Floral tributes to those killed in the ramming attack, outside the Zhuhai People's Fitness Plaza in Zhuhai, in southern China's Guangdong province. AP
Floral tributes to those killed in the ramming attack, outside the Zhuhai People's Fitness Plaza in Zhuhai, in southern China's Guangdong province. AP
Floral tributes to those killed in the ramming attack, outside the Zhuhai People's Fitness Plaza in Zhuhai, in southern China's Guangdong province. AP
Floral tributes to those killed in the ramming attack, outside the Zhuhai People's Fitness Plaza in Zhuhai, in southern China's Guangdong province. AP

Car rams into pedestrians in southern China, killing 35 people


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Police in China detained a 62-year-old man after he rammed his car into people exercising at a sports centre in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai on Monday killing 35 people and injuring 43 others.

The incident occurred on the eve of the country’s premier aviation exhibition by the People’s Liberation Army which is hosted annually.

The vehicle knocked down “a number of” pedestrians on Monday evening, police said. They identified the man only by his family name, Fan. No motive was made clear and officials said their investigation continues.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged “all-out efforts” to treat the people injured and has “demanded punishing the perpetrator in accordance with the law”, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Mr Fan is currently in a coma after self-inflicted injuries.

By Tuesday morning, searches for the incident on Chinese social media were heavily censored. A search on Weibo turned up a few posts, with few referring to the incident. Articles published by Chinese media about the incident were also removed.

The sports centre for the city district of Xiangzhou regularly attracts hundreds of residents, where they can run, play football and dance. After the incident, the centre announced it would be closed until further notice.

China has seen several attacks in which suspects appear to target random people such as schoolchildren.

In October, a 50-year-old man was detained after he allegedly used a knife to attack children at a school in Beijing. Five people were injured. In September, three people were killed in a knife attack in a Shanghai supermarket.

-With input from agencies.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The stats

Ship name: MSC Bellissima

Ship class: Meraviglia Class

Delivery date: February 27, 2019

Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT

Passenger capacity: 5,686

Crew members: 1,536

Number of cabins: 2,217

Length: 315.3 metres

Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)

The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km

Price: from Dh285,000

On sale: from January 2022 

The specs

Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder

Power: 220 and 280 horsepower

Torque: 350 and 360Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT 

On sale: now

The 15 players selected

Muzzamil Afridi, Rahman Gul, Rizwan Haider (Dezo Devils); Shahbaz Ahmed, Suneth Sampath (Glory Gladiators); Waqas Gohar, Jamshaid Butt, Shadab Ahamed (Ganga Fighters); Ali Abid, Ayaz Butt, Ghulam Farid, JD Mahesh Kumara (Hiranni Heros); Inam Faried, Mausif Khan, Ashok Kumar (Texas Titans

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1. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep  4:39:05

2. Michael Matthews (AUS) Team BikeExchange 0:00:08

3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma same time 

4. Jack Haig (AUS) Bahrain Victorious s.t  

5. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe s.t  

6. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates s.t 

7. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ s.t

8. Sergio Higuita Garcia (COL) EF Education-Nippo s.t     

9. Bauke Mollema (NED) Trek-Segafredo  s.t

10. Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers s.t

The bio

Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district

Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school

Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family

His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people

Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned

Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates

Updated: November 13, 2024, 4:48 AM`