A knife-wielding man with a grudge killed nine middle school children and injured at least 10 others as they returned home in northern China on Friday, authorities said, in one of the deadliest such rampages in the country in recent years. The 28-year-old suspect was detained and the injured children were receiving hospital treatment, the Mizhi County public security bureau in Shaanxi province said on its official social media account. Seven girls and two boys were killed, the official Xinhua news agency said, citing local police. The ages of the children were not given, but middle schoolers are usually between 12 and 15 years old in China. The incident took place at around 6:10 pm local time, the department said. A man surnamed Zhao from Zhaojiashan village in Mizhi County was arrested, the public security bureau said. The suspect confessed that he had been "bullied" when he attended the same Number Three Middle School when he was a child, "hated" his classmates and decided to … [Read more...] about Knife attacker kills nine children in China
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North Korean airline plans new route to China’s Xian
North Korea's national airline Air Koryo plans to open a new route linking Pyongyang and Xian in China, a staff member said Thursday, in the latest sign of the nuclear-armed state's possible emergence from isolation. An Air Koryo representative told AFP "there is a plan" for flights to the central Chinese city, a major tourist destination famous for its ancient Terracotta Warriors. But the staffer said he "did not know" whether the route would begin in July, as reported by the Xian Evening News daily, which cited Shaanxi Province's official tourism board. With the launch of the new route, Xian is set to become the fifth Chinese city with a direct flight to Pyongyang after Beijing, Shenyang, Shanghai and Chengdu, according to the newspaper. "The opening of this route will make it more convenient and efficient to travel from Xian to Pyongyang and furthermore satisfy the enthusiasm of Xian citizens travelling to Pyongyang," the daily said. "The market reacted strongly when Xian … [Read more...] about North Korean airline plans new route to China’s Xian
Bản in : Prime Minister launches VNA’s television channel
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung asked the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) to continue its leadership in reflecting current events and issues inside and outside the country quickly and accurately with its own television channel that he launched on August 25. Following a two-month test run, the channel officially made its public debut with its name “VNEWS” saying it all, just news. VNEWS marks an important milestone in VNA’s roadmap to operate as a communications consortium. It also heralds VNA’s 65 th founding anniversary (Sept. 15). “This is a significant event in the nation’s press and communications activities as it affirms VNA’s role in the new circumstance and in serving the Party’s leadership and instruction and the State’s management and execution, and meeting the people’s needs for information,” he said. PM Dung affirmed that the Party and the State will continue to support and assist VNA in accomplishing its assigned … [Read more...] about Bản in : Prime Minister launches VNA’s television channel
Hanoi seeks feedback on a set of etiquette
The municipal Department of Culture and Sports is officially inviting public feedback on a draft Code of Conduct in public places for Hanoians. According to Tô Văn Động, Director of the city's Culture and Sports Department, code drafters will be receptive to "sensible ideas" and opinions of the public in revising the code before it is issued. The Code of Conduct, which would apply to all citizens of the city, will likely coincide with the issuance of another set of etiquette for its public servants, which has missed its original deadline of January 1 because its provisions are still under revision. The Code of Conduct will cover speech, attitude, and behaviour expected of "all individuals and organisations who live, work, study, visit, and stay in Hà Nội." The aim, officials have said, is to ensure that the city lives up to its old reputation and tradition of a "refined and civilized capital city." The draft has 14 articles arranged in three chapters, enumerating numerous dos and … [Read more...] about Hanoi seeks feedback on a set of etiquette
Slipping slightly
In its third quarter Asian Economics report, HSBC pared back its forecasts for Vietnam’s GDP growth in 2016 to 6.2 per cent, while the World Bank estimated the economy would grow 6 per cent for the year as a whole. In fact, the country posted a 6.21 per cent GDP growth, in wholly 2016, according to General Statistics Office. The fundamental drivers of growth - resilient domestic demand and export oriented manufacturing - remain in place though manufacturing is predicted to grow at a lower rate than in previous years. Vietnam’s economy grew in the third quarter by 6.6 per cent year-on-year, a sharp improvement over the 5.6 per cent registered in the earlier quarters. During the first half the economy struggled, in part due to widespread drought and declining agricultural output, which in turn further constrained rural consumption. However, these supply-side disruptions eased over the last few months, with production conditions normalizing. Third quarter growth bounced … [Read more...] about Slipping slightly