■HONG KONG
Wife burns straying hubbie
A blind woman who suspected her husband was cheating on her poured boiling hot congee on his groin as he slept naked, the Standard newspaper said yesterday. Taxi driver Leung Yiu-yuen, 56, suffered second-degree burns to his genitals after his wife, Miu Tsui-fun, 58, attacked him. She had previously laced his drinks with female hormones in an attempt to make him impotent when she became convinced he was having an affair, the newspaper reported. After the congee attack last September, Leung was taken to hospital with burns that required three weeks of treatment and still left an unhealed wound, the High Court heard on Tuesday. The couple, who married in 2002, have separated. Miu pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and will be sentenced on Sept. 4.
■SOUTH KOREA
Man convicted of 57 rapes
A court in the southern city of Changwon sentenced a man to life imprisonment yesterday for raping 57 women over a seven-year period. The court ruled that the 32-year-old should be “isolated from society forever.” He was convicted of the rapes between May 2001 and last September. He was arrested in January.
■MALAYSIA
Maids to get a day off
The government will change its labor laws to require a weekly rest day for foreign maids — a key step to curb abuses, officials said yesterday. But some agencies and employers worry the maids will use the day off to meet men and run away. “It looks very good on paper ... [but] if you give too much freedom to the maid, there is room for them to run away,” said Raja Zulkepley Dahalan, president of the Malaysian Association of Foreign Housemaids Agencies, which represents 160 of 360 maid agencies. The New Straits Times quoted the human resource minister as saying new laws could be implemented as early as the end of the year. Foreign maids will also be given a list of telephone contacts for embassy, police and welfare officials to report any abuses.
■INDONESIA
Mine death toll climbs to 28
A coal mine explosion on Sumatra on Tuesday killed 28 miners, while 12 others are still missing, officials said yesterday. Nine miners survived the blast, which as local government official said may have been caused by a build-up of methane gas.
■CHINA
Sex changes need police OK
The nation’s first medical guidelines on sex change surgery could require patients to gain police approval before the procedure, a posting on the Health Ministry’s Web site said. The proposed guidelines say candidates for surgery must show an agreement from police to change their sex on their ID cards once the procedure is complete. The ministry posted the draft on Tuesday. China has no laws against sex change surgery, and the ministry says the guidelines are necessary to regulate the procedure.
■AUSTRALIA
Conman gave to charities
Charities, hospitals and sports clubs may have to return donations from a 27-year-old man who allegedly defrauded his insurance company by claiming to have a terminal illness. Clint Elford was scheduled to appear in a Sydney court yesterday to face charges that he bilked insurance giant Allianz of A$500,000 (US$395,000) and stood to gain A$13 million through deception. Police will allege Elford forged documents from doctors and lawyers confirming he was dying.
■ITALY
Tombs in online auction
For sale: classical-style building, marble interior, wrought iron gates, peaceful location, sleeps 10 comfortably, quiet previous owners. This isn’t the description of a country villa, but one of 34 luxury family tombs that Rome’s city council has declared abandoned and put up for auction online. Anyone looking for the tomb of their dreams can browse details and photos of mausoleums in three city cemeteries and even pay a virtual visit using Google Earth. Prices include a renewable 75-year lease and range from 24,000 euros (US$33,300) for a simple stone tomb to 312,000 euros for a free-standing mausoleum at Verano cemetery, where neighbors include Roberto Rossellini.
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