Around China

Shandong

Criminal breaks law to get free meals

A 26-year-old man who sought to be put in a detention house so he could have free meals was detained after deliberately smashing an ATM in a bank office in Yantai on July 5. Zhou Fangkun asked police who arrived at the scene to put him in a detention house. Zhou failed to find a steady job after dropping out of a vocational school in 2014 and decided to opt for the free meals in detention houses in 2015. Since then he has spent a total of more than eight months in such facilities for offenses including criminal damage and affray.

Qilu Evening News

Chongqing

Losing leg to save a life 'worth it'

A man who had to have his right leg amputated after severely injuring it when saving a senior citizen from being hit by a train said he did not regret his heroism. Xu Qiankai, 29, said it was worth losing a leg to save a life. Xu saw a woman walk onto the tracks at Rongchang Railway Station on July 6. The yardmaster rushed to save her and pulled her to safety, but his right leg was crushed by an oncoming train.

Chongqing Morning Post

Yunnan

Mudflow prediction saves villagers

A mudflow in Gongshan county on July 5 submerged Lazao village, but all 181 villagers from 50 families survived thanks to a villager correctly forecasting the disaster. The villager predicted the mudflow after several days of heavy rainfall and the accumulation of black clouds. He reported to the village committee, which reported to the township government, resulting in the evacuation of all villagers shortly before the disaster struck the mountainous village.

Chuncheng Evening News

Sichuan

Deserted hospital used for recreation

The lives of residents living in the courtyard of an abandoned hospital in Chengdu has been disturbed by a growing number of people using the area for recreation. Located on Qingtaishan Road, the hospital, which was built in 1966, has been abandoned since 2013. A notice at the gate stating the area may contain harmful bacteria has failed to keep visitors away. The 20 families living in the courtyard are former hospital workers.

Chengdu Business Daily

Shaanxi

Drone user held over privacy breach

A man, surnamed Jin, who used a drone to shoot video of a woman who was naked at home in Xi'an this month has been placed in a detention house for 10 days as punishment. Jin, 22, broadcast the video live on his WeChat Moments feed and interacted with cyberfriends. He was detained for infringement of personal privacy when police launched an investigation after the video was reported by locals the next day. Jin, who operated the drone without approval from aviation authorities, admitted violating the regulations.

Huashang Daily

Anhui

Driver's accidental crash into hospital

A driver who mistakenly stepped on his accelerator, instead of the brakes, plowed his car into a hospital building in Nanling this month, seriously damaging both the vehicle and a hospital wall. No injures were reported, as the driver was saved by the car's airbags. His mother, who was sitting in the back seat, also escaped injury. After an investigation, police ordered the driver to take full responsibility for the accident. He not only has to cover repairs to his car, but was also told to pay compensation for the damage to the hospital wall.

Wuhubtv.com

Chengdu

Spaniard detained over public sex

A 25-year-old Spanish national is facing deportation after he was detained for having sex with a Chinese woman in public in Chengdu on July 6. The Spaniard, David, and a young local woman were under the influence of alcohol when they engaged in an indecent act on a street at night in full public view. Videos circulating online show the couple performing oral sex and having intercourse. The Spanish national has been put in a detention house for 10 days as punishment for violating public security and decency.

Chengdu Police Weibo

Jiangsu

Dog shows how to keep the river clean

A dog that jumps into a river to retrieve discarded plastic bottles is being hailed as an environmental champion in Suzhou. The brown dog grabs the bottles in his mouth, between 20 and 30 a day, and swims with them to the river bank. His feats often attract scores of appreciative onlookers. The canine is estimated to have retrieved more than 2,000 abandoned bottles from the river in the past decade.

Gusu Evening News