Community

Stray-cat plague no danger to squirrels

Experts have refuted comments that the increasing number of stray cats in Zizhuyuan Park poses a threat to the survival of the park's squirrels, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

There is no direct link between increasing numbers of stray cats and decreasing numbers of squirrels, according to Qin Xiaona, head of Beijing Animal Protection Association. The main reasons for the decrease in squirrel numbers are human behavior and environmental factors.

The park's staff members said they did not keep statistics on the number of cats and squirrels, but they did not think cats were posing a danger to the squirrels.

Some netizens said the increasing number of stray cats in the park had reduced the squirrels' living space.

Court

Fine for fishpond boss over drowning

The manager of a fishpond in Daxing district has been sued for 130,000 yuan ($20,000) after a boy drowned, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

Xiao Ning, 8, died when he went to a hotel to attend a recent wedding ceremony with his mother. During the wedding, he went out to play near a fishpond about 300 meters from the hotel and drowned. The mother took the manager of the fishpond to court, arguing he had taken no measures to protect people from falling into the pond.

Daxing district court decided that the parent should be partly responsible, as she did not pay attention to what her son was doing. But the manager of the pond shared some responsibility.

Travel

Rail system to link city with outlying areas

Beijing's trains will travel into neighboring Hebei province, providing 14 counties with better transport connections with the capital, news website Qianlong reported.

The 14 counties will share policies with Beijing in traffic, telecommunications and infrastructure. The areas surrounding the capital will enjoy 30-minute trips to downtown Beijing.

The plan for the cooperation and joint development of Beijing, Hebei and Tianjin will be released this year.

According to the plan, Beijing's suburban railways will cover 1,000 kilometers and travel at 160 km/h to ensure journeys of less than an hour from nine neighboring cities to the center of Beijing.

Crime

Man made a living by robbing students

Haidian police have detained a thief surnamed Xing, who stole from university students at dining halls and from supermarkets, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

On May 28, a university student surnamed Zhang reported to police that his backpack was stolen in the dining hall.

The police reviewed security video footage and targeted the 33-year-old Xing. On May 30, when Xing showed up again at the dining hall, the police captured him. Later seven laptop computers, one camera and other stolen property were found at Xing's home.

Xing told police he started stealing in 2007. In 2004 he quit a good job to prepare for the exam to qualify to do a postgraduate degree, but kept failing. He then lived by stealing.

Community

Big beer festival toroll out the barrels

There is no better place to cool off than Beijing Xiedao Resort, where the first Beijing International Beer Festival begins on July 16.

At the festival, visitors will taste foreign-style food and authentic German beer. Eight Bavarian-style carnival tents, decked out in beer barrels, will be able to host more than 10,000 visitors each. More than 30 game booths and 17 carnival rides will offer visitors a good time. There will also be more than 200 outlets selling mascots, handicrafts and souvenirs.

There will be ample parking at the festival and chauffeur services for drivers who have been drinking.

Art

Boya society publishes two volumes on art

Two volumes of artworks and comments rolled off the press at Oriental Boya Society last weekend, marking the 24th anniversary of the founding of one of the best-known grassroots art associations in China.

The pieces, all traditional Chinese paintings, are selected from dozens of Boya artists, who are mostly professors and teachers at the China Academy of Fine Arts.

Works of Art and Articles of Art contain more than 100 paintings and essays by painters made over the past 20 years. Most of the works have been on display in exhibitions at home and abroad. Founded in 1987, Boya was set up by several leading painters in a bid to train more people in traditional paintings.

(China Daily 06/08/2011)