The wife (in purple) of a man who takes his boss hostage at ax point as he attempts to retain his monthly salary of 3,000 yuan (US$375) persuades her husband to stop doing irrational acts as police officers look on during an an-hour hostage standoff on a street in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province December 8, 2006. The local police have succeeded in persuading the irrational man to set free his hostage and putting the man in control. Police investigation continues. [Newsphoto]
 

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