Briefly

Man accused of killing 7 people captured

A man suspected of killing seven people and injuring 11 was captured by police in Lyuliang city, Shanxi province, the local government said in a release on Sunday. According to the release, a 27-year-old man surnamed Guo injured a 21-year-old woman during a dispute in Xingxian county, Lyuliang, on Saturday afternoon and killed her mother-in-law, her husband and her son. While fleeing by car, Guo hit a police officer and 13 passersby. Altogether, seven died and 11 were injured. Further investigation is underway, the release said.

Guangzhou house fire leaves 5 dead

Five people were killed in a fire in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, early on Sunday morning. According to a statement released by the Guangzhou Fire and Rescue Brigade on Sunday, the fire broke out at 2:48 am at a home on Baogangxi Road in the city's Haizhu district. Firefighters, trucks and an ambulance were immediately sent to the scene to help rescue the victims and extinguish the blaze after being alerted by local residents. The fire was quickly put out, the statement said. Firefighters and rescue workers searched for survivors, but medical staff on the scene confirmed that all had been killed. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Ancient stele found in Shanxi province

A stele more than 1,000 years old has been discovered in Shanxi province, according to local authorities. The stele was found in Xingtangsi village in Hongtong county while villagers were clearing the land north of the ruins of a temple. Historical artifact experts later found that the stele was erected in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) during the reign of Emperor Wenzong in the early 9th century, and survived the rise and fall of the adjacent Zhongzhen Temple. The temple was built in 594 and was a place of worship for several centuries. Several ancient steles were made and stood as records of renovations, worship and other activities. So far, the newly discovered stele is the only one confirmed to be from the Tang Dynasty found in the county.

13,000 intl trips made on China-Laos Railway

The China-Laos Railway has handled 13,310 cross-border passenger trips since the launch of its passenger service on April 13, according to the Mohan entry-exit border checkpoint. During the period, the Chinese border town of Mohan in Yunnan province logged 7,024 inbound passenger trips and 6,286 outbound trips. "It's very convenient to travel to China by train now. More and more tourists from Laos and Thailand are planning to travel to China," said Nhanxana, a Laotian tour guide. The China-Laos Railway, a landmark cooperation project part of the Belt and Road Initiative, began operation in December 2021. The 1,035-km railway connects China's Kunming with Vientiane in Laos.

Funds to support public cultural services

China's Ministry of Finance has announced it will deliver funds to help local governments improve public cultural services. Funds of 1.02 billion yuan ($148 million) will be allocated to branches of the ministry above the county level within 30 days from May 8, according to an announcement by the ministry. The central government has budgeted a total of 14.96 billion yuan to help the creation of a local system of public cultural services this year, with the rest of the funds already having been disbursed, according to the ministry. The funds will be used in projects like the one-off subsidy of wired HD interactive digital set-top boxes and fitness facilities in some areas, the ministry said.

China Daily - Xinhua