World Briefs

The ocean depths are home to myriad species of microbes, mostly hard to see but including spaghetti-like bacteria that form whitish mats the size of Greece on the floor of the Pacific, scientists said yesterday.

The survey, part of a 10-year Census of Marine Life, turned up hosts of unknown microbes, tiny zooplankton, crustaceans, worms, burrowers and larvae, some of them looking like extras in a science fiction movie and underpinning all life in the seas.

The census estimated there were a mind-boggling "nonillion" - or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (30 zeroes) - individual microbial cells in the oceans, weighing as much as 240 billion African elephants, the biggest land animal.

Getting a better idea of microbes, the "hidden majority" making up 50 to 90 per cent of biomass in the seas, will give a benchmark for understanding future shifts in the oceans, perhaps linked to climate change or pollution. (Reuters)

Prospective golf star gets a hole-in-one

The family of a five-year-old golfer believe she is the youngest girl ever to get a hole-in-one.

Eleanor Gamble was out with her family on April 15 when she achieved the amazing feat.

On the sixth hole at Cambridge Lakes golf course the 3ft 5in youngster whacked her ball 86 yards into the hole. (PA)

Romantic road rage may lead to accidents

More than thirty per cent of couples admit to "romantic road rage", a survey has revealed.

These motorists have taken to the wheel and driven aggressively after a heated row with their partner, the poll by insurance company More Than found.

As many as eight per cent of people in a relationship have had a crash following an argument with their partner, the survey also showed. (PA)

Fake doctors provided breast implants

Venezuelan police have arrested a man and woman accused of impersonating plastic surgeons and providing women with silicon breast and buttock implants from an illegal clinic in an apartment. Cosmetic surgery, especially breast enlargement, is widespread in image-conscious Venezuela, which is known for beauty queens who have won many international pageant titles.

Reinaldo Henriquez was charged with aggravated fraud while sidekick Hersi Rodriguez was accused of aiding and abetting him by recruiting clients and taking them to their surgery in Maracay, the Attorney General's office said.

Henriquez, 26, and Rodriguez, 34, are beauticians who belonged to a gang called "The Silicons" and attracted customers with rock-bottom prices, local media reported. (Reuters)

Black people grounded

An Australian publisher is reprinting 7,000 cookbooks over a recipe for pasta with "salt and freshly ground black people."

Penguin Group Australia's head of publishing, Bob Sessions, acknowledged the proof reader should have caught the "silly mistake".

He told The Sydney Morning Herald: "We're mortified that this has become an issue of any kind and why anyone would be offended, we don't know." (PA)

Stranded couple take vows online

A British-Australian couple's wedding guests watched them take their vows over the internet last Saturday after the volcanic ash cloud disrupting European flights left them stranded in Dubai.

Sean Murtagh, 24, from London, and his new wife Natalie, a 30-year-old Australian, were married at a civil wedding in Brisbane three weeks ago. But they also planned a ceremony for family and friends in Ealing, west London.

Flying back from their home in the Queensland capital for the ceremony however, they found themselves stuck when they changed planes in Dubai on Thursday. But staff at their airport hotel helped them take their vows over the web. Caroline Black, who conducted the online ceremony from London, said: "It was just like any other wedding except the bride and groom weren't there." (AFP)

Historical re-enactment

Hong Kong government surveyors who proposed historic status for a rare Italian renaissance mansion were left embarrassed after it turned out the house was a copy of one demolished 20 years ago.

The original mansion in the exclusive Peak district of Hong Kong was torn down in 1990, making the present building less than 20 years old.

"Our staff were looking at its appearance (and thought it was heritage)," monuments office secretary Tom Ming said.

"But then after the owner sent us an objection against our proposal of grading, we learnt from the buildings department the original building had been demolished."

Architectural conservationist Lee Ho-yin said the mansion was so convincing that even he had been mistaken. (AFP)

Plane stupid

A lost Russian pilot crashed his light plane after hitting a tractor trying to land to ask for directions.

A police spokesman was quoted as saying the accident happened in southern Russia's Stavropol region last Friday.

He said the pilot lost his way, saw a tractor below and decided to land to get advice from the driver.

A spokesman for the regional branch of Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry, said the An-2 agricultural plane grazed the tractor while landing in the field and broke its landing gear.

He said no one was hurt. (PA)