>Chinese authorities are calling for a heavy punishment for the American man charged with stealing a thumb from an ancient terracotta warrior statue that was on display at a museum in Pennsylvania, and compensation for the damage caused to the US$4.5 million relic.
>Michael Rohana, 24, was charged earlier this month with breaking off and stealing the left thumb of the 2,000-year-old sculpture from the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia on December 21.
>While the US museum has apologised for the incident, an official from the Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Centre, which arranged for the loan of 10 of the statues, condemned the act and said Rohana should be handed a severe penalty, Beijing Youth Daily reported