There were no golden thrones, champagne flutes or ice sculptures at Nebraska’s wedding of the year. The groom wore an everyday business suit, the ring was a discount purchase through his own jewellery company and the reception was a meal at the Bonefish Grill, a United States-wide seafood chain.

Cancer patient Jane Tomlinson pedalled her bicycle into Battery Park in lower Manhattan on Friday morning, completing an arduous, 6 720km ride across the United States almost exactly six years after she was given six months to live. ”It turned out to be a bit of an ordeal,” said Tomlinson (42).

Scientists are making final preparations to steer a washing-machine-sized probe into the near side of the moon, an act of silent violence that will help unravel the mysteries of our celestial neighbour. The Smart-1 probe will end its journey by slamming into a dusty basin at 8 000kph.

The United States Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, who has so far survived mounting calls for his resignation over Iraq, is to be pitched into the centre of the American midterm election fight by Democrats who are convinced that he is the Bush administration’s Achilles heel.