China Scene: South

School's haircut racket raises hackles in Haikou

A high school in Haikou, capital of Hainan province, has been charging students 12 yuan (about $2) for a haircut.

The headmaster of the city's Jiuzhou High School, surnamed Zhou, said the policy is aimed at helping school officials better manage campus affairs. The school has already built its own on-campus barbershop for the purpose.

However, many students and local lawyers have said the school has deprived them of their freedom to choose their own hairstyles.

(Nanguo Metropolis Daily)

Suspected murderer nearly dies in sewer pipe

A suspected murderer surnamed Yu almost died while hiding in a sewer to evade capture in Lufeng county, Guangdong province, on Tuesday.

The incident took place in Fucheng township at about 4 pm, after Yu accidentally beat a beggar to death and then fled the scene.

Yu thought he would be safe hiding in a sewer, but then became stuck. Police had to break open the sewer after hearing Yu calling for help.

It took two hours to remove the fugitive from the sewer. He was immediately sent to hospital.

Doctors said Yu had nearly suffocated in the sewer pipe.

(Southern Metropolis Daily)

Diner wants money for surreptitious toilet pictures

A woman surnamed Wang is seeking legal assistance after someone secretly took a picture of her using the toilet at a restaurant in Dongguan, Guangdong province, last week.

She spotted a man with a camera spying on the lady's room at a dumpling restaurant in the city's Dongcheng district last Sunday and immediately rushed out of the toilet to chase him. She held up her trousers with her free hand.

She finally caught up with him, but he bit Wang's hand and escaped.

Wang said no one in the restaurant helped her.

Many lawyers have advised Wang to file a lawsuit against the restaurant and seek compensation because the restaurant should bear responsibility for the case.

(Southern Metropolis Daily)

Passenger paralyzed in station suicide jump

A woman was left paralyzed after she was knocked to the ground by a man trying to commit suicide by jumping from a building above her in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, on Wednesday.

The incident took place at a bus station at about 9 am as Zhang Yongjuan, in her 30s, and her husband Lei Jianfeng, 40, arrived at the station to catch a bus. Zhang and the man who jumped from the building were rushed to hospital for treatment.

Doctors said Zhang was left paralyzed, while the man died in hospital.

Zhang and her husband had traveled from the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region to Guangzhou for a business trip.

(Yangcheng Evening News)

Public hearing into police delay opens

Yuexiu district people's court opened a public hearing in Guangzhou on Wednesday on a police negligence claim filed by a 64-year-old resident.

Li Bingkun claims the district's public security bureau failed to respond quickly enough to his call for help.

Li's bag, containing 5,200 yuan ($741), was stolen while he was having dinner at a local restaurant last month.

He said he phoned police at 6:56 pm, but they didn't arrive until 7:30 pm.

Li asked for compensation of 5,200 yuan.

(Southern Metropolis Daily)

(China Daily 04/02/2008 page6)