Around China

Homeward bound Performers get a ride home from a Shehuo festival on Saturday in Longxian, Shaanxi province. Shehuo is a traditional show in rural areas of the province performed to celebrate Chinese New Year. The show consists of numerous activities with performers made up as local opera figures. Photo by Liu Baocheng / for China Daily

Beijing

Man sentenced for shooting out windows

A man who used a small firearm to shoot out the windows of a kindergarten last year was sentenced to 14 months in prison on Saturday, Beijing Times reported. Judges from Chaoyang district people's court said the defendant, a migrant worker named Zhao, was guilty of endangering public security in the incident on April 24. Zhao was arrested that same day in Chaoyang. No one was injured in the shooting.

7.58m train trips made on Saturday

About 7.58 million train trips were made on Saturday, the ninth day of the Chinese lunar year, up 10 percent year on year, said the China Railway Corporation on Sunday. Passengers mostly are returning to work from reunions with families in their home towns after the lunar New Year, which fell on Jan 31 and a seven-day holiday which ended on Feb 6.

Catering growth hits 21-year low in 2013

The Chinese catering sector grew only 9 percent year-on-year in 2013, the lowest level in 21 years, following the central government's frugality campaign, an industry report said on Saturday. High-end dining businesses reported a drop in revenue, a rarity in recent years, the China Cuisine Association report said.

Shanghai

Metro riders to be reminded of rules

Shanghai plans in the first half of the year to expand an audio announcement to all its metro trains reminding passengers that eating and drinking are against the rules, Shanghai Morning Post reported. The broadcast, which is already aired on four lines of the metro service, has proved effective, city officials said.

Chongqing

Walker finishes 8-month round-trip journey

A 28-year-old man successfully returned home before Lunar New Year after walking to and from China's northernmost village, Chongqing Commercial News reported. Gao Xiaoding, from Fengjie county of Chongqing, wore out three pairs of shoes during his eight-month trek to Beiji, in Mohe, Heilongjiang province. Gao had brought with him only 500 yuan ($82.44).

Guangdong

Security guard killed after gun discharges

A Guangzhou Sui Bao Escort & Convoy Co security guard was killed when his gun discharged accidentally after he bent over to pick up his phone during a company assignment on Saturday, Xkb.com.cn reported. Deng, 27, from Zhaoqing, has a 5-month-old daughter. The case is under investigation.

Law officers must pass exam every 5 years

Executive law enforcement personnel in the province will be required to pass an examination every five years, Xinhua News Agency reported. According to the revised Measures on the Management of Law Enforcement Certificates, those who use violent and barbaric acts while enforcing laws and decrees will lose their certificates. Law enforcement officers in the province had been required to be tested only once for their law enforcement certificates.

Power company official investigated

Wu Zhouchun, former general manager of Guangdong Power Grid Corp, is under investigation on suspicion of seriously violating Party discipline and State laws, Guangzhou-based Nanfang Daily reported. Guangdong's top anti-graft body did not reveal details on Wu's case. Wu, 63, a native of Zhanjiang, is the first senior Party and government official to be investigated this year.

Shantou resident gives $30k in online hongbao

Someone in Shantou distributed the most in online Alipay hongbao, or monetary gifts in red envelopes, in the country, handing out 190,000 yuan ($30,330) during the Lunar New Year holiday, Guangzhou's Southern Metropolis Daily reported. More than 200 million yuan worth of Alipay electronic hongbao were distributed in the first week of the Lunar New Year holiday.

Traditional banquet honors the elderly

A charity banquet took place for about 1,300 people over 60 years old in Luocun village, Nanhai, on Saturday. The oldest attendee was 105, and the party featured a Guangdong opera and a big feast including more than 20 vegetables, Xkb.com.cn reported. The Banquet of 1,000 Elderly People began in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) to show concern and respect for the elderly.

Henan

Doctor praised for low-cost prescription

A doctor has become well known and widely praised by netizens for writing a prescription costing only 4 fen (66 US cents) to treat a 2-year-old child's skin allergies in Zhengzhou. Qin Ruijuan, the pediatrician from Henan No. 3 Hospital, said it is her duty to write cheap but effective prescriptions. The patient's mother said the child's skin allergies cleared up just 30 minutes after the child used the medicine.

Man scammed out of 20,000 yuan

A man was cheated out of more than 20,000 yuan ($3,300) after paying to get a "girlfriend" to go with him to his parents' home in Cangzhou during Chinese New Year. The man, named Hao, was attracted by the beautiful girls and women on a marriage website who offered their services as temporary girlfriends. Hao said he paid the website for a "girlfriend" but did not get one.

Shaanxi

10,000 trees in nursery cut down overnight

More than 10,000 trees in Zhang Junhui's nursery were cut down overnight in Fuping on Saturday, Huashang News reported. Zhang said more than 20 people with axes and saws broke into his nursery and cut down all the trees. Zhang said he suspects the disaster occurred because he did not want to move his business. Local police have launched an investigation.

Couple shovels snow for 15 km to catch train

An elderly couple shoveled snow for 15 km to help their daughter in Yan'an catch the train to go back for work, Huashang News reported. Peng Caiqin, 24, said she was moved to tears when her parents, both older than 60, used a shovel and broom to clear the road for her to catch the train to get back to work. The road was closed because of a sudden heavy snowfall that day.

Jiangsu

Suspect arrested in 1.35m yuan theft

A man was detained on suspicion of climbing a vent pipe into a jewelry store and stealing more than 1.35 million yuan ($222,600) worth of jewels in Zhenjiang, Jinling Evening News reported. The 22-year-old suspect, named Shang, allegedly climbed the air duct into the shop after getting the idea from several police movies. Shang was arrested after he allegedly sold the stolen jewelry on Jan 30.

Disabled man makes 2,000-km journey

A 76-year-old disabled man successfully completed a 2,000-km trip to his daughter's home on Feb 4 to see his new grandson. Zhang Lixiang made the trip from Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, to Yibin, Sichuan province, with the help of railway and bus staff, volunteers and other kindhearted people. Railway and bus staff helped Zhang with his wheelchair and asked people on board to help look after him during his trip.

Qinghai

Drunk man kills wife, children, himself

A man killed his wife and two children and then committed suicide at their home on Sunday, Xinhua News Agency reported. Police in Xining received a call about the incident at 12:30 pm on Sunday from a village in the Datong Hui and Tu autonomous county. Reports said the man was drunk when the slayings occurred. The case is under investigation.

Xinhua - China Daily