UN envoy: Stop the 'alarming' military escalation in Yemen NEWS BRIEFING Staff and news services US recovers remains of 2 troops from crash site in Afghanistan Trump praises Pompeo for belittling reporter over Ukraine Weinstein trial moves swiftly with more accusers on deck Harvard professor charged with hiding China ties Man-made blaze moves toward capital of Australia

UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. special envoy for Yemen is urging a halt to the "alarming military escalation" in fighting between the Saudi-led military coalition and Houthi Shiite rebels, the U.N. spokesman said Tuesday.

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said envoy Martin Griffiths warned the Security Council at a closed meeting that the recent drastic escalation jeopardizes progress made by the warring parties in de-escalating the conflict and on confidence building.

Less than two weeks ago, Griffiths had reported to the council on a major reduction in military operations. He expressed hope then that this would lead to talks between the government and Iranian-backed Houthis on ending the five-year conflict in the Arab world's poorest nation.

The U.S.-backed Arab coalition battling to restore Yemen's internationally recognized government stepped up airstrikes in recent days on rebel targets northeast of the capital, Sanaa, following a monthslong lull, while the Houthis shelled government-held areas.

The sudden spike in violence across long-stalemated front lines threatened to exacerbate the conflict and complicate indirect peace talks between Saudi Arabia and the rebels as well as Griffiths' efforts to get both sides back to the negotiating table.

On a positive note, the representative for the U.N. children's agency UNICEF welcomed the Houthis' release in Sanaa on Tuesday of 64 children allegedly captured during military operations, Dujarric said. He said UNICEF hopes this step also leads to an end to the Houthis' recruitment and use of children.

US recovers remains of 2 troops from crash site in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON - U.S. forces on Tuesday recovered the remains of two American service members killed in the crash of an Air Force E-11A electronic surveillance aircraft in Afghanistan, the U.S. military command in Kabul said. They also retrieved what they believe is the plane's flight data recorder.

They were the only two people aboard the aircraft when it went down Monday in Ghazni province, officials said. Their identities have not been publicly announced.

The statement from Kabul said the cause of the crash is under investigation. There are no indications that it was downed by enemy fire.

In its statement Tuesday, the U.S. military command in Kabul thanked local Afghans for treating the remains with respect. It said that after removing the remains, U.S. forces destroyed the aircraft.

Trump praises Pompeo for belittling reporter over Ukraine

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump praised Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday for cursing and belittling a National Public Radio reporter who asked him about the Ukraine scandal that has engulfed the White House.

The praise came a day after the State Department apparently retaliated for the spat by removing NPR from the pool of reporters traveling with Pompeo to Ukraine.

Pompeo lost his cool Friday when Mary Louise Kelly, a veteran diplomatic correspondent for NPR, asked him about his role in the ouster of Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch. Pompeo also demanded that Kelly pick out Ukraine on an unmarked map, which she says she did.

Press freedom and journalism groups condemned the State Department for blacklisting NPR.

Weinstein trial moves swiftly with more accusers on deck

NEW YORK - Harvey Weinstein's trial is moving at a faster pace than predicted, with three more of his accusers expected to testify before the end of the week .

A secondary witness took the stand Tuesday as part of the prosecution's effort to corroborate Mimi Haleyi's earlier testimony, where she detailed her allegation that Weinstein forced oral sex on her at his New York City apartment in 2006.

Elizabeth Entin, Haleyi's former roommate, told jurors that the former "Project Runway" production assistant told her about the encounter a short time after it happened.

Lawyers for Weinstein, 67, who is charged with sexually assaulting Haleyi and raping an aspiring actress in 2013, have insisted any sexual encounters were consensual.

Harvard professor charged with hiding China ties

BOSTON - A Harvard University professor was charged Tuesday with lying about his ties to a Chinese-run recruitment program and concealing payments he received from the Chinese government for research.

Charles Lieber, chair of the department of chemistry and chemical biology, is accused of hiding his involvement in China's Thousand Talents Plan, a program designed to lure people with knowledge of foreign technology and intellectual property to China.

Lieber was arrested early Tuesday at his office, officials said. He remained in federal custody after a court appearance Tuesday.

Boston FBI agent Joseph Bonavolonta said, "China's communist government's goal, simply put, is to replace the U.S. as the world superpower, and they are breaking the law to get there."

Man-made blaze moves toward capital of Australia

CANBERRA, Australia - A wildfire sparked by a military helicopter helping firefighting efforts was blazing out of control and threatening homes on the outskirts of Australia's capital on Wednesday as fire danger escalated across the country's southeast.

The fire had spread over 23,500 acres since it was started by a transport helicopter landing light that ignited grass in a national park south of Canberra on Monday afternoon, authorities said.

Authorities have warned Canberra that the fire most greatly threatens the city of 420,000 people since 2003, when an inferno killed four people and destroyed almost 500 homes in a single day.

An unprecedented fire season has claimed at least 33 lives since September, destroying more than 3,000 homes.

In Sudan: Four lions in a run-down zoo in the capital of Sudan, wasting away from hunger, are undergoing lifesaving medical treatment from an international animal rescue organization.

The plight of the rail-thin lions at the Al-Qurashi Park in Khartoum set off an outpouring of sympathy and donations from around the world. One lioness died of starvation last week.

On Tuesday, wildlife experts from Vienna-based animal welfare group Four Paws International conducted medical checks at the park.

Although the group typically carries out rescue missions, it has no immediate plan to transport the animals at Al-Qurashi to better conditions abroad.

Caption: Fiery protest: Firefighters set themselves on fire Tuesday in Paris to protest the French government's plan to overhaul the country's retirement system. The government insists the new system will be more fair than the old one. Firefighters are also asking for a raise.

BERTRAND GUAY/Getty-AFP