Hanoi aims for 7% economic growth by 2022

Today's headlines: Israel wants to take part in the US study of the bullet that killed the Christian journalist; in India, the death toll in a landslide in Manipur State rises to 37; the Iraqi premier inaugurates a 750 megawatts power plant; Tibetan monk Jigme Gyatso, who was arrested several times by Beijing, dies; Russian raid against illegal Chinese workers. 

VIETNAM

Hanoi is aiming for 7% growth in 2022, exceeding its targets (between 6 and 6.5%). To reach the target, it needs to hit 9% in the third quarter and 6.3% in the fourth quarter. The economy is recovering after last year's Covid-related slump (+2.58%, the lowest in decades). In the second quarter of 2022, GDP reached 7.72% driven by exports, but inflation is weighing heavily.

ISRAEL - PALESTINE

Israeli authorities intend to analyse with US experts the bullet that killed Christian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on 11 May. For the Palestinians, who handed the object over to a US official on 2 July, Washington has ruled out an Israeli presence during the testing. On 2 July, a 17-year-old Palestinian was shot by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. 

INDIA 

The death toll of a massive landslide that hit the Indian state of Maniput in recent days has risen to 37; rescue teams continue operations in search of survivors.  25 people are still missing. A wall of mud and debris submerged a construction site housing dozens of workers engaged in the construction of a railway. There are reportedly 18 survivors. 

TIBET - CHINA

The famous Tibetan monk Jigme Gyatso, who had been arrested several times in the past for protesting against Beijing's rule in the area, died on 2 July at his home in the north-western province of Gansu. During his imprisonment, he suffered violence and beatings, which led to a hospitalisation from which he never recovered. He had been suffering from ill health since his last release in 2016. 

IRAQ

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi yesterday inaugurated the Maysan power plant, in the governorate of the same name, with a capacity of 750 megawatts. The premier emphasised that the power plant will provide energy for the entire country, reducing dependence on gas imports. It uses modern technologies that reduce energy waste and are environmentally friendly.

RUSSIA 

Near the city of Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, Russian police carried out a raid to control illegal immigrants from China, working in agricultural greenhouses in the area. More than 250 Chinese were picked up from the village of Berezovka and taken away in buses for fingerprint and DNA checks to see how many of them are actually illegal immigrants.

UZBEKISTAN

According to the Cost of Living City Ranking statistics, the Uzbek capital Tashkent was found to be one of the cheapest for foreign residents, occupying 221st place out of 227 metropolises or large centres in the world. The cheapest was Ankara, followed by Istanbul, Karachi, Islamabad, Dushanbe and Biškek. The most expensive is Hong-Kong, followed by Zurich and Tel-Aviv.

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