China Scene: North

Superstitious mothers trade bad luck for health risks

Only five babies were reported to have been born at the largest lying-in hospital in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, on Thursday, as new mothers tried to avoid giving birth on the Tomb-Sweeping holiday.

"Only about a tenth of the usual number of babies were born that day since many pregnant women refused to deliver, fearing it would bring bad luck to their babies," a doctor said.

Some even begged doctors to postpone their delivery by 24 hours even though they had hit their due date.

"Artificial delays may affect their babies' health or even their future growth," an expert warned.

(Shenyang Evening News)

Court holds ex-boyfriend to payment promise

A woman from Beijing's Haidian district sued her live-in boyfriend for 30,000 yuan (about $4,300) in compensation after he dumped her.

After living together for a year, the man suddenly ended their relationship by signing an agreement with her in late 2005 in which he promised to pay her for the time they spent living together.

He did not pay.

Hearing the case last week, a court ruled that the man would have to pay the money he had promised because the agreement they signed had the strength of a contract.

(Beijing Evening News)

Drunk driver told to pay for part of passenger's bills

A court in Beijing's Pinggu district ordered a man surnamed Li to compensate a woman for some of the injuries he caused when he crashed into a tree while driving her home one night.

On Feb 6, the two joined some friends for dinner at a restaurant, and Li indulged in alcohol. After dinner, Li offer to drive the woman, surnamed He, home, but hit a tree, leaving He with an injured neck.

Later, she sued Li for 13,800 yuan ($1,970) in compensation. Hearing the case late last week, the court ruled that as the driver, Li must bear the major responsibility for the accident but not all, since He should have known better than to accept a ride from a drunk driver.

(Beijing Times)

Emergency landing as passenger takes ill

A China Southern Airlines flight from Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province, to Changsha, Hunan province, had to make an emergency landing in Zhengzhou, Henan province, after a passenger fell ill.

The man, in his 20s, reportedly began trembling and foaming at the mouth after the plane took off from Harbin on Sunday.

"I went to help him out but he had already lost consciousness," Ou Yongxuan, a flight attendant, said.

The plane made an emergency landing at Zhengzhou Airport from where the sick passenger was rushed to hospital.

"We were later told that he's out of danger because he got the treatment he needed in time," Wang Jia, chief attendant, said.

(news.sohu.com)

1,000 donate bodies for medical research

About 1,000 residents in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, have signed up with the local Red Cross as volunteers to donate their remains for medical research after their death.

The oldest volunteer was 86 while the youngest was 25, head of the Shenyang Red Cross Liu Xicheng said.

Those who donate their bodies for medical research must do so of their own accord, with the agreement of all their family members, by notarization.

(China News Service)

(China Daily 04/10/2008 page6)