Police advise speeding motorcyclist to race

Dozens of police eventually managed to stop a speeding motorcyclist in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, last Wednesday. The man was riding a high-powered BMW at 160 kph and had outrun several police cars.

Finally, police set up a roadblock and forced the motorbike to stop. The motorcyclist said he was rushing to a friend's wedding.

Police suggested he take up racing on a circuit rather than break traffic regulations.

(Metropolitan Express)

Teens feel full force of law after store raids

Seven teenagers in Kaohsiung, Taiwan Province, have been sentenced to a total of 303 years in prison for robbing 21 convenience stores, drawing strong objections from the offenders' families.

The total value of the items they stole was less than NT$200,000 ($6,000). One of the robbers, Jian Jiajun, was sentenced to 91 years in prison for being involved in 13 robberies.

After its sentencing was criticized the court explained the judgment was made according to the new Criminal Law, which adds up the punishments for each crime to give a total.

(United Daily News)

Thieves fail to get away with their heavy haul

Two men stole nearly 15,000 coins from a restaurant last Wednesday but were easily caught by police because they were so weighed down.

Police in Qingdao, Shandong Province, spotted the pair carrying a heavy bag and gave chase. By the time the thieves were caught they were about to collapse from exhaustion. Inside the bag was 5,647 1-yuan coins The two men, both waiters at the restaurant, stole a total of 15,000 coins but threw more than half of them away because they weighed so much.

(Qingdao Morning Post)

Woman gets refund after failed follicle surgery

A woman who had a follicle transplant in a bid to grow long, curly eyelashes has requested a refund after just one eyelash grew in eight months.

The woman, surnamed Zhou, from Fuzhou, Fujian Province, had cosmetic surgery in January and had 60 hair follicles implanted in her eyelids.

Surgeons at the hospital said Zhou's case was rare as 70 percent of implanted follicles usually grow new hairs. The hospital agreed to repay half the woman's money.

(www.chinataiwan.org)

Warning: 'Going Dutch' can harm your marriage

A young couple who went halves to pay their 9-yuan marriage registration fee, in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, have started their life together as they mean to go on.

They said they had split the cost of dates and would set up a fund to cover family expenses, but would otherwise not intervene in each other's financial affairs.

"Going Dutch" is fairly popular for those born after 1980, but a marriage expert said the divorce rates of couples who keep their finances separate was much higher than in traditional families, as there were hidden drawbacks.

(Fujian Evening News)

(China Daily 10/16/2007 page4)