When Chinese student Xuan took to Weibo to tell of a horrid mob attack that left him with a broken nose and cigarette burns, little did he know his ordeal would be met with an overwhelmingly sympathetic response from the social network, including its newcomer, the former Australian premier Kevin Rudd.
Ex-Aussie PM Kevin Rudd comes to assistance of Chinese students after allegedly racist assault
Watch: The world's most inept bank robber
Start off your week with something we all enjoy watching: colossal failure. Watch this dude walk into a Tianjin bank, don a face mask, then proceed to slowly bash a hole through the bulletproof glass with a hatchet. By the time he's finished, the bank employees have fled and the cops have arrived. We like one netizen's description translated by MoT: “the coolest robber, the crappiest strategy, the most audacious mind and the most miserable ending.”
Scam Alert: Beware the red cabs of infinite sorrow
You know about getting tea-housed, you've heard about the 'art student' exhibitions, and now it's time to talk about fake red cabs.
Today's Links: Student pregnancy, prostate awareness and prisoner counseling
- Students top pregnancy hotline list
Nearly half the women calling the city's first hotline for unexpected pregnancies are students. Hotline officials released the figures yesterday in a move to promote young people's sexual awareness ahead of World Population Day on Wednesday. - Prostate awareness drive goes national
Ten Chinese hospitals will kick off the nation's first coordinated research into chronic prostatitis, or inflammation of the prostate gland. - Beijing opens first counseling clinic for prisoners
A special assistance center was set up in Beijing Prison recently where policewomen, who are also qualified counselors, provide help for special "clients", male prisoners who are serving long sentences, Beijing Youth News reported on July 5.
ATM murder suspects caught
Shanghai women (and men) can rest a little easier today after local police captured the final suspect in the ATM murder of a young woman on March 22. While trying to escape Shanghai by train, the fourth murder suspect in the ATM murder that occurred on Jiangning Road was captured and brought into custody. Two of the other suspects surrendered under their own volition, leading to the eventual capture of the other two suspects (pictured).
Today's Links: Hookers, jellyfish and the finless porpoise
For more del.icio.us links, visit the Shanghaiist Contribute page, which is updated throughout the day.
Photo by monkeyking found via the Shanghaiist Contribute page.
Chinese court uses computer to help decide sentences
CNET reports, via Reuters and the South China Morning Post, that a courts in a city in Shandong province have been using a computer program to help calculate sentences in more than 1,500 criminal cases:
This Week In -ist: Elsewhere in the Gothamist Network
Gothamist gets us started with "Law & Order", muppet style. Oh, you know what isn't a crime? Taking pictures on the MTA. So, why are cops stopping photographers? In other Gotham crime, a group of Asian men was attacked by a group of white guys in Queens. Finally, Boy George reports for his court mandated community service. Sweet.
This week in -ist: What's happening around the Gothamist Network
San Francisco is proud host of a new reality show called How to Get the Guy that's unfortunately not a descendant of Will and Grace, Queer Eye, The L Word, American Idol etc. Also a biodefence lab is coming to the East Bay and SFist teaches wine pairing.
Whatever you do in Guangdong, do not steal a purse
Because they will kill you. Seriously. In a move that would make even the craziest Texan cringe, southern Guangdong has "introduced the death penalty for purse-snatching":

