During a trip to Germany, Kazakhstani minister Kasymzhomart Tokayev says the "mocumentary" Borat, simply doesn't make him laugh. The film, which depicts Kazakhstan as a backwards, antisemitic and misogynistic former Soviet republic, will likely be banned from theaters in the small Asian nation.

Four firefighters almost lost their jobs after they were caught on video playing a prank inside a tumble dryer. Firefighters Simon Leyland, Glenn Simon and Chris Wilcox filmed their colleague Andy Bruce climbing into the machine at the Blackley fire station in Manchester, England. In the video, the machine was switched on and Bruce was turned over several times as the trio laughed in the background.

hree Mexicans who spent nine months lost at sea are to be paid at least $3. 8 million to turn their story into a movie. The men, who hail from San Blas, were feared lost when their 25-foot (8-meter) fiberglass boat ran into trouble off Mexico's Pacific coast last November.

An agency for pets called Hollywood Paws have been sued by more than a dozen owners of a Rottweiler and other dogs for not making their pooches into stars. They claim that the firm had charged them tens of thousands of dollars but failed to procure film and television auditions for their pets. "I lost a lot of money," said Rachel Armstrong, owner of Goliath the Rottweiler.

All the street lights were turned off in the capital of Iceland and other towns so residents could go star gazing. The writer who came up with the idea was pleased with the outcome, even though rain and clouds obscured the view. Andri Snaer Magnason told Reuters, "All the streets lights are off, we can see a few stars. . . I would have liked to have a completely clear sky, but you can't have everything. But it was nice. "