Dust and groundwater contaminated with heavy metals and radioactive chemicals pose a health threat that the authorities have been trying to address for years.

Low environmental standards helped China become the world’s low-cost producer of rare earths, but Beijing was also focused on helping the industry.

Zohran Mamdani’s responses on a 2009 college application were criticized by his mayoral rivals. The blowback was dismissed by his supporters as a politically motivated attack.