World Briefs

Change is coming to Shanghai's nightlife, thanks to Obama.

The US president has yet again unofficially lent his name to a place of entertainment, this time The Obama Club, one of Shanghai's largest entertainment venues which aims to revolutionise the city's thriving clubbing scene.

Designed by Las Vegas-based club and resort designers Cagley and Tanner, who are behind the Bellagio's Salon Prive, The Obama Club is a massive 6,000 square metres.

It comes complete with pole dancers, hostesses as well as state-of-the-art audio and video systems in a city was once dubbed the "Paris of the East" for its glamorous lifestyle, but also the "Whore of the Orient" for it decadent ways.

Its owners say the nightclub can sit more than 2,000 guests and though its name was not initially inspired by the US leader, his rallying cry for change before his 2009 election made the name stick.

"We had thought of all kinds of names but then, by coincidence the radio was on and we heard some news about Obama. So we thought this name was quite good. We just felt it was easy to say and was controversial enough," Dragon Chiang, vice chairman of Shanghai Yahe Investment and Management Co. Ltd, one of the owners, said. (Reuters)

Steals electricity with meat hook

German police are investigating a man for theft after he siphoned electricity off a high-voltage overhead transmission line for one month with the help of an ordinary meat hook, authorities said yesterday.

The 36-year old man from Sibbesse in Lower Saxony concocted the plan to steal electricity after the power company cut him off for failure to pay his bills, police said.

The man attached a cable to the meat hook and tossed it onto an overhead power line. He then drew power from the transmission line to his home, located about 150 metres away.

"I've never seen anything like this in my 34-year-career," said Friedrich-Wilhelm Lach, chief executive officer of regional utility Ueberlandwerke Leinetal GmbH, told Reuters. "It's incredibly dangerous and utterly stupid."

An employee of the utility noticed the meat hook during a routine check. Mr Lach said the man was lucky he is still alive and warned copycats not to try it: "It will kill you," he said. (Reuters)

No sale

The VW camper van used by controversial doctor Jack Kevorkian during his assisted suicide campaign in the US has been removed from sale on eBay.

The top bid had reached £2,210 with three days left, but a short time later the item was no longer listed for sale.

Dr Kevorkian, 81, used the van in several deaths, including the poisoning of an Alzheimer's patient that launched his public effort in 1990. (PA)

Prison van escape

A man accused of attempting to steal £1 million from a security van escaped on his way to a court hearing when a prison vehicle was ambushed, a court heard yesterday.

Noel Cunningham fled after two men used guns to threaten staff escorting a group of prisoners from Brixton, south London, to Inner London Crown Court in June 2003, prosecutors said.

He was finally arrested in Holland last September and deported to the UK.

Mr Cunningham, 48, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal at a previous hearing but denies possession of a firearm and unlawful wounding relating to the escape, jurors at Woolwich Crown Court were told. (PA)

Women win £30m equal pay case

Thousands of women council workers have won an equal pay case which could lead to payouts worth millions of pounds, British unions announced yesterday.

Unison and the GMB said an employment tribunal in Birmingham found in favour of female workers employed by the city council, including cleaners and care assistants, who complained of being excluded from bonuses paid to men worth up to 160 per cent of their basic pay.

The tribunal will now go on to assess the level of awards to the women, which union lawyers estimate could be worth around £30 million.

The unions had claimed that thousands of women council employees were entitled to earn the same pay as men working as gardeners, refuse collectors and grave diggers.

In a 160-page judgment, the tribunal found that Birmingham's defence had failed, said the unions, describing the outcome as a "major" test case. (PA)

Riders targeted for water-bottle pollution

Britain's Chris Froome is among a trio of riders who have been targeted by an environmental group - for throwing empty water bottles into the Belgian countryside during a top race.

According to the Vers l'Avenir newspaper Coalition Nature has lodged an official complaint with a court in Namur following last week's Fleche-Wallonne semi-classic, won by Australia's world champion Cadel Evans.

Bike racers can drink several litres of fluids during one-day races and stages, and their discarded empties are often picked up and cherished by fans at the road side.

But that tradition, usually tolerated by the communes and regions hosting races, did not wash with Coalition Nature, who were spurned into action after watching the events unfold on television.

As well as Team Sky rider Mr Froome, Belgian Benjamin Gourgue (Landbouwkrediet) and Frenchman Blel Kadri (AG2R) also participated in "acts of pollution" according to the group.

For now, the Belgian court has yet to decide whether to pursue the case. (AFP)