■ China
Gusty winds derail train
Hurricane-strength wind gusts derailed a train in the country's far west yesterday, killing at least four people and injuring another 30, state media said. The 11-car train had just left a station in Turpan, in the Xinjiang region's east, when it was hit by wind at 2am, Xinhua said. "A strong sandstorm cracked window panes soon after the train left Turpan, and blew some of the cars off the rail when we were trying to plug up the windows," Xinhua quoted passenger Su Chuanyi as saying. At least 100 rescue workers, doctors and police were at the scene of the derailment, which disrupted operations of the Southern Xinjiang Railway, it said. The train had been running between the capital city of Urumqi and Aksu, in the west.
■ Hong Kong
New airport rules
Hong Kong airport, the world's fifth busiest international passenger hub, will start screening liquids, gels and aerosols in carry-on baggage this month to bring it in line with international practices, the government said in a statement. All liquids, gels, aerosols in cabin baggage must be carried in containers with a capacity not greater than 100ml and the containers have to fit comfortably in a transparent re-sealable plastic bags no larger than one 1 liter, the new rules say. Exceptions will be made for medications, baby milk and food and special dietary requirements subject to verification, it said.
■ South Korea
Prostitutes turn to Internet
The Internet is the main vehicle for teenage prostitution in the country, a police survey said on Tuesday. Seoul police said that of 236 teenagers arrested last year for selling sex, 96 percent had used the Internet to find customers. Bars, tearooms and pimps accounted for the rest. The survey showed that 85 percent of those arrested were aged between 15 to 18 while 11 percent were under 14. As many as 46 percent said they spent their earnings on living expenses, while 39 percent used the money for entertainment. South Korea has 34.1 million people, or 70 percent of its population, using the Internet.
■ Australia
Hail storm blankets capital
A freak summer hail storm left ice blanketed across large parts of drought-hit capital Canberra yesterday, forcing some businesses and government departments to close as a result of storm and flood damage. While thunder storms are common in Canberra in the last month of summer, the rare hail storm left the national capital resembling snow-bound cities in the US, with tractors sent out to clear ice from busy roads. The hail storm left meter-deep ice in parts of the central business district, and caused flooding and damage in over 60 buildings at the nearby Australian National University and the city's main shopping center, which were closed for the day.
■ Thailand
Rewards for worship
The government plans to pay children 1,000 baht (US$28) to attend places of worship in an effort to prevent rebellious behavior, a government official said yesterday. The Ministry of Social Development will reward children who frequently attend churches, mosques or Buddhist temples and will launch the scheme on a religious holiday that falls on Saturday. "The project aims to distract from social problems such as drug abuse and school truancy while implanting the children with good virtue," said Swit Kuntaroj from the Office of Woman Affairs and Family Development.
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