Kwon, currently 112th in the world rankings, lost to Thailand's Kasidit Samrej, who is ranked 500 places below him. The match in Hangzhou, China saw Kwon lose 3-6 in the first set before winning 7-5 in the second. He then lost the match by losing the third set 4-6. When the match ended, Kwon smashed his racquet to pieces and refused to shake hands with both Samrej and the referee. A video of the incident garnered over six million views on Chinese social media. Many said the 25-year-old went into a rage because he missed the chance to be exempted from military service. Any male South Korean athlete that wins an Asian Games gold medal is exempted from military service. Tennis player Chung Hyeon and football star Son Heung-min have both won the privilege in recent years. Kwon's defeat has been the biggest surprise of Asian Games men's tennis so far. He was seeded fourth among 16 seeds. Chinese news site Sohu said Kwon’s rage was also provoked by Samrej’s style of play. The … [Read more...] about Korean tennis star’s racket-smashing tantrum goes viral
Tilemap video games
VNG delays US IPO amid subdued market appetite
“After seeing generally mixed performances by a trio of newly public companies this month, VNG was advised to hold off until market demand improves,” an inside source disclosed to Bloomberg . While VNG remained reticent on the matter, the strategic pause mirrors a broader caution in the tech IPO space. Notably, both Arm Holdings Plc, the SoftBank Corporation affiliate, and delivery service Instacart experienced their stocks trading beneath their IPO valuations. VNG, which debuted as Vinagame in 2004, has transitioned from its initial gaming focus to become a diversified digital powerhouse in Vietnam, offering an array of services from video streaming and news portals to mobile payments. The company has contemplated a US listing since 2017. Before this revision in plans, the gaming and communications conglomerate had intimated an intention to offload approximately 22 million shares in its proposed IPO, though pricing details remained under wraps. In 2021, VNG was contemplating … [Read more...] about VNG delays US IPO amid subdued market appetite
Vietnam, Cuba news agencies forge cooperation
General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Vu Viet Trang and President of Cuban news agency Prensa Latina (PL) Luis Enrique Gonzalez Acosta at their talks in Hanoi on September 25 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Vu Viet Trang held talks with President of Cuban news agency Prensa Latina (PL) Luis Enrique Gonzalez Acosta in Hanoi on September 25. Welcoming the PL leader and his entourage, Trang briefed the guests on the VNA’s role as a key multimedia news agency in Vietnam as well as its bold steps to accelerate digital transformation. She expressed her delight at the practical and effective cooperation between the two news agencies over the past years, which has accompanied the development history of the Vietnam – Cuba special friendship. She said she wishes that the two sides will maintain their collaboration, while affirming the VNA will work closely with the PL to preserve and develop cooperative ties, which have been … [Read more...] about Vietnam, Cuba news agencies forge cooperation
More than 100 dead, 150 injured in Iraq wedding inferno
NINEVEH, Iraq - More than 100 people were killed and 150 injured in a fire at a wedding party in Hamdaniya district in Iraq's Nineveh province that left civil defence searching the charred skeleton of a building for survivors into the early hours of Wednesday. Nineveh Deputy Governor Hassan al-Allaq told Reuters that 113 people had been confirmed dead, with state media putting the death toll at at least 100, with 150 people injured. The fire ripped through a large events hall in the north-eastern region after fireworks were lit during the celebration, local civil defence said, according to state media. "We saw the fire pulsating, coming out of the hall. Those who managed got out and those who didn't got stuck. Even those who made their way out were broken," said Imad Yohana, a 34-year-old who escaped the inferno. Security forces and emergency responders among others gather at a hospital following a fatal fire at a wedding celebration, in the district of Hamdaniya … [Read more...] about More than 100 dead, 150 injured in Iraq wedding inferno
Singapore blows up 100kg World War Two bomb
SINGAPORE -- Bomb disposal experts in Singapore successfully disposed of a 100kg World War Two aerial bomb on Tuesday, police said, after evacuating more than 4,000 people living nearby. In a video posted by the Singapore Army, the bomb was seen being detonated at a construction site, with a loud boom It was believed to be one of the largest wartime explosives discovered in the Southeast Asian city-state. The war relic, which was unearthed last week, had been deemed unsafe to move, hence had to be disposed of on-site by the military, according to the police. After the detonation, buildings and roads were deemed structurally safe and residents were allowed to return home, police said. Singapore authorities made no reference to the origin of the bomb. Another 100kg World War Two bomb was found and disposed off in 2016, though no civilian evacuations were reported back then, according to local newspaper The Straits Times . During World War Two, Singapore was occupied by the … [Read more...] about Singapore blows up 100kg World War Two bomb