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Year: 2024

UN renews call to protect civilians, as deadly Israeli strike hits close to key Beirut hospital

The strike, which hit the densely populated Jnah neighbourhood, also injured 60 people and reportedly damaged the Rafik Hariri University Hospital. At least three buildings located about 50 meters (54 yards) from the hospital are said to have been destroyed….

Lower-priced new cars are gaining popularity, and not just for cash-poor buyers

Detroit —  Had she wanted to, Michelle Chumley could have afforded a pricey new SUV loaded with options. But when it came time to replace her Chevrolet Blazer SUV, for which she’d paid about $40,000 three years ago, Chumley chose…

New mpox variant detected in Germany

Berlin —  An infection with the new mpox variant clade 1b has been detected in Germany for the first time, the Robert Koch Institute health authority said on Tuesday. The infection occurred abroad and was detected last Friday, the institute…

US exporters race to ship soybeans as looming election stokes tariff worries

Chicagp —  U.S. soybean export premiums are at their highest in 14 months, as grain merchants race to ship out a record-large U.S. harvest ahead of the U.S. presidential election and fears of renewed trade tensions with top importer China,…

China unveils first diagnosis guidelines to battle escalating obesity crisis

HONG KONG —  China’s National Health Commission (NHC) published its first set of guidelines to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of obesity, with more than half of China’s adults already overweight and obese, and the rate expected to keep rising….

‘Garbage in, garbage out’: AI fails to debunk disinformation, study finds

Washington —  When it comes to combating disinformation ahead of the U.S. presidential elections, artificial intelligence and chatbots are failing, a media research group has found. The latest audit by the research group NewsGuard found that generative AI tools struggle…

French government takes new blows over deal to sell painkiller maker to US fund

Paris —  French drugmaker Sanofi’s confirmation that it will sell a controlling stake in its consumer health unit to a U.S. investment fund sparked a new political backlash Monday, stoked by fears the deal marks a loss of sovereignty over…

Should minimum wage be lower for workers who get tipped? Two states are set to decide

Mel Nichols, a 37-year-old bartender in Phoenix, Arizona, takes home anywhere from $30 to $50 an hour with tips included. But the uncertainty of how much she’s going to make on a daily basis is a constant source of stress….

‘Hundreds displaced overnight’ as airstrikes destroy humanitarian facilities in Lebanon

“Late last night, hundreds of people were reportedly displaced in Beirut and across the country following Israeli displacement orders identifying a social finance network affiliated with Hezbollah,” said Farhan Haq, UN Deputy Spokesperson, briefing journalists in New York on Monday….

Daily death and destruction continues in Ukraine, Security Council hears

Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča, whose portfolio straddles both Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, voiced concern over attacks on energy infrastructure as winter approaches. Drones, death and devastation Mr. Jenča said at least 208 Ukrainian civilians were killed and 1,220 injured in…