Residents protect tree in their community

A woman in her 60s climbed to the top of a tree in her residential area on Wednesday to protect it from being cut down by a developer, reports Wuhan Morning Post.

The tree in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, has caused a dispute between residents and the community's real estate company. According to the property management department, the new developer wants to fell the tree and use the surrounding area for new buildings.

But residents argue that the earlier company had taken money from them to plant the tree, and promised that area would be used for entertainment - some bought apartments just for the sake of the tree.

Drunk woman bites friend's lips

Fed up with her friend's attempts to stop her from dancing in a local dancing hall, a drunk woman in Wuhan of Hubei Province bit off the former's lips after bickering escalated to fighting, Chutian Jinbao reports.

Seeing Xia Feng drunk, Tian Mei tried to talk her out of dancing, but her good intentions irritated Xia, who began quarreling with her.

And when Tian tried to leave, Xia rushed to her and bit her on the lips. Xia has been detained by local police.

Swollen, long tongue needs surgery

An 18-year-old girl at Nanyangnei Town, Henan Province is expecting to treat her more than 10-centimetre-long swollen tongue, which is still growing, reports Zhengzhou Evening News.

Wu Xiangcui had to quit school due to the abnormally long tongue, a result of nerve fibre tumour. She suffers while eating and driving away mosquitoes and insects that are fond of stinging her tongue.

Physicians at Henan Plastic Surgeon Centre said the condition is difficult to completely cure.

(China Daily 03/19/2004 page4)