A post template

No image available
/ 5 November 2004

EU, US are ‘natural and indispensable partners’

The European Union and the United States recommitted themselves to a smooth transatlantic relationship on Friday and hoped the second term of US President George Bush will no longer be marred by nasty political and trade disputes. But French President Jacques Chirac remained wary of Washington’s global economic and political clout.

No image available
/ 5 November 2004

A sneeze too many

Police in western Germany were called to a city church on Friday after two women began fighting outside because one of them could not stand the other’s incessant sneezing during a service. A 28-year-old woman began insulting another woman whose cold could not be controlled at the church in Kaiserslautern, city police said.

No image available
/ 5 November 2004

Popcru still plans prison disruptions

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has given the Department of Correctional Services 14 days to reinstate 127 prison workers dismissed for striking illegally. The 127 Modderbee prison officials were dismissed during an illegal strike in July, after ”defiantly” ignoring ultimatums to disengage.

No image available
/ 5 November 2004

Darfur rebels kill mayor, kidnap 10 children

Darfur rebels killed a mayor, abducted 10 children and injured four police officers in fresh unrest in the troubled western region of Sudan, news reports and police said on Friday. Local authorities have reported the incident to the African Union ceasefire commission charged with monitoring a fragile truce in Darfur.

No image available
/ 5 November 2004

Wrap your lips around this

Fancy a bit of bhaji? You’ll need a big bite to put away the biggest fried onion ball in the world, which set a record on Friday weighing in at an astounding 84kg, event organisers said. The big bhaji — a fried and breaded South Asian snack — swells to a diametre of 86cm, the organisers said.

No image available
/ 5 November 2004

Village idiot

NOT THE MOVIE OF THE WEEK: The Village is an absurd and badly plotted thriller that has sent Sixth Sense director M Night Shyamalan’s reputation south like dotcom stock, writes Peter Bradshaw.

No image available
/ 5 November 2004

Benefits of piracy

If Internet piracy is hurting Hollywood so much, why is the US box office healthier than ever? Far from destroying the film industry, movie downloading has made it raise its game, exploit its visual advantages, and lower its prices. John Sutherland reports.