BEIJING: China completed 125 million mu (8.33 million hectares) of afforestation and the improvement on grassland, and reclaimed desertified land and rocky desertification of land that amounted to 28.57 million mu (190 hectares) in 2023, exceeding the country’s afforestation goals, a teleconference on the national forestry and grassland work held by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration revealed on Monday.
According to a report from Global Times, the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program successfully initiated 22 out of 68 projects, resulting in the completion of afforestation activities covering an impressive 18 million mu. In addition to this, China actively expedited significant land greening initiatives by executing 96 major ecological restoration projects and establishing 25 national pilot demonstrations. Furthermore, research was carried out on the closed-loop management of national projects.
Moreover, the inclusion of 18 newly recognised wetlands of international significance and 29 nat
ionally significant wetlands serves as a testament to China’s commitment towards wetland conservation. In pursuit of this objective, China has undertaken 14 substantial endeavours aimed at the safeguarding of wetland areas, alongside 48 compensation projects and 91 restoration initiatives. Furthermore, the preservation of ancient trees has been fortified through the implementation of enhanced archives, databases, and precision conservation mapping techniques.
Source: Emirates News Agency
GAZA: Dozens of civilians were killed and others were injured tonight in Israeli airstrikes targeting different areas of the Gaza Strip, particularly Khan Yunis to the south.
At least seven civilians, mostly women, were killed and others were injured after Israeli warplanes bombed a house in the Jabalia area, north of Gaza.
Israeli airstrikes also shelled a house belonging to the Zaml family, resulting in the killing of seven people, including five females.
Three civilians were also killed and others were injured, mostly children and women, in an Israeli shelling of a house west of the Nuseirat refugee camp, in central Gaza.
In Khan Yunis, a young man was killed and others were injured by the Israeli army’s gunfire in Gaza Industrial Estate to the west of the city.
Israeli jets also bombed a vehicle west of Rafah, in the southern Strip, resulting in several casualties.
Several civilians were also killed and dozens of others were injured after Israeli warplanes targeted the beach of Khan Yunis.
The occu
pation artillery also continued the bombardment of the vicinity of Nasser Hospital in the city, said sources.
The number of people killed since the start of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip on October 7 has risen to around 25,450. At least 63,000 people were wounded, mostly children and women, and thousands of others were reported missing.
Source: Palestine News and Information Agency