CHINA POLICE SEARCH FOR ORIGIN OF QUAKE RUMOUR

Rumoring at its worst!...

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BEIJING - Police in northern China yesterday hunted for the origin of an earthquake rumour that prompted tens of thousands of terrified people to flee outdoors over the weekend.

Word that an earthquake was imminent began spreading by phone, Internet and text message through parts of Shanxi province on Saturday afternoon.

City residents spent the freezing night in the streets or in their cars, while panic-stricken rural villages used public address systems to broadcast warnings, according to The Beijing News newspaper.

Officials responded overnight, deploying radio, television and text messages to broadcast a provincial earthquake bureau bulletin telling residents not to believe or spread the earthquake rumour.

"Only the provincial government is authorised to issue earthquake forecasts. No other body or individual has that right," said the notice, posted on the bureau's website.

Spreading rumours in China is punishable with a fine and detention for not more than 10 days.

Shanxi government spokeswoman Wang Laying said the panic may have been prompted by a misunderstanding over earthquake survival drills being conducted by the local authorities. AP

From TODAY, Tuesday, 23-Feb-2010

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Patricia Mok allegedly molested at nightspot

Posted: 24 June 2009 0844 hrs

Patricia Mok - Photo courtesy of Mediacorptv.sg.

SINGAPORE: MediaCorp artiste Patricia Mok was reportedly molested early Monday morning at a nightspot at Clarke Quay. She has made a police report against the 31-year-old man who allegedly groped her.

According to a newspaper report, Mok, who is known for being quite the 'party queen', was approached by a group of men and one of them pinched her buttocks.

Mok, 37, was then heard shouting angrily, "Don't play!"

However, the man who appeared to be drunk, took no heed of her warnings and reportedly went on to grope Mok's private parts. The feisty actress then informed the bouncers and asked that the man be thrown out of the club.

Mok later confronted the man when she realised that he was still in the club. The two took their argument outside and a heated war of words ensued. She then called the police and the man was arrested at around 3am.

When contacted by Channelnewsasia.com, Mok declined to comment on the case as it is now a police case.

The man is now out on bail.

- CNA/os

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.