
Ukraine’s military said Tuesday it shot down 18 of 19 drones that Russia used in overnight attacks targeting central and western Ukraine. Ukrainian air defense shot down the drones over the Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Ternopil and Vinnytsia regions. Russia also…
Don’t expect human life expectancy to grow much more, researcher says
new york — Humanity is hitting the upper limit of life expectancy, according to a new study. Advances in medical technology and genetic research — not to mention larger numbers of people making it to age 100 — are not…
Ukrainian forces hit oil terminal in Crimea; Zelenskyy touts ‘victory plan’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that he was discussing Ukraine’s “victory plan” this week in a series of meetings and negotiations with “every country that can really help bring peace closer.” “We invite our partners to define how they…
Europe braces for Chinese retaliation over EV import tariffs
The European Union is braced for retaliation from China after the bloc voted Friday to impose tariffs on the import of Chinese electric vehicles, which Brussels says receive unfair state subsidies. As Henry Ridgwell reports, there’s speculation that Beijing could…
World water resources decreasing as global rivers dry up
GENEVA — Billions of people are facing a future of water scarcity as global rivers dry up, glaciers melt, and intense heat and other extreme weather events caused by climate change create critical changes in water availability around the world,…
Spacecraft headed to harmless asteroid slammed by NASA in previous save-the-Earth test
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A spacecraft blasted off Monday to investigate the scene of a cosmic crash. The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft rocketed away on a two-year journey to the small, harmless asteroid rammed by NASA two years ago…