Around Beijing

1.Changping

Ax killer sentenced to death for fatal quarrel

The Beijing No 1 Intermediate People's Court sentenced a man to death on Friday for killing a female antique collector with an ax and chopping up her body.

The man surnamed Liu carried out the killing in his home in Changping district in December 2009 before stealing antiques including copper deer, copper Buddha statues and other items worth more than 1,440 yuan.

Liu claimed the murder started out as a quarrel over the sale of an antique. He claimed his victim insisted on pushing up the price of an item by 200 yuan to cover transportation costs and an argument ensued.

2.Chaoyang

'Green card' issued to cut car journeys

Shimaotianjie, Chaoyang district, issued 20,000 low-carbon transport cards on Sunday, to promote a healthier environment.

The cards have all the functions of an ordinary card, but purchasers commit to reducing 1 ton of their carbon dioxide emissions by using public transport or bicycles. While there is no financial incentive to buy the card around 1,400 have already been sold.

The card is part of the campaign by the municipal government to address the worsening environment in the city by making people stop driving for a day.

3.Yanqing

Moon-gazers invited to enjoy flower terrace

Badaling National Forest Park is being touted as one of the best places to enjoy the full moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

According to its administration, the park will open several scenic spots to visitors for the first time so they can spend the festival in the park. There will also be a flower terrace 700 meters high that will be equipped with 50 seats.

4.Haidian

Man held for alleged drunken assault

Haidian Procuratorate authorized the arrest of a man who allegedly beat a mother and son while he was drunk in the Shangdi area of Haidian district, Beijing Times reported on Sunday.

The newspaper said the man, surnamed Shu, was stumbling along a road trying to get home after drinking with his friends and paused to rest next to each parked car.

A woman, surnamed Zhang, thought he was trying to steal a vehicle and followed him, whereupon Shu allegedly beat her and her son who tried to intervene.

Pork pilferers are held by police

Two men who allegedly stole 690 kilograms of pork from a supermarket have been arrested by Haidian police, Beijing Times reported on Sunday.

One of the accused, surnamed Wang, worked at the supermarket and was responsible for transporting and weighing pork. Wang allegedly began working with a supplier surnamed Fu in January 2008 and the pair are accused of pilfering port and reselling it.

The pair reportedly fled when their fraud was uncovered but were subsequently arrested in August.

5.Xicheng

Gambling group lose out after raid

Eleven people were detained for allegedly organizing gambling after a raid at a poker room in Xicheng district, Beijing Times reported on Sunday.

Following tip-offs that people were gambling in the room on a nightly basis, police swooped and rounded up 24 individuals and seized 50,000 yuan.

Eleven of those picked up at the venue were formally detained, including the alleged owner of the poker room surnamed Zhang.

Xicheng police said those who informed on the gambling operation will be in line for rewards.

Fraudsters using census as cover

The Ministry of Public Security is reminding people to be on guard against thieves and con artists using the sixth national population census as cover to carry out illegal activities.

Three types of crime are being reported, said the ministry. It said some offenders claim to be community committee workers in order to get into homes and conduct robberies.

Others pretend to be local police officers involved in the census in order to rob householders.

And some criminals are selling personal information online that they collected by masquerading as census takers.

Illegal tourism the target of crackdown

Beijing Tourism Administration and the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications along with the Beijing General Brigade of Traffic Administrative Law Enforcement have teamed up for a new campaign that started on Sunday.

The crackdown is targeting illegal one-day sightseeing services in Beijing.

The month-long campaign will focus on one-day sightseeing shuttle buses that take tourists to scenic areas where illegal business has frequently been reported.

Also in the spotlight will be shops that the buses call at on the way to the tourist attractions.

Efforts will also be made to regulate the business of travel agencies.

Agencies warn of tick bite hazard

Many tourism agencies in Beijing have issued warnings about the risk of travelers being bitten by bugs in some parts of the country after several incidents of lethal tick bites in Henan and Shandong provinces.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday, many people are planning vacations to other parts of the country.

A representative from a travel company said the tick bite deaths happened in rural areas far off the tourist routes but advised travelers to wear long-sleeved clothes and avoid contact with animals as a precaution.

China Daily

(China Daily 09/20/2010)