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UNICEF calls for urgent action to tackle unexploded ordnance threat to children in Syria

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      UNICEF calls for urgent action to tackle unexploded ordnance threat to children in Syria

      2025-01-15 17:04 Last Updated At:21:57

      The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) sounded the alarm on Tuesday over the ongoing threat of unexploded ordnance (UXO) to millions of children in Syria.

      Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, Ricardo Pires, UNICEF's Communication Manager for Emergencies, stated that last December alone, 116 children were killed or injured by UXO -- an average of nearly four per day.

      The UNICEF official said that in the last nine years, at least 422,000 incidents involving UXO were reported across Syria, with half estimated to have ended in tragic child casualties. Currently, around five million Syrian children still live in areas ridden by these hazards.

      "It's the main cause of child casualties in Syria right now and has been for many years, and will continue to be because the ground continues to be infested, infested and contaminated. Over 300,000 mines are still spread across the country," Pires said.

      Since November of last year, more than 250,000 Syrian children have been forced to flee their homes, according to the official.

      With UXO scattered across Syria, the danger to children is ever-present, which has seen UNICEF calling for swift and decisive international action, including accelerated demining initiatives, to protect these vulnerable children.

      UNICEF calls for urgent action to tackle unexploded ordnance threat to children in Syria

      UNICEF calls for urgent action to tackle unexploded ordnance threat to children in Syria

      UNICEF calls for urgent action to tackle unexploded ordnance threat to children in Syria

      UNICEF calls for urgent action to tackle unexploded ordnance threat to children in Syria

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      Cultural items, electronics lead online shopping event for Spring Festival

      2025-01-25 17:22 Last Updated At:17:37

      Cultural products and electronics top the list of popular items on e-commerce platforms during a month-long online shopping event for festive goods leading up to the Spring Festival.

      The event, initiated by the Ministry of Commerce and organized under the guidance of several government departments and the China Consumers Association, will run from Jan 7 to Feb 5.

      According to the ministry, this event marks the first nationwide online sales promotion following the inscription of the "Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of traditional new year" on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024.

      The event aims to meet people's consumption needs during the festive season, promote traditional Chinese culture and boost e-commerce sales.

      On Taobao and Tmall, platforms under China's e-commerce giant Alibaba, searches for products featuring distinctive elements of traditional Chinese culture have surged in popularity as the festival approaches.

      "Apart from food, there's a heavy focus on tradition and culture this year," said Lao Guoling, director of the e-commerce research institute at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.

      He also noted that young people are bringing a more fashionable touch to the traditional festive atmosphere.

      "The younger generation emphasizes emotional value, opting for new interpretations of traditions. For example, young people might buy festive toys, such as a LEGO kumquat tree, instead of an actual one," Lao said.

      Electrical products are also gaining popularity among consumers' purchases for the Spring Festival.

      According to a survey conducted by the research institute of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, while food and beverages continue to be the top choices for out-of-town workers to bring home, nearly half of them are also opting for appliances such as televisions and washing machines.

      Lao stated that government subsidies are playing a crucial role in driving consumption of electrical products.

      "This year's subsidized items include smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches. This can encourage people to upgrade their own devices or buy these smaller products as gifts," she said.

      Cultural items, electronics lead online shopping event for Spring Festival

      Cultural items, electronics lead online shopping event for Spring Festival

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