BEIJING (Reuters) – North Korea plans to allow farmers to keep more of their produce in an attempt to boost agricultural output, a source with close ties to Pyongyang and Beijing said, in a move that could boost supplies, help cap rising food prices and ease malnutrition.

The move to liberalise agriculture under new leader Kim Jong-un, who took office in December 2011 after the death of his father, would reverse a crackdown on private production that started in 2005. It comes amid talk that the youngest Kim to rule the impoverished North is considering reforms to boost the economy.

BEIJING (Reuters) – North Korea plans to allow farmers to keep more of their produce in an attempt to boost agricultural output, a source with close ties to Pyongyang and Beijing said, in a move that could boost supplies, help cap rising food prices and ease malnutrition.

The move to liberalize agriculture under new leader Kim Jong-un, who took office in December 2011 after the death of his father, would reverse a crackdown on private production that started in 2005. It comes amid talk that the youngest Kim to rule the impoverished North is considering reforms to boost the economy.

BEIJING, Sept 18 (Reuters) – Former police chief Wang Lijun,
at the heart of China’s biggest political scandal in decades,
was known for his wild and flamboyant behaviour, with a final,
dramatic act blowing the story wide open.

Wang, a self-styled crusader against organised crime in the
vast southwestern municipality of Chongqing, stood trial on
Tuesday for attempted defection, bribe-taking and illegal
surveillance. He faces the death penalty if convicted.

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping could make a public appearance as early as Saturday as he recovers from a bad back, sources said, dispelling rumours about his health after he dropped out of sight at the start of this month.

Xi has been out of the public eye for almost two weeks and has skipped meetings with foreign leaders and dignitaries, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping could make a public appearance as early as Saturday as he recovers from a bad back, sources said, dispelling rumors about his health after he dropped out of sight at the start of this month.

Xi has been out of the public eye for almost two weeks and has skipped meetings with foreign leaders and dignitaries, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s top leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping, who has set off a storm of rumors after not showing up at scheduled public events for over a week, is nursing an ailment, possibly a back injury suffered while swimming, sources said on Tuesday.

Xi, who is due to take over the presidency of the world’s second-largest economy in March next year, has skipped several meetings with visiting foreign leaders and dignitaries over the past week, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the premiers of Singapore and Denmark.

BEIJING (Reuters) – Impoverished North Korea is gearing up to experiment with agricultural and economic reforms after young leader Kim Jong-un and his powerful uncle purged the country’s top general for opposing change, a source with ties to both Pyongyang and Beijing said.

The source added that the cabinet had created a special bureau to take control of the decaying economy from the military – one of the world’s largest – which under Kim’s father was given pride of place in running the country.

BEIJING (Reuters) – Impoverished North Korea is gearing up to experiment with agricultural and economic reforms after young leader Kim Jong-un and his powerful uncle purged the country’s top general for opposing change, a source with ties to both Pyongyang and Beijing said.

The source added that the cabinet had created a special bureau to take control of the decaying economy from the military – one of the world’s largest – which under Kim’s father was given pride of place in running the country.

BEIJING (Reuters) – Impoverished North Korea is gearing up to experiment with agricultural and economic reforms after young leader Kim Jong-un and his powerful uncle purged the country’s top general for opposing change, a source with ties to both Pyongyang and Beijing said.

The source added that the cabinet had created a special bureau to take control of the decaying economy from the military – one of the world’s largest – which under Kim’s father was given pride of place in running the country.

BEIJING (Reuters) – The reform-minded Communist Party boss of one of China’s poorest provinces will likely be given a powerful Beijing post this year, three sources said, part of a reshuffle ahead of a national leadership change that should ensure China continues to open up.

Li Zhanshu, 61, was relieved as party boss of Guizhou province in southwest China and succeeded by provincial governor Zhao Kezhi, 58, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. Li will be “reassigned”, Xinhua said but did not elaborate.