UN to launch polio vaccination campaign in Gaza

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Thursday that the United Nations (U.N.) will begin a polio vaccination campaign in Gaza starting Sept. 1, following an agreement between Israel and Hamas to implement a temporary ceasefire for the vaccination effort.

The announcement was made during a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, where the WHO's representative for the occupied Palestinian Territory, Rik Peeperkorn, confirmed via video link that the vaccination campaign will begin on Sept. 1.

"It has been agreed that the campaign will be delivered in a phased approach over three days (per phase). We start on the first of September and we start in central Gaza for three days, followed by south Gaza and then followed by the north of Gaza," he said.

"There's been an agreement that there will not be evacuation orders during those campaign days," Peeperkorn added.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted in a recent address the spread of polio in Gaza, which poses a serious risk to children. The UN is set to launch a two-phase campaign to vaccinate more than 640,000 children in Gaza under the age of 10, with the WHO having approved the release of 1.6 million doses of polio vaccine.

Poliomyelitis, commonly known as polio, is an acute infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, primarily affecting children under five. It can lead to paralysis or death in severe cases. With no cure available, vaccination remains the most effective and economical method of prevention.

Poliovirus was detected in environmental samples in the Gaza Strip in July. On Monday, health authorities in the Gaza Strip announced on Monday that a polio epidemic had broken out across the Palestinian enclave, blaming Israeli military operations for the damage to sanitation and medical systems that had precipitated the spread of the deadly virus.

UN to launch polio vaccination campaign in Gaza

UN to launch polio vaccination campaign in Gaza

UN to launch polio vaccination campaign in Gaza

UN to launch polio vaccination campaign in Gaza

UN to launch polio vaccination campaign in Gaza

China's first tire factory in Europe officially started mass production in Zrenjanin, Serbia, on Friday.

More than 300 people, including Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Serbian government officials and Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Ming, attended the inauguration ceremony.

Vucic said that China has always been an important partner of Serbia, and this largest greenfield investment project in Serbia so far will promote regional development and become a strong witness of cooperation between the two countries.

"No matter how the international situation changes, China will remain a reliable partner for all countries seeking common development. [China] not only considers its own interests, but also thinks about its partners, and works for our wellbeing and achievements," said Vucic.

The total investment of the project is 990 million U.S. dollars, with 97 hectares of planned land area, about 500,000 square meters of the total construction area. The planned production capacity is 12 million passenger car tires, 1.6 million commercial vehicle tires and 220,000 off-highway tires.

Vucic highlighted the economic benefits the factory will bring to Zrenjanin and the surrounding region, with a projected boost to the city's budget, which will fund new infrastructure projects. It is expected that the factory will achieve export value of 200 million euros this year, and may increase to 500 million euros next year.

China's first tire factory in Europe begins mass production in Serbia