U.N. Secretary-General's spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Thursday called on all members of the U.N. Security Council to exert a positive influence in promoting the easing of tensions between Lebanon and Israel.
Dujarric made the statements in response to the escalating crisis along the Lebanon-Israel border.
"The Secretary-General and senior staff and especially colleagues on the ground have been following the situation very closely in terms of the developments in south Lebanon and in northern Israel. Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, has been in constant contact with all concerned actors to urge for restraint and calm as well as to support diplomatic efforts to end this cycle of violence urgently. We continue to urge the parties to recommit to the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 and return to a cessation of hostilities to restore stability. It is important that member states also exercise a positive influence on moving towards de-escalation," he said.
Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border have escalated since Oct 8, 2023, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack the previous day. Israel retaliated with heavy artillery fire toward southern Lebanon.
The Israel-Hebollah tensions have grown even worse after the deadly back-to-back attacks targeting Hezbollah members in Lebanon – with pagers simultaneously exploding across the country on Tuesday, then walkie-talkies detonating in a similar fashion on Wednesday. Hezbollah has blamed Israel for the attacks, while Israel has made no response to the charge.
At least 37 people, including children, have been killed in the attacks. Thousands more are injured – many maimed and in critical condition after communications devices exploded in their pockets or in their face.
UN urges member states to promote de-escalation in Lebanon-Israel tensions
UN urges member states to promote de-escalation in Lebanon-Israel tensions
China Media Group (CMG) on Thursday launched eight boutique audiovisual products on the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and cultural exchanges between China and France, during an event held in Beijing.
The eight products cover a wide range of subjects including performances of Chinese athletes at the Paris Games, stories of artists joining the art exhibition held in Paris in May, works of art and the food culture of both China and France.
Products, "Give You a Like", "Road to Paris", and "Blooming in Paris", tells the stories of athletes from China as well as the wider world who took part in the Paris Summer Olympics.
"Meeting Paris" explores cultural traces related to the Olympics at various locations across France.
The 100-episode series "From Beijing to Paris: China Art Exhibition" deeply excavates creative stories of more than 100 artists who participated in the major exhibition "From Beijing to Paris: Olympic Tour of Chinese and French Artists". The exhibition was organized by CMG and opened in May at Les Invalides in France.
The twenty-episode series "Bond of Art", and the art experience show "Touring France with Famous Paintings", respectively tell the stories of Chinese artists and the birthplaces of iconic artworks in France.
"Peak of Gastronomy - Competition of Chinese and French Master Chefs" gathers 20 emerging chefs from China and France for the fusion of Chinese and French cuisine.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, President of the Constitutional Council of France Laurent Fabius and former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin sent congratulatory letters to the event.
Meanwhile, representatives of artists attending the exhibition of "From Beijing to Paris: Olympic Tour of Chinese and French Artists" were awarded with honorary certificates.
"The culture exchange between China and France is very important. China Media Group contributes a lot to the cultural exchange between the two countries," said Chang Shana, a professor from the Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University, and also one of the special consultants for the exhibition.
CMG launches programs on Paris Olympic Games, China-France cultural exchanges
