UN chief urges Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire during solidarity visit to Lebanon

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel to pave the way for the country's independence and sovereignty during a solidarity visit to Lebanon.

Guterres arrived in Beirut on Friday for a visit of solidarity with the people of Lebanon, during which he met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and other senior Lebanese officials.

Declaring himself "a friend of the Lebanese people," Guterres called for an immediate end to the Lebanese suffering and an end to a "war they didn't choose."

"My appeal to both parties is: Let's do an immediate ceasefire. Let's stop this enormous suffering of the Lebanese people, and we will do our best to make sure that with a ceasefire, there will be serious negotiations to guarantee that Lebanon will see its sovereignty, its territorial integrity respected," he said.

Guterres announced on the same day a 325-million-U.S.-dollar emergency humanitarian appeal for Lebanon at a press conference in Beirut. The appeal aims to provide food, water, healthcare, education, and protection for displaced families over the next three months.

The death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 has reached 773, with 1,933 injuries, the country's Public Health Ministry said Friday.

Since the launch of the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on Feb 28, tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have sharply escalated, with Hezbollah firing rocket barrages at northern Israeli communities and Israel striking sites in southern and eastern Lebanon, which it says house Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure.

UN chief urges Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire during solidarity visit to Lebanon

UN chief urges Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire during solidarity visit to Lebanon

UN chief urges Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire during solidarity visit to Lebanon

UN chief urges Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire during solidarity visit to Lebanon

A surge in global demand has set Yiwu's manufacturing and logistics chain running at full speed this spring, with factories and shippers all working overtime to meet orders bound for markets worldwide.

Many manufacturers in Yiwu, an eastern Chinese city known as "the world’s supermarket," reported a steady rise in orders in the first quarter of 2026.

Among them are sports goods makers racing to deliver ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America.

"In the first two months alone, we sent about four containers of goods. Orders have gradually come in from South America and Africa, and the current orders can keep our production running through May," said Wu Xiaoming, general manager of a sports firm in Yiwu.

At Yiwu's bonded zone, customs brokers swiftly checked documents to ensure exports reach global markets fast.

"Today's shipments mainly are kitchenware, tableware and small home appliances. They are mainly bound for Germany and Spain," said Fu Jianying, a customs broker.

Yiwu has now linked 26 international rail freight routes, building a logistics network that covers more than 160 cities in about 50 countries. With smooth transport, creative design and strong manufacturing capacity, the city's cross-border trade is accelerating, underscoring its role as a hub of global small commodities.

Yiwu cross‑border trade gains speed this spring