Where were you?

1. Biting spirit

A police officer in Braunschweig, Germany, was taken by surprise when a 70-year-old shoplifter he was arresting tried to bite his way to freedom. Fortunately, pensioner Gustav Ernegger had forgotten his dentures and was able only to leave wet marks on the officer's arm.

2. Hard of hearing

Violence broke out after a kick-boxing contest in the Wirral when one group of fans misheard what its rivals were shouting. Supporters of Luke Harner of Accrington yelled "Lukey, Lukey", but were pelted with bricks and bottles because, they said, fans of Harner's opponent heard the chant as "Loser, Loser".

As World Cup fever swept Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Sen (right) had to tell people not to get carried away when they gamble. "Just bet verbally, for fun," he advised. "Don't sell your cows to bet on games of football."

4. Seven short

Lynn Westmoreland, a US congressman backing a bill to have the ten commandments displayed in schools and courtrooms, was caught out when TV satirist Stephen Colbert asked him to list them. "You mean all of them?" he replied. "Um . . . Don't murder. Don't lie. Don't steal. Um . . . I can't name them all."

5. Trouble and strife

A survey of women students at Glasgow Caledonian University found that 60 per cent believed it was acceptable for women to hit their husbands or partners. Of 200 women questioned, 35 per cent said they had actually struck their partners and 8 per cent had inflicted injury.