New 'giant toilet' university defies China's weird buildings ban

Our pick of the strange stories from around the world.

Chinese building looks like 'giant loo'

The North China University of Water Conservancy and Electric Power has unveiled a new building on its campus – and it looks a lot like a giant toilet. The resemblance to a loo is reported to be "unintentional", but local officials are sceptical given the nature of the university campus. China recently banned the construction of "weird buildings" after complaints that the new headquarters for the People's Daily newspaper looked like a giant penis.

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Praying woman crashes car

A 28-year-old Florida woman drove her car into the side of a house while "praying with her eyes closed". The Okaloosa County Sheriff's department said the woman failed to break at a stop sign, careered through an intersection and crashed into the side of the house. When the woman tried to reverse out of the yard, the vehicle became bogged down in sand and she was forced to call the authorities for help.

Girl uses Kung Fu on prowler

An eight-year-old San Diego girl used a martial arts move to save herself from being kidnapped from her home. Police say an intruder broke into the house and entered the girl's bedroom while she was asleep. As the girl was being carried down the stairs, she struck out at the prowler, using what she called a "cheetah paw" strike. The would-be kidnapper fled the scene, prompting an extensive police search.