Beijing

Rail station goes English

Beijing railway station has put up its first English-language signs since it was built about 50 years ago, the Beijing Times reports. Staff installed the station's name and other English signs, such as "ticket office", under Chinese signs in preparation for the Olympic Games.

Cabbie in court over death

A taxi driver appeared in a Chaoyang district court over the death of one of his passengers in a car fire in 2006, the Beijing Morning Post reports. The court was told the driver fled the car, locking the door in a reflex action when the car fire suddenly erupted, trapping the passenger inside.

Ostrich-riding contest under fire

China Central Television's children's channel has come under fire online for organising an ostrich-riding competition with children and their parents, the Tianfu Morning News reports. Netizens criticised the programme for promoting cruelty to animals because participants pulled the birds' wings to make them run faster, causing the birds to "scream from pain". A CCTV editorial supervisor vowed to punish those responsible.

North/Northeast

Photographer attacked

LIAONING - A news photographer covering water cuts to a Shenyang housing complex was beaten by staff at a pumping station on Wednesday as he took photographs of residents lining up for water, the China Business Morning View reports. The photographer said he did not enter the facility but was beaten by a supervisor and three workers.

East/Southeast

Constant caller arrested

JIANGXI - A Nanchang man has been arrested for calling a 110 emergency hotline 2,075 times within two weeks, peaking at more than 200 calls on one day, the Jiangnan City Daily reports. Police said the man abused call centre female staff and hung up when a male staff member answered.

100 police snare drug dealers

FUJIAN - More than 100 Fuzhou police officers hunted down two drug dealers on Wednesday, the Information Times reports. The pair were arrested outside a secondary school, and 5,100 yaa-ba tablets - a mix of methamphetamine and caffeine - were seized.

Lake `monsters' cause a stir

FUJIAN - Fishermen have been amazed by aquatic, football-size "monsters" turning up in a Fuzhou lake, the Strait City Daily reports. Each of the jellyfish-like creatures weighs more than 10kg and has blood vessels at the bottom.

Central/South

Hot under collar over micro shorts

HUNAN - A Hunan University student complained on an online bulletin board about female students sexually harassing males by wearing micro shorts on campus, Hnol.net reports. The women defended their dress rights. The university has no dress code.

Casino operator, 17, jailed

HENAN - A Zhengzhou court has jailed a 17-year-old casino operator for two months in the country's first conviction of a minor for such offences, Dahe.cn reports. The court heard the woman operated the casino in an apartment.

Two pupils feared drowned

GUANGDONG - Two primary school boys were feared drowned in a river in Guangzhou yesterday after a four-day search failed to find them, the Information Times reports. The boys' bicycles and clothes were found on Sunday on the river bank.

West

Teacher told to apologise

SHAANXI - A Xianyang primary school teacher has been asked to apologise for slapping three pupils who she said were laughing at her breasts earlier this month, Huash.com reports.

Four die in expressway crash

SHAANXI - Four people died and two were badly hurt when 10 vehicles, including three trucks and an oil tanker, collided on an expressway in Tongchuan on Wednesday, the Sanqin Daily reports.

Nine hurt in power plant blast

SHAANXI - Nine people were injured in an explosion at a thermal power plant in Weinan on Monday, the Dahe Daily reports. The explosion shattered workers' safety helmets and inflicted serious burns.