'Smoke and Scram' Is New Order for New York Smokers
New York
Mayor Michael Bloomberg's smoking ban in New York bars and restaurants has given a new twist to the old bar prank of drinking and running.

Wife Won't Cook Dinner, Husband Calls Police
London
A move by Verizon Communication to cut the price of its high-speed Internet services could be the opening shot in a price war in which cable and telephone companies are forced to sacrifice profits to lure customers who want faster Web connections.

Getting Nuns Into the Exercise Habit
New York
Fitness guru Debbie Mandel thinks it's time for nuns to shape up. Based on the belief "a sedentary lifestyle is deadly," Mandel has devised a light workout for the sisterhood aimed at alleviating stress and promoting strength and fitness. "We can't cut ourselves off at the neck," she said.

Fish Do Feel Pain, Say British Scientists
London
Anglers take note -- British scientists say that after years of debate, they now have proof that fish feel pain. Animal activists are on the warpath after a study released on Wednesday showed how rainbow trout react to discomfort.

Ex-Iraq Info Minister Gets TV Job Offer in Dubai
Dubai
An Arab television network said on Tuesday it wants to give a job to former Iraqi information minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, whose colorful daily briefings during the U.S.-led invasion won him a cult following.

Spoof French Newspaper Reports U.S./UK Invasion
Paris
As France wonders how Washington might punish it for opposing the war in Iraq, a spoof Paris newspaper has let its imagination run wild and reported a U.S.-led invasion to topple President Jacques Chirac.

Smallest School Shut as Sole Pupil Stays Home
REUTERS
The reopening of Britain's smallest school has been canceled because its sole pupil failed to turn up for class, The Times reported on Friday.