Witches have returned to the German forests, dancing naked in groups under the full moon and calling to their gods. Their religious ideas are described as ”pagan” rather than Satanist, and many of the older practitioners have a history in the environmental movement, where they learnt a passionate love of nature.
A growing number of consumers worldwide are turning to health foods, with trend researchers predicting a boom in the organic food industry. In the United States the so-called ”Lohas” — Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability consumers — already make up about a third of the population, according to reports.
Yahoo’s steeply discounted foray into online music subscriptions struck a sour note on Wednesday with the shareholders of Napster and RealNetworks — the owners of the rival services that stand to lose the most from the new competitive
threat.
The police could not get the Mafia out of Las Vegas so it was left to Wall Street financiers to clean up the desert gambling resort and turn it into one of the great United States success stories. Las Vegas was once the only place where gambling was legal. The industry took off during the austerity of World War II.
A television journalist who was slapped by Kenyan First Lady Lucy Kibaki has filed a formal complaint with the police, charging her with assault and calling for her arrest. ”In terms of justice being served, I am keeping my fingers crossed,” said Clifford Derrick, adding that he has already received several calls warning him to be careful.
Serena Williams certainly didn’t look ready for the French Open on Wednesday. The six-time Grand Slam winner was upset 7-6 (2), 6-1 by Italy’s Francesca Schiavone in her opening match at the Italian Open, an important tune-up for the season’s first major, which starts in less than two weeks.
Stunt shows such as Jackass, where presenters hurt themselves, have inspired British teenagers to slap people in the street and film it on their cellphones. The craze, known as ”happy slapping”, has spread across Britain over the past six months, with youngsters recording their attacks and posting them on the internet.
The Auckland Blues have spiced up their do-or-die joust with the Waratahs for a Super 12 rugby play-off spot with claims that the series front-runners have had a charmed run with referees at the breakdown. Auckland are one of three teams vying for the last playoff slot with South Africa’s Northern Bulls.
Sixty-two alleged mercenaries are expected back in South Africa by noon on Thursday after their release from a Zimbabwean jail, South African Broadcasting Corporation news reported. Their lawyer, Alwyn Griebenow, said the men would leave a remand prison in Harare by 6am for the Beit Bridge border post near Musina in Limpopo.
At least 12,3-million people are trapped in forced labour around the world, according to estimates in a report by the United Nations agency the International Labour Organisation. More than three-quarters of these are subjected to forced labour by private companies or individuals rather than being victims of the state, the study suggests.