Occupy

The United Nations has updated its database of companies engaged in business activities linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, naming 214 companies from 11 countries. The latest assessment focuses on the impact on Palestinian people's right to self-determination and says companies must take appropriate action over their activities.

An Indian diplomat at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva delivered a sharp response to Pakistan, telling it to 'vacate the part of Kashmir you hold'. The remarks, broadcast by NDTV Profit, restate India's long-standing position that the parts of Kashmir under Pakistani administration are illegally occupied, and come amid recurring India-Pakistan exchanges over Kashmir at UN forums.

Ukraine's armed forces report taking around 250 Russian prisoners on the Lyman front, with claims that entire Russian units surrendered. Russia's defence ministry, meanwhile, says its troops control key villages in the occupied Donetsk region. The two accounts highlight sharply different pictures of the situation on one of the war's most contested directions.

Democratic members of the US Congress have introduced legislation to impose sanctions over the expansion of Israeli settlements. The bill targets settlement growth in the occupied West Bank amid ongoing tensions linked to the war in Gaza. It signals growing pressure within the Democratic Party for a harder line on Israeli settlement policy.

The United Nations has updated its database of companies with business ties to Israeli settlements, adding 61 firms and bringing the total to 214. The Palestine Chronicle reported the update, asking which companies were newly listed. The move has drawn attention among activists and observers following corporate involvement in the occupied territories.

Dutch volleyball international Tess Lieder-Wester has given an open interview about a terrible period in her childhood, saying it still occupies her thoughts every day. The Sportnieuws.nl interview reveals a personal side of the former national team player, prompting attention in the Netherlands around her candid remarks.

UNRWA has published its 235th situation report on the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The agency's reports document conditions on the ground and the needs of Palestinian civilians across the occupied territories. The continued release of numbered reports underscores the scale and persistence of the crisis, with the latest update issued in both English and Arabic for international and regional audiences.

The United Nations' top Middle East peace envoy says Palestinians are yearning for a return to normal life, underscoring the daily hardships faced by communities in the occupied territories. The appeal highlights calls for improved living conditions, freedom of movement and renewed prospects for a peaceful resolution, as international attention remains fixed on the worsening humanitarian situation in the region.

Ukraine has moved to cut electricity supplies to Crimea, the annexed peninsula Russia calls its 'unsinkable fortress'. The move threatens to leave the region short of power and adds pressure on Moscow's occupation infrastructure. Observers see it as part of Ukraine's broader strategy to degrade Russian logistics and control in occupied territory, and commentary is focused on how severely Crimea will be affected.

A Fort Myers property occupied by EōS Fitness has sold for $14.3 million, according to Gulfshore Business. The report gives few details beyond the sale price, so it is not clear who the buyer or seller is. The transaction reflects continued investor interest in fitness-anchored commercial real estate in the Fort Myers area.

The United Nations has updated its database of businesses involved in activities supporting Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, adding 61 companies to a list that now totals 214 enterprises. Palestinian officials have urged companies worldwide to review their ties with the settlements, renewing debate over corporate responsibility and international law.

ASML, the Dutch semiconductor equipment maker, is drawing renewed attention for its extreme ultraviolet lithography machines, which reportedly cost around $400 million each and are essential to producing every advanced AI chip. Commentators argue that the company occupies a unique chokepoint in the AI supply chain, since no competitor can currently match its technology, making it central to debates over chip supply and export controls.

New York's Split Level art fair is returning for its second edition, once again staging the event in a design showroom on Madison Avenue. The fair occupies an unconventional retail space rather than a conventional convention hall, a format that has drawn attention in the city's art world as dealers and curators experiment with new settings for presenting contemporary art to collectors and the public.

On day 1,680 of the Russo-Ukrainian war, Ukraine repatriated 14 more children from territory in Kherson region under Russian occupation. The returns are part of ongoing efforts to bring back children taken to occupied areas or Russia since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Each such operation typically involves long negotiations mediated by third parties, and officials stress that thousands of Ukrainian children are still awaiting return.