China's STAR Composite Index closes higher Tuesday

The STAR Composite Index, which reflects the performance of stocks on China's sci-tech innovation board, closed 0.73 percent higher at 1,824.52 points on Tuesday.

The STAR 50 Index, which tracks the 50 largest stocks listed on the board that also meet certain liquidity requirements, closed 1.55 percent higher at 1,551.96 points.

The sci-tech innovation board, commonly known as the STAR Market, was inaugurated in June 2019 at Shanghai Stock Exchange. It is designed to support companies in the high-tech and strategic emerging sectors.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, warned on Monday that hostilities in Yemen are forcing people to flee their homes, causing civilian casualties, and putting the already stretched humanitarian operations there under growing pressure.

Renewed fighting in Yemen has displaced at least 125,000 civilians from 18,000 households since the start of September, he said at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York City.

The UN Human Rights Office has verified 40 civilian casualties -- eight dead and 32 injured -- in the first two weeks of this month. Women and children account for half of those killed and more than half of those injured, Haq said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the United Nations and its humanitarian partners continue to respond, despite extremely difficult operating conditions, providing aid to thousands of households as of Saturday. However, supplies are critically low, and funding is falling short of needs.

Haq highlighted that humanitarian access and movements remain severely constrained due to insecurity. Humanitarian movements into and within several locations on Yemen's west coast remain suspended, while key roads are restricted or impassable.

"We call on all parties to protect civilians, respect international humanitarian law and facilitate safe and unimpeded humanitarian access so that urgently needed assistance can reach communities in need," Haq said.