Poem

Lecter Tour

• 14 June 1999

The sequel to "The Silence of the Lambs" was published

Goodbye, Dolly

• 07 June 1999

Dolly the cloned sheep is prematurely ageing. The average age of theatregoers was said to be 58

Buddha's Tooth

• 31 May 1999

One of Buddha's teeth is drawing crowds in Hong Kong. There's a second in Sri Lanka, but the existence of one in Taiwan is hotly disputed

On Seeing a Photograph of Affan Ramic's Dead Son

• 24 May 1999

Nonsense

• 17 May 1999

Nato bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. It was a "tragic mistake" (with apologies to Lewis Carroll)

Because

• 10 May 1999

The body of George Mallory was found on Everest, still in its tweeds, after 75 years. Tory poll ratings hit a new low.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away . . .

• 03 May 1999

Queuing started six weeks early for the new "Star Wars" film. There was a second nail bomb in the East End, and a new school massacre in the USA

Across the Universe

• 26 April 1999

A new solar system like our own has been identified

Byers Market

• 19 April 1999

Rupert Murdoch has been forbidden to purchase Manchester United. There's an Abba revival in the West End and in the music charts. With apologies to Abba's "Dancing Queen"

Dead in the water

• 09 April 1999

"The Rambouillet agreement is dead in the water" - Mark Laity, BBC News