Russian customs officials in Buholovo near the Latvian border have discovered a one mile long pipeline that was pumping vodka to the other side of the border. Police officers patrolling the border said the tunnel had been laid six feet underground by still unidentified syndicates to pump home-made vodka across the border to avoid paying taxes and other government regulations on the liquor.

Council officials in Worcester City, Worcestershire in England have warned visitors at the Cripplegate Park, of falling pears. The council also ordered two pear trees cordoned off in case their fruit falls on people. Signs have been screwed into each tree saying: "Warning, pears falling!"

As almost 50 percent of the Philippines was plunged into darkness from Thursday until late Saturday afternoon because of the ravages brought by Typhoon "Milenyo" (international codename: Xangsase). Interesting scenes of socioeconomic disparity were being played out in the various hotels and the squatting community. While the rich and the ultra-rich checked into first-class hotels ato await power restoration. Those who have less in life had to endure the sweltering heat, not to mention disease carrying mosquito bites.

There's a Koala baby boom on one Australian island and scientists are hoping to slow that down. Scientists are hoping a new contraceptive dart will slow down the population explosion of koalas on Kangaroo Island. The island's eucalyptus trees are dwindling and the island's 28,000 koalas are eating themselves out of a habitat. The animals eat nearly a pound of leaves every day. So far, the contraceptive darts have proved 100 percent successful.

The Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources has filed charges against Motortrade Co. , before the regional trial court Branch 51 in Sorsogon City, Philippines for violation of Presidential Decree 953, which prohibits the nailing of anything, including advertisements, on trees which could cause injury to them. The law states that "any person who cuts, destroys, damages or injures naturally growing or planted trees of any kind, flowering or ornamental plants and shrubs, or plants of scenic, aesthetic and ecological values. . . shall be punished with imprisonment. "